a tunne And therfore Cato did ordaine that women and maydens shoulde be kyssed of their parents and kinssolke to the ende they shoulde knowe whether they did smel of wine or no. Marcus Varo wryteth of a Consull which neuer made banquet nor had at his Table more at one time than at another for feare of to much drinking In tymes past at Rome the pryce was set on wine to the ende that little should be dronke but since Cesar made great banquettes whiche gaue occasion to make prouision at Rome for all kinde of Wynes Wyne alone serueth to make medicines There is wyne made of Peares Apples and of other trées whiche they vse towarde the East Some make Wine of hearbes of water and hony sodden which in Wales is called Metheglyn that wyll laste fiue yeares or wyth hony and Uineger whiche is called Oximell The smal wynes ought to touch the grouÌ„d for to be the better kepte but not the good The flower of white Wyne is good and that of red is naught By dronkennesse menne reueale their secrets and make debates The. xv booke treateth of trées bearing fruite THe Oliue tree groweth not neare the Sea nor in places to hote nor to colde they must be cut lyke Uines The Oliue oyle is of a better sauour when the Oliues begin to rype but there is not so much when they beginne to be blacke but that is the tyme to take them and of their rypenesse There is more payne to make Oyle than wine The Oliue hath stone oyle and flesh the grene are bytter by drying they become lesse thoughe that the heate is cause of oyle The lyquor of the Oliue is the Oyle but is lasteth not as doth Wyne for it is best the firste yeare Some there are that tarry till the Oliues fall from trees for it hurteth the trées agayne the yeare following to be cutte broken or smitten Olyues before they are rype will be kept wyth salte after that they haue bene in hote water If the Oliue be not cleane it is washed and dryed thrée or foure dayes and seasoned wyth salte There is Oyle made of manye thinges of Nuttes of Acornes of smal graynes of swéete smelling trées of Gumme that serueth for medicines of AlmoÌ„ds Chesnuttes and dyuers other things according to the Countreyes Apples and Peares ought to be kept in a drie and cold place and for them the north winde is good and no other wyndes when the weather is faire they should be put on hay seperated one from another for to take the ayre and they ought to be gathered before the full Moone Nuttes make a sounde or 〈◊〉 in falling when they are rype and among other fruites they are parted in foure within with a little skinne betwene both They will kepe gréene being putte in eartheâ— Pottes in the earth and with them is made good Oyles Chesnuttes are a kinde of maste and it is maruayle that nature hath so closed them in shelles Mulberryes stayne a bodyes fingers and they are of thrée colours at the first they are whyte after that become redde and when they are ripe then they are blacke Cheryes wyll kepe dryed wyth the Sunne as Olyues There are many relessinges in fruites as swéete waterishe sower bytter greene salt brackish fatte and dyuers others among the which there are that haue many tastes together The Wynes are swéete and sowre pricking Mylke is swéete and fatte but there are thrée principall Elementes wythout sauour and wythout smel as water fire and the ayre The Lawrell is didicated to triumphes and Emperours beare therof on their heades principally bycause it kepeth the persones from thunder The. xvj booke treateth of wylde trées THe Acornes commeth of Oke trées of dyuers sortes for some there are better than others and in time of famine the good Acornes dried may be grinded to make breade Acornes be most swéetest when that they are newe and rosted in the imbers The Oke is beste for to builde withall eyther houses or shippes bycause it will longest laste If an Oke trée be smitten with the thunder it beareth fewe Acornes or none and is so bitter that no beaste wil eate therof but Hogges and when they are very hungry The Beache trée beareth a kinde of maste the whiche reioyceth the Hogges being fedde with them their fleshe is soone sodden and verye profitable for the stomacke Taxus is a trée lyke vnto a Pyne trée In Arcadia it is so venemous that no beast dare sleepe vnder the shadow of it nor eate thereof The Cuppes that are made of thys woodde to putte Wyne in are venemous It is sayde that the venime of this woodde ceasseth when there is nayled therein a nayle of brasse An Esshe trée the leaues thereof is mortiferous to Mares but it hurteth not the beastes that shadowe vnder it to drinke the lyquor of it is good against the byting of Serpents for neuer serpent resteth vnder the shadow therof and he that wyll compasse a Serpent about a fire with y e leaues of this trée the Serpent will rather take the fire than escape through those leaues The Tilia of some called the Teybe hath Male and Female for the Female alone beareth floures and séede The luyce of the barke leaues is swéete but no beast will eate of the fruite betwene the barke and the woodde there are many little thinne pelles or skins with the which are made Ropes The Mapple if it were so great and so high as the Cedar should be preferred bycause of his propernesse Wyth this trée is made Tables being of a blackishe colour The Boxe trée spreadeth very large and thicke and is very proper bycause of his shadow There are certaine wylde trées that neuer léese their leafe as the Cedar the Ienuper the Holly trée and others The Ienuper for his leafe hath a sharpe pricke or thorne There are certayne places in Egipt whereas some trées wyll not grow Other trees there are that leaue their leaues sooner than the reste and the difference thereof commeth for that their fruite is sooner rype than others but Almonde trées the Esshe and others haue their fruite wyth the first and caste their leaues with the laste The Mulberrye trée bringeth hir fruite late and falleth hir leaues wyth the first The trées after the maner of beastes doe conceyue in Ianuary with the winde some sooner than others and after a straight wynde beginneth the floures to appeare and nourishe the fruite Uynes in some places beareth twice a yeare The rootes are dyuers according to the dyuersitie of trées Esculus as wryteth Virgill is a trée that hath such profunditie or déepenesse in the earth as it hath aboue the ground in height The Ciper trée is slowe in growing without fruit hauing bitter leaues violent smell and naughty shadow The trées haue moystuâ— which is their bloude with the whiche they â—ut as well as beastes They haue skin flâ—she bloud sâ—newes vaines bones mary There are trées of a maruellous height and greatnesse A trée lyke to a Pine called Larix was six score foote long and so thicke that foure men coulde scant fâ—dome it In Germany they cut