so doe the Elephants their teeth vpon trees the sharpnesse of either yeeldeth not to any steele Aelianus Oppianus Strabo Especiall the Rhinocerot teareth and pricketh the legs of the Elephant They fight in the woods for no other cause but for the meat they liue vpon but if the Rhinocerot get not the aduantage of the Elephants belly but set vpon him in some other part of his body hee is soone put to the worst by the sharpenes of the yuory tooth which pierceth through his more then buffehard-skinne not to be pierced with any dart with great facility being set on with the strength of so able an aduersary The Tygre also feareth not an Elephant but is fiercer and stronger Eustathius for he leapeth vpon his head and teareth out his throat but the Gryphins which ouercome almost all beasts are not able to stand with the Lyons or Elephants The females are far more strong chearefull and couragious then the males and also they are apt to beare the greater burthens but in War â—he male is more gracefull and acceptable Vartomanus The conditions corage of male and female Gillius because he is taller giuing more assured ensignes of victory and fortitude for their strength is admirable as may be coniecturd by that which is formerly recited of their trunke and Vartoman affirmeth that he saw three Elephants with their onely heades driue a great ship out of the Sea-water where it was fastened vnto the shore When he is most loaded he goeth surest for he can carry a woodden Tower on his backe with thirty men therein and their sufficient foode and warlike instruments The king of India was woont to go to warre with 30000. Elephants of war and beside these he had also followed him 3000. Albertus The strength and burthen of an Eleph of the chiefest and strongest in India which at his commaund would ouethrow trees Houses Walles or any such thing standing against him and indeed vpon these were the Indians wont to fight for the defence of their coast and country The farthest region of that continent is called Partalis inhabited by the Gangarides and Calingae the king whereof was wont to haue seuen hundred Elephants to watch his Army and there was no meane prince in all India which was not Lord of many Elephants Pliny The keepers and maintainers of Elep Solinus The king of Palibotrae kept in stipend eight thousand euery day and beyond his territory was the king of Modubae and Molindae which had foure hundred Elephants These fight with men and ouerthrowe all that come within their reach both with trunkes and teeth There were certaine officers and guiders of these Elephants which were called Elephantarchae whoe were the gouernors of sixteene Elephants and they which did institute and teach them Martiall discipline were called Elephanta gogi The military Elephant did cary 4. Pollux The instruction of Elephants for war Aelianus persons on his bare backe one fighting on the right hand another fighting on the left hand a third which stood fighting backward from the Elephants head and a fourth in the middle of these holding the raines and guiding the beast to the descretion of the Souldiers euen as the pilot in a ship guideth the sterne wherein was required an equall knowledge and dexterity for they vnderstand any language quickly for when the Indian which ruled them said strike heere on the right hand or els on the left or refraine and stand stil no reasonable man could yeald readier obedience They did fasten by iron chaines first of all vpon the elephant that was to beare ten fifteene twenty or thirty men on either side two panniers of iron bound vnderneath their belly and vpon them the like panniers of wood hollow wherin they place their men at armes and couered them ouer with small boards for the trunk of the elephant was couered with a maile for defence and vpon that a broad sword and two cubits long this as also the wodden Castle or paniers aforsaid were fastened first to the necke and then to the rumpe of the elephant Being thus armed they entred the battell and they shewed vnto the beast to make them more fierce wine red liquor made of rice and white cloth for at the sight of any of these his courage and rage increaseth aboue all measure then at the sound of the Trumpet he beginneth with teeth to strike teare beate spoyle take vp into the aire cast down again stamp vpon men vnder feet ouerthrow with his trunke and make way for his riders to pierce with Speare shield and sword so that his horrible voice his wonderfull body his terrible force his admirable skill his ready and inclinable obedience and his straunge and sildome seene shape produced in a maine battell no meane accidents and ouerturnes For this cause we read how that Pyrrhus first of all produced elephants against the Romans in Lucania afterward Asdruball in Affrica Antiochus in the East and Iugurtha in Numidia Against these new kindes of Castle-fighting and Souldier-bearing-beastes on the contrary they inuented New kindes of stratagems as is before sette downe and also new instrumentes of Warre The fight against eleph for a Centuryon in Lucania with a new deuised sharp sword cutte of the trunke of this Beast againe other inuented that two armed Horsses should draw a charriot and in the same armed men with Iauelins and sharpe speares the speedy horses should withall force run vpon the Elephants and the speare-men directing their course and Weapons some vpon the beast other vpon the riders did not onely wound the beast but also by celerity of the horses escape all danger Other againe sent against him armed Souldiers hauing their Armour made full of sharpe prickes or piercing piked Nayles so that when the beast did strike at them with his trunke he receiued grieuous woundes by his owne blowes Againe there were certaine young men Souldiers armed with light armour which being mounted vppon swift Horsses could cast Darts with singular facility and without the reach of the beast many times wounding him with long speares and so by example of the Horse-men the foote-men grew more bold and with piles in the earth annoyed the belly of the Beast and vtterly vanquishing it and the rider Againe they deuised slings to cast stones wherby they beate off the riders and many times ouerthrewe the Castle bearer as it were by some violent stroke of a Cannot shot neither was there euer any more easie way to disaster these monster-seeming-Soldiers then by casting of stones and lastly they would suffer their Elephants and their riders by poore hopes and appearances of feare to enter into the middest among them and so begirte and inclose them that they tooke the Elephants aliue and also more shooters of Darts carried in Chariots with the stronge course of Horsses did so annoy them that whereas their bodies were great and vnweldy not nimble to stir out of place it became more
already are manifested to accompany a mad Dog and that more often in Summer then in winter Albertus Albert. Liber Aetius When a Foxe feeleth himselfe sicke nature hath taught him to eate the gum of Pine-trees wherewithall he is not onely cured but also receiueth length of daies They are also vexed with the falling away of their haire called therefore Alopecia because Foxes are most commonly vexed therewith and as we see in plantes that some of them drye and consume through want of moysture to feede them other are suffocated and choaked by aboundance and as it were drowned in humidity so it happeneth in haire which groweth out of the body of beastes and the heades of men no otherwise then plants out of the earth and are therefore to be nourished by humours which if they faile and waxe drye the haire also shorteneth with them and as it were rotteth away in length but if they abound and ouerflowe then do they loosen the rootes of the haire and cause them to fall off totally This disease is called Alopecia and the other Ophiasis because it is not generall but only particular in one member or part of the body or head there it windeth or indenteth like a Serpents figure Mychaell Ferus affirmeth that sometime the liuer of the Foxe inflameth and then it is not cured but by the vlcerous blood flowing to the skin and that euill blood causeth the Alopecia or falling away of the haire for which cause as is already said a Foxes skin is little worth that is taken in the summer time The length of the life of a Foxe is not certainely knowen yet as Stumpsius and others affirme The length of their life it is longer then the life of a Dog If the vrine of a Foxe fall vpon the grasse or other Herbs it drieth and killeth them and the earth remaineth barren euer afterward The sauour of a Foxe is more strong then of any other vulgar beast he stincketh at Nose and taile Varinus for which cause Martiall calleth it Olidam Vulpem an Olent or smelling beast Hic olidam clamosus ages in retia vulpem Touching the hunting or taking of Foxes I approue the opinion of Xenophon who auoucheth The hunting and taking of Foxes leporum capturam venatico studia quam vulpium digniorem that is the Hunting of the Hare is a more noble game or pastime then the hunting of the Foxe This beast is more fearefull of a Dogge then a Hare for the onely barking of Dogges causeth him to rise many times from his denne or lodgings out of the earth or from the middle of bushes Aelianus briars and brambles wherein he hid himselfe and for his hunting this is to be obserued Oppianus that as in hunting of a Hart it hath beene already related the Hunter must driue the beast with the winde because it hindereth his refrigeration so in hunting of a Foxe he driue him againe the winde and then he preuenteth all his crafty and subtill agitations and diuises for it stayeth his speede in running and also keepeth his sauour fresh alway in the Nose of the Dogs that follow him Dellisarius for the Dogges that kill a Fox must be swifte stronge and quicke sented and it is not good to put on a few at once but a good company together for be assured the Foxe will not loose his owne blood till hee hazzard some of his enemies and with his taile which he windeth euery way doth hee delude the hunters when the Dogs are pressed neere vnto him and are ready to bite him Textâ—r he striketh his taile betwixt his Legs and with his owne vrine wetteth the same and so instantly striketh it into the dogs mouths whereof when they haue tasted so many of them as it touched will commonly leaue off and follow no farther Their teeth are exceeding sharp and therefore they feare not to assault or contend with beasts exceeding their stature strength and quantity Somtime he leapeth vp into a tree and there standeth to be seene and bayed at by the Dogs and Hunters Oppianus like as a Champion in some fort or Castle and although fire be cast at him yet will he not discend down among the dogs yea he endureth to be beaten and pierced with Hunters speares but at length being compelled to forsake his holde and giue ouer to his enemies downe he leapeth falling vpon the crew of barking Dogs like a flash of lightning and where he layeth hold there he neuer looseth teeth or aswageth wrath til other dogs haue torne his limbs and driuen breath out of his body If at any time he take the earth then with Terriour dogges they ferret him out of his den againe In some places they take vpon them to take him with nets which sildome proueth because with his teeth he teareth them in pieces yet by Calentius this deuise is allowed in this verse Et laqueo Vulpes decipe casse foïnas But this must be wrought vnder the earth in the caues dennes or furrowes made of pur-which is to be performed two manner of waies one by placing the gin in some perch of Wood so as that assoone as the beast is taken by the Necke it may presently fly vp and hang him for otherwise with his teeth hee will sheare it asunder and escape away aliue or else that neere the place where the rope is fastened to slippe vppon the heade of the Foxe there bee placed some thicke collor or brace so as hee can neuer bite it asunder The French haue a kind of Ginne to take them by the Legges which they call Hausepied and I haue heard of some which haue found the Foxes Legge in the same Gin A noble instance of a Foxes coragâ— bitten off with his owne teeth from his body rather putting himselfe to that torment with his owne teeth then to expect the mercy of the Hunter and so went away vppon three feet and other haue counterfeited themselues dead restraining their breath and winking not stirring any member when they saw the Hunter come to take them out of the Ginne The subtlery of a Fox take in a snare who comming and taking his Legge forth not suspecting any life in them so soone as the Foxe perceiueth himselfe free away hee went and neuer gaue thankes for his deliuerance for this cause Blondus saith truely that onely wise and olde Hunters are fit to take Foxes for they haue so many deuises to beguile men and deliuer themselus that it is hard to know when he is safely taken vntill he be throughly dead They also vse to set vp Ginnes for them bayted with Chickens in Busnes and Hedges but if the setter be not at hand so soone as the Foxe is insnared it is daungerous but that the beast will deliuer it selfe In some places againe they set vp an iron toyle hauing in it a ring for the foxe to thrust in his head and through that sharpe pikes at
christians offering sacrifice to nothing but their bellies The church forsaketh them the spirit accurseth them the ciuell world abhorreth them the Lord condemneth them the diuill expecteth them and the fire of hell it selfe is prepared for them and all such deuourers of Gods good creatures to helpe c. To helpe their disgestion for although the Hiena and Gulon and some other monsters are subiect to this gluttonie yet are ther many creatures more in the world who although they be beastes and lacke reason yet can they not by any famine stripes or prouocations be drawne to exceede their naturall appetites or measure in eating or drinking There are of these beastes two kindes The kinds of Gulons distinguished by coulour one blacke and the other like a Wolfe they seldome kill a man or any liue beastes but feede vpon carrion and dead carkasses as is before saide yet sometimes when they are hungry they prey vpon beastes as horses and such like and then they subtlely ascend vp into a tree and when they see a beast vnder the same they leape downe vpon him and destroy him A Beare is afraid to meete them and vnable to match them by reason of their sharpe teeth This beast is tamed and nourished in the courts of Princes for no other cause then for an example of incredible voracitie When he hath filled his belly if he can find no trees growing so neare together as by sliding betwixte them hee may expell his excrements then taketh he an Alder-tree and with his forefeete rendeth the same asunder and passeth through the middest of it for the cause aforesaid When they are wilde men kill them with bowes and guns for no other cause than for their skins which are pretious and profitable for they are white spotted changeably interlined like diuers flowers for which cause the greatest princes and richest nobles vse them in garments in the Winter time The skinnes of Gulons such are the kinges of Polonia Sweue-land Goatland and the princes of Germany neither is there any skinne which will sooner take a colour or more constantly retaine it The outward appearance of the saide skinne is like to adamaskt garment and besides this outward part there is no other memorable thing woorthy obseruation in this rauenous beast and therefore in Germany it is called a foure-footed Vulture OF THE GORGON or strange Lybian Beast AMong the manifold and diuers sorts of Beasts which are bred in Affricke it is thought that the Gorgon is brought foorth in that countrey It is a feareful and terrible beast to behold it hath high and thicke eie-lids The country and description eies not very great but much like an Oxes or Bugils but all fiery-bloudy which neyther looke directly forwarde nor yet vpwards but continuallye downe to the earth and therefore are called in Greeke Catobleponta From the crowne of their head downe to their nose they haue a long hanging mane which maketh them to look fearefully It eateth deaâ—ly and poysonfull hearbs and if at any time he see a Bull or other creature whereof he is afraid he presently causeth his mane to stand vpright and being so lifted vp opening his lips and gaping wide sendeth forth of his throat a certaine sharpe and horrible breath which infecteth and poysoneth the air aboue his head so that all liuing creatures which draw in the breath of that aire are greeuously afflicted thereby loosing both voyce and sight they fall into leathall and deadly convulsions It is bred in Hesperia and Lybia The Poets haue a fiction that the Gorgones were the Daughters of Medusa and Phorcynis Aelianus and are called Steingo and by Hesiodus Stheno and Euryale inhabiting the Gorgadian Ilands in the Aethiopick Ocean ouer against the gardens of Hesperia Medusa is said to haue the haires of his head to be liuing Serpentes against whom Perseus fought and cut off his hed for which cause he was placed in heauen on the North side of the Zodiacke aboue the Waggon and on the left hand holding the Gorgons head The truth is that there were certain Amozonian women in Affricke diuers from the Scithians against whom Perseus made Warre and the captaine of those women was called Medusa whom Perseus ouerthrew and cut off her head and from thence came the Poets fiction discribing it with Snakes growing out of it as is aforesaid These Gorgons are bred in that countrey and haue such haire about their heads as not onely exceedeth all other beastes but also poysoneth when he standeth vpright Pliny calleth this beast Catablepon because it continually looketh downeward and saith that all the parts of it are but smal excepting the head which is very heauy and exceedeth the proportion of his body which is neuer lifted vp but all liuing creatures die that see his eies By which there ariseth a question whether the poison which he sendeth foorth proceede from his breath or from his eyes Wherupon it is more probable that like the Cockatrice he killeth by seeing then by the breath of his mouth which is not competible to any other beasts in the world Besides when the Souldiors of Marias followed Iugurtha they sawe one of these Gorgons and supposing it was some sheepe bending the head continually to the earth and mouing slowly they set vpon him with their swordes whereat the Beast disdaining suddenly discouered his eies setting his haire vpright at the sight whereof the Souldiors fel downe dead Marius hearing thereof sent other souldiers to kill the beaste but they likewise died as the former At last the inhabitauntes of the countrey tolde the Captaine the poyson of this beasts nature and that if he were not killed vpon a sodaine with the onely sight of his eies he sent death into his hunters then did the Captaine lay an ambush of souldiers for him who slew him so dainely with their speares and brought him to the Emperour whereupon Marius sent his skinne to Rome which was hung vp in the Temple of Hercules wherein the people were feasted after the triumphes by which it is apparant that they kill with their eies and not with their breath So that the fable of Seruius which reporteth that in the furthest place of Atlas these Gorgons are bredde and that they haue but one eie a peece is not to be belieued excepte he meane as elsewhere he confesseth that there were certaine maides which were sisters called Gorgons and were so beautyfull that all young men were amazed to beholde them Whereupon it was saide that they were turned into stones meaning that their loue bereft them of their witte and sence They were called the daughters of Cetus and three of them were made Nimphes which were called Pephredo Enyo and the third Dinon so called a Geraldus saith because they were olde women so soone as they were borne whereunto was assigned one eie and one tooth But to omit these fables it is certaine that sharpe poisoned sightes are called Gorgon Blepen and therefore we will
