New Hampshire Statesman And Concord Register

The greatest anxiety evinced by James the First, during his reign, except in the detection and punishment of old women for witchcraft, was for the recovery of a hawk which he had lost sporting.

Sir Anthony Weldon says, that "the King being at New-market, delighted much to fly his goss-hawks at herons, and the manner of the conflict was this; the heron would mount, and the hawk would get much above it; then, when the hawk stopped at the game, the heron would turn up its belly to receive her with his claws, and sharp bill, which the hawk perceiving would dodge and pass by, rather than endanger itself. This pass being over, both hawk and game would mount to the utmost of their power, till the hawk being got above, would be at another attempt, and after divers such assaults, by some lucky hit or other, the hawk would bring her down. But one day a most excellent hawk being at his game, in the King's presence, mounted with his game so high, that both hawk and heron got out of sight and were never seen more. Inquiry was made, not only all over England but in all the foreign Princes' Courts in Europe, the hawk having the King's jesses and marks sufficient whereby it might be known, but all was to no purpose."