The philosophie, commonlie called, the morals vvritten by the learned philosopher Plutarch of Chæronea. Translated out of Greeke into English, and conferred with the Latine translations and the French, by Philemon Holland of Coventrie, Doctor in Physicke. VVhereunto are annexed the summaries necessary to be read before every treatise

WHETHER CREATVRES BE MORE WISE, THEY OF THE LAND, OR THOSE OF [ 10] THE WATER.

The Summarie.

IN this treatise and discourse, affoording (among other things) much pleasure in the reading, Plutarch bringeth in two yoong gentlemen, Aristotimus and Phoedimus, who in the presence of a frequent companie plead the cause of living creatures: Aristo∣timus in the first place, for them of the land; and Phoedimus in the second, for those of the water: the drift and conclusion of whose pleas commeth to this point, that with∣out [ 20] resolving unto whom the prize ought to be adjudged, one of the companie inferreth that the ex∣amples alledged both of the one side and of the other, do prove that those creatures have some use of rea∣son. Moreover, we may distinctly divide this booke into three principall parts: the first conteineth a conference betweene Soclarus and Autobulus, who gave eare afterwards unto the others: for So∣clarus taking occasion to speake of a written discourse recited in the praise of hunting, commendeth this exercise, and preferreth it before combats of sword plaiers and fencers; which Autobulus will in no wise approove, but holdeth that this warre against beasts, schooleth (as it were) and traineth men to learne for to kill one another afterwards. And for that some entrance and accesse there was to be gi∣ven unto the principall disputation of the intelligence and knowledge which is in brute beasts, they doe examine the opinion of the Stoicks, who bereave them of all understanding passion and pleasure: which [ 30] opinion of theirs being at large debated, is afterward refuted; with this resolution, that man out-goeth beasts in all subtiltie and quicknesse of wit, injustice and equitie meet for civill societie: and yet beasts, although they be more dull and heavie than men, are not therefore void of all discourse and naturall reason. Then Autobulus confirmeth this by the consideration of horses and dogges enraged: a suffici∣ent testimonie that such creatures before-time had reason and understanding. Soclarus opposeth him∣selfe against such a confirmation, in the behalfe of the Stoicks and Peripateticks: whereupon Autobu∣lus distinguisheth of the arguments, and inclining partly to the side of the Pythagoreans, sheweth what maner of justice or injustice we ought to consider in the carriage of men toward beasts. And then come the two yoong gentlemen abovenamed in place; where Aristotimus taking in hand the cause of land-beasts, discourseth at large thereupon, which is the second part of this present treatise. True it is, [ 40] that all the beginning of his plea is defective and wanting: howbeit, that which remaineth and is ex∣tant, sheweth sufficiently the carefull industry of our author in searching into the history of nature, and examples drawen out thereof, as also out of an infinit number of books, to passing good purpose. Well then, Aristotimus sheweth in the first place, that the hunting of land-beasts, is a far nobler and more commendable exercise than that of the water: and comming then to the point; namely, to the use of reason, which consisteth in the election and preference of one thing before another, in provisions, fore∣casts and prerogatives in affections, aswell those which be milde and gentle, as the other which are vi∣olent; in diligence and industry in arts and sciences in hardinesse, equitie, temperance, courage and mag∣nanimitie, he prooveth all this to be (without comparison) farre more in land-creatures than in other: for the proofe and verifying whereof, he produceth bulles, elephants, lions, mice, swallowes, spiders ra∣vens, dogs, bees, geese, cranes, herons, pismires, wolves, foxes, mules, partridges, hares, beares, ur∣chins, [ 50] and divers sorts besides of foure footed beasts: of fowles likewise, insects, wormes and serpents: all which are specified in particular afterwards. In the last part, Phoedimus making some excuse that be was not well prepared, taketh in hand neverthelesse, the cause of fishes; and in the very entrance, declareth, that notwithstanding it be an hard matter to shew the sufficiencie of such creatures, which are so divided and severed from us; yet notwithstanding, produce he will his proofs and arguments drawen from certeine and notable things, recommending fishes in this respect, that they are so wise

and considerate (as he sheweth by examples) being not taught nor monished unto any waies framed and trained by man, like as most part of land beasts be; and yet by the way he prooveth by eeles, lampreis, and crocodiles, that fishes may be made tame with men, and how our auncients esteemed highly the institution of such mute creatures: after this he describeth their naturall prudence, both in defending themselves and also in offending and assailing others, alledging infinit examples to this purpose: as the skill and knowledge they have in the Mathematicks, their amity, their fellowship, their love, their kinde affection to their yoong ones: alledging in the end divers histories of dolphins love unto men: whereupon Soclarus taking occasion to speake, inferreth that these two pleaders agree in one point, and if a man would joine and lay together their arguments, proofes, and reasons, they would make head passing well and strongly against those, who would take from beasts both of land and [ 10] water, all discourse of reason.

WHETHER CREATURES BE more wise; they of the land, or they of the water.

AUTOBULUS.

LEonidas, a king of Lacedaemon, being demaunded upon a time what he thought of Tyrtaeus: I take him to bee (quoth he) a good [ 20] poet, to whet and polish the courages of yoong men; for that by his verses he doth imprint in the hearts of yoong gentlemen an ar∣dent affection, with a magnanimous desire to winne honour and glorie, in regard whereof, they will not spare themselves in bat∣tels and fights, but expose their lives to all perils whatsoever: Sem∣blably, am I greatly affraid my very good friends, left the discourse as touching the praise of hunting, which was read yesterday in this company, hath so stirred up and excited beyond all measure our yoong men, who love that game so well, that from hencefoorth they will thinke all other things but accessaries and by-matters, or rather make no account at all of other exercises, but [ 30] will runne altogether unto this sport, and minde none other besides, considering that I finde my selfe now a fresh more hotly given, and youthfully affectionate thereunto than mine age would require, insomuch as according to the words of dame Phaedra in Euripides:

All my desire is now to call And cry unto my hounds in chase, The dapple stagge and hinde withall, To hunt and follow hard at trace.

So neere unto the quicke did that discourse touch me, alleaging such a number of proper and pithy reasons.

SOCLARUS. [ 40]

True it is that you say ô Autobulus, for me thought that therein he stirred up and awakened his singular eloquence and skill in Rhetoricke, which some time he had discontinued & which lay asleepe, to gratifie (as I take it) those yoong gentlemen who were present in place, and withall to solace and disport himselfe among them, but that which pleased me most was this: When hee represented unto our eies by way of comparison, sword-fencers fighting at sharpe one with another to the uttrance, alledging this for one of his reasons, wherefore he princi∣pally commending hunting, in that it diverteth and calleth away a certeine affection that we have either naturally engraffed, or else acquired by use and custome to take pleasure in seeing men at swords point enter into combat for life & death one against another, & turneth it espe∣cially hither, yeelding unto us a faire pure and innocent spectacle of artificial cunning, conjoi∣ned [ 50] with hardinesse and courage, guided with reason, against brutish force and witlesse strength: and in so doing giveth us to understand that this sentence of Euripides is woorthy to be praised when he saith:

Small is mans strength and puissance corporall; His wit is great and prudence naturall; It tames all fish beneath in sea so deepe And wily beasts aloft on earth that keepe.

AUTOBULUS.

And yet my good friend Soclarus, some there be who hold, that this inflexible rigour and savage impassibility of not being mooved at all with pitty, came from hence into mens hearts, namely, from the custome of killing of beasts in chase, and of learning not to have in honour the sight of bloudshed, and of the grievous wounds of beasts which they received, but to take delight in seeing them to die, and to be cut in pieces: and like as in the citie of Athens, when it was reduced under the tyrannie of the thirtie usurpers, the first man whom they put to death was a sycophant, of whom it was said then, that hee had well deserved it, and was rightly ser∣ved; and so they said by a second and a third: but from thence they went forward by little and little, untill they came to lay hold upon honest men, and in the end spared not the best and [ 10] most vertuous citizens: even so he that killed at the first a beare, or a woolfe, was highly com∣mended, and thought to have done a very good deed; and an oxe or a swine that had eaten some things provided for a sacrifice or oblation to the gods, was condemned as fit and worthy to die: heereupon stagges and hinds, hares also and goates, which men began already to eat, invited also the flesh of sheepe, yea, and in some places of dogges and horses to the table. But they who taught first to dismember, and cut in pieces for meat, a tame goose, a house dove, and familiar pigeon, a dung-hill cocke, or domesticall henne of the roust, and that not for to satisfie and remedie the necessitie of hunger, as doe these weezils and cattes, and but one∣ly for pleasure, and to feed a daintie tooth, surely have confirmed and strengthened all that bloudinesse and savage cruelty which was in our nature, and made it altogether inflexible and [ 20] immooveable without any compassion: but contrariwise enfeebled and dulled for the most part all naturall mildnesse and humanitie; whereas on the other side the Pythagoreans would have men to accustome themselves to use gentlenesse even towards beasts, as an exercise of pitty and mercy to men: for custome which traineth us familiarly by little and little to any passion and affection, hath a wonderous efficacie, to set a man forward thereunto. But I wot not how, be∣ing entred into speech, we have forgotten our selves, and not kept us to that which was begun yesterday, and should be continued and held on this day: for yesterday as you know very well, having agreed upon this: That all sorts of living creatures have in them some little discourse and reason, we gave good occasion and matter of a learned and pleasant disputation, unto our yoong gentlemen, who love hunting so well, namely, as touching the wit and wisedome of [ 30] beasts, whether there be more in them of the land, or those of the sea? which question we are as I take it, this day to decide, in case Aristotimus and Phaedimus hold on still, and persist in their defiances and chalenges, which yesterday they gave one another; for the one of them undertooke unto his friends and companions, to mainteine that the earth bringeth foorth beasts of more sense, capacitie and understanding; and the other contrariwise promised as much in the behalfe of the water.

SOCLARUS.

That they do, Autobulus, they are of the same mind still to dispute it out, and here they wil be anon for this very purpose; for I saw them in the morning betimes, addressing & making them∣selves readie: but if you thinke it good, before this combat begin, let us go in hand againe with [ 40] that which yesterday should have been handled, and was not; partly for that the time and place served not therto; or rather because the matter was proposed unto them at the table, and among the cups of wine, which went merrily about, and not treated of in good earnest and sadnesse in deed: for one there was, who seemed after a pragmaticall sort to resound on the adverse part not impertinently, as if he came out of the Stoicks schoole, thus much: That like as mortal is oppo∣site unto immortall, corruptible unto incorruptible, and corporall to incorporall; even so, con∣fesse we ought, that reasonable is contrarie to unreasonable; so that if one of them be, the other ought likewise of necessitie to be, and that this onely couple of contraries among so many other, ought not to be left defectuous or unperfect.