Mantuan Est in eis Pietas Crocodili astutia Hyaenae And the female is far more subtill then the male and therefore more seldome taken for they are afraid of their own company It was constantly affirmed that among eleuen Hyaenes there was found but one female it hath beene beleeued in ancient time that there is in this beast a magicall or enchanting power for they write that about what creature soeuer he goeth round three times it shall stand stone-still and not be able to mooue out of the place and if Dogs do but come within the compasse of their shaddow and touch it they presently loose their voice and that this she dooth most naturally in the ful moone Aelianus philes for although the swiftnesse or other opportunity of the Dogges helpeth them to fly away from her yet if she can but cast her shadow vpon them she easily obtaineth her prey She can also counterfeit a mans voice vomit cough and whistle by which meanes in the night time she commeth to houses or foldes where Dogs are lodged and so making as though she vomited or else whistling draweth the Dogs out of doors to her and deuoureth them Solinus Aelianus Likewise her nature is if she find a man or a Dog on sleepe she considereth whether shee or he haue the greater body if she then she falleth on him and either with her weight or some secret worke of nature by stretching her body vpon him killeth him or maketh him sencelesse whereby without resistance she eateth off his hands but if she find her body to be shorter or lesser then his then she taketh her heeles and flyeth away If a man meet with this beast he must not set vpon it on the right hand but on the lefte for it hath bin often seene that when in hast it did run by the Hunter on the right hand he presently fel off from his horse sencelesse and therefore they that secure themselues from this beast must be carefull to receiue him on the left side that so hee may with more facility be taken especially saith Pliny if the cords wherein he is to be ensnared be fastned with seuen knots Aelianus reporteth of them that one of these comming to a man asleep in a sheep-coat by laying her left hand or forefoote to his mouth made or cast him into a dead-sleep and afterward digged about him such a hole like a graue as shee couered all his body ouer with the earth except his throat and head whereupon she sat vntill she suffocated and stifled him yet Philes attributeth this to her right foote The like is attributed to a Sea-calfe and the fish Hyaena and therefore the old Magicians by reason of this exanimating property did not a little glory in these beasts as if they had beene taught by them to exercise diabolicall and praestigious incantations wherby they depriued men of sence motion and reason They are great enemies to men and for this cause Solinus reporteth of them that by secret accustoming themselues to houses or yardes where Carpenters or such mechanicks worke they learne to call their names and so will come being an hungred and call one of them with a distinct and articulate voyce whereby he causeth the man many times to forsake his worke and goe to see the person calling him but the subtill Hyaena goeth farther off and so by calling allureth him from helpe of company Textor and afterward when she seeth time deuoureth him and for this cause hir proper Epithite is Aemula vocis Voyce counter-fayter Aelinaus Their enmitie with other beasts Orus There is also great hatred betwixt a Pardall and this beast for if after death their skins be mingled together the haire falleth off from the Pardals skinne but not from the Hyaenaes and therfore when the Egyptians describe a superiour man ouercome by an inferiour they picture these two skinnes and so greatly are they afraide of Hyaenaes that they runne from all beasts creatures and places whereon any part of their skinne is fastened And Aelianus saith that the Ibis bird which liueth vpon serpents is killed by the gall of an Hyaena He that will go safely through the mountaines or places of this beasts aboade Rasis Albertus say The naturall vse of their skinnes Palladius Rasis Plutarch that hee must carry in his hand a roote of Coloquintida It is also beleeued that if a man compasse his ground about with the skinne of a Crocodile an Hyaena or a sea-Calfe and hang it vp in the gates or gaps thereof the fruites enclosed shall not be molested with haile or lightning And for this cause Mariners were wont to couer the tops of their sailes with the skinnes of this beast or of the Sea-calfe and Horus sayth that a man clothed with this skinne may passe without feare or daunger through the middest of his enemies for which occasion the Egyptians doe picture the skin of an Hyaena to signifie fearelesse audacitie Neither haue the Magitians any reason to ascribe this to any praestigious enchauntment seeing that a figge tree also is neuer oppressed with haile nor lightning And the true cause thereof is assigned by the Philosophers to be the bitternesse of it for the influence of the heauens hath no destructiue operation vppon bitter but vppon sweete things Coelius and there is nothing sweete in a figge tree but onely the fruite Also Collumella writeth that if a man put three bushels of seede graine into the skinne of this beast and afterward sowe the same without all controuersie it will arise with much encrease Gentian worne in an Hyaenaes skin seuen daies in steede of an amulet is very soueraigne against the biting of mad dogges And likewise if a man hold the tongue of an Hyaena in his hand there is no dogge that dareth to seize vpon him The skinne of the forehead or the bloud of this beast resisteth all kind of witchcraft and incantation Likewise Pliny writeth that the haires layed to womens lips maketh them amorous And so great is the vanitie of the Magicians that they are not ashamed to affirme that by the tooth of the vpper iaw of this beast on the right side bound vnto a mans arme or any part thereof he shall neuer be molested with dart or arrow Likewise they say that by the genital of this beast and the article of the backe-bone which is called Atlantios with the skinne cleauing vnto it preserued in a house keepeth the family in continuall concord and aboue al other if a man carry about him the smallest and extreame gut of his intrailes he shal not onely be deliuerd from the Tyrany of the higher powers Actuarius Zoroastres but also foreknow the successe and euent of his petitions and sutes in Law If his left foot and nailes be bound vp together in a Linnen bagge and so fastned vnto the right arme of a man he shal neuer forget whatsoeuer he hath heard or knoweth And if he cut
as long as he would A third Hystory of a Vnicornes horne I heare that in the former yeare which was from the yeare of our Lord 1553. when Vercella was ouerthrown by the French there was broght from that treasure vnto the King of France a very great Vnicorns horne the price wherof was valued at fourscore thousand Duckets Paulus Poaeius describeth an Vnicorne in this manner Another description of the Vnicorn That he is a beast in shape much like a young Horse of a dusty colour with a maned necke a hayry beard and a forehead armed with a horne of the quantity of two cubits being seperated with pale tops or spires which is reported by the smoothnes and yuorie whitenesse thereof to haue the wonderfull power of dissoluing and speedy expelling of all venome or poison whatsoeuer For his horne being put into the water driueth away the poison that hee may drinke without harme if any venomous beast shall drinke therein before him This cannot be taken from the Beast being aliue forasmuch as he canot possible be taken by any deceit yet it is vsually seene that the horne is found in the desarts as it happeneth in Harts who cast off their olde horne thorough the inconueniences of old age which they leaue vnto the Hunters Nature renewing an other vnto them The horne of this beast being put vpon the Table of Kinges and set amongst their iunkets and bankets doeth bewray the venome if there be any suche therein by a certaine sweat which commeth ouer it Concerning these hornes there were two seene which were two cubits in length of the thicknesse of a mans Arme the first at Venice which the Senate afterwards sent for a gift vnto Solyman the Turkish Emperor the other being almost of the same quantity and placed in a Syluer piller with a shorte or cutted paint which Clement the Pope or Bishop of Rome being come vnto Marssels broght vnto Frācis the King for an excellent gift Furthermore concerning the vertue of such a gifte I will not speake more of this beast then that which diuulged fame doeth perswade the beleeuers Petrus Bellonius writeth that he knewe the tooth of some certaine Beast in time past sold for the horne of a Vnicorne Of adulterated Vnicorns horns what beast may be signified by this speech I know not neither any of the French men which do liue amongst vs and so a smal peece of the same being adulterated sold sometimes for 300. Duckets But if the horne shal be true and not counterfait it doth notwithstanding seeme to be of that creature which the Auncientes called by the name of an Vnicorne especially Aelianus who only ascribeth to the same this wonderfull force against poyson and most grieuous diseases for he maketh not this horne white as ours doth seeme but outwardly red inwardly white and in the middest or secrettest part only blacke But it cannot bee denied that this our Vnicornes horne was taken from some liuing wilde Beast For their are found in Europe to the number of twenty of these hornes pure and so many broken two of the which are showne in the treasury of Saint Markes church at Venice I heard that the other was of late sent vnto the Emperor of the Turkes for a gift by the Venetians both of them about the length of six cubits the one part which is lowest being thicker and the other thinner that which is thicker exceedeth not the thicknesse of three inches iust which is also attributed vnto the horne of the Indian Asse but the other notes of the same are wanting I doe also know that which the King of England possesseth to be wreathed inspires euen as that is accounted in the Church of S. Dennis then which they suppose none greater in the world and I neuer saw any thing in any creatures more worthy praise then this horn The substance is made by nature not Art wherin al the marks are found which the true horne requireth And forsomuch as it is somewhat hollowe about the measure of a foot which goeth out of the head the bone growing from the same is comprehended I coniecture that it neuer falleth as neither the hornes of a Muskcat a wilde Goat and an Ibex do but the hornes of these beasts do yearely fall off namely the Bucke the Hart Field-goat and Camelopardall It is of so great a length that the tallest man can scarsely touch the top thereof for it doth fully equall seuen great feet It weigheth thirteen pounds with their assize being only weighed by the gesse of the hande it seemeth much heauier The figure doth plainely signifie a wax candle being folded a wreathed within it selfe beeing farre more thicker from one part and making it selfe by little and little lesse towards the point the thickest part thereof cannot be shut within ones hand it is the compasse of fiue fingers by the circumference if it bee measured with a thred it is three fingers and a span That part which is next vnto the heade hath no sharpenesse the other are of a polished smoothnes The splents of the spire are smooth and not deep being for the most part like vnto the wreathing turnings of Snailes or the reuolutions or windings of Wood-bine about any wood But they proceed from the right hande toward the left from the beginning of the horne euen vnto the very ende The colour is not altogether white being a long time somewhat obscured But by the weight it is an easie thinge to coniecture that this beast which can beare so great burden in his head in the quantity of his body can bee little lesse then a great Oxe There are found oftentimes in Polonia certaine hornes which some men gesse to be of the Vnicorns by a doubble Argument First because they are found seuerall Of the Vnicornes horns found in Polonia neuer by twaines which as yet is heard although sometimes they may be found with the scull and bones of the rest of the body furthermore because their strength or vertue is approued against great and most grieuous diseases concerning which thing Antonius Schnebergerus a Phisitian of great learning amongst the Sarmatians and an excellent obseruer of nature writ vnto me some fiue yeare past to see some of these hornes hauing sent them by the labour of my very good friend Ioachinnus Rhaeticus a most excellent phisitian in Sarmatia and incomparable in the mathematick Artes in this age The first of these hornes saith hee I sawe being of the length of my fadome with a duskishe or darkish colour the point there of being exceeding sharpe and smooth The compasse about the root of the horne did exceed six spans The outside was plaine with no turnings of spires the substance easie to be crummed the figure crooked the colour exceeding white within which if it be drunk in wine doth draw ouer it selfe a dark colour Eight such diuisions were ioyned to the same as you shall see in the greater part which I send
into these countryes their partes and coulor They differ in appearance from all other Apes hauing a long beard and a large taile hairye at the ende being in India all white Albertus which the Indians hunt with darts and being tamed they are so apte to playe Erasmus that a man woulde think they were created for no other purpose whereuppon the Graecians vse in prouerbe an ape hauinge a beard for a ridiculous and foolish iesting man Of the Prasyan Apes While he was in the ship bounde with chaines other of the company hauing beene on land to forrage brought out of the Marishes a Bore which Bore was shewed to the Munkey at the first sight either of other set vppe their bristles The hatred of these apes the raging Munkey leapeth vpon the Bore and windeth his tayle round about the Bore with the one arme which he had left caught him and helde him so fast by the throte that he stifled him There is another kind of Munkey for stature bignesse and shape like a man for by his knees secret parts and face you would iudge him a wilde man such as inhabit Numidia His loue and the Lapones for he is altogither ouergrowne with haire no creature except a man can stand so long as he he loueth women and children dearly like other of his own kind and is so venereous that he will attempt to rauish women whose Image is in the former Page described as it was taken foorth of the booke of the description of the holy Land Of the Cynocephale or Baboun CYnocephales are a kind of Apes whose heads are like Dogges and their other part like a mans wherefore Gaza translateth them Canicipites to wit Dog-heads In the French German and Illyrian tongues they are called of some Babion and Babuino in Italian is a small kinde of Ape Aristotle Pliny but Aristotle saith that a Cynocephale is bigger then an Ape Description In English they are called Babouns There are many kinds of Baboons whereof some are much giuen to fishing Arrianus so that they will tarry a whole day in the deepe hunting for fish and at length come foorth with a great multitude Againe there are some which abhorre fishes as Orus saith which kind Prester Iohn ad Rom. pontif the Egiptians Emblematically vse to paint when they wil decipher a Sacrifice Some there are which are able to write and naturally to discerne Letters The industry of Babouns which kind the old Egyptian Priests bring into their Temples and at their first entrance the Priest bringeth him a writing Table a pensil and inke that so by seeing him write he may make try all whether he be of the right kind and the beast quickly sheweth his skill wherefore in auncient time they were dedicated to Mercury the fained god of learning Orus a secret in their nature The reason why the Egyptians doe nourish them among their hallowed thinges is that by them they may know the time of the coniuction betwixt the Sunne and Moone because the nature of this Beast is to haue a kind of feeling of that coniunction for after that these two signs meet the male Baboun neither will looke vp or eat but cast his eies to the ground as it were lamenting the rauishment of the Moone with disdainefull passion In like maner the female who moreouer at that time sendeth foorth blood out of her wombe of conception whereupon the Aegiptians signifie by a Baboun the Moone the rising of the Moon by his standing vpright holding his hands vp toward heauen and wearing a crowne on his head because with such gestures doth that Beast congratulate her first appearance Another cause why they bring them into their Temples is because of the holynesse of circumcision Circumcision natural in Babouns for it is most true though strange that they are brought forth circumcised at the least wise in some appearance whereunto the Priestes giue great heede to accomplish and finish the work begun The Aegiptians also paint a Baboun sitting Orus to signifie the Equinoctium for in euery Equinoctium they barke or howle twelue times in one day and so many times make water Another secret wherefore the Aegyptians also vpon their Hydrologies or Conduits did graue a Baboon out of whose yard or priuy part yssued forth water and they also say that this Beast so norished among their holy things dyeth not at once like other Beasts but euery day one part by the space of 72. dayes the other partes remaining in perfection of nature which the priestes take and put in the earth day by day A Wonder till all perish and be consumed Orus The West region of Lybia and Aethiopia haue great store of Cynocephals Baboons and Acephals beasts without a head whose eies and mouth are in their breasts Herodotus The contrey of their abod and Breed Strabo In like sort in Arabia from Dira Southward in a promontorie there are many Baboons and in the continent called Dachinabades beyond Barygaza and the Easterne Mountaines of the Mediterranean region and those which Apollonius saw betwixt the riuers Ganges and Hyphasis seeme to be of this sort in that he describeth them to be blacke haird Dog-faced Arrianus and like little men wherewithall Aelianus seemeth to be deceiued in saying that there are men Cynoprosopoi Dog-faced whereas it is the error of vulgar people to thinke that babouns are men differing onely in the face or visage Concerning their members or parts in seueral they are black and hairy rough skinned Their anatomy and parts Albertus red and bright eyes along Dogges face and teeth stronger and longer then Dogges the face of a Lyon must not be attributed to this beast nor yet a Satyres though it bee more like It hath a grim and fearefull face and the female hath naturally her wombe cast out of her body and so she beareth it about all her life long their voyce is a shrill whizing for they cannot speak yet they vnderstand the Indian language Their voyce Aelianus vnder their beard they haue a chin growing like a Serpents and bearding about the lips like a Dragon their hands are armed with most stronge nailes and sharpe they are very swift of foot and hard to be taken wherefore they wil run to the waters when they are hunted being not ignorant that among waters they are most hardly taken they are very fierce and actiue in leaping biting deep and eagerly where they lay hold neither do they euer growe so tame but that they remaine furious also They loue and nourish sheepe and Goates and drinke their milk they know how to take the kernels out of Almonds Their loue and food Walnuts and Nuts as well as men finding the meat within though the shel be vnprofitable they will also drinke wine and eat flesh sod rosted or deliciously dressed Their actiuity in swimming and they will eat Venison which
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
