Batman vppon Bartholome his booke De proprietatibus rerum, newly corrected, enlarged and amended: with such additions as are requisite, vnto euery seuerall booke: taken foorth of the most approued authors, the like heretofore not translated in English. Profitable for all estates, as well for the benefite of the mind as the bodie. 1582.

Of the Capon. Chap. 17.

THe Capon is of a cocke, made as it were female by caruing away of his gendering stones, & is all changed in cō∣plection, as other beasts that be gelded, & looseth his boldnesse, & his voice and song, and knoweth no difference betwéene the houres of the night, nor beateth himselfe with his wings, nor araieth himselfe in fighting, but he sitteth on broode vppon Egges that be not his owne, as it were an henne, and taketh vppon him the of∣fice of a female, and feedeth chickins that bée not his owne, and leadeth them a∣bout, and clocketh as an hen, and calleth chickins together, clocking w^t an hoarce voice, and accompanyeth with hennes, and eateth with them of their meate, but he feedeth them not, he is fasted with them, but he fatteth not them. And the Capon is more coward of heart then the Cocke, and more moist of flesh, and more soft of feathers, & somtime his feet be bro∣ken to compell him to sit on broad vpon egges, his spurs either be made blunt, or else they fall. When he is fat, his féet be bound togethers, and his head hangeth downe toward the ground; and is borne by the feet to faires and to markets. But Constantine speaketh of a gelded Cocke and saith, that the flesh of grided Cockes is more couenable then the fleshe of other fowles, and bréedeth more noble nourishing and better bloud: And theyr braine is better, and more profitable then the braine of other foules.