The historie of the vvorld: commonly called, The naturall historie of C. Plinius Secundus. Translated into English by Philemon Holland Doctor of Physicke. The first [-second] tome

THE EIGHTH BOOKE OF THE HISTORIE OF NATVRE, (Book 8)

WRITTEN BY C. PLINIVS SECVNDVS.

CHAP. I.

¶ Of landbeasts. The praise of Elephants: their wit and vnderstanding.

PAsse we now to treat of other liuing creatures, and first of land-beasts: among [unspec I] which, the Elephant is the greatest, and commeth neerest in wit and ca∣pacitie, to men; for they vnderstand the language of that country wherin they are bred, they do whatsoeuer they are commanded, they remember what duties they be taught, and withall take a pleasure and delight both in loue and also in glory, nay more than all this, they embrace goodnesse, honestie, prudence, and equitie (rare qualities I may tel you to be found in men) and withal haue in religious reue∣rence (with a kinde of deuotion) not only the stars and planets, but the sun and moon they also worship. And in very truth, writers there be who report thus much of them, That when the new moon beginneth to appeare fresh and bright, they come downe by whole heards to a certaine riuer named Amelus, in the desarts and forests of Mauritania, where after that they are washed [unspec K] and solemnly purified by sprinckling and dashing themselues all ouer with the water, & haue saluted and adored after their manner that planet, they returne again into the woods & chases, carrying before them their yong calues that be wearied and tired. Moreouer, they are thought to haue a sense and vnderstanding of religion & conscience in others; for when they are to passe the seas into another country, they wil not embarke before they be induced thereto by anoath of their gouernors and rulers, That they shall returne again: and seene there haue bin diuers of them, being enfeebled by sicknesse (for as big and huge as they be, subject they are to grie∣vous maladies) to lie vpon their backs, casting and flinging herbes vp toward heauen, as if they had procured and set the earth to pray for them. Now for their docility and aptnesse to learne any thing; the king they adore, they kneele before him, and offer vnto him garlands and [unspec L] chaplets of floures and green herbes. To conclude, the lesser sort of them, which they call Ba∣stards, serue the Indians in good stead to eare and plough their ground.

CHAP. II.

¶ When Elephants were put to draw first.

THe first time that euer they were knowne to draw at Rome, was in the triumph of Pompey the Great, after he had subdued Africke, for then were two of them put in geeres to his triumphant chariot. But long before that, it is said that Father Bacchus hauing conquered India, did the like when he triumphed for his conquest. Howbeit, in that triumph of Pompey, [unspec M] Procilius affirmeth, That coupled, as they were, two in one yoke, they could not possibly go in at the gates of Rome, In the late solemnity of tournois & sword-fight at the sharp, which Germa∣nicus Caesar exhibited to gratifie the people, the elephants were seen to shew pastime with lea∣ping & keeping a stir, as if they danced, after a rude and disorderly manner. A common thing it

was among them to fling weapons & darts in the aire so strongly, that the winds had no power [unspec A] against them; to flourish also before hand; yea, and to encounter and meet together in fight like sword-fencers; and to make good sport in a kinde of Moriske dance: and afterwards to go on ropes and cords: to carry (foure together) one of them laid at ease in a litter, resembling the maner of women newly brought a bed: last of all, some of them were so nimble and well practi∣sed, that they would enter into an hall or dining place where the tables were set full of guests, and passe among them so gently and daintily, weighing as it were their feet in their going, so as they would not hurt or touch any of the company as they were drinking.

CHAP. III.

¶ The docilitie of Elephants.

THis is knowne for certaine, that vpon a time there was an Elephant among the rest, not so good of capacity, to take out his lessons, and learn that which was taught him: and being beaten and beaten again for that blockish and dull head of his, was found studying and conning those feats in the night, which he had bin learning in the day time. But one of the greatest wonders of them was this, that they could mount vp and clime against a rope; but more wonderfull, that they should slide downe again with their heads downward. Mutianus, a man who had in his time bin thrice Consull, reporteth thus much of one of them, that he had lear∣ned to make the Greeke characters, and was wont to write in that language thus much, Thus haue I written, and made an offering of the Celticke spoiles. Likewise hee saith, that himselfe saw at Puteoli, a certain ship discharged of Elephants embarked therein; and when they should be set [unspec C] ashore, and forced to go forth of the vessel, to which purpose there was a bridge made for them to passe ouer, they were affrighted at the length thereof, bearing out so far from the land into the water: and therefore to deceiue themselues, that the way might not seeme so long, went backward with their tails to the banke, and their heads toward the sea. They are ware, & know full well that their only riches (for loue of which, men lay wait for them) lieth in their armes and weapons that Nature hath giuen them: king Iuba calleth them their hornes: but Herodotus, who wrote long before him, and the custome of speech, hath tearmed them much better, teeth. And therefore when they are shed and fallen off, either for age, or by some casualtie, the Ele∣phants themselues hide them with in the ground. And this in truth is the only yuory: for all the rest, yea, and these teeth also so far as lay couered within the flesh, is of no price, and taken for [unspec D] no better than bone. And yet of late daies, for great scarcitie & want of the right teeth, men haue bin glad to cut and saw their bones into plates, and make yvorie therof. For hardly can we now come by teeth of any bignes, vnlesse we haue them out of India. For all the rest that might be gotten in this part of the world between vs and them, hath bin imploied in superfluities on∣ly, and serued for wanton toies. You may know yong Elephants by the whitenes of these teeth: and a speciall care and regard haue these beasts of them aboue all. They looke to one of them alwaies, that the point be sharp; and therefore they forbeare to occupie it, least it should bee blunt against they come to fight: the other they vse ordinarily, either to get vp roots out of the earth, or to cast down any banks or mures that stand in their way. When they chance to be en∣uironed and compassed round about with hunters, they set formost in the rank to be seen, those [unspec E] •…•…f the heard that haue the least teeth: to the end, that their price might not be thought worth the hazard and venture in chase for them. But afterwards, when they see the hunters eager, and themselues ouermatched and weary, they breake them with running against the hard trees, and leauing them behind, escape by this ransome as it were, out of their hands.

CHAP. IIII.

¶ The elemencie of Elephants: their foresight and knowledge of their owne dangers: also the fell fiercenesse of the Tygre.

A Wonder it is in many of these creatures, that they should thus know wherefore they are hunted, and withall take heed & beware of all their dangers. It is said, that if an elephant [unspec F] chance to meet with a man wandering simply out of his way in the wildernesse, hee will mildly and gently set him in the right way again. But if he perceiue a mans fresh footing, be∣fore he espie the man, he will quake and tremble for feare of being forelaid & surprised: he wil

stay from farther following the sent, look about him euery way, snuffe and puffe for very anger. [unspec G] Neither will he tread vpon the tract of a mans foot, but dig it out of the earth, and giue it the next Elephant vnto him, and he againe to him that followeth, and so from one to another pas∣seth this intelligence and message as it were, to the vtmost rank behind. Then the whole heard makes a stand, and cast round about to returne backward, and withall put themselues in battel array: so long continueth that strong virulent smel of mens feet, and runneth through them all, notwithstanding for the most part they be not bare but shod. Semblably, the Tigresse also, how fierce and cruell she be to other wilde beasts, & careth not a whit for a very Elephant; if shee happen to haue a sight of a mans footing, presently, by report, carieth away her young whelpes, and is gon. But how commeth she to this knowledge of a man? where saw she him euer before, whom thus she feareth? for surely such wild woods & forests are not much trauelled & frequen∣ted [unspec H] by men. Set case, that they may wel wonder at the strange sight and nouelty of their tracts, which are so seldome seen, how know they that they are to be feared? Nay, what should be the reason, that they dread to see a man indeed, being as they are, far bigger, much stronger, and swifter by many degrees than a man? Certes, herein is to be seen the wonderfull worke of Na∣ture, and her mightie power; that the greatest, the most fell an•…•… sauage beasts that be, hauing neuer seen that which they ought to feare, should incontinently haue the sence and conceit, why the same is to be feared.

CHAP. V.

¶ The vnderstanding and memorie of Elephants. [unspec I]

THe Elephants march alwaies in troups. The eldest of them leadeth the vaward, like a cap∣taine: and the next to him in age, commeth behind with the conduct of the arrereguard. When they are to passe ouer any riuer, they put for most the least of al their company, for feare, that if the bigger should enter first, they would, as they trod in the channell, make the wa∣ter to swell and rise, and so cause the fourd to be more deepe. Antipater writeth, that K. Antio∣chus had two Elephants, which he vsed in his wars aboue all the rest; and famous they were for their surnames, which they knew well enough, and wist when any man called them thereby: and verily, Cato reciting in his Annals the names of the principall captaine Elephants, hath left in writing, That the Elephant which fought most lustily in the point of the Punick war, had to name Surus, by the same token, that the one of his teeth was gone. When Antiochus on a time [unspec K] would haue sounded the fourd of a certaine riuer, by putting the Elephants before, Ajax refu∣sed to take the water, who otherwise at all times was wont to lead the way. Wherupon the king pronounced with a loud voice, That look which Elephant passed to the other side, he should be the captain and chiefe. Then Patroclus gaue the venture: & for his labor had a rich harnish and caparison giuen him; & was all trapped in siluer (a thing wherin they take most delight) and made besides the soueraigne of all the rest. But the other that was disgraced thus, and had lost his place, would neuer eat any meat after, but died for very shame of such a reprochfull igno∣miny. For among other qualities, maruellous bashfull they are: for if one of them be ouermat∣ched & vanquished in fight, he wil neuer after abide the voice & braying of the conqueror, but in token of submission, giueth him a turfe of earth, with veruaine or grasse vpon it. Vpon a kind [unspec L] of shamefaced modesty, they neuer are seen to ingender together, but perform that act in some couert & secret corner. They go to rut, the male at 5 yeres of age, the femal not before she is 10 yeres old. And this they do euery third yere: and they continue therein fiue daies in the yeare (as they say) and not aboue: for vpon the sixt day they all to wash themselues ouer in the run∣ning riuer: & before they be thus purified, return not to the heard. After they haue taken one to another once, they neuer change: neither fall they out and fight about their femalls, as other creatures do most deadly and mortally. And this is not for want of loue and hot affection that way: for reported it is of one Elephant, that he cast a fancy and was enamoured vpon a wench in Aegypt that sold nosegaies & garlands of floures. And lest any man should thinke that hee had no reason thereto, it was no ordinary maiden, but so amiable, as that Aristophanes the ex∣cellent [unspec M] Grammarian, was wonderfully in loue with her. Another there was, so kind and full of loue, that he fansied a youth in the army of Ptolomaeus, that scarce had neuer an haire vpon his face, and so entirely he loued him, that what day soeuer he saw him not, he would forbeare his

meat, and eat nothing. K. Iuba likewise reporteth also of an Elephant that made court to ano∣ther [unspec A] woman, who made and sold sweet ointments and perfumes. All these testified their loue and kindnes, by these tokens: joy they would at the sight of them, and looke pleasantly vpon them: make toward them they would (after their rude and homely manner) by all means of flat∣terie: and especially in this, that they would saue whatsoeuer people cast to them for to eat, and lay the same ful kindly in their laps and bosomes. But no maruel it is that they should loue who are so good of memorie. For the same Iuba saith, That an Elephant tooke knowledge and acquaintance of one man in his old age, and after many a yere, who in his youth had bin his ru∣ler and gouernor. He affirmeth also, that they haue by a secret diuine instinct, a certain sence of justice and righteous dealing. For when K. Bacchus meant to be reuenged of 30 Elephants, that he had caused to be bound vnto stakes, and set other 30 to run vpon them, appointing also cer∣tain men among to pricke and prouoke them thereto; yet for all that, could not one of them be [unspec B] brought for to execute this butcherie, nor be ministers of anothers crueltie.

CHAP. VI.

¶ When Elephants were first seen in Italy.

THe first time that Elephants were seen in Italy, was during the war of K. Pyrrhus; & they called them by the name of Lucae boues, i. Lucane oxen, because they had the first sight of them in the Lucans countrie, and it was in the 472 yere after the cities foundation. But in Rome it was seuen yeres after ere they were seen, and then they were shewed in a triumph. But in the yere 502, a number of them were seen at Rome by occasion of the victorie of L. Metellus [unspec C] P•…•…ntifex ouer the Carthaginians: which Elephants were taken in Sicilie. For 142▪ of them were conueied ouer vpon planks and flat bottomes, which were laied vpon ranks of great tuns and pipes set thicke one by another. Verrius saith, that they were caused to fight in the great cirque or shew place, and were killed there with shot of darts and iauelins for want of better counsel, and because they knew not well what to do with them: for neither were they willing to haue them kept and nourished, ne yet to be bestowed vpon any kings. L. Piso saith they were brought out only into the shew place or cirque aforesaid, and for to make them more contemptible were chased round about it by certaine fellowes hired thereto, hauing for that purpose certain staues and perches, not pointed with iron, but headed with bals like foiles. But what became of them afterward, those Authours make no mention: who were of opinion that they were not [unspec D] killed.

CHAP. VII.

¶ Their fights and combats.

MVch renowned is the fight of one Roman with an Elephant, at what time as Annibal for∣ced those captiues whom he had taken of our men, to skirmish one against another to the vtterance. For the only Roman that remained vnslaine at that vn naturall conflict, he would needs match with an Elephant, and see the combate himseife, assuring him vpon his word, that if he could kil the beast, he should be dismissed and sent home with life & liberty. [unspec E] So this prisoner entred into single fight with the Elephant, & to the great hearts griefe of the Carthaginians slew him out-right. Anniball then sent him away indeed according to promise and couenant; but considering better the consequence of this matter; and namely, that if this combat were once by him bruted abroad, the beasts would be lesse regarded, and their seruice in the wars not esteemed; made after him certaine light horsemen to ouertake him vpon the way to cut his throat, so making him sure for telling tales. Their long snout or trunke which the Latins call Proboscis, may be easily cut off, as it appeared by experience in the wars against K. Pyrrhus. Fenestella writeth, That the first fight of them in Rome, was exhibited in the grand Cirque, during the time that Claudius Pulcher was Aedile Curule, when M. Antonius and A. Post∣humius were Consuls: in the 650 yere after the citie of Rome was built. In like maner, 20 yeres [unspec F] after, when the Luculli were Aediles Curule, there was represented a combat between bulls and Elephants. Also in the second Consulship of C. Pompeius at the dedication of the temple to Ve∣nus Victoresse, 20 of them, or as some write, 17 fought in the great Cirque. In which solemnitie

the Gaetulians were set to launce darts and jauelins against them. But among all the rest, one [unspec G] Elephant did wonders: for when his legs and feet were shot and stucke full of darts, he crept vp∣on his knees, and neuer staied til he was gotten among the companies of the said Gaetulians, where he caught from them their targets and bucklers perforce, flung them aloft into the aire, which as they fell, turned round, as if they had bin trundled by art, & not hurled & thrown with violence by the beasts in their furious anger: and this made a goodly sight, and did great plea∣sure to the beholders. And as strange a thing as that was seen in another of them, whose fortune was to be killed out of hand with one shot: for the dart was so driuen, that it entered vnder the eie, and pierced as far as to the vitall parts of the head, euen the ventricles of the brain. Wher∣upon all the rest at once assaied to break forth and get away, not without a great hurry & trou∣ble among the people, notwithstanding they were without the lists, and those set round about [unspec H] with yron grates and bars. [And for this cause Caesar the Dictatour, when afterwards hee was to exhibit the like shew before the people, cast a ditch round about the place, letting in the water and so made a mote thereof: which prince Nero afterwards stopped vp, for to make more room for the knights and men of armes.] But those Elephants of Pompey being past all hope of esca∣ping and going cleere away, after a most pittifull manner and rufull plight that cannot bee ex∣pressed, seemed to make mone vnto the multitude, crauing mercie and pittie, with grieuous plaints and lamentations, bewailing their hard state and wofull case: in such sort, that the peo∣ples hearts earned again at this piteous sight, and with tears in their eies, for very compassion, rose vp all at once from beholding this pageant, without regard of the person of Pompey that great Generall and Commander, without respect of his magnificence and stately shew, of his [unspec I] munificence and liberality, where he thought to haue woon great applause and honor at their hands; but in lieu thereof fell to cursing of him, and wishing all those plagues and misfortunes to light vpon his head, which soon after insued accordingly. Moreouer, Caesar the Dictatour in his third Consulship exhibited another fight of them, and brought forth 20 to maintain skir∣mish against 500 footmen: and a second time he set out 20 more, with woodden turrets vpon their backs, containing 60 defendants apiece: and he opposed against them 500 footmen, and as many horse. After all this, Claudius and Nero the Emperors brought them forth one by one into single fight, with approued, expert, and accomplished fencers, at the end of al the other so∣lemnitie when they had done their prizes. This beast, by report of all writers, is so gentle to all others that are but weak, and not so strong as himselfe, that if he passe through a flock or heard [unspec K] of smaller cattell, it will with the nose or trunke which serueth in stead of his hand, remoue and turn aside whatsoeuer beast commeth in his way, for feare he should go ouer them, and so crush and tread vnder his foot any of them, ere it were aware. And neuer do they any hurt, vnlesse they be prouoked thereto. Alwaies walke they by troups together, and worst of all other can they away with wandring alone, but loue company exceeding well. If it fortune that they be inuiro∣ned with horsmen, look how many of their fellows be feeble, weary, or wounded, those they take into the mids of their squadron: and as if there were marshalled and ordered by a Serjeant of a band, or heard the direction of some Generall, so skilfully and as it were with guidance of reason, do they maintain fight by turns, and succeed one after another in their course. The wild sort of them, after they be taken, are soonest brought to be tame and gentle, with the iuice or [unspec L] decoction of husked barly.

CHAP. VIII.

¶ The manner of taking Elephants.

THe Indians are wont to take Elephants in this manner: the gouernor driueth one of them that are tame, into the chase and forrests, and when he can meet with one of them alone, or single him from the heard, he all to beateth the wilde beast till he hath made him wearie, and then he mounteth vpon him & ruleth him as wel as the former. In Africk they catch them in great ditches which they make for that purpose: into which, if one of them chance to wan∣der [unspec M] astray from his fellowes, all the rest immediatly come to succour him; they heap together a deale of boughs, they rol down blocks & stones, and whatsoeuer may serue to raise a banke, and with all that euer they can do, labor to plucke him out. Before-time, when they meant to make them tractable, their maner was, by a troup of horsmen to driue or train them by little & little

a long way in a certain lawn or vally, made by mans hand for the nones, ere they were aware, and [unspec A] when they were inclosed within ditches or bankes, there they would keep them from meat so long, vntil for very hunger they would be glad to come to hand for food: & by this they might know they were gentle and tame enough to be taken, if they would meekly take a branch of a bow presented and offred vnto them. But now adaies, since they seek after them for their teeths sake, they make no more ado but shoot at their legges, which otherwise naturally are tender e∣nough and the softest part of their whole body. The Troglodites, a people bounding vpon Ae∣thiopia, who liue only vpon the venison of Elephants flesh, vse to clime trees that be neer their walk, and there take a stand: from thence (letting all the heard to passe quietly vnder the trees) they leap down vpon the buttocks of the hinmost: then he that doth this feat, with his left hand laieth fast hold vpon his taile, and sets his feet and legs fast in the flanke of the left side, and so [unspec B] hanging and bending backward with his body, he cutteth the ham-strings of one of his legges with a good keen bil or hatchet that he hath of purpose in his right hand: which done, the Ele∣phant beginneth to slack his pace, by reason that one of his legs is wounded: the man then ma∣keth shift to get away and alighteth on foot, and for a farwell he hougheth the sinews likewise of the other ham; and all this doth he in a trice with wonderful agility and nimblenes. Others haue a safer way than this, but it is more subtill and deceitfull: they set or stick in the ground a great way off, mighty great bows ready bent; to hold these fast, they chuse certain tal lusty, and strong fellows, and as many others as sufficient as they, to draw with all their might and maine the said bowes against the other, and so they let flie against the poore Elephants as they passe [unspec C] by, jauelins and bore-spears, as if they shot shafts, and stick them therwith, and so follow them by their bloud. Of these beasts, the femals are much more fearfull than the male kind.

CHAP. IX.

¶ The manner of taming Elephants.

AS furious and raging mad as they be sometime, they are tamed with hunger and stripes: but men had need to haue the help of other Elephants that are tame already, to restraine the vnruly beast with strong chains: of all times, when they go to rut they are most out of order and starke wood; down go the Indian stables and beast stals then, which they ouer-turne [unspec D] with their teeth; and therfore they keepe them from entring into that fit, and separate the fe∣mals apart from the males, making their parks and enclosures asunder, as they doe by other beasts. The tamed sort of them serue in the wars, and carry little castles or turrets with armed souldiers, to enter the squadrons and battalions of the enemies: and for the most part, all the seruice in the wars of the East, is performed by them, and they especially determine the quar∣rell: these be they that breake the ranks, beare down armed men that are in the way, and stampe them vnder foot. These terrible beasts (as outragious otherwise as they seem) are frighted with the least grunting that is of a swine: be they wounded at any time or put into a fright, backe∣ward alwaies they go, and do as much mischiefe to their own side that way, as to their enemies. The African Elephants are afraid of the Indian, and dare not look vpon them; for in truth the Indian Elephants be far bigger. [unspec E]

CHAP. X.