such great trées for to swimme on the Ryuers and such there are as will bolde thirtie men Commonly wood wil flote aboue the water but some there are so waighty that they wil sinke Diuers woods there are that wyll neuer rotte as Cedar Boxe Ienuper and others Ciper Box and Cedar of their owne nature doe neuer cracke nor crayse nor are eaten of wormes There were brought to Rome Cypers that were 400. yeares olde which séemed as if they were new Wormes hurte many woods but neuer Cipers bycause of his bitternesse neither Box bycause of his strength Alexander the great his souldiers found in an Iland of the red sea ships that had bene made two huÌ„dreth yeres before of a certaine kinde of wood not vsed on the water The Oliue trées last two yeare and Uines sixe hundreth yeares It shall suffise at this presente with the one halfe of Plinies booke the other halfe is of husbandry with the nature of Uynes that vnto vs is well knoweÌ„ by experience as wel by the diuersitie and situation of places as of the propertie of euery hearbe seruing for medicine the which I leaue out for prolixitie obscuritie of the same Also it serueth more for the science of medicines than to vs. Making vpon this an ende with prayse to God the father that hath vs in his tuicion FINIS
doth neuer begin to hourd vp but in the full Moone The nature of the windes are dyuers according to the diuersitie of Countreyes and they procéede of the earth and of the vapors of the same which causeth somtimes in many places earthquakes The thunders and lightninges doe neuer fall in the winter for the coldnesse of the aire doth kepe them in and choakes them therefore they fall in the Sommer and many times thei marre the wine without touching the vessell There was a womaÌ„ at Rome whose child was slaine within hir wom be by thunder lightning and the womaÌ„ had no hurt at all Thrée things there are that neuer feele any harme by thunders lightnings the Lawrel trée on the earth the Eagle in the Sky and the Seacalfe in the sea for they neuer fall vpon their skinnes therefore best assured are they that are so clad Naturally there are signes and tokens in the earth the sea the aire and therefore it hath rayned somtimes bloude stones woll yea great stones acumulated in the aire by the coldnesse therof The Raynebowe is not séene in a close rainy day but y e sunne beames entring into the concauites of y e earth do reflere the Sunne and make varietie of colours by the mixture of the cloudes in the ayre and is séene moste coÌ„monly in y e SoÌ„met Also there are neuer lightly sene aboue two Rainbowes The earth is y e mother of al liuing creatures In the ayre is séene many tymes darkenesse and clowdes the hayles are deryued of the waâ—ers but the earth is lowely seruing to all crâ—atures shée bringeth forth corne wine fruites all kind of things pertaining to man She bringeth forth yron lead golde siluer precious stones herbes seruing vnto mans helth yea if y t a sâ—rpeÌ„t chaunce to byte any person the earth will not receyue that serpent when it is dead The earth is compassed rounde about with waters the which is moâ—e knowen by experience than by arguments some part thereof is not inhabited towardes the North bycause of the great colde An other part is not inhabited bycause of the extreme heate towards y e south The middle of the earth is the Centry to the whiche most wayghtiest thinges doe take holde In some places there is no shadow of y e sunne specially in Alexandria y e great where as there is a depe well without shadowe Anaxemenes Milesius was the first fouÌ„der of Dials There are many signes of mouings mutation of tymes without great appearance as in the sea when that without winde the waues do ryse and rage And in the skye when y t there is a long strype or line and when that the well waters are troubled Two mountaynes haue bene séene naturally hyt and touch one another as if they had foughten y e waters meting together to striue and maruellously to encrease beastes to dye In Asia twelue cities were subuerted by y e earthquakes without perceyuing thereof at Rome Neare vnto Rome there are two hundreth acers of grouÌ„d the which doth shake when there are horses running thereon In the Ile of Paphos there is a place where there did neuer fall rayne And in the same Ile Nea in the City of Troados the sacrifices do neuer putrifle nor rot Nere Nere to Harpasa a town in Asia there is a great Mountaine y t one may shake with their finger but if you put your whole strength to it it remayâ—eth vnmoueable There are two mouÌ„taines neare to the floud of Nyle the nature of them are dyuers for the one reâ—ayneth yron the other casteth it off in such sorte that if any of their shooes be clouted with nayles that goe vpon the sayd hil they can neyther go nor stand but are cast off and on the other hyll their shooes will sticke fast In the City of Charagena there is a certaine grouÌ„d that healeth all kinde of sores and diseases the Sea doth pourge in the full Moone the fluctuations of the seas commeth by the Sunne and Moone the which causeth it In the hys Sea there neuer falleth snow the sea is most hottest in winter and saltest in Sommer Of fresh waters there are diuers sorts In Dodone is the fountaine called Iupiters spring whiche doth kindle firebrandes it diminisheth at Noone and encreaseth at midnight and then afterwards decreaseth fayleth at myd day There are many hote waters bycause of the smoke closenesse of the hylles from whence these hote waters spring There are springs that â—il make black shéepe become white and other waters that maketh white shepe become black by continuance of drinking and others that the ewes that drinke in them their milke will become blacke At Lincestis there is a fountayne of water that will make them that drinke therof dronken Also in Paphlagonia and in the fielde Calenus in the Ile of Andro there is a Fountaine or spring that rendreth wine euery yeare in the Nonas of Ianuary In a field called Carrimensis in Spaine there is a Ryuer that wil make the fishes that are therein to séeme of the colour of golde and if they are put into any other water they will séeme as other fishes Among the maruelles of fire the Mountayne called Ethna in Sicilia burneth continually the flames whereof are sene aboue the hill toppe An other hill that is called Chimera burneth in like maner the fire of which hill is soâ—er quenched with earth or with hay than with water In the thirde fourth fifth and sixth bokes Plinie describeth the earth the waters and the Ilands and deuideth the world into Asia Affrica Europa Asia conteineth the halfe of the world in the whiche is Armenia Capadocia Albania Suauâ—a whereas there is no mettall but golde Scithies where as is the sweete Sea and there are trées that bring forth silke ready to