wilde asses in great plenty beyond Catadupa in Egypt so are there many in Caâ—da an Island neere Creet In Persis in Asia in Madera and Abasia Arabia desert Mauritania and Armenia Callistus reporteth that there are such wild Asses in that region vnder the Aequinoctiall towards the East and South of wonderfull stature Pliny their skin beside the vsuall manner being of diuers colours interlined variably with white and blacke and the Zones and strakes discending from the top of the backe vnto the sides and there diuided by their winding and turning make the folds appeare of admirable variety These Asses loue the highest Mountaines and rockes as holy scripture teacheth Ier. 14. The asses stood in the high places and drew in the wind like Dragons which words gaue occasion to some to imagine that wilde asses would quench their thirst with the winde without water whereas it is the maner of all wilde beasts in extreamity of thirst to gape wide and greedily draw in the colde refreshing ayre and they will not drinke but of pure fountaine water They liue in flocks and great companies togither but in desolate places the males going before the females and commonly one male will leade and rule a flocke of females being exceeding swift and fearfull and therfore do they often change their places of abode and yet it is obserued that the wilde Asses of Licia neuer go ouer the mountaine that diuideth them from Cappadocia They engender among themselues Their copulation their females being much more lustfull then the males and therefore doe the males obserue and watch them with a ielous eye towarde their owne soles especially after they haue conceiued and the female as warily avoideth the sight of the male especially at the time of her foling for if she bring forth a female the male receiueth it with all loue ioy and welcome but if a male then doth he with angry and enuious countenance look vpon it taking it heauily that another male is bred which in time may in the fathers place possesse his damme wherfore in a raging madnes he falleth vpon the fole seeking by al his power to bite off his stones the poor female although weakened with paine of deliuery yet helpeth her young one against the fathers rage and like a mother who seeing her sonne slain in war embraceth his bleeding corps and cryeth out with dolefull voice tearing her cheekes and bleeding betwixt her brests so would you thinke this silly female asse to mourne for her fole now ready to die by the Syres cruelty saying O my husband why is thy aspect so irefull Why are thy eyes now become so bloody which euen now were as white as light Doest thou looke vpon the face of that monster Medusa Which turneth men into stones or dost thou look vpon some new hatched horrible Dragon or the whelpe of some lyon lately littered Why wilt thou geld this our young one which nature hath giuen vnto vs both by procreation O wretched beast that I am which haue conceiued an vnhappy fole by the fathers wickednes O my poore and more vnhappy sonne which for a iealous feare art depriued of thy naturall parts not by the clawes of Lyons for that I would endure but by the vnnaturall and more then hostile teeth of thy owne father These wilde Asses haue good and stronge hoofes their swiftnes is compared to the winde and in the time that they are hunted they cast backward with their heeles stones with such violence as they pierce the brests of them that prosecute them if they be not very wary They are of a large broad tall and beautifull body long eares and a siluer colour that is as I gesse a bright cloud-colour for it is but vaine to imagine that an Asse can be all white for then were all the auncients deceiued which with one voyce affirme that he hath a blacke list on the backe at either side whereof are two white lines Aelianus Albertus Oppianus Their food is onely grasse and herbes of the earth whereby they grow very fat their hart being the fattest part of their body and they will not abide any flesh-eating-beaste especially the Lyon whom he feareth very much for all these strong beasts deuour and eat them These Asses are very fit for ciuill vses as for plowing and sowing Varro for being tamed they neuer grow wilde againe as other beasts will and they easily grow tame It is obserued that the same being tamed is most tame which before time was most wilde They loue figs and meale aboue all things wherefore the Armenians vse to take a certain blacke fish bred in their waters which is poyson Aelianus and couering it with meale the wilde asses come and licke thereof and so are destroyed The best of them are generated of a Mare and a wild Asse tamed for they are the swiftest in course of hardest hoofe a leane body but of a generous and vntierable stomack The Indian wild Asses haue one horne in their foreheade and their body all white but their heade is red So is there another beast in India very like a wilde asse which the inhabitants eat as we haue read about the streights of Magellana When these Asses are hunted with dogs they cast foorth their sime or dung with the sauour whereof the Dogges are stayed while it is hot Phyles and by that meanes the beast escapeth daunger but the Asses of Mauritania are very short winded Pliny and subiect to wearinesse and stumbling for which cause they are more easily taken and the best of all are not so swift as a Barbary-horse besides their nature is when they see a man to stand stone stil crying braying and kicking till you come at them Aelianus and when one is ready to take them they take their heeles and run away The inhabitants of Arabia desert by many gins and other deceitfull deuises take them and on horsebacke follow them till they tyre or can strike them with their darts Their flesh being hot doeth stinke and taste like an other Asses but boyled and kept two dayes hath a pleasant taste yet doth it not breede good blood because it is viscous and harde to be concocted although there be many which eat that as also the flesh of Panthers and other such beasts Pliny teacheth Medicineâ— that there is more vertue in the wilde Asses milk and bones against venome and poyson then in the tame Likewise in the heele of an Asse Milke is a principall remedy against apostemations and bunches in the flesh if it be applyed to the inner part of the thighe The gall draweth out botches and must bee annointed vpon impostumate scars It is vsed also in emplasters against Saint Antonies fire the leprosie Pliny and swelling in the legs and guts The fat with oyle of herbe Mary by annointing the raines and the backe helpeth and easeth that paine which was ingendred by wind The spleen dryed to pouder and
ipsius Leonis vehementem rugitum horret neque item hominum robore mouetur ac saepe robustum venatorem occidit That is to say He feareth not the barking of the Dogge nor the foaming wrath of the wilde Boare he flyeth not the terrible voyce of the Bull nor yet the mournefull cry of the Panthers no nor the vehement roaring of the Lyon himselfe and to conclude he is not moued for all the strength of man but many times killeth the valiantest hunter that pursueth him When he seeth a Boare a Lyon or a Beare presently he bendeth his hornes downe to the earth whereby he conformeth and establisheth his head to receiue the brunt standing in that manner till the assault be made at which time hee easily killeth his aduersary for by bending downe his head and setting his hornes to receiue the beast he behaueth himselfe as skilfully as the hunter that receiueth a Lion vpon his speare For his hornes do easily runne into the brests of any wilde beast so piercing them causeth the blood to issue whereat the beast being moued forgetteth his combate and falleth to licking vp his owne blood and so he is easily ouerthrowne When the fight is once begunne there is none of both that may runne awaie but standeth it out vntil one or both of them bee to the ground and so their dead bodies are many times found by wilde and sauage men They fight with all and kil one another also they are annoyed with LYNCES I meane the greater LYNCES of the cruelty of this beast Martiall made this distichon Matutinarum non vltima praeda ferarum Saevus Oryx constat qui mihi morte canum It is reported of this beast Oppianus Pliny Albertus that it liueth in perpetual thirst neuer drinking by reason that there is no water in those places where it is bred and that there is in it a certaine bladder of lickor whereof whosoeuer tasteth shall neuer neede to drinke This beast liueth in the wildernesse and notwithstanding his magnanimious and vnresistable strength wrath and cruelty yet is hee easily taken by snares and deuices of men for God which hath armed to take Elephants and tame Lyons hath likewise iudewed them with knowledge from aboue to tame and destroy al other noisome beast Concerning the picture of this beast and the liuely vissage of his exterior or outward parts I cannot expresse it because neither my owne sight nor the the writinges of anye credible Author doth giue me sufficient direction to deliuer the shape thereof vnto the world and succeeding Ages vppon my credit and therefore the Reader muste pardon me heerein I do not also read of the vse of the flesh or any other partes of this beast but onely of the hornes as is already expressed whereunto I may adde the relation of Strabo who affirmeth the Aethiopians Silli do vse the hornes of these beastes in warres insteed of swords and speares for incredible is the hardnes and sharpenes of them which caused Iuvenall to write thus Et Getulus Oryx hebeti lautissima ferro Coeditur For althogh of the owne length they are not able to match a pike yet are they fit to be put vpon the tops of pikes as well as any other artifical thing made of steel or yron and thus I will conclude the story of this beast OF THE OTTER THere is no doubt but this beast is of the kind of Beuers because it liueth both on the Water and on the land and the outward form of the parts beareth a similitude of that beast The Italians doe vulgarly call this beast Lodra of the naâ—es 〈…〉 thereof and the Latines besides Lutra Fluuiatulis Canicula A Dogg of the Waters and some cal them cats of the waters The Italians besides Lodra call it also Lodria and Lontra The French Vne Loutre or Vnge Loutre The Sauoyans Vne Leure the Spaniards Nutria and the Ilyrians Widra the Graecians Lytra because it shereth assunder the roots of the trees in the bankes of the riuers Some of the Graecians cal it enhydris although properly that bee a snake liuing in the Waters called by Theodorus and Hermolaus Lutris Albertus calleth it Luter and Anadrz for Enydris Also Boatus by Syluacicus and the Graecians cal filthy and thicke waters Lutrai for which cause when their Noble ancient Women went to bathe themselues in water Stephanus they were bound about with skinnes called Oan Loutrida that is a sheepes skin vsed to the water The French men call the dung of an OTTER Espranite de loutres Pliny the steppes of an OTTER Leise Marches the whelpes of an OTTER Cheaux by which word they call also the whelpes of Wolues Foxes and Badgers Although it liue in the waters yet it doth no sucke in water but aire that is The framing of their den it doth not breath like fishes through the benefit of water and therefore it maketh his dens neer the water wherein also they are wont to bring forth their young ones They make their dens so artificially euen as the Beuer with bowes and sprigs or sticks couching together in excellent order wherein he sitteth to keepe him from wetnesse It hunteth fishes and although it breatheth like another foure-footed-beast yet will it remain a great while vnder the water without respiration for the greedinesse of fishes it runneth many time into nets which are set by men in waters to take fish whereinto being entered His prey and foode it is suffocated for want of breath before it can sheare asunder the nets and make way for himselfe to come out For in the hunting of fish it must often put his nose aboue the water to take breath it is of a wonderfull swiftnesse and nimblenesse in taking his prey and filleth his den so full of fishes that he corrupteth the aire or men that take him in his den and likewise infecteth himselfe with a pestilent and noysome sauour whereupon as the Latins say of a stinking fellow he smels like a Goat so the Germans say of the same He smels like an Otter Agricola In the winter time he comes out of the caues and waters to hunt vpon the land wher finding no other foode he eateth fruits and the barke of trees Bellonius writeth thus of him Albertus he keepeth in pooles and quiet waters and riuers terrifieng the flockes of fish and driuing them to the bank-sides in great number to the holes and creekes of the earth where hee taketh them more copiously and more easie but if he want prey in the waters then doth he leape vpon the land and eate vpon greene hearbs he will swim two miles together against the streame putting himselfe to great labor in his hunger that so when his belly is full the currant of streame may carry him downe againe to his designed lodging The females nourish many whelps together at their vdders vntill they be almost as big as themselues for whom the hunters search as for the
be no appearance of these vpon their tongue then the chap-man or buyer pulleth of a bristle from the backe and if blood follow it is certaine that the Beast is infected and also such cannot well stand vppon theyr hinder legs Their taile is very round For remedy hereof diuers daies before their killing they put into their wash or swill some ashes especially of Hasell trees But in France and Germany it is not lawfull to sel such a Hogge and therefore the poore people do onely eat them Howbeit they cannot but engender euill humours and naughty blood in the body The rootes of the bramble called Ramme beaten to powder and cast into the holes where swine vse to bath themselues do keepe them cleare from many of these diseases and for this cause also in ancient time they gaue them Horse-flesh sodden and Toads sodden in water to drinke the broath of them The Burre pulled out of the earth without yron is good also for them if it be stamped and put into milk and so giuen them in their wash They giue their Hogges heere in Englande red-lead red-Oker and in some places red-loame or earth And Pliny saith that he or she which gathereth the aforesaid Burre must say this charme Haec est herba argemon Quam minerua reperit Suibas his remedium Qui de illa gustauerint At this daie there is great-praise of Maiden-haire for the recouery of swine also holy Thistle and the root of Gunhan and Harts tongue Of leannesse or pyning SOmetime the whole heard of swine falleth into leannes and so forsake their meat yea although they be brought forth into the fielde to feede yet as if they were drunke or weary they lie downe and sleepe all the day long For cure whereof they must be closely shutte vp into a warme place and made to fast one whole day from meat and water and then giue them the roots of wilde Cucumber beaten to powder and mixed with Water let them drinke it and afterward giue them beanes pulse or any drie meat to eat and lastlie warme water to procure vomit as in men whereby their stomackes are emptyed of al thinges both good and bad and this remedy is prescribed against all incertaine diseases the cause whereof cannot be discerned and some in such cases doe cut off the tops of the tailes or their eares for there is no other vse of letting these beastes bloode in theyr vaines Of the Pestilence THese beasts are also subiect to the Pestilence by reason of earth-quakes sudden infections in the aire and in such affection the beast hath sometime certaine bunches or swellings about the necke then let them be seperated and giue them to drinke in water the roots of Daffadill Quatit agros tussis anhela sues Ac faucibus angit obesis tempore pestis Some giue them night shade of the wood which hath great stalkes like cherry twiggs the leaues to be eaten by them against all their hot diseases and also burned snailes or Pepper-woort of the Garden or Lactuca foetida cut in peeces sodden in water and put into their meate Of the Ague IN auncient time Varro saith that when a man bought a Hogge he couenaunted with the seller that it was free from sicknes from danger that he might buy it lawfully that it had no maunge or Ague The signes of an Ague in this beast are these WHen they stop suddenly standing stil and turning their heads about fal downe as it were by a Megrim then you must diligently marke their heads which way they turne them that you may let them bloode on the contrary eare and likewise vnder their taile some two fingers from their buttockes where you shall finde a large veine fitted for that purpose which first of all we must beat with a rodde or peece of wood that by the often striking it may be made to swell and afterwardes open the saide veine with a knife the blood being taken away their taile must be bound vp with Osier or Elme twigges and then the swine must be kept in the house a day or two being fed with Barly meale and receiuing warme water to drinke as much as they will Of the Crampe VVHen swine fall from a great heat into a sudden colde which hapneth when in their trauel they suddenly lie downe through wearinesse they fall to haue the Crampe by a painefull convulsion of their members and the best remedye thereof is for to driue them vp and downe till they wax warme againe and as hot as they were before and then let them bee kept warme stil and coole at great leisure as a horsse doth by walking otherwise they perish vnrecouerably like Calues which neuer liue after they once haue the crampe Of Lice THey are many times so infested and annoied with lice that their skinne is eaten and gnawne through thereby for remedy whereof some annoint them with a confection made of Cream Butter and a great deale of salt Others again annoint them after they haue washed them all ouer with the Leeze of wine and in England commonly the country people vse staues-aker red-Oaker and grease Of the Lefragey BY reason that they are giuen much to sleepe in the summer time they fall into Lethargies and die of the same the remedy whereof is to keepe them from sleepe and to Wake them whensoeuer you finde them asleepe Of the head-aches THis disease is cald by the Graecians Scotomia and Kraura and by Albertus Fraretis herewith all swine are many times infected and their eares fall downe their eies are also deiected by reason of many cold humors gathered together in their head whereof they die in multitudes as they do of the pestilence and this sickenesse is fatal vnto them if they be not holpen within three or foure daies The remedie whereof if their be anie at al is to hold Wine to their Nostrils first making them to smel thereof and then rubbing it hard with it and some giue them also the roots of white Thistle cut smal and beaten into their meat but if it fall out that in this paine they loose one of their eies it is a signe that the beast wil die by and by after as Pliny and Aristotle write Of the gargarisme This disease is called by the Latins Raucelo and by the Graecians Brancos which is a swelling about their chaps ioyned with Feauer and Head-ach spredding it selfe all ouer the throat like as the squinancy doth in a man and many times it begetteth that also in the swine which may be knowne by the often moouing of their feet and then they dy with in three daies for the beast cannot eat being so affected and the disease creepeth by little and little to the liuer which when it hath touched it the beast dieth because it putrifieth as it passeth For remedy hereof giue vnto the beast those things which a man receiueth against the squinancy and also let him blood in the root of his tongue I mean in
drunke in wine or drinke is good against the sicknes of the spleene The flesh is good against the paine in the ridge and hip-bones and Galen affirmeth that the vrine breaketh and dissolueth the stone in the bladder The ashes of the hoofe helpeth the falling euill and mingled with oyle cureth the kinges euill and the loosenes of the hayre The marrow easeth the gowt and the dung mixed with the yolke of an Egge and applyed to the fore-head stayeth bleeding also the same curleth the hayre if it be mingled with an Oxes gall and dryed put into wine and drunke cureth the sting of a scorpion and Zor an Haebrew affirmeth very constantly that if a man looke into an Asses eye it preserueth the sight and hindereth the Water that descendeth into the eye Of the Scythian Asses THe Asses of Scythia haue hornes wherein it is reported that the Stygean Water of Arcadia may be contained Aelianus although it will eat through all other vessels be they neuer so hard Sosipater brought of them to Alexander the great who admiring the rarenesse would not put them to any priuate vse but sent them to Delphos to be offered to Pithias but that these can be properly called Asses no man can defend Lâ—b 4 although Herodotus also affirme that among the Affricans called Aratours there be asses with hornes Of the Indian Asses IT is questionable whether the Monoceros commonly called a Vnicorne the Rhinoceros the Oryx and the Indian asse be all one beast or diuers for the Vnicorne and Rhinoceros haue the same things attributed to them in stories and differ in verie few reports but for the Asses of India both Aristotle Pliny and Aelianus ioyntly agree that they differ from all other whole-footed beasts because they haue one horne in the forehead and so also haue the Rhinoceros Monoceros and Orix but the Indians cal a Vnicorn Cartazono and the horn so highly prized at this day is thought to be of the Rhinoceros but Aelianus and Philes acknowledge no other Vnicorne then the Indian Asse who in bignes equalleth a horse among the Indians being all white on the body but purple headed or red as some say blacke eyes but Volaterranus saith blew hauing one horne in the fore-head a cubit and a halfe long whose vpper part is red or bay the middle blacke and the neather part white wherein the Kings and mighty men of India vse to drinke adorning it for that purpose with sundry bracelets precious stones and works of gold holding for truth that all those which drinke in those hornes shal be freed from annoyance of incurable diseases as conuulsions the falling euill and deadly poysons These wilde-asses exceed all other both in stature of body and also swiftnes of foote for at the first they set forth very gently and afterward speed their iourney with better pace so that it is very hard for any to follow them but impossible to ouergo them The males take great paines in keeping their young ones whom they continually watch and hide in the most remote and desert places they can finde When they are hunted they keepe their weake young ones behind them and fight for them very furiously neyther feare they to encounter horsemen They are so strong that no beast may stand before them for they will receiue the charge of Horsses with such violence that in their encounter they bite out their sides tear their guts out of their belly for which cause they are dreadfull to Horsses who are most vnwilling to ioyn with them for they neuer meet but they both perish They fight with their heeles but their teeth are most daungerous for what they apprehend in them they bring it cleane away and because of this rage those which are of any yeares can neuer be tamed The great king of India doth once euery yeare appoint all manner of fights both of men and Beastes wherein are wilde Buls tame Rams these wild Asses with one horne Hyaenaes and Elephants To conclude it is but a fable of Volaterranus that saith these Asses want a gal for they haue the bladder of the gal a potion whereof drunke cureth the falling euill Of the Alborach and Axis THere are two other beasts to be added to the end of this ranke namely the Alborach among the Turks being a faire white beast like an Asse whereupon the turkish priestes blasphemous idolaters perswade the silly pilgrims of Mecha that Mahomet was carried vp to heauen The Axis of which Pliny speaketh is a wilde beast hauing a skinne like the Hinnulus aforesaid but spred ouer with whiter spots which is bred in India Bellonius affirmeth that he saw two of them in the Castle of Cair a male and a female and either sex wanted hornes hauing long tayles down to their mid-legs like deere and differ very little from deere sauing in their large white spots and yellow colour yeelding a much more cleare sounding voyce then a deere and the female thereof is smaller then the male This beast is by idolatrous people dedicated to their drunken God Bacchus OF THE BADGER OTHER VVISE called a Brocke a Gray or a Bauson THe Badger could neuer find a Greeke name although some through ignoraunce haue foisted into a Greeke dictionary Melis whereas in truth that is his Latine word Mele or Meles and so called because aboue all other things he loueth hony and some later writers call him Taxus Tassus Taxo and Alber. Magnus daxâ—s But wheras in the scripture some translate Tesson Tahas or Tachasch and plurally Techaseim Badgers yet is not the mater so cleare for there is no such beauty in a badgers skin as to couer the Arke or to make princes shooes thereof therefore some Haebrews say that it signifieth an Oxe of an exceeding hard skinne Onkelus translateth it Sasgona that is a beast skinne of diuers colours Symcehus and Aquila a iacinct colour which cannot be but the Arabians Darasch and the Persians Asthak yet it may be rather saide that those skinnes spoken of Exod. 25. Numb 4 Ezek. 26. be of the Linx or some such other spotted beast for Tachasch commeth neere Thos signifying a kind of Wolfe not hurtfull to men being rough and hairy in winter but smooth in summer The Italians call a Badget Tasso the Rhetians Tasch the French Tausson Taixin Tasson Tesson and sometime Grisart for her colour sometimes Blareau and at Parris Bedouo The Spaniardes Tasugo Texon the Germans Tachs or Daxs the Illyrians Gezwecz Badgers are plentiful in Naples Sicilly Lucane and in the Alpine and Heluetian coasts so are they also in England In Lucane there is a certaine wilde beast resembling both a beare and a Hog not in quantity but in forme and proportion of body Countrey of breed Caelius Curio which the refore may be fitly called in Greeke Suarctos for a Gray in short legs eares and feet is like a beare but in fatnes like a swine Therefore it is obserued that there be two kinds of this
beast one resembling a Dog in his feet which is cald Canine the other a hog in his clouen hoofe and is cald Swinish also these dissoâ—â—â— the fashion of their snowt Diuersitie of kindes one resembling the snowt of a Dog the other of a swine and in their mear the one eating flesh and carrion like a Dogge the other rooâ—s and fruâ—â— like a hog as both kinds haue bene found in Normandy and other parts of France and 〈◊〉 This beast diggeth her a den or caue in the earth and there liueth neueâ— comming forth but for meat and easement which it maketh out of his den wheÌ„ they dig their den after they haue entred a good depth for auoiding the earth out one of them falleth on the backe and the other laieth all the earth on his belly and so taking his hinder feet in his mouth draweth the belly-laden-badger out of the caue A secret in their manner of digging Isidorus Albertus which disburdeneth her cariage and goeth in for more till all be finished and emptied The wily Foxe neuer maketh a Denne for himselfe but finding a badgers caue in her absence layeth his excrement at the hole of the denne the which when the Gray returneth if she smell as the sauour is strong she forbeareth to enter as noisome and so leaueth her elaborate house to the Fox These badgers are verie sleepie especiallie in the day time and stirre not abroad but in the night for which cause they are called Lucifuga that is Their meate Auoyders of the light They eat honie and wormes and hornets and such like thinges because they are not verie swift of foot to take other creatures They loue Orchards vines and places of fruits also and in the autumne they grow therewith verie fat They are in quantitie as big as a Fox but of a shorter and thicker bodie their skin is hard but rough and rugged their haire harsh and stubborn of an intermingled grisard colour sometime white sometime blacke his backe couered with blacke and his bellie with white his head from the top thereof to the ridge of his shoulder is adorned with strakes of white and blacke being blacke in the middle and white at each side He hath verie sharpe teeth and is therefore accounted a deepe-biting beast His back is broad his legs as some say longer on the right side then on the left and therefore he runneth best when he getteth to the side of a hill Cardanus or a cart-road-away His taile is short but hairy and of diuers colours hauing a long face or snowt like the Zibethus his forelegs being a full spanne long and the hinder legs shorter short eares and little eies a great bladder of gall a body verie fat betwixt the skin and the flesh and about the heart and it is held that this fat increaseth with the Moon and decreaseth with the same being none at all at the change his forelegs haue verie sharp nailes bare and apt to dig withall being fiue both before and behind but the hinder verie short ones and couered with haire His sauour is strong and is much troubled with lice about his secrets the length of his bodie from the nose which hangeth out like a hogges nose to the taile or rumpe is some thirtie inches and a little more the haire of his backâ— three fingers long his necke is short and a like a Dogs both male and female haue vnder their hole another outwardlie Her defence against Hunters theyr Dogs but not inwardlie in the male If she be hunted out of her denne with hounds she biteth them greeuouslie if she lay hold on them wherefore they auoide her carefully and the hunters put great broade collars made of a Graies skinne about their Dogges necke to keepe them the safer from the Badgers teeth her manner is to fight on her backe vsing thereby both her teeth and her nailes and by blowing vp her skinne aboue measure after an vnknowne manner she defendeth her selfe against the strokes of men and the teeth of Dogges wherefore she is hard lie taken but by deuises and ginnes for that purpose inuented with their skinnes they make quiuers for arrows and some shepheards in Italy vse thereof to make sacks wherein they wrappe themselues from the iniury of raine Badgâ— eaten Platina In Italy and Germany they eate Grayes flesh and boile with it peares which maketh the flesh tast like the flesh of a Porcupine Medicine made of Bad. The flesh is best in September if it be fat and of the two kindes the swinish badger is better flesh then the other There are sundry vertues confected out of this beast for it is affirmed that if the fat of a badger mingled with crudy hony Gratius and annointed vpon a bare place of a horsse where the former haires are pulled off it will make new white haires glowe in that place Brasanolus and it is certaine although the Graecians make no reckoning of Badgers grease yet it is a verie soueraigne thing to soften and therefore Serenus prescribeth it to annoint them that haue feuers or inflamations of the bodie Albertus Nec spernendus adeps dederit quem hestia melis And not to be dispised for other cures as for example the easing of the paine of the raines if it be giuen in a glister and likewise the fat of a dogge and a badger mingled togither doe loosen contracted sinnewes The ashes of a badger is found to helpe the bleeding of the stomacke and the same sod and drunke preuenteth daunger by the biting of a mad dogge and Brunfelsius affirmeth that if the blood of a badger be instilled into the hornes of cattell with salt it keepeth them from the murrain and the same dryed and beat to pouder doth wonderfully help the leprosie The braine sod with oyle easeth all aches the liuer taken out of water Bottillus helpeth swellings in the mouth and some affirme that if one weare soleâ— made of Badgers skins in their Shooes it giueth great ease vnto the gowt The biting of this beast is venemous bicause it feedeth vpon all venemous meates which creepe vpon the earth Brasanolus although Arnoldus be of a contrary iudgement and of this beast I can report no other thing worth the noting saue that the Noble family of the Taxons in Ferraria tooke their name from this creature OF THE BEARE A Beare is called in the Haebrew Dob and plurally Dobiâ—â— of the Arabians Dubbe of the Chaldeans Duba Aldub and Daboube Of the name of the Graecians Arctos of some Dasyllis because of the roughnes of his haire of other Beiros and Monios signifieth a solitary Beare The Latines call him Vrsus which some coniecture to be tanquam orsus signifieng that it is but begunne to be framed in the dammes belly and prefected after the littering thereof The Italians call it Orso so also the Spaniards the French Ours the Germans Baer and Beer the
Bohemians Nedwed the Polontans Vuluuer and the attributes of this beast are many among authors both Greeke and Latine Epithites of the beare as Aemonian beares armed filthy deformed cruell dreadfull fierce greedy Callidonian Erymanthean bloody heauy night-ranging lybican menacing Numidian Ossaean headlong rauening rigide and terrible beare all which serue to set forth the nature heereof as shall be afterward in particular discoursed First Of the kind of Beares Agricola Albertus therefore concerning seuerall kinds of beares it is obserued that there is in generall two a greater and a lesser and these lesser are more apt to clime trees then the other neither do they euer grow to so great a stature as the other Besides there are Beares which are called Amphibia because they liue both on the land and in the sea hunting and catching fish like an Otter or Beauer and these are white coloured In the Ocean Islands toward the North there are bears of a great stature fierce and cruell who with their forefeet do breake vp the hardest congealed yse on the sea or other great Waters and draw out of those holes great aboundance of fishes Olâ—uis and so in other frozen seas are many such like hauing blacke clawes liuing for the most part vpon the seas except tempestuous weather driue them to the land In the Easterne parts of India there is a beast in proportion of body verie like a Beare yet indued with no other quality of that kind being neither so wild nor rauenous nor strong and it is called a Formicarian Beare A Formicarian Beare Cardanus for God hath so prouided that whereas that countrey is aboundantly annoyed with the Emmets or Ants that beast doth so prey and feede vpon them that by the strength and vertuous humour of his tongue the sillie poore inhabitants are exceedingly relieued from their greeuious and daungerous numbers Beares are bred in many countries as in the Heluetian alpine region where they are so strong and full of courage Countrey of breed that they can teare in pieces both Oxen and Horsses for which cause the inhabitants study by all means to take them Likewise there are Beares in Persia which doe rauen beyond all measure and all other so also the beares of Nâ—midia Marcellinus which are of a more elegant forme and composition then the residue Profuit ergo nihil misero quod communius vrsos Figebat Numidas Albena nudus arena And wheras Pliny affirmeth that there are no beares in Affrick he mistook that country for Creet and so some say that in that Island be no Wolues vipers or other such venemous creatures whereof the Poets giue a vaine reason because Iupiter was borne there but we know also that there be no beares bred in England In the countrey of Arabia from the promontory Dira to the South are beares which liue vpon eating of flesh Volaterranâ— being of a yellowish colour which do farre excel all other bears both in actiuity or swiftnes and in quantity of body Among the Roxolani and Lituanians are beares which being tamed are presents for princes Aristotle in his wonders reporteth a secret in the natures of Beares that there are white beares in Misia which being eagerly hunted do send forth such a breath that putrifieth immediately the flesh of the Dogges and whatsoeuer other beast commeth within the sauour thereof it maketh the flesh of them not fit to be eaten but if either men or dogs approach or come nigh them they vomit forth such aboundance of Plegme that either the hunters are thereby choaked or blinded Thracia also breedeth white Beares and the King of Aethiopia in his Haebrew Epistle which he wrote to the Bishop of Rome affirmeth that there are Beares in his countrey In Musconia are Beares both of a snow white yellow and dusky colour and it hath bene seene that the Noble womens chariots drawne by six horsses haue beene couered with the skinnes of white beares from the pasterne to the head and as all other creatures doe bring forth some white and some blacke so also do Beares who in generall doe breede and bring forth their young in all cold countries some of a dusky and some of a browne blacke colour A Beare is of a most venereous and lustfull disposition Lust of beare for night and day the females with most ardent inflamed desires doe prouoke the males to copulation and for this cause at that time they are most-fierce and angry Phillippus Cosseus of Constance did most confidently tell mee that in the Mountaines of Sauoy a Beare carried a young maide into his denne by violence Gillius A History where in venereous manner he had the carnall vse of her body and while he kept her in his denne he dailye went foorth and brought her home the best Apples and other fruites he coulde get presenting them vnto her for her meat in very amorous sort but alwaies when hee went to forrage hee rouled a huge great stone vppon the mouth of his denne that the Virgin shoulde not escape away at length her parentes with long search founde their little Daughter in the Beares den who deliuered her from that sauage and beastuall captiuity Time of their copulation The time of their copulation is in the beginning of winter althogh sometime in Summer but such young ones seldome liue yet most commonly in February or Ianuary The manner of their copulation is like to a mans the male mouing himselfe vpon the belly of the female which lyeth on the earth flat vpon the backe and either embraceth other with their forefeet they remaine verie long time in that act inasmuch as if they were verie fat at their first entrance they disioine not themselues againe till they he made leane Immediately after they haue conceiued they betake themselues to their dennes Pliny where they without meate grow very fat especially the males onely by sucking their fore-feet When they enter into their denne they conuey themselues in backward a secret that so they may put out their footsteps from the sight of the hunters The males giue great honor to the females great with young during the time of their secrecie so that Honor to the female although they lie togither in one caue yet doe they part it by a diuision or small ditch in the midst neither of them touching the other The nature of all of them is to auoid cold and therfore in the winter time do they hide themselues chusing rather to suffer famine then cold auoiding of cold lying for the most part three or foure moneths togither and neuer see the light whereby their guts grow so empty that they are almost closed vp and sticke togither When they first enter into their denne they betake themselues to quiet and rest sleeping without any awaking for the first fourteene daies so that it is thought an easie stroke cannot awake them But how long the females go
he will dig the earth and with the hindmost fight like a horse setting on his blowes with great force and redoubling them againe if his obiect remoue not His voice is like the voice of an oxe when he is chased he runneth forth right Albertus The manner of his sight sildome winding or turning and when he is angred he runneth into the Water wherein he couereth himselfe all ouer except his mouth to coole the heate of his blood Nature of their breeding places Pet. crscent for this beast can neither endure outward cold nor inward heate for which cause they breede not but in hot countries and being at liberty are sildome from the waters They are very tame so that children may ride on their backes but on a suddaine they will runne into the Waters and so many times indaunger the childrens liues Of their yōg ones milk Their loue to their young ones is very great they alway giue milke from their copulation to their caluing neither will they suffer a calfe of another kinde whom they discerne by their smell to sucke their milke but beate it away if it be put vnto them wherefore their keepers do in such case annoynt the calfe with Bugils excrement and then she will admit her suckling Albertus Their strength in labor They are very strong and will draw more at once then two horsses wherefore they are tamed for seruice and will draw Waggons and plowes and carry burdens also but they are not very fit for carts yet when they doe draw they carry also great burthens or loads tyed to their backs with ropes and wantyghtes Pet. crescent At the first setting forward they bend their Legges very much but afterward they goe vpright and being ouerloden they will fall to the earth from which they cannot be raised by any stripes vntill their load or carriage be lessened There is no great account made of their hides although they bee very thicke Vse of theyr hydes Bellonius Solinus reporteth that the old Britons made boates of osier twigs or reedes couering them round with Bugils skinnes and sayled in them and the inhabitants of the kingdome of a Caraiani make them bucklers and shields of Bugils skinnes which they vse in Warres the flesh is not good for meate which caused baptista Fiera to make this poem Bubalus hinc abeat neue intret prandia nostra Non edat hunc quisquam sub iugo semper eat For they ingender melancholy and haue no good tast being raw they are not vnpleasant to behold but sod or rosted they shew a deformed substance The milke of this beast maketh very hard cheese which tasteth like earth The medicines made of this beast are not many with the hornes or hoofes they make rings to weare against the cramp The physick made out of Bugils and it hath been beleeued but without reason that if a man or a woman weare rings made of the hornes and hoofes of a bugill in the time of carnall copulation that they will naturally fly off from their fingers whereas this secret was wont to be attributed to rings of Chrisolyts or Smaragde stones To conclude some teach husbandmen to burne the hornes or dung of their bugils on the windye side of their corne and plants to keepe them from cankers and blasting and thus much of the vulgar bugill called bubalus recentiorum whose beginning in this part of the world is vnknowne although in Italy and other parts of Europe they are now bred and fostered OF THE AFFRICAN BVGILL BEllonius reporteth that he saw in Cair a small beast which was in all things like a little Oxe of a beautifull body full of flesh well and neately limmed which he could take for no other then the Affrican Oxe or Bugill of the old Graecians which was brought out of the kingdome of Asamia vnto the citty Cair It was old and not so big as a Hart but greater then a Roe The country of this beast he neuer in all his life tooke more pleasure to behold a beast then in viewing the excellent beauty of euery part in this creature His haire was yellowish glistering as if it had beene combed and trimmed by the art of a Barber vnder his belly it was somewhat more red and taunty then vpon his backe His feete in all thinges like a vulgar Bugils his Legges short and strong the necke short and thicke whereon the dewe-laps of his crest did scarce appeare His head like an Oxes and his hornes growing out of the crowne of his head blacke long and bending like a halfe Moone whereof he hath no vse to defend himselfe or annoy another by reason their points turne inward His eares like a cowes and shoulder blades standing vp a little aboue the ridge very strongly His taile to the knees like a camelopardals from whence hangeth some few blacke haires twice so great as the haires in a horsses tayle His voice was like an Oxes but not so strong and loude to conclude therefore for his discription if a man conceiue in his mind a little yellovv neate Oxe with smooth haire strong members and high hornes aboue his head like a halfe Moone his minde cannot erre from the true and perfect shape of this beast There was such a one to be seene of late at Florence vnder the name of an Indian Oxe sauing his head was greater and longer his hornes not high nor bending together but standing vpright and a little wreathing into spires aboue their roote and the hinder part of the back much lower then the shoulders but it may be the obseruer of this beast fayled and tooke not the true discription of it This creature or Affrican Bugill must be vnderstood to be a Wilde beast The nature of this beast and not of a tame kind although Bellonius expresseth not so much Leo in his discription of Affrique relateth a discourse of a certaine beast called Laut or Daut who is lesse then an Oxe but of more elegant feature in his Legs white hornes blacke nailes which is so swift that no beast can outrunne it except a Barbary horse it is taken most easily in the Summer time with the skinne thereof they make targets and shieldes which cannot be pierced by any Weapon except Gunshot for which cause they fell them very deare which is coniectured to be the Bugill that Bellonius describeth although it bee not iust of the same colour which may vary in this beast as well as in any other and I haue a certaine Manuscript without the authors name that affirmeth there be bugils in Lybia in likenes resembling a Hart and an Oxe but much lesser and that these beasts are neuer taken asleepe which causeth an opinion that they neuer sleepe and that there is another Bugill beyond the Alpes neere the Ryuer Rhene which is very fierce and of a white Colour There is a horne in the towne-house of Argentine foure Romane cubits long Of a