secret but beares forefeet are held for a verie delicate and vvell tasted foode full of svveetnes and much vsed by the German Princes The skinnes of Beares are vsed in the farre Northerne regions for garmentes in the Winter time which they make so artificially The skinnes couering themselues with them from the crowne of the head to the feete that as Munster affirmed some men deceiued with that appearaunce deemed the people of Lapponia to be hairy all ouer The souldiors of the Moores weare garments made of Lyons pardals and beares skinnes and sleepe vppon them and so is it reported of Herodotus Megarensis the Musitian who in the day time wore a Lyons skin and in the night lay in a Beares skin The constitution of the body of a Beare is beyond measure Phlegmatique because he fasteth in the Winter time so long without meate His voyce is fierce and fearefull in his rage but in the night time mournefull being giuen much to rauening If a Beare doe eat of Mandragoras hee presently dieth except he meete with Emmets by licking of whome he recouereth so likewise if he be sicke of a surfet A Beare is much subiect to blindnesse of the eyes and for that cause they desire the hiues of Bees not onely for the hony but by the stinging of the bees their eies are cured It hath not bene seene that a female Beare was taken great with young which commeth to passe by reason that they goe to their Dennes so soone as they are conceiued and come not out thence till they haue littered And because of the fiercenesse of this beast they are seldome taken aliue except they be very young Taking of Beares so that some are killed in the Mountaines by poyson the Country being so steepe and rocky that hunters cannot followe them some taken in ditches of the earth and other ginnes Oppianus relateth that neare Tygris and Armenia the inhabitauntes vse this Stratigem to take Beares The people go often to the Wooddes to finde the Denne of the Beare following a leam-hound whose nature is so soone as he windeth the beast to barke whereby his leader discouereth the prey and so draweth off the hound with the leame then come the people in great multitude and compasse him about with long nets placing certaine men at each end then tie they a long rope to one side of the net as high from the ground as the small of a Mans belly whereunto are fastned diuers plumes and feathers of vultures swannes and other resplendant coloured birdes which with the wind make a noise or hissing turning ouer and glistering on the other side of the net they build foure little houels of greene boughes wherein they lay foure men couered all ouer with greene leaues then all being prepared they sound their Trumpets and wind their horns at the noise whereof the beare ariseth and in his fearefull rage runneth too and fro as if he sawe fire the young men armed make vnto him the beare looking round about taketh the plainest way toward the rope hung full of feathers which being stirred and haled by them that holde it maketh the beare much affraid with the ratling and hissing thereof and so flying from that side halfe mad runneth into the nets where the keepers entrap him so cunningly that he seldome escapeth When a Beare is set vpon by an armed man he standeth vpright and taketh the man betwixt his forefeet but he being couered all ouer with yron plates can receiue no harm and then may easily with a sharpe knife or dagger pierce thorough the heart of the beast If a shee beare hauing young ones be hunted shee driueth her Whelpes before her vntill they be wearied and then if she be not preuented she climbeth vppon a tree carrying one of her young in her mouth and the other on her backe A Beare will not willinglie fight with a man but being hurt by a man he gnasheth his teeth and licketh his forefeete and it is reported by an Ambassador of Poland that when the Sarmatians finde a beare they incloâ—â— the whole Wood by a multitude of people standing not aboue a cubit one from another then cut they downe the outmost trees so that they raise a Wall of wood to hemme in the Beares this being effected they raise the Beare hauing certaine forkes in their hands made for that purpose and when the Beare approacheth they with those forkes fall vpon him one keeping his head another one leg other his body and so withforce muzzle him and tie his legges leading him away The Rhaetians vse this policy to take Wolues and Beares they raise vp great posts and crosse them with a long beame laded with heauy weightes vnto the which beame they fasten a corde with meat therein whereunto the beast comming and biting at the meat pulleth downe the beame vpon her owne pate The inhabitants of Heluetia hunt them with mastiffe Dogges because they should not kill their cattell left at large in the fielde in the day time They likewise shoote them with gunnes giuing a good summe of money to them that can bring them a slaine beare The Sarmatians vse to take Beares by this sleight vnder those trees wherein bees breed they plant a great many of sharpe pointed stakes putting one hard into the hole wherein the bees go in and out whereunto the Beare climbing and comming to pull it forth to the end that she may come to the hony and being angry that the stake sticketh so fast in the hole with violence plucketh it foorth with both her forefeet whereby she looseth her holde and falleth downe vpon the picked stakes whereupon she dieth if they that watch for her come not to take her off There was reported by Demetrius Ambassador at Rome from the King of Musco A History that a neighbor of his going to seek hony fell into a hollow tree vp to the brest in hony where he lay two days being not heard by any man to complain at length came a great Beare to this hony and putting in his head into the tree the poore man tooke hold thereof wherat the Beare suddenly affrighted drew the man out of that deadly daunger and so ranne away for feare of a worse creature But if there be no tree wherein Bees doe breed neere to the place where the Beare abideth then they vse to annoint some hollow place of a tree with hony whereinto Bees will enter and make hony combes and when the Beare findeth them she is killed as aforesaide In Norway they vse to saw the tree almost asunder so that when the beast climbeth it she falleth downe vpon piked stakes laid vnderneath to kill her And some make a hollow place in a tree wherein they put a great pot of Water hauing annointed it with hony Herus at the bottome whereof are fastened certaine hookes bending downeward leauing an easie passage for the beare to thrust in her head to get the honie but impossible to pull
thus vsed it looketh very white after the same manner may be vsed the fat of Lyons Leopards Panthers camels Boares and Horsses The fat kall about the gutts melted in a frying pan and annoynted vpon the genitals and brest helpeth the Dysenterie The marrow of a Bull beaten and drunke cureth the payne in the small of the belly and Rasis sayth that if it be melted at a fire and mingled with one fourth parte of Myrrhe and oyle of bayes and the handes and feete bee therewithall annoynted and rubbed morning and euening it helpeth the contractions of the Nerues and sinnewes The fat of a dormouse of a hen and the marrow of a Bull melted togither and poured warme into the eares easeth their paine very much and if the liuer of a Bull be broiled on a soft fire and put into ones mouth that hath the tooth-ache the paine wilâ— goe away so soone as euer the teeth touch it The gall of a bull is sharper then an Oxes and it is mingled with honey for a wound-plaster and in all outward remedies against poison It hath also a quality to gnaw the deadnes or corruption out of wounds and with the iuyce of leekes and the milke of Women it is applyed against the Swine pox and fistulaes but the gal alone rubbed vpon the biting of an Ape cureth that Malady Likewise the vlcers in the head both of men women and children And if the woole of a hare be burned to ashes and mingled with oyle of myrtles Buls gall and beaten alume and so warmed and annointed vppon the heade it stayeth the falling away of the haire of the head With the gall of a Bull and the white of an Egge they make an eye-salue and so annoint therewith dissolued in water foure dayes togither but it is thought to bee better with hony and balsam and instilled with sweet new wine into the eares it helpeth awaye the paines of them especially running-mattry eares with womans or Goats milke It being taken with hony into the mouth helpeth the cliftes and sores therein and taken with the water of new coloquintida and giuen to a woman in trauel causeth an easie child birth Galen was wont to giue of a buls gall the quantity of an almonde with two spoonefuls of wine called Vinuus Lynghatum to a Woman that hath her childe dead within her body which would presently cause the dead Embrion to come forth The genital of a red bull dryed to pouder and drunke of a Woman to the quantity of a golden Noble it maketh her to loath al maner of copulation but in men as the later Phisitians affirme it causeth that desire of lust to increase The dung of a bul layed too warm helpeth al hardnesse and burnt to pouder helpeth the member that is burnt The vrine or stale of buls with a little Nitre taketh away scabs and Leprosies Of another Beast called Buselaphus THere was saith D. cay a clouen footed beast brought out of the deserts of Mauritania into England of the bignesse of a hinde in forme and countenance betwixt a hinde and a cow The description of this strange beast and therefore for the resemblance it beareth of both I will call it Buselaphus or Boniceruus or Moschelaphus or a cow hart hauing a long and thinne head and eare a leane and slender Leg and Shinne so that it may seeme to bee made for chase and celerity His taile not much longer then a foote The name but the forme thereof very like a cowes and the length like a harts as if nature seemed to doubt whether it should encline to a cow or a hart his vpper parts were yellowish and smooth his neather partes blacke and rough the haire of his bodye betwixt yellow and red falling close to the skinne The seuerall parts but in his forehead standing vppe like a Starre and so also about the hornes which were blacke and at the top smooth but downward rough with Wrinkles meeting on the contrary part and on the neerer side spreading from one another twice or thrice their quantity These hornes are in length one foote a hand bredth but three hand bredthes thicke at the roote and their distance at the roote was not aboue one fingers bredth so arising to their middle and a little beyond where they differ or grow asunder three hands bredth and a halfe then yeeld they together againe a little and so with another crooke depart asunder the second time yet so as the tops of the hornes do not stand asunder aboue two hands bredth three fingers and a halfe From the crowne of the head to the Nostrils there goeth a blacke strake which is one foote two palmes and one finger long in bredth aboue the eyes where it is broadest it is seuen fingers in thicknesse one foote and three palmes it hath eight teeth and wanteth the vppermost like a cow Pausamas and yet cheweth the cud it hath two vdders vnder the belly like a heyghfer that neuer had calfe it is a gentle and pleasant beast apt to play and sport being not onely swift to runne but light and actiue to leape It will eate any thing either bread broath salted or pouldred beefe grasse or herbes and the vse heereof being aliue is for hunting and being dead the flesh is sweete and pleasant for meate OF THE OXE and COVV And Bucalus or Bos Nouellus for a little oxe Schor in Haebrew signifieth a Bull or oxe Bakar heards or a cow Thor in the Chalday hath the same signification with Schor and among the latter Writers you may find Tora a masculine and Torata a feminine for a Bull and a cow accustomed to be handled for labour The Graecians call then bous boes the Arabians bakar and it is to be noted that the holy scriptures distinguish betwixt tzon signifieng flockes of sheepe and Goates bakar for heards of cattel and Neate and Meâ—a is taken for Bugils or the greatest oxen or rather for fatted oxen for the verbe Mara signifieth to feed fat Egela is interpreted Ierem 46. for a young cow and the Persians Gosalai It is very probable that the Latin Vacca is deriued from the haebrew bakar as the Saracen word baccara so in Haebrew Para is a cow and Par a Steere and ben bakar the sonne of an oxe or calfe and wheras the Haebrews take Parim for oxen in general the chaldees translate it Tore the Arabs Bakera the Persians Nadgaeah or Madagaucha the Itallians call it bue the French beuf the Spaniard buey the Germanes Ochs and Rind the Illirians wull Of the name of a Cow The Italians call a cow Vacca at this day the Gaecians bubalis and Damalis or Damalai for a cow which neuer was couered with Bul or tamed with a yoake and Agelada The French Vache the Spaniardes Vaca the Germanes Ku or Kuhe and the cittizens of Altina ceua from which the English word cow seemeth to be deriued the Latine word is a young heighfer
great Riuer neere adioyning The Poets haue fained a certaine Monster called Minotaurus hauing in part the forme of a man and in part the forme of a Bull and they say that Pasiphae the Daughter of the sonne and wife of Minos King of creet fell in loue with a Bull Of the monster minotaurus and by the helpe of Dedalus she was included in a wooden heifer couered with a cows hide and so had copulation with the bul and so came that monster minos included in a laborinth and constraind the Athenians who had slain his son Androgeus to send euery year seauen young men and 7. maides to be giuen to that monster to feede vppon for hee woulde eate mannes flesh At last Theseus sonne of Aegeus king of Athens came into that laborinth and slewe that Minotaure and by the helpe of Ariadne escaped out of the laborinth Other relate the story in this manner that when the Cretensians woulde haue expelled Minos from his kingdome hee vowed that whatsoeuer likenesse firste appeared out of the sea for signe of victorie vnto him he vowed sacrifice it to the goddes if hee did enioy his regiment and thereuppon a goodly Bull came vnto him out of the sea wherewithall he was delighted But after hee had recouered his kingdome in quiet he kepte that Bull in his owne handes and sacrificed another and that by this Bull was the Minotaure begotten on his wife Pasiphae But the trueth is that when Minos was in daunger to loose his kingdome one Taurus a valiant Prince and Captaine came with a Nauie of good souldiours and established him in quiet Afterwarde falling in loue with Pasiphae king Minos wife he lay with her in the house of Daedalus which Daedalus wrought with the Queen to giue him his pleasure and that the Minotaure was a monster in Creete that had the face of an Oxe and the other members like a man such an one was seene in Aristotles time Although other take it for a fiction because the Romaines had it pictured in their ensignes of warre vntill Caius Marius altered it to an Eagle which remaineth to this day Alciatus yeeldeth this reason why the Romans gaue such an armes to signifie that secrecy becommeth a captain and that proud and crafty counsels do hurt the authors of them Limine quod caeco obscura caligine monstrum Depictum Romana phalaux in praelia gestat Nosque monent debere ducem secreta latere Gnosiacis clausit Daedalus in latebris Semiuiroque nitent signa superba boue Consilia authori cognita techna noâ—ent It is reported also that when Cadmus went from Delphos to Phocis an Oxe did directe him in the way and was his guide which Oxe was bought out of the heards of Pelagon hauing in both his sides a white spot it must needs be vnderstood of the moone for Cadmus flying by night hauing the moone to shine vpon him which is hyeroglyphically deciphered by the Oxe gaue him light and direction to another city It were endles to prosecute the seuerall speeches prouerbs allusions emblems playes prizes hyeroglyphicks and deuises made vpon Oxen whereby not onely men and women cities regions and people haue taken denomination from Oxen but also some of the starres in the firmament therefore I will not proceede to those deuises but onely touche the sacrifices made with Oxen and so conclude this story It cannot be denied that the prime institution of sacrifices was from by and for the ordinance of god to teach the world to woorship him in bloud for sin which coulde not be expiated but by the bloud of the onely immaculate son and lambe of god and therefore I wil but remember how corruption polluted that ordinance which was purely without idle cerimonies instituted by the euerlasting god and yet was by mans inuention made wretched horrible and damnable through abuse of the fact that otherwise by diuine constitution as appeares in holy scripture was heauenly honourable and blessed To begin therefore with the originall of that heathenish and paganish sacrifice instead of god the only true and deuine essence to whom al sacrifice and deuine worship was due and whose creatures both men oxen and all other liuing and visible things are they offered vnto all the hoasts of heauen the sun and stars the heathen gods Iupiter Mars Minerua Pandrisus and others and if the sacrifice were costly and sumptuous it was called Hecatombe Now before their sacrifice they made praiers burnd incense for odors presented Prothymes as they were termed certaine preparations and cakes made of barley and salt called Vlochytae After which the prieste turned him sometimes to the right hand and sometimes to the left and then began to take the gristle haires growing on the Oxes forehead betwixt his horns making a tast of them and casting them in the fire to begin the sacrifice Then did he giue into the hands of the people standing by little pots of wine likewise to taste for sacrifice and then hee which killed the beaste drewe his knife or axe or cleauer from the heade to the tayle of the beaste Nowe in euery sacrifice they hadde burning torches which were lawfull for none to carry but for men and not women then the priest commaunded to kill the sacrifice which sometime they did by knocking him on the head if the beast were to be sacrificed to hell and those that weere therein for they sacrificed a barren Cowe or a blacke Sheepe to those ghostes But if the sacrifice were for heauen and to the powers thereof they lifted vp his heade and cut his throate then put they vnder him their Sphagian vesselles to receiue his bloud and when the beast was falne downe they flayed off his skinne Then did the Priest or Flamen deuide the intrals that so he might mâ—â—e his augurisme the bowels being proued at the altar Hauing loked into the bowels they took out of euery gutte member and part a first fruites moulded them together in the meale of greene wheat corne then was it giuen to the Priest who put thereunto frankincense herbe mary and fire and so burned them altogether which was called a perfect hoste But if they sacrificed to the gods of the sea then did they first of all waue the bowels of the beaste in the sea flouds before it was burned The best sacrifices were fatted and white Oxen or Kine such as had neuer been vnder yoake for the beast vsed to labour was accounted vncleane they neuer offered in sacrifice one vnder thirty dayes olde nor ouer fiue yeares by the lawes of the Priests When the Spartanes ouercame their enimies by stratagem they sacrificed to Mars an oxe but when by open force they sacrificed a cocke for they esteemed more of an vnbloudy then a bloudy victory When a man sacrificed a Cowe to Minerua he was bound to sacrifice a Sheepe and an Oxe to Pandrysus When the Locrensians in a publike spectacle woulde make a sacrifice they wanted an Oxe for which
renascibus haeret Verunculum dixere mala atque incondita pestis Iam teneris elementa mali causasque recidunt But immediatly it being taken forth they rub the tongue with salt and oyle Columella teacheth that Shepheards of his time took their Dogs tailes and pulled out a certaine nerue or sinnew which commeth from the Articles of the backe bone into their tailes whereby they not onely kept the taile from growing deformed and ouerlong but also constantly beleeued Pliny that their Dogs could neuer afterward fall madde whereunto Pliny agreeth calling it a castration or gelding of the taile adding that it must be done before the dog be forty daies old Some againe say that if a Dog tast of a womans milke which she giueth by the birth of a boy he will neuer fall mad Nemesian ascribeth the cure heerof to Castoreum dried and put into milke but this is to be vnderstoode of them that are already mad whose elegant verses of the cause beginning and cure of a ruad dog I haue thoght good heere to expresse Exhalat seu terra siuus seu noxius aer Causa male seu cum gelidus non sufficit humor Torrida per venas concrescunt semina flammae Whatsoeuer it be he thus warranteth the cure Tunc virosa tibi sumes multumque domabis Castorea adtritu silicis lentescere coges Exebore huc trito puluis lectore feratur Aâ—miscensque diu facies concrescere vtrunque Mox lactis liquidos sensim superadde fluores Vt non cunctantes haustos infundere cornu Inserto possis furiasque repellere tristes Armetia a â—ing of Valentia Albertus prescribeth this forme for the cure of this euill let the Dog be put into the Water so as the hinderlegs doe onely touch the ground and his forelegs be tyed vp like hands ouer his head and then being taken againe out of the water let his haire be shaued off that he may be pieled vntill he bleede then annoynt him with oyle of Beetes and if this do not cure him within seuen daies then let him be knocked on the head or hanged out of the way When a young male Dog suffereth madnesse shut him vp with a Bitch Blondus or if a young Bitch be also oppressed shut her vp with a Dog and the one of them will cure the madnes of the other But the better part of this labor is more needeful to be emploid about the curing of men or other creatures which are bitten by dogs then in curing or preuenting that naturall infirmity Wherefore it is to be remembred that all other poysoned wounds are cured by incision and circumcising of the flesh and by drawing plaisters The cure of a maÌ„ or beâ—st bitten by a mad Dogge which extract the venom out of the flesh and comfort nature and by cupping-glasses or burning yrons as Coelius affirmeth vpon occasion of a miraculous fiction of the Temple doore key of S. Bellinus neere Rhodigium for it was belieued that if a mad man could hold that key in his hand red whot he should be deliuered from his fittes for euer There was such another charme or incantantion among the Apuleians made in forme of a prayer against all bitinges of madde Dogges and other poysons vnto an obscure Saint called Vithus which was to be saide three satterdaies in the euening nyne times together which I haue heere set downe for no other cause but to shewe their extreame folly A foolish charme and prayer to vithus Alme vithe pellicane Littusque polygnanicum Irasque canum mitigas Rictusque canis luridos Oram qui tenes Apulam Qui morsus rabidos leuas Tu sancte rabiem asperam Tu saeuam prohibbe luem I procul hinc rabies procul hinc furor omnis abesto But to com to the cure of such as haue bin bitten by mad dogs First I will set down some compound medicins to be outwardly aplyed to the body secondly some simple or vncompounded medicines In the third place such compounded and vncompounded potions as are to be taken inwardly agaist this poyson Discorideâ— For the outward compound remedies a plaister made of Opponax and pitch is much commended which Menippus vsed taking a pound of Pitch of Brutias and foure ounces of Opponax as Aetius and Actuarius doe prescribe adding withall that the Opponax must be dissolued in vineger and afterward the Pitch and that vineger must be boyled together and when the vineger is consumed then put in the Opponax and of both together make like taynters of splints and thurst them into the wound so let them remaine many dayes together and in the meane time drinke an antidot of sea-crabs and vineger for vineger is alway pretious in this confection Other vse Basilica Onyons Rue Salt ruste of Iron white bread seedes of horehound and triacle but the other plaister is most forcible to be applyed outwardly aboue al medicines in the world For the simple or vncompounded medicines to be taken against this sore are many As Goose-grease Garlike the roote of Wilde roses drunke bitter almonds leaues of chickweed or pimpernell the old skinne of a snake pounded with a male-sea-crab Betony Cabbage leaues or stalkes with persneps and vineger lime and sewet poulder of Sea-crabs with Hony poulder of the shels of Sea-crabs the haires of a Dog layed vpon the wound the head of the Dog which did bite mixed with a little Euphorbium the haire of a man with vineger dung of Goates with Wine Walnuts with Hony and salte poulder of figtree in a scarcloath Fitches in wine Euphorbium warme horse-dung raw beanes chewed in the mouth figtree leaues greene figs with vineger fennel stalkes Gentiana dung of pullen the Lyuer of a Buck-goate young Swallowes burned to poulder also their dung to vrine of a man an Hyaenas skin flower-deluce with hony a Sea hearb called Kakille Silphum with salt the flesh and shels of snayles leeke seeds with salt mints the taile of a field-mouse cut off from her aliue and she â—uffered to liue rootes of Burres with salt of the Sea plantine the tongue of a Ramme with salt the flesh of al Sea-fishes the fat of a sea-calfe and veruine beside many other superstitious amulets which are vsed to be bound to the Armes neckes and brests as the Canine tooth bound vp in a leafe and tyed to the Arme. A Worme bred in the dung of Dogges hanged about the necke the roote of Gentian in an Hyaenaes skin or young Wolfes skin and such like whereof I know no reason beside the opinion of men The inward compound potions or remedies against the bitings of Dogs may be such as these Take Sea-crabs and burne them with twigs of white vines and saue their ashes then put to them the poulder of Gentian roote well clensed and small beaten and as oft as neede requireth take two spoonefuls of the first and one of the second and put them into a Cup of pure and vnmixed wine and so drink it for