spinne India where there are people very ryche they labour with Elephantes and goe to warre with them Their king hath ordinarily sixe hundreth thousand foote men thirtie thousande horsemen and nine thousande Camels to his gages and to his dayly cost and when they be so old y t they can scarce sée nor can liue no longer they cast them selues into a great fire Beyonde the Indias is the Ile called Taprobane where as is the gréene Sea and there is planted precious stones with metals of golde and siluer The men of that Countrey are more greater thaÌ„ others they sell their marchandise by making of signes the Moone neuer shineth with them aboue sixe houres they haue small edifices or buildinges and theyr vitayles neuer waxeth deare for their God they haue Hercules They doe electe and choose an olde man to their king which hath no children and if he chaunce to haue any whylest he is king they do kill them to that ende that the kingdome be not inherited by their elected king they do coÌ„stitute xxx gouernours without whose assente none can be condempnâ—d to death If their king doth missedoe
firste the meanes to make houses and bricks Gellius Doxius inuented lathing and loming of walles for before they had Caues and holes in the ground and they tooke exaÌ„ple of y e Swalowes which do make their neastes Cynira sonne to Agriope found out mettall of copper brasse and of leade he made first many Hammers therewith Danaus was the first in Grecia that made welles digged for water Thrason made the first walles and towers The Lidians found the meanes to dresse woolles Arachneus found the meanes to make Linâ— and Canuas The Egiptians the arte of medicine Lydius to mingle and temper mettals together Erichtonus found siluer Cadmeus golde in the mouÌ„taine of Pangy The Cyclopians were the first workers in small yron worke Corebus the Athenian made eartheÌ„ pots Theodore the Samyan made the firste keyes Palamides the measures and waightes Phrigies the Charrets and Wagons Penius the firste trader for Marchandise The Athenians to plant and sette trées and vineyardes Staphilus to mingle water to wyne Aristeus to make Oyle hony Briges of Athens did first yoke Oxen to Cart Plough The Lacedemonians founde harnesse and habiliments for warre Launces Speares Swordes Bucklers c. Cares the Bowe and Arrowes The Phenitians the Crosse bowes Belerophons first mounted vpon horses Palamydes in the warre betwene the Grekes the Troyans found the order of StaÌ„darts signes peÌ„nons streamers to giue warning and to kepe watch Iason did first sayle on the Sea in long Shippes or Galleys Before that tyme there were made little ones of wood hydes and since that tyme some haue added to theÌ„ masts sayles Cabels tackelings and many other things that we sée by experience to be necessary The first Dyals were made at Rome with water according to the course of the Sunne and since they are reduced to houses churches as it is sene at this present which was very agreable to the Romaines Finally among al the knowledge that man hath Plinie thinketh this to be the chefest poynte for man to know him self of what estate so euer he be The eight boke treateth of beastes that are on the earth IN the earth there is no beast greater than y e Elephant they haue knowledge to vnderstande their Countrey speach they haue obedience and vnderstande their dueties and charges they neuer passe the Sea tyll that their maister or gouernor doth promise to bring them home againe they knéele downe for to be loden and carry the Ladyes litters in feare prudence equitie their téeth are of yuory with their other bones there are made goedly workes they are full of clemencie and if they chaunce to find a man strayed out of his way they knowe it and will leade him throughe the Forrest into his waye but if they find a company of men séeking to chase them then naturally they knowe their enimies as other beastes doe The Elephants neuer commit adulterie and they hyde them to couer their females they carry two yeres their yong ones and the Females neuer haue but one yong in their lyues they liue two hundreth and thrée hundreth yeares they loue the shallow and cleare waters for bycause of their greatnesse they can not swim they eate stones and earth they feare colde they will cast to the ground with their froÌ„tes or foreheads trées for to eate the fruite Among the beastes they hate Mice and Rats and they will not feede where as they haue runne and tasted They increase in the borders of Affrica and the greatest in India where as there are Dragons so puissant that they fight with the Elephantes They are tamed by famine whe they are tamed they carry Castels on their backes in steade of Saddles wherein their may stande sixe or eight men and towarde the East they make in them the most part of their battails although that they being wounded or hurt do retyre There were Elephants at Rome but they were slaine with shot for the Romaines would not nourish them nor giue them to Princes The Ethiopians make them there venâ—son and they kill them with shooting and casting dartes which they cast on them standing in trées where the Elephantes vse to passe or else they take them in holes or caues in the earth couered aboue they neuer lye downe but sléepe leaning against great trâ—s and they that knowe their repaire will sawe the trée so farre that when they come to reste them against the trée it breaketh and they fall downe then they kill them for being once downe they can neuer rise agayne The bloud of Elephantes is very colde and therefore the Dragons and SerpeÌ„ts in that countrey do assemble vnder their eares and on their bodies sucke from them so much bloud that they therewith dye Dragons there are in Ethiopia of ten fadome long and in India there hauâ— bene found Serpents of a huÌ„dreth foote long and some will flye in the ayre to catch birdes in flying In Affrica there are a great number of wilde horses in Asia great Asses like vnto Mares but for their long eares So wryteth Aristotle the wyse which was appointed by Alexander the great to describe the diuersitie nature of beastes The Lyon is full of noblesse and â—lemencie the Lionesse for the first tyme bringeth forth fiue the nexte yeare after foure then three and when she bringeth but one then she ceasseth The yong ones are two monthes without mouing sixe monthes before they can goe they do soner assaile men than women and neuer yong children vnlesse it be for great saâ—ine In their age they loue followe men when that they can no more séeke their pray and they liue till their téeth fall out By their clemencie they demaunde nothing of those that prostrate them selues before them and their yre is mitigate by prayers as we haue sene by the experience of women that name them selues strauÌ„gers and poore vagabonds