which hath ceased to be a calfe There are oxen in most part of the world which differ in quantity nature and manner The diuersity of Oxen in al cuÌ„tries one from another and therefore doe require a seuerall tractat And first their oxen of Italy are most famous for as much as some learned men haue aâ—firmed that the name Italia Varro was first of all deriued of the Greeke word Italous signifieng oxen because of the aboundance bred and nourished in those parts and the great account which the auncient Romanes made heereof OxeÌ„ of Italy appeareth by notable example of punishment who banished a certaine countrey man for killing an oxe in his rage and denying that he eate thereof as if he had killed a man likewise in Italy theyr oxen are not all alike for they of campania are for the most part white and slender yet able to manure the countrey wherein they are bred they of Vmbria are of great bodies yet white red coloured In hetruria and Latinui they are very compact and wel set or made strong for labour but the most stronge are those of Apennine although they appeare not to the eie very beautifull The Egyptians which dwell about Nilus haue oxen as vvhite as snovv and of exceeding high and great stature greater then the Oxen of Graecia yet so meeke and gentle Aristotle Oppianus Aonia Aelianus Leo Affric that they are easily ruled and gouerned by men The Aonian Oxen are of diuers colours intermingled one within another hauing a whole round hoofe like a horse and but one horne growing out of the middle of their forehead The domesticall or tame Oxen of Affrique are so small that one would take them for calues of two yeares olde AffricaÌ„ oxen the Affricans saith Strabo which dwell betwixt Getulia and our coast or countrey haue Oxen and horses which haue longer lips and hoofes then other and by the Graecians are tearmed Mecrokeilateroi The Armenian Oxen haue two hornes Armenian Oxen. Aeliantus but vvinding and crooking to and fro like Iuye which cleaueth to okes which are of such exceeding hardnesse that they wil blunt any sworde that is stroke vppon them without receiuing any impression or cut thereby Some are of opinion that the onely excellent breede of cattell is in Boeotia neere the citty Tanagra called once Poemandra by reason of their famous cattel Varinus BaeotiaÌ„ oxen the which Oxen are called coprophaga by reason that they will eate the dung of man so also doe the Oxen of ciprus to ease the paines of their smal guts The caricians in a part of Asia are not pleasant to behold hauing shaggye haire and bounches on either shoulders CariciaÌ„ oxeÌ„ reaching or swelling to their Neckes but those vvhich are either white or blacke are refused for labour Epirus yeeldeth also very great and large oxen vvhich the inhabitants cal Pyrhicae Epirus because that their first stocke or seminary were kept by King Pirrhus hovvsoeuer other say that they haue their name of their fiery flaming colour they are called also Larini of a village Larinum or of Larinus a chiefe Neat-heard of whom Ahaeneus maketh mention who receiued this greate breede of cartel of Hercules when he returned from the slaughter of Gerion vvho raigned about Ambracia and Ampholochi vvhere through the fatnesse of the earth and goodnesse of the pasture they grovv to so great a stature other call them cestrini I know not for vvhat cause yet it may be probable that they are called Larini Pliny Aristotle Theodoreâ— by reason of their broad Nostriles for Rines in Greeke signifieth Nostrils but the true cause of their great bone and stature is bycause that neither sexe were suffered to couple one vvith another vntil they vvere foure yeares old at the least and therefore they vvere called Atauri and Setaeuri and they vvere the proper goods of the King neither could they liue in any other place but in Epirus by reason that the whole country is ful of sweete and deepe pastures Al the oxen in Eubaea are white at the time of their caluing Eubaea Aelianus and for this cause the poets cal that countrey Argiboeon If that oxen or swine be transported or brought into Hispaniola Hispaniola Oxen. Pet Martyr they grow so great that the oxen haue beene taken for Elephantes and their swine for Mules but I take this relation to be hyperbolical There are Oxen in India which wil eate flesh like Wolues and haue but one horne and whole hoofes some also haue three hornes there be other as high as Cammels Rasis Indian oxen C. Tesias Solinus Pliny Aelianus and their hornes foure foote broad There was a horne brought out of India to Ptolmy the second which receiued three Amphoraes of water amounting the least too thirty english gallons of Wine measure whereby it may bee coniectured of how great quantity is the beast that bare it The Indians both Kings and people make no small reckoning of these beastes I meane their vulgar Oxen for they are most swift in course and wil runne a race as fast as any horse so that in their course you cannot know an Oxe from a horse waging both Gold and Siluer vpon their heads and the Kings themselues are so much delighted with this pastime that they follow in their Wagons and will with their owne mouthes and handes prouoke the beastes to runne more speedily and heerein the Oxe exceedeth a horse bycause he wil not accomplish his race with sufficient celerity except his rider draw blood from his sides with the spur but the oxes rider neede not to lay any hands or pricks at al vpon him his onely ambitious nature of ouercomming carrying him more swiftly then all the rods or spurs of the world could preuaile on him And of this game the lowest of the people are also very greedy laying many Wagers making many matches and aduenturing much time and price to see their euent Among the Indians there are also other oxen which are not much greater then great Goates who likewise in their yoaks are accustomed to runne many races which they performe with as great speede as a Getican horse Aâ—â—â—anus and all these running Oxen must be vnderstood to be wild Oxen. LeuctriaÌ„ oxeÌ„ Garamantae There bee Oxen in Leuctria which Aristotle affirmeth haue their eates and hornes growing both together forth of one stemme The Oxen of the Garamants and all other Neate among them feede with their necks doubled backward for by reason of their long and hanging hornes they cannot eate their meate holding their heads directly straight The selfe same is reported of the beastes of Trogloditae Solinus Herodotus in other things they differ not from other oxen saue onely in the hardnesse of their skinne and these oxen are called Opisthonomi Bangala Aristotle In the prouince of Bangala are oxen saith Paulus Venetus which equall the Elephant in hight The oxen in Mysia haue no hornes which other
she was afterward deliuered married to Osiris the king of Egipt and after her death was worshipped by the Egyptians for a god and called Isis vnto whoÌ„ they sacrificed Geese which wer called Sacra Isiaca In the choise of kie you must obserue this direction you must buy them in the month of March 〈◊〉 the chois 〈…〉 let them be young not past their first or second calfe their colour black or red sildom brown or white bright coloured specialy red brown legs blackish horns smooth and beautifull high foreheades great eies and blacke hairy and grisle eares flat Nostrils like an Apes but open and wide their backebone bending somewhat backewarde blacke lips long and thicke neckes most broad faire crests discending from the necke wel ribbed a great belly the backe and shoulders verie broad the Buttockes broad with a long taile hanging downe to their heels and theyr neather part in many places crisped or curled wel set and compacted legs rough and short straight knees and their bunches hanging ouer their small feet not broad but round standing in good distance one from other not growing crooked or splay-footed and their hoofes smooth and like one another euery way Finally â—â—ere a profitable thing to prosecute natures perfection in euery one of their seuerall parts but I spare to speake any more of the females and returning again to the story of oxen from which we haue digressed leauing the readers who desire to hear more of this discourse of kie to other authors whoe purposely describe euery part more particularly The description of Oxen 〈◊〉 common To begin therefore with their description because among folded beastes they are of most dignity and worth especially in Italy where the bounds of their best priuiledged flourishing citties were first of all declared and layed out by the plowing togither of an Oxe and a Cow in one yoake Mago Carthaginensis teacheth that the time to prouide or buy oxen is best in the time of March because then in their leane bodies they which sell them cannot couer their faults so well as if they were fatter and also if they should be vnruly and stubborne 〈◊〉 best to prouide OxeÌ„ they may be the more easily tamed before their flesh increase their strength Theyr notes or markes must be these let them be young hauing square and great lims a sounde body thicke and short hauing his muscles standing vp red and rounde and all his body smooth Outwarde markes of good Oxen. his hornes blacke strong and large without crooking or winding after the fashion of a halfe moone great and rough eares their eies and lips blacke broad Nostrils and flat vpward a long thicke and soft necke his crest discending downe to the knee a great breast large shoulders big belly long straight sides broad loynes a straite backe discending a little and a round paire of buttockes straight sounde and sinnewy short legs good knees great hoofs and long tayles rough and grisly And it is to be noted that the oxen of a mans owne countrey breed are better and to be preferred before strangers because he is alredy naturaly fitted to the aire food water and temper of the soile for it is not good to bring them from the Mountaines to the valleyes because then they will grow lazie and fat and so into diseases neither from the valleyes to the mountaines because they will quickly grow out of hart through want of their first deep and fat pastur and aboue all haue regard to match them equally in yoak so as one may not over-beare the other Oxen loose their teeth at 2. or 3. year old but not al as a horse doth their nerues are harder but not so hard as a bulles their flesh is dry and melancholike their horns are greater larger then are a buls for the same reason that Eunuchs and gelded persons can neuer be bald Their seurall parts for copulation weakeneth the braine only a Bul hath a stronger forehead then an oxe because the humour that should grow forth into hornes is hardned vnder the bone and the horns of kie which are also bigger then a Buls may thorough heat be made flexible with wax or water and bend euery way and if when they are thus made soft you doe slit or cut them into foure that is euery horne in twoe they will so growe afterwarde as if euery beast had foure hornes and sometime thorough the thicknes of their scull closing vp the part where the horne should grow The reason why some Oxen are polled and the smalnes of their vaines in that place to feede the hornes there come no hornes at al but remaine pouled And it is reported that they haue a little stone in their head which in the feare of death they breath out Their teeth do al touch one another and are changed twice Aelianus they chew the cud like sheepe wanting a rowe of their vpper teeth that is foure of them Aristotle their eies are blacke and broade and their heart full of sinnewes yet without any bony substance although Pliny affirmeth that sometimes in the harts of oxen and horses are found bones Their crest called Palea commeth of Pilus their haire and it is nothing else but longe strakes in their haire whereby the generosity and stomacke of the beast is apparant Pliny The parts of a Cow different from Oxen. A cow hath two vdders vnder her loines with fower speans like a goat and a sheep because the concoction and iuice of their meat may better discend to the lower parts then to the vpper their nauell is filled with many vaines their haire short and soft their taile long with harder haire then in the other parts of the body their melt is long and not rounde their rains are like the raines of a sea-calfe and by reason of their dry bodies they growe very fat and this fat will not easily be dissolued Galen but their manner of feeding maintaineth their strength for they which eat much are slowe in the chewing and speedie in the concoction for they do better preserue their fat which eate slowly then those that eat hastily and with more greedinesse It hath bene already shewed The manner how Oxen feed fat that some oxen will eat flesh and teare wild beasts in pieces and the people of Prasias giue to their yoaked or working oxen fish Herodotus and also in the prouince of Aden where their horsses sheepe and oxen eat dried fish by reason that the abundance of heat doth drie vp their pasture Paul venet neither is any thing so plentiful among them as fish the like is reported of the people Horotae and Gedrusii and of Mosynum a citty of Thracia and in Frisland in the prouince of Narbon there is an herbe growing in waters which is so much desired of their cattell that they will thrust their heads into the water aboue their eares to bite that to the roots and the
Hart and dusky white colourd a miraculous 〈◊〉 in her 〈◊〉 â—â—â—bo lib. 7. but the young ones yellow of a singular swiftnesse and celerity in course Her manner is to drinke by the holes in her Nostrils whereby she shuffeth vp aboundance of Water and carrieth it in her head so that shee will liue in dry pastures remote from all moisture a great season quenching her thirst by that Cisterne in her head Of the countries of their breede They are most plentifull to be found in Tartaria in Pontus where are so many plaines that a man can see nothing but heauen and earth likewise they are found in Moscouia in Podocia Of their hunting and taking about the Ryuer Neprus and Boristhenes they can neuer be taken but by werisomnesse wherefore if men follow them with Pipes and Timbrels playing vpon them they so weary themselues with leaping and running to and fro being compassed in by multitudes of men that they fall downe for weakenesse and so are taken They liue in flockes together sometimes fiue hundred and after Easter in the spring two hundred in a troupe hauing a Snout like a Hogs they endure much hunger but no cold In March they dig vp with their Hornes a certaine roote whereof they eate Of their procreation and presently their lust for generation encreaseth vnto rage insomuch that for satisfieng therof they continue in that act both male female vntil they lose al streÌ„gth of body lying halfe dead on the earth by the space of 24. houres not able to goe or stand during which time they are often taken aliue but when they come againe to themselues they rather dy then endure to be tamed The flesh of them is very sweete and wholsome they conceiue and bring forth for the most parte twinnes or two at a time their greatest enemie is a Wolfe for in the Winter and snow they hunt and kill them Their hornes are about foure palmes in length growing vpright or bending very little very sharp wherewithall they can pierce the belly of a Horse or other beast that standeth ouer them at the roote they are about sixe ynches compasse and so growing lesse and lesse to the top one of them waigheth about nine ounces the blade toward the point is transparent being held against the light or sunne because it is white and thin but the neather part is dusky and thicker and therefore it is not penetrable by the eie of man There are about 14. circles like rings compassing about the horne one aboue another but the vppermost is not perfect This horne is of great price being a present for any Noble man for in Turkey they are sold for sixe Craconian shillings yet I know no other vse of them but either to make hafts for kniues or else hornes for Spectacles This beast liueth altogether in the plaines except in snow and then he runneth into the Woods where he may be taken more easily and killed with the stroke of a Staffe Mat michon When the Tartarians know in what plaines they lye their King commeth and with a multitude of men compasseth them and wearieth them by musicke as aforesaid All this was related to me by one that had killed of them aboue two hundred with his owne hand saith that right honorable and most learned Gentleman Iohannes Bonarus Baoron of Balszee a Polonian OF THE CONY AMong the diuers kinds of Hares conies haue the third rank being therfore called in Latine Lepusculi as it were litle hares sometime Leberidae as it wer a Leueret or young Hare as well as Cuniculus whereof the reason is that it maketh holes in the earth Strabo Or the name for Cuniculus was a Latin word for a hole or caue in the earth before it was taken for a cony Scaphan in the singular Schephanim in the plural Leuit. 11. and Psal 104. is taken in Haebrew for a cony or conies not for a Hedg-hog as the Septuaginta translate or for a Porcaspine although they liue also in caues and secret places of the earth Platina Hermolaus Polibius Grapaldus The etymology of the name and therfore Choerogrillus or Choerogillius or Choerogryllinus cannot signifie a cony as the Septuagints translate Scaphan but a Hedg-Hog as the word deriued from the face of a Hog doth most euidently declare which can by no means agree with a Cony In the 14. of Deut. the word Scaphan is ioyned with a Hare because it is a beast neere of kind vnto it for it is euident that both of them chew the cud howsoeuer a cony hath not a simple clouen foot into two parts A cony also is called Adapes because of the roughnes of his feet The Chaldee calleth it Thapsa the Arabians Vebar the Persian Beganzerah the Arabians following somtime the Greeke call it Alraneb that is Hares The Graecians call it vulgarly Skele and Dasipos Couniclos Scunax and Lagis Georychios a Hare digging liuing in the earth The Italians call it conigli the French counin the â—paniards coneio the Germans Kinnigle or Kunel and sometime Kunlein the Illyrians Kralik or Krolijk Their count Munsterus There are few countries wherein conies doe not breed but the most plenty of all is in England they are also in an Island where are but few men neere vnto Dicaearcha or as it is now called Puteoli in Italy Likewise in all Spain especially in those parts neere vnto Lombardy Athaeneus whereupon Appius in Varro did write to one of his acquaintance which had tarryed long in Spain that he thoght he was there folowing or hunting of conies because as their multitude is great so it would aske long time to take them Among the Baleares are also great store of conies Pliny and once they so abounded there that the people wer constraind to entreat at the handes of Augustus a military company of Pioners to destroy them and when camillus was besieging the citty Veij in Italy he learned of the conies which had vndermined a whole citty in Spain Vâ—rro likewise to take and ouerthrow that citty by their example of vndermining whereupon Martiall said Monstrauit tacitas hostibus ille vias Vegetius saith that the prouerbe cuniculos agere tooke his beginning when one by secret vnderminings and not by open violence ouerthroweth a Towne or nation There are also saith Albertus great store of wilde conies in Bohemia so like a Hare as one beast may be like another saue onely they seeme stronger and are shorter and lesser-which thing caused Baptista Fiera to write thus credideram leporem sic forma simillima fallit Ambo super foetant dente vel aure pares Pet. Matyr likewise affirmeth in his Ocaean Decades that in curiana a region of the new fouÌ„d worlde are conies for colour quantity and haire like Hares which the inhabitantes call Vitias Their partes members and there are two litle Islands caled cuniculariae which seeme to be denominated
that these are greater and stronger then Harts Agricola Of their strength and colour their vpper part of the backe being blacke and the neather neere the belly not White as in a Hart but rather blackish but about his genitals very blacke I haue seene the hornes to haue seauen spires or braunches growing out of one of them being palmed at the top These are like to those which are called Achaeines in Greeke by reason of their paine and sorrow and Kummerer in Germane by cause they liue in continuall sorrow for their young ones while they are not able to runne out of their dennes belike fearing by some instinct of nature A secret in their paâ—sion least their tender and weake age should betray them to the hunters before they be able to runne away THE FIGVRE OF ANOTHER Tragelaphus or Deere-goate expressed by BELLONIVS THere is another Tragelaphus saith he whereof I finde no name among the French it wanteth a beard The description of his seuerall parts and the Haire thereof resembleth an Ibex-goate whose description followeth afterward among Goates the hornes heereof are like a Goats but more crooked and bending compassing behinde as a Rammes doe which he neuer looseth His face Nose and eares are like a sheepes the skinne of his Cods being very thicke and hanging downe His Legs are white like a sheepes his taile white his haires are so long about his necke and stomacke that you would thinke it were bearded His haire on the shoulders and brest blacke and it hath two gray spots on his flanks on either side the Nostriles are blacke the beake or face White so also is the belly beneath but the description heereof seemeth rather to agree with a Pygargus or Musmon of which I shall speake afterward Either sexe loose euery yeare their hoofes and Harts doe their Hornes that nature may shew their resemblance in their feet to a Hart as he doth in their head to a Goat His eare is short like a Goats but his eie genitall stones and taile like a Harts though somwhat shorter The hornes like a Rammes crooked and distinguished in the middle by a blacke line all their length which is two Roman feete and one finger and in compasse at the roote one foot one palme and a halfe standing one from another where they differ most not aboue one foote three palmes one finger and a halfe The rugged circles going about them toward the top are bunchy and toward the bottom or roote they are low with beaten notches or impressions Their quantity in length and breadth They are not at the top distant one point from another aboue one foote and a palme The length of their face from the Crowne to the tip of the Nose one foote and three fingers the breadth in the forehead where it is broadest two palmes and one finger The height of this beast not aboue three foote and a halfe except where his mane standeth and the whole length heere of from the crown of the head to the taile is foure feet and a halfe and two fingers It hath onely teeth beneath on the neather chap and those in number not aboue sixe neither did I obserue any defect in them It cheweth the cud like other clouen-footed beasts The Nostrils are blacke from whom the vpper lip is deuided by a long perpendicular line It is a gentle pleasant and wanton beast in the disposition Of the description of this beast rather resembling a Goate then a Hart desiring the steepest and slipperyest places whereon it leapeth and from whence it is reptored that it doth cast downe it selfe headlong vpon the hornes naturally that by them it may breake the violence of his fall or leape and then stayeth his body vpon the sore-knees It will runne apace but it is most excellent in leaping for by leaping it ascendeth the highest Mountaines and rockes The females are greater then the males but not in Horne or Haire it eateth Grasse Oates Cheasâ—ill Hay and Bread they bring forth twinnes euery time and this we call in England a Barbary-Deere Thus farre Doctor Cay OF THE HART AND HINDE THe male of this beast is called in Haebrew Ajal Deut. 14. The names of a Hart. and the Arabians doe also retaine that word in their translations the Persians cal him Geuazen the Septuagints Elaphos the Graecians at this day Laphe Pelaphe and Saint Ierom for the Latins Ceruus the Chaldees Aielah the Italians Ceruo the Spaniards Cieruo the French Cerf the Germans Hirtz of Hirs and Hirsch the Plimmings Hert the Polonians Gelen the Illirians Ielijelij The female or Hinde likewise termed in Haebrew Aial and sometime Alia and Aielet The names of a Hinde the Latines and Italians Cerua the Spaniards Cierua the Germans Hinde and Hindin and the Germans more speciallye Hin and Wilprecht the French Biche and the Polonians Lanij The young faunes or calfes of this Beast they call in Latine Hinnuli the Graecians Anebros the Haebrewes Ofer the Germans Hindcalb The nams of a hinde-calfe Also it is not to be forgotten that they haue diuers other names to dinstinguish their yeares and countries as for example when they begin to haue hornes which appeare in the second yeare of their age like Bodkins without braunches which are in Latine called Subulae Aristotle Pliny Oâ— Spittards Subulous they are also cald Subulones for the similitude they haue with bodkins and the Germans cal such an one Spirzhirtz which in English is called a Spittard and the Italians corbiati but the french haue no proper name for this beast that I can learn vntil he be a three yearing and then they call him ein Gabler which in Latine are called Furcarij And indeed I was once of this opinion that these Subulones were only two-yearing Harts vntil I consulted with a Sauoyen of Segusium Of Brocardes who did assure me from the mouths of men traind vp in hunting wild beasts from their youth that there are a kind of Subulones which they call also Brocardi with straight and vnforked hornes except one branch in the mountaine of Iura neare the lake Lemanus and that these also do liue among other Hartes for there was seene neere a monastry called the Roman Monasterie by certaine hunters in the yeare 1553. a vulgar Hart with branched hornes and his female and likewise with a Subulon or Brocarde which when in pursuit he was constrained to leape from rocke to rock to get to the Water he brake his legge and so was taken These Brocards are as great in quantity as other vulgar Hartes The quantity of Brocards but their bodies are leaner and they swifter in course Of their horns They haue but one braunch growing out of the stem of their horne which is not bigger then a mans finger and for this cause in the rutting time when they ioyne with their females they easily ouercome the vulgar Hart with his branched and forked hornes The
This kind of dog is so called In Latine Canis Laniarius in English the Butchers dog So called for the necessity of his vse for his seruice affoordeth great benefit to the butcher as well in following as in taking his cattell when neede constraineth vrgeth and requireth This kind of Dog is likewise called In Latine Molossicus or Molossus After the name of a countrey in Epirus called Molossia which harboureth many stoute strong and sturdy Dogs of this sort for the Dogs of that countrey are good indeede or else there is no trust to be had in the testimony of writers This dog is also called In Latine Canis Mandatarius a Dog messenger or Carrier Vpon substanciall consideration because at his maisters voice and commaundement he carrieth letters from place to place wrapped vp cunningly in his lether collar fastned thereto or sowed close therein who least he should be hindred in his passage vseth these helpes very skilfully namely resistance in fighting if he be not ouermatched or else swiftnesse and readinesse in running away if he be vnable to buckle with the Dog that would faine haue a snatch at his skinne This kinde of Dog is likewise called In Latine Canis Lunarius in English the Mooner Because he doth nothing else but watch and ward at an inch wasting the wearisome night season without slombering or sleeping bawing and wawing at the Moon that I may vse the word of Nonius a quality in mine opinion strange to consider This kind of dog is also called In Latine Aquarius in English a water drawer And these be of the greater and the waighter sort drawing water out of wels and deepe pits by a wheele which they turne round about by the mouing of their burthenous bodies This dog is called in like manner Canis Sarcinarius in latine and may aptly be Englished a Tynkers Curre Because with marueilous patience they beare big budgets fraught with Tinkers tooles and mettall meete to mend kettels porrige-pots skellets and chafers and other such like trumpery requisite for their occupacion and loytering trade easing him of a great burthen which otherwise he himselfe should carry vpon his shoulders which condition hath challenged vnto them the forsaid name Besides the qualities which we haue already recounted this kind of Dogs hath this principall property ingrafted in them that they loue their maisters liberally and hate straungers despightfully whereupon it followeth that they are to their maisters in traueiling a singuler safegarde defending them forceably from the inuasion of villayns and theeues preseruing their liues from losse and their health from hazzard their flesh from hacking and hewing with such like desperate daungers For which consideration they are meritoriously tearmed In latine Canes defensores defending dogs in our mother tongue If it chance that the maister be oppressed either by a multitude or by the greater violence and so be beaten downe that he lie groueling on the ground it is proued true by experience that this dog forsaketh not his maister no not when he is starke dead But induring the force of famishment and the outragious tempestes of the weather most vigilantly watcheth and carefully keepeth the deade carkasse many daies indeuouring furthermore to kill the murtherer of his maister if he may get any aduantage Or else by barking by howling by furious iarring snarring and such like means betrayeth the malefactor as desirous to haue the death of his aforsaid maister rigoriously reuenged An example heerof fortuned within the compasse of my memory The Dog of a certaine wayfaring man trauailing from the Citty of London directly to the Towne of â—ingstone most famous and renowned by reason of the triumphant coronation of eight seuerall Kings passing ouer a good portion of his iourney was assaulted and set vpon by certaine confederate theeues lying in waight for the spoyle in Come-parcke a perillous bottom compassed about with Woods too well knowne for the manifold murders and mischeeuous robberies their committed Into whose handes this passieger chaunced to fall so that his ill luck cost him the price of his life And that Dog whose syer was English which Blondus registreth to haue beene within the bankes of his remembrance manifestly perceiuing that his maister was murthered this chanced not farre from Paris by the hands of one which was a suiter to the same woman whom he was a wooer vnto did both bewray the bloody Butcher and attempted to teare out the villains throat if he had not sought meanes to auoid the reuenging rage of the dog In fyers also which fortune in the silence and dead time of the night or in stormy weather of the saide season the older dogs barke ball howle and yell yeâ— notwithstanding they be roughly rated neyther will they stay their tongues till the houshould seruants awake rise search and see the burning of the fire which being perceiued they vse voluntary silence and cease from yolping This hath bin and is found true by triall in sundry parts of England There was no fainting faith in that Dog which when his maister by a mischance in hunting stumbled and fel toppling downe a deepe ditch being vnable to recouer of himselfe the dog signifying his maisters mishap rescue came and he was hailed vp by a rope whom the Dog seeing almost drawne vp to the edge of the ditch cheerefully saluted leaping and skipping vpon his maister as though he would haue imbraced him being glad of his presence whose longer absence he was loath to lacke Some Dogs there be which will not suffer fierie coales to ly scattered about the hearth but with their pawes will rake vp the burning coales musing and studying first with themselues how it might conueniently be done And if so be that the coales cast to great a heat then will they bury them in ashes and so remoue them forward to a fit place with their noses Other dogs be ther which execute the office of a Farmer in the night time For when his maister goeth to bedde to take his naturall sleepe And when A hundred bars of brasse and yron boltes Make all things safe from startes and from reuolts When Ianus keepes the gate with Argos eye That dangers none approach ne mischiefe nie As Virgill vaunteth in his verses Then if his maister biddeth him goe abroad he lingereth not but raungeth ouer all his lands there about more diligently Iwys then anie farmer himselfe And if he find any thing ther that is strange and pertaining to other persons besides his maister whether it be man woman or Beast he driueth them out of the ground not meddling with any thing that do belong to the possession and vse of his master But how much faithfulnes so much diuersity there is in their natures For there be some which barke onely with free and open throat but wil not bite some which do both bark and bite and some which bite bitterly before they barke The first are not greatly to be feared because they themselues are fearefull and fearefull dogs as
Albertus and so oftentimes put it vpon the maime or if neither of these can be performed by the beast himselfe then cure it by casting vpon it the ashes of a dogs heade or burned salte mingled with liquid pitch powred therupon When a dog returning from hunting is hurt about the snowt Blondus by the venemous teeth of some wilde beast I haue seene it cured by making incision about the wound whereby the poysoned blood is euacuated and afterward the sore was annointed with oile of Saint Iohns wort Wood-worms cureth a dog bitten by serpents Plinyus When he is troubled with vlcers or rindes in his skin pieces of Pot-sheardes beaten to powder and mingled with vineger and Turpentine with the fat of a Goose or else waterwort with new Lard applyed to the sore easeth the same and if it swel anoint it with Butter For the drawing forth a thorne or splinter out of a Dogs foote take coltes-foote and Lard or the pouder there of burned in a new earthen pot and either of these applyed to the foot draweth forth the thorne and cureth the sore for by Dioscorides it is said to haue force to extract any point of a Speare out of the body of a man For the wormes which breede in the vlcers of their heeles take Vnguentum Egiptiacum and the iuice of peach leaues There are some very skilfull hunters which affirme that if you hang about the Dogs necke sticks of Citrine as the wood drieth so will the wormes come forth and dy Again for thâ—s euil they wash the wounds with water then rub it with pitch time and the dung of an Oxe in Vineger Tardinus afterward they apply vnto it the powder of Ellebor When a dog is troubled with the maungie itch or Ring-wormes first let him blood in his fore legs in the greatest veyne afterward make an ointment of Quick siluer Brimstone nettle-seed Albertus Rasis and twice so much olde sewet or Butter and therewithal all anoint him putting thereunto if you please decoction of Hops and salt water Some do wash maungy Dogs in the Sea-water and there is a caue in Sicily saith Gratius that hath this force against the scabs of Dogs if they be brought thither and set in the running water which seemeth to be as thicke as oyle Flegme or melancholly doth often engender these euils and so after one Dog is infected all the residue that accompany or lodge with him are likewise poisoned for the auoyding thereof you must giue them Fumitory Sorrel and whay sod together it is good also to wash them in the sea or in Smiths-water or in the decoction aforesaid For the taking awaie of warts from the feet of Dogs or other members first rub and friccase the wart violently and afterward anoint it with salt Oyle Vineger and the powder of the rind of a Gourd or else lay vnto it Alloes beaten with mustard-seed to eat it off and afterward lay vnto it the little scories or iron chips which flie off from the Smithes hotte iron while he beateth it mingled with Vineger and it shall perfectly remooue them Against Tikes Lyce and Fleas annoint the Dogs with bitter Almonds Staues acre or Roots of Maple or Cipers or froth of Oile and if it be old and annoint also their ears with salt-Salt-water and bitter Almondes then shall not the flies in the Summer time enter into them If Bees or Waspes or such Beasts sting a Dogge lay to the sore burned Rue with Water and if a greater Fly as the Hornet let the Water be warmed A Dog shall be neuer infected with the Plague if you put into his mouth in the time of any common pestilence Blondus the powder of a Storks craw or Ventrickle or any part thereof with Water which thing ought to be regarded for no creature is so soone infected with the plague as is a Dogge and a Mule and therefore they must either at the beginning receiue medicine or else bee remooued out of the ayre according to the aduise of Gratius Sed varij mitus nec in omnibus vna potestes Disce vices quae tutela est proxima tenta Woolfe-wort Pliny and Apocynon whose leaues are like the leaues of Iuye and smell strongly will kill all Beasts which are littered blind as Wolues Foxes Beares and Dogs if they eat thereof So likewise will the root of Chamaeleon and Mezereon in water and oyle it killeth Mice Discorides Swine and Dogs Ellebor and Squilla and Faba Lupina haue the same operation There is a Gourd called Zinziber of the Water because the tast thereof is like to Ginger the Flower Fruite and Leafe thereof killeth Asses Mules Dogs and manie other Foure-footed beastes The nuts Vomicae are poison to Dogges except their care be cut presently and made to bleed It will cause them to leape strangely vp and downe and kill him within two houres after the tasting if it be not preuented by the former remedy Theophrastus Chrysippus affirmeth that the water wherein Sperrage beene sodde giuen to Dogges killeth them the fume of Siluer or Leade hath the same opperation If a Dog grow lean and not through want of meat Albertus it is good to fill him twice or thrice with Butter and if that doe not recouer him then it is a signe that the worme vnder his tongue annoieth him which must be presently pulled out by some Naule or Needle if that satisfie not he cannot liue but will in short time perish And it is to be noted that Oaten bread leauened will make a sluggish dog to become lusty agile and full of spirit Blondus Dogs are also many times bewitched by the onely sight of inchaunters euen as infants Lambes and other creatures according to Virgils verse Nescio quis teneros oculus mihi fascinat agnos For bewitching spirit entereth by the eie into the hart of the party bewitched for remedy whereof they hang about the necke a chaine of Corrall as for holy hearbs I hold them vnprofitable To cure the watry eyes of Dogs take warme water and first wash them therewith and then make a plaister of meale and the white of an Egge and so lay it thereunto By reason of that saying Eccles 20. cap. Bribes and gifts blind the eies of Iudges Vnicentius euen as a dumbe dog turneth away Correction Some haue deliuered that greene Crow-foote forced into the mouth of a Dog maketh him dumbe and not able to barke When a Dog becommeth deafe the oile of Roses with new pressed wine infused into his eares cureth him and for the wormes in the eares make a plaister of a beaten spunge and the white of an Egge Tardinus and that shall cure it The third kind of Quinancy called Synanche killeth Dogs Pollux Niphus because it bloweth vppe their chaps and includeth their breath The cough is very noisome to Dogs wherefore their keepers must infuse into their Nostrils two cuppes of wine with brused sweete Almonds
whereof this was the reason because poison is not equally in all his teeth and therefore biting with the purer and wholsomer the wound became not perillous A man bitten with a mad Dogge falleth mad presently when he commeth vnder the shadow of a Corn-tree as it is affirmed by most Phisitians Ponzettus for that shaddow setteth the poyson on fire but a man falling mad of all creatures auoydeth a Dog and a Dog most of all falleth vpon men There are many things which engender madnes in Dogs as hot wheaten bread dipped in beane-water melancholy bred within them and not purged by Canaria or other Hearbes the menstruous pollutions of Women and the paine of his teeth Their madnesse is most dangerous in the Dog-daies for then they both kil and perish mortally for at that time their spittle or fome falling vppon mans body Pliny Doâ— daies most perilous for mad dogâ— breedeth great daunger and that if a man tread vpon the Vrine of a mad Dog he shall feele paine by it if he haue a sore about him from whence it came to passe that a stone bitten by such a Dog was a common prouerbe of discord Also it is obserued that if a wound be dressed in the presence of man or woman which hath beene bitten by a madde Dog that the paine thereof wil be encreased and which is more that abortment wiâ—l follow vpon beasts with young or Egs couered by the hen by their presence But for remedy Pliny they wash their hands and sprinckle themselues or the Beasts with that water whereby the euill is to be cured If the gall of a mad Dog about the bignes of a Lentill seed be eaten it killeth within seuen daies or else doth no harme at all if it passe seuen daies without operation Bortrutius When a mad Dog had suddenlie tore in peeces a garment about ones body the taylor or Botâ—her tooke the same to mend and forgetting himself put on side of the breach into his mouth to stretch it out to the other fell mad immediately Men thus affected feare al waters their virile member continually standeth they suffer many conuulsions and oftentimes barke like dogs There was a certaine Mason at Zuricke who had his finger greeuously bitten with a madde Dog about Iuly whereunto he layed Garlicke Rue and oile of Scorpions and so it seemed to be healed wherefore he tooke no counsell of any Phisitiâ—n About August following he was taken with a feuer being first very cold then very hot and so continued sweating for a day or two and could not endure the cold aire He thirsted much yet when water or drinke was brought him he was so afraid thereof that he could not drinke his sweat was cold and when he felt any colde ayre hee cried out for feare it had bin water thus he remained trembling and offering to vomit at the sight of water many times howling and so perished after two daies ended When a Dog is mad it may be knowne by these signes for he will neither eat nor drink Signs to kno a mad Doâ— he looketh awry and more sadly then ordinary his body is leane he casteth foorth thicke fleame out of his Nostrils or mouth He breatheâ—h gaping and his toong hangeth out of his mouth His eares is limber and weake his taile hangeth downeward his pace is heauy and sluggish vntil he run and then it is more rash intemperate and vncertaine Sometimes running and presently after stand still againe he is verie thirsty but yet abstaineth from drinke he barketh not and knoweth no man biting both strangers and friends His head hangeth downeward Bertrurius Ponzettus he is fearefull and runneth into secret places from his whelps or fellowes who often barke at him and will not eat of bread vppon which his blood hath fallen His eies grow very red hee many times dieth for feare of water some discerne it by laying nuts or Graines of corne to the bitten place and afterward take them away and cast them to Hens or Pullen who for hunger will eate them and if after the eating the fowle liue the dog wil not be mad but if it die then for certaintie the dog will fall mad The which passions do also agree with them that are bitten by him and it is not to be forgotten that the bitings of the female bring more danger then the males The bodies of them that are thus wounded grow very dry and are pressed with inward burning feâ—ers if by musicke and delightfull sports they be not kept waking many times they die suddenly or els recouer for a small time and then fall into a relapsed malady Some giue this to be the cause of their feare of Water because their body growing dry seemeth to forget all participation with humidity but Rufus affirmeth this commeth from melancholy wherewithall these persons are most commonly affected which agreeth with an imagination they haue that they see Dogs in the water and indeed it cannot be but their owne countenance which in these passions is very red doth woonderfully afflict them both in the water and in all looking glasses When a certaine Philosopher being bitten by a mad dog entered into a bath and a strong apparition of a Dog presented it selfe vnto him therein Aetius he stroue against this imagination with a singuler confident corage to the contrary saying within himselfe Quid cani commune est cum balneo what hath a Dog to do in a Bath and so went in and ouercam his disease which thing had sildome chanced that a man hath recouered this malady after hee fell into feare and trembling except Eudemus and Themiso who obeying the request of a friend of his entered likewise into the Water and after many torments was recouered To conclude some men in this extremity suffer most fearefull dreames profusion of seed hoarsnes of voice shortnes of breath retention of vrine which also changeth colour being sometimes blacke sometime like milke sometime thicke sometime thin as water rumbling in the belly by reason of crudity rednes of the whole body distention of nerues heauines of mind loue of darkenes and such like Yet doth not this operation appeare presently vpon the hurt but sometimes at nine dayes sometimes at forty daies sometimes at halfe a yeare or a yeare or seuen or twelue yeare as was hath beene already said The cure of mad Dogs eyther for preuâ—nting or â—ecouering Pliny For the cure of these Dogges and first of all for the preuenting of madnes there are sundry inuented obsuerations First it is good to shut them vp and make them to fast for one day then purge them with Hellebor and being purged nourish them with breade of barley-meale Other take them when they be young whelpes and take out of their tongue a certaine little worme which the Graecians call Lytta after which time they neuer grow mad or fall to vomitting as Gratius noted in these verses Namque subit nodis qua lingua