¶ How they breed and bring forth their young: and of their nature otherwise.

THe common sort of men thinke, that they go with young ten yeres: but Aristotle saith that they go but two yeares, and that they breed but once and no more in their life, and bring not aboue one at a time: also that they liue commonly by course of nature 200 yeres, and some of them 300. Their youthful time and strength of age beginneth when they be 60 yeres old: they loue riuers aboue all things, and lightly ye shall haue them euermore wan∣dring [unspec F] about waters; and yet by reason otherwise of their big and vnwealdie bodies, swim they cannot. Of all things they can worst away with cold, and that is it they are most subiect vnto, and feele greatest inconuenience by: troubled they be also with the collick, and ventosities, as also with the flux of the belly: other maladies they feele not. I find it written in histories, that if

they drinke oile, the arrows and darts which stick in their bodies wil come forth and fall off: [unspec G] but the more that they sweat, the sooner wil they take hold and abide in stil the faster. The ea∣tin▪ of earth breedes the consumption in them, vnlesse they feed and chew often therof: they deuoure stones also. As for the trunks and bodies of trees, it is the best meat they haue, & ther∣in take they most delight. If the date trees be too high that they cannot •…•…each the fruit, they will ouerturn them with their forehead, and when they lie along, eat the dates. They chew and eat their meat with their mouth: but they breath, drink, and smell, with their trunke, which not improperly is called their hand. Of all other liuing creatures, they cannot abide a mouse or a rat, and if they perceiue that their prouander lying in the manger, tast and sent neuer so little of them, they refuse it and wil not touch it. They are mightily tormented with paine, if they chance in their drinking to swallow down an horsleech (which worm, I obserue, they begin now to cal, a bloud-sucker:) for so soon as the horsleech hath setled fast in his wind-pipe, he putteth [unspec H] him to intollerable pains. Their hide or skin of their back is most tough & hard; but in the bel∣ly, soft & tender: couered their skin is neither with haire nor bristle, no not so much as in their taile, which might serue them in good stead to driue away the busie & troublesome flie (for as vast & huge a beast as he is, the flie hanteth & stingeth him) but ful their skin is of crosse wrin∣kles lattisewise; & besides that, the smell thereof is able to draw and allure such vermin to it: & therefore when they are laid stretched along, and perceiue the flies by whole swarms setled on their skin, suddenly they draw those cranies and creuises together close, and so crush them all to death. This serues them in stead of taile, main, and long haire. Their teeth beare a very high price, and they yeeld the matter of greatest request, and most commendable, for to make the sta∣tues and images of the gods: but such is the superfluity and excesse of men, that they haue de∣uised [unspec I] another thing in them to commend; for they find forsooth a special dainty tast in the hard callous substance of that which they cal their hand: for no other reason (I beleeue) but because they haue a conceit that they eat yvorie, when they chew this gristle of their trunk. In temples are to be seen Elephants teeth of the greatest size: how beit in the marches of Africke where it confineth vpon Aethiopia, they make of yuory the very principals and corner posts of their? hou∣ses: also with the Elephants tooth they make mounds & pales both to inclose their grounds, and also to keep in their beasts within park, if it be true that Polybius reporteth, from the testi∣mony of king Gulussa.

CHAP. XI. [unspec K]

¶ Where the Elephants are bred: how the Dragons and they disagree.

ELephants breed in that part of Africke which lieth beyond the desarts and wildernesse of the Syrtes: also in Mauritania: they are found also amongst the Aethyopians and Troglo∣dites, as hath beene said: but India bringeth forth the biggest: as also the dragons that are continually at variance with them, & euermore fighting, and those of such greatnesse, that they can easily clasp and wind round about the Elephants, and withall tye them fast with a knot. In this conflict they die, both the one and the other: the Elephant he fals downe dead as conque∣red, and with his heauy weight crusheth and squeaseth the dragon that is wound and wreathed [unspec L] about him.

CHAP. XII.

¶ The wittinesse and policie in these creatures.

WOnderfull is the wit and subtilty that dumbe creatures haue, and how they shift for themselues and annoy their enemies; which is the only difficulty that they haue to a∣rise & grow to so great an heigth and excessiue bignes. The dragon therfore espying the Elephant when he goeth to reliefe, assaileth him from an high tree and launceth himselfe [unspec M] vpon him; but the Elephant knowing well enough he is not able to withstand his windings & knittings about him, seeketh to come close to some trees or hard rocks, and so for to crush and squise the dragon between him and them: the dragons ware hereof, entangle and snarle his feet & legs first with their taile: the Elephants on the other side, vndo those knots with their trunk as with a hand: but to preuent that againe, the Dragons put in their heads into their snout, and

so stop their wind, and withall fret and gnaw the tenderest parts they find there. Now in case [unspec A] these two mortall enemies chance to re-incounter on the way, they bristle & bridle one against another, and addresse themselues to fight; but the chiefe thing the dragons make at is the eie, whereby it comes to passe, that many times the Elephants are found blinde, pined for hunger, and worne away, and after much languishing, for very anguish and sorrow die of their venome. What reason should a man alledge of this so mortall warre betweene them, if it be not a very sport of Nature, and pleasure that she takes, in matching these two so great enemies together, and so euen and equall in each respect? But some report this mutuall war between them after another sort, and that the occasion thereof ariseth from a naturall cause: for (say they) the Ele∣phants bloud is exceeding cold, and therefore the dragons be wonderful desirous thereof to re∣fresh and coole themselues therewith during the parching hot season of the yeare. And to this [unspec B] purpose they ly vnder the water, waiting their time to take the Elephants at a vantage when they are drinking; where they catch fast hold first of their trunke, and they haue not so soone clasped and intangled it with their taile, but they set their venomous teeth in the Elephants eare (the onely part of all their body which they cannot reach vnto with their trunke) and so bite it hard: now these dragons are so big withal, that they are able to receiue all the elephants bloud: thus are they sucked dry vntill they fall down dead: and the dragons also, drunke with their bloud, are squeesed vnder them, and so dy together.

CHAP. XIII.

¶ Of Dragons.

IN Aethyopia there be as great dragons bred as in India, namely 20 cubits long: but I mar∣uell [unspec C] much at this one thing, that king Iuba should think they are crested. They are bred most in a countrey of Aethyopia where the Asachaei inhabit. It is reported, that vpon their coast they are inwrapped foure or fiue of them one within another, like to a hurdle or lattise-worke, and thus passe the seas to find out better pasturage in Arabia, cutting the waues, and bearing their heads aloft, which serue them in stead of sailes.

CHAP. XIV.

¶ Of monstrous great Serpents, and namely of those called Boae.

MEgasthes writeth, that there be serpents among the Indians growne to that bignesse, that [unspec D] they are able to swallow stags or bulls all whole. Metrodorus saith, that about the riuer Rhyndacus in Pontus, there be serpents that catch and deuoure the fowles of the aire, be they neuer so swift winged, and soare they neuer so high. Well knowne it is, that Attilius Regulus, Generall vnder the Romans during the wars against the Carthaginians, assailed a Ser∣pent neere the riuer Bagrada, which caried in length 120 foot; and before hee could conquer him was driuen to discharge vpon him arrowes, quarrels, stones, bullets, and such like shot, out of brakes, slings, and other engins of artillery, as if he had giuen the assualt to some strong war∣like towne: the proofe whereof was to be seen by the marks remaining in his skin and chawes; which vntill the war of Numantia remained in a temple or conspicuous place of Rome. And [unspec E] this is the more credible, for that we see in Italy other serpents named Boae, so big and huge, that in the daies of the Emperor Claudius there was one of them killed in the Vaticane, within the belly whereof there was found an infant all whole. This serpent liueth at the first of kines milk, and thereof takes the name Boae. As for other beasts which ordinarily of late are brought from all parts into Italy, and oftentimes haue there been seen, needlesse it is for me to describe their formes in particular curiously.

CHAP. XV.

¶ Of Scythian beasts, and those which are bred in the North parts. [unspec F]

VEry few sauage beasts are ingendred in Scythia for want of trees & pasturage. Few like∣wise in Germany bordering vpon it. Howbeit that countr•…•… b•…•…ings forth certaine kindes of goodly great wild boeufs: to wit, the Bisontes, mained with a collar like Lions: and the

Vri, a mighty strong beast and a swift, which the ignorant people call Buffles, whereas indeed [unspec G] the Buffle is bred in Africke, and somewhat resembles a calfe rather, or stag. The Northerne regions bring forth wilde horses, which there are found in great troups: like as in Asia and in Africk there are to be seen wild Asses. Moreouer, a certain beast called the Alce, very like to a horse, but that his eares are longer, and his necke also with two markes distinguishing them a∣sunder. Moreouer, in the Island of Scandinavia there is a beast called Machlis, not much vn∣like the Alce aboue-named: common he is there, & much talk we haue heard of him, howbeit in these parts he was neuer seen. He resembles, I say, the Alce, but that he hath neither ioynt in the hough, nor pasternes in his hind legs; and therefore he neuer lieth downe, but sleepeth lea∣ning to a tree. Wherefore the hunters that lie in wait for these beasts, cut down the trees while they are asleepe, and so take them: otherwise they should neuer be taken, they are so swift of [unspec H] foot, that it is wonderfull. Their vpper lip is exceeding great, and therefore as they grase and feed they go retrograde, lest if they went passant forward, they should fold that lip double vn∣der their muzzle. There is (they say) a wild beast in Paeonia, called Bonasus, with a maine like an horse, otherwise resembling a bull: mary his hornes bend so inward with their tips toward his head, that they serue him in no stead at all for fight, either to offend, or defend himself: and therefore all the helpe hee hath is in his good footmanship, and otherwhiles in his flight by dunging, which he will squirt out from behind him three acres in length. This his ordure is so strong and hot, that it burneth them that pursue him, like fire, if haply they touch it. A strange thing it is, and wonderfull, that the Leopards, Panthers, Lions, and such like beasts, as they go, draw in the points of their claws within their body, as it were into sheaths, because they should [unspec I] neither breake nor wax blunt, but be alwaies keene and sharpe: also, that when they runne they should turne the hooked nailes of their pawes back, and neuer stretch them forth at length but when they meane to assaile or strike any thing.

CHAP. XVI.

¶ Of Lions.

THe Lions are then in their kind most strong and couragious, when the haire of their main or collar is so long that it couereth both necke and shoulders. And this comes to them at a certain age, namely to those that are ingendred by Lions: for such as haue Pards to [unspec K] their sires neuer haue this ornament, no more than the Lionesse. These Lionesses are very le∣cherous, aad this is the cause that the Lions are so fell and cruell. This, Africke knowes best, and sees most; and especially in a great drought, when for want of water a great number of wild beasts resort by troups to those few riuers that be there, and meet together: and hereupon it is, that so many strange shaped beasts of a mixt and mungrell kind are there bred, whiles the males either perforce or for pleasure leap and couer the females of all sorts. From hence it is also that the Greeks haue this common prouerbe, That Africke euermore brings forth some new and strange thing or other. The Lion knoweth by sent and smell of the Pard, when the Lionesse his mate hath played false, and suffered her selfe to be couered by him; and presently with all his might and maine runneth vpon her for to chastise and punish her. And therefore when the Li∣onesse hath done a fault that way, she either goeth to a riuer and washeth away the strong and [unspec L] ranke sauor of the Pard, or else keepeth aloofe and followeth the Lion afar off, that he may not catch the said smell. I see it is commonly held, that the Lionesse brings forth yong but once in her life, for that her whelps in her kinling teare her belly with their nailes, and make them∣selues roome that way. Aristotle writeth otherwise, a man whom I cannot name but with great honour and reuerence, and whom in the historie and report of these matters I meane for the most part to follow. And in very truth King Alexander the Great, of an ardent desire that he had to know the natures of all liuing creatures, gaue this charge to Aristotle, a man singularly accomplished with all kinds of science and learning, to search into this matter, and to set down the same in writing: and to this effect commanded certaine thousands of men, one or other, [unspec M] throughout all the tract as well of Asia as Greece, to giue their attendance and obey him: to wit all Hunters, Falconers, Fowlers, and Fishers that liued by those professions: Item, all For∣resters, Park-keepers, and Wariners: all such as had the keeping of heards and flockes of cat∣tell: of bee-hiues, fish-pooles, stewes, and ponds: as also those that kept vp fowle tame or wild,

in mew: those that fed poultry in barton or coup: to the end that he should be ignorant of no∣thing [unspec A] in this behalfe, but be aduertised by them, according to his Commission, of all things in the world. By his conference with them he collected so much, as thereof hee compiled those excellent bookes de Animalibus, i. of Liuing creatures, to the number almost of 50. Which be∣ing couched by me in a narrow roome and briefe summary, with addition also of some things which he neuer knew, I beseech the Readers to take in good worth: and for the discouerie and knowledge of all Natures works, which that most noble and famous King that euer was desired so much to know, to make a short start abroad with me, and in a briefe discourse by mine own pains and diligence digested, to see all. To return now vnto our former matter: That great phi∣losopher Aristotle therefore reporteth, That the Lionesse at her first litter bringeth forth fiue whelps, and euery yeare after fewer by one: and when she commeth to bring but one alone, she [unspec B] giueth ouer and is barren. Her whelps at the first are without shape like small gobbets of flesh no bigger than weesels. When they are six moneths old they can hardly go, and for the two first they stir not at all. Lions there be also in Europe (only between the riuers Achelous and Nestus) and these verily be far stronger than those of Africke or Syria. Moreouer, there are two kinds of Lions: the one short, wel trussed, and compact, with more crisp and curled mains, but these are timerous and cowards to them that haue long and plain haire; for those passe not for any wounds whatsoeuer. The Lions lift vp a leg when they pisse, as dogs do: and moreouer, they haue a strong and stinking breath, their very body also smelleth rank. Seldom they drink, and eate but each other day; and if at any time they feed til they be full, they wil abstain from [unspec C] meat three daies after. In their feeding, whatsoeuer they can swallow without chewing, downe it goes whole: and if they finde their gorge and stomacke too full, and not able indeed to re∣ceiue according to their greedy appetite, they thrust their pawes down their throats, and with their crooked clees fetch out some of it again, to the end they should not be heauy and slow vpon their fulnesse, if haply they be put to find their feet and fly. Mine Author Aristotle saith moreouer, That they liue very long: and hee proueth it by this argument, That many of them are found toothlesse for very age. Polybius, who accompanied [Scipio] Aemylianus in his voiage of Africke, reporteth of them, That when they be growne aged they will prey vpon a man: the reason is, because their strength will not hold out to pursue in chase any other wild beasts: then they come about the cities and good towns of Africke, lying in wait for their prey, if any folk [unspec D] come abroad: and for that cause, he saith, that while hee was with Scipio, hee saw some of them crucified and hanged vp, to the end that vpon the sight of them other Lions should take exam∣ple, and be skarred from doing the like mischiefe. The Lion alone of all wilde beasts, is gentle to those that humble themselues vnto him, and will not touch any such vpon their submission, but spareth what creature soeuer lieth prostrate before him. As fell and furious as he is other∣whiles, yet he dischargeth his rage vpon men, before he sets vpon women, and neuer preyeth on babes vnlesse it be for extreme hunger. They are verily persuaded in Lybia, that they haue a certain vnderstanding when any man doth pray or intreat them for any thing. I haue heard it reported for a truth, by a captiue woman of Getulia (which being fled was brought home again to her master) that she had pacified the violent fury of many Lions within the woods and for∣rests, by faire language and gentle speech; and namely, that for to escape their rage, shee hath [unspec E] been so hardy as to say, she was a silly woman, a banished fugitiue, a sickly, feeble, & weak crea∣ture, an humble suiter and lowly suppliant to him the noblest of all other liuing creatures, the Soueraigne and commander of all the rest, and that she was too base and vnworthy for his glo∣rious Maiestie to prey vpon her. Many and diuers opinions are currant, according to the sundry occurrences that haue hapned, or the inuentions that mens wits haue deuised as touching this matter; namely, that sauage beasts are dulced and appeased by good words and faire speech: as also that fell serpents may be trained and fetched out of their holes by charmes; yea and by certaine coniurations and menaces restrained and kept vnder for a punishment: but whether it be true or no, I see it is not yet by any man set downe or determined. To come againe to our Lions, the signe of their intent and disposition is their taile; like as in horses, their eares: for [unspec F] these two marks and tokens certainly hath Nature giuen to the most couragious beasts of all others, to know their affections by: for when the Lion stirs not his taile, he is in a good mood, gentle, mild, pleasantly disposed, and as if he were willing to be plaied withall: but in that fit he is seldome seen, for lightly he is alwaies angry. At the first when he entreth into his choler,

he beateth the ground with his taile: when he groweth into greater heats, he flappeth and jer∣keth [unspec G] his flanks and sides withall, as it were to quicken himselfe, and stir vp his angry humour. His maine strength lieth in his brest: hee maketh not a wound (whether it be by lash of taile, scratch of claw, or print of tooth) but the bloud that followeth is black. When his belly is full all his anger is past, and he doth no more harme. His generositie and magnanimitie he shewes most in his dangers: which courage of his appeareth not only herein, that he seems to despise all shot of darts against him, defending himselfe a long time onely with the terrible aspect of his countenance, protesting as it were that he is vnwilling to deale, vnlesse he be forced thereto in his owne defence, i. se defendendo, and at length maketh head again, not as compelled or dri∣uen thereto for any perill that hee seeth, but angred at their folly that assaile or set vpon him: but herein also is seen rather his noble heart and courage, That be there neuer so many hounds [unspec H] and hunters following after him, so long as he is in the open plains where he may be seene, hee maketh semblance as though he contemned both dog and man, dismarching and retiring with honour, and otherwhiles seeming in his retreit to turne again and make head: but hauing gai∣ned the thickets and woods, and gotten into the forrests out of sight, then he skuds away, then he runneth amain for life, as knowing full well, that the trees and bushes hide him, that his shamefull dislodging and flight is not then espied. When hee chaseth and followeth after oher beasts he goeth alwaies saltant or rampant; which he neuer vseth to do when he is chased in sight, but is only passant. If he chance to be wounded, he hath a maruellous eye to mark the party that did it, and be the hunters neuer so many in number, vpon him he runneth only. As for him that hath let fly a dart at him, and yet missed his marke and done no hurt to him, if he [unspec I] chance to catch him, he all to touzeth, shaketh, tosseth, and turneth him lying along at his feet, but doth him no harme besides. When the Lionesse fighteth for her yong whelps, by report, she setteth her eies wistly and entirely vpon the ground, because shee would not be affrighted at the sight of the chasing staues of the hunters. Lions are nothing at all crafty and fraudulent, neither be they suspitious: they neuer look askew, but alwaies cast their eye directly forward, and they loue not that any man should in that sort looke side-long vpon them. It is constantly beleeued, that when they ly a dying they bite the earth, & in their very death shed teares. This creature, so noble as hee is, and withall so cruell and fell, trembleth and quaketh to heare the noise of cart-wheeles, or to see them turne about; nay hee cannot abide of all things Chariots when they be void and empty: frighted hee is with the cockes combe, and his crowing much [unspec K] more, but most of all with the sight of fire. The Lion is neuer sicke but of the peeuishnesse of his stomacke, loathing all meat: and then the way to cure him is to ty vnto him certaine shee Apes, which with their wanton mocking and making mowes at him, may moue his patience, and driue him for the very indignitie of their malapert saucinesse, into a fit of madnesse; and then so soone as he hath tasted their bloud he is perfectly wel again: and this is the only help. Q. Scaevola the son of Publius was the first at Rome that in his Curule Aedileship exhibited a fight and combat of many Lions together, to delight the people: but L. Sylla, who was after∣ward Dictator, was the first of all others that in his Pretorship represented a shew of 100 lions with maines and collars of haire: and after him, Pompey the Great shewed 600 of them fighting in the grand Cirque, whereof 315 were male Lions with mane. And Caesar Dictator brought [unspec L] 400 into the shew-place. The taking of them in old time was a very hard piece of worke, and that was commonly in pit-falls: but in the Emperor Claudius his daies it chanced, that a shep∣heard or heardsman who came out of Gaetulia taught the manner of catching them: a thing otherwise that would haue beene thought incredible, and altogether vnbeseeming the name and honour of so goodly a beast. This Getulian, I say, fortuned to incounter a Lion, and when he was violently assailed by him, made no more ado but threw his mandilion or cassocke full vpon his eyes. This feat or cast of his was soone after practised in the open Shew-place, in such sort that a man would hardly haue beleeued but hee that saw it, that so furious a beast should so easily be quailed, and daunted so soone as euer hee felt his head couered, were the things neuer so light; making no resistance, but suffering one to do what hee would with him, [unspec M] euen to binde him fast, as if in very truth all his vigour and spirit rested in his eies. Lesse there∣fore is it to be maruelled at, that Lysimachus strangled a Lion, when as by the commandement of Alexander the Great he was shut vp alone together with him. The first man that euer yo∣ked them a Rome, and made them to draw in a chariot, was M. Antonius. And verily it was in