but they are fierce to those that striue againste them their taile doeth demonstrate their amitie and furor as doth the eares of horses When they are chased they nèuer hide them they knowe and pursue among others those that hurte them The female if that hir yong ones are taken closeth hir eyes againstâ— those that chase them to the ende that she feare not their weapons Hanus was y e first that dauÌ„ted or tamed their fearcenesse and they are taken in holes that are made of purpose in the grounde In Syria they are all blacke The Panthers are also full of clemencie We reade that if the Female méete a man strayed or lost in the woodes that fleeth for feare of hir she will compasse him mouing hir taâ—le shewing vnto him a signe of amitie and loue and after that he is assured shée will leade him into a caue or hole where as are fallen hir yong ones by misfortune which the man pulleth out and then shée tumbleth and playeth before him to giue him thanks The Tygres are very lyght and nimble therefore those that steale
doore and wheÌ„ his mayster was deade he would eate nothing and when breade was giuen hym he brought it to his maysters month The same Dog was séene openly to holde vp his maisters bodye being caste into the Ryuer of Tyber They know their mayster and vnderstande his voyce aboue all other beastes they do best know a mans voyce and their names they doe remembre the wayes and iourneyes be they neuer so farre off and there is none of so long a memorie except man In their chase they haue great diligence specially houndes In India they tie proud Bytches to trées and the Tygres doe couer them by the whiche meanes commeth fierce and cruell Dogges The king of Albania did giue to Alexander the great a Dogge of maruellous highnesse which would take Lyons and Elephants The Females haue whelpes thre tymes a yere lightlie and they carry them two moÌ„thes they are borne blinde they can not sée till seueÌ„ dayes after they be whelped If shée bring but one whelpe it séeth not till y e nynth day the better whelpe is that that the Bitche bringeth oute first or that that séeth last Horses are faithfull and ful of great knowledge for they knowe their maysters they that attende on them Many are singuler in their doyngs the Males line till fifty yeares and the females lesse at sixe yeres the males grow no more and the females but fiue yeares Among the beastes they haue least fertilitie The moste eigrest and fiercest Horses put their nose mussell depest in the water to drincke and haue almost as many diseases as men Asses there hath bene bought for foure hundreth Crownes In Acaia they are much requested to haue Mules They feare colde the Males are very slowe in their worke they doe beare as dâ—e Mares in thirtie monthes the yong ones are ready to helpe them selues After they are horsed they must be coÌ„strayned to runne or else they would reiect the séede by making water The females beare all their lyfe whiche is thirty yeares they be afraied to wette their féete and they neuer drinke but in small and shallowe waters where they are accustomed to drinke drye footed the Females doe hyde them selues when they bring forth in darke places that they be not seene of men they will not passe the bridges when the Sunne shineth in the water it is maruell that they runne not mad for thirst for he that daylye chaungeth their water or Ryuer accustomed to drinke at must constraine them perforce to drinke The little Mule is ingendred of the Asse and of the Mare The Mules that commeth of a Horse and of a shée Asse are beastes full of strength and labour The Asse that couereth the Mare bringeth forth afore hir tyme if shee before haue retayned the horse but not else the seuenth day the females should be filled after their foale is borne the Males fatigated of labour doth soner replenâ—she the Females Some of them are not lyke to their Syres and the Mule of hir nature is barren sauing that in Capadocia they beare by force of drinking wine often tymes the Mules â—asse from casting or stryking The Athenians knowing for a truth a Mule to haue done seruice fourescore yeares did ordayne that in the fiâ—ldes none should desturbe him neyther in the corne nor otherwyse The Oxen liue twenty yeares and the Kine commoÌ„lye fiftene yeares at fiue yeares they haue taken their strength it is sayde that to washe them with warme water they will fatten the strength of the Bull is at three yeres for to make them drawe it is good to yoke them with a drawing Oxe for he will teach the other In tymes past among the Romaines it was estemed as greate offence to kill an oxe or to steale one bycause of their ploughes as it was to kill a man The Bull requyring coÌ„bat sheweth magnanimitie of courage gentilitie he turneth the heade lifteth vp the eares remayneth on his foreféete and maketh the dust to flie with his hinder féete At Rome hath bene seene an Oxe speake The Oxe of Egipt hath a kyrnell called Apis vnder his tongue and a white spotte on the right syde whiche groweth as the hornes of the Moone The nature of shepe is that they liue not aboue nyne or ten yeares the Males couple with the Females in the middest of May till the middest of August the females beare a hundreth and fiftye dayes The Ram if the right genetorie be bound maketh all Females and if the left be bound in the saâ—son maketh all Males If ye looke vnder the Tuppe or Rammes tongue he doth ingender Lambes of the colour that the vaynes are if they be of dyuers colours he ingendreth Lambes of dyuers sortes Also the mutation of waters doeth varefie the colour of Lambes also the windes It is estemed not good to cut or gueld Lambes before fiue moÌ„thes and coÌ„monly the Females bring forth not aboue foure Lambes Goates conceyue commonly two Kiddes sometyme foure they beare fiue monthes as do shéepe they become barren with fatnesse and they ingender not before the fourth yeare they conceiue in Nouember for to be deliuered in March when the trées beginne to budde the Goate feareth cold euery one of these beasts haue not hornes but the milke of those that haue no hornes is fatter than those that haue and those that haue hornes their age is knowen by the knots in their hornes they asspyre through the eares not by their nose and they are neuer without Feuers or Agues bycause of the heate of their bodies which maketh them much subiect to lechery they sée aswell by night as by daye they haue all beardes on their chinne if one of them be taken or dryuen al the rest will maruel therat if they croppe or bite a yong trée it dyeth and if they licke an Oliue tree it will drye away Among the swyne the Sowe doth farrow two tymes a yeare and somtime they haue twentie Pigges but they cannot nouryshe so many the tenth day the Pigges haue téeth in once knowing y e Boare they are filled but they double it for feare not to haue retayned Some thinke that if they léese an eye that they will soone die otherwise they liue til fiftene or twenty yeres the most fattest haue least milke they willinglye wallow in the durt and myre and couch most on the left side they fatâ—eÌ„ in six dayes they know their Maysters house and defende one an other for if that one cry all the rest will runne thither Among the wilde boares the Male hath great payne to acquaint him with the Female and shée hath great dolor to make hir yong ones they are borne with téeth and are blacke In Arabia they can not liue neither wild nor yet tame Apes doe approch muche to the sense of man and their kynde is to haue no tayles these kinde of beastes are muche affectioned to their yong ones they kepe them or holde them alwayes betwene their armes or legs before their