they be pricked with a Needle and mingled with Hony it cureth pain in the eies and taketh away white spots from them likewise infused into the eares openeth all stoppings Pliny Aesculapius reth all inward paines in them The Spleene drunke in vrine cureth the spleenatick the melt being taken from the Dog aliue hath the same vertue to help the melt of man The skinne of Bitches wherein they conceiue their puppies which neuer touched the earth is pretious against difficulty in childbirth and it draweth the infant out of the wombe Dioscoridâ—â— The milk of a Bitches first whelping is an antidote against poyson and the same causeth haire neuer to come againe if it be rubbed vpon the place where haires are newly pulled off Also infused into the eyes driueth away the whitenes of them Likewise there is no better thing to annoint the gums of young Children withall before they haue teeth for it maketh them to come forth with ease it easeth likewise the paine of the eares and withall speed healeth burnt mouthes by any whot meate Ora ambusta cibo sanabis lacte canino The vrine of a dog taketh away spots and wartes and being mingled with salt of nitre wonderfully easeth the Kings euill The dung of dogges called by the Apothecaryes Album Graecum because the white is best being engendered by eating of bones and therefore hath no ill sauour Galen affirmeth that his maisters in Physicke vsed it against old sores bloody flixes and the Quinensie and it is verye profitable to staunche the blood of Dogs and also against inflamations in the brests of Women mingled with turpentine It was well prescribed by Auicen to expell congeled bloode out of the stomacke and bladder being taken thereof so much in powder as will lye vppon a Golden Noble Of the Ethiopian Eale THere is bred in Ethiopia a certaine strange Beast about the bignesse of a Sea-horse being of colour blacke or brownish it hath the cheekes of a Boare Pliny Solinus the tayle of an Elephant and hornes aboue a Cubit long which are mooueable vpon his head at his owne pleasure like eares now standing one way and anone mouing another way as hee needeth in fighting with other Beastes for they stand not stiffe but bend flexibly and when he fighteth he alway stretcheth out the one and holdeth in the other of purpose as it may seeme that if one of them be blunted and broken then hee may defend himselfe with the other It may well be compared to a Sea-horse for aboue all other places it loueth best the Waters OF THE ELEPHANT The great vâ—â— of the coÌ„sideration of an Elephant THere is no creature among al the Beasts of the world which hath so great and ample demonstration of the power and wisedome of almighty God as the Elephant both for proportion of body and disposition of spirit and it is admirable to behold the industry of our auncient forefathers and noble desire to benefit vs their posterity by serching into the qualities of euery Beast to discouer what benefits or harmes may come by them to mankind hauing neuer beene afraid either of the Wildest but they tamed them the fiercest but they ruled them and the greatest but they also set vpon them Witnesse for this part the Elephant being like a liuing Mountain in quantity outward appearance yet by them so handled as no little dog became more seruiceable and tractable An Elephant is by the Haebrewes called Behemah by way of excellency as the Latines for the same cause cal him Bellua Of the seueral names in diuers languages the Chaldeans for the same word Deu. 14. translat Beira the Arabians Behitz the Persians Behad and the Septuagints Ktene but the Graecians vulgarly Elephas not Quasi elebas because they ioine copulation in the Water but rather from the Haebrew word Dephill signifieng the Iuory tooth of an Elephant as Munster wel obserueth The Haebrewes also vse the word Schen for an Elephants tooth Moreouer Hesychius called an Elephant in the Greek tongue Perissas the Latines doe indifferently vse Elephas and Elephantus and it is said that Elephantus in the Punicke tongue signifieth Caesar wherupon when the Graundfather of Iulius Caesar had slain an Elephant he had the name of Caesar put vpon him The original of the Caesars The Italians call this Beast Leofante or Lionfante the French Elephante the Germans Helfant the Illirians Slon We read but of three appellatiue names of Elephants that is of one called by Alexander the great Aiax because hee had read that the buckler of great Aiax was couered with an Elephants skin about whose necke he put a Golden collar and so sent him away with liberty Antiochus one of Alexander successours had two Elephants one of them he likewise called Aiax in imitation of Alexander and the other Patroclus of which two this story is reported by Antipater That when Antiochus came to a certaine foorde or deepe Water Aiax which was alway the captaine of the residue hauing sounded the depth thereof refused to passe ouer and turned backe againe then the King spake to the Elephants pronounced that he which would passe ouer should haue principality ouer the residue whereupon Patroclus gaue the aduenture and passed ouer safely and receiued from the king the siluer trappings and al other prerogatiues of principality the other seeing it which had alway beene chiefe till that time preferred death before ignominy and disgrace and so would neuer after eate meate but famished for sorrow They are bred in the whot Esterne countries for by reason they can endure no cold they keepe onely in the East and South Countries of the breed of Elephantâ— Among all the Indian Elephants are greatest strongest and tallest and there are among them of two sorts one greater which are called Prasij the other smaller Diodorus called Taxilae They be also bred in Africa in Lybia much greater then a Nysaean Horsse Aelianu and yet euery way inferiour to the Indian for which cause if an Affrican Elephant do but see an Indian he trembleth and laboureth by all meanes to get out of his sight Philostratus Solinus as being guilty of their owne weakenesse There are Elephants also in the I le Taprobane and in Sumatra in Affrican They are bred in Lybia in Aethiopia among the Trogloditae and in the Mountaine Atlas Syrtes Zames Vertomannus and Sala the seuen Mountaines of Tingitania and in the Countrey of Basman subiect to the great Cham. Some Authors affirme that the Affrican Elephants are much greater then the Indian Leo Afer Paul venetus but with no greater reason then Columella Writeth that there bee as great beastes found in Italy as Elephants are whereunto no sound Author euer yealded Of all earthly creatures an Elephant is the greatest for in India they are nine cubits high The heigh stature of elephants and fiue cubits broad in Affrica foureteen or fifteene ful spans
lye a certaine humour commeth foorth like a gall Wherefore Aelianus sayth he hath his gall in his maw-gutte which is so full of sinewes that one would thinke he had foure bellies in this receiueth he his meate hauing no other receptacle for it his intralles are like vnto a Swines but much greater His Liuer foure times so greate as an Oxes and so all the residue excepte the Melte he hath two pappes a little beside his breast vnder his shoulders and not betweene his hinder legges or loynes they are very small and cannot be seene on the side Aristotle The reasons hereof are giuen first that he hath but two pappes because he bringeth forth but one at a time and they stand vnder his shoulders like an Apes because hee hath no hoofes but distinct feet like a mannes and also bicause from the breaste floweth more aboundance of milke The genitall parte is like a Horses but lesser then the proportion of his bodie affoordeth the stones are not outwardly seene because they cleaue to his raines But the Female hath her genitall betwixte her thighes the forlegges are much longer then the hinder legges and the feet be greater His legges are of equall quantity both aboue and beneathe the knees and it hath anckle bones verie lowe The articles doe not ascende so high as in other creatures but kept low neere the earth He bendeth his hinder legs like a mans when he sitteth but by reason of his great waight hee is not able to bend on both sides together 〈◊〉 Gillâ—â—s but either leaneth to the right hand or to the left and so sleepeth It is false that they haue no ioynts or articles in their legs for when they please they can vse bend and moue them but after they grow old they vse not to lie downe or straine them by reason of their great weight but take their rest leaning to a tree and if they did not bend their legs they could neuer go any ordinary and stayed pace Their feet are round like a horsses but so as they reach from the middle euery way two spans length and are as broad as a bushell hauing fiue distinct toes vpon each foot the which toes are very little clouen to the intent that the foot may be stronger and yet parted that when he treadeth vppon soft grounde the weyght of his body presse not downe the legge to deepe Hee hath no nailes vpon his toes his taile is like an Oxes taile hauing a little haire at the end and the residue thereof peeled and without haire He hath not any bristly hairs to couer his back and thus much for their seuerall parts and their vses their inward natural parts There is not any creature so capable of vnderstanding as an Elephant and therefore it is requisite to tarry somewhat the longer in expressing the seuerall properties and naturall qualities thereof which sundry and variable inclinations cannot choose but bring great delight to the reader They haue a wonderfull loue to their owne Countrey so as although they be neuer so well delighted with diuers meats and ioyes in other places yet in memory thereof they send forth teares Aelianus Tzetzes The Places of their abod and they loue also the waters riuers and marishes so as they are not vnfitly called Riparij such as liue by the riuers sides although they cannot swim by reason of their great and heauy bodies vntill they be taught Also they neuer liue solitary but in great flocks except they be sicke or watch their yong ones and for either of these they remaine aduenturous vnto death Pliny the eldest leadeth the herd and the second driueth them forward if they meet any man they giue him way and goe out of his sight Leo Afer Their voice is called by the word Barrire that is to bray and thereupon the Elephants themselus are called Barri Festus Philomelae avthor for his voice commeth out of his mouth and nostrils togither like as when a man speaketh breathing wherefore Aristotle calleth it rawcity or hoarsnes like the low sound of a Trumpet this sound is verie terrible in battailes as shall be afterward declared They liue vpon the fruits of plants and rootes and with their truncks and heads ouerthrow the tops of trees The meat of wilde Eleph Pliny Solinus and eat the boughes and bodies of them and many times vpon the leaues of trees he deuoureth Chamaeleons whereby he is poisoned and dieth if hee eat not immediately a wilde Oliue They eat earth often without harme but if they eat it sildome it is hurtfull and procureth paine in their bâ—lâ—ies so also they eat stones They are so louing to their fellowes that they will not eat their meat alone but hauing found a prey they go and inuite the residue to their feastes and cheere more like to reasonable ciuill men Aelianus Hermolaus then vnreasonable brute beasts There are certaine noble melons in Aethiopia which the Elephants being sharpe-smelling-beastes do winde a great way off and by the conduct of their noses come to those Gardens of Melons and there eat and deuour them When they are tamed they will eate Barlie either whole or grounde of whole at one time is giuen them nine Macedonian Bushels but of meale six and of drinke eyther wine or water thirty Macedonian pintes at a time that is fourteen gallons but this is obserued that they drinke not wine except in warre when they are to fight but water at all times whereof they will not tast except it be muddy and not cleare for they auoid cleare water Aelianus Simocratus A secret Pliny loathing to see their owne shaddow therein and therefore when the Indians are to passe the water with their Elephants they choose darke and cloudy nightes wherein the moone affordeth no light If they perceiue but a mouse run ouer their meat they will not eat thereof for there is in them a great hatred of this creature Also they wil eat dryed Figges Grapes Onions Bulrushes Palmes and Iuy leaues There is a Region in India called Phalacrus A secret in a countrey of India which signifieth Balde because of an herbe growing therein which causeth euery liuing thing that eateth therof to loose both horn and haire and therefore no man can be more industrious or warie to auoide those places then is an Elephant and to beare euery greene thing growing in that place when he passeth thorough it Aelianus It will forbeare drinke eight daies together and drinke wine to drunkennesse like an Ape It is delighted aboue measure with sweet sauours oyntments and smelling flowers for which cause their keepes will in the Summer time lead them into the medowes of flowers where they of themselues will by the quicknes of their smelling Their loue to sweet flowers Aelianus chuse out and gather the sweetest flowers and put them into a basket if their keeper haue any which being filled like daintie and neat men they
also desire to wash and so will go and seeke out water to wash themselues and of their owne accord returne backe againe to the basket of flowers which if they find not they will bray and call for them Afterward being led into their stable they will not eat meat vntill they take of their flowers and dresse the brimmes of their maungers therewith and likewise strew their roome or standing place pleasing themselues with their meat because of the sauor of the Flowers stucke about their cratch like dainty fed persons which set their dishes with greene hearbs and put them into their cups of wine Their pace is very slow for a child may ouertake them by reason of their high and larg bodies except in their feare and for that cause they cannot swim as also Gillius The shiping of Elephants by reason that the toes of their feet are very short and finally diuided When they are brought into a ship they haue a bridge made of wood and couered with earth and greene boughes are set on either side so that they immagine they go vpon the land vntill they enter into the ship because the boughes keepe them from sight of the Sea They are most chast Aelianus and keepe true vnto their males without all inconstant loue or seperation admitting no adulteries amongest them and like men which tast of Venus not for any corporall lust but for desire of heires and successors in their families so do Elephants without all vnchast and vnlawfull lust take their veneriall complements for the continuation of their kind and neuer aboue thrice in all their daies either male or female suffer carnall copulation but the female onely twice Yet is their rage great when the female prouoketh them and although they fight not among themselues for their females except very sildome yet do they so burne in this fury that many times they ouerthrow trees and houses in India by their tuskes and running their head like a Ram against them wherefore then they keepe them low down by subtraction of their meat also bring some stranger to beat them There was a certaine cunning hunter sent into Mauritania by the Roman Emp to hunt and take Elephants on a day he saw a goodly young Elephant in copulation with another instantly a third aproched with a direfull braying as if he would haue eaten vp al the company and as it afterward appeared he was an arriuall to the female Aelianus which we saw in copulation with the other male when he approched neere both of them set themselues to combat which they performd like some vnresistable waues of the Sea or as the hils which are shaken together by an earthquake wherein each one charged the other most furiously for their loue to the terror and admiration of all the beholders and so at last becam both disarmed of their teeth and hornes by their often blowes before one had ouercome the other and so at last by the hunters were parted asunder being euer afterward quiet from such contentions about their females for copulation The Indians separate the stables of the females far asunder from the males because at that time they ouerthrowe their houses They are modest and shamefast in this action The place manner of their copulation Plinyus for they seeke the Desarts woodes and secret places for procreation and somtimes the waters because the waters doe support the Male in that action whereby hee ascendeth and descendeth from the backe of the female with more ease and once it was seene that in Virgea a Countrey of the Corascens two Elephants did engender out of India otherwise they couple not out of their owne countreys When they goe to copulation they turne their heads towards the east but whether in remembrance of Paradise or for the Mandragoras or for any other cause I cannot tell the female sitteth while she is couerd Albertus They begin to ingender the male at sixe ten twelue fifteene or twenty yeare olde the female not before ten yeares old They couple but fiue daies in two yeares and neuer after the female is filled till she haue beene cleare one whole yeare Solinus The time of copulation Arrianus and after the second copulation he neuer more toucheth his female At that time the male breatheth foorth at his nose a certaine fat humor like a menstruous thing but the female hath them not til hir place of conception be opened and alway the day after her filling she washeth her selfe before she returne to the flocke Aristotle The time of their goâ—og with young The time of their going with yong is according to some two years and according to other three the occasion of this diuersity is because their time of copulation cannot certainely be knowne because of their secrecy for the greater bodies that beasts haue they are the lesse fruitfull She is deliuered in great paine leaning vpon her hinder Legges They neuer bring forth but one at a time and that is not much greater then a great cowcalfe of three monthes old which she nourisheth sixe or eight yeare As soone as it is Calued Diodonus Pogius Aelianus it seeth and goeth and sucketh with the mouth not with the trunke and so groweth to a great stature The females when they haue calued are most fierce for feare of their young ones but if a man come and touch them they are not angry for it seemeth they vnderstand that he toucheth them not for any desire to take or harme them but rather to stroke and admire them The loue of the male to the female of both to the Calfe Sometimes they goe into the Water to the belly and there calue for feare of the Dragon the male neuer forsaketh her but keepeth with her for the like feare of the Dragon and feede and defend their young ones with singular loue and constancye vnto death as appeareth by the example of one that heard the braying of her calfe fallen into a ditch and not able to arise the female ranne vnto it and for hast fell downe vppon it so crushing it to death Tzetzes and breaking her owne Necke with one and the same violente loue As they liue in heards so when they are to passe ouer a ryuer or Water they send ouer the least or youngest first because their great bodies together should not cause the deepe water to swell or rise aboue their heigth the other stand on the bancke and obserue howe deepe he wadeth and so make account that the greater may with more assurance follow after the younger and smaller Plutarch Aelianus Philostratus then they the elder and taller and the females carry ouer their Calues vpon their snowts long eminent teeth binding them fast with their trunks like as with ropes or male girts that they may not fall being sometime holpen by the male wherein appeareth an admirable point of naturall wisedome both in the carriage of their
Eumenes beyond the citty Saba where there is a place called the hunting of Elephants The Troglodytae liue also heereupon the people of Affricke cald Asachae Pliny Solmus which liue in Mountains do likwise eat the flesh of Elephants and the Adiabarae or Megabari The Nomades haue Citties running vpon Charriots and the people next vnto their Territory cut Elephantes in peeces and both sell and eat them Some vse the hard flesh of the backe and other commend aboue all the delicates of the world the reines of the Elephants vaâ—tomanus so that it is a wonder that Aelianus would write that there was nothing in an Elephant good for meat except the trunke the lips and the marrow of his hornes or teeth The skin of this Beast is exceeding hard not to be pierced by any dart whereupon came the prouerbe Culicem haud curat Elephas Indicus the Indian Elephant careth not for the biting of a Gnat to signifie a sufficient ability to resist all euill and that Noble minds must not reuenge small iniuries The diseases 〈◊〉 elephants 〈…〉 It cannot be but in such huge and vast bodies there should also be nourished some diseases and that many as Strabo saith wherefore first of all ther is no creatur in the world lesse able to endure cold or winter for their impatiency of cold bringeth inflamation Also in Summer when the same is hotest they coole one another by casting durty and filthy water vpon each other or else run into the roughest woods of greatest shadow It hath bin shewed already that they deuour Chamaeleons and thereof perish except they eat a wild Oliue When they suffer inflamation and are bound in the bellie either black wine or nothing will cure them When they drinke a Leach they are greeuously pained for their wounds by darts or otherwise they are cured by swines flesh or Dittanie or by Oile or by the flower of the Oliue They fall mad sometime for which I knowe no other cure but to tye them vppe fast in yron chaines When they are tired for want of sleepe they are recouered by rubbing their shoulders with salt Oile and water Cowes milke warmed and infused into their eies cureth all euils in them and they presently like reasonable men acknowledge the benefit of the medicine The medicinall vertues in this beast are by Authours obserued to be these The medicines in Elephants Marcellus The blood of an Elephant and the ashes of a Weasill cure the great Leprosie and the same blood is profitable against all Rhewmaticke fluxes and the Sciatica The flesh dryed and cold or heauy fat and cold is abhominable for if it be sod and stâ—eped in vineger with fennel-seede Isidorvs Rasis and giuen to a Woman with child it maketh her presently suffer abortement But if a man tast thereof salted and steeped with the seede aforesaide it cureth an old cough The fatte is a good Antidote either by oyntment or perfume Albertus it cureth also the payne in the head The Iuory or tooth is cold and dry in the first degree and the whole substance thereof Corroborateth the hart and helpeth conception it is often adulterated by fishes and Dogges bones burnt and by White marble There is a Spodium made of Iuory in this manner Take a pound of Iuory cut into pieces and put into a raw new earthen pot couering glewing the couer with lome round about and so let it burne til the pot be thrughly hardened afterward take off the pot and beate your Iuory into small powder and being so beaten sift it then put it into a glasse and poure vpon it two pound of distilled rose Water and let it dry Thirdly beate it vnto powder againe and sift it the second time and put into it againe so much rose water as at the first then let it dry and put thereunto as much Camphire as will lye vpon three or foure single Groats and worke it altogether vpon a marble stone into little Cakes and so lay them vp where the ayre may not corrupt and alter them The vertue heereof is very pretious against spittyng of bloode and the bloody-flixe and also it is giuen for refrigeration without daunger of byndinge or astriction After a man is deliuered from the lethargye pestilence or sudden forgetfulnesse let him be purged and take the powder of Iuory and Hiera Ruffi drunke out of sweete water This powder with Hony atticke taketh away the spottes in the face the same with wilde mints drunk with water resisteth and auoydeth the Leprosie at the beginning The powder of Iuory burnt and drunke with Goates blood doeth wonderfully cure all the paynes and expell the little stones in the raynes and bladder Combes made of Iuory are most wholsome the touching of the trunke cureth the headache The liuer is profitable against the falling euil the same vertue hath the gall if he haue any against the falling euill The fime by annointing cureth a lowsie skin and taketh away that power which breedeth these vermine the same perfumed easeth Agues helpeth a woman in trauaile and driueth gnats or marsh-flyes out of a house OF THE ELKE AS the Elephant last handled could not liue in any countrey of the world but in the whot Esterne and Sowtherne Regions The place of their abode Bonarus barâ— Balizce so the Elke on the contrary is most impatient of all heate and keepeth not but in the Northerne and cold contries for Polonia and the countries vnder that clymate will not preserue an Elke aliue as it hath byn often tryed by experience Countries breeding Elkes for which cause they are not found but in the colder Northerne regions as Russia Prussia Hungaria and Illiria in the wood Hercynia and among the Borussian-Scythians but most plentifully in Scandinauia which Pausanias calleth the Celtes for all the auncients called the Kingdomes of Germany and the North Celtarum Regiones Countryes inhabited by the Celts The figure of the Elke with hornes The Elke without hornes I find not any vnreconcileable difference among authours concerning this beast Caesars description of an Elke except in Caesar lib. 6. of his Commentaries who by the relation of other not by his owne fight writeth that there are Elkes in the Hercynian wood like vnto Goats in their spotted skins who haue no hornes nor ioynts in their legs to bend withall but sleepe by leaning vnto trees like Elephants because when they are downe on the ground they can neuer rise againe But the truth is that they are like to Roes or Hartes because Goates haue no spotted skins but Deere haue and there may easily be a slip from Caprea a Roe to Capra a Goat and Caesar himselfe confesseth that the similitude is in their spotted skins which are not competible in Goats but in Roes And whereas he writeth that they haue no Horns the error of this relator may be this that eyther he had onely seene a young one before the hornes came forth
or else an old one that had lately lost his hornes and by this I suppose that the authoritie of Cesar is sufficiently answered so as we may proceed to the description of this beast collected out of the auncient writers Pausanias Vopiscus Caesar and Solinus Pliny and the later writers consenting with them in all thinges excepting Caesar in the two things aforesaid Albertus Magnus Mathaeus Michuanus Seb. Munster Erasmus Stella Iohannes Bonarus Baoron of Balizce a Polonian Iohannes Kentmannus Io. Pontanus Antonius Schnebergerus Christophorus Wirsungus and that most worthy learned man Georgius Ioachimus of Rhaetia and Baoron Sigismund Pausanias supposeth it to be a beast betwixt a Hart and a Camell Of the quantity and stature Bonarus and Albertus betwixt a Hart and a Horsse who therefore as it hath beene saide calleth it Equi-ceruus a Horsse-hart but I rather by the hornes afterward described and by the foot which Bonarus had do take hold it to be as bigge euery waie as two Hartes and greater then a Horsse The taming of Elks and their labor because of the labour and qualities attributed thereunto Whereunto also agreeth Albertus In Swedia and Riga they are tamed and put into Coaches or Charriottes to draw men through great snowes and vpon the yse in the winter time they also are most swifte Albertus and will run more miles in one day then a Horsse can at three They were wont to be presents for princes because of their singular strength and swiftnes for which cause Alciatus relateth in an emblem the answer of Alexander to one that asked him a question about celerity whether hast doth not alway make wast which Alexander denied by the example of the Elke in these Verses Alciatae gentis insignia sustinet Alce Constat Alexandrum sic respondisse roganti Nunquam inquit differre volens quod indicat Alce Vnguibus meeden fert anaballomeenos Qui tot obiuisset tempore gesta breui Fortior haes dubites ocyor anne siet Pliny affirmeth in my opinion verie truelie that this beast is like an Oxe Of his partes and maner of feeding Pliny except in his haire which is more like to a hart his vper lip is so great and hangeth ouer the neather so farre that he cannot eat going forward because it doubleth vnder his mouth but as hee eateth he goeth backward like a Sea-crabbe and so gathereth vp the grasse that laie vnder his feet His mane is diuers both vpon the top of his neck and also vnderneath his throat it buncheth like a beard or curled locke of haire howbeit they are alwaie maned on the top of the necke Their necke is verie short and doth not in answere to the proportion of the residue of the body and therefore I haue expressed both figures of the Elkes They liue in heards and flockes together in Scandiuania and when the waters are frozen vp the wilde mountaine Wolues set vpon them in great multitudes together Their fight with Wolues whom they receiue in battell vpon the yse fighting most fiercely and cruelly til one part be vanquished In the meane time the husbandmen of the countrey obserue this combate and when they see one side goe to the wall they persecute them and take the victours part for it is indifferent to take either the one side or the other but most commonly the Elkes are conquerors by reason of their forefeet for with them they pierce the Wolus or dogs skins as with any sharpe pointed speare or Iauelyn Some haue beene of opinion that these are wilde Asses but they are led hereinto with no reason except because they are vsed for trauell and burthen as is before said for there is no proportion or resemblance of body betwixt them besides they haue clouen hoofs for the most part although Sigismundus Baro affirme that there are some of this kinde which haue their hooues whole and vndeuided Being wilde it is a most fearefull creature and rather desireth to lie hid in secret then to flye except pursued by hunters The manner to hunt them without danger and there is no danger in hunting of this beast exept a man come right before him for on his sides he may safely strike and wound him but if the beast fasten his forefeet on him hee cannot escape without death Notwithstanding it is a Beast as hath been said as great as two Harts yet is it aboue measure fearefull and if it receiue any small wound or shot their admirable feare and pusillanimity instantly it falleth downe and yeeldeth to death as Bonarus hunting with Sigismund the second king of Polonia in the woods of Lituania tryed with his owne hand for with his hunting spear he pierced one a very little way in the skin in the presence of the k. who presently fell downe dead In some countries of auncient time sayeth Pausanias they tooke them on this maner the auncient maner of taking Elkes They hauing found out the field or hill where the beasts are lodged they compasse it in by the space of a thousand paces round in circle with welts and toils inuented for that purpose then do they draw in their nets round like a pursse and so inclose the beasts by multitude who commonly smelling his hunters hideth himselfe in some deepe ditch or caue of the earth for the nature of this beast hath framed to it selfe a most sharpe sagacity or quicke sent of smelling being not heerein inferiour to any of the best dogs in the worlde because it can a great way off discouer the hunters many times while men are abroad in hunting of other beasts this is suddainely started out of her lodging place and so discouered chased and taken Other againe take it by the same meanes that they take Elephants for when they haue found the trees whereunto they leane they so cut and sawe them that when the beast commeth hee ouerthroweth them and falleth downe with them and so is taken aliue We read that there were Elkes in the triumph of Aurelian at Rome and in the games dedicated by Apollo and Diana and celebrated by Valerius Publicola were many Eleph Vopiscus Elke and Tigres Likewise there were ten Elkes at Rome vnder Gordianus Their resistance in the waters When they are chased eagerly and can find no place to rest themselues in and lie secret they run to the Waters and therein stand taking vp water into their mouths and within short space doe so heate it Munster that being squirted or shot out of them vppon the Dogges the heat thereof so opresseth and scaldeth them that they dare not once approach or come nigh her any more The medicin in an Elke The greatest vertue of medicine that I can learne or finde to be in this beast is in the hoofe for that worne in a Ring it resisteth and freeth a man from the falling euill the Crampe and cureth the fits or pangs if it be put on when he is
day whereupon he added action to his intent and filled his fielde with a thousand goates but the euent fell out otherwaies then he expected for in short time the multitude infected one another and so he lost both milke and flesh whereby it is apparant that it is not safe to feed great flocks of these cattell together In Indian in the Region Coitha the inhabitants giue their milch-goates dried fishes to eate but their ordinary foode is leaues tender braunches and boughes of trees and also bushes or brambles whereupon Virgill wrot in this mauner Pascuntur vero siluas summa Lycaei morentesque rubos amantes arctua dumos They loue to feede on the Mountaines better then in the vallies and greene fieldes alwaies striuing to licke vp the yuie or green plants or to climbe vpon trees cropping off with their teeth all maner wild herbs and if they be restrained and inclosed in fields then they doe the like to the plants that they find there wherefore there was an auncient law among the Romans when a man let out his ground to farme he should alwaies condition and except with the farmer that he should not breede any Goate in his ground for their teeth are enemies to all tender plantes their teeth are also exitiable to a tree and Pliny and Varro affirme that the Goate by licking the Oliue tree maketh it barren for which cause in ancient time A Goate was not sacrifized to Minerua to whom the Olyue was sacred There is no creature that feedeth vpon such diuersity of meat as Goats for which cause they are elegantly brought in by Eupolis the olde Poet bragging of theyr belly cheare wherein they number vp aboue fiue and twenty seueral things different in name nature and tast and for this cause Eustathius defended by strong argument against Disarius that men and cattell which feede vpon diuers things haue lesse health then those beasts which eate one kind of fruite alone They loue Tameriske Alderne Elme-tree assarabacke and a tree called Alaternus which neuer beareth fruit but only leaues also three leaued-grasse yuie the hearbe Lada which groweth no where but in Arabia whereby it commeth to passe that many times the haire of Goats is found in the gumbe called Ladanum for the peoples greedy desire of the gumbe causeth them to wipe the iuyce from the Goates beard For the increase of milke in them giue them Cinquefoyle fiue daies together before they drinke or else binde Dittany to their bellies or as Lacuna translateth the words out of Affricâ—nus you may lay milke to their bellies belike by rubbing it thereupon The wild Goats of Creete Aristotle eate dittany aforesaid against the stroks of Darts and Serapion auoucheth by the experience of Galen that goats by licking the leaues of Tamariske loose their gall and likewise that he saw them licking Serpents which had newly lost their skins and the euent therof was that their age neuer turned or changed into whitenesse or other externall signes thereof Also it is deliuered by good obseruation that if they eate or drinke out of vessels of Tamariske Constantinus they shal neuer haue any Spleen if any one of them eate Sea-holly the residue of the flocke stand still and will not goe â—orward till the meate be out of his mouth The Grammarians say that Chimâ—ra was killed by Bellerophon the son of Glaucus in the Mountain Lycius Aelianus and the reason heereof is that the Poets fained Chimaera to bee composed of a Lyon a Dragon and a Goate and in that mountaine all those three were kept and fed for in the top were Lions in the middle were Goats and also at the foot thereof Serpents If they suffer heate or cold they are much endaungered for such is their nature that they auoide all extremity and the females with younge are most of al molested with cold If they haue conceiued in the Wynter then many abortementes or casting their young followeth In like sort it hapneth if they eate Walnuts and not to their full vnripe therefore either they must be suffered to eate of them to saciety or else they are not to be permitted to them Dioscorides If at any time they eate Scammony Hellebore Lesseron or Mercury they are much troubled in their stomach and loose their milke especially the white Hellebor The publicans in the prouince of Cyrene haue all the gouernment of the pastures Pliny and therfore they permit not Benzwine to grow in their country finding thereby greate gaine and if at any time their sheepe or goats meete with any braunch thereof they eate it geedily but the sheepe immediatly fall to sleepe and the goates to Neezing Agolethros and Sabine are poyson to Goates The Herbe called in Greeke Rhododendron and may be englished Rose-tree is poyson goates and yet the same helpeth a man against the vemon of Serpents The prickle or spindle tree called also Euonimus which groweth in the Mount Occynius calâ—ed Ordyno about the bignesse of a pine-apple-tree hauing soft leaues like the same and it buddeâ—h in September and the flower is like to a white violet flower this killeth Goates except they be purged with black Hellebor imediately after they haue eaten thereof Horus The Egyptians when they wil describe a man deuouring sheepe or Goats they picture the herbe Curilago or Conyza because it also killeth them Also as Clodrysippus affirmeth they auoide Cumin for it maketh them mad or bringeth vpon them lethargies and such like infirmities He auoydeth also the spettle of man for it is hurtfull to him and to the Sea-fish Scolopendra and yet he eateth many venemous herbes and groweth fat thereby Aelianus and this also may be added that Goats grow fat when they are with young but by drinking of Honey they are weakened and indaungered of death Concerning their drinke it is necessary for a skilfull Goat-herd to obserue the nature of the beast and the best time and place of their watering according to the saying of Virgill Iâ—beâ— frondeâ—tia Capris Arbâ—ta sufficere fluuios prebere rerentes In the Summer they are to be watered twice a day and at other times once onely in the afternoone but it is reported of the Goats of Cephalenia Aristotle Myndius that they drinke not euery daie like other goats but onely once or twice in six moneths and therefore they turne themselues to the winde or cold aire of the sea and by gawning Aelianus sucke into their mouths or bellies that which serueth them instead of water When the sun declineth they lie and looke not vpon one another but on the contrary and they which lodge in the fields take vppe their rest among their acquaintance But if they be vsed to fold or house they remember it and repaire thither of their owne accord which thing caused the Poet to write in this maner Atque ipsae memores redeâ—ntin tecta suosque Ducunt graundâ— superaut vix vbere limen Concerning
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
