each other They feare also the Wolfes whereof came the prouerbe Their enemies in nature that first of all the Roes wil be ioyned to the Wolfes to expresse an incredible matter They haue also beene vsed for Sacrifice to Diana for the Saphriae Women in Patras did lay vpon hir great altar whole Harts Bores Roes and other beasts aliue and the Coptitae did eate the Males Sacrifices of Roes but religiously worshipped the females not daring to eate them Pausanias Aelianus because they beleeued that Isis loued them dearely Of these Beasts came the Islands Capreae beyond Surrentum into Campania where Tiberius had a famous Castle and was ennobled by his presence but since the decay thereof it is now celebrated for the multitude of quailes that are found therein The medicines arising from a Roe Marcellus The remedies or medicines comming from this Beast are these first the flesh of them eaten is good against all paines in the small guts for it dryeth and stayeth the belly Pliny affirmeth that the teeth of a Dragon tyed to the sinnewes of a Hart in a Roes skinne and wore about ones necke maketh a man to be grations to his superiors and them to be fauorable and pitifull to him in all his supply cations And if the white flesh in the brest of an Hiaena and seuen haires thereof with the genitall of a Hart betyed in a piece of a Roes skinne and hanged about a Womans necke it maketh that her wombe shall suffer no abortements but these things are triuiall and not to be beleeued but at pleasure I know that the taile of a Dragon tyed to the Nerues of a Hart in a Roes skinne the sewet of a Roe with Goose-grease the marrow of a Hart and an onyon with Rozen running lime doe wonderfully help the falling euill if it be made into a plaister Sextus saith that if one giue the braine of a Roe drawen or pressed through a ring to an infant it will preserue him for euer from the falling sicknesse and apparitians The Liuer of a Roe sod in salt Water and the eyes of a purblind man held ouer the fume or reak thereof are cured of their blindnesse and some seeth it in a little cup and annoynt the eies with the scumme or froth comming from it The same liuer being burned to poulder and the dust cast on a man bleeding staieth the yssue or fluxe The gall of this beast mixed with Wine and the meale of Lupines the waight of a groate and Hony take away the spots of the face the same gal mixed with water helpeth a sun-burned face and freckles The same with Hony Atticke taketh away the dimnes from the eies with the iuyce of a gourd annoynted vpon the eie browes causeth that where the haire hath beene pulled off that it neuer shal grow againe and this gall is alway the better for the age thereof and as Hypocrates did prescribe it must be kept in a siluer pipe or boxe For the tingling of the eares take with this gall the Oyle of Roses with the iuyce of an Onyon beaten together and instilled warme into the eares for a present remedy so also with the oyle of Roses onely it helpeth the payne in the teeth and with the hony atticke all swellings and paines in the iawes or chappes putting thereto Myrrhe saffron Sextus and Pepper The same gall with a little hoggs-bread and the poulder of burnt Alumme with Anyse seede made into a suppository procureth loosenes if the party haue not the Hemerrhoides Also the gaull taken with hony and the iuyce of Eglantine Aetius cureth the exulceration of the virile member by annoynting it The Spleene being drunke helpeth windinesse and the melt is commended against the chollicke and the biting of serpents Against the laundise they take the dung of a Roe dryed and sifted and drinke it in wine Galen the same also so drunke cureth the Ague and bycause the Roe-bucke doth wonderfully loue his female there be some that affirme that if a woman eate the bladder of a Roe it will likewise make her husband to loue her exceedingly OF THE FIRST KIND OF TRAGElaphus which may be called a Deere-goate Plinyus THere is another kind so like a Deere although conceiued of a Bucke-Goate and a female Hart that I cannot but expresse the figure and briefe narration thereof in this place of the generation of this beast It is like a Deere except the beard and the bristles growing about the shoulders and Pliny affirmeth that they are found about the riuer Phasis in Arabia and Arachotae which is a Citty of India so called of Arachotus a riuer issuing from Caucasus which the Graecians call Tragelaphos Athenaeus The countries of this beast and the name heerof and the Germans ein Brandhirse and some thinke this beast to be mentioned by the name of Ako in Deut. 14. This doubtles is the same beast which Aristotle calleth Hippelaphus because he attributeth the selfe same things to it that Pliny ascribeth to this both for the beard the bristles and deepe haire about the shoulders which hangeth downe like the mane of a horse The similitude both in proportion and quantity holdeth with a Hart in the feete which are clouen and that the female thereof doth want hornes The hornes of the male are like the hornes of a Roe Therefore howsoeuer some haue imagined that there is no such Beast to be found in the world they are rather to be pittied then confuted for it is not to be doubted that neither the auncients nor other euer haue seene all the diuers and maruailous shapes of Beastes which are to be found in many remote and far distant places of the world especially in Arabia and India where are many desarts and therefore the reason why they affirme this is because they neuer saw any such and so it is to be vnderstood for the rare pictures of these beasts called in ancient time Canathra Zenophon Plutarch Coelius whereupon children were carried in Pageants and shewes gaue them occasion to think that these were but mens deuises and that God neuer ordained such creatures Georgius Fabritius which sent me this Picture doth among other thinges write vnto me very probably that this kinde is onely distinguished from other informe name and strength and not in kind and this being more strange and lesse knowne among men was called by the Graecians Tragelaphus being greater then the vulgar Deere deeper haired and blacker in colour Of the parts and this saith he is taken in the ridings or forrests of Misena bordering vppon Bohemia and the common sort of hunters hold opinion that by reason it loueth to lie where Coles are made Of the countries of this beast and in their dust feeding vpon such grasse as groweth in those places that therefore the Germanes call it Brandhtrze and so the Foxes which resemble them in colour are called Brandfusche It is for certaine
Eumenes beyond the citty Saba where there is a place called the hunting of Elephants The Troglodytae liue also heereupon the people of Affricke cald Asachae Pliny Solmus which liue in Mountains do likwise eat the flesh of Elephants and the Adiabarae or Megabari The Nomades haue Citties running vpon Charriots and the people next vnto their Territory cut Elephantes in peeces and both sell and eat them Some vse the hard flesh of the backe and other commend aboue all the delicates of the world the reines of the Elephants vaâ—tomanus so that it is a wonder that Aelianus would write that there was nothing in an Elephant good for meat except the trunke the lips and the marrow of his hornes or teeth The skin of this Beast is exceeding hard not to be pierced by any dart whereupon came the prouerbe Culicem haud curat Elephas Indicus the Indian Elephant careth not for the biting of a Gnat to signifie a sufficient ability to resist all euill and that Noble minds must not reuenge small iniuries The diseases 〈◊〉 elephants 〈…〉 It cannot be but in such huge and vast bodies there should also be nourished some diseases and that many as Strabo saith wherefore first of all ther is no creatur in the world lesse able to endure cold or winter for their impatiency of cold bringeth inflamation Also in Summer when the same is hotest they coole one another by casting durty and filthy water vpon each other or else run into the roughest woods of greatest shadow It hath bin shewed already that they deuour Chamaeleons and thereof perish except they eat a wild Oliue When they suffer inflamation and are bound in the bellie either black wine or nothing will cure them When they drinke a Leach they are greeuously pained for their wounds by darts or otherwise they are cured by swines flesh or Dittanie or by Oile or by the flower of the Oliue They fall mad sometime for which I knowe no other cure but to tye them vppe fast in yron chaines When they are tired for want of sleepe they are recouered by rubbing their shoulders with salt Oile and water Cowes milke warmed and infused into their eies cureth all euils in them and they presently like reasonable men acknowledge the benefit of the medicine The medicinall vertues in this beast are by Authours obserued to be these The medicines in Elephants Marcellus The blood of an Elephant and the ashes of a Weasill cure the great Leprosie and the same blood is profitable against all Rhewmaticke fluxes and the Sciatica The flesh dryed and cold or heauy fat and cold is abhominable for if it be sod and stâ—eped in vineger with fennel-seede Isidorvs Rasis and giuen to a Woman with child it maketh her presently suffer abortement But if a man tast thereof salted and steeped with the seede aforesaide it cureth an old cough The fatte is a good Antidote either by oyntment or perfume Albertus it cureth also the payne in the head The Iuory or tooth is cold and dry in the first degree and the whole substance thereof Corroborateth the hart and helpeth conception it is often adulterated by fishes and Dogges bones burnt and by White marble There is a Spodium made of Iuory in this manner Take a pound of Iuory cut into pieces and put into a raw new earthen pot couering glewing the couer with lome round about and so let it burne til the pot be thrughly hardened afterward take off the pot and beate your Iuory into small powder and being so beaten sift it then put it into a glasse and poure vpon it two pound of distilled rose Water and let it dry Thirdly beate it vnto powder againe and sift it the second time and put into it againe so much rose water as at the first then let it dry and put thereunto as much Camphire as will lye vpon three or foure single Groats and worke it altogether vpon a marble stone into little Cakes and so lay them vp where the ayre may not corrupt and alter them The vertue heereof is very pretious against spittyng of bloode and the bloody-flixe and also it is giuen for refrigeration without daunger of byndinge or astriction After a man is deliuered from the lethargye pestilence or sudden forgetfulnesse let him be purged and take the powder of Iuory and Hiera Ruffi drunke out of sweete water This powder with Hony atticke taketh away the spottes in the face the same with wilde mints drunk with water resisteth and auoydeth the Leprosie at the beginning The powder of Iuory burnt and drunke with Goates blood doeth wonderfully cure all the paynes and expell the little stones in the raynes and bladder Combes made of Iuory are most wholsome the touching of the trunke cureth the headache The liuer is profitable against the falling euil the same vertue hath the gall if he haue any against the falling euill The fime by annointing cureth a lowsie skin and taketh away that power which breedeth these vermine the same perfumed easeth Agues helpeth a woman in trauaile and driueth gnats or marsh-flyes out of a house OF THE ELKE AS the Elephant last handled could not liue in any countrey of the world but in the whot Esterne and Sowtherne Regions The place of their abode Bonarus barâ— Balizce so the Elke on the contrary is most impatient of all heate and keepeth not but in the Northerne and cold contries for Polonia and the countries vnder that clymate will not preserue an Elke aliue as it hath byn often tryed by experience Countries breeding Elkes for which cause they are not found but in the colder Northerne regions as Russia Prussia Hungaria and Illiria in the wood Hercynia and among the Borussian-Scythians but most plentifully in Scandinauia which Pausanias calleth the Celtes for all the auncients called the Kingdomes of Germany and the North Celtarum Regiones Countryes inhabited by the Celts The figure of the Elke with hornes The Elke without hornes I find not any vnreconcileable difference among authours concerning this beast Caesars description of an Elke except in Caesar lib. 6. of his Commentaries who by the relation of other not by his owne fight writeth that there are Elkes in the Hercynian wood like vnto Goats in their spotted skins who haue no hornes nor ioynts in their legs to bend withall but sleepe by leaning vnto trees like Elephants because when they are downe on the ground they can neuer rise againe But the truth is that they are like to Roes or Hartes because Goates haue no spotted skins but Deere haue and there may easily be a slip from Caprea a Roe to Capra a Goat and Caesar himselfe confesseth that the similitude is in their spotted skins which are not competible in Goats but in Roes And whereas he writeth that they haue no Horns the error of this relator may be this that eyther he had onely seene a young one before the hornes came forth
the way and place of his harme perceiuing a returne of the armie went furiously among them and found out the man whose hand had wounded him and could not by any help of his associats be stayed from a reuenge but tore the yoong souldiour in peeces and departed away safe for the residue seeing his rage ran all away thinking him to be some deuill in the likenesse of a Lyon After the taking of Lyons it followeth that we should intreat of their taming Of the taming of lions and first of all they which are tamed in their infancy while they are whelpes are most meeke and gentle full of sport and play especially being filled with meate so that without danger a stranger may meet with them but being hungry they returne againe to their owne nature for as it is true which Seneca saith Leonibus manus magister inserit osculatur Tigrim suos custos that is to say The maister of a Lyon may put his hand in his mouth and the keeper of a Tyger may kisse him yet is it also to be feard Tigres leonesque nunquam feritatem exuunt aliquaÌ„do submittunt cum minime expectaueris toruitas maligna redibit Lions Tygers do neuer leaue off their wildenesse although somtimes they yeeld and seeme to be submisse yet vpon a suddaine when a man expecteth not their malignant wrath breaketh forth and they are exasperated Wherefore after they grow to be old it is impossible to make them vtterly tame yet we read in diuers stories of tame Lyons whether made so from their littering or els constraind by the Art of man such are these which follow Hanno had a certain Lyon which in his expeditions of war carried his baggage and for that cause the Carthagenians condemned him to be banishment for said they Male credi libertus ei cui in tantum câ—cissit etiam feritas It is not safe to trust such a man with the gouerment of the common welth who by wit pollicy or strength was able to ouercome Coelius and vtterly to alter the wilde nature of a Lion for they thoght he wold proue a Tyrant that could bring the Lion to such meekenes as to waite on him at Table to licke his face with his toongue to smooth his hand on his backe and to liue in his presence like a little dogge The Indians tame lions and Elephants and set them to plough Onomarcus Aelianus the tyrant of Cattana had lyons with whom he did ordinarily conuerse In the countrey of Elymis there was a Temple of Adonis wherein were kept many tame lyons which were so farre from wildnesse and fiercenesse that they would imbrace and salute the people that came in there to offer Also if any one called them to giue them meate they would take it gently and depart from them with quietnesse Likewise in the kingdome of Fes in a plaine called Adecsen there are certaine forrests wherein liue tame and gentle Lyons which if a man meete he may driue away with a small sticke or wand without receauing any harme And in an other region of Affrick the lyons are so tame Leo Afer that they come dayly into Citties and goe from one streete to another gathering and eating bones from whose presence neither women nor children run away Likewise in many parts of India they haue lyons so tame Aâ—lianus that they leade them vp and downe in leames and accustome them to the hunting of Bores Buls and wilde Asses like dogges for their noses are as well fitted for that purpose as the best hounds as we haue shewed before of the King of Tartary The best meanes to tame Lyons And the best meanes of taming them is the rule of Apolonius which he said was the precept of Pharaotes which is that they be neither handled too roughly nor too mildly for if they be beaten with stripes they grow ouer stubborne and if they be kept in continuall flatteries and vsed ouer kindly they grow ouer proud For they held opinion that by an equall commixtion of threatning and faire speaking or gentle vsage by which meanes they are more easily brought to good desired conditions and this wisedome the auncients did not onely vse in the taming of Lyons but also in restraining of tyrants putting it as a bridle in their mouthes and a hooke in their nosthrils to restraine them from fury and madnesse Albertus saith that the best way to tame lyons is to bring vp with them a little dogge and oftentimes to beate the same dog in their presence by which discipline the lion is made more tractable to the will of his keeper It is said of Heliogabalus that he nourished many tame lyons and Tygers and other such noysome beastes calling himselfe their great mother and when he had made any of his friends drunke in the night time hee shut them vp together who quickly fell asleepe through the heauinesse of their heads who being so asleepe he turned in amongst them some of his foresaid children both lyons Beares Tigers and such like at whose presence in the morning his drunken frinds grew so amazed that oft times some of them fell dead for feare and to conclude there is a story in a certaine Epigram of a lyon wandring abroad in the night time for the auoiding of frost cold came into a fold of Goates at the sight whereof the Goate-heards were much afraid calling in question not onely the liues of the flocke but also their owne because euery one of them thought himselfe bound to fight vnto death in defence hereof whereupon according to the manner of men in extremitie they all made their prayers desiring God to be deliuered from the Lion and according to their wishes so it came to passe for after the Lyon had lodged in the warme folde of Goates a whole night he departed in the morning without doing any harme to man or beast wherefore I take this Lyon to be of the tame kynde and as in all beasts there are differences both of natures and inclinations as we may see in dogs some of them being more apt after the manners of men and to be ruled by them then others so also I see no reason but that in the fierce and royall nature of Lyons some of them should be more inclinable to obedience subiection and submission whereunto being once woon they neuer afterwardes vtterly shake off their vassalage and yoake of them which ouercome them From hence it came that there were so many spectacles at Rome as first of all Lucius Scilla The triuÌ„phs games and coÌ„bats with Lions in the office of his aedilitie or ouersight of the Temple brought into the Roman circle or ring one hundred great maned Lyons loose which alwaies before that time were turned in bound or mufled And King Bochus sent so many valiant Archers and dart-casters to fight with them and destroy them After him Pompey the great in the same place brought in a combate consisting of
all things which may hurt birds hauing crooked talents who come presently so flying in such great flockes or companies that they may seeme to be clouds to expell the mice from their borders and by a proper gifâ— incident vnto them by nature do driue away hunger from the Caspians neither in quantity are these Mice inferior to the Egyptian Ichneumons they are also vngentle and they doe no lesse deuoure with the strength of their teeth then the Mice of Teredon in Babilon do iron whose soft skins the Marchants carry to the Persians The Indian mouse or Pharoes mouse as some learned later writers doe write is no other then the Ichneumon Antonius musa Brasauolus tooke the before expressed figure of an Indian mouse for so he did cal it which before that time was shewn by Bellonius and I gessed it to be an Ichneumon and truely in the snout if you take away the beard and in the eares it doth agree but in the taile it doth differ which doth rather resemble a cats and in many other things which by conferring them are easie to be marked and as I conceiued it I haue set it downe Of the Moschatte or Mus-kat Likewise ther was a most odiferous musk cat at Venice which a marchaÌ„t ther had to be seen brought as he said out of Cathay for proofe whereof he shewed the way that he went namely through the Eâ—xine sea Colchis Iberia and Albania euen to the entrance of Scythia For the countrey Cathay is a part of Scythia beyond Imaus neither ought this to seem wonderful for in that place there was a Region called by Ptolomeus Randa marcostra wherein he placeth the eleuenth table of Asia This region is watered by the riuer Sotus and therein aboundeth spicknard and the inhabitants cal the country wherein the best Muskats are bred Brassauola Ergimul and the greatest citty of that Countrey Singuy The same Authour writeth also that Muskattes are brought out of Egipt and out of many places of Affricke In Thebeth also there are manie Cities and beasts about those citties cald Gadery which do bring forth the muske and the Inhabitants hunt them with Dogges The prouince of Canicluet doth also yeeld many of these beasts and likewise Syria S. Ierom also writeth thus muscus Oénanthe pegrigrini muris pellicula by which skinne of the strange mouse Tame musk cats he meaneth the little bag or skin wherin the muske of the Muskat is encluded The princes of Europe do nourish these tame being brought out of the new found worlde and many other rich men especially in Italy be delighted with the odorefirous sauor which commeth from it Brassauolus saith that he saw a Marchant offer one of these to be sold vnto Alphonsus du of Feraria which had the Nauel full of muske And Catherinus Zenus an auncient Noble man of Venice had a Roe of this kind which he left after his death vnto his heyres and by this it doeth plainely appeare that the Muskcat is neither like a Catte nor a mouse and that al those which haue affirmed so much thereof haue bin deceiued by their owne coniecturall deriuation of Moscus or Muscus or by the errour of some writer of the auncient bookes which instead of Magnitudo Capreoli à Roe haue inferted Catti a Cat. And thus much shal suffice for the description of this beast and for the Regions wher it is bred except I may ad the relation of Ludovicus Romanus who affirmeth Their streÌ„gth nimblenesse and quicknes Alex. Benedictus that the muskats of Calechut are brought out of the country Pegus These Roes of the new found land are wonderful nimble and quicke and so swift that they are sildome taken aliue but after they are taken by pulling out their longer teeth they wax tame When they are prosecuted with the hunters and with Dogges they defend themselues with their teeth In some places they take them in snares and in ditches also kill them with dartes and so hauing killed them they cut off the little bagge wherein the muske groweth for that muske doeth exceede in sweetnes of Odor all the thinges that were euer made by the art of man Of the Musk and the vse thereof and therefore the vse of it is more plentifull then of any other thinge for they carry it about in Gatmentes They make perfume of it they annoint beades whereuppon they tell their prayers they also make bals of it and include it in Gold or Siluer carrying it about either to be seene or because they are delicate and wanton or to shew their riches and aboundance or to preserue themselues from putrified and stincking ayres or else against colde and moist diseases of the braine With this the luxurious women perfume themselues to entrap the loue of their wooers for as the thing it selfe is a vice or sicknesse of the beast so also by men it is vsed to vice and wickednesse yet the Venetian matrons will neuer vse it and he that beareth it about him shall neuer perceiue it himselfe We haue shewed already that it groweth in the nauell The place where the Musk groweth or in a little bagge neere vnto it and it is true by Gyraldus and Varinus that when the beast beginneth to be luxurious and prone to the rage of venery carnall copulation then the bloud floweth to the nauell and there putteth the beast to paine because it swelleth aboue measure The beast then abstaineth from all meate and drinke and rowleth himselfe vpon the ground so by the waight of his body presseth forth the humor that troubled him which after a certaine time doth coagulate and congeale together and then rendereth such an acceptable sauor as you see it hath The relation whereof you shall heare out of the words of Serapion In the wilde Roes saith he which wander too and fro in the mountaines freely without the gouerment of man haue in a little bagge certaine putrified matter or bloud which of it selfe groweth to be ripe whereunto when it is come the beast itcheth and is pained as it were with launcing therefore he rubbeth himselfe vpon stones rockes and trees The naturall expression of Muske a great while together for it delighteth him wherby the stones grow white through his rubbing therefore in time he weareth the bag a sunder making issue vnto it for the corruptible matter to come forth which presently runneth out vpon the sores no otherwise then if it had bin launced Then the wound groweth to be whole againe and the beast departeth vntil the like exsuperance of blood come into the same place againe For euery yeare this happeneth them The inhabitants of the country know al the hunters of these wild beasts and therefore note them where they empty their bellies For the humor so pressed out as before is declared through the heat of the sunne congealeth and dryeth vppon the stone growing more commendable and pleasant through the Sunnes heat Then