of thornes that are ranged one against another with earth and feathers and they are seldome sene There are Swallowes of dyuers kindes there are some called Marlions that make their neastes sixe foote in the grounde Birdes haue maruellous great industrie knoweledge in making their Neastes with feathers earth and chaffe haire wool mosse and suche like Also they carry water to temper it and to fortifie it by the which meanes their yong ones are sure and safe againste the rayne the dames do clense and make cleane the nestes from ordure when their little ones are yong and when they become great they force them to come forth of their nestes for to be cleane And in India some foules séeke Hares skinnes to make their nestes The Partridge so maketh hir nest that the wilde beastes can not finde them and where she layeth hir Egges shée hatcheth not hir yong fearing that hir oft frequentation should be knowen The Female for the intemperancie of luste of the Male seketh to deceyue him bycause if she be vpon the nest he will breake hir Egges The Males do fight for the Females At the cry or singing of the Female the Male runneth so blinded that he will somtimes strike against the foulers heade he is so much subâ—ect to imbitilitie more than any other birde The Female when she heareth any approch hir yong ones she faineth to haue hir winges broken that shée can not flye and cryeth that she maye be hearde for to retyre the people and Dogs to the ende they finde not their nestes and shée flyeth a farre of from hir little ones and they liue by common estimation till sixtene yeares The Doues are chaste and leaue not their dwelling or remayning place if that they are not without makes they doe suspect adulterie by this meanes they quarrell with their throte and sight with their bill then they flatter with their fete The male is as careful toward the yong ones as the female at the first they bring their yong of the salte of the earth for to temper their â—ppetite and they conceyue by the bil The Pigeons and Turtles drinke as do horses without often pulling their bil out of the water when they drinke they liue aboute eight yeares but the wilde Doues liue thirtie yeares The Sparrowe liueth not aboue a yeare and the female liueth somwhat more bicause of the frequeÌ„tation y t theâ— haue together Birdes flye in dyuers kinds some goe some leape some runne and some caste there féete forwarde before they flye as Cranes and Storkes and there are none but Drakes that flye bolt vpwarde at the first leape others aduance them before they flye Some haue no féete and haue no rest but in their nest Hennes haue vnderstanding when they haue layd an â—gge they cackle and make a noyse The Cardnelis doth those things that shée â—s commaunded The Popingay can speake humaine speach they come froÌ„ the Indias they haue their heade as harde as their bill they liue most commonly with Acornes and they speake best y t haue fiue clawes on their feete thei are taught secretly where as there is no other noyses but the teachers Crowes haue bene séene speake and call noble men by their names specially â—e at Rome which by that meanes was solemnely buried It is easier to â—ame a Lyon an Eliphant or any other great beast or foule than to tame a Mouse or a swallow Strabo was the first that did cage birdes which before had liberty in the Sky he taught the way to fatteÌ„ Capoâ—s with meale and milke Among the birdes many haue foure féete and some lay many egges some foure and some two They ioyne together in two maners the Cranes with their height And Hennes and other Females the Cockes tread them doowne Some egges and the moâ—e part are white others coloured and others redde as the Egges of Fesantes and all kinde of egges within are of two colours white and redde Egges of fishes are rounde and they haue no white the Egges of feathered soules liuing on the water are round of others long the yong ones come out of the shell at the round ende Horace sayth that the longest egges haue the best sauour and that Henne is best and most tenderest that layeth round egges Some birdes ingender at all tymes as Hennes that lay euery day an egge some two at a tyme some so many that therewith they dye In some places Doues ingender tenne times in a yeare In Egipt the Turtle twyce a yeare and other birdes but once a yeare As touching egges there is a red droppe in the middest of the yolke the whiche maketh the birdes harte and it is the first formed and of the whyte is formed the body within the egge the heade is greater than the body and liueth with the surplus of the yolke the twentye day he hath lyfe and cryeth within the Egge and then the feathers begin to come The yong one in the egge lyeth after this sort it hath the heade vnder the ryght foote and the right wing vpoÌ„ the head and they growe on their féete contrary to the nature of other beastes Ye ought not to giue a Henne aboue xxv egges to coue on and those Chickens that are hatched about the beginning of the yeare are the best For to sette Hennes to broode take egges of tenne dayes olde for they are better than older or more fresher and ye ought to put odde when the Henne hath coâ—ed foure dayes in looking on them in the Sunne ye shall knowe whether they be good or no or in putting them in warme water for the good egges will sinke to the bottome and those that are puâ—rified and naught will flotte and swimme If the egges are neuer so little craysed that are sette they wil neuer proue It is best to set Hennes to coue in the newe Moone for if they are sette in the wane of the Mooâ—e or at the ful they wil profite little WheÌ„ the weather is hote chickeÌ„s will come within one and twenty dayes and if it be cold not til fiue twenty dayes If it thunder the egges that are coued will be lost and also at the voyce of the Kyte or Puttocke The remedy against the thunder is to put a naâ—e in the Hennes nest or else of the earth of a Carte whéele It hath bene recited of a Cocke whiche atfer the Hennes death hath atchieued couing by thys meanes to ceasse from crowing The Ducke maruelleth at the first to see hir Ducklins but after most carefullys she calleth them together and lamenteth if shée sée them drowned in the water and some there are that can make Chickens come in warme water as well as if the Egge were coued The pip commeth lyghtly vnto pullaine betwene haruest the vintage for a remedy therfore it is good to let them hunger to giue them little meate or to giue them to eat Garlike and butter Doues they lay two egges and if they
