reasons For they say Callisto was a companion of Diana vsed to hunt with her being verie like vnto her and one day Iupiter came to her in the likenes of Diana and deflowred her and when she was with childe Diana asked her how that happened to whom Callisto answeared that it happened by her fact wherewith the Goddesse being angry turnd her into a beare in which shape she brought forth Arcas and they both wandring in the woodes were taken and brought for a presente vnto Lycaon her father And vpon a day the beare being ignorant of the law entered into the temple of Iupiter Lycaeus and her sonne followed her for which the Arcadians would haue slaine them both but Iupiter in pittie of them tooke them both into heauen and placed them among the starres Other say that Callisto was turned into a beare by Iuno whom afterward Diana slew and comming to knowledge that it was Callisto she placed her for a signe in heauen which is called Vrsa Maiore the great beare which before that time was called Hamaxa but the reason of these fables is rendred by Palaephatus because that Callistus going into a Beares den was by the beare deuoured and so her foolish companions seeing none come foorth but the Beare fondly imagined that the Virgin was turned into a beare There is another constellation next to the great Beare called Arctophylax Bootes or the little beare in whose girdle is a bright starre called Arcturus and from this constellation of beares commeth the denomination of the Artique and Antarctique pole Other affirme that the two Beares were Helice and Cynosura the two Nurses of Iupiter because sometime they are so named the cause whereof is apparant in the Greeke tongue for Helice is a starre hauing as it were a taile roled vp and cynosura a taile at length like a Dogge They are also nourished for sport for as their bodies doe in one sort resemble Apes so do also their dispositions being apt to sundrie gestures and pastimes lying vpon their backes and turning their hands and feete rocke themselues vpon them as a woman rocketh her childe in a cradle but principallie for fight for which occasion they were preserued of old time by the Romaines For when Messala was Consull Aenobarbus Domitius presented in one ring or circle an hundred Beares and so many hunters with them Rabido nec proditus ore Fumantem nasum viui tentaueris vrsi Sit placidus licet lambat digitosque manusque Si dolor et bilis si iust a coegerit ira Vrsus erit vacua dentes in pelle fatiges They will not willinglie fight with a man although men may do it without hurt for if they annoint or sprinkle the mouthes of Lyons or Beares with Vitrioll or copperas it will so bind their chappes togither that they shall not be able to bite which caused Martiall to write thus Praeceps sanguinea dum se rotat vrsus arena Splendida iam tecto cessent venabula ferro Deprendat vacuo venator in aere praedam Implicitam visco perdidit ille fugam Nec volet excussa lancea torta manu Si captare feras aucupis arte placet Alexander had a certaine Indian dog giuen vnto him to whom was put a bore and a beare to fight withall but he disdaining them woulde not once regard them but when a Lyon came Fight of Beares he rose vp and fought with him Beares they wil fight with Buls Dogges and horses when they fight with bulles they take them by their hornes and so with the weight of their bodie they wearie and presse the beast vntill they may easilie slaie him and this fight is for the most part on his backe A Rhinoceros set on by a bear in a publicke spectacle at Rome did easilie cast him off from the hold he had on his horne She doth not aduenture on a wilde bore except the bore be a sleepe or not seeing her There is also a mortall hatred betwixt a horse and a beare for they know one another at the first sight and prepare to combat which they rather act by policie then by strength The beare falling flat on his backe the horsse leaping ouer the beare which pulleth at his guts with her forefeet nailes and is by the heeles of the horsse wounded to death if he strike the beare vpon his head Also beares feare a sea-calfe and will not fight with them if they can be auoided for they knowe they shal be ouercome Great is the fiercenes of a beare as appeareth by holie scripture Osee 13. I will meet them as a beare robbed of her whelpes saith the Lorde and will teare in pieces their froward heart And Châ—sai telleth Absalon 2. Sam. 17. Thou knowest that thy father and the men that bee with him be most valiant and fierce like a shee beare robbed of her Whelpes for a shee beare is more couragious then a male There is a filthy nation of men called Taifah who are giuen vnto a sodomiticall buggery to commit vncleanenes man with man and especially with young boyes but if any of them take a wilde bore or kill a Beare he shall be exempted from this kind of beastly impudicitie Heliogabalus was woont to shut vp his drunken friends togither and suddenly in the night would put in among them Beares Wolues Lyons and Leopards muzled and disarmed so that when they did awake they should find such chamber fellowes as they could not behold if darkenesse did not blind them without singular terror whereby manie of them fell into swoundes sickenesse extasie and madnes Vitoldus King of Lituania kept certaine Beares of purpose to whom he cast all persons which spoke against his tirranie putting them first of all into a Beares skinne Aeneas Silâ— whose crueltie was so great that if he had commaunded anie of them to hang themselues they would rather obey him then endure the terror of his indignation In like sort did Alexander Phaeraeus deale with his subiects as is reported by Textor Valentintanus the Emperor nourished two beares deuourers of men one of them called golden Mica the other Innocentia which he lodged neere his owne chamber at length after many slaughters of men he let Innocentia goe loose in the wooddes for her good deserts in bringing so many people to their funerals There are many naturall operations in Beares Pliny reporteth that if a woman bee in sore trauile of child-birth let a stone or arrow which hath killed a man a beare or a bore Secrets obserued of Beares be throwne ouer the house wherein the Woman is and she shall be eased of her paine There is a small worme called Voluox which eateth the vine branches when they are yong but if the vine-seckles be annointed with Beares blood that worme will neuer hurt them Collumella If the blood or greace of a Beare be set vnder a bed it will draw vnto it all the fleas and so kill them by cleauing thereunto But
what vse and commodity ariseth out of euery beast what remedies or Medicines what for garmentes what for meate what for carriage what for prognostication of euill weather what for pleasure and pastimes so as we shall not need to prosecute these parts in this present Epistle Also there want not instructions out of beasts by imitation of whose examples the liues and manners of men are to be framed to another and a better practise which thing is manifested by learned and wise men but especially by Theodorus Gaza who discourseth therof in his Praeface vpon the bookes of Aristotle of the partes of creatures whose wordes we will recite in the Epistle to our Reader But if I should shew at large and copiously how many things may be collected out of the knowledge of beasts for familiar and houshold affaires I might be infinite but seeing I haue already shewed how necessary they bee for husbandry for meat for carriage and such like it must be vnderstood that all those commodities belong to this part of Occonominall profit The like I may say of the pleasure in their contemplation for although all their vtilities cannot be knowne and in many thinges they are not beneficiall to men yet if a man be skilful and haue any vnderstanding he shal be much delighted by looking into the natures of beasts by consideration of the many and infinite differences among them whether he respect their body or their minds or their actions for what is more wonderfull then the voice or extemporall song of many Birdes who although they be far distant and remote from vs and will not abide our presence for natural fear of death yet is not the eleborate deuise of musicall and artificiall numbers measures and voyces of men comparable vnto them Pliny that Star and ornament of his time spendeth a great deale of labour in the admiration of the Nightingale And what man withall his witte can sufficiently declare and proclaime the wonderful industrious minds of the little Emmets and Bees moued almost with no bodies being silly things and yet indued with noble and commendable qualities in deformed members so that I might conclude that there is not any beast which hath not onely somthing in it which is rare glorious and peculiar to himselfe but also something that is deuine Wherefore I may seeme a foole to handle these things in a Praeface which are copiously discoursed in the whole worke Aristotle maketh it a true property of a Noble liberall and well gouerned mind to be more delighted with the rare plesant and admirable qualities of a beast then with the lucre and gaine that commeth thereby For it is a token of a filthy beastly illiberall and wretched mind to loue no more then we can reape commodity by There be very many things which do not yeald any profit to the possessors or owners but only please them allure their minds by outward form and beauty so do the most pretious stones as Adamants Topazyes Iacynthes Smaradgs Chrysolytes and many such other thinges by the wearing whereof no man is deliuered either from sicknesse or perill although some superstitious persons put confidence in them for such vertues but haue crept into the fauour and treasures of men onely because like earthly stars they shine and glitter in the eies of men resembling the resplendant glory and light of heauenly bodies and other vse they haue none and in the meane time he that should prefer free-stones fitted and squared for buildings or else Whet-stones or Mil-stones and such like which are most necessary for priuate vse and commodity yet doe they seeme vile in comparison of others and that should prefer all of them before one of the other he should be acounted no wiser then Aesops Cocke and if he should but equall them in price and estimation in like sort he should be iudged an egregious blocke or foole and yet the best of these are without life without spirit immoueable and vnworthy For this cause there is none of the creatures but deserue a far more admiration and esteeme and among liuing creatures all those which containe noble spirits in base and vile bodies without apt Organs and instrumentes for the better mouing of their bodies For as in clocks we admire the lesser more then the greater so ought we to admire the lesser narrow bodies indued with such industrious spirits more then the greater broader and larger beasts for all workemen do shew more art skill and cunning in the small and little price of worke then the greater Solinus writeth that Alexander the great had Homers Illiads writen in Parchment so close together that it might be contained in a Nut-shell The like admiration was there of the exile and curious small works of Myrmicidas the Milesian and Callicrates the Lacedemonian for they made Chariots so small that they might be couered with and vnder a flye and in the brim thereof they wrote two exameter verses in Golden letters And of Callicrates Solinus writeth that hee made little Emmets out of Iuory so artificially that it could not be discerned from the liue ones euen so nature hath stroue and strained to excell more in these vile creatures of no reputation then in greater and nobler creatures There is nothing that consisteth of matter and forme but that one of them is worthyer and the other vile and therefore the body and the soule in man haue the respect of matter and the soul is the form because of the power of mouing sences and actions wherefore when we see all these powers as it were predominant in a little creature that hath almost no body as the outward proportion of Emmets and Bees what shal we thinke but how admirably is it able to worke without the matter in the forme alone shewing it in a kind of visible nakednes to be seene without the help of corporall Organs and therefore they are not set before vs like sports pastimes to reioyce at but as honorable emblems of Diuine and supernaturall wisedome For if we admire the little body of a man because he beareth the most glorious ymage of all thinges in his proportion and the ymage of God in his soule and minde then certainely next to a man wee ought to admire these beasts which do so resemble man as man doeth the eternall and liuing God creator of them and him Pliny vnskilfully calleth nature the common parent of al creatures which indeed is the infinite maiesty of God yet he writeth effectually that there was no liuing creature made onely for this cause that it should eat or that it should satiate and satisfie other but also it was ordained to be bred and brought foorth for sauing Arts and therefore it is ingrafted euen in the bowels and intrals of deafe and dumbe things Now for the creatures which are profitable to men as sheep Oxen Horses and such like when we looke vppon them wee cannot onely admire the wisedome and power of God in their