his mind and leapeth from bough to bough with no great hast for dread of an il bargainâ— yet being come downe dareth not approach nigh but hauing taken a view of the counterfeite and repressed his owne feare returneth backe againe After a little space he descendeth the second time and commeth nearer the panther then before yet returneth without touching him Then he discendeth the third time looking into his eies and makeâ—h tryall whether hee draweth breath or no but the PANTHER keepeth both breath and lims immouable by that means imboldning the Apes to their owne destruction for the spy-Ape sitteth down beside the Panther and stirreth not now when those which are aboue in the tree see how their intelliger abideth constantly beside their aduersary without harme they gather their spirits togither and discend downe in great multitudes running about the panther first of all going vpon him and afterwards leaping with great ioy and exultation mocking this their aduersary with al their apish toyes and testifieng their ioy for hir supposed death and in this sort the Panther suffereth them to continew a great reason til he perceiueth they are throughly wearied and then vpon a sudden hee leapeth vp aliue againe taking some of them in his claws destroying and killing them with teeth and nailes til he haue prepared for himself a rich dinner out of his aduersaries flesh And like as Vlysses endeuored all the contumelies and reproaches both of his maids and wiues suiters vntill he had a iust occasion giuen him of reuenge so doth the Panther the disdainfull dealing of the Apes whereupon came the prouerbe Pardi mortem assimulat Thanaton pardaleos hypocrimetai against a cunning dissembling fellow such a one as Brutus was who counterfatted madnes that he might get the Empire So great is the loue of this beast to all spices and aromaticall trees that they come ouer all the mountaine Taurus through Armenia and Silia when the winds bring the sauor of the sweet gum vnto them Their loue 〈◊〉 â—pices out of Pamphilia from the tree Storax whereupon lyeth this story There was a certaine panther which was taken by king Arsaces and a Golden collor put vpon his necke with this inscription Rex Arsaces deo Nisaeo that is King Arsaces to the God Bacchus for Bacchus was called Nisaey of a citty Nisa in India This Beast grew very tame and would suffer himselfe to be handled and stroked by the hands of men vntill the spring time that he winded the sauour of the Aromatical trees and then he would run away from all his acquaintance according to his kind and so at last was taken in the neather part of the mountaine Taurus which was many hundred miles distant from the kings court of Armenia The sauor or â—mel of Panthers We haue shewed already how they loue the gum of Camphorey watching that tree to the end to preserue it for their owne vse and indeed as Aelianus saith Admirabilem quantam odoris suavitatem olet pardalis quam bene olendi praestatiam deuino munere donatam cum sibi propriam plane tenet tum vero caetera animalia eius hanc vni praeclare sentiunt that is to say the Panther or Pardall smelleth most sweetly which sauor he hath receiued from a diuine gift and doth not onely feele the benefit of it himselfe but also bewray it vnto other beasts Aristotle Volâ—teranus for when he feeleth himself to be hungry and stand in need of meat then doth he get vp into some rough tree and by his savour or sweet smel draweth vnto him an innumerable company of wilde Goats Harts Roes and Hinds and such other beasts and so vpon a sudden leapeth downe vpon them when he espyeth his couenient time And Solinus sayth that the sweetnesse of his sauor worketh the same effect vppon them in the open fieldes for they are so mightily delighted with his spotted skin and fragrant smell that they wil alwaies come running vnto him from all parts striuing who shal come nearest him to be satisfied with the sight but when once they looke vppon his fierce and grim face they all are terrified and turne away for which cause the subtle beast turneth away his head and keepeth that from their sight offering the more beautiful parts of his body as an alluring bayt to a mouse and destroy them and from hence there are some which are of opinion that he receiueth his name Panthera of congregating togither all kind of beasts to look on him for Pan signifieth all and Therta signifieth beasts Isidorus Albertus is of opinion that the report of the Panthers sauour or sweet smell is but a fable because he saith it is written as a Maximum among Philosophers that Caetera animalia praeter hominem neque suaviter neque moleste odoribus affici that is That no creatures man excepted can be said to smell either sweetly or sowerly and Theophrastus writeth Animal nullum penetus odoratum est nisi quis dixerit pardalin belluarum censui bene olere that is There is no creature that can be said to be so odorifirous except the pardal seem to smel wel to the scents of other beasts for it is certain that there be som sauours and smels which beastes do follow and refuse being led thereunto onely for the choice of their meate for by their noses they choose that which is conuenient agreeable to their natures but that they shold be drawn by any smels or sauours meerly and for no other cause but the pleasure of the scents as it is a reasonable part in man so it is vnreasonable to attribute the very same vnto a beast Yet heerein by the fauour of Albertus I discent from him for it being granted which all men yeeld vnto that either the spots of his skin which seeme to be as many eies as colours or els the sweet sauour which commeth from him as the occasion of the beasts assembling about him then it followeth that when he is from the earth and lodged in a tree and so not visible to the eies of the beasts if then I say they assemble about the tree wherein he is lodgd there is no cause to draw the beastes vnto him but the attractiue power of his sweete sauour and what want of reason can it be iustly deemed to say that beasts loue sweet sauours seeing both Albertus and al other learned men that I know do confidently affirme that many wilde beasts do forsake their meat to heare musick and also the Badger doth forsake his owne den when he perceiueth the Foxe hath emptied his bellye therein Therefore I will conclude this point with admiration of the worke of the creator to consider how wisely he hath disposed his goodnesse and how powerfully hee communicateth the affections of his diuinity euen vnto brute beasts who doth not distinguish them asunder onely by their outsides and exterior partes nor yet by their insides and qualities of their minds but also by the
causes either because the reading or gathering is variable or vnlike or the manner of writing did disagree or because our correction or others was added thereto or that I might translate it or that I might fill or finish it if any thing should be wanting or that I might adde thereunto that which might delight the eloquency thereof or do somthing peculiar to the matter present if the Latine should seeme not sufficiently translated of them And lastly simply to a more intelligible vnderstanding of those thinges with which they are mingled As much as belongs to the right forme of writing I haue not alwaies written the same tearmes or names after the same maner but according to the Authors I haue very oftentimes changed whose words I did rehearse or recite This is of the stile and elocution That which doe belong to these thinges and to the truth and certainety of them I do not promise my credit in very many of them but yet am well pleased to put downe the names of the Authors with whom let those thinges remaine And truely the greatest part of them do merrit faith or credite which are fortified or defended by the consent of many learned men euen now in many ages as also that in this fauour or benefit very many of the Authors named of vs and happily some of them are repeated not with any great fruite or profit and yet are not to bee misliked Therefore it is more worthy to bee beleeued if one matter may bee spoken in the same wordes of many witnesses I confesse that there are some vaine glorious things but they are not many as Gillius saith in his translation of Aelianus which we haue added or put to this worke but they are recompenced and amended with a great number of other graue and learned translations and as if Fathers and Grand-Fathers should delight of a Mold in the ioyntes or knuckle of their Children that is to say Fooles which do not weigh or valew other mens workes As for slanderers I do not care for those men are the best as Cato declareth which are skilfull or experienced in true praise Which thing if I haue not done to the full and ample also I vsed the same wordes which Massarius writ in his translation of Fishes let not my study be blamed which truely is most vehement and ardent in the same because at this time I could do no more Let the indifferent Readers iudge how confused a matter I tooke vpon me to handle neither did I euer thinke that I should haue brought it to so good a passe But how much before time we haue done in helping or succoring good Arts let others also do as much which afterwardes haue clattered out of measure For neither will wee beare an euill discontented mind if they bring their helpes or labours of other skilfull men to this exceeding great and hard labour which we haue vndertaken and shall go beyond or excell vs. They report that Paedarotus that singular or excellent man who when he was not chosen in the number of three hundered men which order did shew or represent dignity or estimation among the Lacedemonians went away merry and laughing and being called backe againe of Ephorus the Historian being demaunded why he laughed answered because truely I reioyced that our citty had 3. hundered Cittizens better learned then my selfe Furthermore although I haue manifested hitherto almost al the writings of al things concerning Foure-footed-Beastes which haue come to my hands and haue comprehended or compassed them in our workes or Stories Notwithstanding for all that I desired to haue some superfluous or vnprofitable Bookes heareafter of other things but I neuer thought I should haue brought it passe for it is equity and reason that all things should stand in their proper place and dignity that all may profit which will which thing I doe altogether desire For somethings for antiquity sake do deserue to be warily obserued other some also for their Phylosophicall Method and Method partaining to Logicke or some matter differing from ours othersome for eloqution and othersome for all these causes wherfore we haue principally obserued the Graecians fauoring their language speech There are some which haue published saith Gillius in their writings all the nature which is comprehended or contained in Foure footed-Beastes as Aristotle Pliny and other auncient Writers Moreouer the controuersie or labour of whom I dare not say was manifestly finished or performed although many excellent thinges were begun of them concerning foure-footed-Beasts For truely me thinkes that such scrupelous Authors haue perfectly distinguished so many thinges of the signification and nature of Foure-footed-Beastes that there is left no more roome in any place for idle or negligent men to make a new discription or inuention It is manifest also that Aristarchus and Solinus did no other thing in two and forty yeare then marke and consider the maner and fashion of them and so committed them to writing It is a hard thing as I may speake with Pliny to offer or commit nouelty to olde or auncient things and to giue authority to things not seene afore and to giue credit to things decayed or growne out of vse and to bring to light obscure or difficult thinges and to giue reputation to thinges full of disdaine and credit to thinges doubtfull but to giue credit to the nature of all thinges and all thinges belonging to their nature Therefore I haue not desired to haue followed altogether that which is excellent and sumptuous Truely the peculiar cause of them is in mens desires who because they would please every one haue esteemed or set more by painefulnesse passed ouer and allowed then to help forward vtility or commodity newly found out For what is more commendable from all the labour of learning then to vndertake or enterprize so bountifull and commendable a charge or businesse then of renewing old and ancient things which were forgotten or rather to restore things from Death or ruine which were sould thereto and to restore the names of things and things by their names Great fauour ought to bee giuen to those also which doe regard the common waies and doe spread stengthen defend clense expounde declare pollish or finish make perfect and lastly do so rule and traine them that they may be tractable to all trauelers thereby and to all labering beasts whatsoeuer they are whose helpes we vse in Carts or Waggons and may performe and accomplish them without danger or any impediment or hinderance although they cannot sustaine or beare all hinderances yet almost the greater part of them Neither doe they deserue little praise or commendations in learning which haue so polished or trimmed vp some worke vndertaken for publike profit that to the rest or remnant in the same argument there shall be no complaint or little at all hereafter of the difficulty thereof which therefore if it be in my instruction I shall be very glad seeing that I did desire
deserts make them tents and fackes It is reported that Empedocles was called Colysanemas because when the Agrigentines were trobled with winds by hanging about their cittie innumerable Asse-skins he safe-guarded them from the windes wherupon some haue thought but falsly that there was some secret in asses skinnes against outragious Tempestes Pâ—â—ny The bones of Asses haue beene vsed for pipes the Artificers make more reckoning of them then of the bones of Hartes and therefore Esop in Plutarch wondereth that so grosse and dull a creature should haue such shrill and musicall bones and the Busirites called the Phylosophers Naucratites because they played musick vpon Asses bones for they cannot abide the sound of a trumpet because it resembleth the voice of an Asse who is very hatefull to them for Typhons sake Macenas allowed the flesh of young Asses to be eaten preferring it before the flesh of wilde asses and this custome also preuailed at Athens where they did eat the flesh of old Asses which hurteth the stomach hauing in it no good iuice or sweetnesse and is verye hard to be digested In like sort about the coasts of Alexandria men vse to eate the flesh of Asses Gâ—lâ—nus which begetting in their body much melancholike and adusted humor causeth them to fall into the Elephantia or spotted leprosie Asses are tamed at three yeares old and taught for those businesses which they must be applied vnto some for the mill some for husbandry and the plough some for burthens and carriage some for the wars and some for draught Merchants vse Asses to carry their wine oyle corne and other things to the sea-side wherefore the countrey man maketh principall account of this beast for his carriage too and fro being fit to carie both on his necke and on his backe Coâ—lâ—mella with them they go to market with their wares vpon them bring home their houshold necessaries Tarde costas agitator aselli Vilibus aut onerat pomis lapidemque reuertens Incussum aut atrae massam picis uerbe reportat They grinde in their milles and fetch home their corne they plough their lande as in Campania Libâ—a and Batia where the ground is soft and in Bizantium that fruitful countrey Pliny Mulisâ—quis 〈…〉 in familia sunt which repayeth the husbandmans labor with increase of an hundred and fifty times more then the seed and where in drie-weather their ground is not arable with the whole strength of Buls yet after a little rain one Asse in one end of a yoke and an old woman at the other end doe easily draw the plough and open the earth to sow their seed wherfore cato said merrily that Mules Horsses and Asses keepe no holli-daies except they be such Asses as keepe within dores Ad haec vâ—ehi cula non ninua pondere trâ—hit In like sort they draw from place to place the carts of Bakers or carts laded with any other carriage if it be not ouergreat The people carmani by reason they want horsses vse Asses in their warres so also do the Saracori who neuer vse them in milles or any such base works but vpon them vnder take all their martiall perils Strabo There was a custome amongst the cumani that when a woman was taken in adultery Aelianus she was led to the market and there set vpon a bare stone afterward she was set vpon a bare Asses backe and so carried throughout the citty then brought backe againe to the former stone for a publike spectacle to all the citty Suâ—â—as whereby she remained infamous all her life after and was called Onobatis that is one that had ridden an Asse and the stone whereupon she stood was accounted an vnlucky and an odious place for all posterity In like sort among the Parthians it was held a disgracefull thing to ride or be carried vpon a bare Asses backe Anatolius The dung of Asses is pretious for a gaâ—den especially for Cabadges and if an apple tree be diyng it may be recouered by washing it in Asses dung by the space of six daies and some haue vsed to put into Gardens the skull of a mare Hâ—nâ— caput Ar 〈◊〉 nudum câ—ie sertur 〈◊〉 Tâ—â—henus finisse Tages in â—â—mute ruris or she-asse that hath beene couered in copulation with perswasion that the gardens will be the more fruitfull Asses are of very foolish condicions and slender capacity but yet very tame not refusing any manner of burthen although it breake his backe being loaded it will not out of the way for any man or beast and it only vnderstandeth the voice of that man with whom it is laboured knowing also the way whereunto it is accustomed Ammonianus was in such loue with an Asse and holding him of so great capacity that he had one continually to heare his Lectures in Phylosophie Gallen affirmeth that an Asse vnderstandeth genus species indiuidium Sâ—ndaâ— because if you shew him a Camell that neuer saw one before he is terrified and cannot indure his sight but if he haue been accustomed to such a sight if you shew him neuer so many he is not moued at them In like sort hee knoweth men in generall being not affraid of them but if he see or heare his keeper he knoweth him for his keeper or maister There was a cunning player in Affrica in a citty called Alcair Leo Affric who taught an Asse diuers strange tricks or feats for in a publicke spectacle turning to his Asse being on a scaffolde to shew sport said The great Sultan purposeth to builde him a house and shall neede all the Asses of Alcair to fetch and carry wood stones lime and other necessaries for that busines presently the Asse falleth downe turneth vp his heeles into the aire groneth and shutteth his eies fast as if he had bene dead while he lay thus the player desired the beholders to consider his estate for his Asse was dead he was a poore man and therefore moued them to giue him money to buy another asse In the meane time hauing gotten as much mony as he could he told the people he was not dead but knowing his maisters pouerty counterfaited in that maner whereby he might get mony to buy him prouender and therefore he turned againe to his Asse and bid him arise but he stirred not at all Then did he strike and beate him sore as it seemed to make him arise but all in vaine the asse lay still Then saide the player againe our Sultan hath commaunded that to morrow there be a great triumph without the cittie and that all the Noble women shall ride thither vppon the fairest asses and this night they must be fed with Oates and haue the best Water of Nilus to drinke At the hearing whereof vp starteth the asse snorting and leaping for ioy then said the plaier the gouernor of this towne hath desired me to lende him this my asse for his old deformed wise to ride vpon at which
which foolish people haue thought as it were by a witchcraft to cure the euils of their cattell But to let passe these and such like trifles let vs followe a more perfect description and rule to cure all manner of diseases in this cattel whose safegard and health next to a mans is to bee preferred aboue all other and firste of all the meanes whereby their sicknesse is discouered may be considered as all Lassitude or wearisomnesse thorough ouer much labour which appeareth by forbearing their meat or eating after another fashion then they are woont or by their often lying downe or else by holding out their tongue all which and many more signes of their diseases are manifest to them that haue obserued them in the time of their health and on the other side it is manifest that the health of an oxe may be known by his agility life stirring when they are lightly touched or pricked starting and holding their eares vpright fulnesse of their bellie and many other wayes There be also hearbes which increase in cattell diuers diseases as herbs bedewed with Honie bringeth the Murrain the iuice of black Chamaeleon killeth yong kie like the chine blacke Helebore Aconitum or Wolfe-bane which is that grasse in cilicia which inflameth oxen herbe henry and others It is also reported by Aristotle that in a piece of Thricia not far from that citty which is called the cittie of Media there is a place almost thirty furlongs in length where naturally groweth a kinde of barley which is good for men but pernitious for beasts The like may be said of Aegolothros Orobanche and Aestur but I wil hasten to the particular description of their diseases In the first place is the Malis or Glaunders already spoken of in the storie of the Asse The diseases which infeit Oxen Kye which may be known by these signes the oxes haire will be rough and hard his eies and necke hange downe matter running out of the nose his pace heauie chewing his cud little his backe-bone sharpe and his meat loathsome vnto him for remedie herof take sea-onoyns or Garlicke Lupines or cypres or else the foame of oile And if a Beast care hogges-dung they presentlie fall sicke of the Pestilence which infecteth the hearbes and grasse they breath on the waters whereof they drinke and the stals and lodgings wherein they lie The humors which annoy the body of oxen are many the first is a moist one called Malis yssuing at the nose the second a dry one when nothing appeareth outwardlye onely the beast forsaketh his meat the third an articular when the fore or hinder legs of the beast halte and yet the hoofes appeare sound the fourth is Farciminous wherein the whole body breaketh forth into matry bunches byles and appear healed til they break foorth in other places the fift Subtereutanrus when vnder the skinne there runneth a humour that breaketh forth in many places of the body the sixt a Subrenall when the hinder legs halte by reason of some paine in the loines the seuenth a Maunge or Leprosie and lastly a madnesse or Phrenzy all which are contagious and if once they enter into a heard they will infect euery beast if they be not seperated from the sicke and speedy remedy obtained The remedies against the last seuen are thus discribed by Columella First take Oxipanum and sea-holy roots mingled with fennel-seede and meale of beaten wheat rath-ripe put them in spring water warmed with hony nine spoonfuls at a time and with that medicine annoint the breast of the beaste then take the blood of a sea-snaile and for want thereof a common snaile put it into wine and giue the beast in at his nose and it hath bene approued to worke effectuall It is not good at any time to stirre vppe Oxen to running Cursus bonū ant ciet aluū aut febrim inducit for chasing will either moue them to loosenes of the belly or driue them into a feauer the nowe the signes of a feuer are these an immoderat heat ouer the whole body especially about the mouth tongue and eares teares falling out of the eies hollownes of their eyes a heauy and stooping drowzie head matter running out of his nose a hotte and difficulte breath and sometime fighing and violent beating of his vaines and loathing of meat for remedy whereof let the beast fast one whole day then let him be let blood vnder the taile fasting and afterward make him a drinke of bole-wort stalkes sod with oyle and lickquor of fish-sauce and so let him drinke it for fiue daies togither before he eat meat afterward let him eat the tops of Lentils and young small vine braunches then keepe his nose and mouth clean with a spunge and giue him colde water to drinke three times a day for the best meanes of recouery are cold meates and drinkes neither must the beast bee turned out of dores till he be recouered When an oxe is sicke of a cold giue him blacke wine and it will presently helpe him If an Oxe in his meate tast of hens doung his belly wil presently be tormented and swell vnto death if remedie be not giuen for this mallady take three ounces of parsley seed a pint and a halfe of Cummin two pounds of honey beat these togither and put it down his throat warme then driue the beast vp and down as long as he can stand then let as many as can stand about him rub his belly vntil the medicine worke to purgation and Vegetius addeth that the ashes of Elme wood well sod in oyle and put downe the beasts throat cureth the inflamation of hen-dung If at any time it happen that an oxe get into his mouth and throate a horse-leech which at the first will take fast holde and sucke the place she holds be it mouth or throat till she haue kild the beast if you canot take hold on her with the hand then put into the oxes throat a Cane or little hollow pipe euen to the place where the leech sucketh and into that pipe put warme oyle which as soone as the leech feeleth she presently leaueth hold It fortuneth sometimes that an oxe is stung or bitten with a Serpent Adder Viper or other such venimous beast for that wound take sharpe Trifoly which groweth in rocky places straine out the iuice and beat it with salte then scarifie the wound with that oyntment till it be wrought in If a field-mouse bite an Oxe so as the dint of her teeth appear then take a little commin and soft Pitch and with that make a plaister for the wound or if you can get another field-Mouse put her into oyle and there let it remaine till the mēbers of it be almost rotten then bruise it lay it to the sore and the same body shal cure whose nature gaue the wound Oxen are also much troubled with a disease called the hide-bound for remedy whereof when the beast is taken from