AUTOBULUS. [ 50]

And what is he, friend Soclarus, who will say, that if we admit in nature, that which is reasona∣ble to subsist and have being; wee should not likewise allow that which is unreasonable: for (no doubt) it is, and that in great measure, namely in all creatures which have no life nor soule: neither need we to seeke father for any other opposition unto that which is reasonable; for whatsoever is without life and soule, is incontinently opposite unto that which together with soule, hath the use of understanding and reason: and if any one there be who maintaineth, that nature for all this is not unperfect, in that everie substance having soule is either reasonable or

unreasonable: another will say unto him likewise, that a nature endued with life and soule, is not defective, namely in that, either it hath imagination, or else is without; it is either sensitive, or else hath no sense; to the end that it may have on either side these two oppositions or privati∣ons, making counterpoise one against another, about one and the same kind, as two contrarie branches arising out of one stemme or trunke. And if he thinke him to be absurd, who demaun∣deth that it should be graunted unto him, that of a nature endued with soule, one branch should be sensitive, and another senslesse; for that he thinketh that everie nature which hath a soule is incontinently both sensitive, and also imaginative: yet for all this shall he have no more appa∣rance to require that one should suppose this unto him for to be true; namely, that whatsoever hath soule, should be either reasonable or unreasonable, discoursing with those men, who held [ 10] opinon that nothing hath sense, but the same hath understanding withall; and that there is not one kind of animall creatures, but it hath some manner of opinion and discourse of reason, like as it hath sense and naturall appetite: for nature, who as men say, and that right truely, maketh all things for some cause and to some end, hath not made a living creature sensitive, onely and sim∣ply to have a passive sense: but whereas there be a number of things proper and agreeable to it, and as many againe for the contrarie, it could not possibly endure and continue the minute of an houre, if it knew not how to fit it selfe with one, and to take heed and beware of the other. So it is therefore, that sense giveth unto every animall creature the knowledge of them both indiffe∣rently: but the discretion which accompanieth the said sense, in chusing, receiving, and pursu∣ing after that which is profitable; or refusing, rejecting and flying from that which is hurtfull [ 20] and pernicious: there is no apparance at all of reason to induce us to say that those creatures have, if they had not withall some meane facultie and aptitude naturall, to discourse, judge, con∣ceive, comprehend, retaine, and remember: as for those creatures verily, from which you take al∣together the gift of expectance, remembrance, election, provision, and preparation afore hand: and moreover, the facultie of hoping, fearing, desiring and refusing; good have they none at all of their eies, of their eares, or of any other sense, apprehension or imagination, in case there be no use thereof: and farre better it were for them, that they were cleane destitute and quite depri∣ved of such faculties, than to suffer travell, paine and sorrow, and have not wherewith to put by and repell such inconveniences: and yet there is a discourse extant of the naturall philosopher Strato, shewing by plaine demonstration, that impossible it is to have any sense at all, without [ 30] some discourse of reason: for many times we runne over the letters in bookes and writings with our eies; yea and we heare the sound of words with our eares, without conceiving and compre∣hending either the one or the other, but they fly and passe away, when as our mind is otherwise occupied: but afterwards when the mind is come againe to it selfe and united it, it runneth and pursueth after the same, and gathereth every thing together againe which was scattered: In re∣gard whereof it was not said amisse in old time:

The mind it is, that doth both heare and see: As for the rest, full deafe and blind they bee.

as if the motion and passion about the eies and eares, caused no sense at all, if the mind and un∣derstanding were away. And therefore Cleomenes king of Lacedaemon, being one day at a feast in [ 40] Egypt, where there was rehearsed at the table a pretie Acroame or eare-delight, which pleased the companie verie well; being demaunded the question what hee thought of it? and whether hee judged it not verie well penned and set downe? As for that (quoth he) I report me unto you that heard it, and I referre it to your judgement: for mine part, my mind was all the while in Pelopon∣nesus. And therefore necessarie it is, that everie creature which hath sense, should likewise be en∣dued with discourse of reason and understanding, considering that by our understanding wee come to sense. But set the case that the senses have no need at all of the understanding, to exer∣cise their functions & operations: but when the sense hath done her part, in discerning that which is proper and familiar unto a living creature, from it that is contrarie & adverse unto it, it passeth away and is gone: What is it then that remembreth and calleth to minde? what is it that fea∣reth [ 50] things noisome and offensive, and contrariwise desireth those which be good and holsome? what is it that seeketh meanes to compasse and get things when they are not present? what is it that deviseth and prepareth offensive, forts and retracts, yea, and engins to catch and take; or contrariwise, shifts and policies to escape nets and grinnes laied for them when they are at the point to be caught and surprised? and yet * 1.1 these men say as much as this comes to, when ever and anon in all their introductions they dull our eares and make our heads ake againe with their definitions; for they define 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is to say, a project or deliberat purpose, to be a desseigne

of bringing somewhat to effect; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is to say, endevour, to be an appetite or desire be∣fore an appetite; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is to say, provision, to be an action before action; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is to say, remembrance or memorie, to be the comprehension of a proposition affirmative or ne∣gative, already past; whereof the present trueth was otherwise comprised by the sense: for of all these faculties, there is not so much as one reasonlesse (I meane) not proceeding from the dis∣course of reason: and yet they all concurre, and are to be found in every living creature: and even so verily, they define 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is to say, intelligences, to be notions laied up apart and re∣served within; but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is to say, cogitations, to be notions still in motion: as for passi∣ons, they confessing and defining them all in generality to be evil judgements & false opinions, a woonder it is, how they passe over so many effects and motions which are to be found in brute [ 10] beasts; some proceeding from anger and choler, others againe from feare: and besides all this, envie (I may tell you) and jealousie; when as they themselves (beleeve me) sticke not to punish their horses, and beat their dogs, when they do a fault; not rashly and in vaine, but consideratly, for to correct them and make them wiser, working thereby & imprinting in them a displeasure with themselves proceeding from paine, which we call repentance: as touching other pleasures and delights, that which passeth and is received by the eares, they terme it (forsooth) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is to say, an enchantment; that which commeth by the eie, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is to say, bewitching: and they use both the one and the other against wilde beasts; for certeine it is, that stagges and horses do joy in the sound of whistles, flutes and hautboies: also men call forth crabfish, crevis∣ses and grampels out of their holes perforce, with burning torches and light fire brands: more∣over, [ 20] it is said, that the fish alosa hearing men to sing, to clap their hands, or otherwise to make a noise, will arise out of the water, and come abroad: likewise, the horne owle or bustard is (as it were) enchanted with the beholding of men dancing together in his sight, and so far overtaken he is with the delight thereof, that whiles he thinketh to counterfeit their jestures, stirring and moving his shoulders according to the measures with them, he suffereth himselfe (like a foole) to be taken by the fowler. As for those who of these matters speake so foolishly and absurdly, saying, that beasts rejoice not, are not angry, nor fearefull; and namely, that the * 1.2 hightingale doth not studie, meditate and prepare against her singing; that the bee hath no memorie; but that the swallow seemeth onely to make provision by a kinde of providence; that the lion is (as it were) angrie; and the hinde given as though she were afraied: I wot not what answer they will [ 30] make to those who shall urge them to this, that they may aswell say, that the same creatures nei∣ther see nor heare, but seeme onely (as it were) to heare and see and to have a voice; and in one word, that they live not at all, but seeme to live: for I assure you (in my judgement) these are no more repugnant to evidence and daily experience, than the other.

SOCLARUS.

I thinke no lesse (ô Autobulus) and therefore range me among those of your opinion in this point. But to compare the maners, lives, actions, behaviours and conversations of men, with those of beasts, & to affirme that beasts herein sort with us: besides, that I see in this, great indig∣nitie derogatorie to mans woorthinesse, I doubt much, and can not conceive how nature hath given unto them the beginning of vertue, which is reason, and unto which reason is reserred and [ 40] doth aime, considering they can not attaine unto the end: and besides, there is not one of them all that sheweth any signe of tending thereto, of progresse therein, or of desire and appetite that way.

AUTOBULUS.

Yea, but this (my good friend Soclarus) is no strange and absurd thing with these men, I meane the Stoicks: for notwithstanding that they put downe the naturall love and affection which we have to the issue of our owne bodies begotten, for the foundation of civill societie and of justice, and see the same in brute beasts very evident and puissant, yet for all that, they flatly and stoutly denie that they have any part of justice in them. And that which more is, mules are not without all the instruments of generation; for nature hath given to the males generative [ 50] members, and to the females the parts fit for conception; yea, and in the use of these members and instruments they have the same delight and pleasure which other creatures have; howbeit, they never speed, nor attaine to the end of generation. Consider againe on the other side, whe∣ther it were not a ridiculous absurditie for such philosophers as they would seeme to be, to af∣firme and mainteine, that Socrates and Plato, and such men as they, were no lesse vicious than any vile slave or wicked wretch in the world, but that all were foolish, witlesse, lascivious and un∣just alike (because forsooth, all sinnes with them be equall) and then to lay the blame and fault

in the source and beginning of vertue, that is to say, Reason, as being not pure nor perfect in brute beasts to the accomplishment of vertue: as if this were not some defect and imbecillitie of reason, seeing they confesse themselves that there is an imperfection in the use of reason, of which all beasts be full: for we see in many of them, that there is cowardise, intemperance, inju∣stice and malice. Now he who affirmeth that whatsoever is not apt and fitted by nature, to re∣ceive reason aright and in absolute maner is simply not capable of reason: first he doth as much as if he mainteined, that neither the ape is capable of ilfavoured deformitie, not the tortoise of slow pace, because the one of them is not susceptible of beautifull favour, nor the other of swift∣nesse and good footmanship. Againe, he doth not see and marke the difference betweene rea∣son perfect, and simple reason; for reason simply proceedeth from nature, but honest, vertu∣ous, [ 10] and perfect reason commeth by industry, study, diligence, and teaching; which is the cause that all creatures endued with a sensitive soule, are capable and susceptible of a kinde of discipline and learning by the meanes of this facultie of discourse and reason: mary this ab∣solute and right reason indeed which we affect and seeke for, and is nothing else but sapience and wisedome, they are not able to name any one man, that ever attained unto it. Like as there∣fore a difference there is betweene sight and sight; betweene flight and flght; for haukes see otherwise than grashoppers doe; eagles also and partridges flie not alike; even so all creatures endued with reason, have not the like vivacity, promptitude and nimblenesse of reason, as to reach up to the highest pitch and perfection thereof: for we may observe in some beasts many evident tokens of just societie, of valour, of witty industry in their provision and dispose: and contrariwise, in others as many signes of insociable violence and injustice, of cowardise and [ 20] sottishnesse, as witnesseth that which now mooveth the contention and debate betweene our yoong gentlemen; for as if they both supposed there was a difference in this behalfe, some of them mainteine that naturally, the beasts of the land are proceeded farther in vertue; and others contrariwise affirme, the same of those in the sea and waters; a thing very evident, who∣soever will compare storkes with the river horses; for those doe nourish and feede their fathers who engendred them, whereas these doe kill them, because they might ride and cover their mothers: as also who will but conferre cocke-doves with partridges; for doves doe oftentimes squash and marre the egges, yea, and otherwhiles kill the hennes when they cover or sit, because they are not willing during that time to be troden; whereas the male partridges take upon them [ 30] part of the care and paine in sitting upon the egges, and in their turne doe keepe them warme, that they chill not; yea, and that which more is, they be the first that bring meat in their billes unto the little ones newly hatched; and if haply the damme raunge abroad, tarie foorth too long out of the nest, the male beats and pecks her with his bill, drives her home to her egges and yoong birds. As for Antipater who reprocheth and rebuketh both asses and sheepe for their filthinesse, and being so negligent in keeping themselves cleane, he hath forgotten (I wot not how) to speake of ounces and swallowes: for the ounces seeke a by-place by themselves apart, where to bestow their urine, and by all meanes hide and conceale that fine stony sub∣stance, called Lyncurium, which is engendred of it: and the swallowes teach their yoong ones to turne their tailes so, as they may meut out of their nests. Moreover, why say we not that one tree is more ignorant or untaught than another, like as we hold, and that truely, that a sheepe [ 40] is more dull of capacitie than a dogge? or that this herbe is more fearefull than that, like as we affirme very well, that a stagge is more timorous, or rather lesse valourous than a lion: and as in things which are unmooveable, we never say, that one is more slow than another; nor a∣mong such things as yeeld no sound at all, that this hath a smaller or bigger voice than that; Semblably, it is never said, that there is lesse witte, more dulnesse, and greater intemperance in such or such things, unlesse it be in that kinde, whereof all by nature are endued with the gift of reason, and of prudence in some measure, which puissance and facultie being given to some more, and to others lesse, is that which maketh all the difference that we see. Yea mary, but there is no comparison will some man say, betweene men and beasts; so infinitly surpas∣seth [ 50] he them in finenesse of witte, in justice and equity, beseeming civill societie, that it is won∣derfull: And even so, (my good friend) there be many which in biggenesse and strength of bo∣die, in swiftnesse of feet, in quicknesse of eie-sight, and subtility, of hearing out-goe all the men in the world, and leave them farre behinde, and yet for all this, wee are not to inferre and con∣clude that man is blinde, that he is impotent of hand and foot, or otherwise deafe: neither hath nature deprived us altogether of bigge armes and bodies, or of strength both in the one and the other, although in comparison of the elephant and the camell, our force and bulke of bo∣dy