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
his slaues to come in at supper time and tell him his house and most of his goods were burned whereat being amazed demanded if Cupid and the Satyre were safe by which she knew the best peece and asked cupid refusing the Satyre Pliny Protogenes had one painted holding pipes in his hande and was called Anopauomenos and Timanthes had painted cyclops sleeping in a little tablet with Satyres standing beside him measuring with a iauelyn the length of his thumbe Satyres haue no humain conditions in them nor other resemblance of men beside their outward shape Mela. Resemblance of Satyres though Solinus speake of them like as of men They cary their meat vnder their chin as in a store-house and from thence being hungry they take it forth to eate making it ordinary with them euery day which is but annuall in the Formicae lions being of very vnquiet motions aboue other Apes Their prouision of food They are hardly taken except sicke great with yong old or asleepe for Sylla had a Satyre brought him which was taken a sleepe neere Apollonia Their takâ—ng in the holy place Nymphaeum of whom he by diuers interpreters demanded many questions but receiued no answer saue only a voice much like the neiyng of a horse wherof he being afraid sent him away aliue Philostratus teleth another history how that Apollonius and his colleagues supping in a village of Ethiopia beyond the fall of Nilus they heard a sudden outcry of women calling to one another some saying Take him others Follow him likewise prouoking their husbands to helpe them the men presently tooke clubs stones or what came first to hand complaining of an iniury don vnto their wiues Now some ten moneths before there had appeared a fearfull snew of a Satyre raging vpon their women and had slain two of them with whom he was in lou the companions of Apollonius quaked at the hearing hereof and Nilus one of them sware by loue that they being naked and vnarmed could not be able to resist him in his outragious lust but that he would accomplish his wantonnes as before yet said Apollonius there is a remedy to quaile these wanton-leaping beasts which men say Midas vsed for Midas was of kindred to Satyres Taming of Satyres as appeared by his eares This Midas heard his mother say that Satyres loued to be drunke with wine and then sleep soundly and after that be so moderat mild and gentle that a man would thinke they had lost their first nature Whervpon he put wine into a fountain neere the high-way whereof when the Satyrâ— had tasted he waxed meeke suddenly and was ouercome Now that we thinke not this a fable saith Apollonius let vs go to the gouernor of the Towne and inquire of him whether there be any wine to be had that we may offer it to the Satyre wherunto all consented they filled foure great Egyptian earthen vessels with wine and put it into the fountain where their cattel were watred this don Apollonius called the Satyre secretly thretning him and the Satyre inraged with the sauour of the wine came after he had drunkâ— thereof Now said Apollonius let vs sacrifice to the Satyre for he sleepeth and so led the inhabitants to the dens of the Nymphes distant a furlong from the towne and shewed theÌ„ the Satyre saying Neither beat cursse or prouoke him henceforth and he shall neuer harme you It is certaine that the deuils do many waies delude men in the likenes of Satyres Pausanias Macrobius for when the drunken feasts of Bacchus were yearely celebrated in Parnassus there were many sightes of Satyres and voyces and sounding of cymbals heard yet is it likely that there are men also like Satyres inhabiting in some desart places for S. Ierom in the life of Paul the Eremite reporteth there appeared to S. Antony an Hippocentaure such as the Poets describe and presently he saw in a rocky valley adioining Men like Satyres a litle man hauing croked nostrils hornes growing out of his forhed and the neather part of his body had Goats feet the holy man not dismayed taking the shield of faith and the breast-plate of righteousnesse like a good souldior of Christ preased toward him which brought him some fruites of palmes as pledges of his peace vpon which he fed in the iourney which saint Anthony perceiuing he asked him who he was and receiued this answere I am a mortall creature one of the inhabitants of this Desart whome the Gentiles deceiued with error doe worship and call Fauni Satyres and Incubi I am come in ambassage from our flocke intreating that thou wouldst pray for vs vnto the common GOD who came to saue the world the which words were no sooner ended but he ran away as fast as any foule could fly And least this should seeme false vnder Constantine at Alexandria there was such a man to be seene aliue and was a publike spectacle to all the World the carcasse whereof after his death was kept from corruption by heat through salt and was caried to ANTIOCHIA that the Emperor himselfe might see it Satyres are very sildome seene and taken with great difficulty as is before saide Albertus Two bâ—asteâ— like Satyres taken for there were two of those founde in the woods of Saxony towards Dacia in a desart the female whereof was killed by the darts of the hunters and the biting of Dogs but the male was taken aliue being in the vpper parts like a man and in the neather partes like a Goat but all hairy throughout he was brought to be tame and learned to go vpright and also to speake some wordes but with a voice like a Goat and without all reason he was exceeding lustfull to women attempting to rauish many of what condition soeuer they were and of this kinde there are store in Ethiopia THE FIGVRE OF ANOTHER MONSTER THE famous learned man George Fabricius Another monster like a Satyre shewed me this shape of a monstrous beast that is fit to be ioyned to the story of Satyres There was saide he in the territory of the Bishop of Salceburgh in a forrest called Fannesbergh a certaine foure-footed beast of a yellowish-carnation colour Colour and nature but so wilde that he would neuer be drawne to looke vppon any man hiding himselfe in the darkest places and beeing watched diligently would not be prouoked to come forth so much as to eate his meate so that in a very short time it was famished The hinder legs were much vnlike the former and also much longer It was taken about the year of the Lord one thousand fiue hundred thirty whose image being here so liuely described may saue vs further labour in discoursing of his maine and different parts and proportion OF THE NORVEGIAN MONSTERS Hoct. Boet. WHen as certaine Ambassadors were sent from Iames the fourth of that name king of Scotland among whom was Iames Ogill that famous scholer of the Vniuersitie of Abberdon
with young is not certaine Time of bearing the yong beares some affirm 3. moneths others but 30. daies which is more probable for wild beasts doe not couple themselues being with young except a Hare and a Linx aad the beares being as is already said verie lustull to the intent that they may no longer want the company of their males do violently cast their whelps and so presently after deliuery do after the maner of conies betake themselues to their lust norishing their yong ones both togither this is certaine that they neuer come out of their caues till their young ones be thirtie daies old at the least and Pliny precisely affirmeth The bignesse of a beare-whelpe that they litter the thirtith daie after their conception and for this cause a beare bringeth forth the least whelpe of all other great beastes for their whelpes at their first littering are no bigger then rats nor longer then ones finger And whereas it hath beene beleeued and receiued that the whelpes of bears at their first littering are without all forme and fashion and nothing but a little congealed blood like a lumpe of flesh which afterwarde the old one frameth with her tongue to her owne likenes as Pliny Solinus Aelianus Orus Oppianus and Ouid haue reported yet is the truth most euidently otherwise as by the eye witnes of Ioachimus Rhetichus and other Beares not so vnperfect as some haue reported is disproued onlie it is litterd blind without eies naked without haire and the hinder legs not perfect the forefeet folded vp like a fist and other members deformed by reason of the imoderate humor or moystnes in them which also is one cause why the womb of the beare cannot retaine the seed to the perfection of her young ones Number of yong oneâ— They bring foorth sometimes two and neuer aboue fiue which the old beare dailye keepeth close to her brest so warming them with the heat of her body and the breath of her mouth till they be thirty daies old at what time they come abroad being in the beginning of May which is the third moneth from the spring The old ones being almost dazled with long darkenes comming into light againe seeme to stagger and reele too and fro and then for the straightnesse of their guts by reason of their long fasting doe eat the herbe Arum commonly called in English Wake-Robbin or Calues-foot being of very sharpe and tart taste Remedy in Nature which enlargeth their guts and so being recouered they remaine all the time their young are with them more fierce and cruell then at other times And concerning the same Arum called also Dracunculus and Oryx there is a pleasaunt vulgar tale whereby some haue conceiued that Beares eat this herbe before their lying secret and by vertue thereof without meat or sence of cold they passe away the whole winter in sleepe There was a certaine cow-heard in the Mountains of Heluetia which comming downe a hill with a great caldron on his backe he saw a beare eating of a root which he had pulled vp with his feet a fabulous tale yet vulgarly beleeued the cowheard stood still till the beare was gone and afterward came to the place where the beast had eaten the same and finding more of the same roote did likewise eat it he had no sooner tasted thereof but he had such a desire to sleepe that hee could not containe himselfe but he must needs lie down in the way and there fell a sleep hauing couered his heade with the caldron to keepe himselfe from the vehemency of colde and there slept all the Winter time without harme and neuer rose againe till the spring time Which fable if a man will beleeue then doubtlesse this hearbe may cause the Beares to be sleepers not for fourteene dayes but for fourescore dayes together The meat of Beares The ordinary food of Beares is fish for the Water-beare and others will eate fruites Apples Grapes Leaues and Pease and will breake into bee-hiues sucking out the hony Horat Vespertinus circumgemit vrsus ouile Likewise Bees Snayles and Emmets and flesh if it bee leane or ready to putrifie but if a Beare doe chaunce to kill a swine or a Bull or Sheepe he eateth them presentlie whereas other beasts eate not hearbes if they eate flesh likewise they drinke water but not like other beastes neither sucking it or lapping it but as it were euen bitinge at it Of the quantity partes of Beares Some affirme that Beares doe waxe or growe as long as they liue that there haue beene seene some of them fiue cubits long yea I my selfe saw a Beares skinne of that length and broader then any Oxes skinne The parts or members The head of a Beare is his weakest part as the hande of a Lyon is the strongest for by a small blow on his head he hath often bene strucken deade the bones of the head being verie thinne and tender yea more tender