lay three they wyll hatche but twaine they bring forth a Male and a Female the Male first two dayes after y e Female The Male is hatched in the day tyme and the female in the night the yong Pigions come forth of the shell twentye dayes after they are hatched and the Female layeth Egges within fiue dayes after y t she hath knowne the Male. In soÌ„mer ofteÌ„ times they haue yoÌ„g ones thrice in two monthes for if the weather be hote they coÌ„ceyue in eightene dayes and therfore in the nest is fouÌ„d many tymes egges and yong ones And Pigeons conceyue at fiue Monthes The Peacocke at the age of thrée yâ—ares bringeth forth yong ones the first yeare one and euery yeare after she increaseth the Male breaketh the egges to haue the Female at his pleasure therefore shee hydeth hir egges and for one Male she hath fiue Females in thirtie dayes shée bringeth forth hir yong ones Géese conceyue in the water they make their Egges in the spring it is necessarye to giue them nine or eleuen egges to coue at xxv or xxx dayes they are hatched coÌ„monlye Swannes or suche lyke coue thirtie dayes the Female crow alone coueth and the Male féedeth hir in the nest The Batte hath the members and wings as feathers shée bringeth two yong ones the whiche she nourisheth with the milke of hir breasts Uâ—pers do winde one aboute another in conceyuing that they séeme to be but one serpent and the Female conceyâ—eth by sucking y e Males heade which shée putteth into hirs Some Serpentes make their egges on the ground and then couereth them with earth and the next yere after bringeth forth their yong ones Men are more proner to lust and fornication in winter than in Sommer and women more in Sommer than in Winter Beastes haue societie and knowe when the female will haue the Male. Among the foure footed beastes their smelling bringeth the operatioÌ„ of lecherie The greater the beasts are the fewer yong they bring forth and the longer they beare them All beastes are replenished with y e Male at one tyme though they bring neuer so manye and the yong ones lye in the Females belly the ioyntes or knées against the belly But a yong Childe in the mothers Wombe hath his face betwéene his knées and is like a Citie â—attes and Myce do ingender by licking one another and it hath bene sene that one hath made sixe score so it commeth to passe that by this meanes there are so many both in the fieldes and in mens houses The Salmander in touching y e fire doth quench it as if it were yse and notwithstanding that shée casteth by the mouth which is like milke if it touch any part of a man the haire of his skinne will fall away they growe as the Eele in the water and among them there is neyther Male nor Female and they neuer conceyue nor make egges nor yet haue yong Mans sense is perfect but in séeing the Eagle doth surmout him The Uulture to smel and the Mole to heare what soeuer is on earth Fyshes doth both smel and sée and yet haue neither eare nor hole in the heade Some fishes get their pray with their téeth others with their féete and others with sucking licking according to their nature Some liue by sucking of venime as Serpentes and Spyders that haue neyther bloud nor heate nor sweate to them nedeth no meates Wolues do often tymes liue with earth Beastes do fatteÌ„ with drinking and therfore salte for them is necessary Those beastes that haue their téeth close doe lape as Dogs in their drinking and they that holde their téeth together do sowpe hume as doe Oxen and Horses The Beare in drinking séemeth to bite the water In Affrica wild beasts drinke not in the Sommer for default of water there are certaine beastes that neuer drinke and yet they haue alwayes thirst within the body There is that haue a bladder full of lyquor in drinking thereof one shall endure long without thirst Birdes haue both 〈◊〉 and warre among them selues as well as beastes on the earth One robbeth from the other their nestes yong ones egges and meate All beastes hauing heart will sléepe both on the earth and in the water A childe newe borne to let him sléepe long is to him nourishment as he growes to age he slâ—peth lesse and yong children dreame in their sléeping The. xj booke treateth of little beastes NAture hath made more maruelles and hath giuen more sense and vnderstaÌ„ding to little beastes worthy of more greater memorie than the great They haue no bloude but in stéede of bloude haue humidâ—ie and moysture in the body which maketh them giue both sounde and voyce to asspire and respire they haue neyther heart nor lyuer but onelye certaine bowels and haue eyes and other sentementes and féelings their heade moueth not without the body vnlesse it be pulled off Among the which the good flyes or hony Bées haue sense and labour for the publicke profite they haue among them Princes conductours of their councell and maner howe to behaue them selues in their frequentations In the Winter they are hidden for that they can not resist the Snowes Windes and Frostes they make hony and ware when they goe to their worke they neuer léese no tyme. First they wype or rubbe their Hyue wyth things that are bytter as the Gumme of trées and other things for to take the taste froÌ„ other beastes of the swéetnesse of their hony afterwarde they make their chambers or dwellings then they make their yong ones without corruption and after that they make their hony and waâ—e of floures prouide foode for winter otherwise bitter meate full of humor seperated froÌ„ hony On nights in their voyage when they are froÌ„ their wonted place to rest they lye their belly vpwarde to kepe their winges from the dewe The maner of their workes is to remaine some of them at y e gate or doore of their Hyue there to kepe watch as the custome is of a Castle in the night they rest till the morning except those that are appointed to watche of the which one of them in the morning goeth aboute making a sounde or noyse as it were a Trumpet and then euery one departeth and flyeth away if the day be faire otherwise they continue in their house they know the disposition of tymes the yong ones goe or flye abrode into the fieldes and the old ones remayne to make the worke or to deuide the rowmes within Some bring the flowers to the entrie of their place others do discharge it caryeth it in others bring water in their throte for to teÌ„per or giue moysture to their workes and they deuide their offices Some do garnish some pollishe some sucke and others make ready foode of that which is brought in for they liue together and doe not seperate to the ende that equally their foode be deuided they make double alleyes or pathes