is nothing: after the same maner may we speake of beasts; if their discours and understan∣ding be more grosse, if their witte be more dull than ours, it followeth not thereupon, that they have neither reason nor naturall witte: for without all question, both they have, feeble though they be and troubled, like as an eie is otherwhiles weake, dimme, and muddy: and were it not that I certeinly expect, and that among our yoong men who are studious, learned and verie well seene in the books of our auncient writers, that they will alledge an infinit number of ex∣amples, the one from the land, and the other out of the sea; I could not conteine my selfe but recite and alledge heere before you an innumerable sort of proofes and arguments, as well of the naturall subtilty of beasts, as of their docility, which the beautifull and famous city of Rome hath affourded unto us to draw and lade up aboundantly by whole scuppets and buckets full (as [ 10] they say,) from the stately theaters of their emperours, and the princely games exhibited there.

But let us leave this matter fresh and entire for those yoong men, thereby to embelish their discourses, and set out their eloquence: meane while I would gladly examine and consider one point with you now that we are at leasure. For I suppose that in every part & naturall power or facultie of our bodie, there doth befall some proper defect, some maime or maladie, as namely, in the eie, blindnesse; in the legge, lamenesse; in the tongue, stutting and stammering; and that which is proper to one member, is not incident unto another: for wee use not to say, that a thing is become blinde, which never had power by nature to see, nor lame which was not or∣deined to goe; neither was there ever man who would say, that a thing stammered which [ 20] never had tongue, or muffled and wharled, which naturally yeeldeth no voice at all: and even so we cannot (to speake properly and truely) tearme that foolish, furious, or enraged, which by course of nature is not capable of understanding, discourse and reason: for impossible it is, that a part may be said to be interessed, affected or prejudiced in a thing, which never had an aptitude or naturall power, that might receive diminution, privation, mutilation, or otherwise some infir∣mitie: and yet I doubt not but you have otherwhiles seene dogges runne madde; and for mine owne part I have knowen horses enraged; and there be moreover, who affirme that kine and other beefes will be horne-wood, yea and foxes as well as dogges: but the example of dogges whereof no man makes doubt, may suffice to proove and beare witnesse, that this kinde of [ 30] beast hath reason and understanding, and therefore not in small measure to bee contemned but when it chanceth that it is troubled and confounded, then comes upom them that disease which is called rage and madnesse; for at such a time we cannot perceive in them, that either their sight or their hearing is altered: but like as he that should give out of a man who is over∣charged with a melancholike humour, or given to rave and go beside himselfe, that his under∣standing is not transported and out of order, that his discourse of reason is not out of the way, nor his braines broken, or memorie corrupt, were very absurd: for that the ordinary custome and behaviour of such foolish and bestraught persons sufficiently convinceth, that they are past themselves, and have lost the discourse of reason; even so, whosoever thinketh that mad dogges suffer any other passion, than a confusion and perturbation of that part in them, which before time was woont to imagine, discourse and remember, in such sort that when they be thus surpri∣sed [ 40] with rage, they are so foolish and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 follish, as they know not their best friends, who were woont to make much of them, but flie those places of their feeding and bringing up, which they used most to haunt & to converse in, & do not so much as discerne; but oversee that which is presen∣ted plaine before them: this man (I say) seemeth obstinately to strive against the truth, and not to comprehend that which daily experience doth shew.

SOCLARUS.

Certes, your conjecture in mine opinion is very good, and you are in the right: but the Sto∣icks and Peripateticks stifly stand against all this, and impugne it with tooth and naile, saying: That justice cannot have any other breeding and beginning; and that impossible it is to main∣taine that there is any justice in the world, if it be confessed that all beasts are any waies capable of [ 50] reason: for that necessarie it is, either that we do injurie in not sparing them; or in case we make no use of them for our food, that impossible it were for us to live; or else our life should remaine destitute of such things as well it may not misse and be without. In summe, that we were to live in some sort a savage and beastlike life, if wee should reject the profits and commodities which they affoord. For I passe by infinit thousands and millions of the Troglodyts and Nomades, that know no other feeding, but of flesh only and nothing else: but as for us who seeme to leade a mild, civill, & more gentle life, what worke were there left for us to do upon the land; what bu∣sinesse

have wee at sea? what skill or art should wee exercise among the mountaines? what ornament or beautie would there be in our life, if wee were taught this once as a true lesson, that we ought to respect all beasts, and use all enquitie towards them, as being reasonable creatures as we are, and made of the same mould that we be? Certes, it were verie hard to say; and therefore there is no answere to assoile this doubt; no medicine or salve to heale this sore; no device to undo this knot, and difficulty which taketh away, either all civilitie, or else all justice out of mans life, unlesse we keepe that ancient limit and lawe, whereby God having separated (according as He siodus) sundrie natures and distinguished every kind a part by it selfe:

To fishes, beasts and feathered fowles, hath graunted power and might, One of another for to feed, because they have no right [ 10] To men alone, he justice gave therein to take delight.

Given (I say) he hath justice unto them for to exercise among themselves: and as for other living creatures as they cannot deale justly with us; so it is certaine that we cannot use injustice to them: and looke whosoever reject this conclusion and resolution, have left no other use, nor so much as a simple way whereby justice may enter and come among us.

AUTOEULUS.

Now truely my friend, you have said this very wel, and even wel, and even according to the mind and hearts desire of these men: howbeit we are not to give & grant unto these philosophers (as the maner is to tie about those women who have hard travell, some Ocytocium, or medicinable drogue, to cause them for to have more speedy and easie deliverance) this device to hang upon them, that [ 20] they may with ease and without all paine, beare and bring foorth justice unto us; seeing that in the maine and most important points of all philosophie, they would not allow Epicurus so small a thing, & so vile, as to decline one only atomie, or indivisible body never so little aside, for to make way for the starres, for living creatures, and fortune to come into the world, and that thereby our free will might bee saved: for they ought either to proove by demonstration, that which is doubtfull, or to suppose that which of it selfe is manifest; and not to take this article as touching beasts, for to establish justice, seeing that it is neither confesled & granted unto them, nor they otherwise doe proove it: for another path-way there is to bring in justice among men, which is nothing so slipperie, dangerous, and full of steepe downfalles, nor that which leadeth thorough the subversion and overthrow of things most evident; even that which my sonne [ 30] and one of your familiar friends (Soclarus) having learned of Plato, doeth shew and teach those who will not obstinately contest, but follow reason and learne: for that man is not altogether cleere and voide of injustice, in using beasts, and dealing with them as he doeth. Heraclitus and Empedocles receive as an undoubted truth, complaining in many places, and reproching nature, as if she were under necessity, and a very warre, having in her nothing that is simple, pure, sincere, and unmixed, but performing all her operations by many unjust accidents and passions; seeing they hold that even her generation proceeded from injustice, namely, by con∣junction of mortall with immortall, and in that the thing which is engendred thereof, rejoiceth to dismember unnaturally, that which engendred it: but haply all this many seeme too bitter and exceeding sharpe: well there is another gentle meanes, and easie remedy of this inconveni∣ence [ 40] which doth not quite breave beasts of all use of reason, and saveth justice in those who use them as they ought; which meane and indifferent way being in times past brought in by wise men, was afterwards rejected and wholly destroied by a conspiracie of gourmandise and flesh∣ly pleasure together; howsoever Pythagoras would have recovered it agiane, by teaching men how they might make use and commoditie of beasts, and yet doe them no wrong nor injurie; for they who punish and put to death those wilde beasts which have no societie nor fellowship at all with man, but rather doe him much hurt and dammage, commit no injustice; no more than they who make them tame and familiar, training them up to their use and imploying them in services, whereunto they are by nature most fit:

The race of horse and asses for to breed, [ 50] With bulles encrease, which in the fields doe feed.

whom Prometheus in a tragoedie of Aeschylus, saith he bestowed upon us,

To serve and drudge in stead of us, And do our works laborious.

Neither do they any wrong, who make use of dogges to keepe their flocks of goats and sheepe: nor they who milke goats and sheepe, and sheare their fleeces for the wooll, especially if they give them pasturage: for it can not be said, that men can not live, or their life is utterly undone,

if they have not their platters of fish, or their livers of geese, or if they cut not beefs and goats in∣to pieces for to serve up at their feasts: or if for their idle disport in theaters, or to take their plea∣sure in chase and hunting, they put not some to the combat and force them to fight whether they will or no; and kill others which have no defence of their owne, nor any meanes to make resistance: for he who needs wil have his delights and pastimes, ought in all reason (as I thinke) to make himselfe merrie, and solace his heart with those that can play and disport together with him; and not to do (as Bion said) like to little children, who joy in throwing stones at frogs, and make a game of it; meane while, the poore frogges have no pleasure in this their game, for they are sure to die for it in good earnest; even so we are not either to hunt or fish for any delight that we have in the paine, and much lesse in the death of other creatures: no more to take a plea∣sure [ 10] in driving or taking them away from their whelps and yoong ones, a pitifull sight to be∣holde; for they be not they that commit injustice, who use beasts, but such as misuse them un∣mercifully and cruelly, without any respect and commiseration.