then the beake of a Parrot The mouth of a Beare is like a Hogges mouth but longer being armed with teeth on both sides like a saw and standing deepe in his mouth they haue verie thicke lippes for which cause hee cannot easily or hastily with his teeth breake asunder the hunters nettes except with his forefeet His necke is short like a Tygers and a Lyons apt to bend downeward to his meat his bellie is verie large being vniforme and next to it the intrals as in a Wolfe It hath also foure speanes to her Paps The genitall of a Beare after his death waxeth as hard as horn his knees and elbowes are like to an Apes for which cause they are not swift or nimble his feete are like handes and in them and his loines is his greatest strength by reason whereof he sometimes setteth himselfe vpright vppon their hinder legges the pasterne of his legge being fleshy like a cammels which maketh them vnfit for trauell they haue sharpe clawes but a verye small taile as all other longe hayred creatures haue They are exceeding full of fat or Larde-greace which some vse superstitiouslie beaten with oile a superstitius vse of Beares larde or fat wherewith they annoint their grape-sickles when they go to vintage perswading themselues that if no bodie know thereof their tender vine braunches shall neuer be consumed by catterpillers Other attribute this to the vertue of Beares blood and Theophrastus affirmeth that if beares grease be kept in a vessell at such time as the beares lie secret A secret it will either fill it vp or cause it to runne ouer The flesh of beares is vnfit for meat Meat of beares flesh yet some vse to eat it after it hath bene twice sodde other eat it baked in pasties but the truth is it is better for medicine then food Theophrastus likewise affirmeth that at the time when beares lie secret their dead flesh encreaseth which is kept in houses another
theeues Pliny and when he was slaine hee departed not from the body but kept it warily from Dogs Birds or wilde Beasts sitting vpon his priuy parts and couering them vntill the Roman captaines came and buryed it Tzetzes But most admirable was the loue of a certaine dog to his maister punished with death for the fact against Germanicus Among other this dog would neuer go from the prison and afterward when his maisters dead bodie was broght in the presence of many Romans the cur vttered most lamentable and sorrowful cries for which cause one of the company threw vnto him some meat to see if that would stoppe his mouth and procure silence but the poore dog tooke vp the meat and caried it to his maisters mouth not without the singular passion of the beholders at last the body was taken vp and cast into the riuer Tiber the poore dog leaped in after it and endeauored by all the meanes his weaknes could afford to keep it from sinking in the presence of an inumerable multitude which without teares could not looke vpon the louing care of this brute beast The dogs of Gelon Hieron Lysimachus Pyrrhus king of Epirus Polus the Tragoedian and Theodorus leaped into the burning fires which consumed their maisters dead bodies Nicias a certaine hunter going abroad in the woods chaunced to fall into a heape of burning coales hauing no helpe about him but his dogs there he perished yet they ranne to the high waies and ceased not with barking and apprehending the garments of passengers to shew vnto them some direfull euent and at last one of the trauailers followed the dogs and came to the place where they saw the man consumed and by that coniectured the whole story The like did the dogs of Marius Caesarinus for by their howling they procured company to draw him out of a deepe Caue whereinto he was fallen on horse-back and had there perished being alone except his hounds had released him But that dogs will also bewray the murtherers of their friends and maisters these stories following may euidently manifest Dogs detectors of murders As King Pyrrhus by chance trauailed in his countrey he found a dog keeping a deade corps Plutarch and he perceiued that the dog was almost pined by tarrying about the body with out all food wherefore taking pittie on the beast he caused the body to be interred and by giuing the dog his belly full of meat he drew him to loue him and so led him awaie afterward as Pyrrhus mustred his souldiours and euery one appeared in his presence the dog also being beside him he saw the murtherers of his maister and so not containing himselfe with voice tooth and naile he set vppon them the king suspecting that which followd examined them if euer they had seen or known that dog they denied it but the k. not satisfied charged them that surely they were the murtherers of the dogs maister for the dog all this while remained fierce against them and neuer barked before their appearance at the last their guilty consciences brake forth at their mouthes and tongues end and so confessed the whole matter The like was of two French Merchants which trauailed togither Blondus and when they came into a certaine wood one of them rose against the other for desire of his money and so slew him and buried him His dog would not depart from the place but filled the woodes with howlings and cries the murtherer went forwarde in his iourney the people and inhabitants neer the said wood came and found both the murdered corps and also the dog which they tooke vp and nourished til the faire was done and the merchants returned at which time they watched the high waies hauing the dog with them who seeing the murtherer instantly made force at him without al prouocation as a man would do at his mortall enemy which thing caused the people to apprehend him who being examined confessed the fact and receiued condigne punishment for so foule a deede To conclue this discourse with one memorable story more out of Blondus who relateth that there was a certaine maid neer Paris who was beloued of two young men one of them on a daye tooke his staffe and his Dog and went abroad as it was thought of purpose to go to his loue but it hapned that by the way he was murthered and buried the dog would not depart from the graue of his maister at the last he being missed by his father and brethren one of them went also to seeke him and see what was become of him and so seeking found the dog lying vpon his graue who houled pittifully when he saw his maisters brother the young man caused the ground to be opened and so founde the wounded corps of his brother which he brought away caused to be buried til the murtherer could be descried afterward in processe of time the dogge in the presence of the dead mans brethren espied the murtherer and presently made force vpon him very eagerly which the brethren suspecting aprehended him and broght him before the gouernors of the citty who examining him with all the policies they could inuent what should be the occasion why the dog should so eagerly fly vppon him at all times whensoeuer hee was brought into his presence could not get any confession of the fact from him then the magistrate adiudged that the young man and the Dogge should combate together The Dog was couered with a dry sod skin instead of armor and the murtherer with a speare and on his body a little thin linnen cloath both came forth to the fight A Combat and so the man presently made force at the dog who leaping vp to the face of the murtherer tooke him fast by the throat and ouerthrew him whereat the wretch amazed cryed out saying take pitty on me you reuerend fathers and pull off the dog from my throat and I will confesse al the which they performed and he likewise declared the cause and manner of the whole murther for which thing he was deseruedly put to death And thus far of the lesser sociable dogs now followeth the second kind of the greater The greater sociable Dogs of defence are such as souldiors vse in warres Blondus The greater sociable dogs or defenders or else are acustomed to keepe houses or cattell This kind ought to be horrible fierce strange and vnacquainted with all except his maister so that he be alway at daggers drawing and ready to fight with all which shall but lay their handes vppon him for which cause hee is to bee instructed from his littering or infancy by art and continuall discipline to supply in him the defects of nature let him be often prouoked to wrath by boies and and afterward as he groweth let some stranger set vppon him with Weapon as staffe or sword with whom let him combate till he be wearied and then let him teare some peece of the prouokers garment
that so he may depart with a conceit of victory after the fight tie him vp fast and suffer him not to straggle loose abroad but feed him thus tyed vp so shall he in short time prooue a strong defender and eager combatant against all men and beasts which come to deale with him Of this sort they nourish many in Spaine and in other places Such an one was the Dogge of Phaereus the tyrant of Thessalye Blondus Of defeÌ„ding dogs being a very greate and fierce beast and hurtfull to all except them who fed him dayly He vsed to set this Dogge at his chamber dore to watch gard him when he slept that whosoere was afraid of the Dog might not aproach neare without exquisite torments Angcas gaue one of these to the Poet Eupolis who taught him by many signes and gestures for the loue of his meate to obserue his seruant Ephialtes if at any time he stole money from him And at the last the wily Dog obserued the seruant so narrowly that he found him robbing his maisters coffers wherefore he instantly fell vppon him and tore him in pieces The which Dog afterward died for sorrow of his maisters death wherupon Aelianus saith that the place of his death in Aâ—gina was called the place of mourning to the day of his writing Nicomedes king of Bythinia had one of these Molosssian great Dogs which he norished verie tenderly Tzetzes Aâ—rianus and made it very familiar with him selfe it fell out on a time that this king being in dalliance with his wife Ditizele in the presence of the Dog and she againe hanging about the kings necke kissing and prouoking him to loue with amorous gestures the Dog thinking she had beene offering some violence to his maister the king presently â—lew vpon her and with his teeth pulled her right shoulder from her bodie and so left the amorous Queen to die in the armes of her louing husband which thing caused the king to banish the Dogge for euer out of his sight A cruel murther of a Q. by a Dogge for sorrow whereof he soone after died but the Queene was most nobly buried at Nicomedia in a golden sepulcher the which was opened in the raigne of the Emperour Michaell sonne of Theophilus and there the womans body was found whole and not putrified being wrapped in a golden vesture which taken off and tried in furnace yeilded aboue an hundred and thirteen pounds of pure gold When a Dragon was setting vppon Orpheus as he was occupied in hawking by his Dogs his life was saued and the Dragon deuoured And when Caelius one of the Senators of Placentia being sicke was set vpon by certaine lewd fellowes he reeceiued no wounde till his Dog was slaine A most memorable story of the dog of Rhodes There was neuer any thing more strange in the nature of Dogs then that which hapned at Rhodes besieged by the Turke for the Dogges did there descerne betwixt Christians and Turkes for toward the Turkes they were most eager furious and vnappeasable but towards Christians although vnknowne most easie peaceable and placidious which thing caused a certaine Poet to write thus His auxere fidem quos nostro fulua sub aere Arua Carpathij defendit littora ponti Pectora thoracum tunica sacrumque profano Miratur nutritque Rhodos custodibus illis It noctes animosa Phalanx innexa trilici Seligit blande exceptum deducit ad vrbem There were two hundred of these Dogges which brought the king of Garamants from banishment Aelianus rescuing him from all that resisted The Colophonian and Castabalensian or Caspian Dogges fought in all their battels Textor so likewise the Cimbrian Hircanian and Magnesiaâ— Dogs Pliny Pet. Martyr these also the Spaniards vsed in India to hunt out the naked people falling vppon them as fiercely as euer they would vpon Bores or other wilde beasts being pointed vnto by their leaders finger And for this cause was it that Vaschus the Spaniard caused Paera an Indian Lord Deserued punishment of vnnatural copulation and three