his worke and panteth then let him be sprinkled ouer with wine and put peeces of fatte into his mouth if then you perceiue no amendment then seeth some Laurell and therewith heat his backe and afterward with oyle and wine scarifie him all ouer plucking his skin vp from the ribbes and this must be done in the sunshine or else in a very warme place For the scabs take the iuice of Garlicke and rub the beast all ouer and with this medicine may the biting of a Wolfe or a mad dogge be cured although other affirme that the hoofe of any beast with Brimstone oyle Water and Vineger is a more present remedy but there is no better thinge then butter and stale Vrine When they are vexed with wormes poure cold water vpon them afterward annoint them with the iuice of onions mingled with salt If an oxe be wrinched and strayned in his sinnewes in trauell or labour by stumping on any roote or hard sharpe thing then let the contrary foot or legge be let blood if the sinnews swel If his necke svvell let him blood or if his necke be vvinding and vveake as if it were broken then let him blood in that eare to which side the head bendeth When their neckes be bald grind two tiles togither a nevv one and a olde and vvhen the yoake is taken off cast the pouder vpon their neckes and afterwarde oyle and so with a little rest the haire vvill come againe When an oxe hangeth dovvne his eares and eateth not his meat he is troubled vvith a Cephalalgie that is a paine in his head for vvhich seeth Thyme in vvine vvith salt and Garlicke and therevvith rub his tongue a good space also ravv barly steeped in Wine helpeth this disease Sometime an oxe is troubled vvith madnesse for vvhich men burne them betvvixt the hornes in the forehead till they bleed sometime there is a Fly vvhich biting them continually driueth them into madnesse for vvhich they are vvoont to cast brimstone and bay sprigs sod in water in the pastures where they feede but I knovv not vvhat good can come thereby When oxen are troubled vvith fleam put à sprig of black Hellebore throgh their ears wherein let it remain til the next day at the same houre Al the euils of the eyes are for the most part cured by infusion of hony and some mingle therevvith Ammoniacke Salt and Boeticke When the pallat or roofe of their mouth is so swelled that the beast forsaketh meat and bendeth one the one side let his mouth be pared with a sharpe instrument or else burned or abated some other way giuing them greene and soft meat til the tender sore be cured but vvhen the cheekes svvell for remedy thereof they sell them avvay to the butcher for slaughter it falleth out very often that there grow certaine bunches on their tongues vvhich make them forsake their meate and for this thing they cut the toong and aftervvard rub the wound vvith garlicke and salt till al the fleamy matter yssue forth VVhen their vaines in their cheeks and chaps swell out into vlcers they soften and wash them with vineger and lees till they be cured When they are liuer-sicke they giue them Rubarbe Mishroms and Gentian mingled togither For the cough and short breath they giue them twigs of vines or Iuniper mingled with salt and some vse Betony There is a certaine hearbe called Asplenon or Citterach which consumeth the Melts of Oxen found by this occasion in creete there is a Ryuer called Protereus running betwixt the two citties Gnoson and Gortina on both sides thereof there were heards of cattell but those which fed neere to Gortina had no Spleene and the other which fed neer to Gnoson were full of Spleene when the Physitians endeuored to finde out the true cause heereof they found an hearbe growing on the coast of Gortina which diminished their Spleene and for that cause called it Asplenon But now to come to the diseases of their brest and stomack and first of al to begine with the cough which if it be new may be cured by a pint of Barly Meale with a raw Egge and halfe a pint of sod wine and if the cough be old take two pounds of beaten Hysop sod in 3. pints of water beatē Lentils or the roots of onyons washed and baked with Wheate meale giuen fasting do driue away the oldest cough For shortnesse of breath their Neat-heardes hang about their Necke deathes-hearb and harts-wort but if their Liuers or lungs be corupted which appeareth by along cough and leannes take the root of hasell and put it through the Oxes eare then a like or equall quantity of the iuyce of Onyons and oyle mingled and put into a pint of Wine let it be giuen to the beast many daies together If the Oxe be troubled with crudity or a raw euill stomach you shall know by these signes he wil often belch his belly will rumble he will forbeare his meate hanging down his eies and neither chew the cud or licke himselfe with his tongue for remedy whereof take two quarts of warme Water thirty stalkes of Bole-worts seeth them together till they be soft and then giue them to the beast with vineger But if the crudity cause his belly to stand out and swell then pull his tayle downewarde with all the force that you can and binde thereunto Mother-wort mingled with salt or else giue them a glister or anoint a Womans hand with oyle and let hir draw out the dung from his fundament and afterward cut a vaine in his tayle vvith a sharp knife When they be distempered with choler burne their Legs to the hoofes vvith a vvhot Iron and aftervvard let them rest vpon cleane and soft stravv vvhen their guts and intrals are payned they are eased vvith the sight of a Duck or a Drake But vvhen the small guts are infected take fifteene cypres aples and so many gaules mingle and beate them vvith their vvaight of old cheese in foure pints of the sharpest Wine you can get and so diuide it into foure parts giuing to the beast euery day one quantity The excrements of the belly doe depriue the body of all strength and power to labour wherefore vvhen they are troubled vvith it they must rest and drinke nothing for three dayes together and the first day let them forbeare meate the second day giue them the toppes of wilde Olyues or in defect thereof canes or reedes the stalkes of Lantiske and Myrtill and the thirde day a little Water and vnto this some adde dryed Grapes in sixe pintes of sharpe Wine giuen euery day in like quantity When their hinder parts are lame through congealed blood in them whereof there is no outward appearance take a bunch of Nettles with their rootes and put it into their mouthes by rubbing whereof the condersate blood will remoue away When Oxen come first of all after Winter to grasse they fall grasse-sicke and pisse blood for which they seeth together
great store of treasure hee was slaine by Pigmalion secretly in hope to get his wealth After which time it is saide that he appeared to his wife Dido bidding her to saue her life from her cruell brother who more esteemed money then nature she fled into Lybia taking with her some Tyrians among whome she had dwelled and a competent sum of money who being come thither craued of Iarbas King of Nomades to giue her but so much land as she could compasse in with an oxes hide which with much ado she obtained and then did cut an Oxes skinne into smal and narrow thongs or listes wherewithall shee compassed in so much as builded the large citty of carthage and firste of all was called the newe cittye and the castle thereof Byrsa which signifieth a Hyde Eustathius also reporteth another story to the building of this citty namely that it was called carthage of one of the Daughters of Hercules and that when Elisa and the other companions of Dido came thither to digge for the foundation of the citty they found an Oxes head whereupon they were discouraged to build there any more supposing that Omen betokened euill vnto them and a perpetuall slauery in labour and misery such as Oxen liue in but afterward they tryed in another corner of that grounde wherein they found a Horsses head which they accepted for a good signification of riches honor magnanimity and pleasure because Horsses haue al food and maintainance prouided for thē Clemens Among the Egyptians they paint a Lyon for strength an Oxe for labor and a horse for magnanimity and corage the Image of Myrtha which among the Persians signifieth the Sunne is pictured in the face of a Lyon holding the hornes of a striuing Oxe in both hands whereby they signifie that the Moon doth receiue light from the Sunne Gyraldus when she beginneth to be seperated from her beames There is in the coastes of Babylon a gemme or precious stone like the hearte of an Oxe and there is another called Sarcites which representeth the flesh of an Oxe Pliny The auncientes had likewise so great regarde of this Beast that they would neither sacrifice nor eate of a labouring Oxe wherefore Hercules was condemned when he had desired meate of Theodomantis in Dyropia for his hungry companion the Sonne of Hyla because by violence he tooke from him one of his Oxen and slewe him A crowned Oxe was also among the Romanes a signe of peace for the Souldiors which kept the Castle of Anathon neere the riuer Euphrates against Iulianus and his Army when they yeelded themselues to mercy Marcellus they discended from the Castle driuing before them a crowned Oxe from this manifold necessity and dignity of this beast came the Idolatrous custome of the Heathens and especially the Egytians for they haue worshipped him instead of God calling him Apis and Ephaphus Idolatry cōmitted with Oxen and Kye of the choise of Apis whose choyse was on this sort He had on his right side an exceeding splendant white spot and his Hornes crooking togither like the newe Moone hauing a great bunch on his tongue which they call Cantharus neither do they suffer him to exceed a certaine number of yeares or grow very big for these causes they giue him not of the water of Nilus to drinke but of another consecrated well which hindereth his growth and also when hee is come to his full age they kill him by drowning him in another consecrated well of the Priests which being done they seeke with mourning another hauing shaued their heades to substitute in his place wherein they are neuer very long but they finde one and then in a holy shippe sacred for that purpose they transport and conuey him to Memphis And the Egyptians did account him a blessed and happy man out of whose folde the Priestes had taken that Oxe-God He hath two Temples erected for him which they cal his chambers where he giueth foorth his augurisms aunswering none but children and youthes playing before his Temples and refusing aged persons especially Women and if any not sacred happen to enter into one of his Temples he dieth for it and if into the other it fore-sheweth some monstrous curssed euent as they fondly imagine The manner of his answeres is priuately to them that giue him meat taking it at theyr hands and they obserue with great religion that when Germanicus the Emperour came to aske counsell of him he turned from him and woulde not take meate at his hande for presently after he was slaine Once in a yeare they shew him a Cow with such markes as he hath A history and alway they put him to death vpon the same day of the weeke that he was founde and in Nilus neere Memphis there was a place called Phiala where were preserued a Golden and a siluer dish which vpon the birth or caluing daies of Apis they threw down into the riuer and those daies were seauen wherein they affirme that neuer man was hurt by Crocodils The Egyptians do also consecrate an Oxe to the Moone and a Cow to Vrania It is reported that Mycerinus K. of Egypt fell in loue with his own Daughter and by violence did rauish her Herodotus a history shee not able to endure the conscience of such a fact hanged her selfe whereupon the King her impure father did bury her in a wooden Oxe and so placed her in a secret place or chamber to whome daily they offer many odours but the mother of the maiden did cut off the hands of those Virgins or women that attended on her Daughter and would not rescue her from so vile a contempt There were also many other picturs of Oxen Of the pictures of Oxen. as in corcyra and Eretria and most famous was that of perillus which he made and presented to Phalaris the Tyraunt of Agrigent shewing him that if he would torment a man he should put him into that Oxe set ouer a fire and his voice of crying shoulde bee like the loughing of a Heighfer which thing being heard of the Tyraunt to shew his detestation of more strange inuented torments then he had formerly vsed he caused Perillus that presented it vnto him to be put into it aliue so setting it ouer a fire made experiment of the worke vpon the workeman who bellowed like a Cow and was so tormented to death for that damnable and daungerous inuention which caused Ouid to write thus Et phalaris Tauro violentus membra perilli Torruit infoelix imbuit author opus When an Oxe or a Cow in auntient time did die of themselues Viz if it were an Oxe they buried him vnder the wals of some Citty leauing his Hornes sticking visibly out of the earth to signifie the place of his buriall for when his flesh was consumed they tooke it vp againe and buried the bones in the Temples of Venus in other places but the body of a deade cowe they cast into some
Gyraffa and Zirafa the Chaldaeans Deba and Ana the Persians Seraphah Of the name and the Septuagiot Graecians Camelopardalis which word is also retained by the Latines whereunto Albertus addeth Oraflus and Orasius The Ethyopians cal it Nabin Iuli. Capital from whence commeth Anabula and Pausanias translateth it an Indian Sheepe so indeed Anabula may be Englished a wild Sheepe Pliny A History Isidorus There were tenne of these seene at Rome in the daies of Gordianus the Emperor and before that time Caesar being Dictatour And such an one was sent by the Sultan of Babilon to the Emperor Fredericke so that it is without question that there is such a beast which is engendred of a Camell and a female Libard or Panther as Horace saith Diuersum confusa genus pathera camelo The generation and description But the same which the Latines call Panthera the Graecians call Pardalis The head thereof is like to a camels the necke to a Horsses the body to a Harts and his clouen Hoofe is the same with a cammels the colour of this Beaste is for the most parte Red and white mixed together therefore very beautifull to behold by reason of the variable and interchangeable skinne being full of spottes but yet they are not alway of one colour He hath two litle hornes growing on his head of the colour of yron Leo Affric Oppiamus Heliodorus his eies rowling and frowing his mouth but small like a Harts his toung is nere three foot long and with that he will so speedily gather in his meate that the eies of a man will faile to behold his hast and his necke diuersly coloured is fifteene foote long which he holdeth vp higher then a Camels and far aboue the proportion of his other parts His forfeete are much longer then his hinder and therefore his backe declineth towards his buttocks theyr manner of going which are very like an asses The pace of this beast differeth from all other in the world for he doth not moue his right and left foote one after another but both together and so likewise the other whereby his whole body is remoued at euery step or straine These beastes are plentifull in Ethiopia India and the Georgian region which was once called Media Likewise in the prouince of Abasia in India it is called Surnosa The countris breeding these beasts and in Abasia Surnappa and the latter picture here set down was truely taken by Melchior Luorigus at Constantinople in the yeare of saluation 1559. By the sight of one of these sent to the great Turke for a present which picture and discription was afterwarde sent into Germany and was imprinted at Norimberge It is a solitary beaste and keepeth altogether in woodes if it be not taken when it is young Their naturall disposition and mildnesse they are very tractable and easie to be handled so that a childe may leade them with a small line or cord about their heade and when any come to see them they willingly and of their owne accorde turne themselues round as it were of purpose to shewe their soft haires and beautifull coulour being as it were proud to rauish the eies of the beholders The skinne is of great price and estimation among merchants and princes and it is said that vnderneth his belly the coulourable spots are wrought in fashion of a fishers net The skinne and the whole bodie so admirably intercouloured with variety that it is in vaine for the witte or art of man once to go about or endeauour the aemulous imitation thereof The taile of this beaste is like the taile of an Asse and I cannot iudge that it is either swifte for pace or strong for labour and therefore well tearmed a wilde Sheepe because the flesh hereof is good for meat and was allowed to the Iewes by God himselfe for a cleane beast OF THE ALLOCAMELVS SCaliger affirmeth that in the land of the Giants ther is a beast which hath the heade necke and eares of a Mule but the body of a Camell wherefore it is probable that it is conceiued by a Camell and a Mule the picture whereof is before sette downe as it was taken from the sight of the beast and imprinted with a discription at Middleborough in the yeare 1558. which was neuer before seen in Germany nor yet spoken by the Pliny They said that it was an Indian Sheepe out of the region of Peru and so was brought to Antwerpe sixe thousand miles distant from that nation It was about two yardes high and fiue foote in length the neck was as white as any Swan the colour of his other parts was yellowish and his feet like an Ostrige-Camels and although it were a male yet it did render his vrine backward it was afterwarde giuen to the Emperour by Theodoric Neus a citizen of the nether Colen It was a most gentle and meek beast like the Camelopardall not past foure yeare olde wherefore I thought good to expresse it in this place because of the similitude it hath with the manners of the fourmer beaste although it want hornes and differ in some other members Of another Beast called Campe. DIodorus Siculus maketh relation that when Dionisius with his Army trauailed thorough the desert and dry places annoyed with diuers wild beasts he came to Zambirra a citty of Lybia where he slewe a beast bred in those partes called Campe which had before that time destroyed many men which action did purchase him among the inhabitantes a neuer dying fame and that therefore there might remaine a continuall remembrance to all posterity of that fact he raised vp there a monument of the slaine beast to stand for euermore OF THE CAT. Once cattes were all wilde but afterward they retyred to houses Of the tameing of Cattes and their countreys wherefore there are plenty of them in all countries Martiall in an Epigram celebrated a Pannonian cat with this distichon Pannonicas nobis nunquam dedit vmbria cattas Mauult haec dominae mittere dona pudens The Spanish blacke cats are of most price among the Germaines because they are nimblest and haue the softest haire fit for garment The best cats A cat is in all partes like a Lyonesse except in her sharpe eares wherefore the Poets faine that when Venus had turned a cat into a beautifull woman calling her Aeluros who forgetting her good turne contended with the goddesse for beauty in indignation wherof she rerurned her to her first nature onely making her outward shape to resemble a lyon which is not altogither idle but may admonish the wisest that faire foule men and beasts hold nothing by their owne worth and benefit but by the vertue of their creator Wherefore if at any time they rise against their maker let them looke to loose their honour and dignity in their best part and to returne to basenes and inglorious contempt out of which they were first taken and howsoeuer
King for the Lyon ryseth not against beastes except he be prouoked the Dog riseth not against his frends but wilde beasts and the he-Goat goeth before his flocke like a guide and keeper OF THE GREY-HOVND with a naration of all strong and great hunting DOGGES AMong the diuers kinds of hunting Dogs the Grey-hound or Graecian Dog The name of a greyhound called Thereuticos or Elatica by reason of his swiftnesse strength and sagacity to follow and deuoure wilde beastes of great stature deserueth the first place for such are the conditions of this Dog as Plato hath obserued that he is reasonably sented to finde out speedy and quicke of foote to follow and fierce and strong to take and ouercome and yet silent comming vpon his pery at vnawares according to the obseruation of Gratius Siccanis illa suos taciturna superuenit hostes Like to the Dogs of Acarnania which set vpon their game by stealth Of these are the greatest dogs of the world which in this place are briefely to be remembred These haue large bodies little heads beaked noses but flat broad faces aboue their eies Oppianus Their description Plutarch long necks but great next to their bodies fiery eies broad backs and most generous stomacks both against al wild beasts men also Their rage is so great against their prey that sometimes for wrath they loose their eie-sight They will not onely set vpon Buls Boars Their desire of fit game and such like beastes but also vpon Lyons which Mantuan noteth in this verse Et Truculentus Helor certare leonibus audens The greatest dogs of this kind are in India Scithia and Hircania Countries of Greyhounds and among the Scithians they ioine them with Asses in yoake for ordinary labour The Dogs of India are conceiued by Tigres for the Indians wil take diuers femals or Bitches and fasten them to trees in woods where Tygres abide wherunto the greedy rauening Tiger commeth Generation by Tygres Aristotle and instantly deuoureth some one or two of them if his lust do not restrain him then being so filled with meate which thing Tygers sildome meete withal presently he burneth in lust and so lymeth the liuing Bitches who are apt to conceiue by him which being performd he retireth to some secret place in the meane time the Indians take away the Bitches of whom come these valourous dogs which retain the stomack and courage of their father but the shape proportion of their mother yet do they not keepe any of the first or second litter for feare of their Tygrian stomacks but make them away and reserue the third litter Of this kind were the Dogs giuen to Alexander by the King of Albania Pliny A history of Alexanders dogs when he was going into India and presented by an Indian whom Alexander admired and being desirous to try what vertue was contained in so great a body Gillius Aelianus Pliny Strabo Pollux caused a Boare and a Hart to be turned out to him and when he would not so much as stir at them he turned Beares vnto him which likewise he disdained and rose not from his kennel wherewithal the king being moued commaunded the heauy and dul beast for so he termed him to be hanged vp his keeper the Indian informed the king that the dog respected not such beasts but if he would turne out vnto him a Lyon he should see what he would do Immediatly a Lyon was put vnto him at the first sight whereof he rose with speede as if neuer before hee saw his match or aduersary worthy his strength and bristling at him made force vpon him and the Lyon likewise at the Dogge but at the last the Dogge tooke the Chappes or snowt of the Lyon into his mouth where he held him by maine strength vntill hee strangled him doe the Lyon what he could to the contrary the King desirous to saue the Lyons life willed the Dogge shoulde be pulled off but the labour of men and all their strength was too litle to loosen those irefull and deepe biting teeth which he had fastened Then the Indian infourmed the King that except some violence were done vnto the Dog to put him to extreame paine he would sooner die then let goe his holde whereupon it was commaunded to cut off a piece of the Dogges taile but the Dog would not remoue his teeth for that hurt then one of his legges were likwise seuered from his body whereat the Dogge seemed not apalled after that another legge and so consequently all foure whereby the truncke of his body fell to the grounde still holding the Lyons snowt within his mouth and like the spirit of some malicious man chusing rather to die then spare his enimie At the last it was commaunded to cut his heade from his body all which the angry beast indured and so left his bodiles head hanging fast to the Lyons iawes whereat the king was wonderfully mooued and sorrowfully repented his rashnes in destroying a beast of so noble spirite which could not be daunted with the presence of the king of beasts chusing rather to leaue his life then departe from the true strength and magnanimity of mind Which thing the Indian perceiuing in the K. to mitigate the Kings sorrowe presented vnto him foure other Dogges of the same quantity and nature by the gift whereof he put away his passion and receiued rewarde with such a recompence as well beseemed the dignity of such a King and also the quality of such a present Pliny reporteth also that one of these did fight with singular courage and policy with an Elephant and hauing got holde on his side neuer left till he ouerthrewe the beast and perished vnderneath him These Dogges growe to an exceeding greate stature and the next vnto them are the Albanian Dogs The Arcadian Dogs are said to be generated of Lions Pollux Thâ— Albâ—â—ian Dogges Solmus Seneca In Canaria one of the fortunate Ilands their Dogs are of exceeding stature The Dogs of Creete are called Diaponi and fight with wilde Boares the Dogs of Epirus called Chaonides of a Citie Chaon are wonderfully great and fierce they are likewise called Molosssi of the people of Epirus so termed these are fayned to be deriued of the Dog of Cephalus The Dogges Molosse of oâ— Creet Aristotle Albertus Varinus the first Greyhound whome stories mention and the Poeâ—s say that this Greyhound of Cephalus was first of all fashioned by Vulcax in Monesian brasse and when he liked his proportion he also quickned him with a soule and gaue him to Iupiter for a guift who gaue him away againe to Europa she also to Minos Minos to Procris and Procris gaue it to Cephalus his nature was so resistable that he ouertook all that he hunted like the Teumesian Foxe Therefore Iupiter to auoid confusion turned both the incomprehensible beasts into stones This Moloskus or Molossus Dog is also framed to attend the folds of Sheepe and doth