some to come in at some to goe forth by the most hony is in the highest rowme If there chaunce to ryse a great winde whylest they are in the fieldes then they flie close to the grouÌ„d along the hedges and they take a litle stone or earth to be more waightier to the ende the winde beare them not away and lode their floures in their fore féete against their breastes Those that are appointed maysters or ouerseers of their house will chastice those that are negligent and slowe They neuer file nor make filth in their Hiue they are so cleane In the night their watch being set they retyre into their lodging and make a murmuring or noyse still deminishing till that one maketh the last sounde or Trumpet flying in the midst of them and then they ceasse oft al til the morning First they make their common houses and then the house of their king or Capitaine whome they doe elect and choose Among these good flyes there are others more greater without sting whiche serue at the workes to chafe or warme y e yong ones betwene their féete and they are straightly corrected and if they fayle without any remission These make their king a fayre house pinacled lyke a Castle seperated from other houses The lodgings of the common sort haue sixe rowmes or corners for the worke of their sixe féete and they make them in close darke or raynye dayes and at suche tymes they fill the vpper Celles with hony and in a fayre cléere day they goe to the fieldes The maner how the yong ones are borne there is greate defficultie for thei neuer couer one another There was a Romaine that made a hiue of cléere lanterne hornes for to sée their workes and it séemeth that they make little wormes that become flyes and before that they haue feathers there is nothing that y e dame desireth more to eat wheÌ„ their heades are pulled of Their king is chosen in euery swarme or coÌ„pany they choose hym that is greatest he is knowen for he hath a spot in the foreheade If he go or flye to the fieldes the others follow him as his gard and he goeth not out of the Hyue vnlesse that al the rest do followe If he haue a wing broken or perished he goeth not oute of the Hyue he onely taketh no paynes but admonisheth them of their worke If by aduyse of councel he coÌ„meth forth euery one putteth their payne to serue him and wil carry him if he be weary If he haue a sting yet he vseth it not WheÌ„ they intend to depart leaue the hiue certaine dayes before they murmure and make a noyse and flye their way by tempests Often tymes they be at strife for their bondes floures or if one Hyue haue no foode they wil spoile another and their king doth defende them If there want vittayles they kill or driue away those flyes that haue no sting If their sting be once broken they are tamed or faint hearted as a gelded body and can profite no more such haue places a part for to retyre them They hate shéepe for they can scarce get out of their wooll Also they hate Crabbes or Creuices and if there be any soddeÌ„ nere to their place the smell of them will make them dye They haue many diseases and if any of them dye they bring him oute of their rowmes cast him out of their Hyue as making of funerals If their King dye they doe more for then they make such dolor and sorrow that they do nothing By this and by to muche taking off of their hony they die often tymes They haue sense and vnderstaÌ„ding to heare and doe reioyce and at the sound of a Basan they wil asseÌ„ble When their worke is finished they flie abrode then retourne to their hyue or house Their age is seuen yeares they neuer touch any Carion as Crowes Kytes and other flyes doe Their hony commeth as it were a sweate from heauen spittle from the starres or lyquor from the ayre when in the spring tyme the sayd moysture falleth on the leaues and the Dew and the Bées receyueth it and caryeth it into their byue The hony at the first is as cleare as water it boyleth lyke newe wine and purgeth the twentie day it fatteneth then it hardneth and casteth a little skin like a scumme there is wayes how to get the hony for want of foode causeth the Bées to disperse and flye their wayes or die and to great abundance maketh them vnprofitable for they labour no more than is necessary or nedeful and therefore the twelueth parte is their porcion that they ought to leaue them Of hony is made many medicinable thinges seruing to eche one Some leaue the tenth parte and if it be not ful but almost empty ye ought not to touche it That hony that cleaueth together or thréedeth is not good but when incontinently it breaketh in taking of it it is a good signe Also the good smelling hony that hath a colour lyke golde and swéete in the tast is a signe of goodnesse The wilde hony is not so good as the other Spiders or Spinners haue within them suche fertilitie that they spinne beginning in the mydst they make thréedes very subtill They make their yong ones lyke wormes Scorpions towards the East are very venemous they make little wormes like egges of whiche commeth their yong ones but in Italy they do litle harme They byte or sting with their tayle Locusts or Grashoppers make egges they goe on the ground with their clawes The Parthians doe eate them Also Ants make egges of the which growe their yong ones and as the good flyes doe congregate their workes so they hide their foode in the earth for to liue with in the winter They haue knowledge howe to deuide the greate graine Acorne and they dry them that are wet in the Sommer they worke by night in the full Moone one commeth to another for their burthens it séemeth that in them is mutual loue in the diligence of their worke Among other beastes they bury one another when they are deade The Butterflye commeth of a little worme in thrée dayes shée groweth also of woode wherein is humiditie There are beastes full of bloud that dye â—o sone as they are ful for behinde they haue no issue they are ingendered vnder the Oxen sometyme on Dogges In Cypres there growe in the furnaces of flyes greate flying flyes called Piralis or Piransta that dye when they are out of the fire And some there are called Hemorobios that dye that day that they take life Deade flyes if they be hidden or buried in Ashes will reuiue All beastes haue their hornes hollowe sauing at the very ende except the Déere Asses in India haue one horne Man alone hath his eares vnmoueable Hares sléepe with their eies open so do many men which the Greekes call Corybantia The eyes of yong Swallowes wil come again if