other his wicked companions to be cast vnto Dogs for their vnnaturall lust but the inhabitants of Caramair and Carib doe driue away the Dogges for through their admirable actiuitie in casting dartes they pierce the Dogges ere euer they come neare them with poysoned arrowes And thus much for the greate warlike defensiue Dogs The Shepheards Dog In the next place followeth the Shepheards Dog called by Virgill Pecuarius Canis and this cannot properly be tearmed a dumbe keeper for there is no creature that will more stirre barke and moue noise then one of these against thiefe or wilde beast They are also vsed by Heards-men Swine-heards and Goate-heards to driue away all annoyances from their Cattell and also to guide and gouerne them in executing their maisters pleasure vpon signes giuen them to which of the stragling beastes they ought to make force Neither is it requisite that this Dog be so large or nimble as is the Greyhounde which is apointed for Deer and Hares But yet that he be strong quick ready and vnderstanding both for brauling fighting so as he may feare away and also follow if need be the rauening Wolfe and take away the prey out of his mouth wherefore a square proportion of body is requisite in these beasts and a tolerable lightnes of foot such as is the village dog vsed onely to keep houses and hereof also they are the best who haue the greatest or lowdest barking voices Columella are not apt to leape vpon euery straunger or beast they see but reserue their strength till the iust time of imployment They approue also in this kind aboue all other the white colour because in the night time they are the more easily discernd from the Wolfe or other noisome beast Blondus for many times it falleth out that the Shepheard in the twy-light Fronto striketh his Dog insted of the Wolfe these ought to be well faced blacke or dusky eies and correspondent Nostrils of the same colour with their eies blacke ruddy lippes a crooked Camoyse nose a flat chap with two great broches or long straight sharpe teeth growing out thereof couered with their lips a great head great eares a broad breast a thicke necke broad and solide sholders straight legs yet rather bending inward then standing outward great and thick feet hard crooked nailes a thicke taile which groweth lesser to the end thereof then at the first ioynt next the body and the body all rugged with haire for that maketh the dog more terrible and then also it is requisite that he be prouided of the beast breede neyther buy him of a hunter for such an one will be gone at the sight of a Deer or Hare nor yet of a Butcher for it will be sluggish therefore take him yong Strabo and bring him vp continually to attend sheepe for so will he be most ready that is trained vppe
also desire to wash and so will go and seeke out water to wash themselues and of their owne accord returne backe againe to the basket of flowers which if they find not they will bray and call for them Afterward being led into their stable they will not eat meat vntill they take of their flowers and dresse the brimmes of their maungers therewith and likewise strew their roome or standing place pleasing themselues with their meat because of the sauor of the Flowers stucke about their cratch like dainty fed persons which set their dishes with greene hearbs and put them into their cups of wine Their pace is very slow for a child may ouertake them by reason of their high and larg bodies except in their feare and for that cause they cannot swim as also Gillius The shiping of Elephants by reason that the toes of their feet are very short and finally diuided When they are brought into a ship they haue a bridge made of wood and couered with earth and greene boughes are set on either side so that they immagine they go vpon the land vntill they enter into the ship because the boughes keepe them from sight of the Sea They are most chast Aelianus and keepe true vnto their males without all inconstant loue or seperation admitting no adulteries amongest them and like men which tast of Venus not for any corporall lust but for desire of heires and successors in their families so do Elephants without all vnchast and vnlawfull lust take their veneriall complements for the continuation of their kind and neuer aboue thrice in all their daies either male or female suffer carnall copulation but the female onely twice Yet is their rage great when the female prouoketh them and although they fight not among themselues for their females except very sildome yet do they so burne in this fury that many times they ouerthrow trees and houses in India by their tuskes and running their head like a Ram against them wherefore then they keepe them low down by subtraction of their meat also bring some stranger to beat them There was a certaine cunning hunter sent into Mauritania by the Roman Emp to hunt and take Elephants on a day he saw a goodly young Elephant in copulation with another instantly a third aproched with a direfull braying as if he would haue eaten vp al the company and as it afterward appeared he was an arriuall to the female Aelianus which we saw in copulation with the other male when he approched neere both of them set themselues to combat which they performd like some vnresistable waues of the Sea or as the hils which are shaken together by an earthquake wherein each one charged the other most furiously for their loue to the terror and admiration of all the beholders and so at last becam both disarmed of their teeth and hornes by their often blowes before one had ouercome the other and so at last by the hunters were parted asunder being euer afterward quiet from such contentions about their females for copulation The Indians separate the stables of the females far asunder from the males because at that time they ouerthrowe their houses They are modest and shamefast in this action The place manner of their copulation Plinyus for they seeke the Desarts woodes and secret places for procreation and somtimes the waters because the waters doe support the Male in that action whereby hee ascendeth and descendeth from the backe of the female with more ease and once it was seene that in Virgea a Countrey of the Corascens two Elephants did engender out of India otherwise they couple not out of their owne countreys When they goe to copulation they turne their heads towards the east but whether in remembrance of Paradise or for the Mandragoras or for any other cause I cannot tell the female sitteth while she is couerd Albertus They begin to ingender the male at sixe ten twelue fifteene or twenty yeare olde the female not before ten yeares old They couple but fiue daies in two yeares and neuer after the female is filled till she haue beene cleare one whole yeare Solinus The time of copulation Arrianus and after the second copulation he neuer more toucheth his female At that time the male breatheth foorth at his nose a certaine fat humor like a menstruous thing but the female hath them not til hir place of conception be opened and alway the day after her filling she washeth her selfe before she returne to the flocke Aristotle The time of their goâ—og with young The time of their going with yong is according to some two years and according to other three the occasion of this diuersity is because their time of copulation cannot certainely be knowne because of their secrecy for the greater bodies that beasts haue they are the lesse fruitfull She is deliuered in great paine leaning vpon her hinder Legges They neuer bring forth but one at a time and that is not much greater then a great cowcalfe of three monthes old which she nourisheth sixe or eight yeare As soone as it is Calued Diodonus Pogius Aelianus it seeth and goeth and sucketh with the mouth not with the trunke and so groweth to a great stature The females when they haue calued are most fierce for feare of their young ones but if a man come and touch them they are not angry for it seemeth they vnderstand that he toucheth them not for any desire to take or harme them but rather to stroke and admire them The loue of the male to the female of both to the Calfe Sometimes they goe into the Water to the belly and there calue for feare of the Dragon the male neuer forsaketh her but keepeth with her for the like feare of the Dragon and feede and defend their young ones with singular loue and constancye vnto death as appeareth by the example of one that heard the braying of her calfe fallen into a ditch and not able to arise the female ranne vnto it and for hast fell downe vppon it so crushing it to death Tzetzes and breaking her owne Necke with one and the same violente loue As they liue in heards so when they are to passe ouer a ryuer or Water they send ouer the least or youngest first because their great bodies together should not cause the deepe water to swell or rise aboue their heigth the other stand on the bancke and obserue howe deepe he wadeth and so make account that the greater may with more assurance follow after the younger and smaller Plutarch Aelianus Philostratus then they the elder and taller and the females carry ouer their Calues vpon their snowts long eminent teeth binding them fast with their trunks like as with ropes or male girts that they may not fall being sometime holpen by the male wherein appeareth an admirable point of naturall wisedome both in the carriage of their
or else an old one that had lately lost his hornes and by this I suppose that the authoritie of Cesar is sufficiently answered so as we may proceed to the description of this beast collected out of the auncient writers Pausanias Vopiscus Caesar and Solinus Pliny and the later writers consenting with them in all thinges excepting Caesar in the two things aforesaid Albertus Magnus Mathaeus Michuanus Seb. Munster Erasmus Stella Iohannes Bonarus Baoron of Balizce a Polonian Iohannes Kentmannus Io. Pontanus Antonius Schnebergerus Christophorus Wirsungus and that most worthy learned man Georgius Ioachimus of Rhaetia and Baoron Sigismund Pausanias supposeth it to be a beast betwixt a Hart and a Camell Of the quantity and stature Bonarus and Albertus betwixt a Hart and a Horsse who therefore as it hath beene saide calleth it Equi-ceruus a Horsse-hart but I rather by the hornes afterward described and by the foot which Bonarus had do take hold it to be as bigge euery waie as two Hartes and greater then a Horsse The taming of Elks and their labor because of the labour and qualities attributed thereunto Whereunto also agreeth Albertus In Swedia and Riga they are tamed and put into Coaches or Charriottes to draw men through great snowes and vpon the yse in the winter time they also are most swifte Albertus and will run more miles in one day then a Horsse can at three They were wont to be presents for princes because of their singular strength and swiftnes for which cause Alciatus relateth in an emblem the answer of Alexander to one that asked him a question about celerity whether hast doth not alway make wast which Alexander denied by the example of the Elke in these Verses Alciatae gentis insignia sustinet Alce Constat Alexandrum sic respondisse roganti Nunquam inquit differre volens quod indicat Alce Vnguibus meeden fert anaballomeenos Qui tot obiuisset tempore gesta breui Fortior haes dubites ocyor anne siet Pliny affirmeth in my opinion verie truelie that this beast is like an Oxe Of his partes and maner of feeding Pliny except in his haire which is more like to a hart his vper lip is so great and hangeth ouer the neather so farre that he cannot eat going forward because it doubleth vnder his mouth but as hee eateth he goeth backward like a Sea-crabbe and so gathereth vp the grasse that laie vnder his feet His mane is diuers both vpon the top of his neck and also vnderneath his throat it buncheth like a beard or curled locke of haire howbeit they are alwaie maned on the top of the necke Their necke is verie short and doth not in answere to the proportion of the residue of the body and therefore I haue expressed both figures of the Elkes They liue in heards and flockes together in Scandiuania and when the waters are frozen vp the wilde mountaine Wolues set vpon them in great multitudes together Their fight with Wolues whom they receiue in battell vpon the yse fighting most fiercely and cruelly til one part be vanquished In the meane time the husbandmen of the countrey obserue