kniues and also the best combs and Salomon as appeareth 3. Reg. 10 had a throne of yuory couered all ouer with gold for the costs and charge wherof he could not expend lesse then thirty thousand talents The greatnes of these appeareth by their vse for Polybius reporteth by the relation of Galussa a Noble-man and a great traueller in Affrica that with them they made posts for houses 〈◊〉 Cenalis and racks to lay their cattels meat vpon and likewise folds to enclose them Apelles made an inke of Iuory which was called Elephantes inke and he painted therewith It hath bin affirmed by Aelianus some writers following Pliny that these teeth are Horns and that Elephants are hornd beasts which errour rose vpon the occasion of these words of Pliny Plinâ—us Whâ—ther Elephants haue hornes Elephantos arietes candore tantum cornibus assinulatis in Santonum littore reciprocaos destituit Oceanus where Aelianus finding a resemblance betwixt Rams and Elephants in their white hornes was contented to apply that name to them both which appertaineth onely to one for Pliny himselfe Lib. 18. sheweth his meaning by another like speech of the whetting their hornes vpon trees and Rhinocerotes vpon stones for except he had named hornes in the first place it might haue beene questioned whether Rhinocerotes had any hornes but rather teeth in the second place But whatsoeuer were the wordes or opinion of Pliny it is most certaine that after Herodotus and other auncient writers it is safer to call these teeth then hornes and I will breefely set downe the reasons of Philostratus that will haue them to be teeth and afterward of Grapaldus Aelianus and Pausanias that would make them horns and so leaue the reader to consider whether opinion he thinketh most agreeable to truth First that they are not hornes it is alledged that hornes fall off and grow euery yeare againe especially of Harts and grow forth of their heads but teeth which are called Fannae or Gang-teeth standing out of the mouth fal off together are giuen for weapon and defence to beasts and such are an Elephants Againe a horne hath a certaine line or circle neere the roote which is couered euery yeare but this commeth vp like a stony substance without all circle or couer and therfore it cannot be a horn Moreouer those creatures are said to haue hornes that haue clouen hooues this hath no clouen hoofe but onely fiue distinct fingers vpon a foot Lastly all horned beasts haue an empty hollownes in their hornes except Harts but this is sound and full thoroughout except a little passage in the middle like a hole into a tooth and thus say they which will haue them called teeth Now on the contrary those which will haue them Hornes make these argumentes First as the Elks haue their hornes grow out of their eye-lids the Rhinocerotes or Ethyopian Buls out of their nose so as it is not vnnaturall for the Elephant to haue his hornes grow out of his mouth Againe hornes fall off and come againe in old beasts but teeth do not so and therefore these are hornes and not teeth the power of fire cannot alter teeth but these teeth breake if you go about to change their proportion or figure but hornes of Oxen and Elephants may be stretched bended altered straightned and applied to what fashion so euer you will Againe teeth grow out of the gummes and cheeke-bone as it is apparant but hornes growe out of the scull and Temples and so do the Elephants as by obseruation euery man may discern Lastly as nature hath giuen another shape and greater proportion of body to Elephants then to any other beasts so also it is not vnreasonable that it vary in the placing of his horns for they grow downeward and the very mole and quantity of his body is sufficient to arme him against the feare of death Thus they argument for the horns of Elephants The Poets haue a prety resemblance of dreames comparing true dreames to hornes and false dreames to Iuory because falshoode is euer more burnished then naked and ragged trueth And besides the eie of man is translucent and containeth in it a horny substance and by the eie we alway receiue the best assurance but by the mouth signified by teeth are many falshoods vented and for that hornes turne vpwarde to heauen the fountaine of trueth but the teeth of an Elephant growe downward towardes the earth the mother of error And for this cause Aeneas by Virgil and Homer is said to come in at the horny gate of Somnus and to go forth at the Iuory Virgils verses are these Sunt geminae Somni portae quarum altera fertur Altera candenti praefecta nitens Elephanto His vbi dum natum Anchises vnaque Sibillam Cornea Qua veris facilis datur exitus vmbris Sed falsa ad coelum mittunt in somnia manes Poesequitur dictis portaque emittit eburna And here we will leaue and prosecute no further this discourse of their hornes and teeth but proceede to the other outward parts of this beast The toung is very small though broad his truncke called Proboscis and Promuscis Aelianus is a large hollow thing hanging from his nose like skinne to the groundward Aristotle and when he feedeth it lyeth open like the skin vpon the bill of a Turkey-cock to draw in both his meate and drinke vsing it for a hand and therefore improperly it is called a hand For by it he receiueth of his keeper whatsoeuer he giueth him with it he ouerthroweth trees and where soeuer he swimmeth through it he draweth breath It is crooked gristly and inflexible at the roote nexte to the nose within it hath two passages one into the heade and bodie by which he breatheth and the other into his mouth whereby he receiueth his meate Gillius and herein is the woorke of God most woonderfull not onely in giuing vnto it such a diuerse proportion and anatomie but also giuing him reason to knowe this benifite of it that so long as he is in the water and holdeth vp that trunck he can not perish With this hee fighteth in warre and is able to take vp a small piece of money from the earth with it he hath beene seene to pull downe the toppe of a tree Vartomannus which twenty foure men with a rope could not make to bend With it he driueth away his hunters when he is chased for he can drawe vp therein a great quantity of water and shoote it forth againe to the amazement and the ouerthrow of them that persecute him The Moores say that he hath twoe heartes one where withall he is incensed and another whereby hee is pacified But the trueth is as Aristotle in the dissection of the hearte obserued there is a double ventrickle and bone in the heart of an Elephant He hath a Liuer without any apparant gall but that side of the liuer being cut whereon the gall shoulde
young and in sending of the lesser foremost not onely for the reason aforesaid but also because they being hunted and prosecuted it is requisite that the greatest and strongest come in the reare and hindmost part for the safeguarde of the weaker against the fury of their persecutors being better able to fight then the formost whom in natural loue and pollicy they set farthest from the danger Mutius which had beene thrice Consull affirmeth that he saw Elephants brought on shore at Puteoli in Italy they were caused to goe out of the ship backeward all along the bridge that was made for them Tha bringing of Elephants out of ships A secret if true that so the sight of the Sea might terrifie them and cause them more willingly to come on land and that they might not be terrified with the length of the bridge from the continent Pliny and Solinus affirme that they will not goe on shipboord vntill their keeper by some intelligible signe of oath make promise vnto them of their returne backe againe They sometime as hath beene said fight one against another and when the weaker is ouercome Aristotle Of their fighting he is so much abased and cast downe in minde that euer after he feareth the voyce of the conqueror They are neuer so fierce violent or wilde but the sight of a Ramme tameth and dismayeth them for they feare his hornes for which cause the Egiptians picture an Elephant and a Ramme to signifie a foolish king that runneth away for a fearefull sight in the field Gillius Aelianus Coelius Zoroastres Their fear of Rams swine and other beasts Volateranus And not onely a Ramme but also the gruntling clamour or cry of Hogs by which meanes the Romanes ouerthrew the Carthaginians and Pirrhus which trusted ouermuch to their Elephants When Antipater besieged the Megarians very straitly with many Elephants the Citizens tooke certaine Swine and anointed them with pitch then set them on fire and turned them out among the Elephants who crying horribly by reason of the fire on their bodies so distemperd the Elephants that all the wit of the Macedonians could not restraine them from madnesse fury and flying vpon their owne company onely because of the cry of the Swine And to take away that feare from Elephants they bring vp with them when they are tamed young Pigges and Swine euer since that time When Elephants are chased in hunting if the Lions see them they runne from them like Hindecalfes from the Dogges of Hunters and yet Iphicrates sayeth that among the Hesperian or westerne Aethiopians Lions set vpon the young Calues of Elephants and wound them but at the sight of the mothers which come with speede to them when they heare them cry the Lions runne away and when the mothers finde their young ones imbrued in their owne bloud they themselues are so inraged that they kill them and so retire from them The cruelty of the female to their wouÌ„ded Calues Solinâ—s Stat. Sebâ—si after which time the Lions returne and eate their flesh They will not indure the sauour of a Mouse but refuse the meat which they haue run ouer in the riuer Ganges of India there are blew Wormes of sixty cubits long hauing two armes these when the Elephants come to drinke in that riuer take their trunks in their handes and pull them off There are Dragons among the Aethiopians which are thirty yards or paces long these haue no name among the inhabitants but Elephant-killers And among the Indians also there is an inbred and natiue hatefull hostility betwixte Dragons and Elephants Aelianus for which cause the Dragons being not ignorant that the Elephants feed vpon the fruites and leaues of green trees doe secretly conuay them selues into them or to the toppes of rockes couering their hinder part with leaues and letting his head and fore part hang downe like a rope on a suddaine when the Elephant commeth to crop the top of the tree she leapeth into his face and diggeth out his eies and because that reuenge of malice is to little to satisfie a Serpent she twineth her gable-like-body about the throat of the amazed Elephant and so strangleth him to death Againe they marke the footsteps of the Elephant when he goeth to feed and so with their tailes net in and intangle his legs and feet when the Elephant perceiueth and feeleth them he putteth downe his trunke to remoue and vnty their knots and ginnes then one of them thrusteth his poisoned stinging-head into his Nostrils and so stop vp his breath the other prick and gore his tender-belly-parts Some againe meet him and flye vpon his eies and pull them foorth so that at the last he must yeeld to their rage and fall downe vpon them killing them in his death by his fall whom he could not resist or ouercome being aliue and this must be vnderstood that forsomuch as Elephants go togither by flockes and heards the subtill Dragons let the foremost passe and set vpon the hindmost that so they may not be oppressed with multitude Also it is reported that the blood of an Elephant is the coldest blood in the world and that Dragons in the scorching heate of Summer cannot get any thing to coole them except this blood for which cause they hide themselus in riuers and brooks whether the Elephants come to drinke and when he putteth downe his trunke they take hold thereof and instantly in great numbers leape vp vnto his eare which is naked bare and without defence where out they sucke the blood of the Elephant vntill he fall downe dead and so they perish both together Of this blood commeth that ancient Cinnabaris Of Cinnabaris or the best red colour made by commixture of the blood of Elephants and Draggons both together which alone is able and nothing but it to make the best representation of blood in painting Some haue corrupted it with Goats-blood and call it Milton and Mimum and Monochroma it hath a most rare and singuler vertue against all poysons beside the vnmatcheable property aforesaid These Serpents or Dragons are bred in Taprobona in whose heads are many pretious stones with such naturall seales or figuratiue impressions as if they were framed by the hande of man for Podisippus and Tzetzes affirme that they haue seen one of them taken out of a Dragons head hauing vpon it the liuely and artificial stampe of a Chariot The fight of Elephants Pliny Elephants are enimies to wilde Bulles and the Rhinocerots for in the games of Pompey when an Elephant and a Rhinoceros were brought together the Rhinoceros ranne instantly and whet his horne vppon a stone and so prepared himselfe to fight striking most of all at the belly of the Elephant because he knewe that it was the tenderest and most penetrable part of the body The Rhinoceros was as long as the Elephant but the legges thereof were much shorter and as the Rhinocerotes sharpen their hornes vppon the stones
the farther end whereof is placed a piece of flesh so that when the hungry foxe commeth to bite at the meate and thrusteth in his head the pikes sticke fast in his necke and he ineuitably insnared Moreouer as the harmefulnesse of this beast hath troubled many so also they haue deuised moe engins to deceiue and take him for this cause there is another pollicy to kill him by a bowe full bent with a sharpe arrow and so tenderly placed as is a trap for a Mouse and assoone as euer the foxe treadeth thereon presently the arrow is discharged into his owne bowels by the waight of his foote Againe for the killing of this beast they vse this sleight they take of Bacon-grease or Bacon as much as ones hand and rost the same a little and therewith annoint their shoesoles and then take the Liuer of a Hogge cut in pieces and as they come out of the wood where the beast lodgeth they must scatter the said pieces in their foote-steps and drawe the carcasse of a dead Cat after them the sauour whereof will prouoke the beast to follow the foot-steps then haue they a cunning Archer or handler of a Gunne who obserueth and watcheth in secret till the Beast come within his reach and so giueth him his great deadly wound But if the Fox be in the earth and they haue found his denne then they take this course to worke him out They take a long thing like a Bee-hiue and open at one end and yron wiers at the other like a grate and at the open end is set a little doore to fall downe vppon the mouth and to inclose the Fox when he entereth in by touching of a small rod that supporteth that doore This frame is set to the Foxes dens mouth and all the other passages watched and stopped The Fox hauing a desire to go forth seeing light by the wiers misdeemeth no harme and entereth into the hiue which is wrought close into the mouth of his den and being entered into it the rodde turneth the dore fast at the lower end or entraunce and so the fox is intrapped to be disposed of at the will of the taker The beast â—s 〈◊〉 â—miesf 〈◊〉 Foxes are annoied with many enemies and to beginne with the least the small flies and called gnats do much trouble and infect them against whome the foxe vseth this policie He taketh a mouthful of straw or soft hay or haire and so goeth into the water dipping his hinder parts by litle and litle then the flies betake themselues to his heade which he keepeth out of water which the fox feeling dippeth or diueth also the same vnder water to his mouth Albertus wherein he holdeth the hay as aforesaid whereunto the flies runneth for sanctuary or dry refuge which the fox perceiuing suddenly casteth it out of his mouth and runneth out of the water by this meanes easing himselfe of al those enemies In like manner as al beasts are his enemies and hee friend and louing to none so with strength courage and policie he dealeth with euery one not onely against the beastes of the land but also against the monsters of the sea When he findeth a neast of waspes in the earth or in other places as in Trees he laieth his taile to the hole and so gathereth into it a great many of them which he presently dasheth against the Wall or Tree or stones adioyning and so destroyeth them and thus he continueth vntill he haue killed them al and so maketh himselfe execute to their heapes of hony Gillius His manner is when he perceiueth or seeth a flocke of foule to flye in the aire to rowle himselfe in red earth making his skin to looke bloody and lie vpon his backe winking with his eie and holding in his breath as if he were dead which thing the birds namely Crows Rauens and such like obseruing because of the hatred of his person they for ioy alight triumph at his ouerthrow and this the fox indureth for a good season till oportunity seruing his turne and some of the fowle come neare his snowt then suddenly hee catcheth some one of them in his mouth feeding vpon him like a liuing and not a dead foxe and so doth deuoure and eate him as the Leopard doth deuoure and eate Apes and the Sea-frog other little fishes In like sort he deceiueth the Hedgehogge for when the hedghog perceiueth the foxe comming to him he rowleth himselfe togither like a foote-ball and so nothing appeareth outward exeept his prickles which the fox cannot indure to take into his mouth and then the crafty fox to compasse his desire licketh gently the face and snowt of the Hedgehogge by that meanes bringing him to vnfold himselfe againe and to stand vpon his legs which being done he instantly deuoureth or else poisoneth the beast with the vrine that he rendereth vpon the Hedgehogges face and at other times hee goeth to the waters and with his taile draweth fishes to the brimme of the Riuer and when that he obserueth a good booty hee casteth the Fishes cleane out of the water vppon the dry lande and then devoureth them All kinds of Hawkes are enemies to foxes and foxes to them because they liue vppon Carrion and so in the prouince of Vla. Auicen saw a fox and a Crow fight together a longe season and the Crow with his talentes so bee gripling the foxes mouth that he coulde not barke and in the meane time she beat and picked his head with her bill vntil he bled againe The Eagles fight with foxes and kil them and Olaus Magnus affirmeth that in the Northern Regions they lay Egges and hatch their young in those skinnes which they themselus haue stripped off from foxes and other beasts The Kites Vultures and wolues are enemies to foxes because they are al flesh-deuouring-creaturs but the fox which hath so many enemies by strength or subtilties ouer commeth al Whereupon Persius calleth a subtill man a Foxe saying Astutam vapido seruas sub pectore vulpem The medicinall vses of this beast are these first as Pliny and Marcellus affirme a Fox sod in water till nothing of the Foxe be left whole except the bones The medicines arising out of Foxes and the Legges or other parts of a gouty body washed and daily bathed therein it shall driue away all paine and griefe strengthning the defectiue and weake members so also it cureth all the shrinking vp and paines in the sinnewes and Galen attributeth the same vertue to an Hyaena sod in Oyle and the lame person bathed therein for it hath such power to euacuate and draw forth whatsoeuer euill humour aboundeth in the body of man Sextus that it leaueth nothing hurtfull behinde Neuerthelesse such bodies are soone againe replenished through euill dyet and relapsed into the same disease againe The Fox may be boyled in fresh or salt water with annise and time and with his skin on whole and not slit or