the time of ciuill warre, after the battell fought in the plaines of Pharsalia; a shrewd and vn∣happy [unspec A] presage of the future euent, and namely for men of an high spirit & braue mind in those daies, to whom this prodigious sight did prognosticate the yoke of subiection: for what should I say how Anthony rode in that wise with the Courtesan Cytheris a common Actresse in Inter∣ludes vpon the stage? To see such a sight was a monstrous spectacle, that passed all the calami∣ties of that time. It is reported that Hanno (one of the noblest Carthaginians that euer were) was the first man that durst handle a Lion with his bare hand, and shew him gentle and tame, to follow him all the city ouer in a slippe like a dog. But this deuice and tricke of his turned to his great damage and vtter vndoing: for the Carthaginians hereupon laid this ground, that Hanno, a man of such a gift, so witty and inuentiue of all deuises, would be able to persuade the people to whatsoeuer his minde stood; and that it was a dangerous and ticklish point, to put the liberty of so great a state as Carthage was, into the hands and managing of him who could [unspec B] handle and tame the furious violence of so sauage a beast, and thereupon condemned and ba∣nished him. Moreouer we find in histories many examples also of their clemencie and gen∣tlenesse, seen vpon diuers casuall occasions. Mentor the Syracusian fortuned in Syria to meet with a Lion, who after an humble maner in token of obedience and submission, seemed to tum∣ble and wallow before him: he astonied for feare started backe and began to fly; but the wild beast followed him still, and was ready at euery turne to present himselfe before him, licking the very tracks of his foot-steps as he went, in flattering manner, as if he would make loue vnto him. Mentor at length was ware that the Lion had a wound in his foot, and that it swelled ther∣with: whereupon he gently plucked out the spill of wood that had gotten into it, and so eased the beast of his paine. This accident is for a memoriall represented in a picture at Syracusa. [unspec C] Semblably, Elpis a Samia•…•… being arriued and landed in Africk, chanced to espy neer the shore a Lion gaping wide, and seeming afar off to whet his teeth at him in menacing wise: he fled a∣pace to take a tree, calling vpon god Bacchus to help him (for then commonly wee fall to our praiers when we see little or no hope of other helpe:) but the Lion stopt him not in his flight, albeit he could haue crossed the way well enough, but laying himselfe downe at the tree root, with that open mouth of his wherewith he had skared the man, made signes to moue pitty and compassion. Now so it was, that the beast hauing lately fed greedily, had gotten a sharp bone within his teeth, that put him to exceeding paine: besides that, hee was almost famished: and he looking pittifully vp to the man, shewed how he was punished himselfe among those verie weapons wherewith he was wont to anoy others, and after a sort with dumb and mute prayers [unspec D] besought his help. Elpis avised him well a pretty while; and besides that hee was not very for∣ward to venture vpon the wilde beast, he staied the longer and made the lesse hast, while he con∣sidered rather this strange and miraculous accident, than otherwise greatly feared. At last he∣comes downe from the tree and plucks out the bone, whiles the Lion held his mouth hand∣somly to him, and exposed himselfe to his helpfull hand as fitly as he possibly could. In requi∣tall of which good turne, it is said, that so long as this ship of his lay there at anchor, the Lion furnished him and his company with good store of venison ready killed to his hand. And vpon this occasion Elpis after his return dedicated a temple to Bacchus: which vpon this reason the Greeks called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. of gaping Bacchus 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. the chappell of Bacchus the Sauiour. Can we maruell any more from henceforth, that wild beasts should marke and know [unspec E] the footing of a man, seeing that in their extremities and necessities they haue recourse to him alone for hope of succour? Why went not they to other creatures? or who taught them that the hand of man was able to cure them? vnlesse this be the reason, that griefe, anguish, and ex∣treme perill forceth euen sauage beasts to seeke all means of help and reliefe.

CHAP. XVII.

¶ Of Panthers.

DEmetrius the philosopher, so wel seen into the speculation of Natures works, & the cau∣ses [unspec F] thereof, makes mention of as memorable a case as the former, touching a Panther: for as he saith there was a Panther desirous to meet with a man, & therefore lay in the mids of an high-way vntill some passenger should come by, and suddenly was espied by the father

of Philinus the Philosopher, who trauailed that way. The man (for feare) began to retire and go [unspec G] backe againe, but the wild beast kept a tumbling and vauting all about him; doubtlesse and by all apparance after a flattering sort, as if it would haue had somwhat; and such a tossing and tor∣menting of it selfe she made, so piteously, that it might soone be seene in what griefe and pain the Panther was. The poore beast had but lately kindled, and her young whelps were falne into a ditch, afarre off: well, the first point that the man shewed of pitty and commiseration was, not to be affraid; and the next was, to haue regard and care of her: follow he did the Panther, as she seemed to train and draw him by his garment (which with her clawes shee tooke hold of dain∣tily) vntill they were come to the pit or ditch aboue-said. So soon then as he knew the cause of her griefe and sorrow, and withall what might be the reward of his courtesie, euen as much as his life came to, he drew forth her little ones that were fallen into the said pit: which don, she and her whelps together leaping and shewing gambols for ioy, accompanied him, and through [unspec H] the wildernesse directed him vntill he was gotten forth. So as it appeared in her, that shee was thankfull vnto him and requited his kindnesse, albeit there passed no couenant nor promise be∣tween them of any such recompence: a rare example to be found euen among men. This story and such like giue great colour of truth to that which Democritus reporteth, namely, that Thoas in Arcadia saued his life by means of a dragon. This Thoas being but a very childe, had loued this dragon when he was but yong, very well, and nourished him: but at last, being somewhat fearfull of his nature, and not well knowing his qualities, and fearing withall the bignes that now he was growne vnto, had carried him into the mountains and desarts: wherein it fortuned that he was afterward set vpon and inuironed by theeues: whereupon he cried out, and the dra∣gon knowing his voice, came forth and rescued him. As for babes and infants cast forth to pe∣rish, [unspec I] and sustained by the milke of wilde beasts, like as Romulus and Remus our first founders, who were suckled by a she wolfe; such things in mine opinion are in all reason to be attribu∣ted more to fortune and fatall destinies, than to the nature of those beasts. The Panthers and Tygers are in a maner the only beasts (for the varietie of spotted skins and * 1.1 furres which they yeeld) in great request, and commendable: for other beasts haue each one a proper colour of their owne, according to their kind: Lions there be all blacke, but they are found in Syria only. The ground of the Panthers skin is white, beset all ouer with little black spots like eies. It is said, that all foure-footed beasts are wonderfully delighted and enticed by the smell of Pan∣thers; but their hideous looke and crabbed countenance, which they bewray by shewing their heads, skareth them as much againe: wherefore their maner is to hide their heads, and hauing [unspec K] trained other beasts within their reach by their sweet sauour, they fly vpon them and worrie them. Some report, that they haue one marke on their shoulder resembling the Moone, grow∣ing and decreasing as she doth, sometime shewing a full compasse, and otherwhiles hollowed and pointed with tips like hornes. In all this kind and race of wild beasts now adaies they cal the male * 1.2 Variae and Pardi, and great abundance there is of them in Africke and Syria. Some there be againe that make no other difference betweene the Luzernes and Leopards, and these Panthers, but only this, that the Panthers are white: and as yet I know no other marks to descry them by. There passed an old Act and Ordinance of the Senate, forbidding expresly that any Panthers of Africke should be brought into Italy. Against this edict, Cn. Aufidius a Tribune of the commons put vp another bill vnto the people; and granted it was, That for the solemni∣tie [unspec L] of the games Circenses they might be brought ouer. Soaurus was the first man who in his Aedileship exhibited a shew vnto the people of 150 Luzernes together. After him Pompey the Great brought forth 410. The Emperor Augustus 420: who also in the yere that Q. Tubero and Fabius Maximus were Consuls together (vpon the 4 day before the Nones of May, at the de∣dication of the Theatre of Marcellus) was the first of all others that shewed a tame Tyger with∣in a cage: but the Emperor Claudius foure at once.

CHAP. XVIII. [unspec M]

¶ Of the Tyger and his nature: of Camels, Chamelopardales, and when they were first seen at Rome.

TYgers are bred in Hircania and India: this beast is most dreadfull for incomparable swift∣nesse, and most of all seen it is in the taking of her yong: for her litter (whereof there is a

great number) by the hunters is stolne and caried away at once, vpon a most swift horse for the [unspec A] purpose; lying in wait to espy when the dam is abroad: and shifteth this booty from one fresh horse to another, riding away vpon the spur as hard as they can. But when the Tygresse comes and finds her den & nest empty (for the male Tygre hath no care nor regard at all of the yong) she runs on end after her yong ones, following those that caried them away, by the sent of their horse footing. They perceiuing the Tygresse to approch, by the noise she maketh, let fall or cast from them one of her whelps: vp she taketh it in her mouth, and away she runneth toward her den, swifter for the burthen that she carrieth. And presently she setteth out again, follow∣eth the quest after her fawnes, and ouertaketh the Hunter that had them away. Thus runneth she to and fro, vntill she see that they be embarqued and gone; and then for very anger that she hath not sped of her purpose, shee rageth vpon the shore and the sands for the losse of her Fawnes. [unspec B]

As for Camels, they are nourished in the Levant or East parts among other heards of great cattell: two kindes there be of them, the Bactrians and the Arabick: differing herein, that the Bactrians haue two bunches vpon their backs; the other but one apiece there, but they haue a∣nother in their brest, wherupon they rest and ly. Both sorts want the vpper row of teeth in their mouthes, like as bulls and kine. In those parts from whence they come they serue all to carry packs like labouring horses, and are put to seruice also in the wars, and are backed of horsmen: their swiftnesse is comparable to that of horses; they grow to a iust measure, and exceed not a certaine ordinary strength. The Camell in his trauelling will not goe a iot farther than his ordinary iourney; nether will hee carry more than his accustomed and vsuall load. Natural∣ly they doe hate horses. They can abide to be foure daies together without drinke: and [unspec C] when they drinke or meet with water, they fil their skin full enough to serue both for the time past and to come: but before they drinke they must trample with their feet to raise mud and sand, and so trouble the water, otherwise they take no pleasure in drinking. They liue com∣monly fifty yeares, and some of them an hundred. These creatures also otherwhile fall to be mad, so much as it is. Moreouer, they haue a deuice to splay euen the very females, to make them fit for the warres; for if they be not couered they become the stronger and more coura∣gious.

Two other kinds of beasts there be that resemble in some sort the Camels: the one is called of the Aethiopians, the Nabis, necked like an horse, for leg and hoofe not vnlike the boeufe, hea∣ded directly like a Camell, beset with white spots vpon a red ground, whereupon it taketh the [unspec D] name of Camelopardalus: and the first time that it was seen at Rome, was in the games Cir∣censes, set out by Caesar Dictator. Since which time he comes now and then to Rome, to be loo∣ked vpon more for sight, than for any wild nature that hee hath: whereupon some call her the sauage Sheepe.

CHAP. XIX.

¶ Of the Chaus and Cephus.

THe Hinde-wolfe, which some call Chaus, and the Gaules were wont to name Rhaphius, resembling in some sort a Wolfe with Leopards spots, were shewed first in the solemni∣tie [unspec E] of the games and plaies exhibited by Cn. Po•…•…npeius the Great. He also brought out of Aethyopia other beasts named Cephi, i. Semivulpes, whose forefeet were like to mens hands, and the hinde feet and legs like those of a man. He was neuer seen afterward at Rome.

CHAP. XX.

¶ Of the Rhinoceros.

IN the same solemnities of Pompey, as many times else was shewed a Rhinoceros, with one horne and no more, and the same in his snout or muzzle. This is a second enemy by nature [unspec F] the Elephant: hee fileth that horne of his against hard stones, making it sharpe against he should fight; and in his conflict with the Elephant he layes principally at his belly, know∣ing it to be more tender than the rest. He is full as long as he, his legs are much shorter, and of the box colour.

CHAP. XXI. [unspec G]

¶ Lynces or Onces, and Marmozets or Apes, called Sphinges: of Crocutes, Monkies, English boeufes, Leococrutes, Eale: Aethiopian bulls, the Mantichore and Lycornes: of the serpents cal∣led Catoblepes, and the Basiliske.

ONces are common, so are Marmozets, with a browne duskish haire, hauing dugs in their brest. Aethiopia breedeth them, like as many other monstrous beasts, to wit, horses with wings, and armed with hornes, which they cal Pegasi. Also the Crocutes [a kind of ma∣stiue dogs] ingendred betwixt a dog and a Wolfe: these are able to crash with their teeth all they can come by: and a thing is no sooner downe their swallow, and got into their stomacke, [unspec H] but presently they digest it. Moreouer, the Cercopitheci, i. Monkies with black heads, other∣wise haired like Asses, differing from other Apes in their cry. The Indians haue certain boeufs with one horne, and others with 3. Also the Leocrocuta, a most swift beast, as big almost as an he Asse, legged like an Hart, with a necke, taile, and brest of a Lion, headed like these grayes or Badgers, with a clouen foot in twaine: the slit of his mouth reacheth to his eares, in stead of teeth an entire whole bone. They report that this beast feigneth a mans voice. They haue also among them another beast named Eale, for bignes equall to the riuer-horse, tailed like an Ele∣phant, either black or reddish tawny of colour: his mandibles or chawes resemble those of the Bore, he hath hornes aboue a cubit long, which he can stir or moue as he list: for being in fight he can set them both or one of them as he will himselfe, altering them euery way, one while [unspec I] streight forward to offend, otherwhiles bending byas, as he hath reason to nort or push toward, or auoid an enemie. But the most fell and cruell of all others of that country be the wild buls of the forrest, greater than our common field buls, most swift, of colour brended, their eies gray or blewish, their haire growing contrary, their mouth wide and reaching to their eares: their hornes likewise hard by, moueable; their hide as hard as a flint, checking the dent of any wea∣pon whatsoeuer, and cannot be pierced: all other wilde beasts they chase and hunt, themselues canot be taken but in pit-falls: in this their wildnesse and rage they dy, & neuer become tame. Ciesias writeth, that in Aethiopia likewise there is a beast, which he calls Mantichora, hauing three ranks of teeth, which when they meet together, are let in one within another like the teeth of combs, with the face and eares of a man, with red eies, of colour sanguine, bodied like a Li∣on, [unspec K] and hauing a taile armed with a sting like a Scorpion: his voice resembles the noise of a flute and trumpet sounded together: very swift he is, and mans flesh of all other he chiefly de∣sireth. In India there be found boeufs whole hoofed, with single hornes; also a wilde beast na∣med Axis [as some thinke a muske cat] with a skin like a fawne or hind-calfe, howbeit marked with more and whiter spots. This beast is consecrated to Bacchus, and vnder his protection. The Orsians of India hunt Apes, and take a number of them white all ouer. But the most fell and furious beast of all other is the Licorne or Monoceros: his body resembles a horse, his head a stag, his feet an Elephant, his taile a bore; he loweth after an hideous manner, one black horne he hath in the mids of his forehead, bearing out two cubits in length: by report, this wild beast cannot possibly be caught aliue. Among the Hesperian Aethiopians there is a fountain named [unspec L] Nigris, the head (as many haue thought) of the riuer Nilus, and good reason there is for it, al∣ledged by vs before: neere which spring keepeth a wild beast called Catoblepes, little of body otherwise, heauy also and slow in al his limnes besides, but his head only is so great that his bo∣dy is hardly able to beare it, he alwaies carrieth it downe to the earth, for if hee did not so, hee were able to kill all mankind; for there is not one that looketh vpon his eies, but he dies pre∣sently. The like propertie hath the serpent called a Basiliske: bred it is in the prouince Cyre∣naica, and is not aboue twelue fingers bredth long: a white spot like a starre it carrieth on the head, and sets it out like a coronet or diadem: if he but hisse once, no other serpents dare come [unspec M] neere: hee creepeth not winding and crawling byas as other serpents doe, with one part of the body driuing, the other forward, but goeth vpright and aloft from the ground with one halfe part of his body: he killeth all trees and shrubs not onely that he toucheth, but also that hee breatheth vpon: as for grasse and herbes, those he sindgeth and burneth vp, yea, and breaketh stones in sunder: so venimous and deadly he is. It is receiued for a truth, that one of them on a

time was killed with a launce by an horsman from his horse▪ back, but the poison was so strong [unspec A] that went from his body along the staffe, as it killed both horse and man: and yet a silly weazle hath a deadly power to kill this monstrous serpent, as pernicious as it is [for many kings haue been desirous to see the experience thereof, and the manner how he is killed.] See how Nature hath delighted to match euery thing in the world with a concurrent. The manner is, to cast these weazles into the hole and cranies were they lye, (and easie they be to know by the stin∣king sent of the place about them:) they are not so soone within, but they ouercome them with their strong smell, but they die themselues withall; and so Nature for her pleasure hath the combat dispatched.

CHAP. XXII.

¶ Of Wolues. [unspec B]

IT is commonly thought likewise in Italy, that the eye sight of wolues is hurtful; in so much, as if they see a man before hee espy him, they cause him to lose his voice for the time. They that be bred in Affrick and Aegypt, are but little, and withal nothing liuely, but without spi∣rit. In the colder clime, they be more cruell and eger. That men may be transformed into wolues, and restored againe to their former shape, we must confidently beleeue to be a lowd lie, or else giue credit to all those tales which we haue for so many ages found to be meere fables. But how this opinion grew first, & is come to be so firmly setled, that when we would giue men the most opprobrious words of defiance that we can, we terme them * 1.3 Versipelles, I thinke it not [unspec C] much amisse in a word to shew. Euanthes (a writer among the Greekes, of good account and authority) reporteth, that he found among the records of the Arcadians, That in Arcadia there was a certaine house and race of the Antaei, out of which one euermore must needs be transfor∣med into a wolfe: and when they of that family haue cast lots who it shall be, they vse to ac∣company the party vpon whom the lot is falne, to a certaine meere or poole in that country: when he is thither come, they turne him naked out of all his clothes, which they hang vpon an oke thereby: then he swimmeth ouer the said lake to the other side, and being entered into the wildernesse, is presently transfigured and turned into a wolfe, and so keepeth company with his like of that kind for nine yeeres space: during which time, (if he forbeare all the while to eat mans flesh) he returneth againe to the same poole or pond, and being swomme ouer it, re∣ceiueth [unspec D] his former shape againe of a man, saue only that he shall look nine yeeres elder than before. Fabius addeth one thing more and saith, That he findeth againe the same apparell that was hung vp in the oake aforesaid. A wonder it is to see, to what passe these Greekes are come in their credulity: there is not so shamelesse a lye, but it findeth one or other of them to vphold and maintaine it. And therefore Agriopas, who wrote the Olympionicae, telleth a tale of one Daemoenetus Parrhasius, That he vpon a time at a certain solemne sacrifice (which the Arcadians celebrated in the honour of Iupiter Lycaeus) tasted of the inwards of a child that was killed for a sacrifice, according to the manner of the Arcadians (which euen was to shed mans bloud in their diuine seruice) and so was turned into a wolfe: and the same man ten yeeres after, became a man againe, was present at the exercise of publick games, wrestled, did his deuoir, and went [unspec E] away with victory home againe from Olympia. Ouer and besides, it is commonly thought and verily beleeued, that in the taile of this beast, there is a little string or haire that is effectuall to procure loue, and that when he is taken at any time, he casteth it away from him, for that it is of no force and vertue vnlesse it be taken from him whiles he liues. He goeth to rut in the whole yere not aboue twelue dayes. When he is very hungry and can get no other prey, he fee∣deth vpon the earth. In the case of presages and fore-tokens of things to come, this is obserued That if men see a wolfe abroad, cut his way and turne to their right hand, it is good; but if his mouth be full when he doth so, there is not a better signe or more lucky in the world againe. There be of this kind that are called Hart-wolues, such as we said that Pompey shewed in the grand Cirque, brought out of Fraunce. This beast (they say) be he neuer so hungry when hee [unspec F] is eating, if he chaunce to look backe, forgetteth his meat, slinketh away, and seeketh for some other prey.

CHAP. XXIII. [unspec G]

¶ Of Serpents.

AS touching serpents we see it ordinary, that for the most part they are of the colour of the earth, wherein they lie hid: and an infinite number of sorts there be of them. The serpent Cerastes hath many times foure small hornes, standing out double; with mouing where∣of she amuseth the birds, and traineth them vnto her for to catch them, hiding all the rest of her body.