fashions which euery Cooke is able to practise without the knowledge of learning And thus I might conclude the discourse of Kiddes with a remembraunce of their constellation in the Waggoner vppon the Bulles Horne which the Poets obserue for signes and tokens foreshewing Rayn and Clowdy weather according to Virgils verse Quantus ab occasu veniens pluuialibus Hoedi These Starres rise in the Euening about the Nones of October and in December they were wont to sacrifice a kid with wine to Faunus There is a byrd called Captilus which is a great deuourer of kiddes and Lambes and the same also is hunted by a Dragon for when she hath filled hir selfe with these beastes being wearied and idle the Dragon doth easily set vpon hir and ouer take her Also when they fish for the Worm seuen Cubits long in the Riuer Indus they bait their hooke with a lambe or Kid as is reported by Aelianus and the auncientes were wont by inspection into the intrals of Kiddes to declare or search into thinges to come as Gyraldus amongst other their superstitious vanities rehearseth The manifold medicinall properties of Goates come now in the end of this story to be declared and first of all it is to bee noted that these properties are seuerall both in the Male female and Kidde and therefore they are not to be confounded but as the delygence of learned Authors hath inuented and left them seuerally recorded so they require at our hands which are the heyres of such benificiall helpes the same care and needfull curtisie There are some which doe continually nourish Goates in stables neere their dwelling Houses with an opinion that they help to continue them in health Plinyus The medicines arising out of male Goates for the ancientes ordained that a man which had beene bitten or stroke by Serpents and could not easily be cured thereof should bee lodged in a Goates stable The haires of a Goate-bucke burned and perfumed in the presence or vnder a man whose genitall is decayed it cureth him Sextus The poulder of a Wine bottell made of a Goates skinne with a little Rozen doeth not onely stanch the bloode of a greene-wounde but also cure the same The powder of the Horne with Nitre and Tamariske seede butter and Oyle Pliny after the head is shauen by annointing it therewith strengthneth the haire from falling off when it groweth againe and cureth the Alopecia and a horne burnt to powder and mingled with meale Sextus cureth the chippings in the head and the scabs for taking away the smell of the arme-pits they take the Horne of an old Goat and either scrape or burne the same then adde they to it a like quantity of Mirrhe the Goates gall and first scrape or shaue off the haire and afterward rub them therewith euery day and they are cured by that perfrication Dioscorides The bloud fryed in a panne and afterwardes drunke with Wine Aetius is a preseruatiue against intoxications and cureth the bloody-flixe and the bloode in a Seare-cloath is applyed against the goute and clenseth away all Leprosies and if the bloode come forth of the Nose without stay then rubbe the Nose with this bloud of a Goate It being fitted to meate cureth all the paines of the inward partes being sodde vppon coales stayeth the loosenesse of the belly and the same applyed to the belly mixed with fine flower Marcellus and Rozen easeth the paine in the small guts the same mixed with the marrow of a Goate which hath beene fed with Lentiles cureth the Dropsie and being drunke alone breaketh the stone in the reines and with Parsly drunke in Wine also dissolueth the stone in the bladder and preuenteth all such calculating grauell in time to come There is a Medicine called by the Apothecaryes Diuina manus Gods hand against the stone and they make it in this manner When Grapes begin to waxe ripe Albertus they take a new earthen pot and poure into it Water and seeth the same till all the scumme or earthy substance thereof be eiected the same pot clensed then take out of the flock a Male Goat of foure year old or thereabouts and receiue his blood as it runneth forth of his slaughtered body into that pot so as you let goe the first and last streame thereof to the ground and saue the residue then let it thicken in the pot and so being therein congealed break it into many pieces with a reede and then couering it with some linnen cloth and set it abroad in the day time where it may gather dew and then the next day set it abroad in the Sunne againe to exhale the same dew if in the meane time there fall no raine then let it dry and afterward make thereof a powder and preserue it in a boxe and when the euill pincheth vse a spoonefull of it with Wine of Creete and Philagrius commendeth the manifold benefit heereof for he had often tryed it and with a medicine made of an Affrican Sparrow mixed with this he procured one to make water and to void a great stone which had not vented his vrine in many daies and liued in the meane time in horrible paynes and the same vertue is attrybuted heereunto if it bee annointed neere the bladder and one be bathed in the warme aire and so oftentimes both the bath and the ointment be reiterated Marcellus teacheth how one may make tryall of the vertue of this blood for if he take a Male-goate and put him vp close seuen daies feeding him in the meane time continually with baies and afterward cause a young Boy to kil him and receiue his bloud in a bladder and put in the said bladder sandy stones like vnto those that are engendered in the bladder of man within short time he shall see those stones dissolued and scarce to be found in the bladder of blood by which he confidently affirmeth that nothing in the World is of like power to remooue the stone but withal he willeth some superstitious obseruations as namely that he be killed by a chast person and on a thursday or sunday or such like but the conclusion is that the saide blood must bee dryed to powder in an Ouen and afterward prescribeth that three ounces heereof one ounce of Time one ounce of Peniroyall three ounces of burned Polypus one ounce of white Pepper one ounce of Apian and one ounce of Loueage-seede to be giuen to the party in sweet wine fasting and hauing no meat in his stomack vndigested and hauing digested the medicine he must eat presently And therefore if it be true as all antiquity and experience approueth that the Goates blood breaketh and dissolueth the Adamant stone then much more saith Iacobus Siluius may it worke vppon the stone in a mans bladder The flesh of Goats decocted in Water take away all bunches and kernels in the body Pliny The fat of this beast is more moysT then a females or a kids
Author the stopping shall be remoued if it proceede not from the stone nor from an impostime The flesh salted dried beat to powder and so drunk with sweete vineger helpeth the paine in the raines the beginning of Dropsies conuulsions and Leprosies and all those affections which the Graecians cal Cachectae The Mountaine Hedghog is better then the domesticall hauing prickles like Needles pointes but Legges like to the other Dioscorides the meate is of better tast and doth more helpe to the stomack softning the belly and prouoking the vrine more effectually and all this which is attributed to Hedghogs is much more powerfull in the porcupine The Hedghog salted and eaten is good against the Leprosie the Crampe and all sicknesse in the Nerues and Ptisicke and paine in the bellye rising of windinesse and difficulty of digestion the powder anointed on Women with child alwaies keepeth them from abortment Marcellus The flesh being stale giuen to a madde man cureth him and being eaten kepeth one from the Strangury also being drunke in wine expelleth the stone in the bladder and is good against a quotidian feuer and the bitinges of Serpentes The fatte of a Hedgehog stayeth the fluxe of the bowels If the fat with warme water and hony be gargarized Auicen it amendeth a broken and hoarse voice the left eie being fried with oile yealdeth a liquor which causeth sleepe if it bee infused into the eares with a quill The gall with the braine of a Bat and the milke of a Dog Albertus cureth the raines likewise the said gall doth not suffer vncomely haires to grow againe vpon the eie-browes where once they haue bin pulled vp It maketh also a good eie-salue Warts of al sorts are likewise taken away by the same the melt sod and eaten with meat it healeth all paines in the melt Pliny and the raines dried are good against a leprosie or ptisicke comming by vlcer or the difficulty of vrine the bloody-flixe and the cough The dunge of a Hedghog fresh and Sandaracha with vineger and liquid pitch being laied to the head staieth the falling away of the haire When a man is bitten with a mad dog or pricked with prickles of a Hedghog his own vrine laid there vnto with a spunge or Wooll is the best cure or if the thornes sticke in the wound of his foote let him hold it in the warme vrine of a man and it shall easily shake them forth and Albertus and Rasis affirme that if the right eie of a Hedghog be fryed with the oile of Alderne or line-seed and put in a vessell of red brasse and afterward anoint his eies therewith as with an eie-salue he shall see as well in the darke as in the light And thus I will conclude this discourse with one story that a Hedghog of the earth was dedicated to the Good-god among the foolish Pagans and the water Hedghog to the euill and that once in the cittye of Phrigia called Azanium when a great famine troubled the inhabitants and no sacrifice could remoue it one Euphorbus sacrificed a hedghog whereupon the famine remoued and he was made priest and the citty was called Traganos vpon the occasion of that sacrifice OF THE HORSSE WHen I consider the wonderfull worke of God in the creation of this Beast enduing it with a singular body and Noble spirit the principal wherof is a louing and dutifull inclination to the seruice of man Wherein he neuer faileth in peace nor Warre being euery way more neare vnto him for labour and trauell and therefore more deare the food of man onely excepted we must needes account it the most noble and necessary creature of all foure-footed-beasts before whom no one for multitude and generality of good qualities is to be preferred compared or equaled whose commendations shal appeare in the whole discourse following It is called in Haebrew Sus a Mare Susah The seueral names of horses the which word some deriue from Sis signifiing ioy the Syrians call it Rekesh and Sousias the Arabians Ranica and the Caldeans Ramakim Susuatha the Arabians Bagel the Persians Asbacha the Grecians Hippos and at this day Alogo the Latines Equus and Caballus the Italians and Spaniardes Cauallo the French Cheuall the Germans Kossz the Bohemians Kun the Illirians Kobyla the Polonians Konij It is also profitable to consider the reason of some of these names both in the Latine Greek tong and first of all Equus seemeth to be deriued Ab aequalitate from equality The deriuation of sundry names because they were first vsed in Charets and draughtes and were ioyned together being of equall strength Legs and stature Caballus seemeth to be deriued from the Greeke word Caballes which was a common name for ordinary Hackney-horsses and Horsses of carriage whereupon Seneca commendeth Marcus Cato that in his triumph of Censorship Vno Caballo contentum et ne toto quidem partem enim sarcinae ab vtroque latere dependentes occupabant That is to say that he was contented with one Horsse for his own saddlel and yet not totally one neither for the packes that hung on either side of him possessed the greatest part and the true deriuation of his word seemeth to accord with Caxe which signifieth a manger and Alis aboundance because riding Horsses are more plentifully fed and these Horsses were also vsed for plowing according to the saying of Horac Optat ephippia bos piger optat arace Caballus The Grecians call it Hippos which seemes to be deriued from standing vpon his feete and this beast onely seemeth to be one of the number of them which are called Armenta And besides all histories are filled with appellatiue names of horsses such as these are Alastor Aethon Nicteus and Orneus the Horsses of Pluto Aetha a Mare of Agamemnon remembred by Homer Aethion Statio Eous Phlego Pyrois the Horsses of the Sun Claudian Lampus Podargus Xampus Arnon the horsses of Erymus by whose ayde Hercules is saide to ouercome Cygnus the Sonne of Mars Balius Xanthus and Pedasus the horsses of Achilles Boristenes for whom Adrianus made a graue as Dion writeth Bromius Caerus Calydon Camphasus Cnasius Corythe and Herpinus two names of Brittaine horsses cited by Martial and Gillius Cylarus the swift horsses of Castor Dimos and Phobos the horsses of Mars Enriole Glaucus and Sthenon the horsses of Neptune Parthenia and Euripha Mares belonging to the Sentaurs of Hippodamia slain by Ornomaus Harpe another Mare Phoenix and Corax the horsses of Eleosthenes Epidaminus who wan the prizes in the sixty sixe Olimpiade and caused a statue to be made in Olympus and his said horsses and Charriot called Pantarces and beside these other Cnacias and Samus The Epithits that belong to horsses are either generall or particular The epithits of Horsses the general may be rehearsed in this place such as these are following brasse-footed continuall horne-footed sounding-footed foming bridle-bearer neighing maned dusty four-footed fretting saddle-bearing
statuis summittere gentis Precipuum iaminde a teneris impende laborem Continnue pecoris generosi pullus in aruis Altius ingreditur mollia crura reponit Primus Ãre viam fluuios tentare minaces Audet ignoto sese committere ponti Nec vanos horret crepitus illa ardua ceruix Argutumque caput breuis aluus obesaque terga Luxuriatque toris animo sum pectus honesti Spadices glaucique color deterrimus albis Et giluo tam si qua sonum procul arma dedere Stare loco nescit micat auribus traemit artus Collectumque praemens voluit subnaribus ignem Densa iuba dextro tactata recumbit in armo Ac duplex agitur perlumbos spina cauatque Tellurem solido grauiter sonat vngula cornu Varro sheweth that at the first foaling of a colt a man may obserue by certain signes how he will proue when he is in perfection signs to chuse a good Colt for if he be cheareful bold and not terrified at any strange sight if he run before the company be wanton and contend with his equales in course and ouer-run them if he leape ouer a ditch go ouer a bridge or through water and being prouoked appeareth meeke these are the most true signes of an elegiable Colt Also it is to be considered whether they rise quickly being stird from their rest and run away speedily if their bodies be great long full of muscles and sharpe hauing a little head blacke eies open aad wide nostrils sharpe pricked eares a soft and broad neck not long a thicke mane curled and falling on the right side a broad and ful breast large shoulders and shoulder-bones round ribs a little belly a dubble backe-bone or at the least not thin bunchie or extended his loines pressed downewards broad and well set little and smal stones a long taile with curled haire highe straighte and equal legges round knees not great nor bending inward round buttockes brawny and fleshy thighes high Columella Varro Albertus hard hollow and round hooues wel set to the crowne of their pasterne hauing vaines conspicuous and apparant ouer al his body That colt which at the time of his foaling hath the moste highest legges is likelyest by common reason to proue most able and noble in his age for of al the ioynts in the body the knees and legges grow least and they which haue flexible ioynts in their infancy wil be more nimble and flexible in their age Of the chois of a horse vn backed or neuer ridden And thus much for the parts of a colt Now in the next place we must likewise take consideration of a horsse vntamed and ready for the saddle For the outward partes of his bodie saith Xenophon yeeld euident signification of his minde before he be backed Plato willeth that the state of his body bee straight and articulate his head bony his cheekes little his eies standing out and not sunke into his head flaming like blood looking cruelly if the body be blacke but blacke eies if the body be white doe argue a gentler and better disposition short and little eares the crowne of his head greater then the residue broad Nostrils whereby he not onely looketh more terribly but breatheth more easily for when one Horsse is angry with another in their rage they are wont to stretch out their Nostrils vehemently The beake or snout of a Horsse ought not to stand out like a swynes but to bend downe a little crooked the head to be so ioyned to the necke as it may bend more commodiously that is if the necke be small next to the head so will the necke stand before the rider and his eies appeare before his feete and although he bee full of stomacke yet will he neuer be violent or stiffe necked It ought also to be considered whether his cheek-bones be sharpe tender or vnequall standing one aboue another for their imparity maketh the Horsses necke to be hard and stubborne The backe-bone aboue his shoulders higher commodious to set the saddle vpon his whole body the better compacted if the backe bone be duble and smooth for then shall the rider sit more easily and the forme of the Horsse appeare more delectable A large brest sheweth his comlinesse and strength making him fit to take longer reaches without doubling of his Legges because in a broad breast the Legs stand further asunder large side or ribbes swelling out aboue the belly for they shew the ability of the Horsse both to his food and worke a round euen belly and his loines being broad and short causeth the forlegs to be lifted vp more easily and the hinderlegs to follow for the smal loines do not onely deforme but enfeeble and oppresse the Horsse therefore the loines ought to bee duble the ribbes broad and fleshy agreeable to the breast and sides buttocks sollide and broad with a long taile reaching downe to the heeles of his hinder Legges Thighes full of sinnewes the bones of his Legges thicke like the postes of the whole body but that thicknesse ought neither to be of vaines nor flesh for then they are quickly inflamed and wounded when they trauile in rough and sharpe waies for if the flesh be cut a little the commissures parte asunder and causeth the Horsse to halte and aboue all other thinges haue a regard to his feet and therin especially to his hoof for being thick it is better then being thin likewise if they be hard causeth the pasterne to stand higher from the ground for so in their pace the soft and hard parts of the foote doe equally sustaine one another and the hard hoofe yealdeth a sound like a Simbal for the goodnesse of a horse appeareth by the sound of his feete Now on the contrary side it is good also to set downe the faults and signes of reprobation in Horsses and first of all therefore a great and fleshy head great eares narrow Nostrils hollow eyes a long necke a mane not hairy a narrow breast hollow shoulders narrow sides and little fleshy sharpeloines bare ribs hard and heauy Legges knees not apt to bend weake thighs not strong crooked legs thin full fleshy plaine and low hoofs all these things are to be auoided in the choise of your Horsse Of the choise of Stallions and breeding Mares NOw in the next place let vs consider the choise of Horsses and Mares appointed for breede and procreation and we haue shewed already that in a stallion we are principally to consider the colour forme merit and beauty This Stallion is called in Italy Rozzone in France Estalon in Germany Ein Springhengst and in Latine Admissarius quia ad generandam sobolem admittitur bicause he is sent to beget and engender The Graeci Anabates or Ocheutes Of the color First of all therefore to beginne with the colour that Horsse is best which is of one continued colour although oftentimes as Rufus saith Horsses of a despicable colour proue as
Noble as any other The cheefe colours are these bay white carnation golden russet mouse-colour fleabitten spotted pale and blacke of all these the blacke or bay is to be preferred Oppianus maketh distinction of Horsses by their colour in this manner the gray or blewish spotted is fittest for the hunting of the Hart the bright bay for the Beare and Leopards the blacke with flaming eies against the Lyons The naturall colour of the wilde Horsses are an ashe colour with a blacke strake from the head along the backe to the taile but among tame Horsses there are many good ones of Black White Browne Red and flea-bitten colour But yet it is to be remembred that seldome or neuer Coultes be foaled white but rather of other colour degenerating afterward by the increase of their age for such Horsses are more liuely durable and healthy then other of their kinde and therefor Plutarch commendeth a white Horsse of Sylla for his swiftnes of foot and stomacke among al colours â—â—râ—nus first the blacke then the bay next the white and last the gray are most commended Camerarius commendeth a certain colour cald in Latin Varius and may bee englished daple gray because of the diuers in-textures of colours which although many nations doe disalow yet vndoubtedly that colour saith he is a signe and argument of a good nature constituted and builded vpon a temporate commixture of humors Where black white and yellow haires appeare so that the sight of one of these is nothing inferiour to the equestriall party coloured caparisons Among Horsses which are diuers coloured they which haue stars in their forehead and one white foote were most commended such were the Thrasian Horsses not admitted in copulation of which Virgill speaketh in this manner Thracius albis Portat equus buolor moculis vestigia primi Alba peda frontemque ostentans arduus albam Blacke Horsses also which haue one russet or swart spot in their faces or else a black toung are highly commended for generation but the pale coloured Horsses are no waies to be admitted to couer Mares because their colour is of no acount likewise it is seldom seen that the Fole proueth better then the sire The bay colour hath bin receiued without exception for the best trauailers for it is supposed that Baudius amongst the Latines is deriued of Vadium quia inter coetera animalia fortius vadat because among other creatures he goeth most surelye It is also behoouefull that in a Stallion Horsse the mane bee of the same colour with the body Artificial â—eaneâ— to mâ—ke Mares conceiue the best colourd Colts Horsse-keepers haue deuised to make their Mares conceiue strange colours for when the Mares would go to the horse they paint a Stallion with diuers colours and so bring him into the sight and presence of the Mare where they suffer him to stand a good while vntill she perfectly conceiue in her imagination the true Idea and ful impression of those pictures and then they suffer him to couer her which being performed she conceiueth a Foale of those colours In like manner Pigeons conceiue younge ones of diuers colours The Germans to mingle the colour of horses haires especially to bring blacke among white take the roots of fearue and of sage and seeth them together in leigh and then wash their horsses all ouer therewith For the making of their horsses white they take that fat which ariseth from the decoction of a moule in an earthen pot and there withal anoint the places they would haue white Also they shaue off the haires and put vpon the balde place crude hony and Badggers grease which maketh the haires to arise white and many other meanes are vsed by horsse-leatches as afterward shal be shewed In the olde age of a horsse his hair doth naturally change white aboue all other beasts that we know and the reason is because the brain-pan is a more thin and slender bone then the greatnesse of his body would require which appeareth by this that receiuing a blow in that place his life is more indangered then by hurting any other member acording to the obseruation of Homer Et qua fetae haerent capiti laetaleque vuluus Precipae sit equis And thus much shall suffice for the colour of a Stallion now followeth the form or outward proportion of the body The forme which ought to be great and solide his stature aunswerable to his strength his sides large his buttockes round his breast broad his whole body full and rough with knots of muscles his foot dry and solide hauing a high hoofe at the heele The parts of his beauty are these a little dry head the skin almost cleauing to the bons short pricked eares The beautye of a Stallion great eies broad nostrils a long and large mane and taile with a solid and fixed rotundity of his hoofes such an one as thrusteth his head deepe into the water when he drinketh his ribs and loines like an Oxes a smooth and straight backe his or hippes long broad and fleshy his Legges large fleshy and dry the sinnewes and ioynctures thereof great and not fleshy neare the hoofes that the hinder part of his body be higher then his forepart like as in a Hart and this beauty better appeareth in a leane body then in a fat for fatnesse couereth many faults the former parts are thus expressed by Horace Regibus hic mos est vbi equos mercantur opertos Inspiciunt nesi facies vt saepe decora Molli fulta pede est emptorem inducat hiantem Quod pulchri clunes breue quod caput ardua ceruix If you will make triall of your stallion whether he be fit for procreation Hipparchus teacheth you this experiment presse the genytall member with your two fingers and with lockes of Woll draw out his seede which being so drawne out if it cleaue and hang together so as it will not be cut nor easily parted it is a demonstration of a good Stalion but if it hang not together like birdlime but easily go asunder like milke or whay such a Horse is not to be admitted to couer your Mares The age of a Stallion When Horsses be olde among other faultes they engender Foales lame in their feete and therefore they are to be kept and not to be admitted to copulation nor War for his rage is like a weake fire among wet stuble according to these verses Morbo grauis aut segnior annis Deficit abde domo nec turpi ignosce senecta Frigidus in venerem senior frustraque laborem Ingratum trahit si quando ad praelia ventum est Vt quondam in stipulis magnus sine viribus ignis In cassum furit Therefore it behooueth that a Stalion Horsse be not vnder three yeares old when he couereth a Mare and it is best for him to beginne at fiue Collumella for so he will indure in generation not onely till he be twenty
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
and full of bunches like Harts no where smooth but in the tops of the speers and where the vaines run to carry nutriment to their whole length which is couered with a hairye skin they are not so rough at the beginning or at the first prosses specially in the for part as they are in the second for that onely is full of wrinckles from the bottom to the middle they growe straight but from thence they are a little recurued they haue onely three speers or prosses the two lower turne awry but the vppermost groweth vpright to heauen yet sometimes it falleth out as the keepers of the saide beast affirmed that either by sicknes or else through want of food the left horn hath but two branches In length they are one Roman foot and a halfe and one finger and a halfe in bredth at the roote two Roman palmes The top of one of the hornes is distant from the top of the other three Roman feet and three fingers and the lower speere of one horne is distant from the lower of the other two Roman feet measured from the roots in substance and collor they are like to Harts hornes they waied together with the dry broken spongy-bone of the forehead fiue pound and a halfe and halfe an ounce I meane sixteene ounces to the pound they fall off euery yeare in the month of Aprill like to Harts and they are not hollow The bredth of their fore-heads betwixt the hornes is two Roman palmes and a halfe the top of the crown betwixt the horns is hollow on the hinder part and in that siecel lieth the brain which discendeth downe to the middle region of the eies Theyr teeth are like Harts and inwardly in their cheekes they grow like furrowes bigger then in a Horsse the tooth rising out sharp aboue the throat as it should seeme that none of his meate should fall thereinto vnbruised This beast in his young age is of a mouse or Asse colour but in his elder age it is more yellowish especially in the extreame partes of his body the haire smooth but most of all on his legges but vnder his belly in the inner part of his knee the top of his Neck breast shoulders and back-bone not so smooth In heigth it was about 22. handfuls and three fingers being much swifter then any horse the female beareth euery yeare as the keeper said in Norway two at a time but in England it brought forth but one The flesh of it is blacke and the fibere broad like an Oxes but being dressed like harts flesh and baked in an Ouen it tasted much sweeter It eateth commonly grasse but in england seldome after the fashion of horsses which forbeare hay when they may haue bread but leaues rindes of trees bread and Oats are most acceptable vnto it It reacheth naturally thirty hand breadths high but if any thing be higher which it doth affect it standeth vp vpon the hinder legs and with the forelegs there imbraseth or leaneth to the tree and with his mouth biteth off his desire It drinketh water and also English Ale in great plenty yet without drunkennesse and there were that gaue it wine but if it drinke plentifully it became drunk It is a most pleasant creature being tamed but being wilde is very fierce and an enemy to mankind persecuting men not only when he seeth them by the eie but also by the sagacity of his nose following by foote more certainly then any horse for which cause they which kept them neare the high waies did euery yeare cut off their hornes with a saw It setteth both vpon horse and foot-men trampling and treading them vnder foot whom he did ouermatch when he smelleth a man before hee seeth him hee vttereth a voice like the gruntling of a Swine being without his female it doth most naturally affect a woman thrusting out his genital which is like a Harts as if it discernd sexes In Norway they cal it an Elke or Elend but it is plaine they are deceiued in so calling it because it hath not the legges of an Elke which neuer bend nor yet the hornes as by conference may appeare Muchlesse can I beleeue it to be the Hippardius because the female wanteth hornes and the head is like a Mules but yet it may be that it is a kind of Elke for the hornes are not alwaies alike or rather the Elke is a kind of Horsse-hart which Aristotle calleth Arrochosius of Arracotos a region of Assya and heerein I leaue euery man to his iudgment referring the reader vnto the former discourses of a Elke and the Tragelaphus OF THE SEA-HORSE THe Sea-horsse called in Greeke Hippotomos and in Latine Equus Fluuiatilis It is a most vgly and filthy beast so called because in his voice and mane he resembleth a Horsse but in his head an Oxe or a Calfe in the residue of his body a Swine for which cause some Graecians call him somtimes a Sea-horsse and sometimes a Sea-oxe which thing hath moued many learned men in our time to affirme that a Sea-horsse was neuer seene whereunto I would easily subscribe saith Bellonias were it not that the auncient figures of a Sea-horsse altogether resembled that which is heere expressed and was lately to bee seene at Constantinople from whom this picture was taken It liueth for the most part in Nilus yet is it of a doubtful life for it brings forth and breedeth on the land and by the proportion of the Legges it seemeth rather to bee made for going then for swimming for in the night time it eateth both Hay and frutes forraging into corne fieldes and deuouring whatsoeuer commeth in the way And therefore I thought it fit to be inserted into this story As for the Sea-calfe which commeth sometimes to land onely to take sleepe I did not iudge it to belong to this discourse because it feedeth onely in the waters This picture was taken out the Colossus In the Vatican at Rome representing the Riuer Nylus and eating of a Crocadile and thus I reserue the farther discourse of this beast vnto the History of Fishes adding only thus much that it ought to be no wonder to consider such monsters to come out of the Sea which resemble horsses in their heads seeing therein are also creatures like vnto Grapes and swords The Orsean Indians do hunt a beast with one horne hauing the body of a Horsse and the head of a Hart. The Aethiopians likewise haue a beast in the necke like vnto a Horsse and the feet and legs like vnto an Oxe The Rhinocephalus hath a necke like a Horsse and also the other parts of his body but it is said to breath out aire which killeth men Pausanias writeth that in the Temple of Gabales there is the picture of a Horsse which from his breast backwards is like a whale Lampsacenus writeth that in the Scythian Ocean ther are Ilands wherein the people are called Hippopodes hauing the bodyes of men but the feete of Horsses and
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
wil eat through the gristle of the nose It commeth of corrupt blood or else of sharp humors ingendered by meanes of some extreame cold The signes be these He wil bleede at the nose and al the flesh within wil be raw and filthy stinking sauours and matter wil come out at the nose The cure according to Martin is thus Take of green Coporas of Allum of each one pound of white Coporas one quarterne and boile these in a pottle of running water vntil a pint be consumed then take it off and put thereunto halfe a pinte of hony then cause his head to be holden vp with a drinking staffe squirt into his nostrils with a squirt of brasse or rather of Elder some of this water being lukewarme three or foure times one after another but betwixt euery squirting giue him liberty to hold downe his head and to blow out the filthy matter for otherwise perhaps you may choke him And after this it shal be good also without holding vp his head any more to wash and rub his Nostrils with a fine cloute bound to a white sticks end and wet in the water aforesaid and serue him thus once a day vntill he be whole Of bleeding at the nose I Haue seen Horsses my selfe that haue bled at the nose which haue had neither sore nor vlcer in their Nose and therefore I cannot choose but say with the Physitians that it commeth by means that the vaine which endeth in that place is either opened broken or settered It is opened many times by meanes that blood aboundeth too much or for thaâ— it is too fine or too subtill and so pierceth through the vaine Againe it may be broâ—â—â— by some violent strain cut or blow And finally it may bee fretted or gnawn through by the sharpnesse of the blood or else of some other humor contained therein As touching the cure Martin saith it is good to take a pinte of red Wine and to put therein a quartern of Bole Armeny beaten into fine powder and being made lukewarm to poure the one halfe therof the first day into his nostril that bleedeth causing his head to bee holden vp so as the liquor may not fal out and the next day to giue him the other halfe But 〈◊〉 â—his preuaileth not then I for my part would cause him to be let blood in the brest vaine 〈…〉 same side that he bleedeth at seueral times then take of Frankencense one ounce of Aloes halfe an ounce and beate them into powder and mingle them throughly with the whites of egges vntil it be so thick as hony and with soft Hares haire thrust it vp into his nostrill filling the hole so full as it cannot fall out or else fil his Nostrils ful of Asses dung or Hogs dung for either of them is excellent good to restraine any fluxe of blood Of the bleeding at the nose or to staunch Fluxe of blood in any sort I Haue knowne many Horsses in great danger by bleeding Markham and I haue tryed diuers remedies for the fame yet haue I not found any more certaine then this take a spooneful or two of his blood and put it in a Sawcer and set it vpon a chafingdish of coles â—et it boile til it be al dryed vp into powder then take that powder and if hee bleede at the â—e with a Cane or quil blow the same vp into his Nostrils if his bleeding come of any 〈◊〉 or other accident then into the wounde put the same powder which is a present â—â—edy New Horse-dung or earth is a present remedy applyed to the bleeding place 〈◊〉 are Sage leaues bruised and put into the wound Blundevile Of the diseases in the mouth and first of the bloudy rifts or chops in the palat of the mouth THis disease is called of the Italians Palatina which as Laurentius Russius saith commeth by eating hay or prouender that is full of pricking seedes which by continual pricking fretting the furrowes of the mouth do cause them to rankle and to bleed corrupt and stinking matter which you shal quickly remedy as Martin saith by washing first the sore places with vineger and salt and then by annointing the same with hony Of the bladders in a Horsses mouth which our old Ferrers were wont to cal the Gigs The Italians call them Froncelle THese be litle soft swellings or rather pustuls with blacke heads growing in the inside of his lips next vnto the great iaw-teeth which are so painful vnto the horse as they make him to let his meat fal out of his mouth or at the least to keepe it in his mouth vnchawed whereby the horsse prospereth not Russius saith that they come either by eating too much cold grasse or else pricking dusty and filthy prouender The cure wherof according to Martin is in this sort Slit them with a launcet and thrust out all the corruption and then wash the sore places with a little vineger and salt or els with Alum water Of the bladders in a Horse mouth Markham SOme Horsses will haue bladders like paps growing in the inside of their lips next to their great teeth which are much painful the cure whereof is thus Take a sharp paire of shears and clip them away close to the gum and then wash the sore place with running water Allum and hony boiled together til it he whole Of the Lampasse THe Lampasse called of the Italians Lampascus proceedeth of the aboundance of blood resorting to the first furrow of the mouth I meane that which is next vnto the vpper foreteeth causing the said furrow to swell so high as the Horsses teeth so as he cannot chew his meate but is forced to let it fall out of his mouth The remedy is to cut al the superfluous flesh away with a crooked hot iron made of purpose which euery Smith can do Another of the Lampasse THe Lampasse is a thick spungy flesh growing ouer a horsses vpper teeth hindering the coniunction of his chaps â—arkham in such sort that hee can hardly eat the cure is as followeth Cut all that naughty flesh away with a hot yron and then rub the sore well with salt which the most ignorant Smith can do sufficiently Of the Canker in the mouth THis disease as Martin saith is a rawnesse of the mouth and tongue which is full of blisters â—lundevile so as he cannot eat his meate Which proceedes of some vnnaturall heate comming from the stomach For the cure whereof take of Allum halfe a pound of Hony a quarter of a pinte of columbine leaues of Sage leaues of each a handfull boile al these together in three pints of water vntill a pinte be consumed and wash the sore places therewith so as it may bleede continuing so to do euery day once vntill it be whole Another of the Canker in the mouth THis disease proceedeth of diuers causes as of vnnaturall heat of the stomach of foule feeding Markham or of the
foreheade and of his temples and also of his taile with a sharpe hot yron that the corrupt humours may yssue outward That done take hot brickes or else a pan of fresh burning coales and hold it nigh vnto his belly and flankes to the entent that they may bee thoroughly warmed and being so warmed annoint them al ouer with oyle de Bav or Dialthea to defend his body from the cold and let his head be well couered and al his bely kept warme Yea and it were good to bath his head sometime as Russius saith with a bath made of Rew Wormewoode Sage Iuneper Bay leaues and Hysop And let his drinke be warme water mingled with Wheat meale yea and to make it the more comfortable it were good as Russius saith to put thereunto some Cinamon Ginger Galingale such hot pieces And his meat in Winter season would bee no other but sodden corne or warme mashes made of ground Malt and wheat bran in summer season if he went to grasse I think it would do him most good so that he go in a dry warm ground for by feeding alwaies downeward he shall purge his head the better as Russius saith Thus much of the Glanders and mourning of the Chine Now we wil speake somwhat of the strangullion according to the opinion of the Authors though not to the satisfaction perhaps of our English Ferrers Of the strangullion or Squinancy THe Strangullion called of the Latines Angina according to the Physitians is an inflamation of the inward partes of the throate and as I saide before is called of the Greeks Synanchi which is as much to say in English as strangling wherof this name strangullion as I thinke is deriued for this disease doth strangle euery man or beast and therefore is numbred amongst the perilous and sharp diseases called of the Latines Morbi accuti of which strangilng the physitians in mans body make foure differences The first and worst is when no part within the mouth nor without appereth manifestly to be inflamed and yet the patient is in great perill of strangling The second is when the inwarde parts of the throat onely be inflamed The third is when the inward and outward partes of the throat be both inflamed The fourth is when the muscles of the necke are inflamed or the inward ioynts thereof so loosened as they straiten thereby both the throat or wesand or wind-pipe for short breath is incident to all the foure kinds before recited and they proceede all of one cause that is to say of some collerick or bloody-fluxion which comes out of the branches of the throat-vaines into those parts and there breedeth some hot inflamation But now to proue that a horse is subiect to this disease you shall hear what Absirtus Hierocles Vegetius and others doe say Absirtus writing to his friend a certaine Ferrer or horse-leach called Aistoricus speaketh in this manner When a Horse hath the strangvllion it quickly killeth him the signes whereof be these His temples will be hollow his tong will swell and hang out of his mouth his eies also will be swollen and the passage of his throat stopt so as he can neither eat nor drinke All these signes be also confirmed by Hierocles Moreouer Vegetius rendereth the cause of this disease affirming that it proceedeth of aboundance of subtile blood which after long trauell will inflame the inward or outward muscles of the throat or wisand or such affluence of blood may come by vse of hot meats after great trauell being so alteratiue as they cause those parts to swell in such sort as the Horse can neither eat nor drinke nor draw his breath The cure according to vegetius is in this sort First bath his mouth and tongue well with hot water and then annoint it with the gal of a Bull that done giue him this drinke Take of old oyle two pound of olde wine a quart nine figs and nine Leekes heads well stamped and braied together And after you haue boiled these a while before you straine them put therunto a little Nitrum Alexandrinum and giue him a quarte of this euery morning and euening Absirtus and Hierocles would haue you to let him blood in the palate of his mouth and also to poure wine and oile into his nostrils and also giue him to drinke this decoction of Figs and Nitrum sodden together or else to anoint his throat within with nitre oyle and hony or else with hony hogs dung mingled together which differeth not much from Galen his medicine to be giuen vnto man For he saith that hony mingled with the powder of hogs dung that is white and swallowed downe doth remedy the squanancy presently Absirtus also praiseth the oyntment made of Bdellium and when the inflamation beginneth somwhat to decrease he saieth it is good to purge the horse by giuing him wild Cocumber and Nitre to drink Let his meat be grasse if it may be gotten or else wet hay and sprinkled with Nitre Let his drinke also be lukewarme water with some barly meale in it Of the Cough OF Coughes some be outward and some be inwarde Those bee outward which doe come of outward causes as by eating a feather or by eating dusty or sharpe straw and such like things which tickling his throate causeth him to cough you shal perceiue it by wagging and wrying his head in his coughing and by stamping somtime with his foote laboring to get out the thing that grieueth him and cannot The cure according to Martin is thus Take a Willow wand rowled throughout with a fine linnen clout and then annoint it all ouer with hony and thrust it downe his throat drawing your hand to and fro to the intent it may either driue down the thing that grieueth him or else bring it vp and do this twice or thrice annointing euery time the sticke with fresh hony Of the inward and wet cough OF inward Coughs some be wet and some be dry The wet cough is that commeth of cold taken after some great heat giuen to the Horsse dissoluing humors which being afterward congealed do cause obstruction and stopping in the lungs And I call it the wet cough because the Horse in his coughing will voide moist matter at his mouth after that it is once broken The signes be these The Horsse will be heauy and his eies wil run a water and he wil forsake his meate and when he cougheth he thrusteth out his head and reacheth with great paine at the first as though hee had a dry cough vntill the fleame be broken and then hee will cough more hollow which is a signe of amendment And therfore according to Martins experience to the intent the fleam may breake the sooner it shal be necessary to keepe him warme by clothing him with a double cloth and by littering him vp to the belly with fresh straw and then to giue him this drinke take of barly one peck and boile it in 2. or 3. gallons of