deliuer our mother from your thraldome and in sted of her take vs hir vnhappy children bend your hard harts feare the lawes of God which forbiddeth innocents to be punished and consider what reuerence you owe to the olde age of a mother therefore againe we pray you let our liues satisfie you for our dammes liberty But poor creaturs when they see that nothing can moue the vnexerable mind of the hunters they resolue to dye with her whom they cannot deliuer and thereupon of their owne accord giue themselues into the handes of the Hunters and so are led away with their mother Concerning the Libyan goates before spoken off which liue in the tops of Mountaines they are taken by nets or snares or else killed by Darts and arrowes or some other art of Hunting But if at any time they discend downe into the plaine fieldes they are no lesse troubled then if they were in the waues of some great water And therefore any man of a slow pace may there taken them without any great difficulty The greatest benefit that ariseth from them is their skinne and their hornes with their skinnes they are clothed in Winter time against tempests Frostes and Snowe and it is a common weede for Shepherds and Carpenters The hornes serue them in steed of buckets to draw Water out of the running streames wherewithall they quench their thirst for they may drinke out of them as out of cups They are so great that no man is able to drinke them off at one draught and when cunning artifficers haue the handling of them they make them to receiue three times as much more The selfe same things are Wryten of the Wilde Goates of Egypt who are said neuer to be hurt by Scorpions There is a great Citty in Egypt called Coptus who were wont to be much addicted to the worship of Isis and in that place there are great aboundance of Scorpions which with their stings and poyson do oftentimes giue mortall and deadly woundes to the people whilest they mourne about the Chappell for they worship that Goddesse with funeral lamentation against the stinging of these Scorpions the Egyptians haue inuented a thousand deuises whereof this was the principall At the time of their assembly they turne in wild fem goats naked among the Scorpions lying on the ground by whose presence they are deliuered and escape free from the woundes of the Serpents whereupon the Coptites doe religiously consecrate these female Goats to deuinity thinking that their Idoll Isis did wholy loue them and therfore they sacrificed the males but neuer the females It is reported by Plutarch that wilde Goates doe aboue other meate loue meale and figges wherefore in Armenia there are certaine black Fishes which are poyson with the pouder or meale of these fishes they couer these figges and cast them abroad where the Goates do haunt and assoone as the beasts haue tasted them they presently die Now to the wilde Goat before pictured called in Latine Rupi Capra and Capricornus and in Greek a Gargos and Aigastros and of Homer Ixalon of the Germanes Gemmes or Gemmuss the Rhetians which speake Italian call it Camuza the Spaniards Capramontes the Polonians Dzykakoza the Bohemians Korytanski Kozlik that is to say a Carinthian Goate because that part of the Alpes called Carinthia is neere bordering vpon Bohemia Bellanius writeth Albertus that the French cal him Chambris and in their ancient tongue Ysard this is not very great of bodye but hath crooked hornes which bend backeward to his back whereupon he staieth himselfe when he falleth from the slippery Rockes or Mountaines Plinyus These hornes are not fit to fight they are so small and weake and therefore nature hath bestowed them vpon them for the cause aforesaid Of all other Goats this is the least it hath red eies but a quâ—cke eie-sight his hornes are blacke being nine or ten fingers longe and compassed about with diuers circles but at the top none at all which is sharp and crooked like a hooke They arise at the roote Paralelwise that is by equall distance one from another being hollow the bredth of ones Thumbe the residue solide like the Harts The Males in this kinde differ not from the Females neither in horne colour or proportion of body they are in bignesse like the common Goate but somewhat hier Their colour is betwixt brown and red In the Summer time they are red and in the winter time they are browne There hath beene seene of them which were white and blacke in distinct colour one from another and the reason heere of is because they chaunge colour many times in the year There are some of them altogether white but these are seldome found they inhabit for the most part the Rockes or Mountaines but not the tops like the Ibeâ—ks neither doe they leape so far as the foresaid goats They come down somtime to the roots of the Alpes and there they licke sand from the rockes like as the village tame goates to procure them an appetite The Heluetians call these places in their naturall tongue Fultzen that is Salares about these places do the Hunters hide themselues and secretly with guns bowes or other such instrumentes they suddendly shoote and kill them When they are hunted they step vp to the steepest rocks and most inaccessible for Dogges by that meanes prouiding their own safty buâ— if the hunters presse after them and clime vpon the rocks with hands and feet they leape from thence from stone to stone making their waie to the tops of the Mountaines so long as euer they are able to goe or climbe and then they hange by the Hornes of their heade as if they were ready to fall which caused Martiall to write thus Pendentem summa Capream de rupe videbis Casuram speres decipit illa Canes Where the Poet attributeth that to the Roe which belongeth to the wilde goat and there they hange many times till they perish because they cannot loose themselues againe or else they are shotte with guns or fall downe headlong or else are driuen off by the hunters From the day of Saint Iames they vse themselues to the coldest partes of the Mountains because they vnderstand winter is approaching making custome to be their shield against cold weather there haue bene some of these made tame so that they haue discended downe to the flocks of tame Goats whome they do not auoide like the Ibex From these wilde goats hath that same herbe called Doronicum and of the Grecians Doronieu giuen a name among the Germaines Geniesseh Worts that is wilde-goats-herb being excellent to cure the Collick and therefore highly esteemed among the Arabians Graecians and Mauritanians It is hot and dry in the second degree and the countrey people in Heluetia do giue it against dizines in the head because these wilde goats oftentimes feed vpon the same and yet are neuer troubled with that infirmity although they runne round about the mountaines There are hunters
this rule first seperate them from their dams twentyfoure houres togither in the next morning let them be admitted to sucke their belly full and then remoued to be neuer more suckled atv. moneths old begin to teach them to eat bread or hay and at a yeare old giue them barly and bran and at two yeares old weane them vtterly Of handling taming or breaking of Horsses THey which are appointed to breake horsses are called by the Graecians Eporedicae Hipodami and Hipocomi the Latins Equisones Arulatores and Cociones in Italian Io Cozone Absyrtus is of opinion that foales are to be vsed to hand and to be begun to be tamed at eighteene moneths old not to be backed but onely tied by the heade in a halter to a racke or maunger so that it may not be terrified for any extraordinary noise for which cause they vse them to brakes but the best time is at three yeares old as Crescetiensis teacheth in many chapters wherefore when they begin to be handled let him touch the rough partes of his bodie as the mane and other places wherein the horsse taketh delight to be handled neither let him bee ouer seaueare and Tyrannous and seeke to ouercome the beast by stripes but as Cicero saith by faire meanes or by hunger and famine Some haue vsed to handle them sucking and to hange vp in their presence bits and bridles that so by the sight and hearing the gingling thereof in their eares they might grow more familiar And when they came to hand to lay vpon their backes a litle boy flat on his belly and afterward to make him sit vpon him formally holding him by the head and this they do at three yeare old but commit him to no labor vntill he be foure yeare old yet domesticall and small horsses for ordinarie vse are tamed at two yeare olde and the best time for the effecting heereof is in the moneth of March. It is also good in riding of a young horsse to light often and to get vp againe then let him bring him home and vse him to the stable the bottome whereof is good to be paued with round stones or else planks of oake strewing litter vpon it when he lieth down that so he may lie soft and stand hard It is also good to be regarded that the plankes bee so laid as the vrine may continually run off from them hauing a little close ditch to receiue it that so the horsses feet may not be hurt thereby and a good maister of horsses must oftentimes go into his stable that so he may obserue the vsage of this beast The manger also ought to be kept continually cleane for the receiuing of his prouender that so no filth or noisome thing be mingled therewith there ought also to be partitions in it that so euery beast may eat his owne allowance for greedy horsses do not onely speedily rauen vp their owne meat but also rob their fellowes Others againe haue such weake stomackes that they are offended with the breath of their fellowes and will not eate except they eat alone The racke also is to be placed according to their stature that so their throat may not be too much extended by reaching high nor their eyes or head troubled because it is placed too low There ought also to be much light in the stable least the beast accustomed to darkenesse be offended at the Sunne light and winke ouer much being not able to indure the beams when he is led abroad but yet the stable must be warme and not hot for althogh heat do preseru fatnes yet it bringeth indisgestion and hurteth a horsses nature therefore in the Winter time the stable must be so ordered as the beast may not be offended or fall into diseases by ouermuch heat or suddaine cold Vegetius In the Summer time let them lodge both night and day in the open aire This also in stabling of your horsses must be auoided namely the sties of Swine for the stinke the breath the gruntling of hogs is abhominable for horsses and nature hath framed no simpathie or concorde betwixte the noble and couragious spirite of a horsse and the beastlie sluggish condition of a Swine Remoue also far awaie from your horsses stables all kind of fowle which were woont to haunt those places to gather vp the remnant-graines of their prouender leauing behind them their little fethers which if the horsse licke vp in his meat sticke in his throat or else their excrements which procureth the loosenes of his bellie It must also be regarded that the stable must be kept neat sweet and cleane Camerarius so as in absence of the horsse it may notly like a place for swine The instruments also and implements thereof such as are the horsse cloathes the curri-combes the mane-combes saddles and bridles be disposed and hung vp in order behind the horsse so as it maie neither trouble him eating or lieng nor yet giue him occasion to gnaw eat and deuour them to their owne damage or hurt for such is the nature of some wanton horsses to pul assunder and destroie whatsoeuer they can reach They are therefore oftentimes to be exercised and backed and principally to bee kept in a good diet for want of food deiecteth the spirit of the noblest horsse and also maketh the meane horsse to be of no vse but on the contrary a good diet doth not onelie make a meane horsse to be seruicable but also continue the worth and value of the best which thing Poets considered when they fained that Arion the horsse of Neptune and some others were made by Ceres the Goddesse of corne which any meane witted man may intetpret to signifie that by abundance of prouender the nature of horsses was so farre aduanced aboue ordinary that like the sonnes of the Gods they perform incredible things whether therefore they eat chaffe or hay or grasse or graine according to the diuersities of countries let it be wholesome cleane fresh and sweet without dust grauel mustines or euill smell In the morning giue them barley or prouender a little at a time in distinct or seueral portions twice or thrice one after another so as he may chew and eke disgest it thoroghly otherwise if he rauen it in as he wil do hauing much at a time he rendreth it in his dung whole and not disgested About three houres after he hath eaten his prouender giue him a little of hay and three houres after that his dinners allowance of graine as in the morning and afterwards about two or three a clock hay againe and then some drink last of all giue him his allowance of prouender for Supper with a bottle or two of hay which ought to be more plentiful than the former seruings yet these rules are not to be vnderstood as though they might not be altered for the times prefixed may be preuented if ocasion require Their best prouender is oats and barley yet barly ingendreth the
thinner and better blood and therefore it is to be preferred only the measure of the prouender is lefte to the discretion of the horsse-keeper and there is no meate more wholsome for a horsse than barly and chaffe because it wil make him ful of life and also able to indure labor yet not ouer fat In England in many placeâ— they giue their horsses bread made of Fitches beans and pease When one is to make a iourney on horsse-back let him not giue his horse to much prouinder the noone before but somewhat the more hay and bread steeped in wine and also let him serue him sooner at night than ordinary that so the beast may take the more rest There be which refuse to giue horsses wet prouender or steeped bread because they conceiue that it will breed in them loathsomnesse of meat but the truth is a reasonable horsse-keeper preuenteth that mischeefe and besides the meat of a horsse is altogither so drie that the beast himselfe is indangered to be sicke of that disease and therefore it is as safe to giue him moistened foode sometimes as well as to giue him bread mingled with salt Camerarius When a horsse is weary or sweateth let him not drinke nor eat prouender but after he is walked a litle while giue him hay first of al couering him with a large cloath and remember that hay is not to be cast before a horsse as it is out of the reeke but first of all it must be pulled and shaken betwixt the handes for the auoiding of dust and other filth Restrain the horsse as much as you may from eating the litter vnder his feet for euen the best meat so defiled is vnholsome It is also good sometimes to suffer him to picke vp his meat on the ground betwixt his forelegs that will make his necke to grow thinner leanner and more comely Let his necke be fast bound in the stable with a Letherne collar and bind with a manicle his fore-legge to the hinder leg on the contrary side and so shal his legs be preserued in more health because they cannot mooue out of their place but with difficulty Concerning the drinke of horsses something more is to be added in this place and namely brackysh and troubled water such as runneth softly as in great pondes is fittest for horsse because that water being hot and thicke nourisheth better but the swift Water is colder Râ—sâ—ius and therefore more vnholsome but yet in hot times as in Summer the sweet and clearer water is more conuenient if custome bee not against it And because a horsse except he drinke freely can neuer be fat let his mouth oftentimes be washed within with salt and wine and that will make him eat and drinke more liberally and yet the running water is more wholsome for horsses because whatsoeuer is moueably fluent is lesse subiect to poyson then that which standeth still but if a horsse sweat or be weary it is not safe to let him drinke any thing except he first stale for in such cases followeth distention And it is better to turne or lead forth your horsse to water then to bring it vnto them And if at any time necessity cause this to be done then let the Water be very cleare and fresh His stable or lodging ought to be ordered as neither it offend him by cold in winter nor yet thorough heat in Summer for both these extremeties are pernicious and therfore when the weather is extreame colde then must the horsses backe and belly be couered with a cloath and when on the contrary it exceedeth in heat then must his litter be taken away Also in heate he must bee couered with linnen to auiode flies and in cold with woollen to helpe nature likewise it is good toward night to picke cleanse and open his hooues with some artificiall instrument and to thrust into the hollow cow-dung or in defect thereof horse-dung with a little strawe that so he may not shake it out againe but this is not good to be done euerie daye but rather euery second day and it is good to mingle therewith sewet or greace or els a new laide Egge with warme â—shes In auncient time they vsed not to shoo their horsses with yron vntill the daies of Catullus who remembreth this custome saying Ferream vt soleam tenaci in voragine mula So that it seemeth that this deuise was first of al inuented for mules These horsse-shooes ought to be round like his feet and not heauy least the horsses nimblenes be thereby hindered great care must be had in nailing or seting theÌ„ on least the tender and fleshy part of the foot be thereby pierced Pollux Another charge of a horsse-keeper is to keepe his horsses lippes soft tender and gentle so as he may more sencibly feele his bit and for this cause let him often rub them with his hands and warme Water and if neede require with oyle also and in handling of a horsse this must be obserued for a generall rule that neither he come to the horsse right before his face nor behind his taile because both these are dangerous to the rider least by his heeles or mouth hee harme him but on his side he may safely set vpon him or handle his horsse and when he leadeth him he must likewise goe on his side Likewise good and painefull dressing of a horsse is no small meanes to retaine him in in sound and perfect health and therfore he must often be touched with the curry-comb and afterward with a handfull of strawe so as the hand may follow the stroke to lay the haire smooth and their fashion was in old time to brush ouer their horsses with a little tone linnen instrument made like a sword whereby they excusse all dust from the beast and heerein it is wisedome to beginne at the head and mane and so to descende to other parts and to touch the horsses backe gently he may wash the head and mane because it being so bony it is daungerous least the combe offend and greeue the beast except it be layed on very tenderly but it is not good to wash the legges because daily washing softneth the hoofe by sliding downe of the Water and therefore it is sufficient onely to stroke them downe with his hands The neather part also of the belly is not to be kept ouer clean for the more it is clensed with water the more is the horsse pained therein Camerarius when a horsse is dressed it is good to bring him out of the stable that so in the open ayre hee may be tyed in a longer halter and seeme to be at liberty whereby he shall be brought to more cleannesse and tractable gentlenesse standing vppon some smooth stones till all the dust and loofe haires both by the combe and brush be driuen away and in the meane time the stable be emptied and this is to be performed before the horsses watering You must also