Amphisbaena hath two heads as it were, namely one at the taile; as if she were not hurtfull enough to cast her poyson at one mouth only. Some are scaled, others spotted and painted, but generally the venom of them all is deadly. There be of them that from the boughes of trees [unspec H] shoot and launce themselues: in such manner, as that we are not onely to take heed of serpents as they go and glide vpon the ground, but also to looke vnto them that fly as a dart or arrow sent out of an engin. The Aspides swell about the necke when they purpose to sting: and no remedie is there for them that are stung and bitten by them, vnlesse the wounded parts be cut off presently. This pestilent creature, as venomous as he is, hath one point yet of vnderstanding or affection rather; you shall not see them wandring abroad but two and two together, male and female, as if they were yoked together: and unneth or not at all can they liue alone with∣out their mate; so that if one of them be killed, it is incredible how the other seeks to be reuen∣ged: it pursueth the murderer, and knoweth him again among a number of people, be they ne∣uer so many: him it courseth, and layeth for his life; notwithstanding what difficulties soe∣euer, [unspec I] he breaketh through all, be it neuer so far thither, and nothing may impeach this reuen∣ging humor, vnlesse some riuer be between to keep it backe, or that the party make speed to e∣scape away in great haste. And I assure you, I am not able to say, whether Nature hath bin more free and prodigall in sending among vs such noisome things, or giuing vs remedies againe for them. For to begin withall, she hath afforded to this creature but a darke sight, and dim eyes; and those not placed in the forepart of the head, to see forward and directly, but set in the very temples. And hereof it is, that these serpents are raised oftner by their hearing than sight.

CHAP. XXIV. [unspec K]

¶ Of the Rat of India called Ichneumon.

BEsides the foresaid infirmitie, there is mortall war between them and the Ichneumones or Rats of India. A beast this is well knowne to the Aspis, in this regard especially, that it is bred likewise in the same Aegypt. The manner of this Ichneumon is, to wallow oft times within the mud, and then to dry it selfe against the Sun: and when he hath thus armed himself as it were with many coats hardned in this manner, he goeth forth to combat with the Aspis. In fight he sets vp his taile, and whips about turning his taile to the enemie, and therein lat∣cheth and receiueth all the strokes of the Aspis, and taketh no harme thereby: and so long he maintaineth a defensiue battell, vntill he espy a time, turning his head a to-side, that hee may catch the Aspis by the throat, and throtle it. And not content thus to haue vanquished this [unspec L] enemie, he addresseth himselfe to the conflict with another, as hurtful euery way & dangerous as the former.

CHAP. XXV.

¶ Of the Crocodile, Scinke, and Riuer-Horse.

THe riuer Nilus nourisheth the Crocodile; a venomous creature, foure footed, as dange∣rous on water as land. This beast alone, of all other that keepe the land, hath no vse of a [unspec M] tongue; he only moueth the vpper jaw or mandible, wherewith he biteth hard: and other∣wise terrible he is, by reason of the course and ranke of his teeth, which close one within ano∣ther, as if two combes grew together. Ordinarily he is aboue eighteene cubits in length. The female layeth egs as big as geese do, and sitteth euer vpon them out of the water: for a certaine naturall foreknowledge she hath, how far the riuer Nilus will that yeare rise when he is at the

highest and without it will shee be sure to sit. There is not another creature againe in the [unspec A] world, that of a smaller beginning, groweth to a bigger quantity. His feet be armed with claws for offence, and his skin so hard, that it will abide any injury whatsoeuer, and not be pierced. All the day time the Crocodile keepeth vpon the land, but he passeth the night in the water: and in good regard of the season he doth the one and the other. When he hath filled his belly with fishes, he lieth to sleep vpon the sands in the shore: and for that he is a great and greedie deuourer, somewhat of the meat sticketh euermore between his teeth. In regard whereof com∣meth the wren a little bird called there Trochilos, and the king of birds in Italy: and shee for her victuals sake, hoppeth first about his mouth, falleth to pecking or picking it with her little neb or bill, and so forward to the teeth, which he cleanseth; and all to make him gap. Then get∣teth shee within his mouth, which he openeth the wider, by reason that he taketh so great de∣light [unspec B] in this her scraping and scouring of his teeth and chaws. Now when he is lulled as it were fast asleep with this pleasure and contentment of his: the rat of India, or Ichneumon abouesaid spieth his vantage, and seeing him lye thus broad gaping, whippeth into his mouth, and shooteth himselfe downe his throat as quicke as an arrow, and then gnaweth his bowels, eateth an hole through his belly, and so killeth him.

Within the riuer Nilus there breeds another Serpent called Scincos, like in forme and pro∣portion somewhat to the Crocodile, but not all so big as the Ichneumon: the flesh whereof ser∣veth for a singular Antidote or countre-poison; as also for to prouoke the heat' of lust in men.

But to returne againe to the Crocodile: the mischiefe that he doth is so great, that Nature is not content to haue giuen him one mortal enemy & no more; & therefore the dolphins also [unspec C] enter the riuer Nilus in despight of the Crocodiles, that take themselues for kings there, as if this riuer were their peculiar kingdome: but seeing they be otherwise inferiour to the Croco∣diles in strength, who alwaies driue them away from preiding or feeding there, they deuise to ouermatch him in slie craft and subtilty, and so kill him. And in truth they haue certain fins or wings as it were vpon their backe, as trenchant & keene as kniues, properly made as it were, for this porpose. For surely all creatures are herein naturally very skilfull and cunning, to know not only their owne good, and what is for them, but also what may hurt and annoy their enemies. Ware they be what offensiue weapons they haue, and of what force they are: they are not igno∣rant of fit occasions and opportunities to take their vantage, ne yet of the weak parts of their occurrents, by which they may assaile and conquer them the sooner. Thus the Dolphins know∣ing [unspec D] full well, that the skin of the Crocodiles belly is thin and soft, make as though they were afraid of them as he comes, and so diue vnder the water, vntill he be gotten vnder his belly▪ & then punch and cut it with the foresaid sharp-pointed finnes. Moreouer, there is a kind of peo∣ple that cary a deadly hatred to the Crocodile, and they be called Tentyrites, of a certaine Isle euen within Nilus, which they inhabite. The men are but small of stature, but in this quarrell against the Crocodiles, they haue hearts of Lions, and it is wondrous to see how resolute and courageous they are in this behalfe. Indeed, this Crocodile is a terrible beast to them that flie from him: but contrary, let men pursue him or make head againe, he runnes away most coward∣ly. Now, these Islanders be the only men that dare encountre him affront. Ouer and besides, they will take the riuer, and swim after them, nay they wil mount vpon their backs, and set them [unspec E] like horsmen: and as they turne their heads, with their mouth wide open to bite or deuour them they will thrust a club or great cudgell into it crosse ouerthwart, and so holding hard with both •…•…ands each end thereof, the one with the right, and the other with the left, and ruling them per∣force (as it were) with a bit and bridle, bring them to land like prisoners: when they haue them there, they will so fright them only with their words and speech, that they compel them to cast vp and vomit those bodies againe to be enterred, which they had swallowed but newly before. And therefore it is, that this is the only Isle which the Crocodiles wil not swim to: for the very smell and sent of these Tentyrites is able to driue them away, like as the Pselli with their sa∣uour put Serpents to flight. By report, this beast seeth but badly in the water: but be they once without, they are most quick sighted. All the 4 winter months they liue in a caue, and eat [unspec F] nothing at all. Some are of opinion, that this creature alone groweth all his life: and surely a great time he liueth.

The same riuer Nilus bringeth forth another beast called Hippopotamus, i a Riuer-horse. Taller he is from the ground than the Crocodile: he hath a clouen foot like a boeufe: the back,

maine and haire of an horse, and he hath his neying also. His muzzle or snout turneth vp: his [unspec G] taile twineth like the Bores, and his teeth likewise are crooked and bending downward as the Bores tusks, but not so hurtfull: the skin or hide of his backe vnpenetrable [whereof are made targuets and head-pieces of doubty proof that no weapon wil pierce] vnlesse it be soked in wa∣ter or some liquor. He eateth downe the standing corne in the field: and folke say that he set∣teth downe beforehand where he will pasture and feed day by day: and when hee sets forward to any field for his reliefe hee goeth alwaies backeward, and his tracts are seene leading from thence, to the end that against his return he should not be forelaid nor followed by his footing

CHAP. XXVI.

¶ Who first shewed the riuer-Horse and Crocodiles at Rome. Also the medicinable [unspec H] means found out by the said dumbe creatures.

MArcus Scaurus was the first man, who in his plaies and games that he set out in his Aedile∣ship, made a shew of one water-Horse and foure Crocodiles, swimming in a poole or mote made for the time during those solemnities.

The riuer-Horse hath taught physitions one deuice in that part of their profession called Surgerie: for he finding himself ouer-grosse & fat by reason of his high feeding so continual∣ly, gets forth of the water to the shore, hauing spied afore where the reeds and rushes haue bin newly cut: and where he seeth the sharpest cane and best pointed, hee sets his body hard vnto it, to pricke a certaine veine in one of his legs, and thus by letting himselfe bloud maketh eua∣cuation: [unspec I] whereby his body, otherwise inclining to diseases and maladies, is well eased of the superfluous humor: and hauing thus done, hee stoppeth the orifice againe with mud, and so stancheth the bloud, and healeth the wound.

CHAP. XXVII.

¶ What physicall Herbes certaine creatures haue shewed vs, to wit, the harts and stags, the Li∣zards, Swallowes, Torteises, the Weasell, the Storke, the Bore, the Snake, Dragon, Panther, Elephant, Beares, stocke-Doues, house Doues, Cranes, and Rauens.

THe like deuice to this, namely of clisters, we learned first of a Fowle in the same Egypt, [unspec K] called Ibis [or the blacke Storke.] This bird hauing a crooked and hooked bill, vseth it in stead of a syringe or pipe to squirt water into that part, whereby it is most kinde and wholsome to auoid the doung and excrements of meat, and so purgeth and clenseth her body. Neither hath dumbe creatures directed vs to these feats onely practised by the hand, which might serue for our vse, to the preseruation of our health, and cure of diseases: for the hart first shewed vs the vertue of the herbe Dictamnus or Dittanie, to draw arrowes forth of the bodie. Perceiuing themselues shot with a shaft, they haue recourse presently to that herbe, and with eating thereof it is driuen out again. Moreouer, being stung with the Phalangium, a kinde of spider, or some such venomous vermin, they cure themselues with eating Crai-fishes, or fresh water crabs. [unspec L]

There is a certain herbe called Calaminth, most soueraigne and singular against the biting of serpents: wherewith the Lizards, when soeuer they haue fought with them, cure their wounds by applying it thereto.

Celendine [the greater] a most wholsome herbe for the eie sight, Swallowes taught vs how to vse: for with it they helpe their yong ones when their eies be •…•…ore and put them to griefe.

The land Torteise by eating of a kinde of Sauorie or Marjerome, called Cunila bubula, armes himselfe against poyson when he should fight with serpents.

The Weasell vseth Rue as a preseruatiue when hee purposeth to hunt for Rats, in case hee should fight with any of them. [unspec M]

The Storke feeling himselfe amisse, goeth to the herbe Organ for remedy. And the Bore when he is sicke is his owne physition, by eating iuy and crab fishes, such especially as the sea casteth vp to shore.

The Snake by restinesse and lying still all Winter, hath a certain membrane or filme grow∣ing

ouer her whole body; but hauing recourse to Fennel, with the iuice thereof she casteth that [unspec A] old coat that cloggeth her, and appeareth fresh, slick, and yong again. Now the manner of this her vncasing, is this; she beginneth first at the head, and turneth the skin ouer it, and thus she is a whole day and a night a folding it backward, before the inside of that membrane can be tur∣ned outward, and so she is clean rid of it. Moreouer, when by lying stil & keeping close all the Winter time, her sight is become dim and dark, she rubbeth and scoureth her self with the said herbe Fennell, and therewith annointeth and comforteth her eies. But if the scales that are o∣uergrowne her skin be hard and stiffe, not willing to part and be remoued, she maketh no more adoe, but scratcheth them with sharp juniper pricks.

The Dragon finding a certain lothing of meat, and ouerturning of her stomack in the spring time, cureth and helps the same with the iuice of the wild Lectuce.

The barbarous people when they hunt the Panthers, rub the gobbets of flesh, which they lay [unspec B] as a bait for them, with Aconitum (a kind of poison-ful herbe.) The beasts haue no sooner tou∣ched the flesh, but presently their throat swelleth, and they are ready to be stifled and choked: whereupon some haue called this venomous herbe Pardalianches, i. Libard baine, or choke Li∣bard. But the wilde beast hath a remedy against this, namely, the ordure and excrements of a man: yea, and at other times also, when he is not thus poisoned, so eager he is thereof, that when the shepheards for the nonce haue hanged them vp aloft in some vessell aboue their reach, al∣though they leap vp at them, he is ready to faint with mounting on high, & straining to get the same, and in the end killeth himselfe therwith, & lieth dead on the ground. And yet otherwise he is too vntoward for to be killed, and so long it is ere he will die, that when he is panched, and his very guts come forth of his belly, he wil liue stil, and fight. [unspec C]

The Elephant if he chance to let the [Lizard] Chameleon go downe his throat amongst o∣ther herbes or leaues (which this Lizard alwaies is like vnto in colour) he goeth straightwaies to the wild Oliue, the only remedy he hath of this poison.

Beares, when they haue eaten Mandrage apples, licke vp pismires to cure themselues withal.

The Stag and Hind feeling themselues poisoned with some venomous weed among grasse where they pasture, go by and by to the Artichoke, and therewith cure themselues.

The Stock-doues, the Iais, Merles, Blackbirds, Ousels, recouer their appetite to meat, which once in a yeare they lose, with eating Bay▪ leaues that purge their stomack. Partridges, House∣doues, Turtledoues, and all Pullein, as Hens, Cocks, and Capons, do the like with Parietarie of the wall. Ducks, Geese, and other water fouls purge with the herb Endiue or Cichory. Cranes [unspec D] and such like help themselues that way with the Marish reed.

The Rauen when he hath killed the Chameleon, and yet perceiuing that he is hurt and poi∣soned by him, flieth for remedy to the Laurell, and with it represseth and extinguisheth the ve∣nom that he is infected withall.

CHAP. XXVIII.

¶ The Prognostication of weather, taken by the obseruation of dumbe creatures.

MOreouer, the same vniuersall Nature hath giuen a thousand properties besides vnto [unspec E] beasts: and namely, hath endued very many of them with the knowledge and obseruati∣on of the aire aboue, giuing vs good meanes by them diuers waies, to fore-see what wea∣ther we shall haue, what winds, what raine, what tempest will follow: which to decipher in par∣ticular, it is not possible, no more than to discourse throughly of their other qualities they haue respectiue to the society with euery man. For they aduertise & warn vs before-hand of dangers to come, not only by their fibres and bowels (about the skill and presage wherof, the most part of the world is amased) but also by other manner of tokens and significations. When an house is readie to tumble downe, the mice goe out of it before: and first of all, the spiders with their webs fall down. As for the flight of birds & their fore-tokening, called Augurie, there is an Art of it, and the knowledge thereof is reduced into a method, in so much as at Rome there was a [unspec F] colledge of Augurus instituted: by which it may appeare in what account & regard that sacer∣dotall dignitie and profession was. In Thracia, which is a cold and frozen countrie, the Fox al∣so will not passe ouer any riuer or poole that is frozen, before he trie the thickenesse of the yce

by his eare, and otherwise it is a beast most quicke of hearing. And obserued it is, that men ne∣uer [unspec G] venture thereupon, but when he goes to reliefe, or returneth from thence, and then he layes his eare close to the yce, and guesseth thereby how thicke the water is frozen.

CHAP. XXIX.

¶ What cities and nations haue been vtterly destroyed by little beasts.

NOthing is more certain and notorious than this, that much hurt and dammage hath been known to come from small contemptible creatures, which otherwise are of no reckoning and account. M. Varro writes, That there was a towne in Spaine vndermined by Connies: and another likewise in Thessalie, by the Moldwarpes. In France the inhabitants of one citie [unspec H] were driuen out and forced to leaue it, by Frogs. Also in Affrick the people were compelled by Locusts to void their habitations: and out of Gyaros an Island, one of the Cyclades, the Islan∣ders were forced by Rats and Mice to flee away. Moreouer, in Italie the citie Amycle was de∣stroied by serpents. In Aethiopia, on this side the Cynamolgi, there is a great country lieth wast and desart, by reason that it was dispeopled sometime by Scorpions, and a kinde of Pis∣mires called Solpugae. And if it be true that Theophrastus reporteth, the Treriens were chased by certaine wormes called Scolopendres. But now let vs returne to other kinds of wild beasts.

CHAP. XXX.

¶ Of the Hyaena, Crocuta, Mantichora, Bieuers, and Otters. [unspec I]

AS touching Hyaenes, it is commonly beleeued, that they haue two natures, and that euery second yeere they change their sexe, being this yeere males, and the next yeere females. Howbeit, Aristotle denieth it. Their necke and the mane therewith, together with the backe, are one entire bone without any ioint at all, so as they cannot bend their necke without turning the whole body about. Many strange mattes are reported of this beast, and aboue all o∣ther, that he will counterfeit mans speech, and comming to the sheepheards cottages, will call one of them forth, whose name he hath learned, and when he hath him without, al to worrie and teare him in peeces. Also it is said that he will vomit like a man, thereby to train dogs to come vnto him, and then will deuoure them. Also, this beast alone of all others, will search for mens [unspec K] bodies within their graues and sepulchres, and rake them forth. The female is seldome taken. He changeth his eies into 1000 diuers colours. Moreouer, if a dog come within his shadow, he presently loseth his barking and is quite dumbe. Againe by a kind of magicall charme or en∣chantmeut, if he goe round about any other liuing creature but three times, it shall not haue the power to stir a foot and remooue out of the place. The Lionesses of Aethiopia, if they be couered with any of this kinde, bring forth another beast called Leocrocuta, which likewise knowes how to counterfeit the voice both of man, and of other beasts. He sees continually with both eies: he hath one entire bone in stead of teeth in either iaw (and no gombs at all) wherwith he cuts as with a knife. Now these bones, because they should not wax dul and blunt with con∣tinuall grating one against the other, they are enclosed each of them with•…•…n a case or sheath.

Iuba reports that the Mantichora also in Aethiopia resembles mens language. Great store of [unspec L] Hyenes be found in Affricke: which also yeelds a multitude of wild Asses. And one of the males is able to rule and leade a whole flocke of the female asses. This beast is so iealous, that they looke narrowly to the females great with young: for so soone as they haue foled, they bite off the cods of the little ones that be males, and so gueld them. But contrariwise, the shee asses when they be big, seeke corners, and keepe out of their way, that they might bring forth their young secretly without the knowledge of the Stallons: for desirous they are to haue many males: so lecherous they be, and glad euermore to be couered.

The Bieuers in Pontus gueld themselues, when they see how neer they are driuen, and be in danger of the hunters: as knowing full well, that chased they be for their genetoires: and these their stones, Physitians call Castoreum. And otherwise, this is a dangerous and terrible beast [unspec M] with his teeth. For verily, he will bite down the trees growing by the riuer sides, as if they were cut with an axe. Looke where he catcheth hold of a man once, he neuer leaues nor lets loose vntill he haue knapped the bone in sunder, and heard it cracke againe. Tailed hee is like a fish,

otherwise he resembleth the Otter. Both these beasts liue in the water altogether, and cary an [unspec A] haire softer than any plume or downe of feathers.

CHAP. XXXI.

¶ Of Frogs, Sea-calues, and star-Lisards called Stelliones:

THe venomous frogs and todes called Rubetae, which liue both on land, and also in the wa∣ter, yeeld many good things medicinable. It is said, that their manner is to let goe & cast from them all that is good within them, reseruing only to themselues all the poison: and when they haue bin at their food, take the same vp againe. The sea calfe likewise liueth both in the sea, and vpon the land: and hath the same nature and qualitie that the beiuer is, for hee ca∣steth [unspec B] vp his gall, which is good for many medicines: & so he doth the runnet in his maw, which is a singular remedy for the falling sicknes: for wel he is ware, that men seek after him for these two things. Theophrastus writeth, That the Lisards called Stelliones, cast their old coat, like as Snakes do, but when they haue so done, they eat it vp againe, and so preuent men of the helpe thereby for the said falling euill. He reporteth besides, that their stings and bitings in Greece be venomous and deadly: but in Sicily harmlesse.

CHAP. XXXII.

¶ Of red and fallow Deere.