garter him aboue the houghes and then force him to go awhile to put him in a heat and being somewhat warme let him bloode in the thigh vaines reseruing of that blood a pottle to make him a charge in this sort Put vnto that blood of Wheat-flower and of Beane-flower of each a quarter of a pecke of Bole Armony one pound of Sanguis Draconis two ounces six Egges shels and al of Turpentine halfe a pound of Vineger a quart Mingle al these thinges togither and therewith charge both his hinder Legges his Reynes and Flankes al against the haire And if the horse cannot dung lette him be raked and giue him this glister take of Mallowes three handfuls and boile them wel in faire Water from a pottle to a quart Then straine it and put thereunto halfe a pounde of Butter and of Sallet Oyle a quarter of a pinte and hauing emptied his belly giue him also this drinke to comforte him take of Malmesie a quart and put thereunto a little Cinamon Mace and Pepper beaten into fine powder and of Oyle a quarter of a pinte and giue the horse to drinke of that Luke-warme with a horne That don let him be walked vp and downe a good while togither if he be able to go if not then tie him vp to the racke and let him be hanged with Canuas and ropes so as he may stand vppon the ground with his feet For the lesse he lieth the better and pare his hinder feet thin vntill the deaw come out and tacking on the shooes againe stoppe the hooues with bran and hogs greace boiled togither and let both his feet hauing this geere in it be wrapped vp in a cloath euen to his pasternes and there tie the clout fast Let his diet be thinne and let him drinke no colde water and giue him in winter wet hay and in Summer grasse Of the dry Spauen Blundevile THe dry Spauin called of the Italians Spauano or Sparauagno is a great hard knob as big as a Walnut growing in the inside of the hough hard vnder the ioynt nigh vnto the maister vaine and causeth the horse to halt which sorance commeth by kind because the horses parents perhaps had the like disease at the time of his generation and sometime by extreame labour and heat dissoluing humors which do descend thorough the maister vaine continually feeding that place with euil nutriment and causeth that place to swel Which swelling in continuance of time becommeth so hard as a bone and therefore is called of some the bone-Spauen It needeth no signes or tokens to knowe it because it is very much apparant to the eie and therefore most Ferrers doe take it to be incurable Notwithstanding Martin saith that it may bee made lesse with these remedies heere following Wash it with warme water and shaue off the haire so farre as the swelling extendeth and scarifie the place so as it may bleed Then take of Cantharides one dozen of Euforbium halfe a spoonefull breake them into powder and boile them togither with a little oile de Bay and with two or three feathers bound togither put it boiling hot vpon the sore and let his taile be tyed vp for wiping away the medicine and then within halfe an houre after set him vp in the stable and tie him so as he may not lie downe al the night for feare of rubbing off the medicine and the next day annoint it with fresh butter continuing thus to do euery day once the space of fiue or sixe daies and when the haire is growne againe draw the sore place with a hot yron Then take another hot sharpe yron like a Bodkin somewhat bowing at the point and thruste it in at the neather end of the middle-line and so vppeward betwixt the skinne and the flesh to the compasse of an inch and a halfe And then taint it with a little Turpentine and Hogges-greace moulten together and made warme renewing it euery day once the space of nine daies But remember first immediately after his burning to take vppe the maister vaine suffering him to bleed a little from aboue and tie vp the vper end of the vaine and leaue the neather end open to the intent that hee may bleede from beneath vntil it cease it selfe and that shal diminish the Spauen or else nothing wil do it Of the Spauen both bone and blood DOubtlesse a Spauen is an euil sorance and causeth a horse to hault principally in the beginning of his griefe Markham it appeareth on the hinder Legges within and against the ioynt and it will bee a little swolne and some horses haue a thorough Spauen which appeareth both within and without Of the Spauen there are two kindes the one hard the other soft That is a bone-Spauen and a blood-Spauen for the bone-Spauen I holde it harde to cure and therefore the lesse necessary to be dealt withal except very great occasion vrge and thus it may be holpen Cast the horse and with a hot yron slitte the flesh that couereth the Spauen and then lay vpon the Spauen Cantharides and Euforbium boyled together in oile de Bay and annoint his legges round about either with the oile of Roses and with Vngueâ—tum album camphiratum Dresse him thus for three daies togither then afterwarde take it awaye and for three daies more lay vnto it onely vpon Flaxe and vnsleact lime then afterward dresse it with Tarre vntil it be whole The Cantharides and Euforbium wil eat kil the spungy bone the lime wil bring it clean away and the Tarre wil sucke out the poison and heale al vp sound but this cure is dangerous for if the incision be done by an vnskilful man and he either by ignorance or by the swaruing of his hand burne in twaine the great vaine that runnes crosse the Spauen then the horse is spoiled Now for the blood Spauen that is easily helpt for I haue knowne diuers which haue beene but newly beginning helpt onely by taking vppe the Spauen vaine and letting it bleed wel beneath and then stop the wound with Sage and Salt but if it be a great blood Spauen then with a sharpe knife cut it as you burnt the bone Spauen and take the Spauen away then heale it vp with Hogges-greace and Turpentine onely Of the wet Spauen or through Spauen THis is a soft swelling growing on both sides of the hough and seemes to goe cleane through the hough and therefore may bee called a through Spauen But for the most part the swelling is on the inside because it is continually fed of the master vain is greater than the swelling on the outside The Italians cal this sorance Laierda or Gierdone which seemeth to come of a more fluxible humor and not so viscous or slimy as the other Spauen doeth and therefore this waxeth not so harde nor groweth to the nature of a bone as the other doeth and this is more curable then the other It needes no signes because it is apparant
ointment made of old Lard Sope and gray Salt for that will eat out the coare and cause it to rot and so fall out of the one accord Of the Canker called of the Italian Il Canero A Canker is a filthy creeping vlcer fretting and gnawing the flesh in gret breadth In the beginning it is knotty much like a Farcine Blundevile and spreadeth it selfe into diuers places and being exulcerated gathereth togither in length into a wound or sore This proceedeth of a melancholy and filthy blood ingendered in the body which if it be mixt with Salt humors it causeth the more painefull and greeuous exulceration and sometime it commeth of some filthy wound that is not cleanly kept the corrupt matter whereof cankereth other clean parts of the body It is easie to be knowne by the description before The cure whereof according to Martin is thus Frst let him blood in those vaines that be next the sore and take inough of him Then take of Alum halfe a pound of greene Coporas and of white Coporas of each one quarterne and a good handfull of Salt boile all these things togither in faire running water from a pottle to a quart And this water being warme wash the sore with a cloath and then sprinkle thereon the powder of vnslecked lime continuing so to do euery day once the space of fifteen daies and if you see that the lime do not mortifie the ranke flesh and keepe it from spreading any further then take of blacke Sope halfe a pounde of Quicke-siluer halfe an ounce and beate them together in a pot vntill the Quicke-siluer be so well mingled with the Sope as you can perceiue none of the Quicke-siluer in it And with an yron slice after that you haue washed the sore with the stronge water aforesaide couer the wound with this ointment continuing thus to do euery day once vntill the Canker leaue spreading abroad And if it leaue spreading and that you see the ranke flesh is mortified and that the edges begin to gather a skin then after the washing dresse it with the lime as before continuing so to vntil it be whole And in the dressing suffer no filth that commeth out of the sore to remaine vppon any whole place about but wipe it cleane away or else wash it away with warme water And let the horse during this cure be as thinly dieted as may be and thoroughly exercised Of the Fistula called of the Italians Fistula A Fistula is a deepe hollowe crooking vlcer and for the most part springes of maligne humors ingendered in some wound sore or canker not throughly healed It is easie to know by the description before The cure according to Martin is thus Firste search the depth of it with a quill or with some other instrument of lead that may be bowed euery way meet for the purpose For vnlesse you find the bottome of it it wil be very hard to cure And hauing found the bottome if it be in such a place as you may boldely cut and make the way open with a launcet or rasor then make a slit right against the bottome so as you may thruste in your finger to feele whether there be any bone or gristle perished or spungy or loose flesh which must be gotten out and then taint it with a taint of flaxe dipt in this ointment Take of hony a quarterne and of Verdigrease one ounce beaten into powder Boile them together vntill it looke redde stirring it continually least it runne ouer and being luke warme dresse the taint wherewith and bolster the taint with a bolster of flax And if it be in such a place as the taint cannot conueniently be kept in with a band then fasten on each side of the hole two ends of Shoomakers thread right ouer the bolster to keepe in the taint which ends may hang there as two laces to tye and vntie at your pleasure renewing the taint euery day once vntill the sore leaue mattering And then make the taint euery day lesser and lesser vntill it be whole And close it vp in the end by sprinckling thereon a little slect lime But if the Fistula be in such a place as a man can neither cut right against the bottome or nigh the same then there is no remedy but to poure in some strong water through some quill or such like thing so as it may goe to the very bottome and dry vp all the filthy matter dressing him so twice a day vntill the horse be whole Of an Aubury THis is a great spungy Wart full of blood called of the Italians Moro or Selfo which may grow in any place of the body and it hath a root like a Cocks stone The cure according to Martin is thus Tie it with a thred so hard as you can pull it the thred will eate by little and little in such sort as within seauen or eight daies it will fall away by it selfe And if it be so flat as you can binde nothing about it then take it away with a sharpe hotte yron cutting it round about and so deepe as you may leaue none of the root behind and dry it with Verdigreace Russius saith that if it grow in a place full of sinnewes so as it cannot be conueniently cut away with a hot yron then it is good to eat out the core with the powder of Resalgar and then to stop the hole with flax dipt in the white of an Egge for a day or two and lastly to drie it vp with the powder of vnslect lime and hony as before is taught Of Wounds VVOunds commeth by meanes of some stripe or pricke and they are properly called wounds when some whole part is cut or broken For a wound according to the Phisitians is defined to be a solution diuision or parting of the whole For if there be no solution or parting then methinkes it ought rather to be called a bruse then a wound And therfore wounds are most commonly made with sharpe or piercing weapons and bruses with blunt weapons Notwithstanding if by such blunt weapons anie part of the whole be euidently broken then it ought to be called a wound as wel as the other Of wounds some be shallow and some be deepe and hollow Againe some chance in the fleshy partes and some in the bonye and sinnewie places And those that chaunce in the fleshy parts though they be verie deepe yet they be not so dangerous as the other and therefore we will speak first of the most dangerous If a horse haue a wound newly made either in his heade or in any other place that is full of sinnewes bones or gristles first Martin would haue you to wash the wounde well with white wine warmed That done to search the bottome of the wound with some instrument meete for the purpose suffering it to take as little winde in the meane while as may be Then hauing found the depth stop the hole close with a clout vntill your salue be
one time and whatsoeuer they lay holde on they carry it away in their mouth although it be as bigge as a Camell for they loue Camels flesh exceedingly And therefore the Lions that set vpon the Camels of Xerxes neither medled with the men The hatred of Lyons and their seuerall enemies Oxen nor victuales but onely the Camels so that it seemeth no meate is so acceptable vnto them They hate aboue measure the wilde Asses and hunt and kill them according to the saying of the wise man Leonum venatio onager◠the wilde Asse is the game of Lions Ecclus 13. They hate also the Thoes and fight with them for their meate because both of them liue vpon flesh of whom Gratius writeth Thoes commisses clarissima fama leones Et subiere asto paruis domuere lacertis They eate also Apes but more for Phisicke then for nourishment they set vpon Oxen vsing their owne strength very prudently for when they come to a stall or heard they terrifie all Aelianus that they may take one They eate also yonge Elephants as we haue shewed before in the storie of Elephants and so terrible is the roaring of the lyon that he terrifieth all other beastes but being at his prey it is said he maketh a circle with his taile either in the snowe or in the dust and that all beastes included within the compasse of that circle when they come into it presently know it dare not for their liues passe ouer it beleeue this who that list It is also said Ambrosius that when the beastes doe heare his voice all of them doe keepe their standing and dare not stirre a foote which assertion wanteth not good reason for by terrour and dread they stand amazed And the writer of the Glosse vpon the Prophet Amos vpon these words of the Prophet Nunquid rugiet leo in saltu nisi habuerit praedam Will the lion roare except he haue a pray Leo saith he Tum famem patitur si videt praedam dat rugitum quo audito ferae stant fixo gradu stupefactae that is to say the lion when he is hungry and seeth his prey roareth and then all the wilde beastes stand still amazed The drinke of Lions They drinke but little and also seldome as we haue said alreadie and therefore Cyrus praising good souldiers in Xenophon vseth these words Vos famem habetis pro obsonio hydroposian de raon toon Leontoon pherete that is to say hunger is your shambles and you are more patient of thirst then lions The terrours of Lions and means wherby they perish although you drinke water Notwithstanding this great valliancie of lions yet haue they their terrors enemies and calamities not only by men but also by beasts ouer whom they claime a soueraigntie We haue shewed already in the storie of dogges that the great dogs in India and Hircania doe kill lyons and forsake other beastes to combat with them There is a Tigre also called Lauzani which in many places is twice as bigge as a lion that killeth them and despiseth the huge quantity of Elephants Martiall also writeth that he saw a tame Tiger deuoure a wilde lion A serpent or snake doth easily kill a lion whereof Ambrosius writeth very elegantly Eximia leonis pulchritudo per comantes ceruicis toros excutitur cum subito a serpente os pectore tenus attollitur itaque Coluber ceruū fugit sed leonē interficit The splendant beautie of a lion in his long curled mane is quickly abated and allayed when the Serpent doth but lift vp his head to his brest for such is the ordinance of God that the snake which runneth from a fearefull Hart should without all feare kill a couragious lyon and the writer of Saint Marcellus life Alla O men dracon c. How much more will he feare a great Dragon against whom he hath not power to lift vp his taile and Aristotle writeth that the lyon is afraid of the Swine and Rasis affirmeth as much of the Mouse Plinius Ambrose The Cocke also both seene and heard for his voice and combe is a terror to the lion and Basiliske and the lyon runneth from him when he seeth him especially from a white cocke and the reason hereof is because they are both partakers of the Sunnes qualities in a high degree and therefore the greater body feareth the lesser because there is a more eminent and predominant sunny propertie in the Cocke then in the Lion Animalia solaria Lucretius describeth this terrour notably affirming that in the morning when the Cocke croweth the Lions betake themselues to flight because there are certaine seedes in the body of Cockes which when they are sent and appeare to the eyes of Lions they vexe their pupils and apples and make them against nature become gentle and quiet the verses are these Quinetiam gallum nocte explaudentibus alis Auroram clara consuetam voce vocare Quem nequeunt rapidi contra constare leones Inque tueri ita continuo meminere fugari Nimirum quia sunt gallorum in corpore quaed am Semina quae quum sint oculis immissa leonum Pupillas intersodiunt acremque dolorem Praebent vt nequeant contra durare feroces We haue spoken already of the Leontophonus how she rendreth a vrine which poysoneth the Lion the noyses of wheeles and chariots doe also terrifie them according to the saying of Seneca Leonipauida sunt ad leuissimos strepitus pectora The high stomacke of a Lyon is afraid of a little strange noice Anthologius hath an excellent Epigram of one of Cybels Priests who trauailing in the mountaines by reason of frost cold and snow was driuen into a Lions den and at night when the Lion returned he scarred him away by the sound of a bell The like also shall be afterward declared of Wolues in their story They are also afraid of fire Ardentesque faces quas quamuis saeuiat horret For as they are inwardly filled with naturall fire for which cause by the Egyptians they were dedicated to Vulcan so are they the more afraide of all outward fire Aelianus and so suspitious is he of his welfare that if he tread vpon the rinde or barke of Oke or the leaues of Osyer he trembleth and standeth amazed And Democritus affirmeth that there is a certaine herbe growing no where but in Armenia and Cappadocia which being layed to a Lion Plinius maketh him to fall presently vpon his backe and lye vpward without stirring and gaping with the whole breadth of his mouth the reason whereof Pliny saith is because it cannot be bruised There is no beast more desirous of copulation then a lionesse Leo Afer Their lust of copulation and for this cause the males oftentimes fall forth for sometimes eight ten or twelue males follow one lionesse like so many dogges one fault bitch for indeede their naturall constitution is so hotte that at all times of the yeare both
haue shewed before that a Lyon in his hunger will endure nothing but fearcely falleth vpon euery prey according to these verses of Mannilius Quis dubitet vasti quae sit natura leonis Quasque suo dietet signo nassentibus artes Ille nouas semper pugnas noua bella ferarum Apparat pecorum viuit spolio atque rapinis Hoc habet hoc studium postes ornare superbos Pellibus captas domibus configere predas Atque parare metum syluis viuere rapto Concerning the hunting and taking of lions The hunting and taking of Lyons the Indian dogs and some other strong hunters do set vpon Buls Bores and Lions as we haue said before in the History of dogs but dogs which are begotten of Tygers amongst the Indians and those of Hyrcania especially doe this thing as it is noted by Mantuan concerning the fortitude and courage of a dog saying Et truculentus Helor certare leonibus audens In the prouince of Ginezui which is subiect to the great Cham king of Tartaria there are very many lions which are very great and cruell and in that region the dogs are accounted so bould and stronge as they will not feare to inuade or set vpon those lions And it oftentimes commeth to passe that two dogs and a hunting Archer sitting on horse-back do kill and destroy a lion for when the Dogs perceiue the lion to bee neare them they set vpon him with great barking but especialy when they know themselues backed with the help of a man they do not cease to bite the lyon in his hinder parts and taile and although the lion doth oftentimes threaten them with his frouning and terrible countinance turning himselfe this way and that way that he might teare them in pieces notwithstanding the dogs looking warilie vnto themselues are not easily hurt by him especially when the hunting Horse-man following them doth seeke the best meanes to fasten his Dart in the lion when hee is bitten of the Dogges for they are wise enough to consider their owne help But the Lyon then flyeth away fearing leaste the barking and howling of the dogs may bring more company both of men and dogs vnto him And if he can he betaketh himselfe rightly vnto some tree that he may enioy the same for a place of defence for his backe then turning himselfe with a scornfull grinning hee fighteth withall his force against the Dogges Paulus Venetus But the Hunter comming nearer vppon his Horsse ceaseth not to throw Dartes at the lyon vntill he kill him neither doth the lyon feele the force of the Dartes vntill he bee slaine the Dogges doe vnto him so great hurte and trouble If a lion be seene in the time of hunting being ashamed to turne his backe he doth a little turne away himselfe if be oppressed with a multitude being remoued from the sight of the Hunters he doth hastily prepare for flight thinking that his shame is cleared by concealing himselfe and therefore knoweth that the woods cannot giue testimony of this feare He doth want in his flight the leaping which he vseth in pursuing other beastes He doth craftily dissemble and abolish his footesteps to deceiue the Hunters Pollux affirmeth that if a Hunter do fight against any wilde Beasts as a Bore he must not straddle with his Legges wide abroad but keepe them together within the compasse of a foote that hee may keepe his ground stedfast and sure euen as the manner is in Wrestling for there are some wild Beasts as Panthers and Lyons when they are hunted and are hindred in their course by their Hunters if they be any thing neare them doe presently leape vppon them But the stroke which is giuen ought to be directed or leauelled right against the breast and the hart for that being once striken is incurable Xenophon saith in his book concerning Hunting that Lyons Leopards Beares Pardals Lynxes and all other wilde Beasts of this sort which inhabite desert places without Greece are taken about the Pangaean Mountaine and the Mountaine called Cyrtus aboue Macedony some in Olympus Mysius and Pindus some in Mysa aboue Syria and in other Mountaines which are fit for the breeding and nourishing Beastes of this kind But they are taken partly in the Mountaines by poyson of Wolfe-bane for the sharpnesse of the Region because that can admit no other kind of hunting as by Nets and Dogges but mingling this with that thing in which euery wilde beast delighteth the Hunters doe cast it vnto them neare the Waters There are some also which do discende downe in the night time who are taken in regard that all the waies by which they should ascend vnto the Mountaines are stopped with Hunts-men and weapons neither being so excluded are they taken without great perill vnto the Hunts-men There are some also which make pitfals or great ditches in the ground to catch Lyons in the middest whereof they leaue a profound stony pillar vpon which in the night time they tye a Goat and do hedge the pitfals round about with boughes least that it might be seen leauing no entrance into the same The lyons hearing the voice of the goat in the night doe come vnto the place and walke round about the hedge but finding no place where they may enter they leape ouer and are taken Oppianus doth describe three manner of waies of hunting Lyons which also Bellasarius doeth but he doeth describe them in my mind very vnskilfully The first of them is rehearsed out of Xenophon Three waies to take Lyons we will notwithstanding also adde thereunto Oppianus for he doth vary in both of them The second is made by fire the third by Whips or scourges The first manner of way is therefore as Gillius for the most part translateth out of Oppianus in this sort Where the Hunters of Lybia doe obserue the beaten path or way of the Lyon going out of his den vnto the Water they make a broade and round ditch neare vnto it in the midest wherof they raise vp a great pillar vpon this they hang a sucking Lambe they compasse the Ditch round about with a Wall of stones heaped together least that when the wilde beast commeth neare hee perceiueth the deceite The Lambe being fastened vppon the top of the pillar doth incitate the hunger-staruen hart of the Lyon by his bleating therefore comming neare and not being able to stay longer about the Wall he doth presently leap ouer and is receiued into the vnlooked for ditch in which being now included he vexeth himselfe in all the partes of his body lifting himselfe vp rather at the lambe then to go forth and being againe ouerthrowen he maketh force again These things Gillius affirmeth The second The other manner of hunting by fire is the deuise of the people which inhabite about the Ryuer Euphrates who hunt lyons after this manner The Hunters some vpon stronge Horsses and some vpon gray Horsses with glasen eies which are more swift
first sprinkled with corne that the Mice may custome to come to it and being dryed with lying they breake in pieces but you must lay them together againe and fill your pot with Water by the which meanes assoone as euer they are vppon the same they fall into the pyt and so are stifeled And also it is reported of those which haue tryed the same that if Mice fall into a vessell without water and remaine there a long time without meate that then they deuoure one another but if they remaine there so long vntill one among them all be left alone that is to say the strongest of them all and that he be suffered to go out wheresoeuer hee shall finde any mice hee will eate them vp and they shall haue much adoe to escape him because he hath been so long accustomed vnto them I was told also of a certaine friend of mine that a man of Senensis did set a purse in a hollow place and made it to open and shut by some deuise so that at length he tooke a mouse which mouse hee fed onely with the flesh of Mice and after he had fed it so a long time he let it go who killed all the Mice that he did meete and was not satisfied with them but went into euery hole that he could find and eat them vp also Also Mice are taken in vessels from whence they canot escape vpon the which vessell let there be put a small staffe which is so cut in the middle that she may onely hold her selfe by the meate and when you haue so doone put the kernell of a Nut vpon the middle of the staffe to the which the Mouse comming doth fall into the vessell with the staffe Crescentien and they will be stifeled if their be any Water but if there be none she will be killed And againe he telleth of another manner of ketching of mice which is as great as the first and it is after this manner Take two smooth boardes about the length of thy arme and in breadth halfe thy Arme but ioyne it so together that they may be distant from the lower part in length some foure fingers or little lesse with two small spindles or clefts which must be at euery end one and fasten Paper vnder them and put a peece of paast therin being cut ouerthwart in the middle but you must not fasten it nigh the middle let it be so bound that it may easily be lifted vp betwixt the spindles that if by slipping it should be altered it migh be brought againe to the same forme But the two spindles spoken of before ought to be ioyned together in the ends aboue beyond them another smal spindle to be made which may hold in the middle a crooked wedge or butten vpon the which may be hanged a piece of Hogges skinne so that one of them may easily be turned vpsided downe with the skinne and put thereunto a little peece of earth or sticke that the mice may easily come to it So that how many myce soeuer shall come thereto and to the meate shall be taken alwayes by rowling the Paper into his wonted place There is another manner also which is to make a round peece of Woode fastened on both sides with Needles and made so that the hinder part of it way heauier then the former and that it stand an inch hyer then the other and then when you haue so placed it throw some corne thereon that the mice may be alluted thereto and tie also a peece of flesh vpon the former end of it and so the Mouse going into the middle by the rouling off the same slippeth into the kettle which standeth vnder it which must bee halfe full of Water the circle presently being as it was before that very often many mice are ketched in one night by this worke Crescentien all falling into the kettle Also there are many kinds of mice-traps where mice do perish by the waight thereof and they are made of a smal-piece of wood made hollow into the which shall fal down another smal piece of Wood but it must be made so that it may fall waighty to presse downe the mice going to the meat and let the meat be tyed to another little small peece of wood which being touched the heauy peece doth presently fall downe and so by that meanes the mouse is taken Our country men do make a trap which is somewhat like to this let two peeces of boords be ioyned together one foot broad and two foot long and afterwards let there be put in them a wooden pin which you must fasten to the lower boord so that it may not touche the vppermost and you must set it so that the former part may easily moue backewarde and forward but moreouer the former boord must be fastened to the hinder like the fashion of a Gibbet or Gallowes with two peeces of wood standing vpright one being put ouerthwart or after the fashion of the Greek letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it must stand some nine ynches high as broad as the boord wil suffer you let the meat be hung in the middle of it but that boord which is vppermost must touch both the ends of the other and notched according to the bredth the notch being made after the forme of a wedge deuided into two parts and an other small peece of wood must be put to that which is vpermost almost two fingers long and one finger broad and let there bee put into the lower notch a peece of wood with meat at it so that it may be slightly fastened to the brimme of the vppermost that the meate being presently touched the other may the easiler fall And you may lay a stone vpon the vppermost bord that it may fall the heauier And there are some also which to the lower board doe fasten iron pinnes made very sharp against the which the Mice are driuen by the waight of the fall Furthermore there is another kinde of trap made to couer them aliue one part of it cut out of a small peece of woode the length of the palme of thy hand and the breadth of one finger and let the other part of it be cut after the forme of a wedge and let this peece of wood be erected like a little piller and let the wedge be put into the notch of an other peece of wood which must be made equall with the other or very little shorter and this piller must bee so made that the mouse may not perish before she come to the meate The wood where the meat must stand ought to be a span long and you must fasten the meate about the middle of it but the former part of it must haue a cleft which must begin a little from the brim and shall be made almost the length of two fingers and you must make it with two straight corners and take away halfe the breadth of the wood These
those whose eye-lids are pilled and bald Auicen to make haire to grow again vpon them being spreade or annointed thereuppon The dunge of mice being dryed and beaten into small dust or pouder and put into the teeth of any one which are hollow will presently expell away all paine from them Marcellus and also confirme and make the teeth strong The dust or pouder which proceedeth from mouse-dung is also very good to cure any disease in the fundament of either man or woman The vrine of a mouse is of such strong force that if it shal but touch any part of a mans body it will eate vnto the very bones The bitings of mice are healed by no other means but by greene figes and Garlike being mixed or mingled together and so annoynted thereupon OF THE RAT THere is no doubt that this beast belongeth also to the rank of mice The vulgar Rat or great domesticall Mouse the name thereof we haue shewed already is commoÌ„ both to the French Spanish Italian and English it may seeme to be deriued from the Greeke word Rastes or Heurex or Riscos for the Gretians vse al those words And this beast is 4. times so big as the commoÌ„ Mouse The quantity of Rats their parts being of a blackish dusky colour more whit on the belly hauing along head not much vnlike the head of the Martin short and round eares a resonable rough skin short legs and long clawes exceeding great eies such as caÌ„ see very perfectly in the darke night and more perfectly then by candle light with their nails they climbe vp steepe and hard wals their taile is very long almost naked void of haire by reason whereof it is not vnworthily counted venomous for it seemeth to partake with the nature of Serpents The quantity of their body is much like a weasels sometimes you shall see a Rat exceeding the common stature which the Germans cal Ratzen Kunig the king of Rats because of his larger greater body and they say that the lesser bring him meat and helieth idle But my opinion is that as we read of the Dormous she nourisheth hir parent when she is old so likewile the younger Rats bring food vnto the elder because through their age they are not able to hunt for themselues are also growne to a great and vnweeldy stature of body Sometimes you shal see white Rats as was once seene in Germany taken in the middle of Aprill hauing very red eyes standing forth of their head and a rough and long beard And at Auspurg in Germany about the Temple called the Church of S. Hulduic they abound in greater number then in other places They do not lye in the earth like Mice except in the vally of Ioachim where for the summer time they forsake houses and go into cony holes but in the winter time they returne to the houses againe They are more noysome then the little Mouse for they liue by stelth and feed vpon the same meat that they feede vpon and therefore as they exceede in quantity so they deuoure more and doe farre more harme They are killed by the same poysons and meates that the common Mice are killed except wolfe-baine for if they eate thereof they vomit it vp againe and are safe They are also taken in the same traps but 3. or foure times so big Their flesh is farre more hot and sharp then the flesh of the vulgar Mouse as we haue gathered by the dissection of it and therefore in operation it is very like that it expelleth and dryeth more then the other Medicins by Rats Poyson of Rats The excrements are also of the same vertue and with the dung of Rats the Physitians cure the falling off of the haire And it is saide also that when they rage in lust and follow their copulation they are more venemous and dangerous then at other times For if the vrine do fall vpon the bare place of a man it maketh the flesh rot vnto the bones neither will it suffer any scar to bee made vppon the vlcer and thus much of the vulgar Rat. OF THE WATER RAT SEeing there are two kinds of Rats one of the earth called Rattus terrestris Names of Water-Rats and the other of the water called Rattus Fluuiatilis of which we are now to entreat being also called of the Latins Mus aquaticus by the Germans Twassermaus and Wafferrat by the Italians Sorgomogange Meate of Water-Rats by the French Rat d eau This beast hunteth fishes in the winter and haue certaine caues in the water sides and bankes of the riuers or ponds For which occasion it being seene in the waters deceiueth their expectation which looke for the returne of it to the land And this beast hath beene forgotten by the ancients for they haue left of it no discription nor story because it liueth partly in the water and partly on the land and therfore he said true that spake of the habitation and place of aboade of this beast in this sort Ego non in fluuijs Places of water rats abod nec alijs aquis magnis sed paruis tantum riuis atque herbosis omnium â—ipis hoc animal frequentissimum versari audio That is to say That this beast doth not keepe in great waters or riuers but in small and little currents and pondes where aboundance of grasse and other weedes doe grow on the sides and bankes Pliny attributeth that to the warer-rat A wonder in the parts of a female Rat which is proper to the Tortise for indeed there is some similitude of natures betwixt these beasts with this exception that the females in this kind haue three visible passages for their excrements one for their vrine another for the dung and the third for the young ones that is a peculiare place for the littering of their young ones and this water-rat ouer and beside her common nature with other Rats doth swim ouer riuers and feed vpon herbs and if at any time she be hunted from her natiue biding accustomed lodging then also she goeth among vulgar common Rats and mice and feedeth vpon such as they eate and Bellonius saith that there are great store of these in Nilus and Strymâ—n and that in calme nights when there are no winds they walke to the shores get vp vpon the bankes eating and gnawing such plants as grow neare the waters and if they heare any noise they suddenly leape into the Waters againe He expresseth also the figure of this Rat which we haue omitted because it resembleth in all partes the common Rat excepting the snout or beake which is rounder blunter Among some of the ancients also there is mention made of this beast and no more Therfore Aristotle saith in the Arcadian Lusae which is a city so called as Stephanus writeth where Malampus did wash the daughters of Proetus and deliuered them from their madnesse There is
a certaine fountaine wherein do liue Rats of the earth they should say Rats of the water for hereunto agree both Pliny and Theophrastus Likewise in a riuer of Cassinus the auncient wise-men which were followers of Zoroastres made great account of the Hedghog but hated deadly the water-rats and said that he that could kil most of them was most deare and acceptable to God And furthermore they said that dogs hens and hedghogs did proceed and were attended from and by good angels and water-rats by euill And thus much shal suffice for the discourse of the Rat. The story which ensueth is of strange and lesse knowne Mice and therefore I wil disttibure them after an alphabiticall order according to their seueral names Of the Alpine-Mouse These Alpin Mice are in the tops of the Apenine hils and none of the Auncientes except Pliny make mention thereof and it is doubtfull whether he doeth describe it or no. For his words are Sunt his Muribus Alpinis pares in Egypto similiterque residunt in clunibus binis pedibus gradiuntur prioribusque vt manibus vtuntur that is to say there are mice in Egypt like to the Alpin Mice for they sit vpon their Buttocks and goe with their foremost two feet which also they vse insteed of hands by which we collect that they are not the same but like the Alpine mice The quantity of this beast and the seuerall parts The Alpine mouse is in quantity like a Hare or at the least betwixt a Hare and a Cony being more fat and of a thicker body then a Cat but shorter legges in outward appearance most like a mouse and therefore it is called an Alpine mouse The backe of it is very broad and the haire harder and harsher then a Conies The colour for the most part is yellow Mathaeolus which in some is more cleare and in others more obscure and browne Their eyes of a reasonable quantity standing farre out of their heads Their eares very short like cropt eares The head like a Hares and their feet with long nails his foreteeth like a squirrels two aboue and two beneath but long and sharpe like a Beuers in colour yellowe about the nose and vpper-lippes he hath long-blacke-bristle-haires like a cat The taile is halfe a cubit long according to Stumpsius but two palmes according to Agricola His legges very short and thicke couered with long deep thicke haire like to the bottome of his belly The toes of his feet are like a Beares and his clawes long and blacke wherewithall be diggeth the earth to make his denne he goeth vpon his hinder feete like a Beare or like an Ape by iumpes and with his forefeet he taketh his meat like a squirrell an Ape sitting in the meane time vpon his buttockes His backe is also very fatte although all the other parts of his body be leane and yet that on his backe cannot be said to be fat but rather like a cowes vdder neither fat nor flesh and they encrease or grow more in bredth then in length The description of the great Alpine mouse Scaliger describeth them in this manner a Marmot saith he for so he tearmeth an Alpine mouse in French is a Beast about the bignesse of a Badger hauing haire and tayle much like it and after the same manner short legges and little or no eares long sharp firme crooked strong and blacke clawes which is numbred amongst the kinds of mice with whom it holdeth little correspondence except that like a squirell it taketh his meate in the forefeet as with hands and eateth sitting vppon his taile They agree also with the Dormouse in their sleepe for they passe ouer winter sleeping Their teeth are like to the teeth of hares and mice after that they are made tame they are not hurtfull to men or children except they be prouoked Being kept in houses they will eat and gnaw all linnen and woolen cloath Thus farre Scaliger But we haue shewed already that the outward appearance of it is like a mouse and that therefore it is safer to follow Pliny Albertus Mathaeolus Stumpsius and others then his sole and singular opinion they keepe as we haue said already in the tops of the mountaines wherein they make their caue with woonderfull art and circumspection The places of their abod and then singular art in making their caue making two different passages into their denne one aboue another a poles length which meete in the middle like a forke or the coniunction of two riuers or pathe-waies making the seate of their rest to be very deepe in the Mountaine and therein they remaine fiue seauen nine or eleuen of them together They play many times before the mouth of their denne together and in their sport or pastime Their obseruation of watch barke like little Dogges When they go out of their caue into the mountaines to gather foode or to playe or to fetch in grasse alwaies one of them remaineth like a Watchman neare the mouth of the caue vpon some high place looking most diligently and vigilantly both farre and neare and if he see eyther a man or wilde beast comming towardes them then hee suddainely cryeth out and with his voice giueth the warning word whining like the whisling of a pipe if his fellowes be farre off or else barking like a Dogge if they be neare at hand When the residue heare it they presently repaire home and he which kept the watch entereth into the denne last of all And it is reported by a certaine Greeke writer that if their speculator doe not giue them the watch-worde but that they are endaungered by any man or Beaste thorough his negligence they teare him in pieces with their teeth There is no beast which is so strong as this Stumsius considering the quantity for it hath beene seene that when a lusty young man tooke one of them by the hinder leg as it ran into the den he could not withall his might plucke it backe againe The strength of this beast The clawes of it are exceeding sharpe and fit to dig so that it is thought if a man find them in the earth and seeke to take them by digging vnto them he shall labour in vaine because the beast diggeth faster from him then he can follow her they cannot run very fast in the plaine ground but are easily killed by a man except they get into the earth with their teeth they bite deepe for they can shere asunder wood with them like Beauers Their vsuall foode they eate or liue vpon fruits especially being tamed when they are young they refuse not bread flesh fish or pottage and aboue all they desire milk Butter and cheese for in the Alpes they will breake into the little cottages where milk is kept and are oftentimes taken in the manner sucking vp the milke for they make a noise in sucking of milke like a pig In the month of May they are