Cornipedes arcentur equi quod litore currum Et iuuenem Monstris pauidi effudere marinis The Poets also do attribute vnto the night blacke horsses and vnto the day white Homer saith that the names of the day-horsses are Lampus Phaethon to the moon they ascribe two horsses one blacke and another white the reason of these inuentions for the day and the night is to signifie their speedy course or reuolution by the swiftnes of horsses and of the darkenes of the night by the blacke horsses and the light of the day by the white and the Moone which for the most part is hidde and couered with earth Textor both encreasing and decreasing they had the same reason to signifie her shadowed part by a black horse and her bright part by a white one The like fixtion they had of Hâ—câ—te whom Ausonias calleth Tergemina because shee is described with the heade of a Horsse Heltodorus a Dogge and a wilde Man the horsse on the right hand the Dogge on the left hand and the wilde man in the middle whereby they declared how vulgar illiterate and vnciuilized men do participate in their conditions the labors and enuy of brute beasts We may also read in the Annales of Tacitus that in his time there was a Temple raised to Equestriall fortune that is for the honor of them which managed horsses to their owne profit and the good of their countrey and that Fuluius the Praetor in Spaine because he obtained a victory against the Celtiberians by the valiant diligence of his horssemen was the first that builded that temple Likewise there was another temple in Baeotis for the same cause dedicated vnto Hercules Coelius The auncient Pagans call the Godde of Horsses Hâ—ppona as the Godde of Oxen Bâ—bona It is also apparant that many Nations vse to Sacrifice horsses for at Sâ—lentinuma horsse was cast aliue into the fyre and offered to Iupiter Likewise the Lâ—cedemonians sacrifyced a horse to the winds Gyraldus at Rome also they sacrificed a horse to Mars therof cam the terme of Equus October which was sacrificed euery yeare in October in Campus Martius This horsse was often taken out of a chariot which was a Conqueror in race stood on the right hand assone as he was killed som one caried his taile to a place called Regia and for his head there was a continuall combate betwixt the inhabitants of the streetes Suburra and Sâ—câ—auia which of them should possesse it for the Suburans would haue fastened it to the wal of Regia and the Sacrauiens to the Tower Mamillia The reason why they sacrifyced a horse some haue coniecturd because the Romans were the off spring of the Troyans and they being deceiued by a horsse their posterity made that Sacrifice for punishment of horsses but it is more reasonable that because they Sacrificed a conquering horsse 〈◊〉 they did it onely for the honour of Mars the god of victorie or els because they would signifie that flying awaie in battell was to be punished by the example of sacrificing of a swift horsse The Carmani did also worship Mars and because they had no horsses to vse in warre they were forced to vse Asses for which cause they Sacrificed an Asse vnto him There is another fable amongst the Poets that the Methimnaeans were commaunded by the Oracle to cast a Virgin into the Seâ— to Neptune which they performd now there was a yong man whose name was Ennallus which was in loue with the said Virgin and seeing hir in â—he Waters swum after her to saue her but both of them were couered with the waters of the Sea yet after a certaine space Ennallus returned backe again and brought newes that the virgin liued among the pharies of the Sea and that he after that he had kept Neptunes horses by the helpe of a great waue escaped awaie by swimming for the poets fain that Neptunes chariot was drawn by horsses of the sea acording to these verses of Gilius Non aliter quotiens perlabitur aequora curru Extremamque petit Phaebaea cubilia Tethyn Fraenatis neptunus equis They also faine that the Sunne is drawne with two swift white Horsses Idolatry by the pictures of Horsses from whence came that abhomination that the Kings of Iudaea had erected Horsses and Chariots in honor of the Sunne which were set at the entrance of the Temple of the Lord which Horsses were destroyed by Iosias as we reade in holy Scripture Munster And the manner of their abhomination was that when they did worship to the Sunne they roade vpon those Horsses from the entrance of the Temple to the chamber of Nethan-melech The Persians also sacrificed a Horsse to Apollo according to these verses of Ouid Placat equum Persis radij hyperiona cinctus Ne detur sceleri victima tarda deo And for this cause the Masagetes sacrificed a horsse the swiftest of all Beasts vnto the sun the swiftest of all the Gods Philostratus also recordeth that Palamedes gaue charge to the Graecians to sacrifice to the Sunne rising a white horsse The Rhodians in honor of the Sun did cast yearly away into the Sea the Chariots dedicated to the Sunne in imagination that the Sunne was carried about the World in a Chariot drawen by sixe Horsses As the Army of the Persians did proceede forward on their iournie The ceremony of the Persians going to war the fire which they did call holy and eternall was lifted vp on Siluer alters Presently after this there followed the Wise-men and after those wise-men came 165. young men being cloathed with as many red little-garments as there are daies in the year Instantly vpon the same came the holy Chariots of Iupiter which was drawne by white Horsses after which with a resplendant magnitude the Horsse of the Sun was seene to appeare for so it was called and this was the manner of their sacrifice Coelius The King of Indians also as is said when the daies began to waxe long he descended downe to the Riuer Indus and thereunto sacrificed black Horsses and Buls for the Buls in ancient time were consecrated to the riuers and horsses also were throwne therinto aliue Varrmus as the Troians did into Xanthus The Veneti which worshiped Diomedes with singuler honor did sacrifice to him a whit horsse when the Thebanes made war on the Lacedaemonians Strabo it is said that Caedasus apeared in a vision to Pelapidas one of the Thebane Captaines and told him that now the Lacedaemonians were a Laeuctra and would take vengance vpon the Thebanes and their Daughters Whereupon Pelapidas to auert that mischiefe caused a young foale to be gallantly attired and the day before they ioyned battel to be led to a Sepulcher of their virgins and ther to be killed and sacrificed The Thessalians obserued this custome at their marriges and nuptial sacrifices the man tooke a Horsse of War armed and furnished which he led into the
him out and annoint his body all ouer with Narueoile Turpentine and Deares suet mingled together on the fire and bathe his heade in the iuice of Rue and Camo mile Then giue him to drinke old Ale brewd with Sinamon Ginger Fenecreeke and long Pepper of each three ounces As for his dyet let it be warme mashes sodden wheat and hay thoroughly carded with a paire of wool cards let him be kept verie warme and ayred abroad once a daie at the least If this convulsion be not onely in one member then it is sufficient if euery daye with hard ropes of hay or straw you rub and chafe that part exceedingly and apply there to a little quantity of the oyle Pepper If the convulsion be accidentall proceeding of some hurt whereby the sinnews is wounded or prickt then shal you incontinently take vp the sinnew so wounded searching the wound with great discretion and cut it cleane insunder then shal you endeuor to heale vp the same with vnguents plaisters balms as shall be hereafter mentioned in the chapters of wounds and vlcers of what kind or nature soeuer Of the cold in the head ACcording to the cold which the horsse hath taken is new or old great or small and also according as humors do abound in his head and as such humors be thicke or thin Blundevile so is the disease more or lesse daungerous For if the horsse casteth little or no matter out of his nose nor hath no very great cough but onely heauy in his heade and perhaps lightly cougheth now and then it is a signe that he is stopped in the head which we were wont to call the pose But if his head be ful of humors congeald by some extream cold taken of long time past and that he casteth fowle filthy matter out at the nose and cougheth greeuously then it is a signe that hee hath either the Glaunders or the Strangullion mourning of the cheine or consumption of the lungs For all such diseases doe breed for the most part of the Rhueme or distillation that commeth from the head Of the cures whereof we leaue to speake vntill we come to talke of the diseases in the throat minding heere to shew you how to heale the pose or colde before mentioned Martin saith it is good to purge his head by perfuming him with Frankencence and also to prouoke him to neeze by thrasting two Goose feathers dipt in oyle de Bay vp into his nostrils and then to trot him vppe and downe halfe an houre for these feathers will make him to cast immediatly at the nose Laurentius Russius would haue him to be perfumed with Wheat Penneroyal and sage sodden well togither and put into a bag so hot as may be which bagge would be so close fastened to his head that all the sauour thereof may ascend vp into his nostrils and his head also would be couered and kept warme and to prouoke him to neeze he would haue you to bind a soft clout annointed with sope or els with Butter and oyle de Bay vnto a sticke and to thrust that vp and downe into his nostrils so high as you may conueniently goe and let him be kept warm and drink no cold water Yea it shal be good for three or foure daies to boile in his water a little Fenegreek wheate meale and a few Annis seeds And euerie daie after that you haue purged his head by perfuming him or by making him to neeze cause him to be trotted vp and downe either in the warme Sunne or els in the house halfe an hour which would be done before you water him and giue him his prouender Of the cold in the head THe pose or cold in a horsse is the most generall disease that hapneth and is the easiest perceiued both by stopping ratling in the nose and coughing Markham the cure thereof is in this sort If it be but newly taken by some carelesse regard and immediately perceiued you shal need no other remedy but to keepe him warme euery Morning and Euening after his water to ride him forth and to trot him vp and downe very fast till his cold break and then gently to gallop him a little which moderate exercise with warme keeping will quickly recouer him againe but if the cold hath had long residence in him and still encreaseth then you shall giue him this drinke three daies togither Take of strong Ale one quart of the best Treakle six penniworth of long Pepper and graines of each as much beaten to powder of the iuice of Garlicke two spoonefuls boile all these togither and giue it the horsse to drinke so warme as he may suffer it and then trotte him vp and downe by the space of an houre or more and keepe him warme giuing him to drinke no cold water Of the diseases of the eies HOrsses eies be subiect to diuers griefes as to be waterish or blood-shotten Blundevile to bee dim of sight to haue the pin and web and the haw whereof some comes of inward causes as of humors resorting to the eies and some of outward as of cold heate or stripe Of weeping or watering eies This as Laurentius Russius saith may come sometime by confluence of humors and sometime by some stripe whose cure I leaue to recite because it doeth not differ much from Martins experience heere following take of Pitch Rosen and Mastick a like quantity melt them togither Then with a little sticke hauing a clout bound to the end thereof and dipt therein annoint the Temple vaines on both sides a hand ful aboue the eies as broad as a Testern and then clap vnto it immediately a few flockes of like colour to the horsse holding them close to his head with your hand vntill they sticke fast vnto his head then let him blood on both sides if both sides be infected a handfull vnder the eies Russius also thinketh it good to wash his eies once a day with pure white wine and then to blow therein a little of Tartarum and of Pomis stone beaten into fine powder Of watering eyes WAtering eies commeth most commonly in some stripe or blowe and the cure is thus Lay vnto his Temples a plaister of Turpentine and Pitch molten together Markham then wash his eies with white Wine and afterward blow the pouder of burnt Allome into the same Of bloud-shotten eies also for a blow or itching and rubbing in the eies Martin neuer vsed any other medicine then this water heere following wherewith he did alwaies heale the foresaid griefes take of pure Rose water of Malmesie Blundevile of Fennel water of each three sponfuls of Tutia as much as you can easily take with your thumbe and finger of cloues a dozen beaten into fine powder mingle them together and being luke warme or cold if you will wash the inward part of the eie with a feather dipt therein twice a day vntill he be whole Russius saith that to bloudshotten eies it is
Warme al these thinges togither in an earthen pot and stir them continuallie with a flat stick or slice vntill they be thoroughly mingled and incorporated togither and then spreade some of this plaister being warme vpon a peece of linnen cloath or soft white leather so broad as the swelling and no more and lay it warme vnto it and so let it remaine one wholeday and then renewe it with fresh ointment continuing so to doe vntill it breake then lance the sore so that it may haue passage downeward and taint it to the bottome with a taint of flax dipt in this ointment take of Mel Rosatum of oyle oliue and turpentine of each two ounces and mingle them togither and make him a biggen of Canuas to close in the sore so as the taint with the ointment may abide within renewing the taint once a day vntill it be whole But if the horsse haue paine in his eares without any great swelling or impostumation then thrust in a litle blacke wooll dipt in oile of Camomile and that will heale it Of the Poll euill THis is a disease like a Fistula growing betwixt the eares and the poll or nape of the necke and proceedeth of euill humors gathered togither in that place or els of some blow or bruse for that is the weakest and tenderest part of all the head and therefore soonest offended which rude Carters do little consider whilst in their fury they beat their horsses vpon that place of the head with their whippestocks and therefore no horsse is more subiect to this disease then the cart horsse and this disease commeth most in winter season The signes You shall perceiue it by the swelling of the place which by continuance of time will breake it selfe rotting more inward then outward and therefore is more perilous if it be not cured in time and the sooner it be taken in hand the bâ—â—ter The cure according to Martin is thus If it be not broken ripe it with a plaister of hogges greace laid vnto it so hot as may bee and make a biggen for the Poll of his head to keepe it from colde which biggen would haue two holes open so as his eares may stande out and renew the plaister euery day once vntill it breake keeping the sore place as warme as may be And if you see that it will not breake so soone as you woulde haue it then there as it is softest and most meetest to be opened take a round hot yron as big as your little finger and sharpe at the point and two inches beneath that soft place thrust it in a good deepenesse vpwarde so as the point of the yron may come out at the ripest place to the intent that the matter may discend downeward and come out at the neather hole which would be alwaies kept open and therefore taint it with a taint of Rax dipt in hogs greace and lay a plaister of hogges greace also vpon the same renewing it euery day once the space of foure daies which is done cheefely to kill the heat of the fire Then at the foure daies end take of Turpentine halfe a pound cleane washed in nine sundry waters and after that throughly dried by thrusting out the Water with a slice on the dishes side then put thereunto two yolkes of Egges and a little saffron and mingle them well together that done search the depth of the hole with a whole quil and make a taint of a peece of spunge so long as it may reach the bottome and so bigge as it may fill the wound and annoint the taint with the aforesaide ointment and thrust it into the wound either with that quill or else by winding it vp with your finger and thumbe by litle and little vntill you haue thrust it home and then lay on the plaister of hogges greace made luke warme renuing it euery day once or twice vntil it be whole But if the swelling cease then you need not to vse the plaister but onely to taint it and as the matter decreaseth so make your taint euerie daye lesser and lesser vntill the wounde bee perfectly whole Of the Viues Blundevile THe Viues be certaine kirnels growing vnder the horsses eare proceeding of some rancke or corrupt bloode resorting to the place which within are ful of little white grains like white salt kirnels The Italians cal them Viuole which if they bee suffered to grow Laurentius Russius saith that they will greeuously paine the horsse in his throat so as he shal not be able to swallow his meat nor to breth They be easie to know for they may be felt and also seene The cure according vnto Martin is in this sort First drawe them right down in the midst with a hot yron from the root of the ear so far as the tip of the eare wil reach being puld down and vnder the root againe draw two strikes on each side like a broad arrow head then in the midst of the first line launce them with a launcet and taking hold of the kirnels with a paire of pinsons pul them so far forward as you may cut the kirnels out without hurting the vaine that done fil the hole with white salte But Hierocles would haue them to bee cured in this sort take a peece of spunge sowsed wel in strong Vineger and bind that to the sore renewing it twice a day vntil it hath rotted the kirnels that done lance the neathermost part where the matter lieth and let it out and then fill it vp with salt finely braied and the next day wash al the filth away with warm water and annoint the place with honie and fitch-flower mingled togither But beware you touch none of the kirnels with your bare finger for feare of venoming the place which is verie apt for a Fistula to breed in Another of the Viues THe Viues be certaine kirnels growing vnder the horsses eare which come of corrupt blood Markham the cure is diuersly spoke and written of but this is the best mean which I haue tried that if you finde the kernels to enflame and greeue the horsse take a handful of Sorrel and lap it in a Bur-docke leafe and roast it in the hot embers like a warden then being taken out of the fire apply it so hot as may be to the fore-part suffering it to lie thereunto the space of a day and a night and then renew it till such time that it ripen and break the sore which it wil in short space do When it is broken and the vilde matter taken away you shal heale vp the sore place with the yolk of an Egge halfe a spooneful of hony and as much wheat-flower as wil serue to make it thicke plaister-wise which being bound thereunto wil in three or foure daies heale the same Of the Cankerous Vlcer in the nose THis disease is a fretting humor eating and consuming the flesh Blundevile and making it al raw within and not being holpen in time