THe Bucke or Stag, albeit that he be the most gentle and mild beast in the world, yet is he [unspec C] as enuious as the rest, & loth to part with that which is good for others. Howbeit, if he chance to be ouerlaied with hounds, then gently of himselfe hee hath recourse to a man. Likewise, the Hinds when they are to calue, chuse rather some place neere to the pathes and waies that are beaten with many steps, than secret corners; for feare of other wilde beasts. They begin to goe to rut after the rising of the star Arcturus, which is much about the 5 of Septem∣ber: they goe 8 months: and otherwhiles bring 2 calues at once. Finding themselues that they are sped, they part companie with the Stags. But they againe seeing themselues forsaken, fall into a kinde of rage for heate of lust, and dig pits in the ground where they lie hidden. Then begin their muzzles to looke blacke, and so continue, vntill such time as some raine wash away that colour. The Hinds before they calue, purge themselues with the herbe Seselis or Siler∣monntaine, [unspec D] whereby they haue lesse paine in their bearing, and more speedy and easie deliue∣rance. After they are lightened of their burden, they know where two herbes be, which they haue presently recourse vnto, Wake-Robin, and the foresaid Siler-mountain. When they haue eaten well thereof, they return presently to their yong. And (for what secret reason in Nature, God knowes) their first milke must haue a taste & talang of those two herbs. Their little ones they practise and exercise to vse their legs from the very beginning so soon as they be come in∣to the world: teaching them euen then how they should run away and flie. To high and steepe cragged rockes they bring them and there shew them how to leape, and withall acquaint them with their dens and places of harborough. And now by this time, the stags being past the heat of the rut, feed apace. But so soone as they be growne very fat, they seeke lurking places, and [unspec E] there abide, confessing as it were how heauie and vnweldie they be for fatnesse, and how vncom∣modious it is vnto them. At other times they vse in their flight to make staies, and take their breath, and as they stand still, to looke behinde them. But when they espie once the hounds and hunters to be neer vnto them then they fall to running afresh. And this they doe for a pain that they haue in their guts, which are so weak & tender, that with a small blow or stripe giuen vnto them they will burst within their bellies. When they perceiue the hunt is vp, & heare the hounds crie, they presently run but euer downe the winde, to the end that the sent of their feet should passe away with them. They take much pleasure & delight in the sound of sheepheards pipes, and their song withall. When they set vp their eares, they are most quicke of hearing: [unspec F] when they let them hang downe, they be as deafe. Moreouer, they are very simple and foolish •…•…eatures: amused, yea, and amased they will be at euery thing, and keepe a wondring at it, inso∣•…•…uch, as if an horse, a cow, or an haifer approach neere vnto them, they will stand gazing at 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and neuer regard the hunters neere by: or if they happen to spie him, they will looke at

his very bow, and shei•…•…e of arrows, as at strange and wondrous things. They passe the seas, swim∣ming [unspec G] by flocks and whole heards in a long row, each one resting his head vpon the buttockes of his fellow next before him: and this they do in course, so as the foremost retireth behinde to the hindmost, by turnes one after another: and this is ordinarily obserued by those saylers that passe from Cilicia to Cypres. And yet in their swimming they descry no land by the eye, but only by their smelling haue an aime thereat. The males of this kind are horned, and they (aboue all other liuing creatures) cast them euery yeare once, at a certaine time of the Spring: and to that purpose a little before the very day of their mewing, they seek the most secret cor∣ners and most out of the way, in the whole forrest. When they are pollards, they keep close hid∣den, as if they were disarmed: and all this they do, as if they enuied that men should haue good of any thing that they had. And in very truth, the right horn (they say) can neuer be found, as if [unspec H] it had some rare and singular vertue in Physicke. A strange and maruellous thing, considering that in the parks they change them euery yere, insomuch as it is thought verily, that they hide them within the earth. But burne whether of them ye will, the left as well as the right, this is certain, That the smell and perfume thereof driueth serpents away, and discouereth them that are subiect to the fits of the falling disease. A man may also know their age by their heads, for euery yeare they haue one knag or branch more in their horns than before, vntill they come to six: after which time, they come new euer alike; so as their age cannot be discerned any more by the head, but the marke is taken by their mouth and teeth; for as they grow in age, they haue few or no teeth at all, ne yet grow the branches out at the root, whereas all the while they were yonger, they vsed to haue them breake forth and standing out at the very forehead. After they [unspec I] be guelded once, neither cast they their hornes which they had before, neither grow there any if they had none when they were libbed. At the first when they breake out againe, like they be to the glandules or kernels of dry skin, that new put forth: then grow they with tender stalks, in∣to certain round and long knobs of the reed mace, couered all ouer with a certaine soft plume downe like veluet. So long as they be destitute of their hornes, and perceiue their heads naked, they go forth to reliefe by night; and as they grow bigger and bigger, they harden them in the hot sun, estsoons making proofe of them against trees; and when they perceiue once that they be tough and strong enough, then they go abroad boldly. And certainly some of them haue been taken with green Iuie sticking fast and growing in their hornes, remaining there since the time that they ran them (when they were but tender) against some trees, for triall whether they [unspec K] were good or no, and so chanced to race the Iuie from the wood of the tree. You shall haue them somtime white of colour, and such an one was the hind that Q. Sertorius had about, which he persuaded the people of Spaine to be his Sooth-sayer, & to tel him of things to come. This kind of Deere maintaine fight with serpents, and are their mortall enemies: they will follow them to their very holes, and there (by the strength of drawing and snuffing vp their wind at the nostrils) force them out whether they wil or no: and therfore there is not so good a thing again to chase away serpents, as is the smoke and smel of an Harts horn burnt. But against their sting or biting, there is a singular remedy, with the runnet in the maw of a fawne or Hind-calfe kil∣led in the dams belly. It is generally held and confessed, that the Stag or hind liues long: for an hundred yeres after Alexander the great, some were taken with golden collars about their necks, [unspec L] ouergrowne now with haire and growne within the skin: which collars, the said king had done vpon them. This creature of all diseases is not subiect to the feuer, but he is good to cure it. I haue known great ladies and dames of state, vse euery morning to eat the venison of red Deere, and thereby to haue liued a great age and neuer had the ague: but it is thought this is a certain remedy and neuer faileth, in case the stag be strucken starke dead at once with one wound and no more.

CHAP. XXXIII.

¶ Of the shag-haired and bearded Stagge like to a Goat: as also of the Chameleon. [unspec M]

OF the same kind is the Goat hart, and differing only in the beard and long shag about the shoulders, which they call Tragelaphis: and this breedeth no where but about the riuer Phasis. Africke in a manner is the onely countrey that breedeth no stags and hinds: but

contrariwise, it bringeth Chamaeleons, although India hath them ordinarily in greater num∣ber. [unspec A] In shape and quantitie it is made like a Lisard, but that it standeth higher and streighter than the Lisards do, vpon his legs. The sides, flank, and belly, meet together, as in fishes: it hath likewise sharp prickles, bearing out vpon the back as they haue: snouted it is, for the bignesse not vnlike to a swine, with a very long taile thin and pointed at the end, winding round and en∣tangled like to vipers: hooked clawes it hath, and goeth slow, as doth the Tortoise: his body and skin is rough and scaly, as the crocodiles: his eies standing hollow within his head, & those be exceeding great, one neere vnto the other, with a very small portion betweene, of the same colour that the rest of the body is: he is alwaies open eied, and neuer closeth them: he looketh about him not by mouing the ball of his eie, but by turning the whole body thereof: he gapes euermore aloft into the aire, and is the onely creature aliue that feedeth neither of meat nor [unspec B] drinke, but hath his nourishment of aire onely: about wilde fig-trees he is fell and dangerous, otherwise harmlesse. But his colour naturally is very strange and wonderful, for euer and anon he changeth it, as well in his eie, as taile and whole body besides: and looke what colour he tou∣cheth next, the same alwaies he resembleth, vnlesse it be red and white. When he is dead, hee looketh pale and wan: very little flesh he hath in head and chawes, and about the ioint where his taile is graffed to his rump; but in all the body besides, none at all. All his bloud is in his heart, and about his eies: among other his bowels, he is without a spleen. Hidden hee lieth all winter long, as Lisards do.

CHAP. XXXIIII.

¶ Of the Buffe, or Tarandus: the Lycaon, and the Thos. [unspec C]

IN Scythia there is a beast called Tarandus, which changeth likewise colour as the Chamae∣leon: and no other creature bearing haire doth the same, vnlesse it be the Lycaon of India▪ which (by report) hath a maned necke. As for the Thoes (which are a kinde of wolues some∣what longer than the other common wolues, and shorter legged, quicke and swift in leaping, liuing altogether of the venison that they hunt & take, without doing any harme at all to men) they may be said; not so much to change their hew, as their habit and apparell: for all winter time they be shag-haired, but in summer bare and naked. The Tarandus is as big as an oxe, with an head not vnlike to a stags, but that it is greater, namely carrying branched hornes: clouen hoofed, and his haire as deep as is the Beares. The hide of his backe is so tough and hard, that thereof they make brest-plates. He taketh the colour of all trees, shrubs, plants, floures, and pla∣ces [unspec D] wherein he lieth when he retireth for feare; and therefore seldome is he caught. But when he list to looke like himselfe and be in his owne colour, he resembleth an Asse. To conclude, strange it is that the bare body of a beast should alter into so many colours: but much more strange it is and wonderfull, that the haire also should so change.

CHAP. XXXV.

¶ Of the Pork-pen.

THe Porkpens come out of India and Africke: a kind of Vrchin or hedge-hog they be: ar∣med [unspec E] with pricks they be both; but the Porkpen hath the longer sharp pointed quilles, and those, when he stretcheth his skin, he sendeth and shooteth from him: when the hounds presseth hard vpon him, he flieth from their mouthes, and then takes vantage to launce at them somwhat farther off. In the Winter he lieth hidden, as the nature is of many beasts to doe, and the Beares aboue the rest.

CHAP. XXXVI.

¶ Of the Beares, and how they breed and bring forth their young.

THey ingender in the beginning of winter, not after the common manner of other foure∣footed [unspec F] beasts, but lying both along, clasping and embracing one another: then they goe apart into their dennes and caues, where the she beare thirtie daies after is discharged of her burden, and bringeth forth commonly fiue whelps at a time. At the first, they seem to be a

lump of white flesh without all form, little bigger than rattons, without eies, & wanting haire: only there is some shew and apparance of claws that put forth. This rude lumpe, with licking [unspec G] they fashion by little & little into some shape; & nothing is more rare to be seen in the world, than a she beare bringing forth her yong: and this is one cause that the male beares are not to be seen in 40 daies, nor the femall for 4 moneths. If they haue no holes and dens for the pur∣pose, they build themselues cabbins of wood, gathering together a deale of boughes & bushes, which they couch and lay artificially together, to beare off any shower, so as no raine is able to enter; and those they strew vpon the floore with as soft leaues as they can meet withall. For the first 14 daies (after they haue taken vp their lodging in this manner) they sleep so soundly, that they cannot possibly be wakened, if a man should lay on and wound them. In this drowsinesse of theirs, they grow wondrous fat. This their grease and fat thus gotten, is it that is so medicine∣able, [unspec H] and good for those that shed their haire. These 14 days once past, they sit vpon their rump or buttocks, and fall to sucking of their fore-feet, and this is all their food wherof they liue for the time. Their yong whelpes, when they are starke and stiffe for cold, they huggle in their bo∣som and keep close to their warm breast, much like to birds that sit vpon their egs. A strange and wonderful thing it is to be told, and yet Theophrastus beleeueth it, That if a man take bears flesh during those daies, and seeth or bake the same, if it be set vp and kept safe it will grow ne∣uerthelesse. All this time they dung not, neither doth there appeare any token or excrement of meat that they haue eaten: and very little water or aquositie it found within their belly. As for bloud, some few small drops lie about the heart only, and none at all in the whole body besides Now when spring is come, forth they go out of their den, but by that time the males are excee∣ding [unspec I] ouergrown with fat: and the reason therof cannot be readily rendred: for as we said before, they had no more but that fortnights sleep to fat them withall. Being now gotten abroad, the first thing that they do, is to deuoure a certain herbe named Aron, i. Wake-robin, and that they do to open their guts, which otherwise were clunged and grown together: and for to prepare their mouths and teeth again to eat, they whet and set the edge of them with the yong shoots and tendrons of the briers and brambles. Subiect they are many times to dimnesse of sight: for which cause especially they seek after hony combs, that the bees might settle vpon them, and with their stings make them bleed about the head, and by that means discharge them of that heauinesse which troubleth their eies. The Lions are not so strong in the head, but beares bee as weak and tender there: and therfore when they be chased hard by hunters, & put to a plunge, [unspec K] ready to cast themselues headlong from a rocke, they couer and arme their heads with their fore-feet and pawes, as it were with hands, and so jump downe: yea and many times, when they are baited in the open shew-place, we haue known them laid streaking for dead with one cuffe or box of the eare giuen them with a mans fist. In Spain it is held for certain, that in their brain there is a venomous qualitie; and if it be taken in drinke, driueth men into a kind of madnesse, so as they will rage as if they were bears: in token whereof, whensoeuer any of them be killed with baiting, they make sure work and burn their heads all whole. When they list, they wil go on their two hinder feet vpright; they creep down from trees backward: when they fight with buls, their manner is to hang with all their foure feet, about their head and hornes, and so with the very weight of their bodies wearie them. There is not a liuing creature more craftie and [unspec L] foolish withall, when it doth a shrewd turne. We finde it recorded in the Annales of the Ro∣mans, that when M. Piso and M. Messala were Consuls, Domitius Aenobarbus and Aedile Curule, vp∣on the 14 day before the Calends of October, exhibited 100 Numidian beares to be baited & chased in the great Cirque, and as many Aethiopian hunters. And I maruell much, that the Chronicle nameth Numidian, since it is certain, that no b•…•…rs come out of Africke.

CHAP. XXXVII.

¶ Of the Rats of Pontus, and the Alps: also of Vrchins and Hedge-hogs.

THe Rats of Pontus, which be onely white, come not abroad all winter: they haue a most [unspec M] fine and exquisit taste in their feeding; but I wonder how the authours that haue written this, should come to the knowledge of so much. Those of the Alpes likewise, i. Marmot∣tanes, which are as bigge as Brocks or Badgers, keepe in, during winter: but they are prouided

of victuals before hand which they gather together and carry into their holes. And some say, [unspec A] when the male or female is loden with grasse and herbs, as much as it can comprehend within all the foure legges, it lieth vpon the backe with the said prouision vpon their bellies, and then commeth the other, and taketh hold by the taile with the mouth, and draweth the fellow into the earth: thus doe they one by the other in turnes: and hereupon it is, that all that time their backes are bare and the haire worne off. Such like Marmotaines there be in Aegypt; and in the same manner thay sit ordinarily vpon their buttocks, and vpon their two hinder feet they goe, vsing their fore-feet in stead of hands.

Hedgehogs also make their prouision before-hand of meat for winter, in this wise. They wal∣low and roll themselues vpon apples and such fruit lying vnder foot, and so catch them vp with their prickles, & one more besides they take in their mouth, & so carry them into hollow trees. By stopping one or other of their holes, men know when the wind turneth, and is changed [unspec B] from North to South. When they perceiue one hunting of them, they draw their mouth and feet close together with all their belly part, where the skin hath a thin downe and no pricks at all to do harme, and so roll themselues as round as a foot-ball, that neither dog not man can come by any thing but their sharpe-pointed prickles. So soon as they see themselues past all hope to escape, they let their water go & pisse vpon themselues. Now this vrine of theirs hath a poisonous qualitie to rot their skin and prickles, for which they know well enough that they be chased and taken. And therefore it is a secret and speciall policie, not to hunt them before they haue let their vrine go; and then their skin is very good, for which chiefly they are hunted: otherwise it is nought euer after, and so rotten, that it will not hang together, but fall in pieces: al the pricks shed off, as being putrified, yea although they should escape away from the dogs [unspec C] and liue still: and this is the cause that they neuer bepisse and drench themselues with this pe∣stilent excrement, but in extremitie & vtter despaire: for they cannot abide themselues their owne vrine, of so venomous a qualitie it is, & so hurtfull to their own body; and do what they can to spare themselues, attending the vtmost time of extremitie, insomuch as they are ready to be taken before they do it. When the Vrchen is caught aliue, the deuise to make him open again in length, is to be sprinkle him with hot water; and then by hanging at one of their hin∣feet without meat they die with famine: otherwise it it not possible to kill them and saue their case or skin. There be writers who bash not to say, That this kinde of beast (where not those pricks) is good for nothing, and may well be missed of men: and that the soft fleece of wooll [unspec D] that sheepe bear, but for these prickes were superfluous & to no purpose bestowed vpon man∣kind: for which the rough skin of these Vrchins, are brushes & rubbers made to brush & make * 1.4 cleane our garments. And in very truth, many haue gotten great gain & profit by this commo∣ditie & merchandise, and namely, with their crafty deuise of monopolies, that all might passe through their hands only: notwithstanding there hath not bin any one disorder more repressed and reformation sought by sundry edicts and acts of the Senate in that behalfe: euery prince hath been continually troubled hereabout with grieuous complaints out of all prouinces.

CHAP. XXXVIII.

¶ Of the Leontophone, the Once, Badgers, and Squirrils. [unspec E]

TWo other kinds there be of beasts, whose vrine worketh strange and wonderfull effects. The one is called Leontophonos, and he breedes in no country but where there be lions: a little creature it is, but so venomous, that the lion (king of beasts, before whom al others tremble) for all his might and puissance, dieth presently if he taste neuer so little thereof. And therfore they that chase the lion, get all the Leontophones that they can come by, burne their bodies, and with the powder of them bestrew & season as it were the pieces of other flesh that they lay for a bait in the forrest, and thus with the very ashes (I say) of his enemie, kill him: and deadly and pernicious is it to the lion. No marueile therefore if the lion abhor & hate him, for so soon as he espieth him, he crushes him with his pawes, and so killeth him without setting tooth to his body. The Leontophone for his part againe, is as ready to bedrench him with his [unspec F] vrine, knowing right well that his pisse is a very poison to the Lion.

In those countries were the Onces breed, their urine (after it is made) congealeth into a cer∣tain y•…•…ie substance, & waxes drie, & so it comes to be a certain pretious stone like a carbuncle,

glittering and shining as red as fire, and called it is Lyncurium. And vpon this occasion many [unspec G] haue written, that Amber is ingendred after the same maner. The Onces knowing thus much, for very spight and enuie, couer their vrine with mold or earth, and this maketh it so much the sooner to harden and congeale.

The Grayes, Polcats, or Brocks, haue a cast by themselues, when they be affraid of hunters: for they will draw in their breath so hard, that their skin being stretched and puffed vp withall, they will auoid the biting of the hounds tooth, and checke the wounding of the hunter; so as neither the one nor the other can take hold of them.

The Squirrils also foresee a tempest comming, and where the wind will blow: for looke in what corner the wind is like to stand, on that side they stop vp the mouth of their holes, and make an ouerture on the other side against it. Moreouer, a goodly broad bush taile they haue, [unspec H] wherewith they couer their whole body. Thus you see how some creatures prouide victuals against winter, others battle and feed with sleepe onely.

CHAP. XXXIX.

¶ Of the Viper, Land-winkles or Snailes, and Lizards.

OF all other serpents, it is said, that the Viper alone lies hidden in the ground during win∣ter, whereas the rest keepe within cranies and c•…•…ifts of trees, or else in the hollow chinkes of stones: and otherwise they are able to endure hunger a whole yeere, so they be kept from extreame cold: All the while during their retreat and lying close within, they sleepe as if [unspec I] they were dead and depriued of their power to poyson.

In like manner do Perwinkles and Snailes; but not only in the winter season, but in Summer againe they lie still, cleauing so hard to rocks & stones, that although by force they be plucked off and turned with their bellies vpward, yet they will not out of their shell. In the Baleare I∣stands there be a kinde of them called Cauaticae, which neuer creepe out of their holes with∣in the ground, neither liue they of any grasse or greene herbe, but hang together like clusters of grapes. Another sort there is of them, but not so common, hiding themselues within the couer of their shell, sticking euer fast vnto them: these lie alwaies vnder the ground, and were in times past digged vp onely about the Alpes, along the maritime coasts: but now of late they be dis∣couered in Veliternum also, where men begin to get them out of the earth. But the best of [unspec K] them all and most commendable, are those in the Island Astypelaea.

As touching Lisards (deadly enemies to the Snailes or Winkles aboue-named) men say they liue not aboue six moneths. In Arabia, the Lizards be a cubit in length: and in the moun∣tain Nisa of India, they be foure and twenty foot long; some tawnie, some light red, and others blew of colour.

CHAP. XL.

¶ Of Dogges.