be descryed for to the intent that the silly creatures to be deuoured may not bewray them to the house-keepers the first part that they lay hold vpon with their mouths is the heade of the hen and chicken and by that means stayeth his crying by cropping off the head Some of these Fitches wander and keep in the woods and thereby liue vpon birds and mise and such things some againe liue by the Sea sides in rockes and they take Fishes like Beuers and Otters and some creepe into the caues of hollow trees where they eat Frogges and most of all they delight to be neare stals of cattel hay-houses and houses where they meet oftentimes with Egs wherein they delight aboue al other kinds of meat And thus much for this beast OF THE FOX A Fox is called in Haebrew Schual and in Chaldee Thaal The seueral names of foxes in sundry languages and therefore in Psal 61. where the Haebrew readeth Schualim there the Chaldee translateth it Thealaia the Arabians call him Thaleb and Auicen calleth a Foxe sometime Chabel and also Chalcaâ—l the Greeke Septuagints Alopekon and vulgarly Alopex and Alopon the Latines Vulpes and Vulpecula of Volipes his tumbling pace the Italians Volpe the French Regnard and a little Foxe Regnardeau the Spaniards Raposa of rauening the Germans Fuchs the Flemings Vos and the Illyrians Lissâ—a The Epithets expressing the nature hereof among writers both poets and others are these crafty wary deceitfull stinking strong-smelling quicke-smelling tayled The epithits of Foxes warlike or contentious wicked and rough the Graecians fiery colored and subtil for slaughter and therfore Christ called Herod a Fox because he vnderstood how by crafty means he sought to entrap and kil him and al the auncientes called such kind of men Vulpiones which euery nation vnder heauen doth imitate There are store of Foxes in the Alpine regions of Heluetia the Centries breeding Foxes Aelianus and amongst the Caspians they abound so that their multitude maketh them tame comming into the Citties and attending vpon men like tame Dogs The Foxes of Sardinia are very Rauenous for they kil the strongest Rams and Goats and also young Calues and in Egypt they are lesser then they are in Graecia and most commonly all Foxes are of stature like to a sheapheards dog Munster Their colour is reddish and more white toward the head In Moscouia are both blacke white Viz about the riuer Woga blacke and ash-coloured Aristotle Albertus The colour of Foxes and in the prouince of Vsting al black these are of the smaller sort which are norished to make caps of their skins and are therfore sold at twenty or thirty Florens a skin In Spaine they are al white and their skins are often brought by the merchants to be sold at Franchford mart In the Septentrionall or Northern woods there are black white and red Foxes Olaus mag and such as are cald Crucigerae that is Crosse-bearing Foxes for on their backs orethwart their shoulders there is a blacke crosse like an Asses and there are Foxes aspersed ouer with blacke spots and al these are of one and the same malignaunt and crafty nature and these saith Georg Fabritius are distinguished by their regions or habitations for it is most commonly seene that Foxes which keepe and breed toward the South and West are of an ash colour and like to Wolues hauing loose hanging haires as is to be seene both in Spaine and Italy and these are noted by two names among the Germaines from the colour of their throats One kind of them is called Koler whose throat seemeth to be sprinkled and darkned with cole-dust vpon white so as the tops of the hair apeare blacke the foot and stalke being white The other Birkfuchse because their throat is al white and of this kind the most splendent white is most pretious A second there is called Kreutzfuchse because of the crosse it beareth vpon his backe and shoulders downe to his forefeet being in other partes like the former except the throat which is blacker then any of the other before spoken of and these are not bredde in Germany but brought thither from other nations A third kind is of a bright skie-colour called Blauwfusche and this colour hath giuen a different name to Horsses which they call Blauwschimmell but in the Foxes it is much more mingled and these foxes which haue rougher and deeper haire are called Braudfuchse The Moscouians and Tartarians make most account of the blacke skins because their princes and great Nobles weare them in their garments yet are they more easily adulterated and counterfaited by the fume or smoke of Torches made of pitch The white and blewe skins are lesse esteemed because the haire falleth off and are also lesser then the other the red ones are most plentifull and Scaliger affirmeth that he saw skins brought into Fraunce by certaine merchants which had diuers white haires disposed in rowes very elegantlye vpon them and in diuers places they grew also single In Noruegia and Suetia as there are white Harts and Beares so there are also white foxes In Wolocha they are black as it is affirmed by Sigismundus Liber the picture of the Cross-bearing-fox which is lesse then the former is heere following expressed and set downe THE CRVCIGERAN FOXE SErpents Apes and Foxes and al other dangerous harmeful beasts haue small eies Adamantius The parts and nature of Foxes but sheepe and Oxen which are simple very great eyes The Germans when they discribe a good Horsse they decipher in him the outward parts of many beastes from whom it seemeth he partaketh his generosity and from a Foxe they ascribe vnto him short eares a long and bushy taile and easie and soft treading step for these belong to a Foxe The male Foxe hath a hard bony genitall Aristotle his taile is long and hairy at the end his temperament or constitution is whot as appeareth both bycause of his resemblance or similitude with Dogges and Weasils and also his ranke and stronge smelling sauour for being dead his skinne hath power in it of heating and his fat or oyle after a decoction is of the same force condition The greatest occasion of his hunting is the benefit of his skinne for his flesh is in all things like a Dogs The flesh of Foxes euil to be eaten and although Galen Mnesimachus and Silutus affirme that in the Autume or latter part of the yeare some men vse to eate the flesh of Foxes especially being Cubs that is young tender and not smelling but Aetius and Rasis affirme and that with great reason that their flesh and the flesh of Hedg-hogs and Hares is not agreeable to the nature of man But their skinne retaineth the qualities of the whot beast being pulled off by reason of the long and soft haire growing thereupon The vse of their skinnes and the skins of Cubs which are preferred before the elder are of least value
Author the stopping shall be remoued if it proceede not from the stone nor from an impostime The flesh salted dried beat to powder and so drunk with sweete vineger helpeth the paine in the raines the beginning of Dropsies conuulsions and Leprosies and all those affections which the Graecians cal Cachectae The Mountaine Hedghog is better then the domesticall hauing prickles like Needles pointes but Legges like to the other Dioscorides the meate is of better tast and doth more helpe to the stomack softning the belly and prouoking the vrine more effectually and all this which is attributed to Hedghogs is much more powerfull in the porcupine The Hedghog salted and eaten is good against the Leprosie the Crampe and all sicknesse in the Nerues and Ptisicke and paine in the bellye rising of windinesse and difficulty of digestion the powder anointed on Women with child alwaies keepeth them from abortment Marcellus The flesh being stale giuen to a madde man cureth him and being eaten kepeth one from the Strangury also being drunke in wine expelleth the stone in the bladder and is good against a quotidian feuer and the bitinges of Serpentes The fatte of a Hedgehog stayeth the fluxe of the bowels If the fat with warme water and hony be gargarized Auicen it amendeth a broken and hoarse voice the left eie being fried with oile yealdeth a liquor which causeth sleepe if it bee infused into the eares with a quill The gall with the braine of a Bat and the milke of a Dog Albertus cureth the raines likewise the said gall doth not suffer vncomely haires to grow againe vpon the eie-browes where once they haue bin pulled vp It maketh also a good eie-salue Warts of al sorts are likewise taken away by the same the melt sod and eaten with meat it healeth all paines in the melt Pliny and the raines dried are good against a leprosie or ptisicke comming by vlcer or the difficulty of vrine the bloody-flixe and the cough The dunge of a Hedghog fresh and Sandaracha with vineger and liquid pitch being laied to the head staieth the falling away of the haire When a man is bitten with a mad dog or pricked with prickles of a Hedghog his own vrine laid there vnto with a spunge or Wooll is the best cure or if the thornes sticke in the wound of his foote let him hold it in the warme vrine of a man and it shall easily shake them forth and Albertus and Rasis affirme that if the right eie of a Hedghog be fryed with the oile of Alderne or line-seed and put in a vessell of red brasse and afterward anoint his eies therewith as with an eie-salue he shall see as well in the darke as in the light And thus I will conclude this discourse with one story that a Hedghog of the earth was dedicated to the Good-god among the foolish Pagans and the water Hedghog to the euill and that once in the cittye of Phrigia called Azanium when a great famine troubled the inhabitants and no sacrifice could remoue it one Euphorbus sacrificed a hedghog whereupon the famine remoued and he was made priest and the citty was called Traganos vpon the occasion of that sacrifice OF THE HORSSE WHen I consider the wonderfull worke of God in the creation of this Beast enduing it with a singular body and Noble spirit the principal wherof is a louing and dutifull inclination to the seruice of man Wherein he neuer faileth in peace nor Warre being euery way more neare vnto him for labour and trauell and therefore more deare the food of man onely excepted we must needes account it the most noble and necessary creature of all foure-footed-beasts before whom no one for multitude and generality of good qualities is to be preferred compared or equaled whose commendations shal appeare in the whole discourse following It is called in Haebrew Sus a Mare Susah The seueral names of horses the which word some deriue from Sis signifiing ioy the Syrians call it Rekesh and Sousias the Arabians Ranica and the Caldeans Ramakim Susuatha the Arabians Bagel the Persians Asbacha the Grecians Hippos and at this day Alogo the Latines Equus and Caballus the Italians and Spaniardes Cauallo the French Cheuall the Germans Kossz the Bohemians Kun the Illirians Kobyla the Polonians Konij It is also profitable to consider the reason of some of these names both in the Latine Greek tong and first of all Equus seemeth to be deriued Ab aequalitate from equality The deriuation of sundry names because they were first vsed in Charets and draughtes and were ioyned together being of equall strength Legs and stature Caballus seemeth to be deriued from the Greeke word Caballes which was a common name for ordinary Hackney-horsses and Horsses of carriage whereupon Seneca commendeth Marcus Cato that in his triumph of Censorship Vno Caballo contentum et ne toto quidem partem enim sarcinae ab vtroque latere dependentes occupabant That is to say that he was contented with one Horsse for his own saddlel and yet not totally one neither for the packes that hung on either side of him possessed the greatest part and the true deriuation of his word seemeth to accord with Caxe which signifieth a manger and Alis aboundance because riding Horsses are more plentifully fed and these Horsses were also vsed for plowing according to the saying of Horac Optat ephippia bos piger optat arace Caballus The Grecians call it Hippos which seemes to be deriued from standing vpon his feete and this beast onely seemeth to be one of the number of them which are called Armenta And besides all histories are filled with appellatiue names of horsses such as these are Alastor Aethon Nicteus and Orneus the Horsses of Pluto Aetha a Mare of Agamemnon remembred by Homer Aethion Statio Eous Phlego Pyrois the Horsses of the Sun Claudian Lampus Podargus Xampus Arnon the horsses of Erymus by whose ayde Hercules is saide to ouercome Cygnus the Sonne of Mars Balius Xanthus and Pedasus the horsses of Achilles Boristenes for whom Adrianus made a graue as Dion writeth Bromius Caerus Calydon Camphasus Cnasius Corythe and Herpinus two names of Brittaine horsses cited by Martial and Gillius Cylarus the swift horsses of Castor Dimos and Phobos the horsses of Mars Enriole Glaucus and Sthenon the horsses of Neptune Parthenia and Euripha Mares belonging to the Sentaurs of Hippodamia slain by Ornomaus Harpe another Mare Phoenix and Corax the horsses of Eleosthenes Epidaminus who wan the prizes in the sixty sixe Olimpiade and caused a statue to be made in Olympus and his said horsses and Charriot called Pantarces and beside these other Cnacias and Samus The Epithits that belong to horsses are either generall or particular The epithits of Horsses the general may be rehearsed in this place such as these are following brasse-footed continuall horne-footed sounding-footed foming bridle-bearer neighing maned dusty four-footed fretting saddle-bearing
much the swifter they are being very couragious and apt for war and hunting for they are not afraid of weapons neither to encounter with wilde beasts Mazaca is a citty of Cappadocia scituate vnder the mountaine Argaeus now called Cesarea as Eusebius remembreth in his Chronicles and from that citty commeth the Mazacenian horsse for the Cappadocian horsse Suetonius And not onely the countrey but the citty it selfe sometime was called Cappadocia from this citty or walled towne I suppose the horsses of Mazaca were so called which Oppianus calleth Mazaci of these also and more I will set downe these verses of Nemesian Sit tibi praeterea sonipes Maurusia tellus Quemque coloratus Mazax deserta per arua Ne pigeat quod turpe deformis aluus Qâ—oque iubis pronos ceruix diuerberet armos Paret in obsequium lentae moderamine virgae Qâ—in promissi spatiosa per aequora campi Paulatimque auidos post terga relinquunt Cum se Threicius Boreas super extulit antro c His etiam emerito vigor est iuuenilis in aeuo Non prius est animo quam corpore passa ruina Quem mittit modo sit gentile sanguine firmus Pauit assiduos docuit tolerare labores Est illis quodque infrenes quod liber vterque Nam flecti facilis lasciuaque colla secutus Verbera sunt praecepta fugae sunt verbera freni Cursibus acquirunt commoto sanguine vires Haud secus effusis Nerei per caerula ventis Horum tarda venit longi fiducia cursus Nam quaecunqne suis virtus bene floruit annis And peraduenture Nemesianus vnderstood certaine horsses of Lybia by the name of the Mazacion horsses when as he ioyns them with the Maurasian horsses and cal them painted Mauzacion horsses which agreeth not with Cappadocian writing also that they are ruled with a stroke of aire insteed of a bridle which thing we haue reade in Authors writing of the Masylian horsses in the countrie of Lybia and whereof we will speak when we discourse of the Lybian horsses But the Cappadocian horsses are swift and lusty in their old age as it is related by Oppianns Againe if Mazacian horsses be the same that the Cappadocian are what is the reason why Oppianus doth name them apt vnlesse peraduenture euerie Mazacian horsse is a Cappadocian and not otherwise The horsses of Chalambria are so named of a place in Lybia Varrius the Cheonian horsses are the same with the Aprirolan horsses The Colophonians and Magnetians do bestow great labour in breeding of horsses for the Colophonians dwell in a plaine as I haue read in a certaine Greeke author Strabo lib. 14. writeth that the Colophonians in times past did abound with sea-forces and haue much excelled in horssemen that wheresoeuer in anie nation there was waged warre they hired and required the aide of the Colophonian horsse-men and so it was made a common prouerbe Colophonem addidit Erasmus The horsses of Creet are commended by Oppianus and else-where From their loines vpward they are as bigge as the Cyrenian horsses with well set thighes excellent for the soundnes of their feet and holding their breath a long time in riding and therfore fit for single races or in chariots Strabo The Epean horsses are remembred of Oppianus and the Epeans are a people of Achaia and the Achaian horsses are commended of the same The Lipidanean kinde of horsses is more excellent and he preserreth the Thessalian horsses before those of Epidaurea but the Epieotian horses are biting and stubborne Absyrtus saith that the Epieotian horses the Samerican and Dalmatian although they are stubborne and wil not abide the bridle and besides are base and contemptible yet they are bold in war and combats and therefore the Epieotian horses and the Sicilian despise not if their qualities and comely parts be aparant in them although sometime he hath run awaie from the enemie as the poet saith Quamuis saepe fugaille verso egerit hostes Et patria Epirum referat Epiria and Chaonia is also a part of Epirus Alpestrian although sometimes it be taken for the whole country of Epirus The horsses of Chaonia are commended as Gratius remembreth writing of the Sicylian horsses in these verses to this effect that no man hath presumed to striue with the Chaonians and the Achaian hand doth not expresse their deserts Queis Chaonia contendere coatra Ausit vix merita quas signat Achata palma There are a people of Arabia called Erembi which some some call Ichthyophagans Oppianus and Trogloditans Vegetius in the thirde place commendeth the Frisian Horsses for swiftnesse and long continuance of course after the Hunnian Burgundians The French horsse is the same that the Menapians and S. Hierom writeth that wordly men are delighted with the French geldings but Zacharies Asse loosed from his bandes reioyceth good men Lucius Apuleius hath commended the French beasts for if the young sole be deriued of a genereous kind it is an argument it wil proue a noble beast The Gelanoian horsses are a kind of base horsses not fit for warre whether this name proceed of a strange contrey I haue no certaine knowledge thereof There is a certaine riuer in Sicilia called Gelas of which country the horsses are of great value and much set by And also the Gelons are a people of Scythia who in their flight fight vppon horsses of which Lucanus writeth to this effect Massagetes quo fugit equo fortesque Geloni And Virgill Bisaltae quo more solent acerque Gelonus Cum fugit in Rhodopen aut in deserta Getarum Et lac coueretum cum sanguine potat equino signifying thus much that the Massagetes and valianut Gelons flie away vpon horsses like the Bisaltans when they flye into Rhodope or into the wildernesse of the Gelans and drinke milke mixed with horsse-blood for hunger and famine But these fearefull horsses are not meet for war Germania hath greater horsses and hard trotters whose pace is very hard and troublesome The Getican horsses runne most swiftly The horsses of the Greeks haue good sound broad feet Aelianus and of a great body a comely fine head their forepart somewhat high of stature straight and well compacted and of a wel fashioned body but the ioyning of their buttockes not so agreeable and answerable to the rest they are most swift and couragious yet notwithstanding in all Greece the Thessalian horsses are most esteemed Nemesianus writeth also of the Greekish horsses Greece therefore yeeldeth choice horsses Absyrtus and well hoofed In Heluetia the horsses are fitted and very expect in war and especially the Algecian horsses which will last and continue a long time In Spaine also the horsses are of a great stature of body well proportioned and strait hauing a fine head the ioynts of their bodies very well deuided set a part and ready or flexible simple and short burtockes but not very strong and comely They are stronge and able to