rust or vennome of some bit or snaffell vndiscretly lookt vnto the cure is thus Wash the sore place with strong vineger made thick with the powder of Allum two or three daies together euery time vntil it bleede which will kill the poyson and vigor of the exulcerated matter then make this water take of running water a quart of Allum foure ounces of Hony foure or fiue spoonefuls of Wood-bineleaues of Sage-leaues and of Collombine-leaues of each halfe a handful boile al these together til one halfe be consumed then take it off and euery day with the water warmed wash the sore vntil it be whole Of the heat in the mouth and lips SOmetime the heat that commeth out of the stomach breedeth no Canker but maketh the mouth hot and causeth the horse to forsake his meat The cure wherof Blundevile as Martin saith is in this sort First turne vp his vpperlip and iagge it lightly with a launcet so as it may bleede and then wash both that and al his mouth and tongue with Vineger and salt Of the tongue being hurt with the bit or otherwise IF the tongue be cut or hurt any manner of way Martin saith it is good first to wash it with Allum water and then to take the leaues of black Bramble and to chop them togither small with a little lard that done to binde it vp in a little clout making it round like a ball then hauing dipt the round end in hony rub the tongue therewith continuing so to do once a day vntil it be whole Of the Barbles or Paps vnderneath the tongue THese be two little paps called of the Italians Barbole growing naturally as I thinke in euery Horsses mouth vnderneath the tongue in the neather iawes which if they shoot of any length Russius saith that they wil hinder the Horsses feeding and therefore he and Martin also would haue them to be clipt away with a paire of sheeres and that don the Horsses mouth to be washed with vineger and salt Of the paine in the teeth and gums of the Wolfes teeth and Iaw-teeth A Horse may haue paine in his teeth partly by discent of humors from his head down into his teeth and gums which is to be perceiued by the ranknesse and swelling of the gums and partly hauing two extraordinary teeth called the wolfes teeth which be two little teeth growing in the vpper iawes next vnto the great grinding teeth which are so paineful to the Horse as he cannot endure to chaw his meat but is forced either to let it fal out of his mouth or else to keepe it stil halfe chawed whereby the Horse prospereth not but waxerh leane and poore and he wil do the like also when his vpper Iaw-teeth be so far growne as they ouerhang the neather Iaw-teeth and therewith be so sharp as in mouing his iawes they cut and race the insides of his cheeks euen as they were raced with a knife And first as touching the cure of the paine in the teeth that commeth by meanes of some distillation Vegetius saith it is good to rub al the outside of his gums with fine chalke and strong vineger mingled together or else after that you haue washed the gums with vineger to strew on them of Pomegranate piles But methinkes that besides this it were not amisse to stop the temple vains with the plaister before mentioned in the chapter of weeping and waterish eies The cure of the Wolfes teeth and of the iaw-teeth according to Martin is in this sort First cause the horsse head to be tyed vp to some rafter or post and his mouth to be opened with a cord so wide as you may easily see euery part thereof Then take a round strong iron toole half a yard long and made at the one end in al points like vnto the Carpenters gouge wherewith he maketh his holes to be bored with a wimble or augor with your left hand set the edge of your toole at the foot of the wolfs teeth on the outside of the iaw turning the hollow side of the toole downward holding your hand steadily so as the toole may not slip from the foresaid tooth then hauing a mallet in your right hand strike vpon the head of the toole one pretty blow and therwith you shal loosen the tooth and cause it to bend inward then staying the midst of your toole vpon the horses neather iaw wrinch the tooth outward with the inside or hollow side of the toole and thrust it clean out of his head Blundevile that done serue the other Wolfes tooth on the other side in like manner and fill vp the empty places with salt finely braied But if the vpper iawe-teeth do also ouerhang the neather teeth so cut the inside of his mouth as is aforesaid then keeping his mouth stil open take your toole and mallet and pare al those teeth shorter running alongst them euen from the first vnto the last turning the hollow side of your toole towards the teeth so shal not the toole cut the inside of his cheekes and the backe or round side being turned toward the foresaid checkes and that doone wash all his mouth with vineger and salt and let him go Why the diseases in the necke withers and backe be declared heere before the diseases in the throate HAuing hitherto spoken of the diseases incident to a horsses head and to al the parts thereof natural order requireth that we shold now discend into the throat as a part next adiacent to the mouth But forasmuch as the diseases in the throate haue not onely afinity with the head but also with the lungs and other inward parts which are many times grieued by meanes of distillation comming from the head and through the throat I wil speake of the diseases incident to the necke withers and backe of a Horsse to the intent that when I come to talke of such diseases as rheumes and distillations doe cause I may discourse of them orderly without interruption Of the Cricke in the necke BEcause a Cricke is no other thing but a kind of conuulsion and for that we haue spoken sufficiently bofore of al kinds thereof in the chapter of conuulsion I purpose not heere therefore to trouble you with many wordes but onely shewe you Russius opinion and also Martins experience therein The cricke then called of the Italians Scima or Luterdo according to Russius and according to Martin is when the Horsse cannot turne his neck any maner of way but hold it stil right forth insomuch as he cannot take his meate from the ground but by times and that very slowly Russius saith it commeth by meanes of some great weight laid on the horsses shoulders or else by ouermuch drying vp of the sinnewes of the necke The cure whereof according to Martin is in his sort Draw him with a hot iron from the root of the eare on both sides of the necke through the midst of the same euen down to the breast
must put into the milke or drinke being made luke warme and giue it the horse with a horne and immediately after the drinke be giuen catch hold of his tongue with your hand and hauing broken two raw Egges either vpon his foreteeth or against the staffe wherewith his head is holden vp cast those broken Egges shels and all into his throat making him to swallow downe the same that doone ride him vp and downe till he beginne to sweate then set him vp couered warme with an old couerlet and straw not suffering him to eate nor drinke for the space of two or three houres after and let his drinke for the space of two or three daies bee somewhat warme whereinto it is good to put a handfull or two of bran or ground malt and in giuing the said drinke it shall not be amisse to poure some thereof into either nostrill Of the mourning of the Chine THis word mourning of the Chine is a corrupt name borrowed of the French toong wherein it is cald Mote deschien that is to say the death of the backe Because many do hold this opinion that this disease doth consume the marrow of the backe for remedy whereof they vse strange kinds of cures For some taking it to be a rheume go about to stop it by laying a strictiue or binding charges to the nape of the necke Some againe do twine out the pith of the backe with a long wire thrust vp into the horsses head and so into his necke and backe with what reason I know not Well I know that few horsses do recouer that haue this disease Some againe thinke that the lungs of the horse be rotten and that the horse doth cast them out at his nose But Martin saith that he hath cut vp diuers horsses which haue been iudged to haue dyed of the mourning of the chine but he could find neuer either back or lungs to be perished but onely the liuer and most commonly that side of the liuer which answeareth the nostrill whereat he casteth whereof we will talke in his proper place when we come to speake of the diseases in the Liuer The Italians do call this disease Ciamorro the olde Authors do cal it the moist malady whereof Theomnestus maketh two differences For in the one the matter which he doth cast at the nose is white and doeth not smell at all and in the other that which he casteth is filthy and sticking corruption They proceed both of cold humors congealed in the head but more abounding in the one then in the other by reason perhaps that the horsse was not cured in time for of colde first commeth the Pose and the cough then the Glanders and last of all the mourning of the chine When the horse casteth matter at the nose that is not stinking he may easily be cured by such remedyes as haue beene before declared in the chapter of the Pose but if the matter be very filthy and stincking then it is very harde to cure Notwithstanding it shall not grieue me to write vnto you heere the experience of Theomnestus and of Laurentius Russius Theomnestus cure is thus Take of Water and hony called of the Physitians Hydromel a quart and put thereunto three ounces of oyle and powre that into his nostrill euerye morning the space of three daies and if that do not profit him then let him drinke euery day or once in two daies a quart of olde wine mingled with some of the medicine or rather the precious meate called of the olde writers Tetraphramacum and that will restore him to his former estate Laurentius Russius saith that of al diseases ther is non more perillous nor more to be suspected thâ—n the rheume which commeth of cold for horses haue large Conduites and are full of moisture and therefore if colde once enter it findeth matter inough to worke on to breede continuall distillation as well outwardly at the nose as inwardly descending downe to the vitall part in such sort as it doth not suffocat the same The signes according to the said Russius be these the horse doth cast matter continually at the nosâ— sometime thinne and sometime thicke his nostrils eares and al his outward parts wil be cold to the feeling his eyes head and all his body heauy and he will cough and haue smal appetite to his meat and lesse to his drinke and sometime he will tremble and shake his cure is in this sort Purge his head partly by perfuming him and partly by making him to neeze in such sort as hath beene before taught in the chapter of the pose which waies of perfuming and purging his head as they bee good so doeth Russius praise these two heere following to be most excellent the first is this Take of the stalkes of Vitis alba otherwise called Brioni or wilde Vine two or three good handfuls and being brused put them into a linnen bagge and fasten the bagge to the horses head so as he may receiue the scent vp into his nostrils without touching the hearb wiâ—h his mouth and this will cause the humors to run downe aboundantly The second medicine Take of Euforbium beaten into fine powder three ounces of the iuice of Betes one pound of Swines blood halfe a pound boile al these togither vntil they bee thrâ—ughly mingled togither and liquide like an ointment and then take it from the fire and put thereunto one ounce more of Euforbium and mingle them againe thoroughly togither and preserue the same in a box to vse at needefull times in this sort Make two stiffe long rowles or tampins of linnen clowtes or such like stuffe sharpe pointed like suger-loues which tampins are called of the physitians in Latine Pessi and being annointed with the ointment aforesaid thrust them vp into the horsses nostrils and let them abide therein a pretty whilk then pul them out and you shal see such abundance of matter â—â—me forth at his nose as is marueilous to behold Russius also praiseth verye much this medicine heere following Take as much of the middle barke of an Elder tree growing on the water side as will fil a new earthen pot of a meane size putting thereunto as much cleere water as a pot wll hold and let it boile vntil one halfe be consumed and then to be filled vppe againe with fresh water continuing so to doe three times one after another and at the last time that the one halfe is consumed take it from the fire and straine it throgh a linnen cloth Then take two partes of that decoction and one part of hogges greace or Butter and being warmed againe togither giue the horsse to drinke thereof one horneful and poure another hornefull into his nostril that casteth and whensoeuer you giue him this medicine let the horse bee empty and fasting and keepe him without meat also two or three hours after for this is a very good drinke for anye sicknesse that commeth of cold Moreouer open the skinne of his
none of mine Authors Martin nor anie other Ferrer in these daies that I knowe haue intermedled with anie kind of bursting but onely with that wherein the gut falleth downe into the cod leauing all the rest apart I wil onely talke of this and that according to Martins experience which I assure you differeth not much from the precepts of the old writers But first you shal vnderstand that the gut bursten and flanke bursten doth proceed both of one cause that is to say by meanes that the skinne called before Peritoneum is either sore strained or else broken either by some stripe of another horse or els by some strain in leaping ouer an hedge ditch or pale or otherwise yea and many times in passing a carier through the carelesnes of the rider stoping the horse sodenly without giuing warning wherby the horse is forced to cast his hinder legs abroad so straineth or bursteth the skin aforesaid by meanes whereof the gut falleth downe into the cod The signes be these The horse will forsake his meat and stand shoring and leanning alwaies on that side that he is hurt and on that side if you search with your hande betwixt the stone and the thigh vpward to the body and somewhat aboue the stone you shall find the gut it selfe big and hard in the feeling whereas on the other side you shal find no such thing The cure according to Martin is thus Bring the horse into some house or place that hath ouer head a strong balk or beame going ouerthwart and strew that place thicke with strawe then put on foure pasternes with foure ringes on his feete and then fasten the one end of a long rope to one of those Ringes then thread all the other rings with the loose end of the Rope and so drawe all his foure feete togither and cast him on the straw That done cast the rope ouer the baulke and hoise the horse so as he may lye flatte on his backe with his legs vpward without struggling Then bath his stones well with warme Water and Butter molten togither and the stones being somewhat warme and wel mollified raise them vp from the body with both your hands being closed by the fingers fast togither and holding the stones in your hands in such manner worke downe the gut into the body of the horse by striking it downward continually with your two thumbs one labouring immediately after another vntill you perceiue that side of the stone to bee so so smal as the other and hauing so discorded that is to say returnd the gut into his right place take a list of two fingers broad throughly annointed with fresh butter and tie his stones both togither with the same so nigh as may bee not ouer hard but so as you may put your finger betwixt That done take the horse quietly down and lead him faire and softly into the stable whereas he must stand warme and not be stirred for the space of 3. weekes But forget not the next day after his discording to vnloosen the list and to take it away and as wel at that time as euery day once or twice after to cast a dish or two of cold water vp into his cods and that wil cause him to shrinke vppe his stones and thereby restraine the gut from falling downe and at the three weekes end be sure it were not amisse to geld the stone on that side away so shall he neuer be encorded againe on that side But let him not eat much nor drinke much and let his drinke be alwayes warme Of the botch in the graines of a horse IF a horse be full of humours and then suddenly laboured the humours will resort into the weakest parts and there gather together and breede a botch and especially in the hinder parts betwixt the thighes not farre from the cods The signes be these The hinder legges wil be al swollen and especially from the houghes vpwarde and if you feele with your hand you shal find a great kind of swelling and if it be round and hard it wil gather to a head The cure according to Martin is thus First ripe it with a plaister take of Wheat-flower of Turpentine and of hony of each like quantity stirring it together to make a stiffe plaister and with a cloth lay it vnto the sore renewing it euery day once vntil it breake or waxe soft and then launce it as the matter may runne downeward Then taint it with Turpentine and Hogges greace moulten togither renewing it euery daye once vntil it be whole Of the diseases incident to the wombe of a Mare and specially of barrennesse IT seemeth by some writers that the wombe of a Mare is subiect to certaine diseases though not so many as the wombe of a Woman as to ascent descent falling out convulsion barrennesse aborsment yea Aristotle and others do not let to write that menstrual blood doth naturally void from the Mare as from the Woman though it bee so little in quantity as it cannot be well perceiued But sith none of mine Authors haue written thereof to any purpose nor any Ferrer of this time that I knowe haue had any experience in such matters I wil passe them all ouer with silence sauing barrennes whereof I promised before in his due place to declare vnto you the causes and such kind of cure for the same as the old writers haue taught A Mare then may be barren through the vntemperatenesse of the wombe or matrix aswell for that it is too hot and fiery or else to cold and moist or too dry or else too short or too narrow or hauing the necke thereof turned awry or by meanes of some obstruction or stopping in the matrix or for that the mare is too fat or too leane and many times mares goe barren for that they be not well horsed Wel the cure of barrennesse that commeth through the fault of the matrixe or wombe according to the old writers is thus Take a good handful of Leekes stamp them in a morter with halfe a glasseful of wine then put thereunto twelue Flies called of the Apothecaries Cantharides of diuers colours if they may be gotten then straine altogether with a sufficient quantity of water to serue the mare therewith two daies together by powring the same into her nature with a horn or glister-pipe made of purpose and at the end of three daies next following offer the horse vnto her that should couer her and immediately after that she is couered wash her nature twice together with cold water Another receipt for the same purpose TAke of Nitrum of sparrowes dung and Turpentine of each a like quantitye well wrought together and made like a suppository and put that into her nature and it wil cause her to desire the horse and also to conceiue Hippocrates saith that it is good also to put a nettle into the horses mouth that should couer her Of the Itch Scabbe and manginesse in the taile and falling
which dare onely meete lions when other Horsses dare not abide the sight of lyons other being on foote do set the Nets Three of them being placed in the snares remaine to vnderprop the Nets with staies and stakes one in the middle all the rest in both the bendinges or turninges of the same so that he which is in the middle can heare both the other at the farther endes some setting round about in warlike manner holding pitchy fire-brands in their right hands and bucklers in their left for with those they make a very great noyse and clamor and with shewing their fire-brandes put the wilde beastes in an incredible feare Therefore when all the Horse-men being spred abroade inuade the beastes and and the footemen likewise doe follow with a great noise the lyons being terrified with the crying out of the hunters not daring to resist giue place and aswell for feare of fire as of the men they runne into the nets and are taken like as fishes in the night time by fire are compelled and driuen into the nets of the fishers The third The third manner of hunting is done with lesser labour that is foure strong men armed with shields and fortified all ouer with thonges of leather and hauing helmets vpon their heades that onely their eyes noses and lips may appeare with the brandishing of their firebrands rustle in vpon the lyon lying in his den he not bearing this indignation with a gaping and open-wide mouth the lightning or burning of his eyes being inflamed breaketh foorth into a great roaring and with such celeritie rustleth vpon them as if it were some storme and tempest they with a firme and constant courage abide that brunt and in the meane while that he coueteth to catch any of them in his teeth or clawes another of them prouoking him behinde doth smite him and with a loude noise or clamour doth vexe him then the lyon in hast leauing the first which he had taken in his mouth turneth backe his mouth vnto the hinder each of them in seuerall parts doe vex him but he breathing foorth warlike strength runneth here and there this man he leaueth that hee snatcheth vp on high at the length being broken with long labour and wearied foaming in his mouth he lyeth downe straight vpon the ground and now being very quiet they binde him and take him from the earth as if he were a Ramme I doe also finde that lions are intricated in snares or traps bound vnto some poste or pile nigh vnto some narrow place by which they were wont to passe But Pliny saith that in times past it was a very hard and difficult manner to catch lyons and that the chiefest catching of them was in ditches In the mountaine Zaronius in Affricke the strongest men doe continuall hunt lyons the best of which being taken they send them vnto the King of Fesse and the King ordereth his hunting in this manner in a very spacious fielde there are little hutches built of that height as a man may stand vpright in them euery one of these is shut with a little gate and within standeth an armed man the lyon being raysed and forced to that place the dores being open then the lyon seeing the dores open runneth with great force which being shut againe hee is prouoked to anger Afterward they bring a Bull to combate with him where beginneth a cruell fight in which if the Bull shall kill the Lyon the honour of that day is finished but if the Lyon ouercome him all the armed men which in number are almost twelue come foorth to fight against the lyon Some of them hauing boare speares of sixe cubits long but if the armed men shall seeme to ouercome the Lyon the King commaundeth the number to be diminished and if on the contrarie Leo Afer the armed men be ouercome the King with his Nobles sitting in an high place to see the hunting kill the Lyon with Crosse-bowes but it commeth often times to passe that euery one of them is slaine before the lyon The reward of those which combate with the lyon is ten golden Crownes together with a new garment neither are any admitted vnto this fight except they are of a most praegnant and vailorous strength and borne in the mountaine Zalag but those which doe first of all prouoke and giue on-set to the lyons are borne in the mountaine Zaronius To conclude this discourse of the hunting of lyons If it fortune that hee be followed with men and dogges Pliny yet in the plaine fieldes hee neuer mendeth his pace as some writers affirme oftentimes turning about and looking vpon his pursuers as it were to dare their approchment and to giue defiance vnto all their pretences yet hauing gotten the thickets he looketh to his safetie with his best celeritie and speede so wisely tempeering his feare before his foes that it may seeme a boldnesse and so politiquely when he thinketh no eye seeth him no longer dissembleth with himselfe but runneth away like a fearefull Hart Aristotle Albertus or Hare laying downe his eares and striking his taile betwixt his legges like a curre-dogge seldome times looking behind him but most irefully vpon those that come before him especially if he receaue from them any wound wherevnto Horace alluded saying Quid vt nouerca me intueris aut vt petita ferro bellua In his course he spareth no beast that he meeteth but falleth vpon it like a mad-dogge except swine for he is afraid of their bristles and if a man doe not attempt to wounde him he will snatch at him and ouerthrow him but doe him little harme according to these verses of Ouid Corpora magnanima satis est prostrasse leoni Pugna suum finem cum iacet hostis habet He obserueth most vigilantly the hand that woundeth him and laboureth to take reuenge for the euill turne and so it remaineth in his minde till opportunitie send him his aduersaries head as may appeare by this story following When Iuba King of Moores the father of him which when he was a child was brought in triumphe trauailed through the wildernesse with an army of soudiers to represse certaine rebels in one part of his dominion which had shaken off his gouernement and to settle them againe in their first allegiance There was a noble yoong souldier in his traine of the race of the nobilitie and not only very strong but also well experienced in hunting and by the way he with other of his fellowes met with a Lion at whom he presently cast a dart and gaue him a sore wound but not mortall after the wound receaued the lyon went away guiltie of his hurt and the yoong men did not prosecute him but went forward on their iourney After a whole yeare the King returned homeward the same way and his company that he carried with him among whom was this yoong gallant that wounded the lyon The lion hauing recouered his hurt and hauing his denne neere