AMong those domesticall creatures that conuerse with vs, there be many things worth the knowledge: and namely, as touching dogges (the most faithfull and trustie companions [unspec L] of all others to a man) and also horses. And in very truth, I haue heard it credibly repor∣ted, of a dogge, that in defence of his master, fought hard against theeues robbing by the high way side: & albeit he were sore wounded euen to death, yet would he not abandon the dead bo∣dy of his master, but draue away both wild foule and sauage beast, from seizing of his carkasse. Also of another in Epirus, who in a great assembly of people knowing the man that had mur∣dered his M^r. flew vpon him with open mouth, barking and snapping at him so furiously, that he was ready to take him by the throat, vntill he at length confessed the fact that should cause the dog thus to rage and fome against him. There was a king of the Garamants exiled, and re∣couered his royall state againe by the meanes of 200 dogs that fought for him against al those that made resistance, and brought him home maugre his enemies, The Colophonians and Ca∣stabaleans, [unspec M] maintained certain squadrons of mastiue dogs, for their war seruice: and those were put in the vaward to make the head and front of the battell, and were neuer knowne to draw back and refuse fight. These were their trustiest auxiliaries and aid-soldiers, and neuer so needy

as to call for pay. In a battell when the Cimbrians were defeated and put all to the sword, their [unspec A] dogges defended the baggage, yea, and their houses (such as they were) carried ordinarily vpon charriots. Iason the Lycian had a dogge, who after his master was slaine, would neuer eat meat, but pined himselfe to death. Duris maketh mention of another dogge, which he named Hirca∣nus, that so soone as the funerall fire of king Lysimachus his master was set a burning, leapt into the flame. And so did another at the funerals of king Hiero. Moreouer, Phylistus reporteth as strange a story of king Pyrrhus his dogge: as also of another belonging to the tyrant Gelo. The Chronicles report of a dog that Nicomedes king of Numidia kept, which flew vpon the queene Consingis his wife, & al to mangled and worried her, for toying and dallying ouerwantonly with the king her husband. And to goe no farther for examples, euen with vs here at Rome, Volcatius a noble gentleman (who tought Cecelius the ciuile law) as he returned home one euening late, riding vpon an hackney from a village neere the citie, was assailed by a theefe on the high way, [unspec B] but he had a dog with him that saued him out of his hands. Caelius likewise, a Senator of Rome, lying sicke at Plaisance, chanced to be assailed by his enemies, well appointed and armed; but they were not able to hurt and wound him, by reason of a dog that he had about him, vntill such time as they had killed the said dog. But this passeth al, which happened in our time, and stan∣deth vpon record in the publicke registers, namely, in the yeere that Appius Iunius and P. Silus were Consuls, at what time as T. Sabinus and his seruants were executed for an outrage com∣mitted vpon the person of Nero, sonne of Germanicus: one of them that died had a dog which could not be kept from the prison dore, and when his master was throwne down the staires (cal∣led Scalae Gemoniae) would not depart from his dead corps, but kept a most pitteous howling and lamentation about it, in the sight of a great multitude of Romanes that stood round about [unspec C] to see the execution and the manner of it: and when one of the companie threw the dogge a piece of meat, he straightwaies carried to the mouth of his master lying dead. Moreouer, when the carkasse was thrown into the riuer Tiberis, the same dog swam after, & made all the means he could to beare it vp aflote that it should not sink: and to the sight of this spectacle and fide∣litie of the poore dogge to his master, a number of people ran forth by heapes out of the citie to the water side. They be the onely beasts of all others that know their masters; and let a stran∣ger vnknown be come neuer so suddenly, they are ware of his comming, and will giue warning. They alone know their owne names, and all those of the house by their speech. Be the way ne∣uer so long, and the place from whence they came neuer so farre, they remember it, and can go [unspec D] thither againe. And surely, setting man aside, I know not what creature hath a better memorie. As furious and raging as they be otherwhiles, yet appeased they will be and quieted, by a man sitting down vpon the ground. Certes, the longer we liue, the more things we obserue & marke still in these dogges. As for hunting there is not a beast so subtle, so quick, & so fine of sent, as is the hound: he hunteth and followeth the best by the foot, training the hunter that leads him by the coller and leash, to the very place where the beast lieth. Hauing once gotten an eie of his game, how silent & secret are they notwithstanding? and yet how significant is their discouerie of the beast vnto the hunter? first with wagging their taile, and afterwards with their nose and snout, snuffing as they doe. And therefore it is no maruell, if when hounds or beagles be ouer old, wearie, and blind, men carry them in their armes to hunt, for to wind the beast, and by the [unspec E] verie sent of the nose to shew and declare where the beast is at harbour. The Indians take great pleasure to haue their salt bitches to be lined with tygres: and for this purpose, when they goe proud, they couple and tie them together, and so leaue them in the woods for the male tygres: howbeit they rere neither the first nor second litter of them, supposing that the dogs thus bred, will be too fierce and eger, but the third they nourish and bring vp. Semblably, thus doe the Gaules by their dogges that are ingendred of wolues: and in euerie chace and forrest there be whole flockes of them thus ingendred, that haue for their guide, leader, and captain, one dogge or other: him they accompanie when they hunt; him they obey and are directed by: for surely, they keepe an order among themselues, of gouernment and mastership. This is knowne for cer∣taine, that the dogges which be neere vnto Nilus, lap of the riuer, running still and neuer stay [unspec F] while they are drinking, because they will giue no vantage at all to be a prey vnto the greedie Crocodiles. In the voiage that Alexander the Great made into India, the king of Albania gaue him a dogge of an huge and extraordinarie bignesse. And Alexander taking great delight and contentment to see so goodly and so faire a dogge, let loose vnto him first Beares, afterwards

wild Bores; and last of all, fallow Deere. But this dog making no reckoning of all this game, [unspec G] lay still couchant, and neuer stirred nor made at them. This great Commander Alexander, a man of mighty spirit and high mind, offended at the lazinesse and cowardise of so great a bo∣die, commanded that he should be killed, and so he was. Newes hereof went presently to the king of Albanie. Wherupon he sent vnto him a second dog, with this message, That he should not make triall of this too against such little beasts, but either set a Lion or an Elephant at him: saying moreouer, that hee had in all but those two of his kinde: and if hee were killed likewise, hee were like to haue no more of that race and breed. Alexander made no stay, but presently put out a Lion, and immediately he saw his backe broken and all to rent and torne by the dog. Afterwards he commanded to bring forth an Elephant, and in no sight tooke he greater pleasure, than in this. For the dog at the first with his long rough shagged haire, that ouerspread his whole bodie, came with ful mouth thundering (as it were) and barking terribly [unspec H] against the Elephant. Soon after he leapeth and flieth vpon him, rising and mounting against the great beast, now of one side, then of another: maintaining combate right artificially, one while assailing, another while auoiding his enemie: and so nimbly he bestirreth him from side to side, that with continuall turning about to and fro, the Elephant grew giddie in the head, insomuch as he came tumbling downe, and made the ground to shake vnder him with his fal. Bitches breed and beare young euery yeere lightly once: and the due time for them to be with whelpes is when they are full a yeere old. They goe with young threescore daies. Their pup∣pies come blinde into the world: and the more milke they sucke, the later it is ere they receiue their sight: but as it is neuer aboue twenty daies ere they see, so they open not their eies vnder seuen daies old. Some say, that if a bitch bring but one at a litter, it will see by nine daies: if [unspec I] twaine, it will be ten daies first: and the more puppies she hath, the more daies it will be in that proportion ere they see. Moreouer, that the bitch-whelpe that commeth of the first litter, see strange bugs and goblins. The best of the whole litter is that whelpe that is last ere it begin to see: or else that which the bitch carries first into her kennell. The biting of mad dogs are most dangerous to a man, as we haue said before, especially during the dog-daies, while the dog star Syrius is so hot: for they that are so bitten, lightly are affraid of water, which is a deadly signe. To preuent therefore that dogs fall not mad, it is good for thirtie or fortie daies space, to min∣gle hens or pullins dung especially with their meat: againe, if they be growing into that rage, or tainted already, to giue them Ellebor with their meat. [unspec K]

CHAP. XLI.

¶ Against the biting of a mad Dog.

THe sure and soueraigne remedy for them that are bitten with a mad dog, was reuealed lately by way of Oracle: to wit, the root of a wild rose, called the sweet brier or Eglantine. Columella writeth, That when a whelpe is iust fortie daies old, if his taile be bitten off at the nethermost joint, and the sinew or string that commeth after, be likewise taken away, nei∣ther the taile will grow any more, nor the dog fall euer to be mad. I haue my selfe obserued, that among the prodigies it is reported, how a dog sometime spake, as also that a serpent bar∣ked, [unspec L] that yeere when Tarquine the prowd was deposed and driuen out of Rome.

CHAP. XLII.

¶ Of Horses, and their nature.

THe same Alexander the Great, of whom ere-while we spake, had a very strange and rare horse, whom men called Bucephalus, either for his crabbed and grim looke, or else of the marke or brand of a buls head, which was imprinted vpon his shoulder. It is reported, that Alexander being but a child, seeing this faire horse, was in loue with him, and bought out of the breed and race of Philonicus the Pharsalian, and for him paied sixteene talents. He would [unspec M] suffer no man to sit him, nor come vpon his backe, but Alexander; and namely, when he had the kings saddle on, and was also trapped with roiall furniture: for otherwise he would admit any whomsoeuer. The same horse was of a passing good and memorable seruice in the warres: and namely, being wounded vpon a time at the assault of Thebes, he would not suffer Alexander to

alight from his back, and mount vpon another, Many other strange and wonderfull things hee [unspec A] did: in regard whereof, when he was dead, the king solemnized his funerals most sumptuously; e∣rected a tombe for him, and about it built a city that bare his name, Bucephalia. Caesar Dicta∣tor likwise had another horse that would suffer no man to ride him but his maister: & the same horse had his forefeet resembling those of a man: and in that manner he stands pourtraied be∣fore the temple of Venus, Mother. Moreouer, Augustus Caesar, late Emperour of famous memory, made a sumptuous tombe for an horse that he had, wherof Germanicus Caesar compiled a poeme. At Agrigentum there be seen Pyramides ouer many places were horses were entombed. Iuba reporteth, That queene Semiramis loued a great horse that she had, so far forth, that she was content he should doe his kind with her. The Scythians verily take a great pride and glorie much in the goodnes of their horses and Cauallerie. A king of theirs happened in combat and single fight vpon a challenge to be slain by his enemie, and when he came to despoile him of his [unspec B] armes and roiall habit, the kings horse came vpon him with such furie, flinging and laying a∣bout him with his heeles, and biting withall, that he made an end of the conquerour champion. There was another great horse hoodwinked because he should couer a mare: but perceiuing af∣ter that he was vnhooded that he serued as a stalion to his own dam that foled him, ran vp to a steep rock with a downfall, and there for griefe cast himselfe down and died. We find also in record, That in the territorie of Reate there was a mare killed & all to rent an horsekeeper vpon the same occasion. For surely these beasts know their parentage, & those that are next to them in bloud. And therefore we see that the colts will in the flocke more willingly keep company and sort with their sisters of the former yere, than with the mare their mother. Horses are so do∣cile, and apt to learne, what we find in histories, how in the army of Sibaritanes, the whole troup [unspec C] of horsemen had their horses vnder them, and vsed to leap and daunce to certaine musicke that they were wonted and accustomed vnto. They haue a fore-knowledge when battell is toward, they will mourne for the losse of their maisters: yea, and other whiles shed teares and weep piti∣ously for loue of them. When king Nicomedes was slaine, the horse for his owne saddle, would neuer eat meat after, but for very anguish died with famine. Philarchus reporteth, That king An∣tiochus hauing in battaile slaine one Centaretus, a brave horsman of the Gallogreeks or Galati∣ans, became maister of his horse, and mounted vpon him in triumphant wise: But the horse of him that lay dead in the place, and vpon whom Antiochus was mounted, for very anger and in∣dignation at this indignitie, passed neither for bit nor bridle, so as he could not be ruled; and so ran furiously among the cragges and rocks, where both horse and man came downe head long, [unspec D] and perished both together. Philistus writeth, That Dyonisius was forced to leaue his horse stic∣king fast in a quaue-mire, and got away: but the horse after he had recouered himselfe, and was gotten forth, followed the tracts of his master, with a swarm or cast of bees setling in his mane: and this was the first presage of good fortune that induced Denis to vsurp the kingdome of Si∣cilie. Of what perceiuance and vnderstanding they be, it cannot be exprest: & that know those light horsmen full well that vse to launce darts and iauelines from horseback, by the hard ser∣uice that they put their horses to; which they doe with great dexteritie & resolution in strai∣ning, winding, and turning their bodies nimbly euery way. Nay, ye shall haue of them togather vp darts and iauelines from the ground, and reach them againe to the horsman. And commonly we see it to be an ordinary matter with them in the great race or shew place, when they are set [unspec E] in their geirs to draw the chariots, how they ioy when they are encouraged and praised; giuing no doubt a great proofe, and confessing that they are desirous of glorie. At the secular solemni∣ties, exhibited by Claudius Caesar, in the Circensian games, the horses with the white liuery (not∣withstanding their driuer and gouernour, the charioter, was cast and flung to the ground euen within the bars) wan the best prize & went away with the honour of that day. For of themselues they brake and bare down whatsoeuer might impeach them of running the race thoroughout: they did all that euer was to be done against their concurrents and aduersaries of the contrarie side, as well as if a most expert chariot-man had been ouer their backes to direct and instruct them. At the sight wherof, men were ashamed ta see their skill & art to be ouermatched & sur∣mounted [unspec F] by horses. And to conclude, when they had performed their race, as much as by law of the game was required, they stood stil at the very goale, and would no farther. A greater wonder and presage was this in old time, that in the Circensian games exhibited by the people, the hor∣ses after they had flung and cast their gouernour, ran directly vp to the Capitol, as well as if he

had stood still in his place, and conducted them; and there fetcht three turnes round about the [unspec G] temple of Iupiter. But the greatest of all was this which I shall now tell, That the horses of Ra∣tumenus, who had woon the price in the horse-running at Veij, threw their M^r. down; and came from thence, euen out of Tuscane, as far as to the foresaid Capitoll, carrying thither the Palme branch and chaplet of Victory woon by Ratumenas their M^r. of whom the gate Ratumena took afterwards the name at Rome. The Sarmatians minding to take a great iournie, prepare their horses two daies before, and giue them no meat at all, only a little drinke they allow them, and thus they will ride them gallop 150 miles an end, and neuer draw bridle. Horses liue many of them 50 yeres, but the mares not so long. In fiue yeres they come to their full growth, whereas stone horses grow one yere longer. The making of good horses indeed, and their beautie, such as a man will chuse for the best, hath bin most elegantly and absolutely described by the Poet Virgill. And somewhat also haue I written of that argument, in my booke which I lately put [unspec H] forth, as touching Tournois and shooting from horsebacke: and in those points required, and there set downe, I see all writers in manner to agree. But for horses that must be trained to run the race, some considerations are to be had and obserued, different from horses of other vse and seruice. For whereas to other affaires and imploiments they may be brought when they are two yeeres old colts, and not vpward; to the Lists they must not be brought to enter into any mastries there, before they be full fiue yeres of age. The female in this kind go eleuen months compleat with young, and in the twelfth they fole: commonly the stalion and the mare are put together, when both of of them are full two yeeres old: and that about the Spring Equinocti∣all, that is to say, in mid-March: but if they be kept asunder vntill they are full 3 yeeres of age, they breed stronger colts. The Stalion is able to get colts vntil he be three and thirtie yers old. [unspec I] for commonly when they haue serued in the race, and run ful twenty yeres, they are discharged from thence, & let go abroad for to serue mares. And men say that they will hold to 40 yeeres with a little helpe put to the forepart of his body, that he may be lifted vp handsomly to couer the mare. Few beasts besides are lesse able to ingender and leape the female often, nor sooner haue enough of them. For which cause they be allowed some space between euery time that they do their kind. And in one yeere the most that the Stallion is able to do that way, is to co∣uer 15 mares, and that is somewhat with the oftenest. If ye would coole the courage, & quench the lust of a mare, share and clipher mane. And yet are mares sufficient to beare euery yeere, vntill they came to fortie. It is reported that an horse hath liued 75 yeeres. Mares only of all other females, are deliuered of their foles, standing on their feet: but loue them more than any [unspec K] other doe their young. These foles verily, by report, haue growing on their forehead, when they be newly come into the world, a little blacke thing of the bignesse of a fig, called Hippo∣manes, & it is thought to haue an effectuall vertue to procure and win loue. The dam hath not so soon foled, but she bites it off, and eats it her selfe: and if it chance that any bodie preuents her of it, and catcheth it from her, she will neuer let the fole sucke her. The verie smell and sent thereof, if it be stollen away, will driue them into a fit of rage and madnesse. If peraduenture a young fole lose the damme, the other mares of the common heard that are milch nurses, giue their teates to this poore orphane, and reare it vp in common. They say that for 3 daies after they be newly foled, the yong colts canot lay their mouth to the ground, and touch it. Moreo∣uer, [unspec L] the hotter stomacked that a horse is, the deeper he thrusteth his nose into the water as he drinkes. The Scythians chuse rather to vse their mares in war-seruice than their stone-horses: the reason is this, that their staling is no hinderance to their pace in running their carriere, as it doth the horse, who must needs then stand still. In Portugall, along the riuer Tagus, & about Lisbon, certaine it is, that when the west-wind blowes, the mares set vp their tailes, and turne them full against it, and so conceiue that genitall aire in steed of naturall seed: in such sort, as they become great withall, and quicken in their time, & bring forth foles as swift as the wind, but they liue not aboue three yeres. Out of the same Spain, from the parts called Gallicia and Asturia, certaine ambling iennets or nags are bred, which wee call Thieldones: and others of lesse stature & proportion euery way, named Asturcones. These horses haue a pleasant pace by [unspec M] themselues differing from others. For albeit they be put to their full pace, a man shall se them set one soot before another so deftly and roundly in order by turnes, that it would do one good to see it: and hereupon horse-breakers (masters) haue an art by cords to bring a horse to the like amble. A horse is subiect to the same diseases in maner that a man is: & besides, to the running

of the bladder: like as all other beasts that labour either in draught or carriage. [unspec A]

CHAP. XLIII.

¶ Of Asses.

VArro writes, that Q. Axius a Roman Senator bought an Asse which bought him 400000 Sesterces, a price in my conceit aboue the worth of any beast whatsoeuer: & yet (doubt∣lesse) he was able to do wondrous good seruice in carrying burdens, plowing of ground, and principally in getting of mules. The chapmen that vse to buy these Asses haue a speciall regard to the place from whence they come, and where they be bred: for in Achaia or Greece [unspec B] those of Arcadia be in greatest request: and in Italy those of Reate. This creature of all things can worst away with cold; which is the cause that none of them are bred in Pontus. Neither do they ingender as other such like beasts, in the Spring Aequinoctiall, i. about mid-March, but in mid-Iune, about the time of the Sun-stead, when daies be at the longest. He Asses, the more you spare them in their worke, the worse they are for it. The females are at the least 30 months or two yeares and halfe old before they bring any yong; but 3 yeares is the ordinarie and due time indeed. They go as long as mares, and iust so many moneths, and after the same maner do they fole. But after they be couered, they must be forced to run presently, with beating & lay∣ing on them, or else they will let go their seed again, so slippery is their wombe, and so vnapt to keep that which once it hath conceiued. They are seldome seene to bring forth two at once. The she Asse when she is about to fole seeketh some secret blinde corner to hide her selfe, that she might not be seen of any man. She breeds all her life time, which commonly is vntill shee [unspec C] be 30 yeares old. They loue their yong foles exceeding well, but as ill or rather worse can they abide any water. To their little ones they will go through fire, but if there be the least brooke or rill between, they are so afraid of it, that they dare not once dip their feet therein. And verily drinke they will not, but of their accustomed fountaines within the pastures where they vse to go: but they will be sure to chuse their way, and go dry-foot to their drinke, and not wet their hoofe: neither will they go ouer any bridges, where the planks are not so close drawn together and ioynted, but that they may see the water through vnder their feet; or the railes of each side so open that the riuer is seen. A strange nature they haue by themselues. Thirsty they are: but be they neuer so dry, if you change their watering place (as in trauelling vpon the way) they [unspec D] must be forced to drinke with cudgels, or else vnloden of their burdens. Wheresoeuer they be stabled, they loue to lie at large and haue roome enough. For in their sleep they dream, & haue a thousand phansies appearing to them; insomuch as they fling about them with their heeles euery way: now if they were not at libertie, and had not void space enough, but should beat a∣gainst some hard thing in their way, they would soone be lame and halt withall. They be very gainfull and profitable to their masters, yeelding more commoditie than the reuenues of good farme. It is well knowne, that in Celtiberia a she Asse ordinarily with very breeding may be worth vnto them 400000 Sesterces. For the foling and bringing forth of the mules, the chief thing to be regarded in the she Asse, is the haire about the eares and eie lids. For howsoeuer the whole body besides be of one and the same colour, yet shall the mules foled haue as many [unspec E] colours as were there all ouer the skin. Mecoenas was the first, that at feasts made a daintie dish of yong Asse foles, and preferred their flesh in his time before the venison of wild Asses. But he being dead, they were not thought so good meat, nor accepted at all. If an Asse be seene to die, looke soon after that the whole race and kind of them will follow to the very last.

CHAP. XLIV.

¶ Of Mules.