SOCLARUS.

Stay a while, good Aristobulus, and put off this invective of yours unto another time; for now I see comming toward us neere at hand, a crew of yoong gentlemen, all great hunters and lo∣vers of the game, whom it were neither an easie matter to drive off unto another day, neither is it needfull to provoke and offend them.

AUTOBULUS.

True it is that you say, and I like your admonition; but as for Eubiotus, I know very well, and [ 20] my nephew Ariston; the two sonnes also of Dionysius a citizen of Delphos, to wit, Aecides and Aristotimus, yea, and after them, Nicander the sonne of Euthydamus,

All skilfull hunters (in good faith) Upon the land (as Homer saith)

and therefore (no doubt) they will side every one with Aristotimus, and take his part; whereas contrariwise, the others who be Islanders, and were borne along the sea side, I meane Heracleon of Megara, and Philostratus of the isle Eubaea,

Who cunning are upon the seas, And there in much themselves doplease.

Loe, how they accompanie your friend Phaedimus, and are ready to stand with him: [ 30]

As for Tydides there, 'tis hard to say, * 1.3 To whether side he will in judgement sway.

I meane that same Optatus, our fellow and companion in yeeres,

Who of wilde beasts on mountaines slaine, and fishes caught in sea, With many first fruits and essayes, to testifie his prea, Hath often duely honoured Diana goddesse bright, Who cleped is * 1.4 Agrotera, [ 40] and is * 1.5 Dictynna hight.

for lo, how he commeth directly toward us, as one who will not range himselfe to one side more than to another. How say you, Opatus, do we not conjecture well, that you meane to be an in∣different arbitratour or common umpire betweene these two yoong gentlemen.

OPTATUS.

Very well guessed of you Autobulus, I purpose so indeed; for long since was that law of Solon repealed and abolished, by vertue wherof, they were punished who in a civill sedition joined not to the one side nor to the other.

AUTOEULUS.

Come hither, therefore, and sit by us, that if we have need of any testimonies, we trouble not [ 50] the books of Aristole, with dripping and turning over their leaves; for that we will referre our selves and stand to that which you shall say, as justly and truely delivered, in regard of your great knowledge and experience.

SOCLARUS.

How now my masters, you two gentlemen, are you agreed betweene your selves of the order, who shall begin first to speake?

PHAEDIMUS.

Yes Soclarus, we are at a point for that now, although we were long enough debating about it; for in the end (to use the very words of Euripides)

Lot, Fortunes childe, hath this case tried, As one ordein'd doubts to decide.

and hath appointed that the land-beasts cause should be pleaded before theirs of the sea.

SOCLARUS.

Well then it is time (Aristotimus) that both you begin to speake, and we also to heare. * * * * * * * * [ 10]

In this place a great defect and breach there is in the Greeke originall, which can not be made up and supplied without the helpe of some ancient copie, not yet extant.

The barre and the hall is for them that plead. * 1.6 But these destroy the spawne within the wombe, by running upon their females when they be great and neere the time of casting the same. And one kinde there is of spotted mullets, called thereupon Perdiae, which feed upon their owne * 1.7 slime and glutinous substance that proceedeth from themselves. As for the poulpe or polyp fish, he eateth and gnaweth himselfe, sitting still all Winter

In house full colde, without fire-light, In wofull bale and wretched plight. [ 20]

so idle is he, or so blockish and senselesse, or els so gluttonous, or rather subject to all these vices together: which is the reason that Plato also in his booke of lawes, forbiddeth eftsoones yoong men to set their minds upon fishing in the sea, or rather he detesteth it in them, as an abomina∣ble thing, if they should take a love thereto. For no exercise there is of hardinesse and valour; no proofe of wit or triall of wisdome; no imploiment of strength, swiftnesse or activitie of bodie in combats and fights with the wide mouthed sea-pikes, with congres or guiltheads, like as there is in hunting upon the land, where the fierce and courageous beasts exercise the fortitude of those who encounter them, and stirring up their animositie to enter upon dangers: the wily and craftie, whet and sharpen the wits of such as set upon them, causing them to looke about and [ 30] bestirre themselves every way with great circumspection: and the swift and light-footed, trie the able, nimble, and painfull bodies of those who have them in chase: in all which respects hunting is reputed an honest and commendable exercise: whereas contrariwise, fishing hath nothing in it to commend the game, and make it honourable; neither shall you ever finde my good friend, any one of the gods, desirous to be called Congrocton̄us, that is to say, the con∣ger-killer; as Apollo gloried to be named Lycocton̄us, that is to say, the killer of woolves: not any of them delighted in the name of Triglobōlos, that is to say, the striker of barbels: like as Dia∣na joied in the epithit of Elaphobolos, that is to say, a shooter at stagges and hindes: and no marvell, considering that it is more laudable for a gentleman to take in chase a wilde boare, a stagge, a fallow deere, a roe bucke, yea, & it were but an hare, than to buie any of these with his [ 40] money: but surely it is more for his credit & reputation to go into the fish market as a cater to exchange his coine for a tunny, a lobstar, or the * 1.8 Amia, than to be seene fishing for them: for the cowardise, blockishnesse, stupiditie, want of shifts and meanes in fishes, either offensive, or defensive, cause the taking of them to be dishonest, discommendable, unlovely, and illiberall.

In summe, forasmuch as the proofes and arguments which philosophers alledge, to shew that beasts have some discourse and use of reason, are drawen from their projects, their electi∣ons in preferring one thing before another, their provisions and forecasts, their memories, their affections, their render care of their yong, ones, their thankfulnesse to those who have done thē good, their hatred & rankor against them who have done them a shrewd turne: their industry to find ont things necessary for them, the evident apparence of vertues in them, to wit, of fortitude, [ 50] sociable equity & communion, temperance and magnanimitie: Let us consider these maritime sea creatures, whether they have any one at all of these parts, or if there be any little shew thereof, it is so darke and obscure, that unneth or hardly it can be perceived, how diligent so∣ever we be in searching after it; whereas in these terrene beasts, and such as the land breedeth, a man may conceive, yea and plainly see most cleere, evident, and assured examples of ech, of the qualities beforesaid. First & formost behold I pray you the first setting out, the preparatives

and flourishes as it were, that bulles and boares make against their combat, how they raise and cast up the dust with their feet al about them, as also how these whet & sharpen their tusks; the elephants likewise for that one of their two teeth wherewith they root in the earth, or plucke up and cut such matter as they feed upon, is ordinarily thereby worne dull and blunt, they use it onely for these purposes, but the other they keepe and reserve alwaies sharpe pointed and keene edged, for to serve their turnes when they are to fight; the lion when he goeth in the forrest, marcheth evermore with his pawes drawen in close and turned round, hiding his eleies and nailes within, for feare lest being worne with going, their points should be dull and blunt, as also because he would give no light by his tracts to the hunters that follow in chase; for hard∣ly and with much adoo shall you trace a lion by his foot, the print of his clawes is so small that [ 10] it cannot be seene, whereby they that are full upon their footing, yet misse of him, and wander a contrary way.

Yee have heard I am sure of the Ichnewnon or ratte of India, how he prepares himselfe a∣gainst he should fight with the crocodile, no lesse than a legionarie souldiour armed at all pie∣ces, in complet harnesse, such a deale of mudde, and the same hardned and baked in maner of a crust, hath he all over his body, as it were a good curace of proofe.

What provision and preparation the swallowes or martines make against their breeding and laying time, we daily see; namely, how in building of their nests, they lay first as a ground worke underneath, good stickes, stiffe strawes, and sound bents, and those they enterlace afterwards [ 20] with others that be more gentle and pliable; and if they see that their nests had need of some glutinous mudde to glue and sodder all together, what doe they? mary they flie floting so close to the water of some river, lake, or the sea, that lightly they dippe their wings therewith, so that they may be onely wette, and in no wise heavy and overcharged with moisture, then they role and basker themselves in the dust, by which meanes they close up, binde, and knit as with par∣get or plastre, all chinks and breaches, and whatsoever was not well compact and united toge∣ther in their nests: as for the forme and figure thereof, they make them not cornered nor yeel∣ding many sides and faces, but even and smooth as possible may be, and the same round as a bal; for surely this kinde of workmanship is most durable without, and of greatest capacity within, and such as giveth least hold unto other beasts abroad that lie in wait to destroy them.

The copwebs that spiders weave, which serve for patterns, as wel for our women to make their [ 30] webbes of cloth, as for fishers to knit and worke their nets, are in many respects very admirable: first in regard of the fine threeds, and the subtile weaving thereof, which are not distinct one from another, nor ranged after the order of the warpe & woofe in our artisiciall webbes upon the loome, but are continued and runne all into one, in maner of thinne filme, kell, & skin, united and sodred as one would say, with I wot not what glutinous humidity mingled among, after an invisible and imperceptible maner; then the tincture and colour thereof, which ma∣keth it seeme a farre off like unto some thicke or duskish aire, to the end that it selfe might the lesse be perceived; but principally and above all, the very governing, conduct, and managing of this fabrick & device made by her-selfe, surpasseth; namely, when some flie or small creature [ 40] is gotten within the compasse of this toile & entangled, to see how immediately she perceiveth it, and can skill quickly to pull in and draw the nette; no hunter & fouler in the world, be he ne∣ver so cunning, more nimbly, for to enclose the prey: al which because we daily see in our con∣tinuall experience presented unto our eies, we beleeve and know to be true; otherwise we would hold all to be fables: like as wee thinke that to be a tale of the crowes and ravens in Barbary, who when they are very thirsty & the water setled so low where they should drinke, that can not reach unto it, cast stones into it for to make it arise so high as they may easily meet with it. And verily upon a time, I marvelled my selfe very much whē I saw a dog within a ship, while the marriners were out of the way, to cast little stones into an earthen pot, which was nothing neere ful of oyle, how he should discourse and reason thus in his mind, that the lighter things, as name∣ly [ 50] oyle, must needs mount up & be driven aloft, when the weightier such as the stones were went downe to the bottome. As much may be said of the bees in Candi, and the geese of Cilicia. As for the bees, being to double a point or capelying into the sea, which is much exposed to the winds, they ballase themselves with small grit or pretie stones, for to bee able to endure the wea∣ther, and not be carried away against their wils with the wind through their lightnes otherwise. And the geese aforesaid being affraid of the eagles, which have their airies upon the high rocks, at what time as they should passe over the mountaine Taurus, take every one within their bils a good big stone, thereby to stop and muzzle (as it were) their mouthes, that being by nature cla∣morous

and given much to gagling, they might make no noise nor crie at all during their flight, and so in silence and safetie both, get beyond the said hill. The verie order that cranes keepe in their flying is woonderfull and memorable: for when the aire is troubled and the wind aloft, they fly not as they use to do when it is faire weather and calme, either all afront, or in manner of the halfe moone or croissant: but presently at their first setring out, they cast themselves into a triangle with the point forward, therby to cut and pierce the wind that bloweth before and about them, to the end that their ranke thus raunged and set in order, might not possibly bee broken: afterwards when they are alighted and settled upon the ground; looke whose course and charge it is to watch al night, stands up right upon one leg, & in the foot of the other claspes a stone and holds it up a loft; for the continuall streining of themselves to hold the said stone, keepeth them [ 10] that long they cannot sleepe: and when once they chance to let go their hold, the stone falling upon the rocke, quickly awakneth her that let it fall. So that after I had seene this, I did not great∣ly wonder at Hercules, if putting his bow under his arme hole, and clipping it hard with his migh∣tie strong arme

Holding full fast in his right hand, His massie club, a sleepe doth stand.

neither marvelled I much at him who first devised the meanes how to open an oyster close and hard shut, when I beheld once the crafrie subtiltie of herons: for the heron when he hath swallo∣wed downe an oyster, or other shell fish, all whole and fast shut, although it put him to some trou∣ble, yet he endureth for a time and keepeth it within his craw or gisier, untill he perceive that it [ 20] is mollisied and relaxed by the naturall heat of his bodie, then casteth he it up againe by vomit, findeth it gaping and wide open, and so picketh out of it the good meat therein.