him Men haue perished by rashnes in riding and likewise turning toward them and making at them with his face to them but headlong and precipitate courses such as hunters make without guiding body hand or horsse are euermore to be avoided for manie men haue perished from their horsses as the Poets witnesse of Nipheus Leucagus Liger Clonius Remulus Amycus And also among the Historiographers Agenor Fulco of Ierusalem Phillip son of Ludonicus Crassus king of France and Bela king of Pannonia Of Horsse-men and the orders of Chiualry and Knight-hood THe principal horsse-men of the world celebrated in stories for training ruling and guiding their horsses according to the art of warre may for the dignity of Knight-hood wher withall they are honoured and from whom that Equestrial order is deriued be recited in this place It is manifest by Sâ—pontinus that the Romaine Equestrial order was in the middle betwixt the Senatours and the common people The honour of horssemanship for at the first theâ—e was no difference betwixt Equites and Indices for both of them had for a badge cognisaunce or note of their honour power to weare a ring of gold and in the consulship of Marcus Cicero the title was turned to Equestriall or name of a knight or man at Armes by that meanes reconciling himselfe to the Senate and affirming that he was deriued from that order and from that time came the Equester ordo being as is said before the people and recorded after the people because of the latter creation thereof yet had they not their beginning at this time but onely now they firste came into the orders of the common-wealth for they were called Celeres vnder Romulus of one Celer who at the command of Romulus slew Remus and he was made the chief iudge of three hundred They were afterward called Flexumines eyther because they swayed the minds of them whom they iudged or else which is more probable because of martialling and instructing their horsses for war afterward because they tooke a great company of horsse-men without all aide of footmen Festus at the citty Trossulum in Thuscia they were called Trossulai and Trossuli and yet some ignorant persons honored with the title of Trossuli in remembrance of that victory were ashamed thereof as vnworthy their dignities They were forbidden to weare purple like as were the Senators and their golden Ring was a badge both of peace and war The maister of the horsse among the Romains called by the Graecians Hipparchus and by the Latines Magister Equitum was a degree of honor next to the Dictator and Marcius the Dictator made the first maister of horsse-men who was called Spurius Suidas and set him in place next to himselfe These Equestrial men or knights of state were wont to be publicans at the least and it was ordained that no man should be called into that order except both he his father and grand-father were free men and were worth in value twenty thousand pound Turon and Tiberius made this law but afterward it grew remisse and not obserued whereby both bond men and Scribes were rewarded with this dignity from the Emperour for Orations and pleasing speeches yet were the Decuriall iudges chosen out of this rank for indeed by primary and institution they were the flower and seminary of the Roman gentry Pliny complaineth that this dignity which was wont to be a reward for military men who had aduentured their liues for the honor of their country was now bestowed corruptly and for mony vpon meane bribing persons It should seeme they had euery one a horsse of honor giuen to him for his note for if one of them had grown fat and vnweeldy not able to manage and gouern this hors it was taken from him And Cato took away the horse from Scipio Aâ—iaticus because he had intercepted mony from hence cam the terms of their allowance as Equistrae aes for that mony which was paid for a horse to one kni pararium aes for a double fee to an Equestrial man The Athenian orders Among the Athenians the highest order was of them which were 〈…〉 medimni which had plowd so much land as had sowd 〈…〉 of corn the next degree were their Equites knights or horssemen because for the defence of their citty they were able euery one to norish a horsse of war There wer of these in ancient time but 6. C and afterward they were increased vnto 1200. and the sacrifices which wer made for they pomps and triumphs Aristophanes Coelius Suidas were called Hippades and they had liberty to norish their long haâ— which was forbidden to other men and their tax to the sacrifice was at the least halfe a talent which is at the least 300. crowns and this sacrifice was made for the health of theiâ— horsses there were two maisters created ouer these to wage and order war and ten inferior gouernours or wardens to look to the prouision and norishing of horsses Among the Lacedemonians they had foure gouernments The monarchy for the kings the Aristocraty for the old men the Olygarchie for their Ephori or commissioners the Democratye for their young men with gouerned managed and instructed horsses Nestor that ancient knight was commended for this skill and had therefore giuen him the title of Hippotes Among the Chalcidensians there was not a rich man but they took him into this order and the Cretians likewise did euer highly account hereof and made it their highest degree of honor for euen the Romans did sometimes gouern whole prouinces with no other then these and Egipt had this in peculiar that no other order no not a Senator might be president or gouern among them The Achaeans had this degre in high estimat like as the Germans their Bataui or states The Cittizens of Capua were and are disguised with a perpetuity of this honour because in the Latines war they did not reuolt from the Romans and among all other the Gaditan wer most honored herewith for at one time and for one battel they created 400. This title hath spred and adornd it selfe with many more degrees as that among the French Caballarij and Equites aurati and such as are knights of Ierusalem and diuers other some for religion and some for feats of armes whereas the Persians vsed a certain kind of garment in warre called Manduas from hence commeth the knights vper garment to be called a mantel for al the Persians were horssemen The noblest horses and such as coulde run most speedily and swiftly were ioyned together in chariots for races courses spectacles games and combats for great values and prizes Nempe volucrem Sic laudamus equum facili cui plurima palma Feruet exultat rauco victoria circo And againe Ouid saith Non ego nobiluim venio spectator equorum And Horace Nâ—c te nobilium fugiat certamen equorum Primus in certamine There was one Anniceris a Cyrenian most skilful in
they will goe twentye Germaine miles in one day There was a race of Horsses at Venice called Lupiferae which were exceeding swift and the common fame is that they came vpon this occasion There was a certaine merry fellow which would become surety for euery man for which hee was commonly Iested at in the whole Citty It fortuned on a day as he trauailed abroade in the Woodes that he met with certaine hunters that had taken a Wolfe they seeing him asked him merrily if he would be surety for the Wolfe and make good all his damages that he had done to their flocks and Foales who instantly confessed hee would vndertake for the Wolfe if they would set him at liberty the hunters tooke his word and gaue the Wolfe his life whereupon he departed without thankes to the hunters Afterward in remembrance of this good turne he brought to the house of his surety a great company of Mares without marke or brand which he receiued and branded them with the image of a Wolfe and they weretherfore called Lupiferae from whom descended that gallant race of swift horsses among the Veneti vppon these ride the postes carrying the letters of kings and Emperors to the appointed places and these are said to refuse copulation with any other Horsses that are not of their owne kind and linage The Persian horsses are also exceeding swift which indeede haue giuen name vnto all others The messengers of the great Cam King of Tartaria haue their postes so appointed at euery fiue and twenty miles end of these running light horsses that they ride vpon them two or three hundred miles a day And the Pegasarian coursers of France by the like change of horsses run from Lyons to Rome in fiue or sixe daies The Epethits of a swifte running corser are these winged or wing-bearing Larke-footed breathing speedy light stirred couetous of race flying sweating not slow victorious rash violent and Pegasaean Virgill also describeth a swift and sluggish horsse most excellently in these verses sending one of them to the Ring and victory of running without respect of Countrey or foode they are to be praised for enriching his maister and the other for his dulnesse to the mill the verses are these following Nempe volucrem Sic laudamus equum facili cui plurima palma Feruet exultet vanco victoria circo Nobilis hic quocunque venit degramine cuius Clara fuga ante alios primus in aequore puluis Sed venale pecus Corithae posteritas Hirpini sirara iugo victoria sedit Nil tibi maiorum respectus gratia nulla Vmbrarum dominos pretijs mutare iubentur Exiguis tritoque trahunt Epirhedia collo Segnipedes dignique malam versare Nepotis One of these swift light horsses is not to be admitted to race or course vntil he be past three yeare old and then may he be safely brought to the ring and put to the stretching of his legs in a composed or violent pace as Virgill saith Carpere mox gyrum inicipiat gradibusque sonare Compositis sinuetque alterna volumina crurum Pliny affirmeth that if the teeth of Wolues be tyed to these horsses it wil make them neuer to giue ouer in race and when the Sarmatians were to take long iournies the day before they gaue their horsses very little drinke and no meat at al and so would they ride them an hundred and fifty miles out right The Arabians also in many regions vse to ride vpon Mares vpon whom they perform great iournies and King Darius did also fight his battailes vpon Mares which had foales Vartomanus for if at any time their affaires went to wrack they in danger the Mares in remembrance of their foales at home would carry them away more speedily then any other horsse and thus much for the light or swift horsses Of the Gelding THey haue vsed to lib their Horsses and take away their stones and such an one is caled in Latine Canterius or Cantherius which is deriued of Cauterium because they were seared with whot irons or else from the stronger boughes or branches of Vines so called because they were pruned In French Cheual Ogre Cantier Cheuron and Soppa doth interpret the Spanish Ianetto to be a Gelding It is said of Cato Censorius that he was carried and rode vpon a Gelding and of these the Turkish Horsses receiue the greatest commendations Grapaldus Forasmuch as many Horsses by their seede and stones are made very fierce truculent and vnruly by taking away of them they are made seruiceable and quiet which before yealded vnto man very little profit and this inuention may seeme first of all to be taken from them which fed diuers together in one heard being taught the intollerable rage of their stoned Horsses towards their Colleagues and guides for abating wherof they tooke from them their male-parts Camerarius Of the manner heereof you may reade plentifully in Rusius and hee affirmeth that the Scythians and Sarmatians who keepe all their Horsses in heardes were the first deuisers thereof For these people vsing to robbe and forrage were many times by the neighing of their vnruly Horsses discouered for their property is to neigh not onely at Mares but also at euery stranger that they see or winde and for Males they were so head strong that they would diuers time cary away the ryder perforce and against his will to his owne destruction in the rage of their naturall lust Camerarius If they be gelded vnder their dams when they sucke it is reported by some that from such their teeth neuer fal away and beside in the heate of their course their nerues are not hardened for which cause they are the best of all to run withall They vse to geld them in March in the beginning of the spring afterward being wel nourished they are no lesse strong able and couragious then other vnlibbed also there is a pretty prouerbe Cantherius in Fossa a Gelding in a Ditch which is then to be vsed when a man vndertaketh a busines which he is not able to manage for a Horsse can do much in a plaine Lâ—â—iâ—s but nothing at al in a Ditch It is reported that Iubellius Taurea and C. Assellius fought a combate on Horse-backe neare the Citty Capua and when one had prouoked another a good while in the plaine fieldes Taurea descended into a hollow way telling his fellow combatant that except he came downe vnto him it would be a fight of Horsses and not of Horse-men Whereunto Assellius yealded and came downe into the Ditch at whom his aduersary iested asking him if he did not know that a Gelding cold do nothing in a ditch from whence came the common prouerbe aforesaid There is also another prouerbe Anthenius in Porta A Gelding in the gate to signifie a a man who after he had vndertaken the performance of some great exploit his hart faileth in the very enterance for it is reported of one Sulpecias Galba who
which doeth many times happen Magi it wil be an excellent remedy for him against the sobbing in the stomacke called the hicket OF THE HYAENA AND THE diuers kinds thereof WE are nowe to discourse of a Beast whereof it is doubtful whether the names or the kindes thereof bee more in number and therefore to begin with the names it seemeth to me in general that it is The names and other general accidents the same Beast which is spoken of in holy scripture and called Zeeb-ereb and Araboth Zepham 3. Principes vrbis Hierosolymae velut Leones rugientes iudices eius similes sunt lupis Vespertinis qui ossa non relinqunt ad diluculum Their Princes are roaring Lyons and their iudges are like to night-wolues which leaue not the bones til the morning as it is vulgarly translated In like sort Ier. Cap 5 calleth them Zeeb-Araboath Wolues of the wildernes and the Prophet Habbakuk Cap. 1. vseth the word Zeeb-ereb Wolues of the euening By which it is made easie to consider and discusse what kinde of Beast this Hyaena may be deemed for the Hyaena as I shal shew you afterward is a Greek word And first of al I vtterly seclude al their opinions which translate this word Arabian wolues for the Haebrew notes cannot admit such a version or exposition But seeing we read in Oppianus and Tzetzes that there are kinds of Wolues which are called Harpages more hungry then the residue liuing in Mountains very swift of foot in the Winter time comming to the gates of Citties and deuouring both flesh and bones of euery liuing creature they can lay hold on especially Dogs and men and in the morning go away againe from their prey I take them to be the same beasts which the Graecians cal Hyaenae which is also the name of a fishe much like in nature hereunto It is also called Glanos and the Phrygians and Bythinians Ganos from one of these came the Illirian or Sclauonian word San and it seemeth that the Graecians haue giuen it a name from Swine because of the gristles growing on the back for an Hyaena can haue no better deriuation then from Hus or Hyn. Iulius Capitolinus calleth it Belbus in Latine in the same place where he recordeth that there were decem Belbi sub Gordiano ten Hyaenaes in the daies of Gordianus And the reason of this name is not improbably deriued from Belba a cittie of Egypt Pincianus a learned man calleth it Grabthier because it hunteth the sepulchers of the dead Albertus in stead of Hyaena calleth it Iona. The Arabians cal it Kabo Zabo or Ziba and Azaro I take it also to be the same beast which is called Lacta and Ana and Zilio because that which is reported of these is true in the Hyaena Albertus they frequent graues hauing sharp teeth long nailes being very fierce liuing together in heards and flocks and louing their own kind most tenderly but most pernicious and hatefull to all other being very crafty to set vpon a fit prey defending it selfe from the rage of stronger beasts by their teeth nailes or else by flight or running away Wherfore we hauing thus expressed the name we will handle the kinds which I finde to be three the first Hyaena the second Papio or Dabuh the third Crocuta and Leucrocuta whereunto by coniecture we may adde a forth called Mantychora THE FIGVRE OF THE FIRST HYAENA THis first and vulgar kind of Hyaena is bred in Affricke and Arabia being in quantity of body like a wolfe Hieronimus Aristotle but much rougher haird for it hath bristles like a horsses mane all along his back in the middle of his back it is a litle crooked or dented the colour yellowish but bespeckled on the sides with blew spots which make him looke more terrible as if it had so many eies The eies change their colour at the pleasure of the beast Oppianus The several parts a thousand times a day for which cause many ignorant writers haue affirmed the same of the whole body yet can he not see one quarter so perfectly in the day as in the night therfore he is called Lupus vespertinus a wolfe of the night The skilful Lapidarists of Germany affirme that this beast hath a stone in his eies or rather in his head called Hyaena or Hyaenius but the ancients say that the apple or puple of the eie is turnd into such a stone that it is indued with this admirable quality Pliny that if a man lay it vnder his tong he shal be able to foretell and prophesie of things to come the truth hereof I leaue to the reporters Their back-bone stretcheth it selfe out to the head so as the necke cannot bend except the whole body be turned about and therfore whensoeuer he hath occasion to wry his necke Sâ—lmus Albertus he must supply that quality by remouing of his whole bodie This Beast hath a very great hart as all other Beasts haue which are hurtful by reason of their feare The genital member is like a dogs or wolues and I maruaile vpon what occasion the writers haue beene so possessed with opinion that they change sexes Aristotle Whether they change sexes yeerely and are somtime male and another female that is to say male one yeare and female another according to these verses Si tamen est aliquid mir ae nouitatis in istis Alternare vices quae modo foemina tergo Passa marem est nunc esse marem miremur Hyaenam Ouid. Both kinds haue vnder their tailes a double note of passage in the male there is a scissure like the secrets of a femal in the femal abunch like the stones of the male but nether on nor other inward but onely outward and except this hath giuen cause of this opinion I cannot learne the ground thereof onely Orus writeth that there is a fishe of this name which turneth sexe and peraduentute some men hearing so much of the fish Aelianus might mistake it more easilye for the foure-footed-beast and applye it thereunto Their procreation These engender not onely among themselues but also with Dogs Lyons Tygers and Wolues for the Aetheopian Lyon being couered with an Hyaena beareth the Crocuta The Thoes of whom we shall speake more afterward are generated betwixt this beast and a Wolfe and indeed it is not without reason that God himselfe in holy scripture calleth it by the name of a Vespertine Wolfe seeing it resembleth a Wolfe in the quantity colour in voracity and gluttoning in of flesh in subtilty to ouercome dogs and men euen as a Wolfe doth silly sheepe Their teeth are in both beasts like sawes their genitals alike The disposition and natural properties of this beast Pliny Solâ—nus and both of them being hungry range prey in the night season This is accounted a most subtill and crafty beast according to the allusiue saying of
are very bold and hurtfull and India the mother of al kinde of beasts hath most blacke fierce and cruell Lyons In Tartaria also and the kingdome of Narsinga and the Prouince of Abasia are many Lyons greater then those of Babilon and Siria of diuers and sunrdy intermingled colours both white blacke and red Vartomanus There be many Lyons also in the prouince of Gingui so that for feare of them men dare not sleep out of their owne houses in the night time For whomsoeuer they find they deuoure and teare in pieces The ships also which go vp and downe the riuer are not tyed to the bank-side for feare of these lions because in the night time they come downe to the Water-side and if they can find any passage into the barkes they enter in and destroy euery lyuing creature wherefore they ride at Ancor in the middle of the riuer The colour of Lyons is generally yellowe for these before spoken of blacke white The colour of Lyons and red are exorbitant Their haire some of them is curled and some of them long shaggy and thin not standing vpright but falling flatte longer before and shorter behinde cardanus and although the curling of his haire be a token of sluggish timidity yet if the haire bee long and curled at the top onely it pretendeth generous animosity So also if the haire be hard for beasts that haue soft haire as the Hart the Hare the Sheep are timerous but they which are harder haired as the Boare and the Lyon are more audacious and fearelesse There is no foure-footed beaste that hath haires on his neather eye-liddes like a man but in steede thereof either their face is rough all ouer as in a Dogge or else they haue a foretop as a horse and an Asse or a mane like a lion The Lyonesse hath no mane at all for it is proper to the male and as long haires are an ornament to a horses mane so are they to the necke and shoulders of a Lyon neither are they eminent but in their full age and therefore Pliny said Turrigeros elephantorum miramur humeros leonum iubas We wonder at the Tower-bearing shoulders of Elephantes and the long hanging manes of Lions And Aelianus in orationis expertibus maripraestantiam quandam natura largita est iuba leo antaecellit foeminam serpens Christa Nature hath honored the Male euen in creatures without reason to be distinguished from the female as the mane of the male Lyon and the combe of the male Serpent do from their females Martiall writeth thus of the lions mane O quantum per colla decus quem sparsit honorem Aurea lunatae cum stetit vnda iubae A Lyon hath a most valiant and strong head The seueral parts and for this occasion when the Nymphes were terrified by the Lyons and fled into Carystus the promontory wherein they dwelled was called Co leon that is the Lyons-head where afterwards was built a goodly Citty It fortuned as Themistocles went thether to manage the affaires of the Graecians Epiries the Persian president of Phrygia intended his destruction and therefore committed the busines vnto one Pisis with charge that he shold behead Themistocles who came thither to execute that murder but it happened as Themistocles slept at the noone day hee heard a voice crying out vnto him O Themistocles effuge leonum caput ne ipse in leonem incurras that is to say Plutarch O Themistocles get thee out of the Lyons head least thou fall into the Lyons teeth whereupon he arose and saued his life The face of a Lyon is not round as some haue imagined and therefore compared it vnto the Sunne because in the compasse thereof the haires stand out eminent like Sunne-beames but rather it is square figured like as his forehead which Aristotle saith you may chuse whether you will cal it a forehead or Epipedon frontis that is the superficies of a forehead for like a cloud it seemeth to hange ouer his eies and nose and therefore the Germans call a man that looketh with such a countinance Niblen of Nubilare to be cloudy and it betokeneth either anger or sorrow also it is called Scithicus aspectus because the Scithians were alwaies wont to looke as though they were ready to fight The eies of a Lyon are red fiery and hollow not very round nor long looking for the most part awry wherfore the Poets stile the Lionesse Tocua leaena The pupils or aples of the eie shine exceedingly in somuch as beholding of them a man would thinke hee looked vpon fire His vpper eie-lid is exceeding great his Nose thick and his vpper chap doth not hang ouer the neather but meete it iust his mouth very great gaping wide his lippes thinne so that the vpper partes fall in the neather which is a token of his fortitude his teeth like a Wolues and a Dogges like sawes losing or changing onely his canine teeth the tongue like a Cats or leopards as sharpe as a file wearing through the skinne of a man by licking his Necke very stiffe because it consisteth but of one bone without ioynts like as in a Wolfe and an Hyaena the flesh is so hard as if it were all a sinnew Ther are no knucles or turning ioyntes in it called Spondyli and therefore he cannot looke backward The greatnesse and roughnesse of his Necke betokeneth a magnanimious and liberall mind nature hath giuen a short Necke vnto the Lyon as vnto Beares and Tygers because they haue no need to put it downe to the earth to feede like an Oxe but to lift it vp to catch their prey His shoulders and brestes are very stronge as also the forepart of his body but the members of the hinder part do degenerate For as Pliny saith Leoni vis summa in pectore the chiefest force of a Lion is in his breast The part about his throate-bole is loose and soft and his Metaphrenon or part of his backe against his hart so called betwixt his shoulder-blades is very broad The backbone and ribs are very strong his ventricle narrow and not much larger then his maw He is most subiect to wounds in his flancke because that part is weakest in all other parts of his body he can endure many blowes About his loines and hip-bone he hath but litle flesh The lionesse hath two vdders in the midest of her belley not because she bringeth forth but two at a time for somtimes she bringeth more but because she aboundeth in Milke and her meat which she getteth seldome and is for the most parte fleshe turneth all into milke The taile of a Lyon is very long which they shake oftentimes and by beating their sides therewith they prouoke themselues to fight The Graecians call it Alcaea and Alciatus maketh this excellent embleme thereof vpon wrath Alcaum veteres candam dixere Leonis Qua stimulante iras concipit ille graues Lutea quam surgit bilis crudescit atro
