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For several years now, the National Archives of Scotland
(NAS) staff who work at Thomas
Thomson House have been engaged by the occasional spectacle
of a Harris hawk flying around the building. In fact, there
are several hawks who take turns of duty. The one shown here
is called 'Taz'. The hawk's services are brought in to frighten
off the local seagulls, though it also has an effect on the
local rabbit population. The use of hawks to control pests
is a modern twist on a tradition of falconry in Scotland,
which dates back many hundreds of years. Indeed the hawks
help protect the buildings which contain medieval records
relating to falconry and birds of prey.
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The sport of falconry has been extant for at least 2,500 years. In
5th century France, there were strict penalties for hawk theft -
either a fine of six sous would have to be paid or six ounces of flesh
were to be removed by the said hawk from the posterior of the offender.
The 15th century 'Boke of St Albans' on the subject of hawking
and hunting, laid out the laws of ownership regarding birds of prey
(raptors) whereby birds were allocated to a social rank and a man
could not hawk with a bird which had been allocated to a higher rank
than himself. An emperor could own an eagle, vulture or kite; kings
received gyrfalcons, ladies could own merlins, earls - peregrine falcons,
servants could own kestrels and so on. Unfortunately, though the most
senior individuals were allocated birds according to their financial
value, the most expensive birds did not always make the best hunters.
Eagles were difficult to train and required large game whilst vultures
exist on carrion. So it seems likely that the system was only enforced
sporadically.
Falcons and royal falconers were held in high esteem. Many of the
Stewarts were keen falconers and, more unusually, James I apparently
kept sea eagles trained to capture teal ducks while James VI favoured
training ospreys to catch fish.
The printed Accounts of the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland (NAS ref.
SRO10/300-312) contain many references to payments made for the maintenance
of hawks and falcons. An interesting entry from 1508 reads,
'Item to the said Johne [Forman] be laid doun for ane pair of
quhit hos lynyng and making to the King and for halk gluffis and
for tua dog skinnis to be chessis for halkiz'.
Quhit hos lynyng - white hose lining
Halk gluffis - halk gloves
Tua dog skinnis - two dog skins
Chessis - jesses or ties
Halkis - hawk
Falconry generally declined during the 17th century though it
enjoyed later revivals - especially in Scotland. A letter held
by the NAS (NAS ref. GD16/34/141) illustrates the problems experienced
by many in obtaining birds of prey during the later 17th century.
The letter was sent by the Earl of Mar in 1666 to an anonymous addressee
and reads,
'...I have given order to J Murray to furnishe your lo[rdship]
with a goaze hauck and a Jarselk, butt it fears me they ar scarer
than they went to be in regaird the Inglishe tooke awaye the old
hauck neither for any persuasione nor money yt could be offerred
them would they upon any tearms, lett her goe. neither could I
have any myselfe last year...'
goaze hauck - goshawk
Jarselk - jercel, possibly a male goshawk
If you would like to find more records held in the NAS on falconry
or hawks, use our online
catalogue or visit our search
rooms. Most of the records will be amongst private
papers in the gifts and deposits series (NAS ref. GD) and some
date as far back as the 13th century.
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