this combate and when they see one side goe to the wall they persecute them and take the victours part for it is indifferent to take either the one side or the other but most commonly the Elkes are conquerors by reason of their forefeet for with them they pierce the Wolus or dogs skins as with any sharpe pointed speare or Iauelyn Some haue beene of opinion that these are wilde Asses but they are led hereinto with no reason except because they are vsed for trauell and burthen as is before said for there is no proportion or resemblance of body betwixt them besides they haue clouen hoofs for the most part although Sigismundus Baro affirme that there are some of this kinde which haue their hooues whole and vndeuided Being wilde it is a most fearefull creature and rather desireth to lie hid in secret then to flye except pursued by hunters The manner to hunt them without danger and there is no danger in hunting of this beast exept a man come right before him for on his sides he may safely strike and wound him but if the beast fasten his forefeet on him hee cannot escape without death Notwithstanding it is a Beast as hath been said as great as two Harts yet is it aboue measure fearefull and if it receiue any small wound or shot their admirable feare and pusillanimity instantly it falleth downe and yeeldeth to death as Bonarus hunting with Sigismund the second king of Polonia in the woods of Lituania tryed with his owne hand for with his hunting spear he pierced one a very little way in the skin in the presence of the k. who presently fell downe dead In some countries of auncient time sayeth Pausanias they tooke them on this maner the auncient maner of taking Elkes They hauing found out the field or hill where the beasts are lodged they compasse it in by the space of a thousand paces round in circle with welts and toils inuented for that purpose then do they draw in their nets round like a pursse and so inclose the beasts by multitude who commonly smelling his hunters hideth himselfe in some deepe ditch or caue of the earth for the nature of this beast hath framed to it selfe a most sharpe sagacity or quicke sent of smelling being not heerein inferiour to any of the best dogs in the worlde because it can a great way off discouer the hunters many times while men are abroad in hunting of other beasts this is suddainely started out of her lodging place and so discouered chased and taken Other againe take it by the same meanes that they take Elephants for when they haue found the trees whereunto they leane they so cut and sawe them that when the beast commeth hee ouerthroweth them and falleth downe with them and so is taken aliue We read that there were Elkes in the triumph of Aurelian at Rome and in the games dedicated by Apollo and Diana and celebrated by Valerius Publicola were many Eleph Vopiscus Elke and Tigres Likewise there were ten Elkes at Rome vnder Gordianus Their resistance in the waters When they are chased eagerly and can find no place to rest themselues in and lie secret they run to the Waters and therein stand taking vp water into their mouths and within short space doe so heate it Munster that being squirted or shot out of them vppon the Dogges the heat thereof so opresseth and scaldeth them that they dare not once approach or come nigh her any more The medicin in an Elke The greatest vertue of medicine that I can learne or finde to be in this beast is in the hoofe for that worne in a Ring it resisteth and freeth a man from the falling euill the Crampe and cureth the fits or pangs if it be put on when he is
vse of their seueral parts is singular and firste of al to beginne with their skinne the people of Sardinia as saith Nymphiderus nourish goates for their skinnes whereof they make 〈◊〉 garments being dressed with the haire vpon them and they affirme strange virtue in them namely that they heat their bodies in the Winter and coole them in the summer and the haires growing vppon those skinnes are a cubit long therefore the man that weareth them in Winter time turneth the hary side next to his bodie and so is warmed by it and in Summer the raw side and so the haire keepeth the sunne from piercing his skin and violence of heat And this also is vsuall in Sueuia where the women weare garments of Goats haire in the winter and also make their childrens coats thereof according to Virgils saying in Moreto Suidaâ— Varâ—â—us Et cinctus villosae tegmine Caprae For this cause the Merchants buy them rough in those parts of Sauoy neer Geneua and their choyse is of the young ones which die naturally or are kild or els such as were not aboue 2. years old The Tirians in the Persian war wore vpon their backes goat-skins In auncient time they made hereof Diphtera that was a kind of parchment wheron they wrote on both sides 〈◊〉 and had the name in Greeke from that vse which Hermolaus by a metaphorical allusion called Opistographi From the vse of these in garments came the apellation of harlots to be cald Pellices and a whores bag was called Penula-Scortea such a one is vsed by pilgrims which go to visit the church of Saint Iames of Calec and such Carriers or foote-poastes had wont to vse in their iournies which caused Martiall to write thus Ingrediare viam coelo licet vsque sereno An subitas nusquam scortea depit aquas The Sandals which men were wont to weare on their feete in the East Countries were also made of Goats skins and there was a custome in Athens that men for honour of Bacchus did dance vpon certain bottels made of Goats skins and ful of wind the which were placed in the middest of the Theatre and the dauncer was to vse but one Leg to the intent that he might often fall from the slippery bottels and make the people sport wherevnto Virgill alluded this saying Plinyus Mollibus in pratis vnctos saliere pro vtres There is also a Ladanum tree in Carmania by the cutting of the barke whereof there yssueth forth a certaine gumme which they take and preserue in a Goats skin their vse in war wherein the Souldiers were wont to lie all winter and therefore we read that Claudius the Emperour had giuen him thirty tents of Goats skinnes for his Souldiers attendant vpon the iudges and the Marriners also by these defended themselues from the violence of stormes vpon the sea and so I leaue this part of the beast with remembrance of that which is written in holy scripture Heb. 11. that the people of God in ancient times did fly away from the rage of persecution being apparelled or rather meanely disguised in goat skins being charitably holped by the beastes that were cruelly put to death by wretched men In the next place the milke of Goats commeth to be considered for that also hath bin is and wil be of great account for Butter and Cheese which the writers call Tyropoeia The milke of Goates and Virgill celebrateth the singular commendation both of the Woll and of the milke in these verses Haec quoque non cura nobis leuiore tuenda Nec minor vsus erit quamuis Milesia magno Vellera mutentur Tyrios incocta rubores Deusior hinc soboles hinc largi copia lactis Quo magis exhausto spumauerit vbere mulctra Laeta magis pressis manabunt flumina manonis Nec minus interca barbas incanaque menta Cyniphij tondent hirei setasque comantes Vsus in Castrorum miseris velamina nautis Therfore their milk is profitable for Butter although inferior to a Cows yet equall to a sheepes and the heardsmen giue their goats salt before they be deliuered of their young To increase Goats milke Albertus for this maketh them abound in milke Others with Goats milke preserue their Wine from corruption by sowrenes first they put into their wine the twentyeth part so much as is of the Wine and so let it stand in the same vessell couered three or foure daies A secret in the milke of Goates Myrepsus afterward they turne it into a sweet and fresh vessell and so it remaineth preserued from all annoyance of sourenesse Cheeses made of Goats milke were wont to be called Velabrenses Casei because among the Romans they were made at Velabrum and that with smoke whereupon Martial made this Distichon Non quemcunque focum nec fumum caseus omnem Sed velabrensem qui bibit ipse sapit Aristotle and Iulius Pollux doe commend the Sicilian Cheese which was made of sheepe and Goats milke together and by Athaeneus it is called Caseus Tromilicus and by Simonides Stromilius In Rhaetia of Heluetia there are excellent Cheeses made of Goates milke and cow-mile mixed together The milke also of a Goat mixed to a womans milke is best for the nourishment of man because it is not too fat Hermolaus yet Galen saith if it be eaten without Hony water and salt it curdleth in the belly of a man like a cheese and strangleth him and being so vsed it purgeth the belly from thence came the fiction of the Poets that Iupiter was noursed by a Goate and that afterward in his warre against the Titanes or Giants he slew that Goate by the counsell of Themis and wore her skin for an armour and so hauing obtained victory placed the Goate among the stars wherupon she was called Aixourania a heauenly Goate and so Germanicus Caesar made this verse vpon him and Iupiter himselfe was called Agiochus Illa putatur Agioâ—hus Nutrix esse Iouis si vere Iupiter infans Vbera Cretae mulssit fidissima Caprae Sydere quae claro gratum testatur alumnum The flesh of male Goats is not wholsome for mans body but the flesh of a female in the spring and fall of the leafe Of the flesh of Goats by reason of the good nourishment may be eaten without danger They are worse then bul-beefe because they are sharper in concoction and hotter wherefore if they disgest not well they increase melancholy The liuer of a Goat being eaten doth bring the falling sicknesse yet being salted a good space and then sodde with Vine braunches or other such broad leaues to keepe them asunder and some wine poured into the water when they are almost sod they become very sweet and delicate meate and therefore the Athenians praised the Lacedemonians that in their feast which they called Copidae they slew a Goat and held it for a deuine meat Also Clitomachus an Academicke of Carthage relateth of a certaine Thebane
neither at any time shall the childe be bitten by the horse Sextus The teeth which do first of all fall from horses being bound or fastned vpon children in their infancie do very easily procure the breeding of the teeth but with more speed and more effectually if they haue neuer touched the grovnd wherefore the poet doth very wel apply these verses saying Collo igitur molli dentes nectentur equini Qui prima fuerint pullo crescente caduci It is also said that if the haire of a horse be fastned vnto the house of a mans enemy it wil be a meanes that neither little flies or small gnats shall flie by his dwelling place or aboad The tongue of a horse being neuer accustomed vnto wine Pliny is a most present and expedient medicide to alay or cure the milt of a man or Woman as Caecilius Bion reporteth vnto vs that he learned it of the Barbarians But Marcellus saith that the horse tongue ought to be dried and beaten into small pouder and put into any drinke except Wine onely and foorthwith it will shew the commodity which riseth thereuppon by easing either man or Woman of the paine of the spleene or milt diuers also do thinke that a horses tongue vsed after this manner is a good meanes or preseruatiue against the biting of Serpentes or any other venemous creatures But for the curing of any sores or griefes in the inward partes the genitall of a horsse is most of all commended for as Pliny supposeth this genitall of a horse is very medicinable for the loosing of the belly as also the bloud marrow or liuer of a Goate but these thinges doe rather dry vp and close the belly as before we haue taught concerning the Goat Plinius In the heart of Horsses there is found a bone most like vnto a dogs tooth it is saide that this doth driue away all griefe or sorrow from a mans heart and that a tooth being pulled from the cheekes or iaw bones of a dead horse doth shew the full and right number of the sorrowes of the party so grieued The dust of a horse hoofe annointed with oile and water Plinius doth driue away impostumes and little bunches which rise in the flesh in what part of the body soeuer they be and the dust of the hoofe of an asse annointed with oile water and whot vrine doth vtterly expell all wens and kernels which do rise in the