Although about this matter there be sundry opinions of men some making question whether it be true that the Lyon will spare a prostrate suppliant making confession vnto him that hee is ouercome yet the Romans did so generally beleeue it that they caused to be inscribed so much vpon the gates of the great Roman pallace in these two verses Iratus recolas Textor quam nobilis ira leonis In sibi prostratos se negat esse feram It is reported also that if a man and another beast be offered at one time to a lyon to take his choice Albertus whether of both he will deuoure he spareth the man and killeth the other beast These lions are not onely thus naturally affected but are enforced thereunto by chance and accidentall harmes As may appeare by these examples following Mentor the Syracusan as he trauailed in Syria met with a Lyon that at his first sight fell prostrate vnto him roling himselfe vpon the earth like some distressed creature whereat the man was much amazed and not vnderstanding the meaning of this beast he indeauored to run away the beaste still ouertooke him and met him in the face licking his footstepes like a flatterer shewed him his heele wherein hee did perceiue a certaine swelling whereat hee tooke a good heart going vnto the Lyon tooke him by the legge and seeing a splint sticking therein hee pulled it forth so deliuering the Beast from paine for the memory of this fact the picture of the man and the Lyon were both pictured together in Syracusis vntill Plynies time as hee reporteth The like story is reported of Elpis the Samian who comming into Affricke by shippe and there goyng a shore had not walked very far on the land but he met with a gaping lyon at which being greatly amazed he climbed vp into a tree forasmuch as there was no hope of any other flight and prayed vnto Bacchus who in that Countrey is esteemed as chiefe of the Gods to defend him as hee thoght from the iaws of death but the lion seeing him to climb into the tree stood stil and layed himselfe downe at the roote thereof desiring him in a manner by his heauy roaring to take pitty vppon him gaping with his mouth and shewing him a bone sticking in his teeth which through greedinesse he swallowed which did so paine him that he could eate nothing at the last the man perceiuing his mind moued by a miracle layed aside all feare and came downe to the dumbe-speaking distressed Lyon and eased him of that misery which being performed he not onely shewed himselfe thankefull for the present time but like the best natured honest man neuer forsooke shore Pliny but once a day came to shew himself to the man his helper during the time that they abode in those quarters therefore Elpis did afterward dedicate a temple vnto Bacchus in remembrance thereof And this seemeth to me most woonderfull that Lyons should know the vertue of mens curing hands aboue other creatures also come vnto them against nature kind but so much is the force of euil pain that it altereth al courses of sauage minds and creatures When Androcles a seruant ranne away from a Senator of Rome Aelianus Gellius because he had committed some offence but what his offence was I know not and came into Affrica leauing the Citties and places inhabited to come into a desert region Afterward when Androcles had obtained a maister being Consull of that prouince of Affrica A notable story of a Lyon hee was compelled by daily stripes to run away that his sides might bee free from the blowes of his maister and went into the solitary places of the fieldes and the sandes of the wildernesse and if hee should happen to stand in neede of meat he did purpose to end his life by some meanes or other and there hee was so scortched with the heate of the sunne that at last finding out a caue he did couer himselfe from the heate of it therein and this caue was a lyons den But after that the lyon had returned from hunting being very much pained by reason of a Thorne which was fastened in the bottom of his foote vttered forth such great lamentation and pittifull roaringes by reason of his wound as that it should seeme hee did want some body to make his moane vnto for remedy at last comming to his caue and finding a young man hid therein hee gently looked vpon him and began as it were to flatter him and offered him his foote and did as well as hee could pray him to pull out the peece of splint which was there fastened But the man at the first was very sore afraid of him and made no other reckoning but of death but after that he saw such a huge sauage beast so meeke and gentle beganne to thinke with himselfe that surely there was some sore on the bottom of the foote of the beast because he lifted vp his foote so vnto him and then taking courage vnto him Gellius lifted vppe the lyons foot and found in the bottom of it a great peece of splint which he plucked forth and so by that meanes eased the lyon of her paine and pressed forth the matter which was in the wound and did very curiously without any great feare throughly dry it and wipe away the bloud the lyon being eased of his paine laide himselfe downe to rest putting his foot into the hands of Androcles With the which cure the lion being very wel pleased because he handled him so curtiously and friendly not onely gaue him for a recompence his life but also went daily abroad to forrage and brought home the fattest of his prey Androcles whom all this while euen for the space of three yeares he kept familiarly without any note of cruelty or euill nature in his den and there the man and the beast liued mutually at one commons the man roasting his meate in the whot sun and the lyon eating his part raw according to kinde When he had thus liued by the space of three yeares and grew weary of such a habitation life and society he bethought himselfe of some meanes to depart and therfore on a day when the lion was gone abroad to hunting the man tooke his iourny away from that hospitality and after he had trauailed three daies wandering vp and down he was apprehended by the legionary souldiers to whom he told his long life and habitation with the lyon and how he ranne away from his maister a senator of Rome which when they vnderstood they also sent him home againe to Rome to the Senator And being receiued by his maister he was guilty of so great and foule faults that he was condemned to death and the manner of his death was to be torne in peeces of Wilde beasts Now there were at Rome in those daies many great fearefull cruell and rauening beastes and among them many Lyons it fortuned also that shortly
feigned of the Poets that this Lyon was the Naemaean Lyon slaine by Hercules which at the commaundement of Iuno was fostered in Arcadia andâ— that in anger against Hercules after his death she placed him in the heauens To conclude this story of the Lyons it is reported of the Diuels called Onosceli that they slew themselues sometimes in the shapes of Lyons and Dogges and the Dogge of Serapis which was fained to haue three heads on the left side a Wolues on the right side a Dogges and in the middle a Lyons We haue shewed already that the people called Ampraciotae did worship a Lyonesse because she killed a Tyrant And the Egyptians builded a Citty to the honor of Lyons calling it Leontâ—polis Lyons norished in Temples and worshipped and dedicating Temples to Vulcan for their honor And in the porches of Heliopolis there were common stipends for the nourishing of lions As in other places where they are fed daily with Beefe and haue also windowes in their lodgings with great Parkes and spaces allotted vnto them for their recreation and exercises with an opinion that the people that came vnto them to offer and worshippe them should see a speedy reuenge through deuine iudgement vpon al those that had wronged them by periury or broken the oath of fidelity To conclude in holy Scripture we finde that our Sauiour Christ is called the Lion of the tribe of Iudah for as hee is a lambe in his innocency so is he a Lion in his fortitude The Deuil also is called a roaring Lion because Lions in their hunger are most of al ful of furie and wrath And so I wil conclude and end this storie of Lions with that Emblem of Alciatus describing how litle Hares did reioice and leape vpon dead Lions Qui toties hostes vicerat ante suos Dum curru et pedibus nectere vincla parant Conuellant barbaâ—â— vel timidi Lepores The medicines of the Lyon The blood of a Lyon being rubbed or spred vpon a Canker or vpon a sore which is swelled about the vaines wil presently and without any paine cure and ease the griefe thereof Albertus Sextus Whosoeuer doth anoint his body all ouer with the blood of a Lyon may safely and without any danger trauaile amongst any wilde Beastes whatsoeuer The flesh of a Lyon being eaten either by a man or Woman which is troubled with dreames and fantasies in the night time Aesculâ—pius will very speedily and effectually worke him ease and quietnesse The â—ame also being boyled or baked and giuen to them which are distraught of their wits to eate doth bring them ease and comfort and renew their wits againe it is also very good for the paines or deafenesse of the eares And being taken in drink it helpeth those which are troubled with the shaking of the ioyntes or the Palsie Whosoeuer shall haue shooes made of the hide or skinne of a Lyon or Wolfe and weare them vpon his feete he shall neuer haue any paine or ache in them Galen They will also defend him that vseth them from the gout or swelling in the feete or Legges The skin or hide of a Lyon is also very good for either man or Woman which are troubled with the piles or swelling of the vains if they shall but at some seuerall times set vpon it The fat of a Lyon is reported to be contrary to poyson and venemous drinks and being taken in Wine it will by the sent expell all wilde Beastes from any one and it doth also resist and 〈◊〉 â—way the sent or smell of Serpents by which they follow men to destroy them Whomsoeuer doth annoint his body all ouer with the tallow or sewet of the raines or kidny of a Lyon shall by the sent and sauor thereof expell and driue away from him all Wolues how greedy and rauenous soeuer they be A man being throughly annointed with the greace of a Lyon being melted doeth driue away from him and put to flight any liuing creature whatsoeuer and also venemous and poysonous Serpents themselues Rasis If any wilde beast bee annointed with the tallow or sewet of a Lyon which is dissolued and clarified he shall neiâ—her be troubled with the stinging of Flies or Bees The fat or greace of a lyon being mingled with Oyle of Roses doth keepe the skinne of the face free from all blastings and blemishes being annointed thereupon and doth also preserue the whitenesse thereof and being mingled with Snow Water doth heale any flesh which is burnt or scortched vpon a man and doth also cure the swelling of the ioynts The sewet or faâ— of a lyon being mingled with other oyntments and annointed vpon the places of either man or woman who haue any blemishes in any part of their bodies doth presently expel the same The same vertue hath the dung or durt of a lion being mixed with the aforesaid vnguent The greace of a lyon being dissolued and presently againe conglutinated together and so being annointed vppon the body of those who are heauy and sadde it will speedily exteâ—pate all sorrow and griefe from their heartes The same also being mixed with the marrow of an Hart and with lettice and so beaten and bruised and afterwards mingled altogether is an excellent remedy against the shrinking of the Nerues and sinewes and the aches of the bones and knuckels about the legges being annointed thereon The greace of a lyon by it selfe onely mixed with a certaine ointment is also very profitable to expell the gout The same being mingled with Oyle of Roses doth ease and help those which are troubled daiely with Agues and quartan Feauers The same also being dissolued and poured into the eares of any one which is troubled with any paine in them will presently free him from the same There is also in this lyons Greace another excellent vertue which is this that if the â—aw-bone of any one be swelled and annointed ouer with this greace being melteâ— it will very speedily auoide the paine thereof The fat or sewet of a Lyon being melted and mixed with certaine other thinges and so ministred vnto any one that is troubled with the wringing of the bowels and bloody flix in the same manner as a glister is vsed is commended for an excellent remedie for the same The same also being mingled with a certaine oyle and warmed together and anointed vpon the head of any one whose haire doth sâ—ed or is troubled with the Foxes euill Galen doth immediatly helpe and cure the same The seede of a Hare being mixed with the fat of a Lyon and annointed vpon the priuy members of any one will stirre and incitate them vp to lust how chast soeuer they shall be The fatte of a Lyon mingled with the fatte of a Beare and melted together Myrepsus being anoynted vpon the belly doth allay and asswage the hardnesse thereof as also any other paine or griefe in the same The braines of a Lyon as also of a
kernels which arise in the necke so that in the time of the curing of these things the party which is pained and greeued be not suffered to eat any swines flesh The tooth of a liuing mole taken out and tyed or bound to the teeth of any who is griued therein Obscurus is commended by the Magi or wise-men to be an excellent remedy and cure for the same The hart of a mole being eaten nine dayes together doth very speedily and effectually cure either him or her which shal so eat it of that pestiferous disease cald the Kings euil if it be so that it hath not bene of too long continuance with them Pliny Arnoldus The same is also very good and profitable for the asswaging of Wens being vsed in the aforesaide manner The liuer of a mole being beaten betweene the handes of him that is troubled with bunches or swellings in his back and afterwards put vpon the same is a present help and cure The same effect hath the right foot of a mole for the asswaging of bunches and swellings arising in the flesh Of the vulgar little Mouse AS we haue handled the natures and deliuered the figures of the great Beasts so also must we not disdaine in a perfect Hystory to touch the smallest For Almighty God which hath made them al hath disseminated in euery kind both of great and smal beasts seeds of his wisedome maiesty and glory Definition of a Mouse The little mouse therefore is iustly tearmed Incola domus nostrae an inhabitant in our own houses Et rosor omnium rerum and a knawer of al things And therefore from the sounde of her teeth which she maketh in gnawing shee is called Serex Although we shal shew you afterwards that Sorex is a speciall kinde and not the name of the general Wherefore seeing there be many kindes of Mise and euery one of them desireth a particular tractate I thought good to begin with the vulgar little mouse and so to discend to the seuerall species and kindes of all The seueral names according to the method of the Phylosopher A notioribus minus ad nota from things that are most knowne to them that are lesse knowne In Haebrew it is called Achar Leuit xi where the Septuagintes translate it muys the Chaldee Acbera the Arabians Fer or Phar from whence commeth the Sarasan word Fara The Persians An Mus the Latins mus the Italians Tapo or Sorice Alsorgio O Rato Di-Casa although Rato signifieth a Rat both among the Germans French and English The Spaniards call the little Mouse Ratt and the great Rat Ratz the French the little Mouse Souris which word seemes to be deriued from the Latine Sorex and the great mouse they call Ratt The Germaines the great ones Ratz and the little one Muss the Illyrians and Pollonians Myss which is the Greek word and the great one they cal Sczurcz the Venetians cal the Rat Pantegana of Pontis the vulgar greekename and the Romans Sourco Denomination of sundrie creatures froÌ„ the Mouse Now the dignity of this little beast may appeare by the name which hath spred it selfe both to beasts fishes men hearbs and Citties To beasts as we haue shewed before in the Ichneumon which is vulgarly called the Indian-mouse or Pharoes-mouse And to fishes for there is a little fishe called Musculus and in Greeke Mystocetos the Whale-mouse because it leadeth the way and sheweth the Whale whether so euer shee swimmeth for the auoiding of rockes according to Pliny although Rondoletius affirmeth otherwise namely that that guide of the Whale is called Egemon and Egetur and Mystocetus hee saith is a shell fish Generally most kind of Oysters are also called Myss because sometimes they gape and make a noise like a mouse and close their shels againe The purple Fishes be also called Myss there is likewise a kind of pretious stone called Mya about Bosphoras Thrasius and many such other dignities hath the name of this beast attained Pausanias There was one Mys the seruaunt of that famous Phylosopher Epicurus likewise the name of a champion or chalenger is Suidas and Varinus and there was another called Mus of excellent skill for ingrauing in Siluer and therefore did draw vpon the shield of Minerua the fight betwixt the Lapithae and the Centaurs and many other things Whereupon martiall made this verse Quis labor in Phyala docti myos anne myronis There was a Consull of Rome whose name was Mus and therefore Camerarius made this riddle of the mouse Parua mihi domus est sedianua semper aperta acciduo sumptu furtiâ—â— viuo sagina quod mihi nomen in est Romae quoque Consul habebat The Thrasians cald Argilus a mouse and the citty which he builded Argelus Myes was a citty of Ionia and a cittizen of that citty was called Myetius Myon a citty of Locri in Epirus and the people thereof are called Myones Myonesus a little region betwixt Teon and Lebedon and acording to Stephanus an Island neare Ephesus the first port or hauen of Egypt opening to the red sea is called Muos armos the mouses hauen and Mysia also seemeth to be deriued from their stem There is an Island vnder the Equinoctiall line called Insula murium the mouse-Ilande because of the abundance of myce therein and to conclude euen the hearbs and plants of the earth Theuetus haue receiued names from this litle beast as Hordeum Murinum Myacantha Sperrage Myopteton Myuoos Myortocon Mouse-eare Mouse-foot and such like There haue bin also commedies made of Myss as that of Carsinus called Myes wherein the Weasill strangleth the night-wandring Myss And another Greeke comedy called Galeomyomachia that is a fight betwixt cats and myce wherein the poet doeth most pleasantly faine names of myce as their king he called Creillus that is a flesh-eater and his eldest sonne Psicarpax Fictions learned wittie of the proper nams of Mise a corne-eater and his second sonne Psitodarpes Bread-eater and his eldeste daughter Lycnogluphe candle-eater and all his auncestors Carpodaptai that is Fruit-eaters And then he bringeth other myce in as Turolicos Psicolices Cholecoclophos Homer in his Batracomiomachia that is a fight betwixt Frogs and mice doeth very elegantly describe diuers proper names of mice As Piscarpax whose father was Tuoxartes and his mother Lychomile daughter of Plernotrocta the king and then other mice as Lychopinax Terogliphus Embaschitrus Lychenor Troglodites Artophagus Ptermogliphus Pternophagus Cnissodioctes Sidophogus Artepibulus Meridarpax and Thulacotrox all which are not only out of the aboundance of the Authors wit but inuented for the expressing of the mouses nature The Mouses place of conception haue many holes in it during the time sâ—e bâ—arâ—h hir young ones There is no creature that heareth more perfectly then a Mouse they dwell in houses of men especially neare supping and dyning roomes kitchins or larders Albertus where any meat is stirring And they make themselues places
that Mice which liue in a house if they perceiue by the age of it Presages and for knoledge of mice it be ready to fall downe or subiect to any other ruin they foreknow it and depart out of it as may appeare by this notable story which happened in a towne called Helice in Greece wherein the inhabitantes committed this abominable acte against their neighbours the Greekes For they slew them and sacrificed them vpon their altars Whereupon followed the ruin of the citty which was premonstrated by this prodigious euent For 5. daies before the destruction thereof all the Mice Weasels and Serpentes and other reptile creatures went out of the same in the presence of the inhabitants euery one assembling to his owne ranke and company where at the people wondered much for they cold not conceiue any true cause of their departure and no maruaile For God which had appointed to take vengance on them for their wickednes did not giue them so much knowledge nor make them so wise as the beasts to auoid his iudgement and their owne destruction and therefore marke what followed For these beasts were no sooner out of the citty but suddenly in the night time came such a lamentable earth-quake and strong tempest that all the houses did not onely fall down and not one of them stood vpright to the slaughter of men women and children contained in them but least any of them should escape the strokes of the timber and house tops God sent also such a great floud of waters by reason of the tempestuous wind which droue the Waters out of the sea vpon the Town that swept them al away leauing no more behind then naked and bare significations of former buildings And not only the citty and Cittizens perished Aelianus but also there was ten ships of the Lacedemonians in their port all drowned at that instant The wisedome of the Mouse apeareth in the prepararion of her house for considering shee hath many enemies Their natural wisdome and therefore many means to be hunted from place to place she commiteth not herselfe to one lodging alone but prouideth many holes so that when she is hunted in one place shee may more safely repose her selfe in another Which thing Plautus expresseth in these wordes Sed tamem cogitato Mus pusillus quam sapiens sit bestia aetatem qui vni cubili nunquam committit suam cum vnum obsidetor aliunde perfugium quaerit that is to say it is good to consider the little mouse how wise a beast she is for she will not commit her life to one lodging but prouideth many harbors that being molested in one place she may haue another refuge to fly vnto And as their wisedome is admirable in this prouision so also is their loue to be commended one to another for falling into a vessell of Water or other deepe thing Their natural loue to one another out of which they cannot ascend againe of themselues they help one another by letting downe their tailes and if their tailes be to short then they lengthen them by this meanes they take one anothers taile in their mouth and so hang two or 3. in length vntill the Mouse which was fallen downe take hold on the neathermost which being performed they al of them draw her out Euen so Wolues holding one another by their tailes do swim ouer great riuers and thus hath nature graunted that to them which is denyed to many men Aelianus Their disposition and their flesh Procâ—pâ—â—s Aristeas namely to loue and to be wise both together But concerning their maners they are euil apt to steale incideous and deceitefull and men also which are of the same disposition with these beasts fearing to do any thing publikely yet priuatly enterprise many deceits are iustly reproued in imitation of such beasts For this cause was it forbidden in gods law vnto the Iewes not only to eat but to touch mice the prophet Esa ch 66 saith Comedentes carnem suillaÌ„ abominationem atque murem simul consumentur inquit Dominus that is they which eat swins flesh abomination the Mous shal be destroyed together saith the Lord wherein the prophet threatneth a curse vnto the people Arnaldus that broke the first law of God in eating flesh forbidden and the Physitians also say that the eating of the flesh of Mice engendereth forgetfulnesse abomination and corruption in the stomacke The eating of bread or other meate which is bitten by Mice doth encrease in men and children a certaine disease in their face huâ—t by mice to the bodies of mankinde and in the flesh at the rootes of the nails of their fingers certaine hard bunches called by the Venetians Spelli and by the Germans Leidspyssen and by the Latins Dentes Muris yet it is affirmed that the flesh of Mice is good for Haukes to be giuen them euery day or euery each other day together with the skin for it helpeth their entrals purgeth fleame and choller restraineth the fluctions of the belly Medicine of Hawkes Demetrius driueth out stones and grauell stayeth the distillation of the head to the eyes and finall corroborateth the stomacke Yet we haue hard that in the kingdome of Calechut they do eate Mice and Fishes roasted in the sun And it is said by some Physitians and Magicians that the flesh is good against melancholy and the paine of the teeth but the medicinall vertues we reserue to his proper place Pliny affirmeth a strange wonder worthy to bee remembred and recorded Eating of Mice that when Hanniball besieged Casselinum there was a man that sold a Mouse for two hundred pieces of quoine so great was the extremity of famine that the man which sold it dyed for hunger and as it should seeme through the want of it but he which bought it liued by eating therof the which thing argueth that necessity hunger and famin maketh men for the safegard of life to make more reckoning in extremity of the basest creaturs then in prosperity they do of the best For that person which gaue so much mony for a Mouse at another time woulde haue scorned to haue giuen so much for foure Oxen. And on the other side the wretched loue of gaine which causeth a man to endanger his owne life for loue of siluer But I rather thinke that it was the hand of God himselfe taking vengance of such a couetous disposition which would not suffer him to liue that like Midas had gotten so much gold Enemies of Mice The enemies of Mice are many not onely men which by sundry artificiall deuises kill them because of harme but also beasts and wilde foule doe eat their flesh and liue vpon them And first of all Cats Weasels do principally hunt to catch Mice and haue bin therefore by the late writers called Murilegi for their taking of Mice And the nature of the Weasell is not onely more enclined to hunt after them