As touching the industrious provision and care of housekeeping which is in pismires, to dis∣course thereof in particular, and exquisitely to deliver the same were a verie hard piece of worke, if not impossible; and to passe the same over in silence, argueth supine negligence: for looke throughout the whole historie of nature, you shall not find so small a mirrour againe for to re∣present greater things and more beautifull, being (as it were) a most pure and cleere drop, where∣in appeareth most apparantly the full resemblance of entier vertue. Here may be seene lovely friendship and civill societie: here sheweth it selfe the verie image of valour and prowesse, with painfull patience and industrie: here may a man behold many seeds of continence, many sparks [ 30] of wisedome, and as many of righteousnes. Cleanthes the philosopher, although he maintaineth not that beasts have any use of reason, made report neverthelesse that he was present at the sight of such a spectacle and occurrent as this. There were (quoth he) a number of ants which went toward another ants hole, that was not their owne, carrying with them the corps of a dead ant: out of which hole, there came certaine other ants to meet them on the way (as it were) to parle with them, and within a while returned backe and went downe againe: after this they came forth a second, yea a third time, & retired accordingly untill in the end they brought up from beneath (as it were a ransom for the dead body) a grub or little worme; which the others received and tooke upon their shoulders, and after they had delivered in exchange the fore said corps, depar∣ted home: moreover, it is worth the observation, although it be a thing daily seene of everie [ 40] man, what curtesie and civilitie they use in meeting one another, how those who be light and ca∣rie nothing, willingly give way unto such as bee charged and loaden, and suffer them to passe: likewise how they gnaw asunder and divide piece meale such burdens, as they being single, can∣not beare whole, to the end that the same may be carried and transported from place to place by more in number. Aratus in his prognostickes setteth this downe for a signe of raine toward, when they bring foorth their seeds and graines, and lay them abroad to take the aire:

When ants make haste with all their * 1.9 Foorth of their holes to carrie them abroad.

And yet there be some who in this place write not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is to say, egs, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as if they would say, their goods, to wit, the fruits or seeds which they have gathered and laid up for their provisi∣on, [ 50] on, when they perceive them to begin to mould or bee fusty, or feare that they will corrupt and putrifie. But that which surpasseth all other prudence, policie and wit, is their caution and pre∣vention which they use, that their wheat or other corne may not spurt and grow. For this is cer∣taine, that dry it cannot continue alwaies nor sound and uncorrupt, but it will in time waxe soft, resolve into a milkie juice, when it turneth and beginneth to swell and chit: for feare therefore that it become not a generative seed, and so by growing, loose the nature & property of food for their nourishment, they gnaw that end thereof or head, where it is woont to spurt and bud forth.

For mine owne part, I do not admit or beleeve all that which some do anatomize of their caves and holes: who give out that there is not one direct and straight way leading downe thereinto, nor the same easie and ready for any other creature to passe through; but there be certeine se∣cret allies, blinde-pathes, crooked turnings, and hollow cranks, which meet all at the end in three holes or concavities; whereof the one forsooth is the common hall for them to meet all together: the second is their cellar or ambry for their victuals and provision; and the third a by-roome where they bestow their dead.

Well, I thinke it not amisse nor impertinent, if next after pismires, I bring foorth upon the stage before you the elephants, to the end that we may know the nature of this art, and intelli∣gence which now is in question, as well in the greatest beasts as the smallest creatures, and see [ 10] how as it appeereth in the one, so it is not defective or wanting in the other. Other men I am sure doe make a woonder at that which the elephant learneth, and is taught, whose docilitie is exhibited unto us in the theaters, by his sundry sorts of gestures, and changes in dauncing, such as fortheir varietie and exquisit elegancie, it were very hard for men with all their memorie, perfection of witte, and exercise, to remember, to expresse, and performe accordingly: but I for my part, me thinks, doe see more cleerely and evidently the prudence and sagacitie of this beast, in the passions, affections, and motions which he hath of himselfe without teaching, as being more simple, sincere, and naturall; for not long since, at Rome there were a number of them trained and exercised against the solemnity of their games and plaies, in certeine strange stations, intricate motions, and hard turnings round, to goe, to come, to stande, and wheele [ 20] about in a trice: but among them, there was one more dull, blockish, grosse, and slowe, than the rest, both in conceiving, and also in reteining; by reason whereof, he being ever and anon reproched and rated with shamefull words, yea, and many times beaten well for his unto wardnesse, was found otherwhiles alone by himselfe in the night, repeating as it were and conning his lessons by moone-shine, labouring hard for to expresse and atteine unto that whch hee had beene taught. Agnon writeth, that before this time, in Syria there was an elephant kept and nourished in a private mans house, whose governour had allowed unto him from his master, a certeine measure of barley every day for his provender; but there was not a day went over his head, wherein he robbed and deceived him not of the one halfe: it for∣tuned, that one time above the rest, the master of the house would needs see the elephant ser∣ved, [ 30] then his governour powred out before him his full allownce, even the whole measure that was his due; but the elephant casting an unhappy and untoward eie at him, divided his barley with the snout of his trunke, and put a part the one moity thereof, shewing the best way he could devise unto his master, the wrong that the governour aforesaid had done unto him: He reporteth like wise of another, who seeing that his keeper blended earth and stones among his barley, to make the measure to seeme compleat; spied his time and came unto the potage pot standing over the fire, wherein was flesh a seething for dinner, and filled it up with ashes.

Another being provoked and misused at Rome, by certeine little boies, who with their bod∣kins and penknives used to pricke and punch his snout or trunke; caught up one of them by the middle, and held him up in the aire, so as it was thought he would have crushed and squeazed [ 40] the guttes out of his belly; they that saw the maner of it, tooke up a great cry incontinently for feare of the poore boy, but the elephant set him downe softly againe upon the ground, in the very place where he caught him up, and doing him no hurt at all passed by; judging it a suffi∣cient chasticement for so little a childe, that he was onely put in a fright: Thus much of tame and trained elephants. As for those which are savage, and live in the wilde fields at their liberty, woonderfull things be reported of them, and namely as touching their passage over rivers; for the yoongest and least of them all, exposing himselfe to hazard for the rest, leadeth the way, and wadeth first thorough; the other seeing him landed upon the banke 〈◊〉〈◊〉 other side, make this account, that if the least and lowest of their heard be tall enough to surmount the depth of the chanell, they which are bigger and higher, have no cause to feare any thing, but that they [ 50] also may get over in safety.

And since I am fallen into this argument, and proceeded so farre into it, me thinks I should not for get one example of Reinard, for the affinitie and conformity it hath with this device last rehearsed: Those who have invented fabulous tales make report, that during the great deluge, Deucalion used to let foorth a dove out of the arke, to know what weather it was like to be a∣broad; for if she returned soone againe, she brought newes of tempest and raine, but if she

flew cleane away, and came no more backe, she shewed thereby that it was calme and faire wea∣ther.

But true it is that the Thracians even at this day when they purpose to passe over a river fro∣zen all over with ice, take a fox with them for their guide, to sound the way before them, whether the ice be strong enough and able to beare; the fox goes gently before, and laieth his eare close to the ice, and if by the noise of the water running underneath and comming unto his eare, he guesseth that the ice is not thicke nor frozen deepe, but thinne and weake, he maketh a stay, and returneth if a man will let him: contrariwise, if hee perceive by his eare no noise at all of water running under the ice, he passeth forward confidently: Surely we cannot say that this is onely an exquisite quicknesse in the sense of hearing, without any discourse of reason, but [ 10] without all question a kinde of syllogisme or reasoning, by consequence drawen from that na∣turall sence in this sort: that which soundeth stirreth; that which stirreth is not frozen or con∣gealed; what is not congealed, must needs be liquid; and whatsoever is liquid, yeeldeth, and is not able to hold, ergo, &c.

The Logicians holde that the hound meeting with a quarreferrie or crosse way divided into many paths, useth a kinde of argumentation or reasoning, which is called a disjunct proceeding from the enumeration of many parts; in this maner discourseth with himselfe: It must needs be that the beast in chase, passed by one of these three waies: but this way it went not, nor yet that way; therefore it can not chuse, but this way he tooke, for the sent of the nosethrils yeelded him no other intelligence, than of the premisses: and it was the discourse of reason which gave [ 20] him to understand the necessitie of the consequence or conclusion inserted upon the said pre∣misses and suppositions. Howbeit, the dogge hath need of no such testimonie of Logicians, for false it is and counterfeit, because it is the smell it selfe and sent of the nose, which by the tract of the foot and the fluxion of the odour comming from the beast, sheweth him which way it fled, bidding farewell to these propositions either disjunct or junct, neither careth it for that enumeration of parts; but by many other effects, passions, functions, offices and actions which proceed neither from sense of seeing nor of smelling, but onely from intelligence and discourse of reason, by which they are evidently performed, a man may sufficiently perceive and compre∣hend what is the nature of a dogge, whose continencie, obedience, sagacitie, patience and paines-taking in chase, if I should now discourse upon, I should but make my selfe ridiculous [ 30] unto you, who see the same daily, and have experience and practise thereof continually. But this one example will I alledge unto you; namely, that during the civill warres at Rome, when a Romane citizen was murdered, the murderers could never cut off his head, untill they environ∣ed his dogge round and stabbed him to death, who guarded his masters bodie, and fought most siercely for him. King Pyrrhus as he travelled by the way, met with a dogge who kept the dead corps of his master lately slaine, and understanding by the inhabitants of the place, that he had continued three daies already, and never stirred from thence, nor yet eat or drunke ought, he commanded the bodie to be interred, ledde the dogge away with him, and made much of him: certaine daies after, there hapned a muster or generall revew to be made of his souldiers, who shewed themselves and passed before the king sitting in his chaire of estate, and having the said [ 40] dog hard by him, who never quetched nor stirred all the whiles, untill he had a sight of those per∣sons who murdered his master; upon whom he ranne immediatly, baying and barking at them with open mouth and in great anger, eftsoones running backe and making toward Pyrrhus; in∣somuch as not onely the king, but all those who were about his person, entred into great suspi∣tion that those parties were they who had killed his master; whereupon they were apprehended, put in prison, and judicially brought to their answere upon the point, and together with other presumptions and light evidences inserred against them, they were so hardly urged, that they confessed the fact, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 suffered punishment accordingly. The like (by report) did the dogge of learned Hesiodus, who detected the sonnes of Ganyctor the Naupactian, of murder committed upon the person of his master. But that which our fathers saw themselves with their owne eies [ 50] whiles they were students at Athens, is more evident than all that hath beene said already. And this it was: A certaine fellow had by stealth entred into the temple of Aesculapius, & stollen from thence the fairest and goodliest jewels both of gold and silver among the oblations there, which were most portable, and thinking that he was not espied by any creature, made means to get away againe secretly. The dog which kept the said temple, and was named Capparus, did his best to barke and bay; but seeing none of the sextanes and wardens of the church to come for all that,