neck arme-holes or any other part of the body of either man or woman The genitall of a gelded horse dryed in an ouen beaten to powder and giuen twice or thrice in a little whot broath to drinke vnto the party grieued is by Pliny accounted an excellent and approued remedy for the secunds of a woman The foame of a horse or the dust of a horse hoofe dried is very good to driue away shamefastnes being annointed with a certaine titulation Marcellus The scrapings of the horses hoofes being put in wine and poured into the horsses nostrils do greatly prouoke his vrin The ashes also of a horsses hoofe being mingled with wine and water doth greatly ease and helpe the disease called the collicke or stone as also by a perfume which may be made by the hoofes of Horses being dryed a child which is still borne is cast out The milke of Mares is of such an excellent vertue that it doth quite expell the poyson of the Sea-hare all other poison whatsoeuer drink also mingled with Mares milk doth make the body loose and laxatiue It is also counted an excellent remedy against the falling sicknesse to drinke the stones of a Boare out of Mares milke or water Hippocrates If there be any filth or matter lying in the matrice of a woman lether take Mares milke boiled and througly strained and presently the filth and excrements will void cleane away If so be that a Woman be barren and cannot conceiue let her then take Mares milke not knowing what it is and let her presently accompany with a man and she wil conceiue The milk of a Mare being drunk doth asswage the labor of the matrice and doth cause a still child to bee cast forth If the seede of hen-bane be beaten small and mingled with Mares milke and bound with a Harts skin so that it may not touch the ground and fastened or bound to a woman they will hinder her conception The thinnest or latest part of the milke of a Mare doth very easily gently and without any danger purge the belly Mares milke being daily annointed with a little hony doth without any paine or punishēnt take away the wounds of the eies being new made Cheese made of Mares milke doth represse and take away all wringings or aches in the belly whatsoeuer If you anoint a combe with the foame of a horse wherwith a young man or youth doth vse to comb his head it is of such force as it will cause the haire of his head neither to encrease or any whit to appeare The foame of a horse is also very much commended for them which haue either pain or difficulty of hearing in their ears or else the dust of horse-dung being new made and dryed and mingled with oyle of Roses The griefe or sorenes of a mans mouth or throat being washed or annointed with the foame of a Horse which hath bin fed with Oates or barly doth presently expell the paine of the sorenesse if so be that it be 2. or 3. times washed ouer with the iuyce of young or greene Sea-crabs beaten small together but if you cannot get the Sea-crabs which are greene sprinkle vpon the griefe the smal powder which doth come from dried Crabs which are baked in an Ouen made of brasse and afterward wash the mouth where the paine is and you shall finde present remedy The fome of a horse Rasis being 3. or 4. times taken in drinke doth quiet expell and driue away the cough But Marcellus doth affirme that whosoeuer is troubled with the cough or consumption of the lunges and doth drinke the foame of a Horse by it selfe alone without any drinke shall finde present help and remedy but as Sextus saith the horse will presently die after it The same also being mingled with hot water and giuen to one who is troubled with the same diseases Marcellus being in manner past al cure doeth presently procure health Rasis but the death of the horse doth instantly ensue The sweat of a horse being mingled with wine and so drunke doth cause a woman which is very big and in great labor to cast a still childe Albertus The sweat of any beast but as Albertus saith onely of a horse doth breed wind in a man or womans face being put thereupon Rasis and besides that doth bring the squince or squincy as also a filthy stinking sweat If swords kniues or the points of speares when they are red fire hot be annointed with the sweat of a
Pomgranate and taken in drinke is very profitable to cure the inconueniâ—nces or paine of a womans secret parts The genitall of a male Hyaena dryed and beaten to powder being mingled with a certaine perfume doth cure and help those which are troubled with the crampe and conuulsion of the sinnewes Dioscorides The feete of an Hyaena being taken doth heale and cure those which are sand-blind and such as haue botches and sores breaking through the skin and flesh and also such as are troubled with inflamations or breedings of winde in their bodies only by touching and rubbing them ouer The durt or dung which is found in the interior partes of an Hyaena being burned and dryed into powder and so taken in drinke is very medicinable and curable for those which are grieued with painful excoriatious and wringings of the belly and also for those which are troubled with the bloody-flixe And the same being mingled with Goose-grease and annointed ouer all the body of either man or woman wil ease them of any paine or griefe which they haue vpon their body whatsoeuer The dung or filth of an Hyaena also being mingled with certaine other medicins is very excellent to cure and heale the bites and stingings of crocodiles and other venemous Serpents The dung it selfe is also very good to purge and heale rotten wounds and sores which are full of matter and filthy corruption OF THE IBEX. To returne therefore vnto the Ibex although I doe not dislike the opinion of them which take it to be a wilde-goat Their Countries of breed and partes of their body yet I haue reserued it into this place because of many eminent difference as may appeare by the storie First these are bred in the alpes and are of an admirable celerity although their heades bee loaded with such hornes as no other beasts of their stature beareth For I do read in Eustathius that their hornes are sixteene palmes longe or fiue spannes and one palme and sometimes seauen spans such was the horne consecrated at Delos being two cubits and a span long and six and twenty pounds in weight This beast saith Polibius in his necke and haire is like a Bucke-goat beating a beard vnder his chin of a span long as thicke as a colts taile and in other partes of his body resembleth a Hart. It seemeth that his Haebrew name Iaall The places of their abode is deriued of climbing and Isidorus saith that Ibices are quasi Auices that is like Birdes because like Fowles of the ayre they enhabite the toppes of cliftes Rockes and Mountaines farre from the viewe and sight of men Their hornes reach to their Buttockes or Hippes so that if at anye time hee doe chaunce to fal he cowcheth his whole bodie betwixt his hornes to breake the stronge force and violence of his owne weight and also hee is able to receiue vppon his horns the stroks of great stones which are shot or cast at him they are knotty and sharp and as they encrease in age so do their horns in strongnesse and other qualities vntil they be twenty yeares old These beasts inhabit and keepe their abode in the tops of those Mountaines Stumptius where the yee neuer thaweth or dissolueth for it loueth cold by nature otherwise it would be blind The benefite of cold for cold is agreeable to the eie-sight and beauty It is a Noble beast and very fat In the small head and leane Legges it resembleth a Hart the eies are very faire and bright Their seueral members the colour yellowish his hoofe clouen and sharpe like wilde Goates It farre excelleth a wilde Goate in leaping for no man will beleeue how farre off or what long space it will leape except he saw it For there is no place so steep or cragged that if it affoord him but so much space as his foot may stand on but he will passe ouer it with a very few iumpes or leapes Their taking The Hunters driue them to the smooth and high rockes and there they by enclosing them take them in ropes or toyles if they cannot come neere him with shot or Swords When the beast seeth his Hunter which descendeth to him by some Rocke he obserueth very diligently and watcheth if he can see any distance or space betwixt him and the rock yea but so much as his eye-sight can pierce through and if he can then he leapeth vppe and getteth betwixt the Hunter and the rocke and so casteth him downe headlong and if he can espy no distance at all then doeth he keepe his standing vntill hee be killed in that place The hunting of this beast were very pleasant but that it is encombred with much labour and many perils and therefore in these daies they kil them with Gunnes The inhabitants of Valois neere the Ryuer Sedunus take them in their infancy when they are young and tame them and vntill they be old they are contented to goe and come with the tame Goates to pasture but in their older and riper age they returne to their former Wilde nature Aristotle affirmeth that they couple or engender together not by leaping vpoÌ„ each other but standing vpright vpon their hinder Legs whereunto I cannot consent Their copulation because the ioynts and Nerues of their hinder Legges will not be stretched to such a copulation and it may be that he or his relatour had seene them playing together as Goates doe standing vpright and so tooke that gesture in their pastime for carnall copulation The female hath lesse hornes then the male but a greater body and her hornes are very like to a Wilde Goates When this beast feeleth infallible tokens of her death Their behauiour at their death and perceiueth that her end by some wound or course of nature approcheth and is at hand it is reported by the hunters that she ascendeth to the toppe of some Mountaine or high rocke and there fasteneth one of her hornes in the same steepe place going round continually and neuer standing still vntill she haue worne that horne asunder whereby she stayeth her selfe and so at length at the instant or point of death breaking her horne falleth down and perisheth And because they dye among the rockes it falleth out seldome that their bodyes are found but many times when the snow falleth from the Mountaines in great and huge Masses it meeteth with a liuing Ibex and other wilde beastes and so oppressing them driueth them down to the foot of the hils or Mountaines as it doth trees and small houses which are built vpon the sides of them Pelagonius In Creete they make bowes of the hornes of these beastes the vse of their hornes And concerning their taking it is not to be forgotten how the hunter which pursueth her from one rocke to another is forced many times for the safegard of his own life to forsake his standing and to obserue the beast when it maketh force at him and to
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