meate whereby thou dost wrong others as thou hast bene wrongd thy selfe By which it is manifest that Myoxus is neither a Toad nor a Frog but the Dormous And the charme which is made for the Asses vrine as we haue shewed already in his story Gallus bibit non meijet Myoxus meijet non bibit whether they render vrine drinke not The cocke drinketh and maketh not water the Dormous maketh water and neuer drinketh But whether it be true or no that she neuer drinketh I dare not affirme But this is certain that she drinketh but very sildome and it ought to be no wonder that she should make water for tame Conies as long as they can feed vpon greene hearbes do render abundance of vrine and yet neuer drink The Graecians also do call this beast Elayos although that word do likewise signifie a Squirel In Maesia a wood of Italy there is neuer founde Dormous except at the time of their littering They are bigger in quantity then a squirrel the colour variable somtimes black The quantity colour and seuerall partes somtimes grisled sometimes yellowe on the backe but alwaies a white belly hauing a short haire and a thinner skinne then the pontike mouse They are also to be found in Heluetia about Clarona It is a biting and an angry beast and therefore sildome taken aliue The beake or snowt is long the eares short and pricked the taile short and not very hairy at the ende The middle of the belly swelleth downe betwixt the breast and the loyns which are more narrow and trussed vp together they are alwaies very fat and for that cause they are called Lardironi Bucke-mast is very acceptable meat vnto them and doth greatly fatten them Their food they are much delighted with walnuts they climbe trees and eat Apples according to some but Albertus saith more truely that they are more delighted with the iuyce then with the Apple For it hath bin oftentimes sounde that vnder Apple trees they haue opened much fruite and taken out of it nothing but the kernels for such is their wit and policie that hauing gathered an Aple they presently put it in the twist of a tree betwixt bowes and so by sitting vpon the vppermost bough presse it assunder They also grow fat by this meanes In auncient time they were wont to keepe them in coopes or tunnes and also in Gardens paled about with boord where there are beeches or Wal-nut trees growing Norishers nourishing of Dormice and in some places they haue a kind of earthen potte wherein they put them with Wal-nuttes Buck-mast and Chesnets And furthermore it must be obserued that they must be placed in romes conuenient for them to breed young ones their water must be very thinne because they vse not to drinke much and they also loue dry places Titus Pompeius as Varro saith did nourish a great many of them enclosed and so also Herpinus in his park in Gallia It is a beast wel said to be Animal Semiferum a creatur half wilde for if you set for them hutches and nourish them in warrens together it is obserued that they neuer assemble but such as are brede in those places And if straungers come among them which are seperated from them either by a mountaine or by a riuer Society and charity in them Pliny they discry them and fight with them to death They nourish their parents in their old age with singular piety We haue shewed already howe they are destroyed by the Viper and it is certaine that all serpentes lie in wait for them Their old age doth end euery winter They are exceeding sleepy and therefore Martiall saith Somniculosos illi porrigit glires They grow fat by sleeping and therefore Ausonius hath an elegant verse Dic cessante cibo somno quis opimior est glis Because it draweth the hinder legges after it like a Hare it is called Animal tractile for it goeth by iumpes and little leapes In the winter time they are taken in deepe ditches that are made in the woods couered ouer with small stickes straw and earth which the cuntrymen deuise to take them when they are asleepe The meane◠to take these Dormice At other times they leap from tree to tree like Squirrelles and that they are killed with arrowes as they goe from bough to bough especially in hollowe trees for when the hunters finde their haunt wherein they lodge they stop the hole in the absence of the Dormouse and watch her turne backe againe the silly beast finding her passage closed is busied hande and foote to open it for entrance and in the mean season commeth the hunter behind her and killeth her In Tellina they are taken by this meanes The countrimen going into the fields carryeth in their hands burning torches in the night time which whē the silly beast perceiueth with admiration thereof flocketh to the lights whereunto when they were come they were so daseled with the brightnesse that they were starke blinde and might so bee taken with mens hands The vse of the flesh of these mice The vse of them being taken was to eat their flesh for in Rhetia at this day they salt it and eat it because it is sweet and fat like swines flesh Ammianus Marcellinus wondereth at the delicacy of his age because when they were at their tables they called for ballaunces to weigh their fish and the members of the Dor-mouse which was not done saith hee without anye dislike of some present and thinges not heretofore vsed are now comended daily Appitius also prescribeth the muscles and flesh inclosed of them taken out of euery member of a Dormous beaten with pepper Nut-kernels Parcenippes and Butter stuffed altogether into the belly of a Dormous and sewed vp with thread and so baked in an Ouen or sod in a kettle to be an excellent and delicate dish And in Italy at this day they eat Dormice saith Coelius yet there were ancient lawes among the Romans called Leges censoriae whereby they were forbidden to eat Dormice strange birds shel-fish the neckes of beasts and diuers such other things And thus much shal suffice for the description of the Dormouse The medicines of the Dormouse Dormyse being taken in meate doe much profit against the Bulimon The powder of Dormyse mixed with oyle Pliny doth heale those which are scalded with any hot licker A liue Dormouse doth presently take away all warts being bound thereupon Dormyse and field-mice being burnt and their dust mingled with hony will profit those which desire the clearnesse of the eyes if they doe take thereof some small quantitie euery morning Marcellus The powder of a Dormouse or field mouse rubbed vpon the eyes helpeth the aforesaid disease A Dormouse being flead roasted and annointed with oyle and salt being giuen in meate is an excellent cure for those that are short winded The same also doth very effectually heale those that spit out filthy matter or
neither is it otherwise amongst meÌ„ for that which they canot do by equity they perform by fraud This also commeth in the speech of the common people against one that wil thriue The yong country wenches concerning this matter do chaunt out a verse not vnpleasant which I am contented to expresse in Iambickes consisting of foure feet Hamester ipse cum sua Prudens catusque coniuge Stipat profundum pluribus Per tempus antrum frugibus Possitque solus vt frui Lectis aceruis hordei Auarus antro credulam Extrudit arte comugem Serua inquit exiens foras Coeli serena pluuias Sed foeminis quis insitam Vincant dolis astutiam Nouum parans cuniculum Furatur omne triticum Egens maritus perfidam Quaerit per antra coniugem Nec se repellat blandulis Demulcit inuentam sunis Ille esse iam communiae Seruata dum sinit bona At perfidus multiplices Opponit intus obices Rursus fruuntur mutuis Antris cibis amplexibus This beast doth deuoure all kinde of fruite His meate and foode and if he be nourished in a house he eateth bread and flesh he also hunteth the fielde mice When he taketh his meate he raiseth himselfe vpon his fore feete he is also wont with his forefeete to stroake his head eares and mouth which thing the Squirrell and the Cat doe also and as the Beauer amongest those creatures which liue as well by water as by land but although in his bodie he seemeth but small notwithstanding he is by nature apt to fight and very furious being prouoked with his carriage in his mouth he beateth away with both his feete that which resisteth him directly inuading his enemie The anger furie oâ— this beast In the spirite and assaulting of his mouth he is wayward and threatning from whence our countreymen were accustomed to say of any one which was angry he breatheth his wrath out of his mouth like a Hamster Dis spruest vuie ein hamster neither is he easily affrighted although he be far vnequall vnto those in strength with whom he is in combate Wherefore some doe giue it in the place of a Prouerbe that our Countreymen doe call a man which is madly rash Ein tollen hamster as foolehardy as a hamster He flieth from any one that doth sharply resist him and doth greedily follow after them that flie from him I my selfe saw one of these who by assaulting a horse gat him by the nose and would neuer leaue his holde vntill he was killed with a sword He is taken by diuers meanes Of the taking of this beast for he is expelled either by hot water powred into his den or is choaked within or being diged vp with a mattocke or spade he is killed or by dogges He is sometimes pulled out by the Foxe or hurt or oppressed by some snare a great waight being put about it or to conclude he is taken by Art aliue and that in the night time when he goeth to seeke his prey for in the day time for the most part he lyeth hid Before his vsuall caue as I haue said he is taken by the path which is worne by a pot which is put into the earth and afterward made plaine about it like other places of the fielde there is earth cast into the bottome of the pot to the deepenesse of two fingers aboue euery where couering the pot there is placed a stone which is helde vp by a peece of wood to which there is bound below a fragment of bread In the space betweene the caue and the pot there are crumes of bread scattered which he following and leaping into the pot the wood falling he is taken Being taken after the manner of other beastes he toucheth no foode If a broad stone such an one with which they couer pauementes or of which they make roofe-tiles shall be ioyned vnto the pot and the beast be taken he will be very hardly knowne in the morning for the spirit of the beast being shut in and waxing wroth pearcing for thinesse doth moisten the stone The skins of Hamsters are very durable of which there are certaine long coates which come downe vnto the heeles and diuers coulored cloakes made which the woman of Misena and Silesia doe vse The vse of their skins and account them very honorable of a blacke and red coulour with broad gards or edges of the skinnes of Otters the same coates are for the most part vallued at the price of fifteene or twentie Renensian crownes for it doth out-weare in length three or foure garments made either of linnen or wollen cloath In Turingia and Misena this beast is frequent notwithstanding not in all places for in Turingia his chiefest abode is about Efurdanus and Salcensis in Misena about Lipsia and the field Pegensis the plentifullest and most fertilest places of both those regions In Lusatia about Radeburge he is diged out of the places where painick groweth At Mulberge and Albis he is found in the Vine-yardes for he is also fed with ripe grapes Our countrey-men are wont to burne a liuing Hamster in a pot being shut for the medicines of horses It hath beene seene that one of these hath leaped vp and caught a horse by the nose neuer letting goe his hold vntill she was cut off with a sword The skin is of three or foure different colours besides the spotted sides and therefore the skinne is very pretious They abound in Turingia where the soile is good and there is also great store of graine OF THE NORICIAN MOVSE THe Morician mouse is called in Latine Citellus and it keepeth like the wilde mice in the caues and dens of the earth The name description and diâ—position The body is like to a Domestical Weasils long slender the taile very short the coulour of the haire like to a gray Conies Agricola but more bright It wanteth eares like a mole but it hath open passages insteade of eares wherewithall it heareth the sound as you shal see in many birds The teeth are like the teeth of mice and of their skinnes although they be not very precious they vse to make garments In Germany they cal it Pile and Zisel and of this Germaine word was the Latine Citellus feigned and it appeareth by Agricola that there are two kindes of these one greater which are cald Zysell and Zeiseile and another lesser called Pile which may be the same that is also called Bilchmuss Genelius and differeth from other because it is vsed for meat These are bred in Croatia and in the countrey about Vennice They haue a strange smel or savour which is said to be hurtful to the head They eat both salted and hung in the smoke and also fresh and new killed With their skins they edge the skirts of garmentes for it is as soft as the skin of a Hare and beside the common nature of mice they are tamed They also haue very large cheekes whereinto
they gather an innumerable quantitye of graine and carry it into their den as it were in bagges against the Winter They liue thirty and fourty together in a caue and are not driuen forth but by infusion of hot water They gather great store of Nuts into their caues and therefore aswel as for their flesh do men hunt and seeke after them OF THE MOVSE PONTIQVE Olaus mag Agricola THe name of this mouse is giuen vnto it from the Island out of which it was first brought named Pontus and for this cause it is also called Fenicus because it was first of al brought into Germany from Venice It is called also Varius by Idorus from whence commeth the German word Vutrck from the diuersity of the colour Graeu vuerck It is cald also Pundtmuss as it wer PoÌ„ticus mus or rather of Bundt because they wer wont to be brought in bundles to be sold fifty togither and they were solde for twenty Groates Volaterranns and Hermolâ—us are of this opinion that the white ones in this kinde bee called of the Italians Armellines and by the Germaines Hermelin but wee haue promised already to prooue that Hermelin is a kind of Weasell which in the winter time is white by reason of extreamity of cold and in the summer returneth into her colour again like as do the Hares of the Alpes This Pontique Mouse differeth from others onely in colour for the white is mingled with ash colour or else it is sandy and blacke and in Pollonia at this day they are found red and ash-colour Their two lower most teeth before are very long when it goeth it draweth the taile after it like mice when it eateth it vseth the forefeet instead of haÌ„ds and feedeth vpon Walnuts Chesnuts Filbeards smal Nuts Apples and such like fruits In the winter time they take sleep instead of meate And it is to bee remembred that the Polonians haue foure kinds of pretious skins of Mice which they vse in their Garmentes distinguished by foure seuerall names The first of grisell colour called Popieliza The second is called Gronosthaij a very white beast all ouer except the tip of the taile which is al blacke and this is the Hermelin The third is called Nouogrodela from the name of a Towne and this is white mingled with grisell and this is also a kind of Pontike Mouse The 4. Vuieuuorka of a bright Chesnut colour and this is the Squirrell for they call Squirrels Weasels and Hermelin al by the name of mice These Pontique Mice haue teeth on both sides and chew the end In the winter time as we haue said they lie and sleepe especially the white ones and their sence of tast doth excel al other as Pliny writeth they build their nests and breed like common Squirrels Their skins are sold by ten together the two best are called Litzschna the 3. a little worse are called Crasna the 4 next to them Pocrasna and the last and vilest of all Moloischna with these skins they hem and edge garmentes and in some places they make canonicall Garments of them for priests vnto which they few their tailes to hang downe on the skirts of their garments of which custome Hermolaus writeth very excellently in these words Instruxit ex muribus luxuriam suam vita alios magnis frigoribus alios medio anni tempore a septentrionibus petendo armannus corpora de bellamus animos That is to say The life of man hath learned to be prodigall euen out of the skins of Mice for some they vse against extremity of cold and they fetch others out of the farthest Northern parts for the middle part of the yeare Thus do we arme and adorne our bodies but put downe and spoyle our minds I send vnto thee a little skin the vpper place of the haires thereof being of a white ash-colour but the roote of the haire or inner part thereof is a blacke broune They call it Popyelycza Latayacza that is A Pontique-flying-Mouse It is alwaies so moyst that it can neuer be dressed by the Skinner or Lether-dresser The people vse it to wipe sore running eies hauing a perswasion that there is in it a sigular vertue for the easing and mitigating of those paines but I thinke that the softnesse was the first cause which brought in the first vse thereof but if the haires do not cleaue hard to the skin it cannot be done without danger Also the haires hanging as it were in a round circle against or aboue the two former feete they call wings wherwithall they are thought to fly from tree to tree Thus far Antonius Gesner after the receite of these skins being willing to preserue them from mothes because they were raw for experience sake gaue them to a leather dresser who presently dressed them with Vineger and the Leese of Wyne so that it appeareth the Skinners of Littuania had not the skill how to dresse it After they were dressed they were so softe that they stretched aboue measure so that euery one of them were square that is to say their length and breadth were equall for they were two palmes or eight fingers broade and no more in length the head and taile excepted wherefore it may well be called a square Mouse or Sciurus quadratus because we are sure of the former but not of the flying the taile was as long as foure or fiue fingers are broad being rough like the taile of other Squirrels but beset with blacke and white haires the whole colour both of the belly and vpper parte was whitish as we haue said but blacke vnderneath the haire is so soft as any silke and therefore fit for the vse of the eies The eares shorter and rounder then a Squirrels the feete did not appeare by the skin the neather part was distinguished from the vpper part by a certaine visible line wherein did hang certain long haires which by their roughnes and solidity vnder the thin and broad frame of their body might much help them to flie euen as broad fishes swim by the breadth of their bodies rather then by the help of their sins The Heluetians wear these skins in their garmentes It is reported by Aelianus that the inhabitantes of Pontus by making supplication to their Gods did auert and turn away the rage of Mice from their cornfieldes as the Egyptians did as we haue said before in the story of the vulgar Mouse OF THE MOVSE CALLED the Shrew or the erd-Shrew THe word Hanaka of the Hebrewes remembred in the II. chap. of Leuitticus is diuersely interpreted by the translators some cal it a reptile beast which alwaies cryeth some a reptile-flying-beast some a Horse-leach or bloud-sucker some a Hedghog and some a Beauer as we haue shewed before in the Hedghog But the Septuagints translate it Mygale and S. Ierom Mus araneus that is a Shrew Dioscorides calleth it Miogale The Germans and Heluetians cal it Mutzer in some partes of Germany from the figure of the
forth a young one at what time Xerxes passed ouer Hellespont to go against Graecia with his innumerable troopes of souldiors and the said mule so broght forth had the genitals both of the male and female Vnto this I may adde another story out of Swetonius in the life of Galba Caesar As his father was procuring Augurismes or deuinations an Eagle came and tooke the bowelles out of his hands and caryed them into a fruit-bearing-oake he enquiring what the meaning of that should be receiued answere that his posterity should bee Emperours but it would be very long first whereunto he merily replied Sanecum mula pepererit I sir when a mule brings forth young ones which thing afterwardes happened vnto Galba for by the birth of a mule he was confirmed in his enterprises when hee attempted the Empire so that that thing which was a prodigy and cause of sorrowe and a wonder to all other people was vnto him an ominous confirmation of ioye and gladnes when hee remembered his grand-fathers sacrifice and saying Therefore it was not ill saide of Democritus Mula non naturae opus sed humanae machinationis adulterinum inventum furtum esse videntur Mules are not the proper worke of nature but an adulterous invention of humaine policy robbing nature for saith he when a certaine Median founde his Asse couering of his mare The inuention of mules Aelianus whereupon afterwards she fell to be with foal and seeing the yong one to comunicate with both natures they drew it into a custom to couer the Mares with their Asses for the engendring of such a breed Some are of opinion that mules first began amonge the Paphlagonians which before the Troyan warre were called Eneti and afterwards Veneti but in Gen. 36. wee finde that Anna the father in law of Esau keeping his fathers Asses did inuent Gemim that is mules as some interpret But rather I beleeve that while Asses and Horses ranne wilde in the wildernesse among themselues the wilde Asses first beganne this race The male at seuen yeares old may engender because he is of a hotter nature then the female and also doth not in his generation conferre any part of his bodily groath to the yong one and sometimes he engendereth when he hath lost his foremost teeth and after the first copulation he neuer engendreth more Aristotle the quantity oâ— a mules â—oaâ—e The young one so generated is called Ginnus and Pumilio for it is a very dwarfe according to the obseruation of Martiall His tibi de mulis non est metuenda ruina Altius in terris pene sedere soles Such as these were kept in the Court of the Duke of Ferraria and although in al thinges they resemble the mother yet are named after the father and such also are the Burdones before spoken of in the story of the horse Mules are begotten both by Mares she-Asses and Bulles but yet those are the best that are begotten betwixt an Asse and a mare And thus much for the generation of mules They are nourished with the same meate that Horses and Asses are annoyed with the same sicknesses and cured with the same means generaly blood-letting is good for them and for their dyet Bullimunge In Scythia they can ablde no cold and therefore the horses are there vsed instead of Mules In some countries the Horses can abide no colde but the Asses and Mules beare it out as Herodotus writeth and as we haue shewed before in the story of the Asse when the Graecians were at Troy and were destroyed by a consuming pestilence the firste of all their company that dyed were their Dogges and their Mules and the reason of it was because the pestilence arising out of the earth they by the sence of smelling which is very quicke in both kinds did first of all draw in that poysonne from the earth Collumella saith that the medicines for the Oxen doe also cure mules Sicknesses of Mules and their cures yet there are speciall medicines not to bee neglected which we will expresse in this place For a mule that hath a Feuer giue her raw Cabbadge and for one that is short winded vse blood letting and for a drinke giue it a pinte of wine and oyle mixed with halfe an ounce of Frankinsence and halfe a pint of the iuyce of Hore-hound For the scratches or disease in the hooues lay to it Barley meale then make suppuration with a knife and cure it by laying two linnen cloathes or by a pinte of the best Garum and a pound of oyle infused into the left Nosthrill of the Mule whereunto you may adde the whites of three or foure Egs seperated from the yolkes The female Mule may be burned in the feet or let blood after the manner of Horses and some Countreymen giue in their food the hearb Veretrum or else the seed of Hyoscanus or Henne-bane beaten to powder and drunke in wine For the languishing of the chine or leannesse they make this drinke haue an ounce of beaten brimstome a raw Eg a penny weight of the powder of Myrrh mingled al three together in wine and so poured downe the Mules throate is a present remedy to cure it As also for the paine in the belly and all manner of coughes the herb Medica is speciall good for the said languishing disease So also to fat the mule if it be giuen greene and not dryed like hay a little at a time for feare the beast be suffocated with ouermuch blood When a mule is tyred or heated Collumella let the load be taken off and turne her forth to wallowe in some conuenient place If that suffice not take some fat and put it into her chappes that so she may sucke it downe Rutius and poure wine after it For to keepe the neckes of mules from wringing and loosening their skinne vse this medicine take two pound of Hogges-greace sod three times Pelagonius or vnto the third part two pintes of Vineger and therewithall annoint the mules necke As we haue shewed that the paines of a horses belly and guts are best of al cured by the sight of a Mallard swimming in the water whereby they are speedily deliuerd from all manner of torment so the same hath as great or greater operation to cure the paines of the mules belly It is reported by Auicen that mules fall into madnesse and in that madnes bite their maister mortally They are likewise subiect to the gout and especially to swellings about the crowne of their pasternes but they are cured as horses and Oxen. They liue longe ordinarily to fifty yeares and sometimes to fourscore the reason therof is giuen by Coelius Animalia quae frequenter coeunt preuioris sunt vitae inde fit vt muli equos superint videndi diuturmitate that is to say Those beasts and creatures which often times ioyne in copulation haue but short liues and from thence it commeth that mules liue longer then horses The Epithets
of a mule being taken to the quantity of eight pounds with two pounds of the scumme or refuge of siluer and a pound of old and most cleare oile al these being beaten or pounded together vntil they come to the thicknesse of the fat or sweat which falleth from mens bodies and boiled vntill they come vnto so liquid and thinne a iuyce Aegiâ—eta that they will speedily and effectually cure and helpe those which are troubled with the gout or swelling in the ioynts If a woman shall take the sweat which proceedeth from a horse and annoint it vpon a wollen cloath and so apply it as a plaister or suppositary vnto her secret parts it will make her altogether barron Raâ—â—â— There is an excellent remedy for those which are pursie or short-winded which commeth also by the mule which is this to take or gather the froath or fome of a mule and to put it into a cup or goblet and giue it in warme water for a certain space or time to be drunke either to the man or woman which is troubled with this enormity Marcelâ—â—s and the party which doth so vse it shall in short space haue remedy but the mule will without any lingring of time or consuming of time in paine and sorrow dye The milt of a male or female Mule being drunke in a potion or iuice made of hony water and vinegar to the value or quantitie of three cruces or cups full Pliny is commended for an excellent cure and medicine for those which are troubled and grieued with that pestiferous and deadly disease called the falling sicknesse otherwise Saint Iohns euill There is an excellent remedie for those which are troubled in the voyding of their water which is this to take the ring-wormes or Tetters which doe grow vppon both the legges of a Mule aboue their knees and which doe sticke thereupon in the manner of a dryed thicke skinne and to burne or parch them Marcellus and afterwards to put or place them vpon him which is troubled with the strangurie or can not voide his water but by dropsmeale so that there be great care had to couer close with clouen or clefted cloathes or garments the suffumigation thereof least that the smell or fume doe fade and voide away and this being so vsed will be very effectuall for the curing and driuing away of the aforsaid disease The haires of a Mule and an Asse being mingled together dryed Trallianus and put into some certaine perfume and so giuen to any one to drinke which is troubled with the falling sicknesse will presently expell and driue it quite away In the place or part of mans body wherein a male or female mule shall bite Ponzettus affirmeth there will presently arise and grow small pushes or little blisters which are alwaies full of red and pale humors and filthie corruption which can almost be healed and cured by no salue potion or medicine by any meanes applyed thereunto There are some also which doe suppose the biting of mules to be poyson for truely there doth not onely follow those aforesaid pushes and biles but also an extreame and almost indurable inflammation and burning through all the parts of the body which doth greatly distemperate and vex the same But it is affirmed by others that the biting of mules is to be cured after the same maner as the biting of a Cat which is thus First to wash and clarifie the wound or bitings where the corruption is with vinegar mingled with oyle of roses and then to take penyroiall or the hearbe called Neppe and boile it and stroke or rub the wound very softly with it and it will in time wholy cure it And thus much shall suffice at this time concerning the cures and medicines of mules Of the Neades Neides or Naides HEraclides Coelius Volateranus and Euphorion do all write that once the Isle of Samos was a desert place and that there were in it certaine beastes called Neades whose voice was so terrible that they shooke the earth therewith and from those strange and great voyces came the vulgar Greeke prouerbe Meizoon mia toon Neaedoon maius vna Neadum That is One of the Neades was a greate wonder for it was vsed in ostentation to shew that there was nothing in the whole World comparable to their vast and huge quantity Of the parts of these beasts there is no memory but only in Suidas and Aelianus who affirme that their bones were to be seene in their daies And this title I thought good to insert into this history leauing the Reader to consider whither he wil take them for Elephants or for any other greater beast for my opinion if it be desired I thinke them rather if there euer were any such that they were Elephants of greater stature then euer since were seene and not any generation of beasts now lost and vtterly perished Of the Ounce the description whereof was taken by Doctor Cay in England THere is in Italy a beast called Alphec which many in Italy France The name of this beast and Germany cal Leunza and some Vnzia from whence Albertus and Isidorus make the Latin word Vnctia and I take it to be the same beast which is called Lozanum and for the description of it I can follow no better author then Doctor Cay The description of Doct. Cay who describeth it in this fashion The Ounce saith he is a most cruel beast of the quantity of a village or mastiffe Dog hauing his face and ears like to a lyons his body taile feet and nails like a Cat of a very terrible aspect his teeth so strong and sharpe that he can euen cut wood in sunder with them he hath also in his nailes so great strength that he onely fighteth with them and vseth them for his greatest defence The colour of the vpper partes of his body being like whitish Oake the lower being of the colour of ashes being euery where mixed with a blacke and frequent spot but the taile more blacke then the rest of his body and as it were obscured with a greater spot then the residue His eares within are pale without any blacknesse without black without any palenesse if you do but take away one dark yellow spot in the midst thereof which is made of a double skin rising meeting in the top of the eare that is to say that which ariseth from the outward part of the iaw on the one side and commeth from the vper part of the head on the other side and the same may be easily seene and seperated in the head being dried The rest of the head is spotted all ouer with a most frequent and black spot as the rest of the body except in that part which is betwixt the nose and the eyes wherein there are none vnlesse onely two and they very small euen as all the rest are lesser then the rest in the extreame and lowest parts the spots
dams among the leaues boughes which the ouerflowings of waters in the winter time haue gathered together and laide on heapes It is a sharp-biting-beast hurtfull both to men and dogs neuer ceasing or loosing hold after he hath laid his mouth vpon them vntill he make the bones to cracke betwixt his teeth whereupon it was well said by Olaus Mag. Lutrae mordaces quadrato ore Otters are most accomplished biters Thereof also in Germany they make caps or else line other caps with them and also make stocking-soles affirming that they bee good and wholsome against the Palsie Vse of their Skins the megrim and other paines of the head The bloud of an OTTER is prescribed against the swelling of the Nerues The Liuer dryed in an Ouen against the bloody-flixe and against the collick being drunke in wine The stones are also prescribed to be giuen against the falling sicknesse and all paines in the belly And thus much for the OTTER There be certaine beastes which are kindes of OTTERS which because they liue in the Waters and yet being vnknowne to vs in England I haue thought good to expresse them in this place by their Greeke and Latine names In the first place that which the Graecians call Latax broader and thicker then an Otter and yet liueth in the Waters or else goeth to the waters for his food yet breatheth aire and not water like Otters The haire of this beast is very harsh betwixt the similitude of a Sea-Calfe and a Hart and it hath also strong and sharp teeth wherewithal in the night season they shere asunder smal boughes and twigs It is called also Fastoz Lamyakyz and Noertza There is another called Satyrium and Fassuron and Chebalus whose skin is black and very pretious and very much vsed for the edging of the best garments these liue also in ponds lakes and still waters There is a third kinde called Satherium Kacheobeon and Kachyneen and Martarus hauing a white throate and being as bigge as a Cat and finally vnto these may be added Porcos a foure-footed-beaste liuing in the Waters in the Riuer Isther And Maesolus another foure-footed-beast liuing in some Ryuers of INDIA being as big as a Calfe Of the Panther commonly called a Pardall a Leopard and a Libbard THere haue beene so many names deuised for this one beast that it is growen a difficult thing either to make a good reconciliation of the authors which are wed to their seueral opinions or else to define it perfectly and make of him a good methodicall History yet seeing the greatest variance hath arisen from wordes The seuerall names of Panthers and that which was deuised at the first for the better explication and discription of it hath turned to the obscuration and shaddowing of the truth I trust it shall be a good labour to collect out of euery writer that which is most probable concerning this Beast and in the end to expresse the best definition thereof wee can learne out of all In this controuersie the Hebrew and Arabian names which are generally indifferently translated Panthers or Libbards doe take vp the strife and almost end the controuersie for Namer in Hebrew and Alphec or Alfhed in Arabique are so translated both in holy scripture and also in Auicen as may appeare by these places following Esa 11. Habitabit Lupus cum agno Namer Pardus cum hedo aâ—cubabit That is to say The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe and the Pardall Libbard and Panther shall lye with the Kid. So in the vision of Daniel chap. 7. among the foure beastes comming out of the Sea the prophet seeth Namer a Leopard In the 13. Reuela of S. Iohn he seeth another beast rising out of the sea hauing ten hornes and hee saith it was like Pardalet which Erasmus translateth Pardo a Leopard Ieremy 5. Pardus Namer vigelat super ciuitatem corum vt omnen inde egredientem discrepat That is a panther or Pardal watcheth at the gates of the Citty that he may teare in pieces euery one that commeth forth Factus sum eis sicut Leo sicut Pardus sicut Namer directus ad viam suam For Namer in that place the Graecians translate Pardalis a Pardall In the 13. Ieremy Si mutare potest Aethiops pellem suam aut Pardus maculas suas vos poteritis bene facere cum didiceritis malum If the Blackamoore can change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may you do wel which haue learned to do it Canticles 4. Coronaberis de vetrice saner hermon de cubilibus Leonem de montibus Pardorum That is Thou shalt be crownd froÌ„ the top of Siner and Hermon from the dens of the Lyons and the Mountains of the Leopards Now according to Brocardus the Mountaine of the Leopards is distant from Tripolis in the holy land two leagues Rasis Auicen two Arabians do cal the Panther and Leopard by one name Alpheth or Alphil so that by comparing all these together the Panther Pardall Libbard and Leopard are but one beast called by diuers names A more exaâ—t definition of Paâ—dâ—lâ— and Leopardâ— For the farther manifesting heerof it is good to examine what is said of the Pardal and Leopard in particular that so hauing expressed that it may be cleare by the discourse succeeding that there is no difference betwixt them and the Panther or very small First of all therefore it said of the Pardus that it differeth not from the Panther but onely in sexe and that the skin hath receiued a naturall tincture of diuers spots Aristotle writeth thus of it Cutis chamaeliontis distincta maculis vt Pardalia The skin of the Chamaelion is spotted like a Pardals and in the relation of Lampridius where hee sheweth how Heliogabalus was wont to shut vp his drunken friendes Cum Leonibus Leopardus vrsis ita vt experge facti in cubiculo eodem Leones vrsos Pardos cum luce vel quod est grauius nocte inuenierent ex quo plerique ex animati sunt and so forth By which words it is apparant that those which in the first place he calleth Leopards in the last place he calleth Pardals and the onely difference betwixt the Leopard Pardall and Lyon is that the Leoparde or Pardal haue no manes and therefore they are called Ignobiles leones Isidorus and Solinus write in this maner Pardus secundum post Pantheraâ—est genus varium ac velocissimum praceps ad sanguinem saltu enim ad mortem ruit ex ad vlterio Pardi Leenis Leu pardus nascitur tertiam originem efficit That is to say the Pardal is the next kind to a Panther being diuers coloured very swift greedy after blood and ketcheth his prey by leaping the Leopard is bred betwixt the Pardal and the Lionesse and so that maketh a third kind by which testimony it apeareth that these names make three seuerall kinds of beastes not distinct in nature but in quantity through commixture of
generation The greatest therefore they call Panthers as Bellunensis writeth The second they call Pardals and the third least of all they call Leopards which for the same cause in England is called a Cat of the Mountain And truely in my opinion vntill some other can shew me better reason I will subscribe hereunto namely that they are all one kinde of beast and differ in quantitie onely through adulterous generation For in Affrick there is great want of waters and therefore the lyons Panthers and other beasts doe assemble themselues in great numbers together at the running riuers where the Pardals and the lyons doe engender one with another I meane the greater Panthers with the lyonesses Baytius and the greater lyons with the Panthers and so likewise the smaller with the smaller thereby it commeth to passe that some of them are spotted and some of them without spots The Pardal is a fierce and cruell beast very violent Pliny hauing a body and mind like rauening birds and some say they are ingendred now and then betwixt dogs and Panthers or betwixt leopards and dogges euen as the Lycopanthers are ingendred betwixt wolues and panthers It is the nature of these pardals in Affrick to get vp into the rough and thicke trees where they hide themselues amongest the boughes and leaues and doe not onely take birds but also from thence leape downe vpon beasts and men when they espie their aduantage and all these things doe belong vnto the panthers Concerning the Leopard the word it selfe is new and lately inuented Of the Leopard for it is neuer found among any of the auncients before Iulius Capitolinus or Sparsianus Syluaticus maketh no difference betwixt pardalis and Leopardus and the Italians generally call a pardal Leopardo and neuer pardo except some of the Poets for breuitie sake in a verse The leopard is like to a lyon in the head and forme of his members but yet he is lesser and nothing so strong by the sight of a leopards skinne Gesner made this description of the beast The length saith he from the head to the taile was as much as a mans stature and halfe a cubite The taile of it selfe three spans and a halfe the breadth in the middle three spans the colour a bright yellow distinguished into diuers spots the haire short and mossie The price of the skin was about fiue nobles or fortie shillings for they differ in price according to the regions out of which they are brought they which come furthest are sold dearest and they which come lesse way are sold cheapest It is a wrathfull and an angry beast and whensoeuer it is sicke it thirsteth after the blood of a wilde cat and recouereth by sucking that blood or else by eating the dung of a man Aboue all other things it delighteth in the Camphorey tree and therefore lieth vnder neath it to keepe it from spoile and in like sort the panther delighteth in sweet gums and spices and therefore no maruel if they cannot abide garlicke because it annoyeth their sence of smelling And it is reported by S. Ambrose that if the wals of ones howse or sheep-coat be anointed with the iuice of Garlicke both panthers and Leopards will run away from it Albertus but of this matter we shal saie more afterwards The Leopard is sometimes tamed and vsed in stead of a Dog for hunting both among the TARTARIANS and other Princes for they carry them behinde them on Horsebacke and when they see a Deere or Hart or conuenient prey they turne them downe vppon them suddainely who take them and destroy them yet such is the nature of this beast as also of the PARDALL that if hee doe not take his prey at the fourth or fift iump he falleth so angry and fierce that he destroyeth whomsoeuer he meeteth yea many times his hunter Therefore the hunters haue alwaies a regard to carry with them a lambe or a kid or some such liue thing wherewithall they pacifie him after he he hath missed his game for without blood he will neuer be appeased and thus much shall suffice to haue spoken of the difference betwixt Panthers Pardals and Leopards and their seuerall names in Greeke and Latine from whom almost all nations doe deriue their denomination The names in other languages for the Italians call it Leonpardo the French Leopard and Lyopard the Germans Leppard and Lefarad and Pantherthier the Spaniards Leonpardal Leopardo The Illyrians Leuhart the Caldeans Nimra and some make no differenc betwixt this and the Arabian Wolfe The reason of the Greeke word Pardalis or Pordalis for they signifie both one seemeth to me in most probabilitie to be deriued from the Hebrew word Pardes signifying a Garden because as colours in a Garden make it spotted and render a fragrant smell so the Panther is diuers coloured like a Garden of sundry flowers and also it is said to carry with him a most sweete sauour whither soeuer he goeth and therfore in auncient time they made their Iuory tables standing vpon pictures of Panthers whereof Iuvenall writeth thus in one of his Satyres Olim ex quauis arbore mensa fiebat At nunc diuitibus caenandi nulla voluptas nisi sustinet orbes Grande ebur magno sublimis Pardus biatu Dentibus ex illis quos mittit porta Hyenes Iam nimios capitique graues c. For the same cause Pardalis was the name of a notable Harlot for as the Panthers by their sweete smels drawe the beastes vnto them and then destroy them so also doe harlots decke and adorne themselues with all alluring prouocations as it were with inchaunted odors to drawe men vnto them of whom they make spoyle and rapine Ther is a pretious stone also called Lapis Pantherus brought out of India Euax. Syluaticus Albertus Vartoman whereupon if a man looke before the Sunne rising he shall see diuers colours namely blacke red greene russet purple and rose colour and they say it hath as many vertues as it hath colours but I list not to follow the name any further Countries of Panthers The Countries breeding Panthers are Abasia in the kingdome of Melacha in the I le Sumatra Likewise in ASIA especially Syria for there are none in Europe all Affricke ouer they are plentiful as in Lybia and Mauritania where abound al store of wilde beasts Likewise beyond Catadupa for Apollonius and his companions saw there many Lyons Panthers In Arabia the furthest part namly the promontory of Dyra towards the south are the strongest Pardals of the world as saith Strabo Likwise in the Mediteranean region beyond Barygaza toward the South vnto Dachinabades and towards the East are al sorts of wilde beasts both Tygres and panthers and Diodorus writeth that in that part of Arabia ioyning vpon Syria there Lyons and pardals are both more in number and greater in quantity then in Lybia Also it is said by Volateranus and Gyllius that the panther of