pursued the church-robber as he fled away; and notwithstanding that he flung stones at him, yet gave not he over his pursute, but traced him hard at heels al the night. When day light was come, he would not approch neere unto him, but kept aloofe, followed him with his eie and never lost the sight of him; and notwithstanding that he cast him bread and other meat, he would none: so the night following the theese laid him downe to sleepe, the dog likewise kept all night hard by him; and the morrow morning when he tooke his way againe, the dog likewise arose and went after. Met he any passengers or waifaring men, hee would fawne upon them and wag his taile; contrariwise he barked eagerly at the theese, and was readie to fly upon him. They who had the charge to follow with huy and crie, being enformed thus much by the travellers whom they met, as also of what bignes, colour and haire the dog was, continued their chase more willingly, and [ 10] made such hot pursute that they evertooke the fellow at Crommyon, & from thence brought him to Athens. The dog he marched before them all and leade them the way, as jocound, pleasant, and gamesome as possibly could bee, as taking great joy that this church-robber had beene the game and prey that he had hunted and gotten. The Athenians when they heard the truth of this matter related unto them, ordained that the said dog should have a certaine measure of corne allowed him at the cities charges for his bread, and gave an especially charge to the priests of that temple, to have a care of him so long as he lived: following herein the kindnesse and liberallitie of their ancestours which they extended in times past to a mule. For what time as Pericles cau∣sed to be built the temple of Minerva, named Hecatompedon, within the castle of the citie, there were is ordinarie for such buildings, conveighed thither daily stones, timber, and other stuffe in [ 20] carts and wagons drawen with beasts. Now when many of those mules which before time had willingly and painefully served, were now for verie age discharged and sent away to pasture: one there was among the rest, who everie day would come into the high broad street Ceramicum, and go before those draught beasts which drew up stones to the mount, yea & accompanie them, as if he encouraged and hartned them to labour and travell. The people of Athens commending and admiring the good heart and industrious mind of the beast, gave order by a publike decree for his maintenance and keeping at the cities cost, no lesse than they would have done for an old bruised souldier, who now was past service. And therefore we must say, that those philosophers who hold: That there is no communion nor societie of justice betweene us and bruit beasts, say true, if they restraine theirspeech unto those creatures onely, which live in the sea and deepe bot∣tomlesse [ 30] waters, with who m in deed we can have no fellowship at all of good will, love and affe∣ction, as being beasts farre remote from all gentlenesse, sweet converse, and good nature: and therefore Homer speakingunto a man, who seemed to be inhumane, cruell and unsociable, said elegantly thus:

The blackish blew sea Ithinke well, Engendred thee, thou art so fell.

as if he would thereby give us to understand, that the sea brings forth no creature that is milde, lovely, meek and gentle: but he that should say as much and apply the former proposition unto the land-beasts, were himselfe cruell and savage; if I say, he denied that there was no reciprocall commerce of amitie and justice betweene king Lysimachus and his dog Hyrcanus, who remained [ 40] continnally alone about his corps when he was dead; yea and at the time that it was burned in the funerall fire, lept into it and was consumed into ashes with him for company. And reported it is, that there was another dog named Actus, did no lesse which Pyrrhus kept, I meane not the king of that name, but another private person: for after his master was dead, he would never stirre from the bodie; and when the corps was carried forth in a couch upon the biere, he leapt upon it and was borne withall: and finally sprung himselfe into the fire and was burnt with him.

When king Porus was sore wounded in a battell against king Alexander the Great; the ele∣phant upon whose backe he rode and fought, drew foorth with his trunke right gently for feare of doing harme, many darts, arrowes and javelins wherewith hee was shot: and albeit himselfe was grievously hurt, yet never fainted he and gave over before he perceived that his lord the king [ 50] was readie to reele and sinke downe, by reason of the effusion of blood which hee had lost; and then fearing that he would fall from on high to the ground, he gently couched and yeelded with his bodie downeward to the earth, that he might alight with ease and without all danger.

King Alexanders horse called Bucephalus, all while he was bare without his saddle and capari∣son, would wel enough abide that his keeper should mount upon his backe: was he trapped once and richly set out with the kings royall furniture, harnesse, and ornament, hee would suffer none to sit him but Alesander alone. And if others came neere him, and went about to get upon his

backe, he would runne a front upon them snuffing, snorting and neighing, rising up all afore at them; and if they made not good haste to retire behind him and fly, hee would bee sure to have them under his feet and trample over them. I know full well that you thinke these examples are hudled together in a confused varietie: but surely it is no easie matter to find any action of these noble beasts, which representeth one bare vertue and no more: for together with their kindnesse and naturall love there is to be seene a certaine desire of honour: amid their generositie a man may perceive a kind of industrious sagacitie and wisedome; neither is their wit and subtiltie void of courage and magnanimitie: howbeit, if men be disposed to distinguish and separate one from another by themselves; the dogs do represent an example of a mild and gentle nature together with an haughtie courage and high mind, namely when they passe by and turne aside from those [ 10] that submit themselves before them, according to that which Homer saith in one place:

The dogs ran foorth with open mouth, they cried and bark't amaine: Ulysses wise his slafe let fall, and stirred not againe.

For their manner is not to fight any longer against those who humbly fall downe prostrate, or shew any semblance of lowly suppliants. Certes, the report goeth of a principall Indian dogge, who being for a singularitie above all other, sent to fight a combat before king Alexander the Great, when there was let loose at him first a stag, then a wild boare, and afterwards a beare, made no reckoning of them, nor deigned once to stirre out of his place nor rise up: but when hee saw [ 20] a lion presented unto him, then incontinently he stood upon his feet, and addressed himselfe to the combat; shewing evidently that he esteemed the lion alone worthie to fight with him, and disdained all the rest. As for those here among us which are woont to hunt hares, if they them∣selves chaunce to kill them with faire play in the open sield, they take pleasure to teare them in pieces; they licke and lap their blood full willingly: but if the hare being out of heart and in de∣spaire of her selfe, as many times it falleth out, employ all the force and strength that shee hath in one course for all, and run her selfe out of breath, so as her winde is now cleane gone, and shee dead withall: the hounds finding her so, will not once touch her, but they keepe a wagging of their tailes round about her body, as if they would say, it is not for greedinesse of hares flesh, but an earnest desire to winne the prise in running, that we hunt thus as we do. [ 30]

As touching the craft and subtiltie which is in beasts; forasmuch as there be infinit examples thereof, overpasse I will the wily pranks of foxes, woolves, cranes and jaies: for common they be and every man seeth them; onely produce I will the testimonie of wise Thales, the most anci∣ent of the seven sages, who by report was not least admired for his skill and cunning, in that hee discovered right well the craftines in a beast, and went beyond it. There was a companie of mules that had salt a load, and were carrying it from one place to another; and as they passed through the foord of a river, one of them chanced to fall under his burden into the water: the salt in his sacke by this meanes taking wet, melted and resolved into water for the most part of it, in such sort as the mule having recovered himselfe upon all foure, found that he was well lightned of his load, and presently conceived what was the reason: which gave so deepe an impression in his [ 40] memorie, that ever after, as often as he was to go thorow a river, hee would be sure to stoup and couch his bodie low; first leaning of one side, and then of another, purposedly and for the nonce to wet and drench the bags on his backe which had salt in them. Thales hearing of this unhappy and shrewd wit of the mule, commaunded the muliter to fill the sacks with the same weight of wooll and spundges, in stead of salt, to lay them upon his backe, and so to drive him with the rest. The mule left not his old woont; but when he perceived that he was overcharged now with wa∣ter besides his ordinary load of wooll and spunges, he tooke himselfe in the maner, and found that his craft now stood him in small stead, but did him hurt: whereupon, ever after, he would go upright whensoever he waded, and was very carefull that none of his packs or carriages should once (though full against his will) touch the water. [ 50]

Partridges have another kinde of subtiltie and craft by themselves, and the same proceedeth from a certaine naturall love and motherly affection to their yoong birds, whom, when they are yet so feeble that they cannot flie & make shift for themselves being pursued, they teach to cast themselves on their backs, with their heeles and bellies upward, and to hold either a clot of earth or some locke of straw or such like stuffe, to cover and shadow their bodies withal: meane while, the olde rowens turne those that follow in chace another way, drawing them toward themselves in flying to and fro just before them, even at their feet, seeming (as it were) by little and little to

retire, and making as though they were scarse able to arise from the earth, and as if they were ready to be taken, untill such time as they have trained the fowlers farre from their little ones.

The hares when they have kinled, and be afraied of the hunters, returne to their formes, and carrie their leverets, some one way and some another, so as many times there is an arpent or good acre of ground distance betweene them, to the end that if either hound or hunter should come upon them, they might not be all in danger at once to be taken; and they them∣selves runne up and downe backward and forward in divers places, crossing this way and that way, leaving their tracts very confused, and in the end take one great leape as farre as ever they can, from their foresaid footing, and spring unto their forme, where they rest and take their re∣pose. [ 10]

The beare being surprised with a certeine drowsie disease, called Pholia, before she be altoge∣ther so heavily benummed and stupisied therewith, that she can not well stirre maketh cleane the cave into which she meaneth to retire herselfe: & when she is to go downe into it, all the way besides which is toward it, she treadeth very lightly, bearing herselfe (as it were) upon her tip∣toes: and being come neere unto it, she turnes upon her backe, and so eicheth forward her bo∣die aswell as she can into her den.