conuenient to be broken for the performing of the same take the skinne of a baked or roasted Pomgranate and spread it vpon the aforesaid red pimples as whot as possible may be suffered for some small time and it will cause the vlcers to breake and all the corruption to yssue forth If it grow vnto an Impostume Auicenna take the little berries or pellets which are within the Pomgranate being very well baked and apply them vnto the sore some short time Aeginetta and they will very easily cure the same Mustard-seede being mingled with Vineger annointed vpon the bites of a Shew doth very effectually heale them A Moule being bruised into small pieces and applyed vnto the bites of a Shrew in the forme of a plaister is a very excellent remedy for the curing of them Pitch and trifoly being baked and rubbed verye whotte vppon the bites of a Shrewe is accounted a very medicinable cure but it is requisite that this fomentation be giuen vnto none but such as are of a stronge and powerfull body and are also able to endure paine The liquor of the Herb called Southernwood being giuen in Wine to drinke doth very much profit those which are troubled Dioscorides and pained in their limbs with the bites of Shrewes Wormwood being vsed in the like manner will cure those which are bitten by a Shrew The genitall of a Lambe or Kidde being mingled with foure drams of the Hearbe called Aristologia or Hart-wort and sixe drams of the sweetest Myrth is very good and medicinable for curing of those which are bitten or stung with Shrewes Scorpions and such like vnemous Beastes The leaues of Coleworts being dryed mingled with flower and tempered together vntill they come into the form of a plaister will very much help against the venemous bites of the Shrew The seede of Colewortes and the leaues of the same Hearbe being mingled with Vineger and the Hearbe called Assa foetida beate or pounded together do very well and speedily cure the bites of the Shrewes Ruellius as also of a rauenous Dogge if the same in due time be applyed thereunto The liquor also of the leaues of Coleworts being giuen in any kind of drinke is good and wholsome for the curing of the aforesaid bites or woundes Dioscorides The Nuts of a young Cypres Tree being mixed with a certaine sirrep or potion made of Hony Water and Vineger and afterwardes drunke doth very speedily procure ease and help for those which are bitten by a Shrew The roote of a white or blacke Thistle being beaten or bruised and giuen in drinke doth very effectually help or cure those which are bitten by a Shrew The like vertue hath the Hearbe called Rocket in it and also the seede thereof being giuen in any kinde of drinke Aegenetta The gum or liquor which proceedeth from a kinde of Ferula being giuen in wine to drink doth very much helpe and cure those which are bitten by a Shrew The same vertue also in it hath the roote of the hearbe called Gentian or bitterwort being giuen in wine to drink One or two drams of the yoongest or tendrest leaues of the Laurell tree being beaten small and giuen in wine to drinke doth speedily cure the sores or woundes which are bitten by a Shrew Aeâ—ius the same being also vsed in the said manner and giuen in some certaine potion vnto horses to drinke doth quickly help and heale them But there are some which before all other medicines doe commend this for the best and chiefest that is Auicenna to take the iuice which proceedeth from the leaues of the laurell tree the leaues themselues being moist and new growing and to boyle them in wine and being once cooled to giue it to any which is bitten by a Shrew and this will in very short space altogether helpe them A yoonge Weasell being giuen in wine to drinke is accounted very medicinable for those which are bitten by a Shrew Pliny or stung by a Scorpion or any other venemous creature The hearbe called Baltsamint or Costmary the hearbe called Bartram Aegmetta or wilde Pellito the hearbe called Betonie the hearbe called water-minte or water Cresses the sweete and delicious gum called Storax as also the hearbe called Veruin being each of them seuerally by themselues either giuen in wine to drinke or applyed in the manner of a plaister or annointed vpon the bits or wounds which come by the venemous teeth of a Shrew Auicenna will very effectually cure the paine thereof The biting of a field mouse or Shrew is very troublesome and grieuous to all labouring beastes for instantly after her bitinges there doe little red pimples arise and there is most daunger of death in those beastes which she biteth when she is great with yonog for the aforesaid pimples will then presently breake after which the beast so bitten will instantly die The Shrew doth also kill some laboring beasts with poyson Albertus as chiefly horses mules but especially for the most part mares which are great with yong There are some which do affirme that if horses or any other laboring creature do feede in that pasture or grasse in which a Shrew shall put forth her venome or poyson in Absyrtus they will presently die In what place soeuer a Shrew shall bite in any creature it will be compassed with an exceeding hard swelling the beast also being so bitten doth expresse his griefe or sorrow with much paine straining his body doth likewise swell all ouer his eyes doe in a manner weepe the swelling in his body doth squize out matter Hierocles or filthy putrefaction he voydeth poyson out of his belly and doth vomite all sustenance vp as soone as euer he receaueth it If an Asse being great with yoong be bitten by this beast it is a very great chaunce if she scape death But if the Shrew doe bite any beast when she is great with yong it is knowen by these signes or marks there will certaine red pimples compasse the sore round about and also spread themselues ouer all the body of the bitten beast and will in short space destroy him except there be procured some present remedy The Normans in Fraunce do suppose the Shrew to be a beast so full of venome and poyson that if he shall but passe ouer either an Oxe Vâ—getius or a horse lying downe along vpon the ground it will bring such a dangerous disease vpon them that the beast ouer which she shall passe shall be lame about the loines or shall seeme as if he were immoueable and that he can be cured by no other meanes but by the same Shrew who either of his owne accord or by compulsion must passe ouer the contrary side of the beast and that then he will be cured which thing I doe hold to be very vaine and not to be beleeued For the curing of beastes which are bitten by a Srew thou shalt
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
very sharpe and yet is it iustly condemned by Columella for no vse no not to fatten the earth and Vines also are burned therewithal except they be diligently watred or rest fiue yeares without stirring In Plinies time they studied to enlarge and make their Luttuce grow broad Theophrast and not close together which they did by slitting a little the stalke and thrusting gently into it some Hogs dung But for trees there is more especial vse of it for it is vsed to ripen fruit and make the trees more plentifull The Pomegranats and Almondes are sweetned herâ—by and the Nuts easily caused to fall out of the shell Likewise if Fennel be vnsauourie by laying to the root thereof eyther Hogs-dung or Pigeons dung it may be cured and when any Apple tree is affected and razed with wormes by taking of Swines dung mixed and made soft like morter with the vrine of a man layed vnto the root it is recouered and the wormes driuen away and if there bee any rentes or stripes visible vppon trees so as they are endangered to be lost thereby they are cured by applying vnto the stripes and wounds this dung of Swine When the Apple trees are loose poure vpon their roots the stale of Swine and it shall establish and settle them and wheresoeuer there are swine kept there it is not good to keepe or lodge horses for their smell breath and voice is hatefull to all magnanimious and perfect spirited horsses And thus much in this place concerning the vse of the seuerall parts of swine whereunto I may adde our English experiments that if swine be suffered to come into Orchards and digge vp and about the roots of the Apple trees keeping the ground bare vnder them and open with their noses the benefit that will arise thereby to your increase of frute will be verie inestimable And heere to saue my selfe of a labor about our English Hogges I will describe their vsage out of Maister Tussers husbandry Tus. husb in his own words as followeth and first of al for their breeding in the spring of the yeare he writeth in generall Let Lent well kept offend not thee For March and Aprill breeders be And of September he writeth thus To gather some mast it shall stand thee vpon With seruant and children yer mast be all gone Some left among bushes shall pleasure thy Swine For feare of a mischiefe keepe Acornes fro kine For rooting of pasture ring hog ye haue neede Which being well ringled the better doth feed Though young with their elders will lightly keepe best Yet spare not to ringle both great and the rest Yoke sildome thy swine while shacke time doth last For diuers misfortunes that happen too fast Or if you do fancy whole eare of the Hogge Giue eare to ill neighbor and eare to his Dogge Keepe hog I aduise thee from meddow and Corne For out alowd crying that ere he was borne Such lawlesse so haunting both often and long If Dog set him chaunting he doth thee no wrong And againe in Octobers husbandry he writeth Though plenty of Acornes the Porkelings to fat Not taken in season may perish by that If ratling or swelling get once in the throat Thou loosest thy porkling a Crowne to a groat What euer thing fat is againe if it fall Thou venterest the thing and the fatnesse withall The fatter the better to sell or to kill But not to continue make proofe if you wil. In Nouem he writeth again Let hog once fat loose none of that When mast is gone Hogge falleth anon Still fat vp some till Shroue-tide come Now Porke and sowce beares taske in a house Thus farre of our English husbandry about swine Now followeth their diseases in particular Of the diseases of swine HEmlocke is the bane of Panthers Swine wolues and all other beasts that liue vpon deuouring of flesh for the hunters mix it with flesh and so spreading or casting the flesh so poysoned abroad in bits or morsels to be deuoured by them The root of the white Chamaelion mixed with fryed Barly-floure Water and oyle is also poison to swine Pliny Aelianus The blacke Ellebor worketh the same effect vppon horses Oxen and swine and therefore when the beasts do eat the white they forbeare the blacke with all wearisomenesse Likewise Hen-bane worketh many strange and painfull conuulsions in their bellies therefore when they perceiue that they haue eaten thereof they run to the waters gather snailes or sea-crabs by vertue whereof they escape death and are againe restored to their health The hearb Goose foot is venemous to swine and also to Bees and therefore they will neuer light vpon it or touch it The blacke night-shade is present destruction vnto them and they abstaine from Harts tongue and the great bur by some certaine instinct of nature if they be bitten by any Serpents Sea-crabs or Snailes the most present remedy that nature hath taught them The swine of Scythia by the relation of Pliny Aristotle are not hurt with any poison except Scorpions and therefore so soone as euer they are stung by a scorpion they die if they drink and thus much for the poison of swine Against the cold of which these beastes are most impatient the best remedy is to make them warm sties for if it be once taken it will cleane faster to them then any good thing and the nature of this beast is neuer to eate if once he feele himselfe sicke and therefore the diligent maister or keeper of swine must vigilantly regard the beginnings of their diseases which cannot be more euidently demonstrated then by forbearing of their meat Of the Measils The Measilles are called in Greeke Chalaza in Latine Grandines for that they are like haile-stones spred in the flesh and especialy in the leaner part of the hog and this disease as Aristotle writeth is proper to this beast for no other in the world is troubled herwith for this cause the Graecians call a Measily hog Chaluros and it maketh theyr flesh verye loose and soft The Germaines call this disease Finnen and Pfinnen the Italians Gremme the French â—ursume because the spots appeare at the root of the tongue like white seeds and therefore it is vsuall in the buying of hogges in all Nations to pull out their tongue and looke for the Measils for if there appeare but one vpon his tongue it is certaine that all the whole body is infected And yet the Butchers do all affirme that the cleanest hog of al hath three of these but they neuer hurt the swine or his flesh and the swine may be full of them and yet none appeare vpon his tongue but then his voice will be altered and not be as it was wont These abound most of all in such Hogs as haue fleshy legs and shoulders very moyst and they be not ouer plentifull they make the flesh the sweeter but if they abound it tasteth like stocke-fish or meat ouer watered If there