better in my opinion to expresse them altogether so to proceede to the particular nature of vulgar sheepe And first of all the description of their outward parts The seuerall parts of sheep the sheepe ought to be of a large body that so their wooll may be the more which ought to be soft deepe and rough especially about the necke shoulders and belly and those that were not so the auntient Graetians called Apokoi the Latins Apicae that is peild sheepe for want of wooll which alwaies they did reiect as vnprofitable for their flockes for there is no better signe as Pliny saith of an acceptable breede of sheepe Quam crurium breuitas ventris vestitus The shortnesse of the legs and a belly well cloathed with wooll The female is to be admitted to the male after two yeares old Till they are fiue yeare old they are acounted young and after seuen vnprofitable for breed In your choise of sheep euermore take those which are rough with wooll euen to their eies without any baulde place vpon them and those females which beare not at two yeare olde vtterly refuse auoid likewise party colored or spotted sheep but choose them that haue great eies large tails strong legs let them be yong also of breed Nam melior est ea aetas quā sequitur spes quā ea quā sequitur mors probata est progenies si agnos solent procreare formosos saith Petrus Crescen that is that age is better which hope followeth then that which death followeth and it is a good breed of sheepe which bringeth forth beautiful Lambs And concerning their wooll it is to be obserued that the soft wool is not alwaies the best except it be thicke withal for Hares haue soft but thin wool and in sheepe it ought to be contrary and therefore the most fearefull haue the softest haire the sheepe of Scythia in the cold countries haue soft wooll but in Sauromatia they haue hard wool Florentinus prescribeth that the fine wool of a sheepe is not curled but standeth vpright for hee saith that curled wooll is easily corrupted or falsified The head of the sheepe is very weake and his braine not fat the hornes of the female are weake if they haue any at al for in many places they haue none like Hinds and in England there are both males and females that want hornes And againe the Rams of England haue greater hornes then any other Rams in the worlde and sometimes they haue foure or six hornes on their head as hath bin often seene In Affricke their male-sheepe or Rams are yeaned with hornes and also their females and in Pontus neither males nor females haue euer any hornes Their eies ought to be great and of a waterish colour and all beasts that want handes haue their eies standing farre distant on their heads especially sheepe because they had neede to looke on both sides and because they are of a simple and harmelesse disposition as we shall shew afterwards for the little eie such as is in Lyons and Panthers betoken craft and cruelty but the great eie simplicity and innocency Their teeth stand in one continued row or bone as in a horse but in the vper chap there are no foreteeth the male hauing more teeth then the female There be some that write that Virgill calleth sheepe Bidentes because they haue but two teeth but they doe it ignorantly for we may read in Seruius Nigidius and Nonius that Boares are called Bidentes and al beasts of two years old for they were first of all called Bidennes quasi Biennes by interposition of the letter D. according to other words as we do not say reire but redire nor reamare but redamare nor reargure but redargure and so Bidennis for Biennis because sacrifices were woont to bee made of sheepe when they were two yeares old If euer it happen that a sheepe hath but two teeth it is helde for a monster and therefore a sheep is called Ambidens and Bidens because he hath teeth both aboue and beneath The belly of a sheepe is like the bellie of a beast that chew the cud The milke proceedeth from the ventricle or maw The stones hang downe to the hinder legs The females haue their vdders betwixt their thighes like to Goats and Cowes some of them haue galles according to the ordinary custome of nature and some of them haue none at al for in Pontus where by reason they eat worme-wood they haue no gal Likewise in Calsis some we haue shewd haue two gals and the Scithian sheep haue gals at one time and not at another as Aelianus writeth for he saith in the verie cold Countries when snow and winter covereth the earth there sheepe haue no gals because they keepe within dores and vse no change of meat but in the summer when they go abroad againe to feed in the fields they are replenished with gals There is a Region in Asia called Scepsis wherein they say their sheepe haue little or no melts The raines of a sheepe are equal and there is no beast that hath them couered with fat like vnto it Sheepe are also apt to grow exceeding fat for in the yeare 1547. there was a fat sheepe giuen to the king of France in Pickardy whereof the inward hooues or cloues of his forefeet were growne to be as long as 8. fingers are broad the toppes whereof were recurued backward like the hornes of a wilde goat Concerning their tailes we haue spoken already for the vulgar sheep haue hairy tailes like Foxes and wolues And thus much shall suffice to haue spoken of their seuerall parts In the next place we are to consider the food and diet of sheepe and then their inclination The food of sheepe and institution of shepheardes and the vtility that ariseth by them and lastly the seueral diseases with their medicins and cures It is therefore to be remembred that the auncients appointed Sheapheardes to attend their flockes and there was none of great account but they were called sheapheardes or Neat-heardes or Goat-heardes that is Bucolisi Opiliones and Aepoli as we haue shewd already in the story of Goats and the Gentiles do report that the knowledge of feeding of Oxen and sheepe came first of all from the Nimphes who taught Aristaeus in the Island of Co. The Graecians therefore call a shepheard Poimem that is a feeder of Poimanaime to feed and the poets also vse Poimantor for a shepherd and the shepheards Dogs that keepe the flocke from the wolfe Pominitay kunes for the sheep being not kept well be ouercome by the Wolues according to the saying of Virgill Nam lupus insidias exptorat ouillia circum And Ouid likewise saith Incustoditum captat ouile Lupus The whole care therefore of the shepheard must be first for their foode secondly for their folde and thirdly for their health that so he may raise a profitable gaine either to himselfe or to him that oweth the
Gentian but narrower leaues and standing vpright the Nearue whereof in the middle is red and it groweth about the waters and therefore I coniecture it may be Water-Sorrell or Water-planton whereof when Sheep haue eaten they fall into a disease called also Duua for there is bred in their liuer certain litle black Worms or Leeches growing in smal bagges or skinnes being in length halfe a finger and so much in breadth wherewithall when the beast is infected it is vncurable and therefore there is no remedy but to take from it the life and that this is true the Butchers themseles affirme how many times they doe find such little Wormes in the Sheepes Lyuer and they say they come by drinking of Fenny or marshy-water And to conclude there is a kinde of Pannicke also whereof when Sheepe haue eaten it destroyeth them and there be other Hearbes which euery common Sheapheard knoweh are hurtfull vnto Sheepe and the beast it selfe though in nature it bee very simple yet is wise enough to chuse his owne foode except the vehement necessity of famine and hunger causeth him to eate poysoned hearbs In cases when their bellyes swell or when they haue Wormes in their belly which they haue deuoured with the Herbs they eat then they poure into their bellies the Vrin of men and because their bellies presently swell and are puffed out with wind the Sheapheards cut off the tops of their eares and make them bleede and likewise beate their sides with their Staffe and so most commonly they are recouered If Sheep chaunce to drink in their heate so as their greace be cooled in their belly which Butchers do find many times to be true then the Sheaphard must cut off halfe the Sheepes eare and if it bleede the beast shall be well but if it bleed not he must be killed and eaten or else he will starue of his owne accord If at any time a Sheep chance to deuoure a leach by pouring in oyle into his throat he shall be safe from danger Of the colds of Sheepe SHeep are knowne to be subiect to cold not onely by coughing after they haue taken it but also by their strength before they take it for the Sheapheards do diligently obserue that when any frost or yce falleth vppon a Sheepe if hee endure it and not shake it off it is a great hazzard but the same Sheep will die of cold but if he shake it off and not endure it it is a signe of a strong sound and healthy constitution Likewise for to know the health of their Sheep they open their eies and if the vaines appeare red and small they know they are sound but if they appeare white or else red and ful they know they are weake and will hardly liue out Winter or cold weather also when they are taken in their hands they presse their backe bone neare the hips and if it bend not they are sound and strong but if they feele it bend vnder their hand they hold them weake and feeble Likewise if a man take them by the head or by the skinne of the Necke if he follow him easily when he draweth him it is a signe of weakenesse and imbicility but if it doth striue and follow with great difficulty then it is a token of health and soundnesse Of Scabs and the causes of them The original cause of Scabs THe true originall of Scabs is either as we haue said already leanenesse or else cold or wet or wounds in the flesh by clipping or to conclude by the heate of the beast in summer not washed off by thornes and prickings of bushes or by sitting vpon the dung of Mules Horsses or Asses Now when this first of al beginneth it is easie for the sheapheard to obserue by these signes and tokens for the tickling or itching humour lying betwixt the skin and the flesh causeth the poore sheep either to bite the place with his teeth or to scratch it with his horne or to rub it vpon a tree or wall or if he can do none of these stamp hard vppon the ground with his forefeet for which it is good presently to separate the sheepe so affected from the flocke The discription and cure whereof is thus expressed by Virgill Turpis oues tentat scabies vbi frigidus hymber Altius ad vivum persedit horrida cano Bruma gelu vel cum tonsis illotus ad haesit Sudâ—r hir suti secuerunt corpora vepres Dulcibus id circo fluuijs pecus omne magistri Per fundunt vdisque aries in gurgite villis Mersatur missusque secundo defluit amni Aut tonsum tristi contingunt corpus amurca Et spumas miscent argenti viuaque sulphura Idaasque pices pingues vnguine ceras Scillamque helleborosque graues nigrumque bitumen Non tamen vlla magis praesens fortuna laborum est Quam si quiâ— ferro potuit rescindere summum Vlceris os alitur vitium viuitque tegendo Dum medicas adhibere manus ad vulnera pastor Abnegat which may be englished in this maner When the poore sheep throgh wet shewers cold winter summers sweate or prickings of thornes doth incurre the filthy disease of scabs then it concerneth his maister to wash him in sweet riuers ouer head and eares yea to cast him in to swimme for his owne life or else to annoint his body after it is clipped with the spume or froth of oyle and of siluer with Brimstone and soft Idean Pitch with wax Hellibor black-earth or the flesh of shrimps or if it be possible to cut off the top of the wound with a knife Of the Scabs of Sheepe the first remedy THis disease the French-men call Letac and of all other it is one of the most contagious for our english prouerbe iustifieth one scabbed sheepe infecteth a whole flocke and Textor writeth thus of it Oues frequentius quam vllum aliud animal infestantur scabie quam facit macies vt maciem exiguitas cibi huic morbo nisi occurratur vnica totum pecus coinquinabit nam oues contagione vexantur That is to say Sheep are more oftentimes infected with scabs then any other creature whereinto they throgh for leanes as they fall into leanesse through want of food and therefore if a remedy be not prouided for this euill one of them infected will defile all the residue for sheep are subiect to contagion for remedy wherof in France they vse this medicine First of all they sheare the sheep and then they mingle together the pure froath of oyle and water wherein Hops haue bin sod and the leeze of the best wine and so let it soke in two or three daies together afterwardes they wash them in sea-water and for want of sea water in salt water and this medicine is approued wherby both scabs and tikes are remoued from the sheep and also the wooll groweth better afterwards then euer it did before but it is better if a man can cure them without shearing
care of my Swyne as other men of greater cattell For what is there whereunto swine are not profitable who tilleth land and keepeth not hogs and who hath not heard our fathers say that he is an idle ill husband vvhich hangs vp all his prouision in the shambles and liueth rather vpon the Butchers then vpon his ovvne ground Thus far Tremellius Another part of a good Svvinehard is to looke to the gelding of his Svvyne and splaying of the females for if all bee suffered to procreate and engender it is more danger that Swine would in short time eate vp men rather then men Swine The Latins call such a Hogge gelded Macalis and Porcastrus that is Porcus castratus the Germans ein barg or Boetz from whence seemeth to be deriued our English Barrow-hog for so wee call a gelded-male-hog and a female Basse Pliny The best time therefore to geld them is in the old Moone or as we say in the waine of the Moone but Hesiod prescribeth that an Oxe and a Boare should be gelded in the second quarter and first day thereof and Aristotle is of opinion that is skilleth not what age a Boare be when hee is libbed but it is cleare by the best experienced among these beasts there are two times of gelding them one in the spring and the other in the Autumne and this is to be done after a double manner First by making two incisions or wounds vpon his stones out of which holes the stones are to be pressed forth The second way is more perillous yet more cleanely for first of all at one wounde or incision they take out one stone then that being forth with their knyfe they cut the small skin which parteth the stones in the cod and so presse foorth the second stone at the first wound afterward applyeng to it ordinary medicines such as we will describe in the treatise of their diseases And the opinion of Varo is that it is good to lib them at halfe a yeare old or at a yeare old or at three or foure yeare old for their better fatting but best at a yeare and not vnder halfe a yeare When the stones are taken forth of an old Bore suppose two or three or foure yeare old they are called by the Latins Polimenta because with them they polished and smoothed garments The female also is gelt or splayed although she often bore pigs whereof they open the side neere her loines and take away from her Apria and receptacles of the Boares seede â—â—sâ—us which being sewed vp againe in short time is enclosed in fat this they do by hanging them vp by their forelegs and first of all they which do it most commodiously must cause them to fast two daies before and then hauing cut it they sew vp and close fast againe the wound or incision and this is doone in the same place of the female that the stones are to be taken out in the male as Aristotle writeth but rather it appeareth by good examination and proofe that it is to be cut out on the right against the bone called os sacrum Abenzoor And the onely cause of this Sow-gelding is for their better growth and fatning which in some Countries they vse being forced thereunto through their penury want of food but whereas is plenty of food there they neuer know it and the inuenters hereof were the Graecians whose custome was to cut out the whole matrix And thus much for the libbing gelding and splaying of Swine The nature of this beast â—â—â—manius Pliny This beast is a most vnpure and vncleane beast and rauening and therefore we vse not improperly to cal Obscoene and filthy men or women by the name of Swyne or Sowes They which haue foreheads eyelids lips mouth or Necke like Swyne are accounted foolish wicked and wrathful al their sences their smelling excepted are dull because they haue no articles in their hearts but haue thicke blood and some say that the acutenesse and ripenesse of the soule standeth not in the thicknesse of the blood but in the couer and skin of the body and that those beasts which haue the thickest skins are accounted the most blockish farthest from reason but those which haue the thinnest softest are the quickest of vnderstanding an example whereof is apparant in the Oyster Oxe and Ape They haue a maruaylous vnderstanding of the voyce of their feeder and as ardent desire to come at his call through often custome of meat whereupon lyeth this excellent story When certaine pyrates in the Tirrhene sea had entred a Hauen and went on land Aelianus they came to a Swines stye and drew out thereof diuers Swine and so carried them on shipboard and loosing their Anckers and tacklings doe depart and saile away The Swine heardes seeing the pirats commit this robbery and not being able to deliuer and rescue their cattel because they wanted both company strength sufferd the theeues in silence to ship carry away their cattle at last when they saw the Theeues rowing out of the port and lanching into the deepe then they lift vp their voyces and with their accustomed cries or cals called vpoÌ„ their Swine to come to their meat assoone as the swine heard the same they presently gat to the right side of the vessell or barke and there flocking togither the ship being vnequally ballanced or loden ouerturned al into the sea and so the pirats were iustly drowned in reward of the theft and the stolne Swine swam safely backe again to their maisters and keepers The nature of this beast is to delight in the most filthy and noysome places for no other cause as I think but because of their dul sences Their voice is cald Grunnitus gruntling Sordida sus pascens ruris gramina grunnit which is a terrible voice to one that is not accustomed therunto for euen the Elephants are afraid thereof especially when one of them is hurt or hanged fast or bitten then all the residue as it were in compassion condoling his misery run to him and cry with him and this voice is very common in swine at all hands to cry except he be carried with his head vpwards towards heauen then it is affirmed he neuer cryeth the reason wherof is giuen by Aphrodisien because it is alwaie acustomed to looke downward and therefore when it is forced to look vpward it is suddenly appaled and afraid held with admiration of the goodly space aboue him in the heauens like one astonished holdeth his peace some say that then the artery of his voice is pressed and so he cannot cry alowd There is a fish in the riuer Achelous which gruntleth like a hog whereof Iuuenal speaketh saying Et quam remigibus grunnisse Elpenor a porcis And this voice of swine is by Caecilius attributed to drunken men The milke of Swine is very thicke and therefore cannot make whay like a sheepes howbeit it suddenly coagulateth and