Ofred deere, the hynds commonly calve neere unto highway sides, where ravenous beasts, such as live by prey, doe not ordinarily haunt. The stags when they perceive themselves to be fat, well fleshed, and good venison, seeke blinde corners to hide themselves in, for the better se∣curitie of their lives, as not trusting then to their heeles and swift running. [ 20]

The land-urchins are so wise and wary in defending and saving themselves, that they have thereby given occasion of this proverbe:

A thousand wiles and me, of craftie fox there are: The urchin one doth know, and that is singular.

for when the urchin perceiveth Renard comming toward him,

All of a lumpe, as round as bur or ball, His bodie lies, with pricks beset withall: No meanes she hath, for thornie bristles thicke, To bite, to pinch, or touch him to the quicke. [ 30]

and yet more ingenious is their forecast and providence for the feeding of their little ones; for in Autumne, a little before vintage time, you shall have an urchin or hedge-hogge get under a vine, and with his feet shake the stocke untill the grapes from their branches be fallen upon the ground, then he rouleth himselfe round like a foot-ball among them, and catcheth them up with his sharpe pricks; insomuch as when we stood all of us sometime to behold the manner of it, it seemed as if a cluster of grapes had beene quicke, and so crept upon the ground; so beset went he and covered all over with grapes: then so soone as he is gotten into his hole or neast, he offereth them unto his yoong ones to eat, to take from him and lay up for store. This hole hath two fa∣ces or prospects; the one regardeth the south, the other looketh into the north. When they [ 40] foresee change & alteration of weather, like as skilful ship-masters turne their sailes according to the time; even so, they shut up that hole or entrie which standeth in the wind, and set open the other: which when one of the citie Cyzicum had once observed and learned, he got a great name and reputation of a weather-wise-man, as if he foreknew of himselfe by some singular gift, and could foretell from which cost the wind would blow.

As touching social love and fidelitie, accompanied with wit and understanding, the elephants as king Juba writeth, shew unto us an evident example: for they that hunt them are woont to dig deepe trenches, and thatch them over with a thinne cote of light straw or some small brush. Now when one of the heard chanceth to fall into a trench, for many of them use to go and feed together, all the rest bring a mighty deale of stones, rammell wood, and whatsoever they can get, [ 50] which they fling into the ditch for to fill it up, to the end that their fellow may have meanes thereby to get up againe. The same writer recordeth also that elephants use to pray unto gods, to purifie themselves with the sea water, and to adore the sunne rising, by lifting up their trunked snout into the aire (as if it were their hād) & all thus of their own accord & untaught. And to say a truth of all beasts the elephant is most devout & religious, as K. Ptolemaeus Philopater hath wel te∣stified: for after he had defaited Antiochus, & was minded to render condign thanks unto the gods for so glorious a victorie, among many other beasts for sacrifice, he slew foure elephants: but af∣terwards

being much disquieted and troubled in the night with fearefull dreames, and namely, that God was wroth and threatned him for such an uncouth and strange sacrifice; hee made meanes to appease his ire by many other propitiatorie oblations, and among the rest, hee dedi∣cated unto him fower elephants of brasse, in steed of those which were killed: no lesse is the so∣ciable kindnesse and good nature which lions shew one one unto another; for the yoonger sort which are more able and nimble of body, lead forth with them into the chace for to hunt and prey those that be elder and unweldy; who when they be weary, sit them downe and rest, waiting for the other; who being gone forward to hunt if they meet with game and speed, then they all set up a roaring note altogether, much like unto the bellowing of bulles, and thereby call their fellowes to them; which the old lions hearing, presently runne unto them, where they take [ 10] their part, and devour they prey in common.

To speake of the amatorious affections of brute beasts, some are very savage and exceeding furious: others more milde, and not altogether unlike unto the courting and wooing used be∣tweene man and woman, yea, & I may say to you, smelling somewhat of wanton and venerious behaviour: and such was the love of an elephant, a counter suter or corrivall with Aristopha∣nes the grammarian, to a woman in Alexandria, that sold chaplets or garlands of flowers: nei∣ther did the elephant shew lesse affection to her than the man, for hee would bring her alwaies out of the fruit market, as he passed by, some apples, peares, or other fruit, and then he would stay long with her, yea, and otherwhiles put his snout, as it were his hand, within her bosome under her partlet, and gently feele her soft pappes and white skinne about her faire brest. [ 20]

A dragon also there was enamoured upon a yoong maiden of Aetolia: it would come to vi∣sit her by night, creepe along the very bare skinne of her body, yea, and winde about her without any harme in the world done unto her, either willingly or otherwise, and then would gently depart from her by the breake of day: now when this serpent had continued thus for certeine nights together ordinarily; at the last the friends of the yoong damosel remooved her, and sent her out of the way a good way off; but the dragon for three or fower nights together came not to the house, but wandred and sought up and downe heere and there as it should seem for the wench; in the end, with much adoo, having found her out, he came and clasped her a∣bout, not in that milde and gentle maner as before time, but after a rougher sort; for having with other windings and knots bound her hands and armes fast unto her body, with the rest of [ 30] his taile he flapped and beat her legges, shewing a gentle kinde of amorous displeasure and an∣ger, yet so, as it might seeme he had more affection to pardon, than desire to punish her.

As for the goose in Aegypt which fell in love with a boy; and the goat that cast a fansie to Glauce the minstrell wench: because they are histories so wel knowen, and in every mans mouth: for that also I suppose you are wearie already of so many tedious tales and narrations, I forbeare to relate them before you: but the merles, crowes, and perroquets or popinjaies, which learne to prate, and yeeld their voice and breath to them that teach him, so pliable, so tractable and docible, for to forme and expresse a certeine number of letters and syllables as they would have them, me thinks they plead sufficiently, and are able to defend the cause of all other beasts, tea∣ching us as I may say, by learning of us, that capable they be not onely of the inward discourse [ 40] of reason, but also of the outward gift uttered by distinct words, and an articulate voice: were it not then a meere ridiculous mockerie, to compare these creatures with other dumbe beasts which have not so much voice in them, as will serve to houle withall, or to expresse a groane and complaint? but how great a grace and elegancie there is in the naturall voices and songs of these, which they resound of themselves, without learning of any masters, the best musicians and most sufficient poets that ever were do testifie, who compare their sweetest canticles and poems unto their songs of swannes and nightingals: now forasmuch as to teach, sheweth grea∣ter use of reason; than to learne wee are to give credit unto Aristotle, who saith: that brute beasts are endued also with that gift, namely, that they teach one another: for hee writeth that the nightingale hath beene seene to traine up her yoong ones in singing; and this experience [ 50] may serve to testifie on his behalfe, that those nightingales sing nothing so well, which are taken very yong out of the nest, and were not fedde nor brought up by their dammes; for those that be nourished by them, learne withall, of them to sing, and that not for money and gaine, nor yet for glory, but because they take pleasure to sing well, and love the elegance above the profit of the voice: and to this purpose report I will unto you a storie which I have heard of ma∣ny, as well Greeks as Romans, who were present and eie witnesses: There was a barber within the city of Rome, who kept a shoppe over against the temple, called Grecostisis, or Forum Grae∣cum,

and there nourished a pie, which would so talke, prate, and chatte, as it was woonderfull, counting the speech of men and women, the voice of beasts, and sound of musicall instru∣ments, and that voluntarily of her selfe without the constreint of any person, onely she accu∣stomed her selfe so to doe, and tooke a certeine pride and glory in it, endevouring all that she could to leave nothing unspoken, or not expressed: now it hapned that there were solemnized great funerals of one of the welthiest personages in the city, and the corps was caried foorth in a great state, with the sound of many trumpets that marched before; in which solemnitie, for that the maner was that the pompe and whole company should stand still and rest a time in that verie place, it fell out so, that the trumpetters who were right cunning and excel∣lent in their arte, staied there, founding melodiouslie all the while: the morrow after [ 10] this, the pie became mute and made no noise at all, nor uttered not so much as her na∣turall voice which she was wont to doe, for to expresse her ordinarie and necessarie passi∣ons; insomuch, as they who before time woondered at her voice and prating, marvelled now much more at her silence, thinking it a very strange matter to passe by the shop and heare her say nothing; so as there grew some suspition of others professing the same art and trade, that they had given her some poison: howbeit, most men guessed that it was the violent sound of the trumpets which had made her deafe, and that together with the sense of hearing, her voice also was utterly extinct: but it was neither the one nor the other; for the trueth was this, as ap∣peared afterwards: she was in a deepe studie, and through meditation retired within herselfe, [ 20] whiles her minde was busie and did prepare her voice like an instrument of musicke, for imita∣tion; for at length her voice came againe and wakened (as it were) all on a sudden, uttering none of her olde notes nor that which she was accustomed before to parle and counterseit; onely the sound of trumpets she resembled, keeping the same periods, the same stops, pauses and straines; the same changes, the same reports, and the same times and measures: a thing, that confirmeth more and more that which I have said before; namely, that there is more use of reason in teach∣ing of themselves, than in learning by another. Yet can I not conteine my selfe, but I must needs in this place recite unto you one lesson that I my selfe saw a dogge to take out, when I was at Rome: This dog served a plaier who professed to counterfeit many persons, and to represent sundry gestures; & among sundry other prety tricks which his master taught him, answerable to [ 30] divers passions, occasions and occurrents represented upon the stage, his master made an expe∣riment on him with a drogue or medicine which was somniferous indeed and sleepie, but must be taken and supposed deadly; who tooke the piece of bread wherein the said drogue was min∣gled, and within a little while after he had swallowed it downe, he began to make as though hee trembled, quaked, yea and staggered, as if he had beene astonied, in the end he stretched out himselfe, and lay as stiffe as one starke dead, suffering himselfe to be pulled, haled, and drawen from one place to another, like a very blocke, according as the present argument and matter of the place required; but afterwards, when hee understood by that which was said and done, that his time was come, and that he had caught his hint, then beganne he at the first to stirre gently by little and little, as if hee had newly revived or awakened, and stared out of a dead [ 40] sleepe, and lifting up his head, began to looke about him too and fro; at which object all the beholders woondered not a little; afterwards he arose upon his feet, and went directly to him unto whom he was to goe, very jocund and mery: this pageant was performed so artificially, I cannot tell whether to say or naturally, that all those who were present, and the emperour him∣selfe (for Vespasian the father was there in person, within the theater of Marcellus) tooke excee∣ding great pleasure, and joied woonderfully to see it.

But peradventure we may deserve well to be mocked for our labour, praising beasts as we doe so highly, for that they be so docible and apt to learne, seeing that Democritus sheweth and pro∣veth, that we our selves have beene apprentises and scholars to them in the principall things of this life; namely, to the spider, for spinning, weaving, derning, and drawing up a rent; to the swallow, for architecture and building; to the melodious swanne and shrill nightingale, for [ 50] vocall musicke, and all by way of imitation. As for the art of physicke, and the * 1.10 three kindes thereof, we may see in the nature of beasts, the greatest and most generous part of each of them: for they use not onely that, which ordeined drogues and medicines to purge ill humours out of the body, seeing that the tortoises take origan; wezels, rue, when they have eaten a serpent; dogges also when they be troubled with choler of the gall, purge themselves with a certeine herbe, thereupon called dogges-grasse; the dragon likewise if he finde his eies to be dimme, clenseth, scoureth, and dispatcheth the cloudinesse thereof with fenell; and the beare so soone

as she is gone out of her denne, seeketh out the first thing that she doth, the wilde herbe called Aron, that is to say, wake-robin, for the acrimonie and sharpnesse thereof openeth her bow∣els when they are growen together, yea, and at other times finding herselfe upon fulnesse, gi∣ven to loth and distaste all food, she goes to finde out ants nests, where she sits her downe lil∣ling out the tongue which is glibbe and soft, with a kinde of sweet and slimy humour, untill it be full of ants and their egges, then draweth she it it againe, swalloweth them downe, and thereby cureth her lothing stomacke. Semblably it is said, that the Aegyptians having obser∣ved their bird Ibis, which is the blacke storke, to give herselfe a clister of sea water, by imitati∣on of her did the like by themselves. Certeine it is, that their priests use to besprinkle, purifie, and hallow themselves with that water out of which she hath drunke; for let any water be vene∣mous, [ 10] or otherwise hurtfull and unholsome, the Ibis will none of it: but also some beasts there be, which feeling themselves ill at ease, are cured by diet and abstinence; as namely woolves and lions, when they have devoured too much flesh, and are cloied or glutted therewith, they lie me downe, take their ease, cherishing and keeping themselves warme.