with Rammes hornes and translated that ramme into the zodiacke among the starres that when the Sunne should passe through that sign all the creatures of the world should be fresh green and liuely for the same cause that he had deliuered him and his host from perishing by thirst and made him the Captaine of all the residue of the signes for that he was an able and wise leader of souldiors Other againe tell the tale somewhat different for they say at what time Bacchus ruled Egipt there came to him one Ammon a great rich man in Affrica giuing to Bacchus great store of wealth and cattell to procure fauour vnto him and that he might be reckoned an inuenter of some things for requitall whereof Bacchus gaue him the land of Thebes in Egypt to keepe his sheepe and cattell and afterward for that inuention he was pictured with rams hornes on his heade for remembrance that he brought the first sheepe into Egypt and Bacchus also placed the signe of the ram in heauen These and such like fictions there are about all the signes of heauen but the truer obseruation and reason wee haue shewed before out of the Egyptians learning and therefore I will cease from any farther prosecution of these fables Dydimus Aristotle They ought to be two yeare old at least before you suffer them to ioyne in copulation with the Ewes for two moneths before to bee seperat and fed more plentifully then at other times that so at their returne they may more eagerly and perfectly fill the Ews and then also before copulation at the time that they are permitted in some Contries they giue them barly and mixe Onions with their meat and feede them with the hearbe Salomons seale for all these are vertuous to stirre vp and increase their nature And likewise one kind of the Satyrium and salt water as we haue said in the discourse afore going Now at the time of their copulation they haue a peculiar voice to draw and allure their females differing from the common bleating wherof the poet speaketh Bloterat hincaries pia balat ouis This beast may continue in copulation and be preserued for the generation of lambes till he be eight yeare olde and it is their nature the elder they bee to seeke out for their fellowes the elder Ewes or females forsaking the younger by a kind of naturall wisedome Now concerning the time of their admission to copulation althogh we haue touched it in the former Treatise yet we must adde somewhat more in this place In some places they suffer them in April The best tim of copulatioÌ„ some in Iune that so they may be past daunger before winter and be brought forth in the Autumne when the grasse after haruest is sweet but the best is in Octob for then the winter wil be ouerpassed before the lamb comforth of his dams belly Great is the rage of these beasts at their copulation for they fight irefuly til one of them haue the victory for this cause Arrietare among the writers is a word to expresse singular violence as may apeare by these verses Arietat in portas duros obijce postes Their rage in Ramming â—ime and Siluis of Dioxippus Arietat in primos obijcitque immania membra And so Seneca in his booke of Anger Magno imperatori aretequamacies inter se arietarent cox exiluit and indeed great is the violence of rams for it is reported that many times in Rhatia to try their violence they hold betwixt the fighting of rams a sticke or bat of Corne-tree which in a bout or two they vtterly diminish and bruse in peeces There is a knowne fable in Abstenius of the wolfe that found a coople of rammes and told them that he must haue one of them to his dinner and bad â—hem agree betwixt themselues to whose lot that death should happen for one of them must die the two rams agreede togither that the wolfe should stand in the middle of the close and that they twain should part one into one corner and the other into the other corner of the field and so com running to the wolfe he that came last should loose his life to the wolues mercy the wolfe agreed to this their deuice and chose his standing while the rams consented with their hornes when they came vpon him to make him sure inough from hurting any more sheepe forth therfore went the rams each of them vnto his quarter one into the East and the other into the west the wolâ—e standing ioyfully in the midst laughing at the rams destruction then began the two rams to set forward with all their violence one of them so attending and obseruing the other as that they might both meet togither vpon the wolfe and so they did with vengeance to their enimy for hauing him betwixt their horns they crushed his ribs in pieces and he fel down without stomack to rams flesh This inuention althogh it haue another morrall yet it is material to be inserted in this place to shew the violence of rams and from this came so many warlike inuentions called Arietes wherwithal they push down the wals of citties Martial and warlike inueÌ„tions called Rammes as the Readers may see in Vitruuius Valturnis and Ammianus for they say that the warlike ram was made of wood couered ouer with shels of Torteyses to the intent it should not be burned when it was set to a wall and it was also couered with the skins of sacke-cloath by rowes artificially contriued within the same was a beame which was pointed with a crooked yron and therefore called a ram or rather because the front was so hard that it ouerthrew wals when by the violent strength of men it was forced vpon them and wheras it was shaped ouer with Tortoise shels it was for the true resemblaÌ„ce it bare therewith for like as a Torteise doth sometime put forth his head and again somtime pull it in so also doth the ram sometime put forth the sickle and sometime pul it in and hide it within the frame so that by this engine they did not ouerturn the wals but also they caused the stones to flie vpon the enimies liue thunder-bolts striking them downe on euery side and wounding with their fal or stroke like the blowes of an armed man and against these forces there were counter-forces deuised on the part of the besieged for because the greatnes thereof was such as it could not be moued without singular note and ostentation it gaue the besieged time to oppose against it their instruments of war for their safegard such were called Culcitrae Laquei Lupi ferrum made like a paire of tongs wherby as Polyaenus writeth many times it came to passe that when the wall was ouerthrowne the enimies durst not enter saying Cerle hostes sponte ab obsessis destructa moenia metuentes ingredi in vrbem non audebant And thus much for the force of rams both their
them seuerall formes and Iupiter the forme of a ram whereof Ouid writeth he was called Iupiter Ammonius Vnde recuruis Nunc quoque formatis lybis est cum cornibus Ammon There be some that say that at what time Hercules desired very earnestly to see Iupiter whereunto he was very vnwilling yet hee cut off a rams heade and pulled off his thicke-woolly-rough-skinne Herodotus and put it vppon him and so in that likenes appeared to Hercules and for this cause the Thebanes to this day doe not kill rams but spare them like sanctified thinges except one once in a yeare which they sacrifice to Iupiter and say that Iupiter was called Ammonius aries because that his answeres were misticall secret and crooked like a rams horne Strabo Sacrificing of Rams amōg the Gentiles Now concerning the sacrificing of rams we know that God himselfe in his word permitted the same to the people of the Iewes and therefore it cannot bee but materiall for vs to adde something also to the discourse before recited in the story of the sheepe The gentiles when they sacrificed a ram they roasted his intrals vpon a spitte or broach and there were certaine daies of sacrifice called Dies Agonales wherein the principal ram of euery flocke after combate or fighting was slaine and sacrificed for the safegard of the residue to Ianius and others by the king Ita rex placare sacrorum Numina lunigerae coniuge debet Ouis. There was at Tanagrum a statue of Mercury carrying a ram and therefore he is called Krophoros Hermes and by that name was worshipped of all the Tanagreans Now there was a cunning workeman of Calamis that made that statue for they say that when the Citty was greeuously afflicted with a pestilence Mercury by carrying a ram about the wals deliuered the same and therefore they did not onely procure that statue for Mercury but also ordained that euery yeare one of their most beautifull young men shoulde carry a sheep on his shoulder round about the wals In Ianuary they sacrificed to Iupiter a ram and in February a Weather Gyraldus Pliny writeth a strange Riddle which is this Cinnamomum in Aethiopia gignitur neque metitur nisi permiserit deus There is Cinamon growing in Ethiopia and yet it is not reaped by men except the God thereof gaue permission or leaue wherby some vnderstand Iupiter whom they called Sabin and the Latins Assabinus Now Pliny saith Pliny that if they had sacrificed forty and foure Oxen Bucke-goats and rams with their intrals they purchased leaue to gather that Cinnamon When the Romans obserued their Soli-Taurilia they sacrificed a Bul a Goat a ramme and a Bore but vnto Iupiter they held it not lawfull to offer a ram Vlysses offered to Neptune a Ram a Bull and a Boare and to conclude this discourse of the rams sacrifices I finde a story worthy the noting recorded by Paulus Venetus although it bee altogether superstitious and full of humane blindnesse and error There is a Citty of Tartary called Sachion the inhabitants whereof are Mahometanes and ydolaters as soone as any of them haue a sonne borne hee presently commendeth him to one ydols tuytion and protection or other and that year together with his young sonne he nourisheth a ram tamed in his owne house at the yeares end he offereth his son and the ram at the next festiuall day of that ydoll which he hath chosen that is he presenteth his childe and killeth his ram with great solemnity and ceremony in the presence of all his kindred friends neighbors and acquaintance and maketh earnest request to that ydoll to protect his sonne and to guide and gouerne him all the time of his life and therfore he hangeth vp the flesh of that ram in his presence and afterwarde they take away againe the same flesh and carry it to another priuate flesh wherewith the said father and al the kindered assembled do make a great and rich feast reseruing the bones for religions sake And thus we see how miserable men beguiled with error do not onely make shew of false religion but also play the Hippocrites in that which is erroneous thinking it an easie thing to deceiue Almighty God Concerning other thinges of rams they concurre with that which is said already of sheepe in generall except their medicinall partes which I will reserue to the due place And heerein adde one thing more of the hornes of the Rhaetian rams and in some places of Italy namely that after they be fiue six or seuen year old they bring forth vnder their great hornes two other little hornes and that these rams are weake of body and haue but rough and course wooll In other places if at any time they chaunce to beare mo hornes then two t is prodigious and vnnaturall And thus much of the Ram. Of the Weather-sheepe ALthough this beast haue all things in common with the ram aforesaid for he is a male-sheepe and in nature differeth not from him but only by the Art of man I might very wel haue confounded and conioyned his story with the praecedent but seeing that al Nations do distinguish him from the ram because of one property or defect in him for that hee is not fit for generation I wil follow the streame and not striue against my Authors nor swarue from their method Therefore in latin it is cald Veruex quasi versa natura for that his natural seed is changd turnd in him for his stones are taken away and so he remaineth libbed and gelded being an Eunuch among beasts The Graecians call him Krion Tomian that is a gelded ram for they haue not one word to expresse him The Latins do also cal him Sectarius and Festus rendreth this reason thereof Quia eum sequantum agni because the little lambs loue his company and follow him and indeed by reason of his vnaptnesse to generation the Ewes forsake his company and the rams cannot endure him therefore instead of other he associateth himselfe with the lambes In some parts of Germany they call him Frischling and also Hammel which word seemeth to be deriued from the Arabian word Lesan Alhamell a rams tonge The Italians cal him Castrone Custrato and Montone the French Mouton and the Illyrians Beram Concerning the gelding of rams or making of Weathers I haue not much more to say then that which is already expressed in the generall tractate of the sheep and for the manner I do refer the Reader not onely to that part but also to the discourse of the calfe and Oxe wherein I trust he shall finde satisfaction for this point whether he will do it by a knife by reed by finger or by hammer for all those waies are indifferently proponed The best time for the gelding of rams ought to be in the waine or decrease of the moone at fiue months old so as he may neither be troubled with extreamity of cold or heat And if it be not libbed at
it that he was deceiued by his coniecture for we shall manifest that either the colour or seate of liuing cannot agree with the Strepsiceros for he saith only it is the same beast which Pliny calleth a Strepsiceros But we know by the discription of Oppianus that this beast is of red-gold-colour hauing two strong armed hornes on the head and liueth sometimes in the Sea and water sometime on the land Of all kinds of sheepe this is the worst and most harmefull rauening after life and blood for it goeth to the water and therein swimmeth when the silly simple Fishes see this glorious shape in the waters admiring the horns and especially the Golden colour they gather about it in great flocks and abundance especially Shrimps Lobsters Mackarell and Tenches who follow him with singular delight on either side both the right and the left pressing who shall come nearest to touch and haue the fullest sight of him so they accompany him in rankes for loue of his so strange proportion But this vnkinde and rauening beast despising their amity society and fellowship maketh but a bait of his golden outside and colour to drawe vnto him his conuenient prey and beguile the innocent fishes for he snatcheth at the nearest and deuoureth them tarying no longer in the Water then his belly is filled and yet these simple foolish fishes seeing their fellowes deuoured before their faces haue not the power or wit to auoid his deuourers society but still accompany him and weary him out of the Waters till he can eate no more neuer hating him or leauing him but as men which delight to be hanged in silken halters or stabbed with siluer and golden Bodkins so do the fishes by this golden-colored-deuouring-monster But such impious cruelty is not left vnreuenged in nature for as she gathreth the fishes together to destroy them so the fisher men watching that concourse do entrappe both it and them rendering the same measure to the rauener that it had done to his innocent companions And thus much shal suffice for the Subus or water-sheepe Of the Swine in generall BEing to discourse of this beast The seuerall names althogh the kinds of it be not many as is in others yet because there are some thinges peculiar to the Bore and therefore he deserueth a speciall story by himselfe I will first of all deliuer the common properties in a generall Narration and afterward discend to the speciall For the names of this beaste there are many in all languages and such as belong to the seuerall sex and age of euery one For as in English we call a young swine a Pigge A weaning Pigge a sheate a Yealke and so foorth likewise a Hogge a Sow a Barrow a Libd-Hog a libd-Sow a Splayed Sow a Gelt Sow a Basse for the elder swine so in other Nations they obserue such like titles The Haebrewes cal a Bore Chasir and a Sow Chaserah the Chaldees Deut. 4. for Chasir translate Chasira the Arabians Kaniser the Persians Mar-an-buk the Septuagints Hus and S. Hierome Sus. The Arabians also vse Hazir and Acanthil for a hog Achira and Scrofa The Graecians do also vse Sus or Zus Choiros and Suagros The wilde hog is called Kaproâ— from hence I coniecture is deriued the Latine word Apex Siluâ—â—â—â— The Italians do vulgarly call it Porco and the Florentines peculiarly Ciacco and also the Italians call a sow with pig Scrofa and Troiata or Porco fattrice The reason why that they cal a Sow that is great with Pigge Troiata or Troiaria is for the similitude with the Troian horse Alunâ—uâ— Erythraeus because as that in the belly thereof did include many armed men so doth a sow in her belly many young pigs which afterward come to the table and dishes of men A Barrow hog is called Maialis in Latine and the Italians Porco castrato and Lo Maiale The French call a swine Porceau a sow Truye Coche a Bore Verrat a pig Cochon Porcelet and about Lyons Caion The barrow hog they cal Por-chastre The Spaniards cal swine Puerco the Germans saw or suw su schwin schwein a sow they call Mor and looss a Bore Aeber which seemeth to be deriued from Aper a barrow hog Barg a splaied sow Gultz a pig Farle and Seuwle and a sucking pig spanfoerle In little Brittaine they call a hog Houch and therof they cal a Dolphin Merhouch The Illyrians call Swine Swinye and Prase The Latines Sus Porcus and Porcellus Scrofa and these are the common and most vulgar tearmes of swines If there be any other they are either deuised or new made or else deriued from some of these Macrobius telleth the occasion of the name of the family of Scrofa somewhat otherwise yet pertaining to this discourse Tremellius saith hee was with his family and children dwelling in a certaine village and his seruants seeing a stray Sow come among them the owner whereof they did not know presently they slew her and brought her home The Neighbour that did owe the Sow called for witnesses of the fact or theft and came with them to Tremellius demaunding his Scrofa or Sow againe Tremellius hauing vnderstood by one of his seruants the deed layed it vp in his Wiues bed couering it ouer with the cloaths caused her to lye vpon the Sowes carkase and therefore told his neighbour hee should come in and take the Scrofa and so had brought him where his wife lay Coelius Names of men taken from swine and swore he had no other Sow of his but that shewing him the bed and so the poore man was deceiued by a dissembling oth for which cause he saith the name of Scrofa was giuen to that family There was one Pope Sergius whose christen and first name was Os porci Hogges snowt and therfore he being elected Pope changed his name into Sergius which custome of alteration of names as that was the beginning so it hath continued euer since that time among all his successours Likewise we read of Porcellus a Grammarian of Porcellius a Poet of Naples who made a Chronicle of the affaires of Fredericke Duke of Vrbine Porcius Suillus Verres the Praetor of Sycilia Syadra Sybotas Hyas Hyagnis Gryllus Porcilla and many such other giue sufficient testimony of the original of their names to be drawen from Swine and not onely men but people and places as Hyatae Suales Chorreatae three names of the Dori in Greece Hyia a Citty of Locris Hyamea a Citty of Mesene Hyamaion a Citty of Troy Hyampholis a Citty of Phocis whereby to all posterity it appeareth Alex. ab alex that they were Swineheardes at the beginning Exul Hyantaenos inuenit regna per agros Hyâ—pe Hyops a Citty in Iberia Hysia a Citty of Boeotia and Pliny calleth the tall people of Ethiop which wer 8. cubits in height Sybotae and the like I might adde of many places Cities people fountaines Plants Engins and deuises plentifull in many Authors but I
fiercenesse and wildenes by chaunging one letter into another The epithets The Epithites of this beast are many both in Greeke and Latine such as these are sharpe wilde Arcadian Attalantean troubler bloody toothed hard Erymanthean cruell outragious fierce strong gnashing lightning yellowe raging Acorne-gatherer quicke rough rough-haired horrible Maenalian Mercean Meleagron threatning wood-wanderer cruell Sabelican bristle-bearer foaming strict filthy Tegean Thuscan fearfull wry-faced truculent deuourer violent Vmbrian wound-maker impetuous mountaine-liuer armed on both sides and such like But of all these Epithites there are onely three Erimanthean Calidonean and Myssean which do offer vnto vs peculiar stories according as we find them in the poets which wee will prefix by way of morral discourse before we enter into the natural story of this beast First of all Erymanthus was a hill of Arcadia wherein was a wilde bore that continually did descend down depopulate their Corn-fields Hercules comming that way and hearing of that mischiefe did kill the said Bore and carryed him vpon his backe to Eurystheus whereat Eurystheus was so much affraid that he went and hid himselfe in a brazen vessell whereof Virgill speaketh thus Erymanthi placaret syluam lernam tremefecerit arcu And of this Erymanthean bore Martiall speaketh Quantus erat calidon Erymanthe tuus Of the Calidonian Bore there is this story in Homer When Oeneus the Prince of Aetolia sacrificed the first fruits of his country to the Goddes he forgot Diana wherewithall she was very angry and so sent among the people a sauage Boare which destroyed both the Countrey and Inhabitants against whom the Calidonians and Pleuronians went foorth in hunting and the first of al that wounded the wilde Beast was Meleager the sonne of Oeneus for reward wherof he receiued his head and his skin which he bestowd on Atalanta a virgin of Arcadia with whome hee was in loue and which did accompany him in hunting where withall the sonnes of Thyestius which were the Vncles of Meleager were greatly offended for they were the brothers to his mother Althea those men lay in waite to destroy him whereof when hee was aduertised he killed some of them and putte the residue to flight For which cause the Pleuronians made warre against the Calidonians in the beginning of which warre Meleager fell out with his mother because she did not help hir country At last when the Citty was almost taken by the perswasion of his wife Cleopatra hee went out to fight with his enemies where in valiant maner he flew many of them others he put to flight who in their chase running away fell downe vpon steepe rockes and perished Then Althea the mother of Meleager began to rage against her sonne and flunge into the fire the torch which the fates had giuen vnto her to lengthen his daies so when she saw her sonne was dead she repented and flue herselfe and afterwardes was cast into the very selfe-same burning fire with him In the hunting of this Bore Ancaeus the companion of Iason to Colchis was slaine This Bore is also called a Meliagran and Attalantean Bore of whom Martiall writeth thus Qui diomideis metuendus Setiger agris Aetola cecidit cuspide talis erat And againe in another place Lacte mero pastum pigre mihi mortis alumnum Ponat Aetolo de sue diues edat It is said that this Bore had teeth of a cubit long the maner of his hūting was expressed in the pinnicle of the Temple of Tegea for which cause he is called the Tegean Bore Vpon the one side of the Bore against his middle were painted Atalanta Meleager Theseus Telamon Peleus Pollux and Iolaus the companion of al Hercules trauels Prothus and Cometes the sonnes of Thiestius and brethren of Althea on the other side of the Bore stood Ancaus wounded and Epecus sustaining his hunting speare next vnto him stood Castor and Amphiaraus the sonne of Oicleus After them Hippothus the sonne of Cercion Agamedes the sonne of Stymphelus and lastly Pirithous The teeth of this Bore were taken away by Augustus after the time that he had ouercome Anthoney which he hung vp in the Temple of Bacchus standing in the Gardens of the Emperour And thus much for the Calidonian Bore Now concerning the Myssean bore I find this story recorded of him When Adrastus the Phrygian who was of the kings blood had vnawares killed his brother he fled to Sardis and after his expiation dwelt with Cresus It hapned at that time that there was a wilde Bore came out of Olimpus and wasted a great part of the countrey of Myssea the people oppressed with many losses and terrifyed with the presence of such a beast besought the king to send his owne sonne Attys with much company to hunt and kil the Bore The king was affraide thereof because in his dreame he saw a vision his sonne perishing by an iron speare yet at last he vvas perswaded committed the safegard of his body to Adrastus When they came to the wilde beast Adrastus bent his speare at the Bore and while hee cast it to kill him the sonne of Cresus came betwixt them and so was slaine with the spear according to the dreame of his Father Adrastus seeing this misfortune that his handes which should haue defended the young prince had taken away his life fell into extreame passion and sorrow for the same and although the king knovving his innocency forgaue him the fact yet hee slue himselfe at the Funerall of Attys and so vvas burned vvith him in the same fire And thus much for the Myssean Bore Now we will proceede to the particular story of the wilde Bore and first of all of the countries breeding Bores The Spaniards say that in the new found world there are wilde Bores much lesse then ours which haue tailes so short that one would think they had bin cut off Of the wilde bores parts other accidents they differ also in their feet for their hinder feet are not clouen but stand vppon one claw and their forefeet are clouen like common swines Their flesh also is more sweet and wholesome then common swines flesh whereof Peter Martir giueth reason in his Ocean Decads because they feed vnder palme Trees neer the Sea-shore and in Marshes Olaus Magnus writeth that in diuers places of Scandinavia they hunt wilde Bores which are twelue foot long The wilde Bores of India according to Pliny haue teeth which in their compasse contain a cubit and besides their teeth growing out of their chaps they haue two hornes on their head like Calues hornes In the Islands Medera there are abundance of wilde Bores likewise in Heluetia and especially in those parts that ioyne vppon the Alpes where they would much more abound but that the Magistrates giue liberty to euery man to kill and destroy them There are no Bores in Affricke except in Aethiopia where their Bores haue all hornes and of those it was that Lycotas the Countriman saw in a