hanged vp so high that the beast by strayning himselfe to leape into it and get his desired medicine but all in vaine spendeth out the time of his recouery til the poyson hath throughly corrupted his body and euery part and member for otherwise so great is the life spirit and stomake of this beast that he will fight and not yeald to his aduersary although his guts and intrals hang about his legs out of his belly Therefore the Panthers of Hircania do more often perish by poyson then by other violence of Swords Speares or Dogges for by this poyson the beast many times falleth to such a loosenesse of his belly and withall such a weakenesse thereby that he is taken aliue Likewise in Armenia there are certaine Fishes which are poyson to Lyons Beares Wolues Lynces and Panthers the powder of this fish the inhabitants put into the sides and flesh of their Sheepe Goates and Kyds without all harme to these beastes but if the Panthers or any rauening beast come and deuoure any of those sheep so dressed presently they die by poison When they are hunted and forced in the presence of the hunters then they leape directly vnto their heades and therefore the hunter taketh great care both of his standing and also of holding his speare for if he receiue not the Panther in his leape and gore him to the heart or else otherwise wound him mortally he is gone and his life is at an end Oppianus also sheweth that he is taken as Lyons are especially by these meanes following for when the hunters perceiue the way or path which he vseth to his water therein they make a deepe ditch but not so great as they make for a Lyon wherein they erect a wodden pillar or great post vnto that they tie certaine engins and withall a male little Dogge whose stones or tender coddes they bind with some string or cord so as the young beast may whine and cry for paine by which voice hee inuiteth and calleth the Panther to his destruction For the greedy beast winding the voice of the Dogge bestirreth himselfe to meete with his desired prey or booty at last finding the ditch and seeing the Dogge downe he leapeth where the engins take present hold vpon him and destroy him and so he describeth the same meanes to take great fishes by the sight of little Fishes swimming in a net In hunting of wilde beasts the wary Wood-man must make good choice of his horse Oppianus not onely for the mettell and agility which are very necessary but also for the colour as we haue already expressed in the story of the Horse for the gray Horse is fittest for the Beare and most terrible to him the yellow or fire colour against the Bore but the brown and reddish colour against the Panther The Moores also vse other deuises to take Panthers and all such noysome beastes they enclose in a house in a little house certaine rotten flesh which by the sauour thereof when it stinketh draweth the wilde Beasts vnto it For they make a dore or a gate of reedes vnto the said house through which the filthy smell breaketh out and disperseth it selfe into the wide aire presently the wilde beastes take it vp and follow it withall speede they can for there is not any muske or other sweete thing wherewithall men are so much delighted as rauening beastes are with the sauour of carrion therefore like an amorous cup it draweth them to the snare of perdition for beside the rotten flesh they erect many engins and vnauoidable traps to snare in the beast when he commeth to rauen The Christians of AFFRICKE did institute a generall hunting of Leopards inclosing the ends of the waies through which the beastes were to passe The Leopard when he was stirred ranne too and fro distracted because in all his passages he found Horse-men ready to resist him neither left they any way for him to escape at length wearied with many windinges turninges and prouocations the Horse-men might easily come vnto him and pearce him with their speares but if it fortuned that the Leopard escaped and brake away from the Hunters then hee at whose corner he brake forth was bound by ancient custome to make the residue a dinner or banquet Among the Chaonians there was a certaine young Noble man which loued a Virgin called Anthippe the which two louers were walking together a good season in a Wood It happened while they were there that Cichyrus the Kings Sonne prosecuted a Pardall in hunting which was fled into that Wood and seeing him bent his arme against him and cast his Dart the which Dart missed the marke and killed the Virgin Anthippe the young Prince thought that hee had slaine the beast and therefore drew neare on Horse-back to reioyce ouer the fall of the game according to the maner of hunters but at his approch he found it far otherwise for in stead of the effusioÌ„ of the bloud of a beast that which was more lamentable his right hand had shed the bloud of a Virgin For when he came to them he saw her dying and drawing her last breath and the young man held his hand in the wound to stanch the bloude for sorrow whereof hee presently fell distracted in his mind and ran his horse to the top of a sharp rocke from whence he cast downe himselfe headlong and so perished The Chaonians after they vnderstood this feareful accident and the reason of it compassed in the place where he fell with a wall and for the honor of their dead Prince builded a Citty where he lost his life and called it Cichyrus after his owne name Their loue of Wine Leopards and Panthers do also loue Wine aboue all other drinke and for this cause both Bacchus was resembled to them and they dedicated to him Bacchum tauro assimulant Pardali quod homines ebrij belluarum istarum ingenia referant omnia violenter agant quidam enim iracunda fiunt Taurorum instar pugnaces ferique vt Pardales saith Plato in his second booke of lawes they resemble and compare Bacchus to a Bull or Pardall because drunken men in all their actions do imitate the disposition of these wilde beasts both in their folly and violence For some of them are wrathfull like Bulles and some of them wild apt to fight like Pardals Bacâ—hus was also called Nebrides because he wore the skinne of a hinde-Calfe which is spotted almost like a Panther and therefore a fearefull man or a drunken variable and in constant man is said to weare a skinne of diuers colours but the chiefe cause why Panthers were dedicated to Bacchus was for their loue of Wine for all writers doe constantly and with one consent affirme that they drinke wine vnto drunkennesse the manner and end thereof is eligantly described by Oppianus in this sort When the inhabitants of Lybia do obserue some little fountaine arising out of the sand and falling downe againe as in the
of the day was ouer hot and not fit for cattel to eat in yet other nations especially Germany and England and these Northern parts of the world may not do so The whole cunning of shephards is excellently described The discription of a sheapheardes eare out of Virgil. for the ordering of their sheepe in these verses following Ergo omni studio glaciem ventosque niuales Quo minus est illis curae mortalis egestas Auertes victumque feres virgea laetus Pabula nec tota claudes foenilia bruma At vero Zephyris cum laeta vocantibus aestas In saltus vtrumque gregem oues capras atque in pascua Mittes Carpamus dum mane novum dum gramina canent Luciferi primo cam sydere frigida rura Inde vbi quarta sitim cali collegerit hora Et ros in tenera pecori gratissimus herba est Ad puteos aut alta greges ad stagna iubeto Et cantu querulae rumpent arbusta cicadae Aestibus at medijs vmbrosam exquirere vallem Currentem ilignis potare canalibus vndam Ingentes tendatramos aut sicubi nigrum Sicubi magna Iouis antiquo robore quercus Tum tenues dare rursus aquas pascere rursus Ilicibus crebris sacra nemus accubet vmbra Temperat saltus reficit iam roscida luna Solis ad occasum cum frigidus aera vesper Littoraque halcyonen resonant acanthida dumi When they returne from their feeding the shepheard must regard that he put them not into the foldes hot and if the time of the yeare bee ouer hot let them not bee driuen to pastures a far off but feed them in those which are neare and adiacent to their folds that so they may easily haue recourse vnto the shaddow they ought not also to bee turned out clustering altogether but disperced abroad by little and little neither must they bee milked while they are hot vntil they be cold a little so likewise in the morning let them be milked so soone as day appeareth and the little Lambs be turned out vnto thē which were shut from them But if their appeare vpon the grasse Spiders-webs or cob-webs which beare vp little drops of water then they must not be suffered to feede in those places for feare of poisoning and in times of heate and raine driue them to the hiest hils or pastures which do most of all lie open to the winds for there shall the cattle feed most temperately They must auoid all sandy places and in the month of Aprill May Iune and Iuly they must not be suffered to feed ouermuch but in October September and Nouember let them haue their full that so they may grow the stronger against the winter time The Romans had a speciall regard to chuse some places for the summering of their sheepe and some place for their wintering for if they summered them in Apulia they wintered them in Samnius and therefore Varro saith the flockes of Apulia betimes in the morning in the summer season are lead forth to feeding because the dewy grasse of the morning is much better then that which is dry in the middle of the day and about noone when the season groweth hot they lead them to shaddowey trees and rocks vntill the coole aire of the euening begin to returne at which time they driue them to their pasture againe and cause them to feed towards the sun rising for this is a general rule among the shepehards Quod mane ad solis occasum vespere ad solis ortum pascantur oues That is That in the morning they feede their sheep towards the sun setting and in the euening towardes the sun rising and the reason of it is Quia infermissimum peccori caput auerso sole passe cogendum Because the head of sheepe is most weake therefore it ought to be fed turned from the sun In the hot countries a little before the sun setting they water their sheep and then lead them to their pasture againe for at that time the sweetenesse seemeth to be renewed in the grasse and this they do after the autumnall equinoctium It is good to feede them in corne fields after haruest and that for two causes First because they are exceedingly filled with such hearbs as they find after the plough and also they tread downe the stubble and dung the land whereby it becommeth more fruitfull against the next year There is nothing that maketh a sheep grow more fat then drinke and therefore we read in holy scripture how Iacob watered his Sheep and the Daughters of Iethro their sheep at what time Moyses came vnto them therefore it is best oftentimes to mingle their water with salt according to these verses At cui lactis amor cytisum lotosque frequentes Ipse manu salsasque ferat praesepibus herbas Hinc amant fluvios magis magis vbera tendunt Et salis occultum referunt in lacte saporem There bee many that trouble themselues about this question namely The reason why the sheepe of England do not drinke for what cause the sheep of England do neuer thirst except they see the water and then also seldom drink yet haue no more sheep in England then are in any other country of the world Insomuch as we thinke it a prodigious thing that sheepe should drinke but the true cause why our English sheepe drinke not is for there is so much dew on the grasse that they neede no other water and therefore Aristotle was deceiued who thinketh that the Northern sheep had mor neede of water then the Southern In Spaine those sheep bear the best fleeces of wooll that drinke least In the Iland of Sephalene as we haue shewed in the story of the Goate all their cattle for want of water do draw in the could aire but in the hotter countries euery day once at the least about 9. or ten at clocke in the morning they water their sheepe and so great is the operation of drinke in sheepe that diuers Authors do reporte wonders thereof as Valerius Maximus and Theophrastus who affirme that in Macidonia when they will haue their sheep bring forth white Lambs they lead them to the riuer Aliatmon and when they will haue them to bring forth black Lambs to the riuer Axius as we haue shewed already It is also reported that the riuer Scamander doth make all the sheep to be yellow that drinke thereof Likewise there are two Riuers in Antandria which turne sheepe from blacke to white and white to blacke and the like I might adde of the Riuer Thrases of the two Riuers of Beotia al which things do not come to passe by miracle but also by the power of nature as may appeare by the History of Iacob when he serued his father in law Laban For after that he had couenanted with Laban to receaue for his stipend all the spotted sheepe the Scripture saith in this manner Then Iacob tooke rods of greene Poplar and of Hayesell
and of the Chesnut tree and pilled white strakes in them and made the white appeare in the rods Then he put the rods which he had pilled into the gutters and watering troughes when the sheepe came to drinke before the sheepe and the sheepe were in heate before the rods and afterwards brought foorth yoong of partie colour and with small and great spots And Iacob parted these Lambes and turned the faces of the flocke towards these partie-coloured Lambes and all manner of blacke among the sheepe of Laban so he put his owne flockes by themselues and put them not with Labans flocke And in euery Ramming time of the stronger sheepe Iacob layed the rods before the eyes of the sheepe in the gutters that they might conceaue before the rods but when the sheepe were feeble he put them not in and so the feebler were Labans and the stronger were Iacobs Vpon this action of the Patriarke Iacob it is cleare by testimony of holy Scripture that diuers colours layed before sheepe at the time of their carnall copulation doe cause them to bring forth such colours as they see with their eyes for such is the force of a naturall impression as we reade in stories that faire women by the sight of Blackamores haue conceaued and brought forth blacke children and on the contrary blacke and deformed women haue conceaued faire and beautifull children whereof there could be no other reason giuen in nature but their onely cogitation of and vpon faire beautifull men or blacke and deformed Moores at the time of their carnall copulation So that I would not haue it seeme incredible to the wise and discrete Reader to heare that the power of water should change the the colour of sheepe for it being once granted that nature can bring forth diuers coloured lambs being holpen by artificial means I see no cause but diuersitie of waters may wholy alter the colour of the elder as well as whited sticks ingender a colour in the yoonger And thus much shall suffice to haue spoken concerning the Summering of sheepe For their Wintering I will say more when I come to entreate of their stabling or housing Of the copulation of sheepe Now then it followeth in the next place to discourse of copulation or procreation for there are diuers good rules necessary obseruations whereby the skilfull shepheard must be directed which he ought to obserue for the better encrease of his flocke First of all therefore it is cleare that Goates will engender at a yeare old and sometime sheepe also follow that season but there is a difference betwixt the lambes so engendered the other that are begotten by the elder therefore at two yeare old they may more safely be suffered to engender and so continue till they be fiue yeare old and all their lambs be preserued for breeding but after fiue yeare old their strength and naturall vertue decreaseth so that then neither the damme nor the lambe is worthy the nourishing except for the knife for that which is borne and bred of an old decayed substance will also resemble the qualities of his sires There be some that allow not the lambe that is yeaned before the parents be foure yeare olde and so they giue them foure yeares to engender and breede namely till they be eight yeare olde but after eight yeares they vtterly cast them off and this opinion may haue some good reason according to the qualitie of the region wherein they liue for the sooner they begin to beare yoong the sooner they giue ouer and herein they differ not from Cowes who if they breede not till they be foure yeare olde may continue the longer and for this cause I will expresse the testimony of Albertus who writeth thus Oues parere vsque ad annum octauum possunt si bene curentur vel in vndecimum facultas pariendi protrahitur quod tempus est tota fere vita oues in quibusdam tamen terris marinis vbi sicca salsa habent pascua viuunt per vigintie annos pariunt That is to say sheepe may breede vntill they be eight yeare olde if they be well kept vntill they be eleauen which time is for the most part the length of their daies although in some countries vpon the Sea costes they liue till they be twenty yeare old and all that time breed yoong ones because they feede vpon dry and salt pastures and therefore Aristotle also saith that they bring forth yoong ones all the time of their life The time of their copulation as Pliny and Varro write is from May 'till about the middle of August and their meaning is for the Sheepe of those hot countries For in England and other places the Shepheardes protract the time of their copulation and keepe the Rammes and Ewes asunder till September or October because they would not haue their Lambes to fall in the cold Winter season but in the spring and warme weather and this is obserued by the auncient Shepards that if the strongest Sheepe doe first of all begin to engender and couple one with another Aristotle Albertus that it betokeneth a very happy and fortunate yeare to the flocke but on the contrary if the younger and weaker Sheepe bee first of all stirred vp to lust and the elder be backward and slow it presageth a pestilent and rotten yeare They which drinke salt Water are more prone to copulation then others Helpes for the copulation of sheep and commonly at the third or fourth time the female is filled by the Male. There is a great similitude and likenesse betwixt Sheep and Goates First for their copulation because they couple together at the same time Secondly for the time they beare their young which is fiue months or a hundred and fifty daies also many times they bring forth twins like Goates and the Rams must be alwaie so admitted as the Lambes may fall in the spring of the yeare when all things grow sweete and greene and when all is performed then must the Males be seperated from the females againe that so all the time they goe with young they may go quietly without harme In their conception they are hindered if they bee ouer fat for it is with them as it is among Mares and Horsses some are barren by nature and others by accident as by ouer much leanenesse or ouermuch fatnesse Plutarch maketh mention of an ancient custome among the Graecians that they were wont to driue their Sheepe to the habitation of Agenor to be couered by his Rammes And I know not whether he relate it as a story or as a Prouerbe to signifie a fruitefull and happy Ramming time I rather encline to the latter because he himselfe saith in the same place that Agenor was a wise and skilfull King Maister of many flockes whose breede of Sheepe was accounted the best of all that Nation and therefore either they sent their females to be couered by his Rammes or else they
then by shearing as Varro writeth and furthermore to wash sheep oftentimes with this medicine doth preserue them from scabs before they be infected and others adde vnto this medicine little stickes of Cypresse wood soked in water and so wash them therewith some again make another medicine of Sulphur or Brimstone Cypresse white lead and Butter mingled altogether and so annoint their sheep therewith Some again take earth which is as soft as durt being so softned with the stale of an Asse but euermore they shaue the scabbed place first of all and wash it with cold or stale vrin and generally in Arabia they were neuer wont to vse other medicine then the gum of Cedar wherwithall they purged away by ointment all scabs from sheep Camels and Elephants but to conclude there is no better medicine for this euill then vrin Brimstone and oyle as Diophones writeth Another medicine for the Scabs TAke the leeze of wine the froath of Oyle white Hellibor mingled with the liquor of sod hops also the iuyce of greene Hemlock which is expressed out of the stalke before it hath seede after it is cut downe and put into an earthen vessell with any other liquor mingled with scorched salt so the mouth of the vessel being made vp close set it in a dunghill a whole year together that so it may be concocted with the vapor of the dung then take it forth and when you will vse it warme it first of al scraping the vlcerous or scabbed part with an Oyster shell or else with a sharp pumise stone vntill it be ready to bleed and so annoint it therewith Another medicine for the same TAke the froath of oile sod away to two parts I mean 3. parts into two put therinto the stale vrin of a man which hath bin heated by casting into it hot burning Oyster-shels and mingle a like quantity of the iuyce of Hemlock then beat an earthen pot to powder and infuse a pinte of liquid Pitch and a pinte of fryed or scorched salt al which being preserued together do cure the scabs of sheep so often as they are vsed Another medicine A Drinke being made of the iuyce of hops and the hearb Camaelion and giuen vnto them cureth them Likewise the same being sod with the roots of black Camaelion annointed warm vpon the place according to Dioscorides haue the same operation Likewise Pliny writeth that the scabs of sheepe may be cured by salt water alone either taken out of the sea or made by art forasmvch as there is great danger in the decoction thereof least that the water ouercome the salt of the salt ouercome the water he prescribeth a mean how to know it namely the equall and iust temperament thereof for saith he if it will beare vp an Egge then is it well tempered so that the Egge will swim and net sinke which you shall find by addition of aequall and iust quantity of water and salt that is two pints of water a pinte of salt and so lesse to lesse and more to more But if there be any bunch or great scab which couereth any part of the skinne then open the scab and bunch and poure into it liquid pitch and scortched salt and thus much for the disease of the scabs Of the holy fire which the Sheapheards call the Pox or the Blisters or Saint Anthonies fire THis euill is vncurable for it neither admitteth medicine nor resication by knife and therefore whensoeuer a beast is infected therewith it ought presently to be seperated from the residue of the flocke for there is nothing that spreadeth it selfe more speedily whensoeuer you aduenture to apply any thing vnto it it presently waxeth angry and perplexeth the whole body except it bee the milke of Goates and yet my Author speaketh thus of it Quod infusum tantum velet vt blandiatur igneam saeuitiam differens magis occisionem gregis quam prohibens That is It seemeth to close with raging fire as it were to flatter it a little rarher deferring the death of the beast then doing away the disease It is therefore prescribed by the most memorable Author of al the Egyptians that men doe oftentimes looke vpon the backes of their sheep to see the beginning of this sicknesse and when they find a sheep affected herewith they dig a ditch or hole fit for him at the entering in of the sheepe-coate or stable wherin they put the sheep aliue with his face vpward and backe downeward and cause all the residue of the flocke to come and pisse vpon him by which action it hath bin often found as Columella writeth that this euill hath bin driuen away and by no other meanes Of the warts and cratches of Sheepe THis disease is called by the vulgar sheapheardes the Hedghog and it doth anoye the sheep two manner of waies first when some gauling or matter ariseth vppon the paring of the hoofe or else a bunch arise in the same place hauing a hayre-growing in the middle like the haire of a dog and vnder that a little worme the worme is best drawne out with a knife by cutting the top of the wound wherein must bee vsed great warinesse and circumspection because if the worme bee cut asunder in the wound there issueth out of her such a venemous pustulate matter that poysoneth the wound and then there is no remedy but the foot must be cut off But the wound being opened and the worme taken out aliue presently with a wax-candle you must melt into it hot burning sewet and if there be no bunch but onely scabs take Allum liquid Pitch Brimstone and Vineger mingled all together and apply it vnto the wound or else take a young Pomgranate before the graines grow in it and bake it with Allum casting vppon it vineger sharp wine and the rust of yron fryed altogether Of the falling sicknesse IT commeth to passe sometimes that sheepe are infected with the falling sicknesse but the cure hereof can neuer be knowne nor yet the sicknesse well til the beast be dead and then as Hippocratus writeth by opening of the braine it wil euidently appeare by the ouer great moystnesse thereof Of the paines in the eies IT is reported by Theophrastus and Pliny that for cloudes and other paines in the eie of a sheepe horned-poppy and Chamaelia are very wholsome Of phlegme in Sheepe FOr the remedy of this disease take Peniroial or Margerum or wild Nep made vp togither in wooll and thrust into the nose of the sheepe there turned round vntill the beast begin to neeze also a stalk of blacke Hellibor boared through the eare of the sheepe and there tyed fast for the space of foure and twenty hours and then taken out at the same time of the day that it was put in by Pliny and Collumella is affirmd to be an excelent remedy against the Phlegme Of the swelling in the iawes THere is sometimes an inflammation or swelling in the iawes of sheepe which the Latins
to be Oxsen and Sheep and no man might name an Oxen vntil he had named a sheep Among the Trogladites they had their Wiues common yet their Tyrants had lawes to keepe their wiues to themselues and they thought it a great penalty for the adultery of their wife if the adulterer payed them a sheepe The Poets haue a pretty fiction that Endimion the Sonne of Mercury fell in loue with the Moone who dispised him and that therefore he went and kept Sheepe afterward the Moone fell in loue with his white Sheepe and desired some of them promysing to grant his request if he would gratifie her choyce whereupon the Wise-man as Probus writeth deuided his flock into two partes the whiter on the one side which had the courser Wooll and the blacker on the other side which had the finer Wooll so the Moone chose the white one and graunted him her loue whereupon Virgill thus writeth Pan munere niueo lunae captum te luna fefellit It may appeare also in what great regard Sheepe were in auncient time for that their Priestes made holy Water and sacrifices for their santification whereof I finde these relations in Gyraldus Virgil and others At the lustration of Sheepe there was another manner of sanctifieng then at other times for the Sheapheard rose betimes in the morning and sprinkled his Sheepe all ouer with Water making a perfume round about the fold with Sulphar Sauine Lawrell Wine and fire singing holy verses and making sacrifice to the God Pan for they did beleeue that by this lustration the health of their Sheepe was procured and all consuming diseases driuen away It is reported that when Sheepe of strange colours were sprinkled with this water it signified great happinesse to the princes of the people and they were gifts for the Emperor whereupon Virgill made these verses Ipse sed in pratis aries iam suaue rubenti Murick iam croceo mutabit vellera luto When men went to receiue answers of the Oracles they slept all night in the skinnes of Sheep There was a Noble sacrifice among the Pagans called Hecatombe wherein were sacrificed at one time a hundred Sheepe at a hundered seueral alters It is reported of King Iosias that hee sacrificed at one time twelue hundered Oxen and eight and thirty hundered sheepe so great was the dignity of this beast that God himselfe placed in the death thereof one part of his worship and whereas it was lawfull among the heathens to make their sacrifices of Seepe Goates Swine Oxen Hennes and geese they made reckoning that the lambe and the Kid was best of all for that God was not pleased with the quantitie but with the qualitie of the sacrifice The auncient Egyptians for the honor of sheepe did neither eate nor sacrifice them and therefore we reade in holy Scripture that the Israelites were an abhomination to the Egyptians because they both killed and sacrificed sheepe as all Diuines haue declared There is a noble story of Clitus who when he sacrificed at the Altars was called away by King Alexander and therefore he left his sacrifices and went to the King but three of the sheep that were appointed to be offered did follow after him euen vnto the Kings presence whereat Alexander did very much wonder and that not without cause for he called together all the wise men South sayers to know what that prodegy did fore-shew whereunto they generally answered that it did fore-shew some fearefull euents to Clitus for as much as the sheepe which by appointment were dead that is ready to die did follow him into the presence of the King in token that he could neuer auoid a violent death and so afterwards it came to passe for Alexander being displeased with him because as it is said he had raild on him in his drunkennes after the sacrifice commanded him to be slaine and thus we see how diuine things may be collected from the natures of sheep These things are reported by Plutarch Pausanias Another note of the dignity of sheep may be collected from the custome of the Lacedemoniās When they went to the wars they droue their goats their sheep before them to the intent that before they ioyned battell they might make sacrifice to their Gods the goats were appointed to lead the way for the sheep for they were droue formost and therefore they were called Cataeades and on a time this miraculous euent fell out for the wolues set vpon the flocks yet contrary to their rauening nature they spared the sheepe and destroyed the goats which notable fact is worthy to be recorded because that God by such an example among the heathen Pagans did demonstrate his loue vnto the good in sparing the sheepe and his hatred vnto the wicked in destroying the goates and therefore he reserued the sheepe to his owne Altar Idibus alba Ioui grandior agna cadit So saith Ouid Nigram hiemi pecudem zephyris falicibus albam So saith Virgil. And againe Huc castus Hibilla Nigrarum multo pecudum te sanguine ducet To Iupiter and to the sunne they were wont to sacrifice white sheepe or lambes but to Pluto and to the earth they sacrificed blacke sheep or lambes in token of deadnes Therefore Tibullus writeth Interea nigras pecudes promittite Diti And Virgil saith Duc nigras pecudes ea prima piacula sunto When the Graecians sent their spies to the tents of the Troyans to discouer what order strength and discipline they obserued Nestor and the ancients of Greece vowed vnto the Gods for euery one of the captaines a seuerall gift that was Oin melainan thelen hyporrenon that is a black sheep great with yong the reason whereof is giuen by the Scholiast they vowed saith he a blacke sheep because the spies went in the night time blacknesse being an emblem of darkenes and a sheepe great with young because of good fortune for they spedde well in Troy In Apolonia there were certaine sheepe that were dedicated to the sunne and in the day time they fed neere the riuer in the best pasture being lodged euery night in a goodly spatious caue neere the Cittie ouer whom the greatest men both for wealth strength and wit were appointed euery night to watch by turnes for their better safegard and the reason of this custody and the great account made of these sheepe was for that the Oracle had commanded the Apolonians to do so vnto them and make much of them Afterwards Euenius a noble man among them keeping watch according to his turne fell asleep so that threescore of the said sheep were killed by wolues which thing came in question among the common magistrats to know the reason of that fact Coelius Herodotus how it came to passe whether by negligence or by some other violent incursion Euenius being no waies able to defend it was condemned to haue both his eies put out that so he might be iudged neuer more worthy to see the light
and restore them to their former wits Spleene-wort being boyled in Hony and mixed with vnwashed wool which was steeped in Oyle or Wine is very good for the aforenamed disease being bound about the forepart of the head in a broad linnen cloath Sheeps wooll being also applyed in the same manner is an excellent cure for those which are troubled with a certaine watery rheume or running in the eies as also the ache in the forepart of the head Galen Vnwashed wooll boyled in Vineger and applyed vnto the eares doth expell all filth or moysture therein and the issue thereof being afterwardes stopped with the same kinde of wooll is very speedily cured Sheepes wooll is also very good and effectuall for the curing the paines of the eares which are but new comming vpon them Vnwashed wooll being mixed with Oyle of Roses and put into the Nostrils of any man the eares being stopped close with the same kind of wooll will stay the yssuing of the bloud at the Nose how fluent soeuer it be The same being also steeped in Oyle and put in the Nose doth restraine the bleeding thereof Wooll being plucked or wrested from the backe of Sheep and kept vnwashed doth cohibite the aboundance of blood being steeped in pure liquid Oyle of Roses The same being taken from the backe of a Ramme doth stay ouer much bleeding at the Nose the ioynts of the fingers being bound as hard as possible can be suffered Vnwashed wool steeped in Hony and rubbed vppon the teeth or Gummes doth make the breath of any man more sweete and delightfull then it hath beene accustomed The same being vsed in the said manner doth procure a very great whitenesse and clearenesse in the teeth Vnwashed VVooll being parched and bound in a linnen cloath a third part or portion of salt being afterwardes added thereunto and all beaten together into small dust or powder and rubbed vpon the teeth will keepe them from any paine or griefe therein Vnwashed VVooll being dipped in Nitre Brimstone Oyle Vineger and Liquid Pitch being all boyled together doth aswage all paines in the hanches or loines whatsoeuer being twice a day a hot as possibly may be suffered applyed thereunto Sheeps dung mingled with vnwashed wooll and certaine other things is very much applyed against that troublesome and painefull disease called the stone or grauell Vnwashed VVooll in cold water doth cure diseases in the priuy parts of any man or VVoman whatsoeuer The VVooll of blacke Sheeps is commonly reported to be a very commodious and helpfull for those whose Cods or stones are much swelled The gall of an Oxe being mixed with vnwashed wool doth help the purgation or menstruall fluxes of women but Olympies the Thebane affirmeth that Isope and Nitre ought to be mixed with this wooll for the helping of the same Vnwashed wooll being applyed vnto the secret parts of women doth cause a dead child to come forth The same doth also stay the issues of women The pure or cleare fleeces of sheep either applyed by themselues or mingled with Brimstone do cure al hidden or secret griefes whatsoeuer and Pliny commendeth them aboue al other medicines whatsoeuer Fleeces of wool mingled with quicksiluer Serenus are very profitable to be taken for the same diseases in certaine perfumes The roote of a Mallow being digged vp before the rysing of the sun and wrapped in vndyed wooll doth cure the Wens or mattry impostumes of those sheepe which haue lately brought forth young Sheepes wooll being died in purple colour doth very much profit the eares Pliny but some do steep it in vineger and Nitre to make the operation more effectuall The dust of wool being burnt doth bring forth the matter or corruption lying hid vnder scabs restraine the swellings in the flesh and bringeth all vlcers to a chop of scar Wooll being burnt hath a sharp force and likewise hot together with the slendernes of the parts it doth therefore very speedie clense and purge the sores in the flesh which are moist and to much full of matter It is also put in drying medicines It is burned as if there were many other things in it filling a new pot which may be couered with a couer which is bored through with many holes like vnto a siue The powder of vnwashed wooll is anointed vpon diuers sores and is very curable for them as bruised new wounded sores halfe burnt Galen and it is vsed for the curing of the diseases in the eies as also for the healing of the fistulaes and corrupt and mattery sores in the eares The power of the powder of vnwashed wool is clensing and it doth very effectually purge the eye-lides or cheeke-bals It doth also clense and cure for the most part all diseases as Serenus saith in these verses Succida cum tepido nectetur lana Lyaeo Ambust aeue ciuis complebit vulneris ora Aut tu succosae cinerem perducito lanae The haires which grow about the secret hole of sheep being burned beaten and drunke in sweet wine doth help the shortnesse of the breath and ease the pursines of the stomacke The wooll of a little sheep being pulled from betwixt his thighes and burnt afterwards dipped in vineger doth very speedily cure those which are troubled with the head-ach being bound about the temples The dust of sheepes fleeces is very medicinable for the curing of all diseases in the genitall parts whatsoeuer The dust of sheeps wooll Marcellus doth heale all passions in cattell The Graecian plaister called Encapharmacum consisted of nine seueral things and amongst the rest of vnwashed wooll The filth which sticketh to the sheeps wool groweth therunto from which the thing which the Graecians cal Oesypon is made hath the force of digestion like vnto butter and also alike ability of concoction In a certaine medicine of Andromachus for the curing of the disease of the secret parts vnwashed wool is added to the rest but Lepas as Galen saith for vnwashed wool doeth adde goose greace in the same quantity Some do also for vnwashed wool vse the marrow of a young calfe and apply it in the aforesaid manner but this vnwashed wooll is termed of the Graetians Aesypus and therefore being by diuers Authors set downe diuersly concerning the making and vertue thereof I haue thought good to set downe the truest and excellentest way to make the same as Dioscorides whom in this I suppose best to follow reporteth First to take new shorne wooll which is very soft and not trimmed with sope-weed and wash it with hot water then to presse al the filth forth of the same and cast it into a cauldron which hath a broad lip and afterwards to poure the water in and to stir it vp and down with a certaine instrument with such great force as it may foame againe or with a wooden rod still greatly to turne and trouble it so that the filthy froath or spume may more largely be gathered together afterwards
bough with a shot to the ground If they be driuen to the ground from the trees to creepe into hedges it is a token of their wearinesse for such is the stately mind of this little Beast that while her limbes and strength lasteth she tarrieth saueth her self in the tops of tal trees then being discended she falleth into the mouth of euery curre and this is the vse of Dogges in their hunting The admirable witte of this beast appeareth in her swimming or passing ouer the Waters for when hunger or some conuenient prey of meat constraineth her to passe ouer a riuer shee seeketh out some rinde or smal barke of a Tree which shee setteth vppon the Water and then goeth into it and holding vppe her taile like a saile letteth the winde driue her to the other side and this is witnessed by Olaus Magnus in his description of Scandinauia where this is ordinary among Squirrelles by reason of many riuers that otherwise they cannot passeouer also they carry meate in their mouth to preuent famine whatsoeuer befall them and as Peacockes couer themselues with their tailes in hot Summer from the rage of the sunne as vnder a shaddow with the same disposition doth the Squirrell couer her body against heate and cold They growe exceeding tame and familiar to men if they be accustomed and taken when they are young for they runne vp to mens shoulders and they will oftentimes â—it vpon their handes creepe into their pockets for Nuttes goe out of doores and returne home againe but if they be taken aliue being olde when once they get loose they will neuer returne home againe and therefore such may wel bee called Semiferi rather then Cicures They are very harmeful and wll eat al manner of woollen garments and if it were not for that discommodity they were sweete-sportful-beastes and are very pleasant play-fellowes in a house It is saide that if once they tast of Garlicke they wil neuer after bite any thinge and this is prescribd by Cardan to tame them their skins are exceeding warm wel regarded by skinners for their heat is verie agreeable to the bodies of men and therefore they are mixed also with the skins of Foxes Their flesh is sweet but not very wholesome except the Squirrel were a blacke one It is tender and comparable to the flesh of Kids or Conies andl their tailes are profitable to make brushes of The medicins are the same for the most part which are before expressed in the Dormous sauing that I may adde that of Archigenes who writeth that the fat of a Squirrell warmed on a rubbing cloath and so instilled into the eares doeth wonderfully cure the paines in the eares And so I conclude this history of the Squirrell with the Epithets that Martiall maketh of a Peacocke a Phoenix and a Squirrel in a comparison of a bewtifull Virgin Erotion Cui comparatus indecens erat pauo Inamabilis sciurus frequens Phoenix Of the Getulian Squirrell described and figured by Doctor Cay THis Getulian or Barbarian Squirrell is of mixt colour as it were betwixt black and red and from the shoulders all along to the taile by the sides there are white and russet strakes or lines which in a decent and and seemely order stand in ranks or orders and there be some of these Squirrels which haue such lines of white and blacke with correspondent lines in the taile yet they cannot be seene except the taile bee stretched out at length by reason there is not much haire vpon it The belly seemeth to be like a blew colour vpon a white ground It is a little lesse then the vulgar Squirrel and hath not any eares extant or standing vp as that but close pressed to the skin round and arysing a little in length by the vpper face of the skinne The head is like the head of a Frog and in other things it is very like the vulgar Squirrell for both the outward shape the manner and behauiour the meat and means of life agree in both and she also couereth her body like other Squirrels This picture and description was taken by him from one of them aliue which a Marchant of London brought out of Barbary They are very pleasaunt and tame and it is very likely that it is a kind of Egyptian or Affrican mouse whereof there are three sorts described by Herodotus the first called Bipedes the second Zegeries and the third Echines of which we haue already spoken in the story of diuers kinds of mice and therefore I will heere end the discourse of this beast OF A WILDE BEAST IN THE new-found world called Su. THere is a region in the new-found world called Gigantes and the inhabitants thereof are called Pantagones now becaus their countrey is cold being far in the South they cloath themselues with the skins of a beast called in theyr owne toong Su for by reason that this beast liueth for the most part neere the waters therefore they cal it by the name of Su which signifieth water The true image therof as it was taken by Theuetus I haue heere inserted for it is of a very deformed shape and monstrous presence a great rauener and an vntamable wilde beast When the hunters that desire her skinne set vpon her she flyeth very swift carrying her yong ones vpon her back and couering them with her broad taile now forsomuch as no Dogge or man dareth to approach neere vnto her because such is the wrath therof that in the pursuit she killeth all that commeth neare hir the hunters digge seuerall pittes or great holes in the earth which they couer with boughes sticks and earth so wealty that if the beast chance at any time to come vpon it she and her young ones fall down into the pit and are taken This cruell vntamable impatient violent rauening and bloody beast perceiuing that her naturall strength cannot deliuer her from the wit and policy of men her hunters for being inclosed shee can neuer get out againe the hunters being at hande to watch her downfall and worke her ouerthrow first of all to saue her young ones from taking taming she destroyeth them all with her owne teeth for there was neuer any of them taken aliue and when she seeth the hunters come about her she roareth cryeth bowleth brayeth and vttereth such a fearefull noysome and terrible clamor that the men which watch to kill her are not thereby a little amazed but at last being animated because there can be no resistance they approch and with their darts and speares wound her to death and then take off her skin and leaue the carcasse in the earth And this is all that I finde recorded of this most sauage beast Of the Subus a kinde of wilde Water-sheepe THis beast is called by Oppianus Soubos and thereof the Latines call it Subus Bodine in his interpretation of Oppianus doth make it one beast with the Strepsiceros but because he expresseth no reason thereof I take