they be pulled out The eyes of man principallys doth shewe loue furor folly and wisedome Great eyes signifie small wit or discretion The heart lyueth first and dyeth last A man hath eight ribbes on a side the Hog ten the Serpent thirtie Among foules the Batte hath téeth no other Man groweth til he be xxi yeres olde Bloud preserueth the life of euery person that being gone no remedy but death They that haue the thickest and fattest bloude are the strongest They that haue it most fine and cleare are the wysest They that haue least are fearefull The bloud of an asse is most fattest The bloude of a Bull will sone ware harde The bloude of Déere and Goates is not thicke nor hardneth noâ— Man alone will chaunge his colour euen in a moment The man that is hairye is inclined to fleshely lust If a mannes haire doth not growe nor his bearde it is a signe that he is barren so is the woman that hath no haire growing on hir bodye The haire of a mannes bearde commeth not as the grasse in the fielde that is mowed but it procéedeth from the roote There is no Male that hath any appearance of breastes but man a womaÌ„ hath two in hir stomacke the Cowe hath foure in hir belly Goates and shéepe two the Sowes ten some twelue Euery Pigge knoweth the dugge that they haue bene nourished with Whales and Sea calues nourishe their yong ones with milke of their breastes A womans milke is vnprofitable before the seuen monthes A Cowe hath no milke before she hath had a calfe The Asse hath milke when she beginneth to beare And to let the yong Asse take the Dames milke before two dayes is daungerous Certaine Dames of Rome did bathe them selues in Asses milke for it maketh their skin smoth and whyte Milke of Goates is worsse to make chese than the milke of Kyne The milke of beastes hauing aboue foure breastes is vnprofitable to make chéese and that of two breastes is better The chéefest and best chéeses are made in Italy Zoroastes liued twentie yeres with chéese without féeling age Man hath two feete of one length and measure and two armes with two handes The thombe the little finger are of one measure the other two also of a measure and that in the midst is longer Euery finger hath thre ioynts and they shutte or bowe inwarde and not outward the thombe hath but two that bowe in like maner The Ape is the beast that moste approcheth the fashion of féete handes nose and eares to maÌ„ for with the foreféete he fedeth and hath the bowels lyke to mannes At three yeares man hath taken halfe his growth of hight He hath the knées and armes contrary in bowing the one forwarde the other backwarde Beastes that ingender their like bow their knées backewarde and those that make egges forwarde Nayles grow vnto eche one yea vnto deade men as well as their beardes Birdes that haue elawes one at the héele streatch their féete toward their tayle in flying All beastes haue féete in nuÌ„ber equall Flyes haue sixe and so haue Locustes or Grashoppers that leape bycause that their hinder féete are long The genitores of Wolues Foxes and â—aÌ„mes are of bone Boares haue them ioyning and shéepe haue them hanging The tayle of fishes serueth to conduct them and so it doth to other beastes and all haue tayles except man and the Ape Those beastes haue voice that haue lungs and artiers Others make but a sounde or noyse and murmure inwarde A Childe neuer rendreth voyce till he be wholly out of the mothers wombe They that sonest speake latest goe The boyces of men are dyuers as well as their similitudes and likenesse and we vnderstand them before we sée them The voyce of men is more grauer than the voyce of women Members that growe out of tyme are vnprofitable as the sixte finger There was one that had two eyes behinde the heade but he saw nothing It is a vaine thing sayth Arisrotle to iudge any person by signes Often tymes commeth iudgementes of short life that is to weâ—e few téeth very long fingers colour like to lead and other things The contrary signes of long life is to crooke the shoulders on one hande two strikes along to haue more thaÌ„ xxxij téeth great eares Great fore heades signifieth a stoute and manly courage little fore heade lightnesse a round fore heade wrath If the browes be straight it signifieth imbecilitie If they bende towards the nose hastinesse If they bende towards the chéekes signifieth a mocking person If they bende wholy towarde the eyes malice and enuy Long eyes signifie malice The greatnesse of y e eares signifieth a foolishe babler The breath of a Beare is naught worsse a LioÌ„s The Serpent flyeth the breath of the Elephant and the burning of Hartes hornes The hony Bées oile being cast on them dye The Scithians in their warres temper their Dartes heades in humaine bloude and in Uipers poyson and if they strike any therewith there is no remedye but death The best foode for man is to eate but of one meate at one time or meale the accumulating of sauours is pestiferous and Wine maketh a smelling or stinking breath if it be not tempered With greate difficultie shall a man digest that whiche is taken gredely excessiuely or hastily There is more payne in the stomacke to digest in Sommer than in Winter and in age more than in youth The vomytings that are made after excesse maketh the body colde are hurtfull to the eyes and teeth A mans body groweth waxeth grosse to vse swéete things fatte meates and good drinkes A man maye easely liue seauen dayes without drinke Butter asswageth hunger and thirst neuerthelesse thinges excessiuely taken are hurtefull and therefore it is good to deminishe that away which hurteth The. xij booke treateth of swéete smelling trées TRees haue lyfe whiche they take of the earth There are manye straunge trées in dyuers countreys which vnto some are vnknowen In some places they water fine trées at the â—oote with wyne the which profiteth muche the rootes The Parthians which haue trées bearing wooll of the whiche is made fine cotton cloth as it is sayde haue a trée bearing Apples but y e fruit is not to be eateÌ„ but they haue a meruellous smell so haue the barkes the whiche being in your Chest among your apparell casteth a sweete sauour or smell and this trée hath alwayes fruit some growing some dying and some ready to gather and the graftes of this trée will take in no other countrey In India there is both wood and trées that will not burne in the fire There hath also bene séene a Figge trée of a great height the braunches of the same trée to spread sixty paces and it hath leaues so brode that the sunne beames can not by any meanes enter betwene and therfore the fruit of this trée can not dye but the shadow of the same is very delectable There