while doth hide himselfe in a place of brambles and briars keeping himselfe there safe while other wild beasts doth appeare like vnto them and so doe deceiue the eies of the hunters therefore if any man doth begin to follow after either of them it will be but labour lost for hee is not able to comprehend or attaine them with a horse except he may take them being wearied by longitude of time But if any hunters shall find a young calfe spare the life thereof and shall not presently kill it he shall reape a double profit by it and first it doth bring profit to it selfe and dooth induce or lead his dam into captiuity For after that the hunter hath bound the calfe with a rope she being enflamed by the loue or affection which she beareth to hir calfe returneth backe againe vnto it coueting with an ardent desire to loosen and take away her Calfe out of the bond or halter therefore she thrusteth in hir horne that she may loosen the cord and pluck hir young one away whereby she is kept fast bound with hir Calfe her hornes being entangled in the rope 〈◊〉 Then commeth the hunter and killeth her and taketh forth her liuer and also cutteth off her dugs or vdder and doth likewise pluck off hir skin leaueth her flesh for the Birds and wild beasts to feed vpon There is another kind of Oxe in Libia whose Hornes doth bend downeward and for that cause they are faine to feed going backwards Of the sayings of Herodotus and Aelianus I haue spoken before Philes doth write that they are cald Oxen going backward because the broadnes of their hornes doth couer their eie-sight so that it standeth them in no vse to go forward but is very commodious to go backward There is an Oxe which liueth in the woods of Affrick which doth resemble a domesticall Oxe yet lesse in stature of a browne or russet colour and also most swift of foote This beast is found in the desarts 〈◊〉 African or in the Marches or limits of the desarts Their flesh is also of a perfect or absolute sauour and tast good for the nourishment of men OF THE INDIAN WILD OXEN THe horns of the Oxen of the Garamantons do grow downewards toward the earth 〈◊〉 and therefore when they feede they bow the hinder part of the necke as Solinus writeth and as we haue spoken before in the diuersities of wilde Oxen. The woods also in India are filled with wild Oxen. In the prouince of India where the Gymnits inhabit are great multitudes of Oxen which liue in the forrests or woods In the kingdomes which are vpon the borders or Confins of India 〈…〉 â—onet in the mid of the day are many faire and great Oxen which liue in the woods There are Mountains in the in most regions of India which are very hard to come vnto where they say liue those beasts wilde which are among vs domesticall and tame as sheepe â—â—lianus Goates Oxen and so forth The great King of India doth elect or choose a day euery yeare for the runnings and combats of men and also fightings of beastes who setting their hornes one against another do fight irefully with admirable rage vntill they ouercome their aduersaries They do also labour and striue withall their nerues and sinnewes euen as if they were champions or fought for some great reward or should get honor by their battell Wilde bulles tame Rams Asses with one horne Hyaenaes and lastly Elephantes as if they were capable of reason they wound them among themselues and the one doth oftentimes ouercome and kill the other and sometimes fall downe togither being both wounded I haue also recited before in another place of the intreaty of Oxen those Indian Oxen which are said to be most swift in their ioynts in running too and fro when they are at combate because there we had not distinguished whether these were wild Oxen or not but it doth appeare in this place that they are wholy taken for wilde Oxen and the thing it selfe doth manifest that domesticall Oxen are not so swift nor so strong The Oxen in India haue altogether whole hoofes and also but one horne Aethiopia also doth breede Indian Oxen that is to say Oxen that are like to those of India Plinius for some haue but one horn othersome 3. Solinus saith that there are found in India some Oxen which haue but one horn othersome which haue 3. horns with whole hoofs not clouen The Indian Oxen are said to bee as high as a Cammell and their horne foure foote broad Ptolomaeus doth report that he saw a horne of an Indian Oxe which did hold in the bredth of it thirty gallons There are also Oxen which are bred in India which in greatnes are no bigger then a Bucke or Goat they do run yoaked together very swift nor do end their race with lesse speed then the Goat-land horses and I did not take them to be Oxen liuing in the woods for our Rangifer and Oxen which liue in the woods are the swiftest of al beasts in this kind Aristotle and most apt to combats and runnings and they may partly be called Oxen hauing one horne and partly Oxen hauing three hornes neither are they found in Scandinauia but also in other Regions and Dominions of Asia as we beleeue that Indian Oxen are of the same kind Solinus doth not rightly cal those Indian Oxen which Aelianus calleth Aethiopicos as I haue declared aboue in the storie of the Aethiopian Oxen for their hornes are moouable Ctesias doth write that there are sprung vp among the same beasts that beast which is called Mantichora which is manifested by Aristotle in his Historie of Foure-footed beasts Hermolaus also and others haue not considered this error Among the Arachotans there are Oxen which liue in the woodes which do differ from those that are bred in the Citty as much as wilde swine from tame Their colour is blacke bending a litle downwards and their hornes broad and vpright There is a Citty in India called Arachotus taking the name from the riuer Arachotus which do flow out of Causacus what those beasts are which bend their hornes vpward I haue declared in the story of the Bison for as there may be spoken something concerning the difference of the plantes of the woods so also concerning the beasts that are bred in the Citty and those that are bred in the woods OF THE WEASELL THere are diuers kinds of VVeasels but in this place we do intreat of the least kind whose forme and shape we haue also here set downe It is likwise properly named of the Latines Mustela a weasel for so we were wont plainly to name those which wer common and domesticall and to adde names to those which are more seldome seene or liue in the woods for difference sake The word Choled in Leuit. 11. is translated a Weasel of all interpreters The Rabbins do call them Chuldah
in them haue the stones of a Weasel being cut off in the change of the Moone and he suffered to go away aliue Kiranides being tyed vpon any part of a woman in the hide of a Mule The heele of a liuing weasell being taken away and bound vnto a woman doth make her that she shall not conceiue so long as shee shall so beare it The powder of a dogs head dryed being put into any broken or exulcerated sores doth eat away al the corruption or dead flesh encreasing therein The same vertue hath the powder of weasels dung being vsed in the said manner The dung of Mice or of a weasell being annointed vpon the head is an excellent remedy for the falling off of the haire on the head or any other part of mans body Aegiâ—â—tta and doth also cure the disease called by some the Foxes euill The biting of a weasell is reported by some to be very venomous and in his rauening or madnesse not to be lesse hurtfull then the bitings of mad dogs For weasels and Foxes are very often mad But Arnoldus is of a contrary opinion and affirmeth that the weasell doth more hurt by his biting Auiceâ—â—â— then by any venom he can put forth Others also doe affirme that there is venom in weasels for this cause that in all kind of Weasels when they are angry the force of their smell is so ranke and strong The best way to driue away Mice is by scattering the powder of weasels or cats dung vp and downe the sauour whereof Mice canot abide but the same being made into some certaine kind of bread will smell more strongly That the bites of a weasell are venomous and deadly there is an example writen by Aristides of a certaine man who being bitten by a weasell and ready to die gaue a great sigh and said that if he had dyed by a Lyon or Panther it would neuer haue grieued him but to dye by the biting of such an ignoble beast it grieued him worse then his death The biting of a weasell Aelianus doth bring very quicke and grieuous paine which is onely knowne by the colour being dusky or blewish and it is cured by onions and garlike either applyed outward or taken in drinke so that the party drinke sweet wine thereon Vnripe figs also mingled with the flower of the graine called Orobos doth much profit the same Treacle in like manner being applyed in the manner of a plaister speedily cureth them Garlike being mingled with fig tree leaues and cynamon and so beaten together are very wel applyed to the saide bites It commeth also to passe that sometimes the weasel biteth some cattel which presently killeth them except ther be some instant remedy The remedy for it is this to rubbe the wounded place with a piece of a weasels skin wel dryed vntil it waxe hot and in the meane time giue the beast Treacle to drinke in the manner of an antidote The Weasel vsually biteth cowes dugs which when they are swollen if they be rubd with a VVesels skin they are instantly healed OF THE WOLFE Oppianus among the other kind of wolues hath demonstrated one which is bred in Cilicia And also he doth write that it is called in the mountaines of Taurus and Amanus Chryseon that is to say Aureum but I coniecture that in those places it was cald after the language of the Haebrews or Sirians which do cal Sahab or Schab aurum and Seeb lupum for a wolf or Dahab or Debah for Aurum They also do cal Deeb or Deeba for a wolf Dib otherwise Dijs is an Arabian or Saracenican word Also the translation of this worde in the booke of medicines is diuers as Adib Adip Adhip and Aldip but I haue preferred the last translation which also Bellunensis doth vse Aldip alambat doth signifie a mad or furious wolfe The wolfe which Oppianus doth cal Aureum as I haue said euen now doth seem to agree to this kinde both by signification of the name Aurum and also by the nature because it doth go vnder a dog close to the earth to eschew the heat of the summer which Oppianus doth write doth seeke his foode out of hollowe places as a Hyaena or Dabha doth out of graues where the deade men are buried The golden coloured wolfe is also more rough hairy then the residue euen as the Hyaena is said to be rough and maned And also these wolues necks in India is maned but it differeth according to the nation and colour where there are any wolues at al. Lycos a wolfe among the Graecians and Lugos and Lucainia and Lycos among some of the Arabican writers is borrowed from them as Munster hath noted in his lexicon of 3. languages In Italy it is called Lupo In French Loup in Spaine Lobo in Germany Vulff in England Wolfe In Illyria Vulk as it were by a transposition of the letters of the greek word Now because both men women citties places mountains villages and many artificiall instruments haue their names from the Latine and Greek words of this beast The notatioÌ„ of Lupus and Lyons it is not vain or idle to touch both them and the deriuation of them before we proceed to the natural storie of this beast Lupus as some say in Latine is Quasi leopos Lyon-footed because that it resembleth a Lyon in his feet and therefore Isidorus writeth that nothing liueth that it presseth or treadeth vpon in wrath Other deriue it from lukes the light because in the twilight of the euening or morning it deuoureth his prey auoiding both extreame light as the noone day Named apellatiues deriue â—â—om a wolfe and also extreame darknesse as the night The Graecians do also cal them Nycterinoi kanes dogs of the night Lupa and lupula were the names of noble deuouringe Harlots and from thence commeth Lupanar for the stewes It is doubtful whether the nurse of Romulus and Remus were a harlot or she Wolf I rather thinke it was a harlot then a Wolfe that cursed those children For we read of the wise of Fostulus which was called Laurentia after she had plaied the vvhore vvith certaine shepheards to be called Lupa In al Nations there are some mens names deriued from wolues therfore vve read of Lupus a roman poet Lupus Seruatus a priest or Elder of Lupus de oliueto a Spanish Munke of Fulvius lupinus a Roman and the Germans haue Vulf Vulfe Hart Vulfegang The Graecians haue Lycambes of whom it is reported he had a Daughter called Neobole which he promised in marriage to Archilochus the Poet yet afterwardes he repented and woulde not performe his promise for which cause the Poet wrote against him many bitter verses and therefore Lycambes when he came to knowledge of them dyed for griefe Lycaon was a common name among the Graecians for many men as Lycaon Gnotius an excellent maker of edged tooles Licaon the brother of Nestor another the son of Priamus slaine by
to wet their feet They will driue their young ones from sucking at the sixt moneth because of the pain in their vdders but their keepers weane them not till a whole yeare after their foaling Their milke is so thicke that it is vsed in stead of sodder a Mares is more thin and a Camels is thinnest of all It is mortall to their yong ones to tast the dammes milke for two dayes after their foling for the food is so fat that it breedeth in their mouthes the colostracion or Beestings Touching their seuerall parts Aelianus they haue teeth on either chap like a man and a horsse an Asse and a Mule haue 36. teeth and ioyned neere togither the bloud of Asses and Bulles is the thickest of all other Abâ—ertus as the bloud of man is the thinnest His head is great and his eares long and broad both male and female loose their fore-teeth in the thirtith moneth of their age Pliny and the second to the first in the sixt moneth their third fourth teeth are called Gnomons that is Regulars because by them there is a tried rule to know their age and those teeth also they lose in the sixt moneth The hart of an Asse is great as all other fearefull beasts haue The belly is vniforme as in other beasts that haue a solide or whole hoofe It wanteth a gall and hath two vdders betwixt the thighes the forpart of the backe neere the shoulders is weakest and there appeareth the figure of a Crosse Plutarch Pliny Ioan Aâ—oâ—ach and the hinder part neere the loynes is stronger The hoofes are whole and not parted the Stygean water is so cold that nothing can hold it except the hoofe of an asse or Mule although Aelianus affirme that it cannot bee contained but in the hornes of Scythian asses Their tayles are longer by one ioint then a horsses though not so hairy They are purged with monthly courses more then sheepe or Goats and the vrine of the female is more thin than the males If an Asse was hindered by any disease from making water 〈◊〉 certaine superstitious persons for the ease of the beast muttered this charm Gallus bibit non meijt myoxus meijt non bibit that is The Cocke drinketh and maketh not water The Dormouse maketh water and neuer drinketh They will eate Canes or Reedes Their meate which to other beasts is almost poison wherefore in old time an Asse was dedicated to Bacchus as the canes wer sacred vnto him and at the time of their copulation they giue them herbe Basill to stir vp their lust They will be satisfied with any neuer so base food as chaffe whereof there is abundance in euery countrey young thornes and fruites of trees twigges of Osier Philemon died with laughing when he saw an asse eate figs. or a bundle of boughes to browse vpon insomuch as Q. Hortensius was wont to say that he had more care that his Barbels should not hunger in his fish-pools then his Asses in Rosea but the young ones newly weaned must be more tendered for they must be fed with hay chaffe or barley Val Man greene corne or barley bran Asses will hardly drinke but at watering places in their folds or such as they haue been accustomed withall and where they may drink without wetting their feet and that which is more strange they cannot be brought to goe ouer hollow bridges through which the water appeareth in the chinks of the plankes when in trauaile they are very thirsty they must be vnladen and constrained to drink yea Herodotus reporteth that there are certaine Asses among the African shepheardes which neuer drinke When they sleepe they lie at length and in their sleepe conceiue manie forceable dreames as appeareth by the often beating backe their hinder legs which if they strike not against the vaine ayre but against some harder substance they are for euer vtterly lamed When the Asses of Thuscia haue eaten Hemlocke or an herbe much like vnto it Mathaeolus they sleepe so long and strangely that oftentimes the countreymen begin to fleay them and on the sudden their skins halfe taken off and the other halfe on they awake braying in such horrible maner that the poore men are most dreadfully affrighted therwith Their voice is very rude and fearefull as the Poet said Quirritat verres tardus rudit oncat assellus and therefore the Graecians to expresse the same haue feigned many new wordes and cal it Ogkethmos as the Latines Rudere that is to vtter forth a voice in a base and rude maner The Poets feign that at that time when Iupiter came to warre with the Gyantes Eratosthenes Bacchus and Vulcan the Satyres and Sileni assisted and attended him being carried vpon Asses When the time came that the battell began the Asses for very feare brayed most horribly whereat the Gyantes not being acquainted with such strange and vnknowne voyces and cries tooke them to their heeles and so were ouercome In the sacrifices of the Goddesse Vacuna an Asse was feasted with bread and crowned with flowers hung with rich Iewels and Peytrels Ouid. because as they saye when Priapus would haue rauished Vesta being asleepe she was suddenly awaked by the braying of an Asse and so escaped that infamie And the Lampsaceni in the disgrace of Priapus did offer him an asse But this is accounted certaine that among the Scythians by reason of colde an Asse is neuer heard nor seene and therefore when the Scythians set vppon the Persyans their horsses will not abide the braying of Asses Lanctantius wondring both at the strangnesse of an Asses shape and rudenesse of his crie wherefore there are certaine birds resembling in their chattering the braying of Asses and are therefore tearmed Onocratuli When an asse dieth out of his body are ingendred certaine Flies called Scarabees They are infested with the same diseases that horsses be and also cured by the same meanes except in letting of bloud for by reason their vaines be small and their bodies cold A good hors leach is a good asseleach Vegetius in no case must any bloud be taken from them Asses are subiect to madnesse when they haue tasted of certaine herbes growing neer Potnias as are Beares Horsses Leopardes and Wolues they only among al other hairie beasts are not trobled with either tikes or lice but principally they perish by a swelling about the crowne of their pasterne or by a Catarhe called Malis which falling down vpon their liuer they die but if it purge out of their nostrils they shall be safe and Columella writeth that if sheepe bee stabled where Mules or Asses haue beene housed they will incur the scab There is great vse made of the skins of Asses for the Germans doe make thereof a substance to paint and write vpon which is called Eselshut The Arabians haue a cloth called Mesha made of Asses and Goats haire whereof the inhabitauntes of their
him safe into his lodging which thing is worthy to be remembred as a noble vnderstanding part both of a louing friend and faithfull seruant The like may be said of the Elephant of Porus carrying his wounded maister the king in the battel he fought with Alexander for the beast drew the Darts gently out of his maisters body without all paine and did not cast him vntill he perceiued him to be dead and without blood and breath and then did first of all bend his owne body as neare the earth as he could that if his maister had any life left in him he might not receiue any harme in his alighting or falling downe Generally as is already said they loue all men after they be tamed for if they meet a man erring out of his way they gently bring him into the right againe Their loue to their keepers and al men that harme them not yet being wilde are they afraide of the foot-steps of men if they winde their treadings before they see their persons and when they find an herbe that yeeldeth a suspition of a mans presence they smell thereunto one by one and if al agree in one sauour the last beast lifteth vppe his voice and crieth out for a token and watchword to make them all flie away Cicero affirmeth that they come so neare to a mans disposition that their small company or Nation seemeth to ouergoe or equall most men in sence and vnderstanding At the sight of a beautifull woman they leaue off all rage and grow meeke and gentle Their loue of beautiful women and therefore Aelianus saith that there was an Elephant in Egypt which was in loue with a woman that sold Corrals the selfe same woman was wooed by Aristophanes and therefore it was not likely that she was chosen by the Elephant without singular admiration of hir beauty wherein Aristophanes might say as neuer man could that he had an Elephant for his riuall and this also did the Elephant manifest vnto the man for on a day in the market he brought her certaine Apples and put them into her bosome Plutarch holding his Trunke a great while therein handling and playing with her brests Another likewise loued a Syrian woman with whose aspect he was suddainely taken and in admiration of her face stroked the same with his trunke with testification of farther loue the woman likewise failed not to frame for the Elephant amorous deuises with Beads and corals siluer and such things as are gratefull to these brute beastes so shee enioyed his labor and diligence to her great profit and he hir loue and kindnes without al offence to his contentment which caused Horat. to write this verse Quid tibi vis mulier nigris dignissima barris At last the woman died whom the Elephant missing like a louer distracted betwixt loue and sorrow fell beside himselfe and so perished Neither ought any man to maruel at such a passion in this beast who hath such a memory as is attributed vnto him and vnderstanding of his charge and busines as may appeare by manifold examples for Antipater affirmeth that he saw an Elephant that knewe againe and tooke acquaintance of his maister which had nourished him in his youth after many yeares absence When they are hurt by any man they seldome forget a reuenge and so also they remēber on the contrary to recompence al benefits as it hath bin manifested already Their reuēge of harmes obseruation of the mesure of their meat They obserue things done both in waight and measure especially in their owne meate Agnon writeth that an Elephant was kept in a great mans house in Syria hauing a man appointed to bee his ouerseer who did daily defraude the Beast of his allowance but on a day as his maister looked on he brought the whole measure and gaue it to him the Beast seeing the same and remembring howe he had serued him in times past in the presence of his maister exactly deuided the corne into two parts and so laied one of them aside by this fact shewing the fraud of the seruant to his maister The like storie is related by Plutarch and Aelianus of another Elephant discouering to his master the falshood and priuy theft of an vniust seruant Strabo About Lycha in Affricke there are certaine springs of water which if at any time they dry vp by the teeth of Elephants they are opened and recouered againe They are most gentle and meeke neuer fighting or striking man or Beast except they be prouoked and then being angred they wil take vp a man in their trunke and cast him into the ayre like an Arrow Gillius so as many times he is dead before him come to ground Plutarch affirmeth that in Rome a boy pricking the trunke of an Elephant with a goad the beast caught him and lift him vp into the aire to shoote him away and kill him but the people and standers by seeing it made so great a noise and crye thereat that the beast set him downe again faire and softly without any harme to him at all as if he thought it sufficient to haue put him in feare of such a death In the night time they seeme to lament with sighes and teares their captiuity and bondage Gillius Philostratus Their mourning in secret Aristotle The length of their life Arrianus but if any come to that speede like vnto modest persons they refraine suddenly and are ashamed to be found either murmuring or sorrowing They liue a long age euen to 200. or 300. yeares if sicknes or woundes preuent not their life and some but to a 120. yeares they are in their best strength of body at threescore for then beginneth their youth Iuba king of Lybia writeth that he hath seene tame Elephantes which haue descended from the father to the sonne by way of inheritance many generations that Ptolomaeus Philadelphus had an Elephant which continued aliue many Ages and another of Seleuchus Nicanor Aelianus which remained aliue to the last ouerthrow of all the Antiochi The inhabitants of Taxila in India affirme that they had an Elephant at the least three hundred and fifty yeares old for they said it was the same that fought so faithfully with Alexander for king Porus for which cause Alexander cald him Aiax did afterward dedicate him to the Sunne and put certaine golden chaines about his teeth with this inscription vpon them Alexander filius Iouis Aiacem soli Alexander the sonne of Iupiter consecrateth this Aiax to the Sunne The like story is related by Iuba concerning the age of an Elephant which had the impression of a Tower on his teeth and was taken in Atlas 400. yeares after the same was engrauen of the eating Elephants Strabo There are certaine people in the world which eate Elephants and are therefore called of the Nomades Elephantophagi Elephant-eaters as is alreadye declared there are of these which dwell in Daraba neere the wood