it that he was deceiued by his coniecture for we shall manifest that either the colour or seate of liuing cannot agree with the Strepsiceros for he saith only it is the same beast which Pliny calleth a Strepsiceros But we know by the discription of Oppianus that this beast is of red-gold-colour hauing two strong armed hornes on the head and liueth sometimes in the Sea and water sometime on the land Of all kinds of sheepe this is the worst and most harmefull rauening after life and blood for it goeth to the water and therein swimmeth when the silly simple Fishes see this glorious shape in the waters admiring the horns and especially the Golden colour they gather about it in great flocks and abundance especially Shrimps Lobsters Mackarell and Tenches who follow him with singular delight on either side both the right and the left pressing who shall come nearest to touch and haue the fullest sight of him so they accompany him in rankes for loue of his so strange proportion But this vnkinde and rauening beast despising their amity society and fellowship maketh but a bait of his golden outside and colour to drawe vnto him his conuenient prey and beguile the innocent fishes for he snatcheth at the nearest and deuoureth them tarying no longer in the Water then his belly is filled and yet these simple foolish fishes seeing their fellowes deuoured before their faces haue not the power or wit to auoid his deuourers society but still accompany him and weary him out of the Waters till he can eate no more neuer hating him or leauing him but as men which delight to be hanged in silken halters or stabbed with siluer and golden Bodkins so do the fishes by this golden-colored-deuouring-monster But such impious cruelty is not left vnreuenged in nature for as she gathreth the fishes together to destroy them so the fisher men watching that concourse do entrappe both it and them rendering the same measure to the rauener that it had done to his innocent companions And thus much shal suffice for the Subus or water-sheepe Of the Swine in generall BEing to discourse of this beast The seuerall names althogh the kinds of it be not many as is in others yet because there are some thinges peculiar to the Bore and therefore he deserueth a speciall story by himselfe I will first of all deliuer the common properties in a generall Narration and afterward discend to the speciall For the names of this beaste there are many in all languages and such as belong to the seuerall sex and age of euery one For as in English we call a young swine a Pigge A weaning Pigge a sheate a Yealke and so foorth likewise a Hogge a Sow a Barrow a Libd-Hog a libd-Sow a Splayed Sow a Gelt Sow a Basse for the elder swine so in other Nations they obserue such like titles The Haebrewes cal a Bore Chasir and a Sow Chaserah the Chaldees Deut. 4. for Chasir translate Chasira the Arabians Kaniser the Persians Mar-an-buk the Septuagints Hus and S. Hierome Sus. The Arabians also vse Hazir and Acanthil for a hog Achira and Scrofa The Graecians do also vse Sus or Zus Choiros and Suagros The wilde hog is called Kaproâ— from hence I coniecture is deriued the Latine word Apex Siluâ—â—â—â— The Italians do vulgarly call it Porco and the Florentines peculiarly Ciacco and also the Italians call a sow with pig Scrofa and Troiata or Porco fattrice The reason why that they cal a Sow that is great with Pigge Troiata or Troiaria is for the similitude with the Troian horse Alunâ—uâ— Erythraeus because as that in the belly thereof did include many armed men so doth a sow in her belly many young pigs which afterward come to the table and dishes of men A Barrow hog is called Maialis in Latine and the Italians Porco castrato and Lo Maiale The French call a swine Porceau a sow Truye Coche a Bore Verrat a pig Cochon Porcelet and about Lyons Caion The barrow hog they cal Por-chastre The Spaniards cal swine Puerco the Germans saw or suw su schwin schwein a sow they call Mor and looss a Bore Aeber which seemeth to be deriued from Aper a barrow hog Barg a splaied sow Gultz a pig Farle and Seuwle and a sucking pig spanfoerle In little Brittaine they call a hog Houch and therof they cal a Dolphin Merhouch The Illyrians call Swine Swinye and Prase The Latines Sus Porcus and Porcellus Scrofa and these are the common and most vulgar tearmes of swines If there be any other they are either deuised or new made or else deriued from some of these Macrobius telleth the occasion of the name of the family of Scrofa somewhat otherwise yet pertaining to this discourse Tremellius saith hee was with his family and children dwelling in a certaine village and his seruants seeing a stray Sow come among them the owner whereof they did not know presently they slew her and brought her home The Neighbour that did owe the Sow called for witnesses of the fact or theft and came with them to Tremellius demaunding his Scrofa or Sow againe Tremellius hauing vnderstood by one of his seruants the deed layed it vp in his Wiues bed couering it ouer with the cloaths caused her to lye vpon the Sowes carkase and therefore told his neighbour hee should come in and take the Scrofa and so had brought him where his wife lay Coelius Names of men taken from swine and swore he had no other Sow of his but that shewing him the bed and so the poore man was deceiued by a dissembling oth for which cause he saith the name of Scrofa was giuen to that family There was one Pope Sergius whose christen and first name was Os porci Hogges snowt and therfore he being elected Pope changed his name into Sergius which custome of alteration of names as that was the beginning so it hath continued euer since that time among all his successours Likewise we read of Porcellus a Grammarian of Porcellius a Poet of Naples who made a Chronicle of the affaires of Fredericke Duke of Vrbine Porcius Suillus Verres the Praetor of Sycilia Syadra Sybotas Hyas Hyagnis Gryllus Porcilla and many such other giue sufficient testimony of the original of their names to be drawen from Swine and not onely men but people and places as Hyatae Suales Chorreatae three names of the Dori in Greece Hyia a Citty of Locris Hyamea a Citty of Mesene Hyamaion a Citty of Troy Hyampholis a Citty of Phocis whereby to all posterity it appeareth Alex. ab alex that they were Swineheardes at the beginning Exul Hyantaenos inuenit regna per agros Hyâ—pe Hyops a Citty in Iberia Hysia a Citty of Boeotia and Pliny calleth the tall people of Ethiop which wer 8. cubits in height Sybotae and the like I might adde of many places Cities people fountaines Plants Engins and deuises plentifull in many Authors but I
an equall quantity of Hogs-Greace Goats sewet sod both together it will be cured by laying it vnto it And thus much for the remedies of Swines greace towards beastes The huskes of Beanes being beaten small to powder and mixed with swines greace is very profitable against the paine of the hippes and the Nerues Some Physitians take the greace of Swine the fat of Geese the sewet of Bulles and the Oesypus or sweat of sheepe and annoint therewithall gouty Legges but if the paine remoue not then doe they adde vnto it Waxe Mirtle Gum and Pitch and some vse it mixed with old Oyle with the stone Sarcephagys sinck-foyle beaten in wine with lime or ashes This swines greace beaten in water with cumin is prescribed by Simeon Sethi against the gout It remedieth the falling of the haire and the paine in the heads of women mingled with one forth part of gals and the like vertue it hath with wilde Roses Lingulaca and Hippocampinus with Nitre and vineger When the corners of ones eies are troubled with wormes by annoynting them with the fat of a Sow with pig beating them together both within and without you shall draw all the Wormes out of his eyes When one hath paine in his eares whereby matter yssueth forth let him beate the oldest Lard he can in a Morter and rake the iuyce thereof in fine wooll then let him put that wooll into his eare making it to worke through warme water and then infuse a little more of the iuyce of that Lard and so shall he worke a great cure in short time And generally the fatte of Geese Hennes Swine and Foxes are prepared for all the paynes in the eares If there arise any bunch in the Necke or throate seeth Lard and Wine together and so by gargarising that Lyquor it shall bee dispersed according to the verses of Serenus Inrigore ceruicis geminus mulcebitur vnguine poples Hinc longam paritur neruos medicina sequetur And it is no maruaile that the vertue of this should go from the knees to the Nerues seeing that Pliny affirmeth that from the anointing of the knees the sauour goeth into the stomack ther is so great affinity or operation of Rue vpon the stones that in ancient time they were wont to cure burstnesse by annoynting the cods with wilde Rue and Swynes Greace Also this Greace with rust of Iron is good against all the imperfectious in the seate Butter Goose-greace and Hogges-greace are indifferently vsed for this infirmity Also this is vsed to keepe Women from abortementes that are subiect thereunto being applyed like an eye-salue In the diseases of the matrix especially Vlcers they first of all dip Spuuges or Wooll in warme Water and so clense the places infected and afterwards cure it with Rozen and Swynes Grease mingled together and often vsing it in the day and night by way of an oyntmnet but if the exulceration be vehement after the washing they put Honny vnto the former confection and some make a pâ—â—fume with Goats Horne Galles Swynes Greace and Gumme of Cedars And. Fernerius saith that Lard cut small and beate in a Morter of stone like paast in a Limbecke of Glasse rendereth a white Water which maketh the haire yellow and also the face comely If a man be poysoned with Hemlocke hee cannot auoyde it better then by drinking salt Wine and fresh Greace A decoction heereof is good against the poyson of Beuprestis and against Quickesiluer The sewet of a Sowe fed with greene Hearbes is profitable to them that are sicke of a consumption of the lunges according to this verse of Serenus Porderit veteris saeui pila sumpta suilli This may also be giuen them in Wine either raw or decocted or else in pilles to be swallowed downe whole if it be not salted and the fift day after they prescribe them to drinke out of an Egge-shell Liquid Pitch binding their sides breasts and shoulder bones very hard It is also vsed for an old Cough after it is decocted the waight of a groat being put into three cuppes of Wine with some Hony It is giuen also to them that haue the flixe especially olde Lard Honny Wine being beaten together till they bee all as thicke as Hony whereof the quantity of a Hasell-Nut is to be drunke out of Water Also morsels of Swynes-Grease Butter and Hony being put downe into a Horsse throate cureth him of an old Cough and finally a peece of this Greace being old moystened in olde Wine is profitable to a Horse that hath beene ouerheated in his iourney When Calues bee troubled with belly Wormes take one part of Swynes-Greace and mingle it with three partes of Isope afterwardes thrust it downe into the throates of the Calues and it shall expell the wormes When the tongue and Chappes waxe blacke by a peculiar sicknesse of the mouth which the Physitians call Morbus epidemius it is most wholesome to rub the tongue with the inner side of the rines of Bacon and so draw out an extreame heate and it is said if a man be deepely infected whose tongue is thus rubbed the said Bacon rine being eaten by any Dog will procure his death The fat of Wolues and the marrow of Swyne is good to anoint bleare-eyes withall By swallowing downe the marrow of Svvine the appetite to carnall copulation is encreased The ashes or powder of Hogs bristles vvhich are taken out of plaisterers pensils wherwithall they rub Walles and mixed with Swynes Grease doth ease the paine of burnings and also stayeth the bleeding of vvoundes and the falling dovvne of the seate being first of all vvashed in Wine and dryed Pitch mingled therevvithall The powder of the cheek-bones of Svvyne is a most present remedy for broken bones and also for vlcers in the legges and shinnes The fat of a Boare is commended against Serpentes and so also is the liuer of a Bore pigge when the Fibres are taken from it if the weight of two pence be drunke in wine The braine of a Sow tosted at the fire and laide to a Carbuncle either disperseth or emptieth it Likewise the blood and braines of a Bore or a sow or Bore-pig being mixed with honey doeth cure the Carbuncles in the yard and the braines alone openeth the gums of children to let out their teeth as Serenus writeth Aucteneris cerebris gingivis illine porci There are naturally in the head of a Hogge two little bones that haue holes in them one in the right part and another in the left Now if it happen that a man find these bones by chaunce either one or both of them let him lay them vp safe and whensoeuer he is trobled with the Head-ach let him vse them hanging them about his necke by a silken thrid that is to say if his head ake on the right side let him hange the right bone and if on the left the left bone These things I report vpon the credit of Marcellus Galen also writeth that if the
to bee of opinion that their spottes are sometimes of diuers colours both yellow and blacke and those long like rods in these sayings Tibi dant variae pectora Tigres And againe Vhera viergata faraecaspia And Cilius saith Corpore virgato Tigris It were needlesse to speake of their crooked clawes their sharpe teeth and deuided feet their long taile Oppianus agilitye of body and wildenesse of nature which getteth all their foode by hunting It hath beene falsely beleeued that all Tigers be females and that there are no males among them and that they engender in copulation with the wind whereupon Camerarius made this witty riddle in his Rhetorical exercises A fluuio dicor fluuius vel dicitur ex me Iunctaque sum vento vento velotior ipso Et mihi dat ventus natos nec quaero maritos The Epithits The Epithites of this beastes are these Armenian Tigers sharpe Ganietican Hercanian fierce cruell and wicked vntamed spotted diuers-coloured straked bitter rauenous Affrican greedy Caspian Carcesian Caucasean Indean Parthean Marsian streight-footed madde stiffe fearefull strong foaming and violent with many such others as are easie to be found in euery Author The voice of this beast is cald Ranking according to this verse Tigrides indomitae rancant rugiuntque leones Now because that they are strangers in Europe as we haue saide already neuer breeding in that part of the world and as sildome seen we must be constrained to make but a short story of it because there are not many diuers thinges concerning the nature of it and in the physicke none at all Their food For the manner of their foode they prey vppon all the greatest beasts and sildome vpon the smaller as Oxen Harts and Sheepe but Hares and Conies they let alone It is reported by Plutarch A history of a tame Tiger that was brought vp with a Kid the said kid was killed and laide before him to eat but he refused it two daies together 〈◊〉 the third day opressed with extremity of hunger by her ranking and crying voice 〈◊〉 made signes to her keeper for other meate who cast vnto her a cat which presently it pulled in peeces and deuoured it The like story vnto this we haue shewed already in the Panther Generally the nature of this beast is according to the Epithites of it sharpe vntamed cruell and rauenous neuer so tamed but sometimes they returne to their former natures yet the Indians do euery year giue vnto their king tamed Tigers and Panthers and so it commeth to passe that sometimes the Tiger kisseth his keeper as Seneca writeth In the time of their lust they are very raging and furious according to these verses of Virgill Per sylvas tum saeuus aper tum pessima Tigris Heu male cum libyae solis erratur in agris Their copulation and generation They ingender as Lyons do and therefore I maruell how the fable first came vppe that they were all females and had no males amonge them and that the females conceiued with young by the West wind we haue shewed already in the story of the Dogs that the Indian Dogge is engendered of a Tiger and a Dogge and so also the Hercanian dogs Whereby it is apparant that they do not onely conceiue among themselues but also in a mingled race The male is sildome taken because at the sight of a man hee runneth away leaueth the female alone with her yong ones for he hath no care of the Whelps and for this occasion I thinke that the fables first came vp that there were no males among the Tigers The female bringeth forth many at once like a Bitch which she nourisheth in her den very carefully louing them and defending them like a Lionesse from the Hunters whereby she is many times ensnared and taken It is reported by Aelianus that when they heare the sound of Bels and Timbrils they grow into such a rage and madnesse that they teare their owne flesh from their backes For the taking of Tigers The taking and killing of Tygers Plutarch Calistines the Indians neare the Riuer Ganges haue a certaine Hearb growing like Buglosse which they take and presse the iuyce out of it this they preserue beside them and in still silent calme nights they poure the same down at the mouth of the Tigers den by vertue whereof it is said the Tigers are continually enclosed not daring to come out ouer it through some secret opposition in nature but famish and dye howling in their caues through intollerable hunger so great is the swiftnesse of this beast as we haue shewed already that some haue dreamed it was conceiued by the wind For as the swiftest horses and namely the horsses of Dardanus are likewise fabled to be begotten by the Northern wind so the Tigers by the West wind Therfore they are neuer taken but in defence of their yoūg ones neither is there any beast that liueth vpon preying so swift as they Solam Tigrim Indis in superabilem esse dicunt Philostratus quoniam fugiendi celeritate quae ventos equare dicitur è conspectu aufugit Onely the Tiger the Indians say can neuer bee conquered because when he is hunted he runneth away out of sight as fast as the wind For this cause they diligently seeke out the caues and dens of the Tigers where there young ones are lodged and then vpon some swift Horsses they take them and carry them away when the female Tiger returneth and findeth her den empty in rage she followeth after them by the foot whom she quickly ouertaketh by reason of her celerity The Hunter seeing her at hand casteth downe one of her Whelpes the distressed angry beast knowing that shee can carry but one at once first taketh vp that in her mouth without setting vpon the Hunter contented with that one returneth with it to her lodging hauing layd it vp safe backe againe she returned like the wind to pursue the Hunter for the residue who must likewise set her downe another if hee haue not got into his ship for except the Hunter be neare the Water side and haue a ship ready she will fetch them all from him one by one or else it wil cost him his life therfore that enterprise is vndertaken in vaine vpon the swiftest Horses in the World except the Waters come betwixt the hunter and the Tiger And the maner of this beast is when she seeth that her young ones are shipped away and shee for euer depriued of seeing or hauing them againe she maketh so great lamentation vpon the Sea shoare howling braying and rancking that many times she dyeth in the same place but if shee recouer all her young ones againe from the hunters shee departeth with vnspeakeable ioy without taking any reuenge for their offered iniury For this occasion the hunters do deuise certaine round spheares of glasse wherein they picture their young ones very apparant to be seene by the damme one of these they cast
but that part is not of the horn but either the entrance of the pallat or some other things as I coniecture This horne was found vnder the earth not deeper then a foote in a solitary and high place as betweene two hils through which a riuer runneth by Countri'men that were digging to lay the foundation of a house But the horne was smitten with an Axe and seuered into very smal peeces but that Noble and excelent man Ioannes Frikasz in whose field the horne was founde being distaunt from Cracouia two miles by all diligence he could least that the small peeces should be cast abroad tooke deliberate heed that they should be taken out of the earth From the roote to the top it was all round and smooth but touching it with ones toongue it cleaueth fast vnto it the tooth was as big as a man could gripe in his hand being in the vpper or outward part bony or hollow within white in the middle and toward the end somewhat reddish But there was found all the beast as by the greatnesse of his bones might easily be perceived being bigger in quantity then a horse It is most certaine that it was a Foure-footed-beast by the bones of the shoulders thighes and ribs But if this Horne were the tooth of an Elephant as some doe suppose you would maruaile why two which I haue heard were neuer found together But the teeth or rather hornes of Elephants are neither so crooked that they might come almost to halfe a circle as they did The strength of this horne a penny weight thereof being put in wine or water of Borrage healeth old Feuers as also Tertian or quarterne Agues of three yeares continuance and cureth many diseases in mens bodies as asswaging the paine of the belly and making of those to vomit who can by no meanes ease their stomackes Hitherto shal suffice to haue spoken concerning one of those foure hornes which I saw The other was like vnto this but lesse pure for the colour was outwardly most blacke inwardly most white being found in the Riuer The third and fourth most hard so that a man would thinke it were by the touching thereof stone or iron being solide euen vnto the point for I haue not seene them wholly but the part of one to the length of a cubit of the other to the length of halfe a cubit with a darke colour being almost of the same thicknesse as the two former But for as much as the two former haue no riftes or chinkes in them these haue by their longitude being like hearbs bending or wreathing in their stalkes There was another found in a certaine field so much appearing out of the earth that the rude or country sort did thinke it to be some pile or stake Many also are cured and freed from shaking feauers by the medicinall force of these the cause whereof I suppose to be this because the former are softer for as much as one of them will lye in the Water for so long a time but the other vnder the earth being scarce well hid I afterwardes saw a fi lt like vnto the first none of them being straight or direct vppe but also crooked some almost vnto a halfe a circle Hitherto Schnebergerus who also addeth this That there are more of these to be found in Polonia and therefore for the most part to bee contemned There are moreouer found in Heluetia some of these hornes one in the riuer Arula against the Towne of Bruga the other in the last yeare in the riuer of Birsa but it was broken euen as the third with that famous Earle of the Cymbrians William Warner in a tower neare vnto the Citty Rottauit who gaue vnto Gesner a good peece thereof who found another peece as he was a fishing at Birsa in the riuer And it is no great maruaile that they are found there where through length of time they are broken into small pieces and carried by the force of the waters into diuers places But it is most diligently to be obserued whether they are found in the earth as also to be knowne whether that great horne be of this beast which hangs alone in the great temple at Argentaur by the piller for it hath hanged there many yeares before as now it-appeareth for that doth plainely seeme the same magnitude thicknesse and figure which Schnebergerus hath described in his own horne that we haue allowed before for wild oxen The ancients haue attributed singuler hornes to the Vnicorne whom some haue cald by other names as it is said and furthermore to the Orix a wilde beast vnknowne in our age except I be deceiued which Aristotle and Pliny call a Vnicorne Aelianus a Quadrucorne Oppianus doth not expresse it but he seemeth to make it a two horned beast Simeon Sethi doth also write that the Musk-cat or Goat at which bringeth forth Muske hath one horne Certaine later writers as Scaliger reporteth say that there is a certaine Oxe in Ethiopia which hath one Horne comming out in the middest of his forehead greater then the length of a foot bending vpwardes the point being wreathed ouerthwart and they haue red haire whereby we gather that the horne of all Vnicornes is not pure But the reason why these hornes are more found in Polonia then in any other place I cannot well ghesse whether from thence we shall suspect them to be of certaine Vries which at this day abide in the woods of Sarmatia in times past there were many more which haue liued both in greater and larger woods neither were they killed with so often Hunting some whereof it is most like haue come to great age as appeareth by their great stately hornes which things we leaue to be considered of others I suppose that the Apothe caries neuer haue the true horne of a Vnicorne but that some doe sell a kinde of false adulterated Horne other the fragments of this great and vnknowne Horne of which we haue spoken and not onely of the horne but also of the bones of the head some of which are so affected by longanimity of time that you may take a threefold substance in them although it be broken by a certain distance one being for the most part whitish and pale the other whiter and softer the third stony and most white I heare that in the new Ilands there was a Horne bought in the name of a Vnicornes horne being much praised for expelling of poyson which what it is I haue not as yet examited but it is to bee inquired whether it bee a Rhynocerots or not for both the auncient and late Writers doe mingle this with the Vnicorne I doe verily coniecture that the same strength is pertinent to both the Hornes And thus much shall suffice concerning the true Vnicornes horne and the Vertues arising there from In this place now we will proceed to the residue of the history reseruing other vses of this horne to the proper medicines These Beasts are very
the iaws which is this to take a weasel vpon a Thursday in the old moone and put him aliue in an vnburned pot that in the boiling he may be torne and dried into pouder which pouder being gathred togither and wel tempred with hony to giue it to the diseased person euery day in a spoone fasting to the quantity of three drams and it wil in short space wonderfully ease him A Weasell being brent and the powder thereof wrapped in some seare-cloath which is annointed ouer with the oile of Flower-de luces doth helpe and heale al sores or impostumes proceeding from the head to the eares being applyed thereunto A Weasell being beaten to powder mingled with wax and in the manner of a seare-cloath applied vnto the shoulders doth expell al paines aches or greefes therein whatsoeuer it doth also purge or clense sores very effectually 〈◊〉 according to these verses of Serenus following Obscaenos si pone locos noua vnlner a carpant Horrentum mansa curantur fronde ruborum Et si iam veteri succedit fistula morbo Mustelae cinere immisso purgabitur vlcus Sanguine cum recini quem bos gestauerit anti A Weasell being burned in an earthen pot is verie medicinable for the curing of the gout The pouder thereof being mingled with Vineger and in that manner thereunto aplied Dioscorides The dust of a liuing Weasell brent mingled with wax and rose-water and annointed with a Feather vpon gouty legs cureth the same disease The braine of a Weasel being kept very long and thorougly dried afterwards mingled with vineger and so drunke doth very effectually cure the falling sicknes Rasis The braines of a Cammell mingled with the braines of a weasel being both well dryed and drunke in Vineger speedily helpeth those which are troubled with the disease called the Foule-euill If a horse shal fal into a sudden disease being for the most part tearmed daungerous which our Countrey-men cal Raech concerning which I haue spoken in the Horse he is cured by some Horse-coursers by a small quantity of a Weasels skinne being about the bignesse of a foresaide golden crowne which is giuen to him inwardly whether in a potion by some horne or cut small and mingled with chaffe I knowe not Some doe giue to the horses troubled with the aforesaide disease the taile of a white weasell being halfe blacke and halfe white cut exceeding smal in their chaffe or prouender If a serpent or any other venomous creature shal stinge or bite an Oxe let the wounded place be stroked or smoothed with the skin of a weasel it shal in short time be perfectly cured The same they do in a maner commannd to be done to horses which are so stunge or bitten rubbing the wound which the Weasels skin vntill it wax hot ministring in the meane time some certaine Antidote within the horses body There are some also which are of opinion that the skin being in the saide manner applyed is of no efficacy but that the whole beast being cut aplyed while it is hot wil rather profit which both in a shrew as also in many other creatures is manifest The bloode of a Weasel being annointed vppon any impostume arising behinde the eare Aâ—â—higines doth instantly cause the swelling to cease or being broken doth speedily heale the sore The same also being anointed vpon any impostumes in the head either whole or broken doth very effectually cure them The blood of a weasell being anointed vpon wenâ— or bunches of flesh in any part of the body doth instantly expel them The same doth also helpe those which are troubled vvith the falling sicknesse which disease is also cured by the whole body of a Weasel either brent or imbowelled with salte The heade and feete of a Weasel being castaway and the body taken in any kind of drink doth perfectly heal those which are troubled with that pestiferous disease called S. Iohns euil The bloode of the same beast is an excellent remedy for the expelling of the Fowle-euil The blood of a weasel being annointed vpon broken or exulcerated bunches in the flesh doth not only mittigate the paine but also heale the wounds The blood of a weasel being anointed vppon the iawes doth heale all paines or sores therein whatsoeuer The pouder and blood of a weasel being both mingled together and anointed vpon the body of any leprous man doth in short time driue away al scabs or scurffes thereon The blood of a weasel being anointed with a plantaine vpon the legs or feet of any one that is troubled with the gout doth very speedily mittigate or asswage the paine thereof 〈◊〉 The same being annointed vppon the nerues or sinnewes which are shrunke togither doth easily mollifie them againe and loosen the greeuous paine eyther in the ioynts or articles The liuer of a weasel mingled with his own braines being both well dryed and taken in any kind of drinke doth very much profit those which are troubled with the disease called S. Iohns euill The liuer of a weasell being throughly dryed and afterwardes taken in water to drinke doth heale the disease called the foule euill taking hold of sence mind together but there must great care be had that this medicine be ministred vnto the sicke party euen when the disease is comming on him The gal of a hare being mingled with the liuer of a weasel to the quantity of three drams one dram of oyle of Beauers stones foure drams of Myrrhe Galen with one dram of vineger and drunk in hony or bastard wine doth heale those which are troubled with a dizzinesse or certaine swimming in the head The liuer of a weasell is reported to be very good and medicinable for the curing of the lethargy or dropsie euill Sextus The liuer of a weasel being bound to the left foot of a woman doth altogether hinder her from conception The gall of a weasell is a very excellent and effectuall remedy against the venom or poyson of aspes being taken in any kind of drink The yard of a weasell Hart or Doe being dryed beaten to powder and taken in wine or any other drink is an excellent medicine for the curing of the bites or stings of serpents The yard of a weasell or Ferret is commended for a very excellent remedy against the strangury or disease called the collike and stone The stones of a male weasell or the secret parts of a female weasel Pliny is reported by some to be very medicinable for the curing of the falling sicknesse The stones of a weasell being bound vnto any part of e woman while she is in trauaile of child birth doth altogether hinder her from her deliuery By the left stone of a Weasell being bound in a piece of a mules hid there is a certaine medicine made which being drunke by any Woman not being with child causeth barrennesse as also by Women being with child hard and grieuous paine in deliuery The efficacy or force
weake creatures but there are also wild common wolues who lie in waite to destroy their heards of cattell and flocks of sheep against whom the people of the country do ordaine general huntings taking more care to destroy the young ones then the old that so the breeders and hope of continuance may be taken away And some also do keepe of the whelps aliue shutting of them vp close and taming them especially females who afterwards engender with dogs whose Whelpes are the most excellent keepers of flocks and the most enimies to wolues of all other Wolues are â—oâ— wilde dogges There be some haue thought that Dogs and Wolues are one kind namely that vulgar Dogs are tame Wolues and rauening wolues are wilde dogs But Scaliger hath learnedly confuted this opinion shewing that they are two distinct kinds not ioyned together in nature nor in any naturall action except by constraint for he saith that there are diuers wilde dogs are not wolues and so haue continued for many yeares in a hill cald Mountfalcon altogether refusing the society and seruice of men yea sometimes killing and eating them and they haue neither the face nor the voyce nor the stature nor the condicions of wolues for in their greatest extremity of hunger they neuer set vpon flocks of sheep so that it is vnreasonable to affirme that wolues are wilde dogs although it must needs be confessed The voyces of wolues that in outward proportion they are very like vnto them Some haue thought that wolues cannot bark but that is false as Albertus writeth vpon his owne knowledge the voice of wolues is called Vulatus howling according to these verses Ast lupus ipse vlulat frendet agrestis aper And againe Per noctem resonare lupis vlulantibus vrbes It should seeme that the word Vlulatus which the Germans translate Heulen the French Hurler and we in English howling is deriued either from the imitation of the beasts voice or from a night whooping Bird called Vlula I will not contend but leaue the Reader to either of both for it may be that it commeth from the Greek word Ololeuzein which signifieth to mourne and howle after a lamentable manner and so indeed wolues doe neuer howle but when they are oppressed with famin And thus I leaue the discourse of their voyce with the annotation of Seruius Vlulare canum est furiare To howle is the voyce of dogs and furies Although there be great difference of colours in wolues as already I haue shewed yet most commonly they are gray and hoary that is white mixed with other colours and therefore the Graecians in imitation therof do cal their twie-light which is betwixt day and night as it were participating of black and white Licophos wolfe-light because the vpper side of the wolues haire is browne and the neather part white It is said that the shaggy haire of a wolfe is full of virmin and wormes and it may well be for it hath beene proued that the skin of a sheep which was killed by a wolfe breedeth wormes The braines of a wolfe do decrease and encrease with the Moon and their eies are yellow black and very bright sending forth beames like fire The seueral partes carrying in them apparant tokens of wrath and mallice and for this cause it is said they see better in the night then in the day being herein vnlike vnto men that see better in the day then in the night for reason giueth light to their eyes and appetite to beasts and therfore of ancient time the wolfe was dedicated to the Sun for the quicknesse of his seeing sence and because he seeth far And such as is the quicknesse of his sence in seeing such also it is in smelling Coelius Stumpsius for it is reported that in time of hunger by the benefit of the wind hee smelleth his prey a mile and a halfe or two mile off for their teeth they are called Charcharodontes that is sawed yet they are smooth sharp and vnequall and therefore bite deepe as we haue shewed already for this cause the sharpest bits of horses are called Lupata All beasts that are deuourers of flesh doe open their mouths wide that they may bite more strongly and especially the wolfe The necke of a wolfe standeth on a straight bone that canot well bend therefore like the Hyaena when he would looke backwards he must turne round about the same necke is short which argueth a trecherous nature It is saide that if the heart of a wolfe be kept dry it rendreth a most fragrant or sweet smelling sauor The liuer of a VVolfe is like to a horses hoofe and in the blather there is found a certaine stone cald Syrites being in colour like Saffron or Honny yet inwardly containe certaine weake shining stars this is not the stone called Syriacus or Indiacus which is desired for the vertue of it against the stone in the blather The forefeet haue fiue distinct towes and the hinder feet but 4. because the forefeet serue in stead of hands in Lyons dogs wolues and Panthers VVe haue spoken already of their celerity in running and therefore they are not compared to Lions which go foot by foot but vnto the swiftest Dogs It is sayd they will swim and go into the water two by two euery one hanging vpon anothers taile which they take in their mouthes and therefore they are compared to the daies of the yeare which do successiuely follow one another being therfore called Lucabas For by this successiue swimming they are better strengthned against impression of the flouds and not lost in the waters by any ouerflowing waues or billowes The meat voracity of Wolues Great is the voracity of this beast for they are so insatiable that they deuoure haire and bones with the fleshe which they eat for which cause they render it whole againe in their excrements and therefore they neuer grow fat It was well sayd of a learned man Lupus vorat potius quam commedit carnes pauco vtitur potu That is A wolfe is rather to rauen then to eat his meat VVhen they are hungry they rage much although they be nourished tame yet can they not abide any man to look vpon them while they eat when they are once satisfied Aelianus Philes they endure hunger a great time for their bellies standeth out their tongue swelleth their mouth is stopped for when they haue droue away their hunger with aboundance of meate they are vnto men and beasts as meeke as lambs til they be hungry again neither are they moued to rapine though they go through a flock of sheep but in short time after their bellies and tongue are calling for more meat and then saith mine Author In antiquaÌ„ frigraÌ„ redit iterumque lupus existit That is They returne to their former conditions and become as rauening as they were before Neither ought this to seem strange vnto any man for the like things are formerly reported
short space be cured of the same The laps or fillets of a VVolues Liuer being applyed vnto the side doth perfectly heale any sticth or pricking ach therein The Liuer of a Wolfe being taken in sweete Wine doth heale those which are troubled with a ptisicke The Lyuer of a VVolfe being first boyled in Water afterwardes dryed beaten and mingled with some certaine potion doth instantly heale the griefe and inflammation of the stomacke The powder of a Wolues Lyuer mingled with white Wine and drunke in the morning for some certaine daies together doth cure the Dropsie The Liuer of a VVolfe taken either in meat or drinke doth asswage the paines of the secret parts Two spoonefuls of the powder of a Wolues Lyuer being giuen in drinke doeth cure all paines or sores of the mouth The Gall of a VVolfe being bound vnto the Nauell of any man doeth loosen the belly The Gall of a VVolfe taken in wine doth heale all paines in the fundament The entrals of a VVolfe being washed in the best white VVine blowen vpon dryed in an Ouen Syluius Albertus pounded into dust afterwardes rowled in VVormewood is a good and effectuall remedy against the Collicke and stone If some part of the yard of a VVolfe being baked in an Ouen be eaten by any either Man or VVoman it instantly stirreth them vp to lust Concerning the genitall of a VVolfe I haue spoken before in the Medicines of the Foxe but antiquity as Pliny saith doth teach that the genitall of Beasts which are bony as wolues Foxes Ferrets and VVeasels are brought to an especiall remedye for many diseases Rasis If any man take the right stone of a VVolfe being bloody steepe it in Oyle and giue it vnto any woman to apply it vnto their secret partes being wrapped in VVooll it instantly causeth her to forsake all carnall copulation yea although she bee a common Strumpet The same being taken in some certaine perfume Marcellus doth help those which are troubled with the foule euill The eyes being annointed with the excrementes of a wolfe are instantly freed from all couers or spreadiâ—g skinne therein The powder of the same wolf being mingled with the sweetest Hony as can possible be had and in the like manner rubbed or spread vpon the eyes doth expell all dazeling from them The fime of a Wolfe long rubbed vntill it be very light being mingled with Honny by the vnction thereof Galenus causeth the filth or scurfe growing about the eyes to auoyd away and restoreth them to an exceeding clearnesse The powder of a Wolues head being rubbed vpon the teeth doth make fast and confirme the loosenesse thereof and it is most certaine that in the excrementes of the same Beastes there are certaine bones found which being bound vnto the teeth haue the same force and efficacy The dung of a Wolfe or Dogge being beaten into small powder mingled with Hony and annointed vpon the throate doth cure the Quinsie or Squirisie as also al other sores in the throat whatsoeuer The fime of a Wolfe being giuen to those which are troubled with the Collicke to drinke doth easily cure them but this dung is more effectuall if it haue neuer touched ground which is very hard to come by but it is found by this means The nature of the wolfe both in making his water as also in voyding his excrements is like vnto a Dogs for while he voydeth his Water he holdeth vp his hinder Leg and voydeth his excrementes in some high or steepy place far from the earth by which meanes it falleth downe vpon bushes thornes fruites Elder-trees or some other Hearbes growing in those places by which meanes it is found neuer touching the earth There is furthermore found in the fime of Wolues certaine bones of Beasts which they haue deuoured which for as much as they could not bee grinded or chawed so also can they not be concocted which being beaten and bruised small are by some commended to be excellent giuen in drinke for the ease of the Collicke but if the grieued party shall be some fine or delicate person which cannot endure so grosse a Medicine then mingle it with Salt Pepper or some such like thing but it is most often giuen in sweet wine so there be but a smal quantity thereof drunke at one time But this dung which the Graecians cal Lagonas and is to be applyed to the groin of the diseased person ought to bee hanged in a band made of wooll but not of any wooll But it would be more effectuall if it were made of the Wool of that Sheepe which was slaine by a Wolfe But if the same cannot be got then is it fit that there be two bands one which may be bound about the groine and another which may bee bound vppon the dung to keepe it from falling There are also some which cast a small quantity of the same dung to the bignesse of a Beane in a little pot fastening the same to any one which is troubled with the saide disease and it healeth them which in a manner seemeth incredible in very short time The dung of a Wolfe boyled in small white Wine and afterwardes taken in drinke is very profitable for those which are troubled with the collick and it is also reported that if the same dung be couered with the skin of the same Beast and hung vpon the thigh of any one which hath the collick being bound with a thread made of the wool of a sheep slaine by a wolfe it will instantly cure the said disease The fime of a Wolfe so that it be not found vppon the earth but vppon some trees Brambles or Bul-rushes being kept and when there shall bee neede bound vnto the arme of him that shall be troubled with the Collick or to his Necke being included in a bone or in Copper and hung with the thread wherewith silke-women weaue doth wonderfully and most speedily cure him so there be great care had that in the meane time there be a little of the same dung giuen to the grieued party to drinke not knowing what it is The dung of a Wolfe being taken and the bones therein beaten into powder mingle therewith cold water giuing it to any one to drinke which is troubled with the stone and it will instantly cure him The Dung of a Wolfe beaten into the smallest powder then strained and giuen vnto any in his fit which is troubled therewith to the quantity of halfe a spoonefull in hot water is a very effectuall and approued cure for the stone The bones which are found in Wolues being bound vnto the arme of any one which is troubled with the Collike hauing neuer touched the ground do with great speed and celerity cure him The pasterne bone of a Hare found in the dung of a Wolfe being bound vnto any part of the body of him which is troubled with the Collicke doth very effectually cure him The dung of a Wolfe with the Haires of a white