that is raised be a female she will all to teare and bite the Hunter with her teeth if she get him within hir clutches wherfore for the more speedy ending of the hunting it is good to raise the beast earely in the morning before he hath made water for the burning of his bladder doth quickly make him weary But if the boare haue either made water before or got liberty and rest in the chase to ease himselfe then will his taking be very difficulte and tedious such is the nature of this couragious beast that he neuer ceaseth running till he bee weary and being wearied desembleth the same by sitting vpon his buttocks and offereth combat to his Hunter and yet he is not wont to strike a man vntill he be wounded first by him When the Boare is first raised out of the Wood he snuffeth in the winde lifting vp his Nose to smell what is with him and what is against him The hunting speare must be very sharp and broad branching forth into certain forkes or hornes so as by no meanes the Boare shall breake through them vppon the Hunter and when he bendeth the same before the beast hee must stand with one leg before another like a wrestler holding his left hand vpon the middle of the speare to direct the same and the right hand behind to thrust it forward with violence hauing his eye intent vpon the beast and if it be a boare to wound him in the middle of his forehead betwixt his eye-lids or else vppon the shoulder for in both those places the wound is deadly but if hee chance to hit him on the cheeke the greatest harme that hee doth him is that he maketh him vnfit to vse his tuskes of this he must be very careful that if the boare leap vpon him he likewise must giue backe and draw out his sword and if he chaunce to bee ouerturned then to lye downe in some hollow place where the boare cannot come at him vvith his teeth Now concerning the instruction of dogs and the choyce of such hounds as are appointed for the hunting of boares you must note that euery Dog is not fit for the same but great mastiues such as are vsed for the baiting of beares For the boare first of all terrifyeth the Dog with his voice and if he bee not ready to fight but to run away then are the Hunters in worse case then at the beginning Therefore they must be sure to haue them well instructed before they giue the onset and bee likewise at hand to encourage them When they come fyrst of all to the place wherin they coniecture the boare is lodged if there be no appearance either by his footsteps or by the woundes of his teeth vpon the trees and boughes then let them let loose one of the best houndes and casting about the wood follow with the residue weather the cry goeth The Dogge presseth into the thickest bushes where commonly the boare lodgeth and when he hath found the beast he standeth still and bayeth then must the Hunter come and take vp that Dogge for the Boare will not stir very easie out of his lodging and goe and set vp his nets and toyles in all the by places whereby it is likely the beast will passe and these must he hang to some trees for postes in the earth will not suffice alwaies make king the inside of them very light that the beast may suspect no harme The nets being thus set vp let him returne againe to his dogs loosing them all and euery hunter arming himselfe with dartes and a boares speare so let the most skilfull followe the dogs close to exhort them set them on the residew followe one after another a good distance scattering themselues into sundry angles for their better safegard and end of their sport for if they should come all together the Boare might light vppon them and wound some of them for vppon whosoeuer he falleth in his rage hee hurteth them furthermore when the dogs beginne to come neere to his lodging then must they bee set on more eagerly and so hartened that they be no waies appalled at the rasing of the Boare for his manner is to make force at the formost dogge that is nearest to him so must hee bee followed in chase euen vnto the nets but if the nets stand vppon a side hill or a steepe Rocke then when he is insnared he will get out with no difficulty but if it stand vppon plaine ground the toiles will hold him till the hunters come who must presently take care to wound him with darts and speares before they meddle with him compassing him round about very warily so that he nor they hurt any of the dogges and especially they must wound him in the face or shoulders where the wounds are mortall as I haue sayd before but if it happen that the beast getteth loose when hee feeleth the blowes the hunters must not start avvay but the strongest of them to meete him vvith his speare setting his body as vve haue formerly expressed hauing an especiall eye to the beasts head which way soeuer he windeth and turneth the same for such is the nature of the Bore sometimes he snatcheth the speare out of the Hunters hands or else recoyleth the force backe againe vpon the smiter for by both these meanes the hunter is ouercome and ouerthrowne whensoeuer this happneth then is there but one meanes to saue the hunters life which is this another of his companions must come and charge the Boare making as though hee would wound him with his dart but not casting it for feare of hurting the hunter vnder his feete When the Boare seeth this he forsaketh the first man and rusheth vpon the second who must looke to defend himselfe with all dexterity composing his body and ordering his weapons according to artificiall Bore-hunting in the meane season the vanquished hunter must arise againe taking fresh hold on his speare and with all courage setting vppon the aduersarie beast to wound him either in the shoulders or in the head for it is no credit to escape with life except he kill and ouercome the Boare When hee feeleth himselfe thus wounded that hee cannot liue if it vvere not for the crosses and forkes vppon the Boare-speare hee vvould presse in vppon the vanquisher to take reuenge for his death For so great is the feruent wrath of this beast that he spareth not to kill and wound although he feel vpon him the pangs of death and what place soeuer he biteth either vpon dog or man the heate of his teeth inflicteth a dangerous inflaming wound and for this cause if he doth but touch the haire of dogs he burneth it off but if it be a female that is raised for there is as great a rage in females as in males though not so great power then must the hunter take heede he neuer fall to the ground for as the male hurteth not but when a man standeth
thought good to remember here although it be somewhat out of place Inter caesariae discrimina saeua Dianae Fixisset grauidam cum leuis hacta suem Exiliet partus misere de vulnere matris O lucinae ferox hoc peperisset fuit Anseus the father of Agapener was killed by the Calidonian Boare as we haue said already Carmon was slain by a boare in the Mountaine Tmolus There was one Attas a Syrian and another an Arcadian and both these were slaine by Boares as Plutarch writeth in the life of Sertorius It is reported of one Attes a Phrygian that as he kept his Sheepe he did continually sing songes in commendation of the mother of the Gods for which cause she loued him honored him and often appeared vnto him wherein Iupiter fell to be offended and therefore sent a Boare to kill Attes Rea after his death lamented him and caused him to be buried honorably The Phrygians in his remembrance did euery yeare in the spring time lament and bewaile him Adonis also the Lemon of Venus is fayned of the Poets to be killed by a Boare and yet Macrobius saith that it is an alegory of the sunne the Winter for Adonis signifieth the Sunne and the Boare the Winter for as the Boare is a roughe and sharpe beaste lyuing in moyst cold places couered with frost doth properly liue vpon winter fruits as Acornes so he is the fitter emblem for Winter that is a deuourer of the Sunnes heat and warmth both which fall away by death from all liuing creatures When Tuthras a King of Myssia went to hunt in the Mountaine Thrasillus he started a huge great Boare which he and his gaurd followed and hunted vnto the Temple of Diana Orthosia wherinto the Boare entered for sanctuary The poore Beast seeing the Hunters at hand cryed out with the voyce of a man Parce ô rex pecudi deae O King spare Dianayes Boare but the King being nothing at all moued therewith slew him in the Temple which wickednesse the Gods could not endure and therefore first of all she restored the Boare to life and afterwardes afflicted the King with madnesse who was therefore driuen into the Mountaines and there liued like a beast When Lysippe his mother knew heereof she went to him into the Woodes and carried Cyranius the prophet who instructed him to pacifie the Gods by a sacrifice of Oxen which when it was performed the King recouered againe his right minde and so his mother in remembrance thereof built there a Chappell to Diana and set thereupon the picture of a Boare in Gold with a mans mouth There was also a custome in ancient time for champions and their fathers brethren and kindred to sweare by a Boare cut in peeces And thus much for the naturall and morrall story of the Boare which I will conclude with those verses of Horace describing the prodigious habitation of Boares in the waters and Dolphins in the woods as if one had changed with another Delphinum syluis appingit fluctibus aprum Qui variare cupit rem prodigialiter vnam The medicines of the wilde swine There are declared a Mâ—things concerning the remedies of Goats but a larger and more ample power shal be shewn of a wild beast of the same kind Also the same regard shal be had concerning the remedies of a tame Sow and a wild Boare yea of all other tame and wilde beasts that is that the same or things like to either of them may be ended differing onely according to more or lesse because the same parts of wilde beasts liuing are lesse moist colde then those that are tame That which we repeat heere concerning the common remedies of a bore and sow tamed in some of the parts of them to wit the blood the braine the cheeke bone the lungs or lights the liuer the gall the anckle bone the hoofe the dung and vrine is not in the sow repeated before The braines of a bore taken with blood is very much commended against the bitings of serpents Againe the braines and blood of a boare doeth helpe those that feare the comming of carbuncles The lard and fat of a bore being sodden and bound fast together doth with a wonderfull celerity make firme those bones that are broken The fat of abore mingled with hony and Rozin is very much commended against the bitinges of Serpents The fat of a wild Bore mingled with the fat of the lungs or lights doth very much profit those which haue their feet broken or brused by any mischance The fat of a Bore being mixed with oile of Roses is very good for those that are troubled with blisters or pushes it being annointed thereupon The braines of a Bore is very profitable for carbuncles and the paines of a mans yard The braines of a Boare being brused very small in hony and put thereto doth wonderfully make it sound The braines of a Bore sodden drunke in Wine doth ease all the paines and greefes There are more thinges spoken concerning the remedies of the braine in the medicines of the sowe The ashes of the cheeke-bone of a Boare doeth cure those vlcers which doe encrease bigger by little and little Also the same thing doth make firme those bones that are broken The lungs or lights of a Bore mixed with hony and put vpon the feet after the manner of a mollyfieng emplaister they shall bee freed from all exulcerations Dioscorides also doth commend the lungs or lightes of Sowes lambes and Beares The liuer of a Bore being new killed and scorched by a fire and beaten to powder and so being taken in wine is an especiall remedie against the bitings of Serpents and Dogges The liuer of a Bore being olde and drunken in wine with rue it is very much commended against the bitings of serpents The Fibres of the liuer of a bore and those especially which are nearest to the enteraunce of the gall and liuer being taken in Vineger or rather wine is much profitable against the bitings of Serpents The liuer of a bore is good to reuiue those whose spirits are drousie The liuer of a bore doth much profit being stopped in the eares for those that are trobled with Apostumes or any running sores therein The liuer of a bore being new killed and drunken in wine is very effectual against the loosenesse of the belly There are certaine little stones in the liuer of a bore as there is in a common or vulgar sow or at leastwise like vnto little stones and they are also white which being sodden and taken in wine are very effectuall against the disease of the stone Thou shalt read many more thinges concerning the remedies of the liuer of a bore in the medicines of the sow The gall of a bore is very much commended for Wennes or swellings in the necke The gall of a bore being mingled with Rosin and Waxe doth cure those vlcers which do encrease bigger and bigger The gall of a bore and Lambes milke