BEtween the he Asse and a Mare is a Mule ingendred, and foled in the 12 moneth; a beast of exceeding strength to beare out all labor and trauell. For breeding of such Mules, Mares [unspec F] are chosen that are not vnder foure yeres old, nor aboue ten. Men say, that they will driue away one another in both kinds, and not accompany together, vnlesse they tasted the milk and sucked the damme when they were yong, of that kinde which they would couer. And for this

purpose they vse to steale away either the yong Asse foles, and set them in the dark to the teats [unspec G] of the Mare, or els the yong colts to suck of the she Asse. For there is a kind of Mule also that comes of a stone horse and a female Asse: but of all others they be vntoward and vnruly, and so slow withall, that it is vnpossible to bring them to any good seruice: and much more (as all things else) if they be far in age when they ingender. If when a she Asse hath taken the horse and be sped, there come an Asse and couer her againe, she will cast her fruit vntimely, and lose all: but it is not so if an horse couer her after an Asse. It is noted & found by experience, that seuen daies after an Asse hath foled, is the best time to put the male vnto her, and then soonest will she be sped: as also, that the he Asses being wearie with trauel, wil better couer the femals than otherwise being resty. That Asse is held for barren, which is not couered, nor conceiueth, before she haue cast her sucking or foles teeth, whereby the age is known: as also she that stan∣deth [unspec H] not to the first couering, but loseth it. In old time they vsed to call those Hinuli which were begotten betweene a horse and an Asse: and contrariwise Mules, such as were ingendred of an Asse and a Mare. Moreouer this is obserued, that if two beasts of diuers kindes ingender, they bring forth one of a third sort, and resembling none of the parents: also, that such begot∣ten in this maner, what kind of creatures soeuer they be, are themselues barren and fruitles, vna∣ble either to beare or beget yong. And this is the cause that she mules neuer breed. We finde verily in our Chronicles, that oft times Mules brought forth yong foles, but it was alwaies ta∣ken for a monstrous and prodigious signe. And yet Theophrastus saith, that in Cappadocia or∣dinarily they do beare and bring forth foles: but they are a kind by themselues. Mules are bro∣ken of their flinging and wincing, if they vse often to drinke wine. It is found written in many [unspec I] Greeke authors, that if an he Mule couer a Mare, there is ingendred that which the Latins call Hinnus, that is to say, a little Mule. Between Mares and wild Asses made tame, there is ingen∣dred a kind of Mules very swift in running, and exceeding hard hoofed, lanke and slender of bo∣die, but fierce and couragious, and vnneth or hardly to be broken. But the Mule that comes of a wild Asse and a female tame Asse, passeth all the rest. As for wild asses, the very best & floure of them be in Phrygia and Lycaonia. In Africke the flesh of their foles is held for excellent good meat, and such they cal Lalisiones. It appeares in the Chronicles of Athens, That a mule liued 80 yeares. And reported thus much there is of it, That when they built the temple within the citadel thereof, this old Mule being for age able to do nothing els, would yet accompanie other Mules that laboured and caried stones thither, and if any were ready to fall vnder their [unspec K] lode, would seeme to relieue and hold them vp, and as it were incourage them to his power: in∣somuch as the people tooke so great delight and pleasure therein, that they made a decree and took order, that no corn-masters that bought and sold graine should beat this mule from their ranging siues, when they clensed or winnowed their corne, but that he might eat vnder them.

CHAP. XLV.

¶ Of Buls, Kine, and Oxen.

THe Boeufs of India are as high by report as Camels, and foure foot broad they are betwixt the horns. In our part of the world those that come out of Epirus are most commended, and beare the greatest price aboue all others, and namely those which they say are of the [unspec L] race & breed of king Pyrrhus, who that way was very curious. For this prince because he would haue a principall good breed, would not suffer the Buls to come vnto the kine and season them before they were both foure yeares old. Mighty big they were therefore, and so they continue of that kind vnto this day. How beit, now when they be but heifers of one yeare, or two yeres at the most (which is more tolerable) they are let go to the fellow and breed. Buls may wel ingen∣der and serue kine when they be 4 yeares old; and one of them is able all the yeare long to goe with ten kine and serue their turne. They say moreouer, that a Bull after he hath leapt a Cow, and done his kind, if he go his way toward the right hand, he hath gotten an oxe calfe, but con∣trariwise a cow calfe if he take the left hand. Kine commonly take at their first seasoning, but [unspec M] if it chance that they misse and stand not to it, the 20 day after they seeke the fellow, and goe a bulling againe. In the tenth moneth they calue, and whatsoeuer falleth before that terme, ne∣ver proueth nor commeth to good. Some write, That they calue iust vpon the last day of the tenth moneth complete. Seldome bring they forth two calues at a time. Their seasoning time

commonly continueth 30 daies, namely from the rising of the Dolphin starre, vnto the day be∣fore [unspec A] the Nones of Ianuarie: howbeit some there be that go to fellow in Autumne. Certes in those countries where the people liue altogether of milke, they order the matter so, that their kine calue at all times, so as they are not without their food of fresh milke all the yeare long. Bulls willingly leape not aboue two kine at most in one day. Boeufes alone of all liuing Crea∣tures can grase going backeward, and verily among the Gamarants they neuer feed otherwise. Kine liue not aboue 15 yeares at the vtmost: bulls and oxen come to 20: they be at their •…•…ll strength when they are 5 yeres old. It is said that they will grow fat if they be bathed with lot water, or if a man slit their hide, and with a reed or pipe blow wind betweene the flesh and the skin, euen into their intrals. Kine, Buls, and Oxen are not to be despised as vnkindely, although they look but ilfauoredly, and be not so faire to the eie; for in the Alpes the least of bodie are [unspec B] the best milch kine: and the best laboring oxen are they which are yoked by the head, and not the neck. In Syria they haue no dewlaps at all hanging vnder the necke, but bunches standing vp on their backs in stead thereof. They of Caria also, a country of Asia, are ilfauored to sight, hauing betweene their neckes and shoulders a tumor or swelling hanging ouer; besides, their horns are loose, and as it were out of joint; and yet by report they are passing good of deed, and labor most stoutly. Furthermore, it is generally held for certain, that the black or white in this kind are simply the worst for work, and condemned. Buls haue lesser and thinner horns than ei∣ther Kine or Oxen. The best time to bring the Oxe or Bull to the yoke, and make him draw, is at 3 yeres of age; after, it is too late; and before, with the soonest. A yong Stere is soonest trai∣ned and taught to draw, if he be coupled in one yoke with another that hath bin wrought al∣readie, and beaten to his work: for this beast is our companion, and labors together with vs, in [unspec C] earing and plowing the ground: and so highly regarded was the Oxe in old time of our fore∣fathers, that we find it registred vpon record, That a certain Roman was judicially endited, ac∣cused, and condemned by the people of Rome, for that (to satisfie the minde of a wanton mini∣on and catamite of his, who said he had not eaten any tripes all the while he was in the Coun∣trie) he had killed an Oxe, yea although he was his one; and for this fact was banished, as if he had slain his Grangier, or Bailif of his husbandry. Buls are known to be of a good kind & cou∣ragious, by their fierce and grim countenance, for they alwaies looke crabbed and frowning; their eares are ouergrowne with stiffe haires, and their hornes so standing, as if they were euer disposed and ready to fight: but all his threatning and menaces appeare in his fore-feet; with [unspec D] them he giues warning, and as he is more and more angry, he bestirs himselfe now with the one foot, thenwith another, in course and by turnes, stamping and pawing with them against the ground, raising and flinging the dust about him aloft into the aire: and of all other beasts, hee alone after this maner inchafeth himselfe, and giues an edge vnto his anger. I my self haue seen them fight one with another for the mastrie: I haue seen them, being turned and swong round about in their fal, caught vp with the horns of others, and yet rise again & recouer themselues: I haue seene them lying along to be raised aloft from the ground; and when they haue run all amain with full pace, gallopping in their chariots, yet staid and stood still when they should, as if the charioters had caused them to rest. The Thessalians were they who deuised with praun∣cing horse to ride gallop close to the Buls head to take them by the horne, wryth their neckes down and so kil them. The first that exhibited this pleasant shew to the people at Rome was [unspec E] Caesar Dictator. The Bull yeeldeth the principal and most sumptuous sacrifice of all other vnto the gods, and therewith are they best pleased. This beast alone, of all that are long tailed, when it first comes into the world, hath not the taile of the full measure and perfect length as others, but it growes stil, till it reach down to the very heels, and touch the ground. And hereupon it is, that in chusing calues for sacrifice, those are allowed for good and sufficient, whose taile rea∣cheth to the joint of the haugh or gambrill: for if it be shorter, they will not be receiued & ac∣cepted of the gods. This also is noted by experience, that calues so little, that they be brought on mens shoulders to the altars to be killed, lightly are not sufficient to appease the gods. Nei∣ther are they pacified & well pleased with a beast that is lame or maimed; nor with that which is not appropriat vnto them, but to some other gods; ne yet with it that r•…•…cules from the altar, [unspec F] and is loth to come to it. In the prodigies that we reade of antient times, we find very oft, that Kine and Oxen haue spoken: vpon report of which strange token, the Senat was euer wont to as∣semble in some open place abroad, and not to sit either in hall or chamber.

CHAP. XLVI. [unspec G]

¶ Of the Boeufe or Oxe named Apis.

IN Aegypt also they had an Oxe which the people of that country adored and worshipped as a god, vnder the name of Apis. This beast was marked in this manner; with a white spot on his right side, like to the horns or tips of the new moon croissant; a knot or bunch vnder the tongue, which they called Cantharus: by their religion it was not lawfull to suffer him to liue aboue a certain number of yeres, at the end of which term they drown him in a certain Wel or fountain of their priests, and so shorten his life: and then with great sorrow fall to seek another to substitute in his place; vntil they find him they mourne and waile, and in token of grief and [unspec H] sorrow, they shaue their heads. But long they neuer are before they meet with another, & when they haue him, he is by the priests brought to Memphis, where he hath 2 Temples, which they call Thalami, i. bed-chambers; out of which all the people of Aegypt, as from an Oracle, are in∣formed truly of things to come. For if this Oxe enter into the one of them it is a good luckie signe; but if he go into the other, then it portendeth great mishap and infortunitie. And these be generall presages to the whole nation. As for priuat persons, he foretelleth them of things to come by the maner of taking meat at their hands, who come to know what fortune they shal haue. He turned away his head from the hand of Germanicus Caesar, and would eat no meat when he offered it him; but he died for it, and that not long after. He is kept secret and close for the most part: but if at any time he get forth and come abroad to be seen of the multitude of peo∣ple, [unspec I] he goeth with a gard of tip staues to make way for him, and then a company of prety boies go chanting before him canticles and songs in his honour and praise: for it seemeth that he ta∣keth heed to what they sing, and is well pleased and contented thus to be worshipped. Now these Choristers before said presently fall into a kinde of furious rage, and withall are inspired with the gift of prophesie, and so foretell what will ensue. Once a yeare there is presented vnto him a Cow, which hath marks likewise as he hath, but differing from his: and alwaies on what day this cow is found, the same day, by report, it dies. At Memphis there is a place within Ni∣lus, which the inhabitants name Phiola, because it is made in fashion of a pot or boll; & there∣in duly euery yere the Aegyptians drowne two cups, one of siluer, another of gold, during seuen daies, dedicated to solemnise the natiuitie of their god Apis. And this is one thing to be won∣dred [unspec K] at, that in that seuen-night space there is not one that taketh hurt by Crocodiles: but let the eighth day come once, within six houres they returne to their former mischieuous cruelty

CHAP. XLVII.

¶ The nature of Sheepe, and their breeding.

SHeepe likewise are in great request, both in regard they serue as sacrifices to pacifie the gods; and also by reason their fleece yeelds so profitable an vse: for euen as men are be∣holden to the boeufe for their principall food and nourishment which they labour for, so they must acknowledge, that they haue their cloathing and couerture for their bodies from the [unspec L] poore sheep. The ram and ewe both are fit for generation from two yeres of age vpward, vntill they come to nine, and some also vntill they be ten yeares old. The lambes they yeane first are but little ones. They go all generally to rut about the setting of Arcturus, viz. vpon the third day before the Ides of May; and their heat lasteth vnto the full of the Aegle starre, namely the tenth day before the Calends of August. They be with yong 150 daies: if any take the Ram after that time, the fruit they beare comes to no good, but proues weake. And such lambes as fall after that season they called in old time Cordos, i. later lambs. Many men do preferre these winter lambes before those that come in spring: the reason is, because it is much better they should be strong before the heat of summer and the long daies, than against the cold of winter and the shortest daies: and they think that this creature only taketh good by being yeaned in [unspec M] the midst of winter. It is kinde and and naturall for Rams to make no account of young Hog∣rels, but to loath them: for they had rather follow after old ewes. Himselfe also is better when he is old, and more lusty to leape the Ewes. To make him more milde and gentle they vse to

bore his horne about the root neere vnto his eares. If his right cullion orstone be tied vp, hee [unspec A] getteth ewe lambes; but if the left be taken vp, he getteth ramme lambes. If ewes be alone by themselues without the flocke when it thundreth, they cast their lambes. The only remedie is to gather them together, that by company and fellow ship they may haue help. They say, that if the North winds blow when they take the ram, they will bring forth males; but if the South winds be vp, females. Moreouer, great regard there is had in this kind, to the mouthes of the rams: for look what colour the veines be vnder their tongue, of the same will the fleece be of the lambes, that is to say, of sundrie colours, in case the veines were diuers coloured. Also the change of water and drinkes maketh them to alter their hew. In summe, two principall kinds there be of sheep, that is to say, the one reared within house, and the other abroad in the field: the first is the tenderer, but the other more pleasant meat and delicat in tast; for those within∣house [unspec B] feed vpon briers and brambles. The clothes and couerings made of the Arabick wooll, are chiefe of all.

CHAP. XLVIII.

¶ Diuers kinds of wooll and clothes.

THe best wooll of all other, is that of Apulia: then, that which in Italy is named the Greek sheepes wooll, but in other countries is named Italian. In the third ranke, the Milesian sheepe and their wooll, carrie the prize. The wooll of Apulia is of a short staple, and spe∣cially in request for cloaks and mantles, and nothing else. About Tarentum and Canusium, the richest of this kind are found: as also at Laodicea in Asia. As for whi•…•…nesse, there is none bet∣ter [unspec C] than that which groweth along the Po, namely, about Piemount and Lombardie: and yet neuer to this day, a pound of it hath exceeded the price of an hundred sesterces. In all places they vse not to sheare sheepe: for the manner of plucking their fells continueth still in some countries. Sundry sorts of colours there be in wooll, and so many, that we are not able to giue seuerall names so much as to those that we call Natiue, i. growing vpon the sheeps backe. For black fleeces, Spaine is chiefe; Pollentia for white; and g•…•…ey, the tract of Piemont neere to the Alpes: Asia for red hath no fellow, and such kind of wools are called Erythraeae, In Boetia like∣wise, that is to say, in the kingdome of Granade and Andalusia, the same colour is to be found. Neere to Canusia, the sheepe be deepe yellow or tawnie: and about Tarentum, they are of a browne and duskish colour. Generally, all kind of wools newly shorne or plucked, vnwasht and [unspec D] greasy still, be good and medicinable. About Istria and Liburnia, the sheeps fleece resembleth haire rather than wooll, nothing at all good for to make frized clothes with a high nap: but ser∣ueth only for the Artizan or workman in Portugall, whose artificial weauing in net or scutche∣on work with squares, commends this wooll. The like wooll is common about Pissenae in the prouince Narbonensis, i. Languedoc in Fraunce: and such is found in Aegypt: the cloth made thereof, after it is worne bare, is then died and serueth new againe, and will weare still and last a mans life. The course rough wooll with the round great haire, hath been of ancient time high∣ly commended and accounted of in tapestrie worke: for euen Homer himselfe witnesseth, that they of the old world vsed the same much, and tooke great delight therein. But this tapestry is set out with colours in Fraunce, after one sort, and among the Parthians after another. More∣ouer, [unspec E] wooll of it selfe driuen together into a felt without spinning or weauing, serueth to make garments with: and if vinegre be vsed in the working of it, such felts are of good proof to bear off the edge and point of the sword, yea and more than that, they wil check the force of the fire. And the last clensing and refuse thereof (when it is taken out of the coppers and leads of those that haue the fulling and dressing thereof) serues for flock-worke and to stuffe mattresses: an in∣uention (as I suppose) which came first out of France: for surely these flocks and quilted mat∣tresses, are at this day distinguished and knowne one from another by French names. But I am not able easily to set downe at what time first this work manship began: for certaine it is that in old time men made them pallets and beds of straw, or else lay vpon bare mats, like as now adays souldiers in the camp make shift with hairy rugges. As for our mantles, frized deep both [unspec F] without and within, they were inuented & came to vse first, no longer since than in my fathers daies: as also these hairy counterpoints and carpets. For the studded cassocks that Senatours and noble men of Rome do weare, begin but now for to be wouen after the manner of deep frieze rugges. Wooll that is blacke, will take no other hew, nor be dyed into any colour.

As touching the manner how to die other wools, we wil speake in conuenient place, namely, [unspec G] when we shall treat of the purples and sea shell fishes, and of certain hearbs good for that pur∣pose. M. Varro writeth, That within the temple of Sangus, there continued vnto the time that he wrote his booke, the wooll that ladie Tanaquil, otherwise named Cata Caecilia, spun: together with her distaffe and spindle: as also, within the chappell of Fortune, the very roiall robe or mantle of Estate, made with her owne hands after the manner of water-chamlot in waue worke, which Seruius Tullus vsed to weare. And from hence came the fashion & custome at Rome, that when maidens were to be wedded, their attended vpon them a distaffe, drest and trimmed with kembed wool, as also a spindle and yearn vpon it. The said Tanaquil was the first that made the coat or cassock wouen right out all thorough, such as new beginners (namely, young souldiers, barristers, & fresh brides) put on vnder their white plaine gownes, without any guard of purple. [unspec H] The waued water Chamelot, was from the beginning esteemed the richest and brauest wearing. And from thence came the branched damaske in broad workes. Fenestella writeth, That in the latter time of Augustus Caesar they began at Rome to vse their gownes of cloth shorne, as also with a curled nap. As for those robes which are called Crebrae and Papaueratae, wrought thick with floure-worke, resembling poppies; or pressed euen and smooth; they be of greater anti qui∣tie: for euen in the time of Lucilius the Poet, Torquatus was noted and reprooued for wearing them. The long robes embrodered before, called Praetextae, were deuised first by the Tuscanes. The Trabeae ware roiall robes, and I find that kings & princes only ware them. In Homers time also they vsed garments embrodered with imagerie and floure worke: & from thence came the triumphant robes. As for embroderie it selfe and needle-work, it was the Phrygians inuention: [unspec I] and hereupon embroderers be called in Latine Phrygiones. And in the same Asia, king Attalus was the first that deuised cloth of gold: and thence come such clothes to be called Attalica. In Babylon they vsed much to weaue their cloth of diuers colours, and this was a great wearing a∣mong them, & clothes so wrought were called Babylonica. To weaue cloth of tissue with twisted threeds both in woofe and warp, and the same of sundry colours, was the inuention of Alexan∣dria, and such clothes and garments were named Polymita. But France deuised the scutchion, square, or lozenge damask-worke. Metellus Scipio, among other challenges and imputations laid against Capito, reptoched and accused him for this, That his hangings and furniture of his di∣ning chamber, being Babylonian worke or cloth of Arras, were sold for 800000 sesterces: and such like of late daies stood prince Nero in 400 hundred thousand sesterces, i. 40 millions. The [unspec K] embrodered long robes of Seruius Tullus, wherewith he couered and arraied all ouer the Image of Fortune, by him dedicated, remained whole and sound vnto the end of Seianus. And a won∣der it was, that they neither fell from the image, nor were moth-eaten in 560 yeares. I haue my selfe seen the sheeps fleeces vpon their backs while they be aliue, died with purple, with scarlet in grain, and the violet liquor of the fish Murex: by the means of certaine barks of a foot and a halfe long dipped in these colors, and so imprinted and set vpon their fleeces: as if riotous wan∣tonnes and superfluitie should force Natures work, and make wooll to grow of that colour. As for the sheep it selfe, she is knowne to be kindly enough by these marks, If she be short legged, and wel woolled vnder the bellie; for such as were naked there and pilled, they condemned and held for naught, and those they called Apicae. In Syria, sheep haue tailes a cubit long, and they beare most wooll there. To lib lambs before they be fiue moneths old, it is thought to be with [unspec L] the soonest, and daungerous.

CHAP. XLIX.

¶ Of a beast called Musmon.

THere is in Spaine, but especially in the Isle Corsica, a kind of Musmones, not altogether vnlike to sheep, hauing a shag more like the haire of goats, than a fleece with sheepes wooll. That kind which is engendred between them and sheepe, they called in old time Vmbri. This beast hath a most tender head, and therefore in his pasture he is forced to feed [unspec M] with his taile to the sunne. Of all liuing creatures, those that bare wooll are most foolish: for take but one of them by the horne and lead him any whither, all the rest will follow, though o∣therwise they were afraid to go that way. The longest that they liue in those parts, is 9 yeares; howsoeuer in Aethiopia they come to 13. In which country, goats also liue 11 yeres, whereas in

other countries of the world, for the most part, they passe not eight. And both sorts, as well the one as the other, be sped within foure leapings. [unspec A]

CHAP. L.

¶ Of Goats, and their breeding.

GOats bring forth foure kids otherwhiles, but that is very seldome. They goe with young fiue months as ewes do. Shee goats waxe barren with fatnesse. When they be come once to be three yeares old, they are not so good to breed: ne yet when they be elder, and name∣ly, being past foure yeares of age. They begin at the seuenth month, euen whiles they sucke their dammes. And as well the bucke as the Doe are held the better for breed, if they be nott, and haue no hornes. The first time that the shee goats are leaped, they stand not to it: the second [unspec B] leaping speedeth better, and so forward. They chuse willingly to take the buck in the month of Nouember, that they might bring kids in March following, when all shrubs put forth and be∣gin to sprout and bud, for them to brouze. And this is sometime when they be a yeare old, but they neuer faile to two yeares: yea and when they be full three, they are not vtterly decayed and done, but are good still: for they beare 8 yeares. Subject they be in cold weather, to cast their young and yeane vntimely. The Doe, when she perceiueth her eies dimme and ouer-cast either with pin and web or catarract, pricketh them with the sharp point of some bulrush, and so let∣teth them blood: but the bucke goeth to the brier and doth the like. Mutianus reporteth, that he had occasion vpon a time to mark the wit of this creature: It happened, that vpon a narrow [unspec C] thinne plank that lay for a bridge, that one goat met another comming both from diuers parts: now by reason that the place was so narrow that they could not passe by nor turne about, ne yet retire backwards blindly, considering how long the planke was & so slender withall; moreouer, the water that ran vnderneath ran with a swift streame, and threatned present death if they fai∣led and went besides: Mutianus (I say) affirmeth, that he saw one of them to lie flat down, and the other to goe ouer his backe. As for the male goats, they are held for the best which are most camoise or snout nosed, haue long eares, and the same slit in, with great store of shag haire a∣bout their shoulders. But the mark to know the kindest female is this, they haue two lappets, locks, or plaits as it were of haire, hanging downe along their bodie on either side from their neck. They haue not al of them hornes, but some are nott; but in those which are horned, a man [unspec D] may know their age by the number of the knots therein more or lesse: and in very truth the nott shee goats are more free of milke. Archelaus writeth, that they take their breath at the eares, and not at the nostrils: also that they be neuer cleare of the ague. And this haply is the cause, that they are hotter mouthed, and haue a stronger breath than sheepe, and more egre in their rut. Men say moreouer, that they see by night as well as by day: therefore they that when euening is come see nothing at all, recouer their perfect sight again by eating ordinarily the liuer of goats. In Cilicia and about the Syrtes, the people clad themselues with goats haire, for there they shere them as sheep. Furthermore it is said, that goats toward the Sun-setting, cannot in their pasture see directly one another, but by turning taile to taile: as for other houres of the day, they keep head to head, & range together with the rest of their fellowes. They haue all of them [unspec E] a tuft of haire like a beard hanging vnder their chin, which they call Aruncus. If a man take one of them by this beard and draw it forth of the stock, all the rest will stand still gazing thereat, as if they were astonied, and so wil they doe if any of them chaunce to bite of a certaine hearb. Their teeth kill trees. As for an oliue tree, if they doe but lick it, they spoile it for euer bearing after: and for this cause they be not killed in sacrifice to Minerua.

CHAP. LI.

¶ Of Swine, and their natures.

SWine goe a brimming from the time that the Westerne wind Fauonius beginnes to blow, [unspec F] vntill the spring Aequinoctiall: and they take the bore when they be eight months old: yea in some places at the fourth month of their age, and continue breeding vnto the seuenth yeare. They farrow commonly twice a yeare: they be with pig foure months. One sow may bring at one farrow twenty pigges, but reare so many she cannot. Nigidius saith, that those pigs

which are farrowed ten daies vnder or ten daies ouer the shortest day in the yeare, when the sun [unspec G] entreth into Capricorn, haue teeth immediatly. They stand lightly to the first brimming, but by reason that they are subject to cast their pigs, they had need to be brimmed a second time. Howbeit the best way to preuent that they doe not slip their young, is to keepe the bore from them at their first grunting and seeking after him, nor to let them be brimmed before their ears hang downe. Bores be not good to brim swine after they be three yeres old. Sowes when they be wearie for age that they cannot stand, take the bore lying along. That a sow should eat her own pigs, it is no prodigious wonder. A pig is pure & good for sacrifice, 5 daies after it is farrowed; a lamb, when it hath been yeaned 8 daies; and a calfe, being 30 daies old. But Gornucanus saith, That all beasts for sacrifice which chew cud, are not pure and right for that purpose, vntill they haue teeth. Swine hauing lost on eie, are not thought to liue long after; otherwise they may [unspec H] continue vntill they be fifteen yeares old, yea & some to twenty. But they grow to be wood and raging otherwhiles: and besides are subject to many maladies more, & most of all to the squi∣nancie, and wen or swelling of the kernels in the neck. Will ye know when a swine is sick or vn∣sound, pluck a bristle from the back and it will be bloudie at the root: also he will cary his neck atone side as he goeth, A sow, if she be ouer-fat, soone wanteth milke; and at her first farrow bringeth fewest pigs. All the kind of them loue to wallow in dirt and mire. They wrinkle their taile; wherin this also is obserued, that they be more likely to appease the gods in sacrifice, that rather writh & turn their tailes to the right hand, than the left. Swine wil be fat and wel larded in sixtie daies; and the rather, if before you begin to frank them vp, they be kept altogether from meat three daies. Of all other beasts, they are most brutish; insomuch as there goes a pleasant [unspec I] by-word of them, and fitteth them well, That their life is giuen them in stead of salt. This is known for a truth, that when certaine theeues had stolne and driuen away a companie of them, the swinheard hauing followed them to the water side (for by that time were the theeues imbarged with them) cried aloud vnto the swine, as his manner was: whereupon they knowing his voice, learned all to one side of the vessel, turned it ouer and sunke it, tooke the water, and so swam a∣gaine to land vnto their keeper. Moreouer, the hogs that vse to lead and goe before the heard, are so well trained, that they wil of themselues goe to the swine-market place within the citie, & from thence home againe to their maisters, without any guid to direct them. The wild bores in this kind, haue the wit to couer their tracks with mire, and for the nones to run ouer marish ground where the prints of their footing will not be sene; yea and to be more light in running, [unspec K] to void their vrine first. Sowes also are splaied as well as camels, but two daies before, they be kept from meat: then hang they by the fore-legs, for to make incision into their matrice, and to take forth their stones: and by this means they will sooner grow to be fat. There is an Art also in cookerie, to make the liuer of a sow, as also of a goose, more daintie (and it was the deuise of M. Apicius) namely, to feed them with drie figges, and when they haue eaten till they bee full, presently to giue them mead or honied wine to drink, vntill they die with being ouercharged. There is not the flesh of any other liuing creature, that yeeldeth more store of dishes to the maintenance of gluttonie, than this; for fiftie sundrie sorts of tastes it affordeth, whereas other haue but one a peece. From hence came so many edicts and proclamations published by the Censors, forbidding and prohibiting to serue vp at any feast or supper, the belly and paps of a sow, the kernels about the neck, the brizen, the stones, the womb, and the fore-part of the bores [unspec L] head: and yet for all that, Publius the Poet and maker of wanton songs, after that he was come to his freedom, neuer (by report) had supper without an hogs belly with the paps: who also to that dish gaue the name, and called it Sumen. Moreouer, the flesh of wild bores came to be in great request and was much set by: in such sort, as Cato the Censor in his inuectiue orations, challenged men for brawne. And yet when they made three kinds of meat of the wild bore, the loine was alwaies serued vp in the mids. The first Romane that brought to the table a whole bore at once was P. Seruilius Rullus, father of that Rullus, who in the time that Cicero was Con∣sull, published the law Agraria, as touching the diuision of lands. See how little while ago it is since these superfluities began, which now are taken vp so ordinarily euerie day. And yet the [unspec M] thing was noted and recorded in the Annals, as strange and rare; no doubt for this intent. To re∣presse these inordinate enormities. One supper then or feast was taxed and reprooued therein at the beginning: but now, two and three bores at a time are serued vp whole and eaten toge∣ther.

CHAP. LII. [unspec A]

¶ Of Parks for wild beasts.

THe first man of the long robe that deuised parks as well for these bores, as for other deere and sauage beasts, was Fulvius Lippinus, who in the territorie of Tarquinij began to keepe and feed wild beasts for his game. And long it was not but others followed his steps, to wit, L. Lucullus and Q. Hortensius. Sowes of the wild kind bring forth pigs but once a yere; and the bores in briming time are exceeding fierce and fel: then they fight one with another, they harden their sides, rubbing them against the bodies of trees, and all to wallow themselues in the mire, coating their backs with dirt. But they are not so raging then, but the sowes in their▪ farrowing are much worse, and lightly it is so in all other kind of beasts. Wild bores are not fit [unspec B] for generation before they be a yeare old. The wild bores of India haue two bowing fangs or tusks of a cubit length, growing out of their mouth, and as many out of their foreheads like to calues horns. The bristly haire of the wild sort is like to brasse: but of other black. In Arabia swine will not liue.

CHAP. LIII.

¶ Of Beasts halfe savage.

THere is no creature ingenders so soon with wild of the kind, as doth swine: & verily such hogs in old time they called Hybrides, as a man would say, halfe wild; insomuch as this [unspec C] terme by a translation hath bin attributed to mankind. For so was C. Antonius, collegue with Cicero in the Consulship, nicknamed. And not in swine onely, but also in all other liuing creatures, looke where there be any tame and domestical, you may find also wild and sauage of the same kind: seeing that euen of wild men there be also many sorts in diuers places, as wee haue before said. As for the goats kind, how many & how sundry resemblances are to be found in them of other beasts? for among them you shall haue the roe bucke, the shamois, the wilde goat called the Eveck, wonderfull swift, albeit his head be loden with huge hornes like sword scabberds: by these they hang and poise themselues from rockes, namely, when they minde to leap from one to another, for by swinging to and fro they skip and jump the more nimbly, and fetch a jerk out to what place they list, as it were forth of an engin. Of this kind be the Origes, [unspec D] the only beasts, as some thinke, of all others, that are said to haue their haire growing contrari∣wise and turning toward the head. To these belong the Does, and a kinde of fallow Deere cal∣led Pygargi, as also those that are named Strepsicerotes, and many other not far vnlike. As for the former sort they come out of the Alps. These last rehearsed are sent from other parts be∣yond-sea.

CHAP. LIV.

¶ Of Apes and Monkies.

ALl the kinde of these Apes approch neerest of all beasts to the resemblance of a mans [unspec E] shape: but they differ one from another in the taile. Maruellous crafty and subtill they be to beguile themselues: for by report, as they see hunters doe before them, they will imitate them in euery point, euen to besmeare themselues with glew & birdlime, & shoo their feet within grins and snares, and by that means are caught. Mutianus saith, that he hath seene Apes play at chesse and table: and that at first sight they could know nuts made of waxe from others. He affirmes also, that when the moon is in the wain, the monkies & Marmosets (which in this kinde haue tailes) are sad and heauy, but the new moone they adore and ioy at, which they testifie by hopping and dancing. As for the eclipse of Sun or Moone, all other foure foo∣ted beasts also do greatly dread and feare. The she Apes of all sorts are wondrous fond of their [unspec F] little ones: and such as are made tame within house will carry them in their armes all about so soone as they haue brought them into the world, keepe a shewing of them to euery bodie, and they take pleasure to haue them dandled by others, as if thereby they tooke knowledge that folke ioyed for their safe deliuerance: but such a culling and hugging of them they keep, that

in the end with very clasping and clipping they kill them many times. Apes that be headed [unspec G] and long snouted like dogs, and thereof called Cynocephali, are of all other most curst, shrewd and vnhappy: like as the Marmozets and Monkies called Sphinges & Satyri, are gentlest and most familiar: as for those called Callitriches, they be clean of another form & shape all ouer in a maner; they haue a beard on their visage, & the forepart of their taile spredeth broad. But this creature is said to liue in no other climat but Aethiopia, where it breedeth.

CHAP. LV.

¶ Of Hares and Connies.

OF Hares also there be many sorts: vpon the Alps & such high mountains they be whi•…•…e of colour so long as the snow lieth; and it is verily thought, that all Winter long they [unspec H] liue with eating of snow: for surely when it is thawed and melted, all the yere after they be brown and reddish as before: and a creature it is otherwise bred in extreme and intolerable cold. Of the Hares kind are they also which in Spain they call Connies, which are exceeding fruitfull, and of wonderfull increase: insomuch, as hauing deuoured all the corn in the field be∣fore haruest, in the Baleare Islands, they brought thereby a famine vpon the people. There is a most daintie dish serued vp at the table, made of Leuerets or rabbets, either cut out of the dams bellies, or taken from them when they are suckers, without clensing them at all of the garbage, and such the Latines call Laurices. It is know for certain, that the Islanders of Majorca & Mi∣norca made means to the Emperor Augustus Caesar, for a power of soldiers to destroy the infinit increase of Connies among them. Ferrets are in great account for chasing and hunting these [unspec I] Connies: the manner is to put them into their earths, which within the ground haue many waies and holes like mines, and thereupon these creatures are called Cuniculi: and when they are within, they so course the poore Connies out of their earth, that they are soon taken aboue ground at the mouth of their holes. Archelaus writes, that looke how many receptacles & waies of passage the Hare hath for his dung and excrements, so many yeares old he is iust. And veri∣ly some haue more than others. The same writer is of opinion, that euery hare is both male and female, and that any of them can breed without the bucke. Certes herein Nature hath shewed her bounty and goodnesse, in that she hath giuen this creature (so good to eat, and so harmlesse otherwise) the gift of fertilitie and fruitfull wombe. The Hare, naturally exposed to be a prey [unspec K] and game for all men, is the only creature, vnles it be the Connie again called Dasipus, which after it be once with yong, conceiueth again vpon it: insomuch as at one time shee hath some Leuerets sucking of her, others in her belly; and those not of the same forwardnesse, for some of them are couered with haire, others are naked without any downe; and there be againe of them that as yet are not shapen at all, but without all forme. Moreouer, men haue assaied to make cloath of Hares and Connies haire: but in the hand they are not so soft as is the fur vpon the skin or case: neither will they last, by reason that the haire is short and will soon shed.

CHAP. LVI.

¶ Of Beasts halfe tame. [unspec L]

AS for Hares, seldome be they made tame and to come to hand; and yet iustly they cannot be simply called wild: for many other such creatures there be besides, that neither are sa∣uage, nor tame and gentle, but of a middle nature betwixt both: as namely among flying fowles in the aire, the Swallow: likewise the Bee: and among fishes the Dolphin in the sea.

CHAP. LVII.

¶ Of Mice and Rats, Dormice, Reer-mice, and Bats.

IN the rank of those that be neither tame nor wild, many haue ranged the Mice and rats that [unspec M] haunt our houses. A creature this is of no smal reckoning for presaging somwhat to a state, by some strange and prodigious tokens. By gnawing the siluer shields & bucklers at Lavi∣nium, they portended and foreshewed the Marsian war. Vnto Carbo the L. Generall, by eating of his hose garters and shooe-strings at Clusium they prognosticated his death. Many sorts

there be of them in the country of Cyrene, some with a broad flat forehead, others with a sharp [unspec A] pointed: and there be of them seen to haue sharp prickles like to vrchins or hedge-hogs. Theo∣phrastus reporteth, That these vermin hauing dispeopled the Isle Gyaros, and driuen away the inhabitants, gnawed and deuoured euery thing they could meet withal; euen to their very iron. And surely it seemes that is their nature so to doe: for euen amongst the Chalybes they serue them so, in eating their iron and steele within their very forges: yea, & in gold mines they play the like part: & therefore being caught, their bellies be ript by the pioners in the mine, where they euermore find their stollen gold again. See what delight this creature takes in theeuing. We reade in the Chronicles, that whiles Annibal lay in siege before the towne Casilinum, a rat was sold within the town for 200 Sesterces: the man who bought it at that price liued; but the party who sold it through greedines of mony died for hunger. By the learning of Soothsayers obserued it is, that if there be store of white ones bred, it is a good signe and presageth prospe∣ritie. [unspec B] And in truth our stories are full of the like examples, and namely, that if rats be heard to cry or squeak in the time of ceremoniall taking the Auspices and signes of birds, all is marred, and that businesse clean dasht. Nigidius saith, that rats lie close hidden all winter, like as Dor∣mice. By the Edicts of the Censors, and principally by an Act of M. Scaurus in his Consul∣ship, prouided it was, & streight order taken, that no Rats, Mice, or Dormice should be serued vp to the table at their great suppers and feasts: like as all shell fish or fowle fet out of forrein countries far remote. Counted are Dormice betweene tame and wilde: and verily he that first deuised to keepe wilde bores in parkes, found means also to nourish and feed these creatures in great tuns, pipes, and drifats. In the experiment and triall whereof this hath bin found & obser∣ued, That willingly these little creatures will not sort together vnlesse they were countrimen as [unspec C] it were, and bred in one & the same forrest: and if it chance that there be intermingled among them any strangers, to wit, such as had either some riuer or mountain between the places where they were bred, they kil one another with fighting. The yong Dormice are exceeding kind and louing to their sires that begat them; for when they be old and feeble, full tenderly will they feed and nourish them. They renew their age euery yere by sleeping all winter; for they lie by it close snug all the while, and are not to be seen: but come the sommer once they be yong and fresh againe. And thus the field mice likewise take their rest, and do the same.

CHAP. LVIII. [unspec D]

¶ What Creatures liue not but in certaine places.

A Wonderfull thing it is to see, that Nature hath not only brought forth diuers creatures in sundrie Countries, but also in one region vnder the same climate hath denied some of them to liue in euery corner thereof. And namely in the forrest of Moesia in Italie, these Dormice are found but only in one part thereof. And in Lycia, the wild goats, roe-buckes, and Does neuer passe the mountaines that confine vpon the Syrians: no more than the wilde Asses transmount that hil which diuides Cappadocia from Cilicia. Within Hellespont the Stags and Hinds neuer go forth and enter into the marches of other countries: and those about Ar∣ginussa passe not the mountaine Elatus: which may be knowne by this, that all vpon that hill [unspec E] haue their eares marked and slit. In the Island Poroselenum the weezels will not crosse ouer the highway. And about Lebadia in Boeotia, those moldwarpes or wants that are brought thi∣ther from other parts, will not abide the very soile, but flie from it; which neere-by in Orcho∣menus, vndermine and hollow all their corn fields: and such store there is of them, that I haue seen all the hangings, carpets, counterpoints, and couerlets of chambers made of their skinnes. See how men for no religion and feare of the gods wil be kept from taking their pleasures and making their delights of these creatures, otherwise prodigious & portending things to come. The strange Hares that be brought into Ithaca will not liue there, but seeking to escape, are found dead vpon the very banks of the sea side. In the Island Ebusus be no Connies at all: and [unspec F] yet in Spain and the Baleare Isles there are so many, that they pester the whole country. Frogs were euer in Cyrenae naturally mute, and would not cry: but brought there were thither out of the continent such as would crie in the water: and that whole kind still remaineth vocal. In the Island Seriphos you shall not yet heare a Frogge to cry: let the same be carried forth to

other places, they will keep a singing as well as the res•…•…. And (by report) the like hapned in a [unspec G] lake of Thessaly named Sicendus. In Italy the hardy shrews are venomous in their biting: but passe ouer the Apennine once there are no more such to be found. In what country soeuer they be, let them go ouer the tract of a cart wheele they die presently. In Olympus a mountaine of Macedony there are no wolues, ne yet in the Isle of Candy▪ and there verily are to be found no Foxes nor Beares, and in one word, no hurtfull or noisome beast, vnlesse it be a kinde of spider called Phalangium, whereof we will speake more in due time and place. And that which is more wonderfull, in the same Isle there are no stags or hinds, saue only in the region and quarter of the Cydoniates: no wild bores likewise, nor the fowle called the Godwit or Attagene, ne yet Vrchins. To conclude, in Africk ye shall find no wild bores, no Stags and Hinds, no roe-bucks and Does, ne yet Beares. [unspec H]

CHAP. LIX.

¶ What Creatures are hurtfull to strangers.

NOw, some liuing creatures there be that do no harm at all to the inhabitants of the same countries, but kill all strangers. Namely, certain serpents in Tirinthe, which are suppo∣sed to breed of themselues out of the very earth. Semblably, in Syria there be snakes, and specially along the banks of Euphrates, that will not touch the Sirians lying along asleep: nay, if a man that leans vpon them be stung or bitten by them, he shal find no hurt or mischief thereby. But to men of all other nations whatsoeuer they are most spightfully bent, them they [unspec I] will with great greedinesse eagerly assaile and fly vpon, yea, and kill them with extreme paine and anguish: and therefore it is that the Sirians destroy them not. Contrariwise Aristotle repor∣teth, That in Latmos (a mountain in Caria) the Scorpions will do no harm to strangers, marie the inhabitants of the same country they will sting to death. Now let vs proceed to other li∣uing creatures besides those of the land, and discourse of their sundry sorts and kinds.

Notes

• * 1.1

  i. The Lu∣bernes or Lu∣zernes.
• * 1.2

  i. Luzernes or Libards.
• * 1.3

  i Turn coats.
• * 1.4

  Or rather in∣stead of taz•…•… that share∣men vse.