It is reported likewise of the tygre, that when a yoong kidde was given unto her, she fasted two daies, according to the diet which she useth, before she touched it, and the third day being very hungry, called for other food, ready to burst the cage wherein she was enclosed, and for∣bare to eat the said kid, supposing that now she was to keepe it with her, as a familiar & domesti∣call companion. Nay that which more is, recorded it is, that elephants practise the feat of chi∣rurgery; for standing by those that are wounded in a battell, they can skill of drawing out tron∣chions [ 20] of speares, javelin heads, arrowes and darts out of their bodies, with such dexterity and ease, that they will neither teare and hurt their flesh, nor put them to any paine whatsoever. The goats of Candy when they be shotte into the body with arrowes or darts, fall to eat the herbe Dictamus, & thereby thrust them out, and make them fal off with facility, & by this meanes they have taught women with child that this herbe hath a propertie to cause abortive birth, and the child in their wombe to miscarrie: for the said goats are no sooner wounded, but they runne pre∣sently to this herbe, and never seeke after any other remedy. Woonderfull these things are (no doubt) howbeit lesle miraculous, when we consider the natures of beasts, how they be capable of arithmeticke, and have the knowledge of numbring and keeping account: as the kine and oxen about Susa; for appointed they be there to water the kings gardens, drawing up water in buckets [ 30] with a device of wheels that they turne about in maner of a windles; and everie one of them for their part must draw up an hundred buckets in a day: so many they will do just, but more you shal not get of them, neither by faire meanes nor foule; for no sooner have they performed their task, but presently they give over & impossible it is to force them any farther then their account: notwithstanding triall hath bene made; so justly and exactly they both know, and also keepe the reckoning, as Ctesians the Guidian hath left in writing. As for the Lybians they mocke the Ae∣gyptians, for reporting this of their beast called Oryx, as a great singularitie, that hee setteth up a certaine crie that verie day and houre, when as the star named by them Sothe, and by us the Dog, or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 doth arise: for they give out, that with them all their goats together, at the verie instant when the said starre mounteth up within their horizon with the sunne, will bee sure to turne and [ 40] looke into the east: and this they hold to be an infallible signe of the revolution of that starre, a∣greeing just with the rules and observations of the Mathematicians. But to close up and con∣clude at length this discourse, that it may come to an end, let us (as it were) take in hand the sacred anchor, and for a finall conclusion knit up all with a briefe speech of their divinitie and propheti∣call nature. For certaine it is, that one of the greatest, most noble and ancient parts of divination or soothsaying, is that which being drawen from the flight and singing of birds, they call Augu∣rie: and in truth the nature of these birds being so quicke, so active, so spirituall, and in regard of that agilitie & nimblenesse verie pliable, and obsequent to all visions & fantasies presented, offe∣reth it selfe unto God, as a proper instrument to be used & turned which way he wil; one while to motion, another while into certaine voices, laies & tunes, yea & into divers & sundrie gestures: now to stop and stay, anon to drive and put forward, in manner of the winds; by meanes whereof [ 50] he impeacheth and holdeth backe some actions and affections, but directeth others unto their end & accomplishment. And this no doubt is the reason that Euripides tearmeth al birds in gene∣rall the heraulds and messengers of the gods: and particularly Socrates said, that he was become a fellow servitor with the swans: semblably, among the kings, Pyrrhus was well pleased when as men called him the Eagle, and Antiochus tooke as great pleasure to be called the Sacre or the Hauke. Whereas contrariwise, when we are disposed to mocke, to flout, or to reproch those that

be dull, indocible and blockish, wee call them fishes. To bee short, an hundred thousand things there be that God doth shew, foretell and prognosticate unto us by the meanes of beasts, as well those of the land beneath, as the fowles of the aire above. But who that shall plead in the behalfe of fishes or water-creatures, will not be able to alledge so much as one: for, deafe they be all and dombe; * 1.11 blind also for any fore-sight or providence that they have, as being cast into a balefull place and bottomlesse gulfe, where impious Atheists & rebellious Titans or giants against God are bestowed; where they have no sight of God, no more than in hell where damned soules are; where the reasonable and intellectuall part of the soule is utterly extinct, and the rest that remai∣neth, drenched or rather drowned (as a man would say) in the most base and vile sensuall part, so as they seeme rather to pant then to live. [ 10]

HERACLEON.

Plucke up your browes, good Phaedimus, open your eies, awake your spirits, and bestirre your selfe in the defense of us poore Ilanders and maritime inhabitants: for here we have heard not a discourse iwis merrily devised to passe away the time, but a serious plea premeditate and labou∣red before hand, a verie Rhetoricall declamation which might beseeme well to bee pronoun∣ced at the barre in judiciall court, or delivered from a pulpit and tribunall before a publicke au∣dience.

PHAEDIMUS.

Now verily, good sir Heracleon, this is a meere surprise and a manifest ambush laid craftily of set purpose; for this brave oratour (as you see) being yet fasting and sober himselfe; and having [ 20] studied his oration all night long hath set upon us at the disvantage, and altogether unprovided, as being still heavy in the head, and drenched with the wine that we drunke yesterday. Howbeit we ought not now to draw backe and recule for all this: for being as I am an affectionate lover of the poet Pindarus, I would not for any good in the world, heare this sentence of his justly alledged against me.

When games of prise and combats once are set, Who shrinketh backe, and doth pretend some let, In darknesse hides and obscuritie, His fame of vertue and activitie.

for at great leasure we are all, and not the dances onely be at repose, but also dogs and horses, cast∣nets, [ 30] drags, and all manner of nets besides: yea and this day there is a generall cessation given to all creatures as wel on land as in sea, for to give eare unto this disputation. And as for you my ma∣sters here, have no doubt, nor be you affraid; for I will use my libertie in a meane, and not draw out an Apologie or counterplea in length, by alledging the opinions of philosophers; the fables of the Aegyptians; the headlesse tales of the Indians or Libyans, without proofe of any testimo∣nies; but quickly come to the point, and looke what examples be most manifest and evident to the eie, and such as shall bee testified and verified by all those marriners or travellers that are ac∣quainted with the seas, some few of them I will produce. And yet verily in the proofes and argu∣ments drawen from creatures above the ground, there is nothing to empeach the sight, the view of them being so apparant and daily presented unto our eie, whereas the sea affoordeth us the [ 40] sight of a few effects, within it & those hardly and with much adoe (as it were) by a glaunce and glimmering light, hiding from us the most part of the breeding and feeding of fishes: the meanes also that they use, either to assaile one another or to defend themselves wherein I assure you there be actions of prudence, memory, societie, and equity not a few, which because they are not knowen, it cannot chuse but our discourse as touching this argument will be lesse enri∣ched and enlarged with examples, and so by consequence the cause more hardly defended and mainteined.

Over and besides, this advantage have land beasts, that by reason of their affinity as it were, and daily conversation with men, they get a tincture as it were from them, of their maners and fashions, and consequently enjoy a kinde of nurture, teaching, discipline, and apprentising by imitation; [ 50] which is able to dulce, allay, and mittigate all the bitternesse and austerity of their nature, no lesse than fresh water mingled with the sea, maketh it more sweet and potable: like∣wise all the unsociable wildenesse, and heavy unweldinesse therein, it stirreth up, when the same is once mooved and set on foot by the motions that it learneth by conversing with men: where∣as on the otherside the life of sea-creatures being farre remote and devided by long and large confines from the frequentation of men, as having no helpe of any thing without, nor any thing to be taught it by use and custome, is altogether solitarie and by it selfe, as nature brought

it soorth, so it continueth and goeth not abroad; neither mingled nor mixed with forren fashi∣ons, and all by reason of the place which they inhabit, and not occasioned by the quality of their owne nature, for surely their nature conceiving and reteining within it selfe as much dis∣cipline and knowledge as it is possible for to atteine unto and apprehend, exhibiteth unto us many tame and familiar eeles (which they call sacred) that use to come to hand; such as are a∣mong the rest, of those in the fountaine Arethusa, besides many other fishes imdivers places, which are very obeisant and obsequious when they be called by their names, as is reported of Marcus Crassus his lamprey, for which he wept when it was dead; and when Domitus upon a time reproched him for it, by way of mockerie in this wise: Were not you the man who wept [ 10] for your lamprey when it was dead; he came upon him presently in this maner: And were not you the kinde and sweet husband who having buried three wives never shed teare for the mat∣ter? the crocodiles not only know the voice of the preists when they call unto them, and endure to be handled and stroked by them, but also yawne and offer there teeth unto them to be picked and clensed with there hands, yea and to be skowred and rubbed all over with linen clothes. It is not long since that Philinus a right good man and well reputed, after his returne from his voiage out of Aegypt, where he had bin to see the countrey recounted unto us, that in the city of Anteus he had seene an olde woman ly a sleepe on a little pallet together with a crocodile, who very de∣cently and modestly couched close along by her side. And it is found in old records, that when one of the kings called Ptolomaei, called unto the sacred crocodile, it would not come nor obey the voice of the priests, notwithstanding they gently praied and intreated her; a signe thought [ 20] to be a prognosticke and presage of his death, which soone after ensued: whereby it is plaine that the kind and generation of these water beasts, is neither incapable, nor deprived of that sa∣cred and highly esteemed science of divination and foretelling future things; considering that even in the countrey of Lycia; betweene the cities of Phellos and Myrz, that is, a village called Sura, where I heare say, the inhabitants use to sit and behold the fishes swimming in the water, like as in other places they observe birds flying in the aire, marking their lying in wait and am∣bush, their scudding away and pursute after them; whereby according to a certeine skill that is among them, they can foretell future things to come. But this may suffice to shew and de∣clare, that their nature is not altogether estranged from us, nor unsociable.

As touching their proper wit, and naturall prudence, wherein there is no mixture at all bor∣rowed [ 30] from other, this is ingenerall, a great argument thereof, that there is no creature that swimmeth or liveth in the waters, except those which sticke to stones, and cleave to rocks, that is so easie to be caught by man, or otherwise to be taken without trouble, as asses are by wolves; bees by the birds Meropes; grashoppers by swallowes; or serpents by stagges, who are so easily caught up by them; in Greeke they tooke the name 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is to say, of lightnesse: but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is to say, of drawing up serpent out of his hole. The sheepe calleth as it were the woolfe, by the foote; like as by report the leopard allureth unto him the most part of beasts, who are willing to approch him for the pleasure they take in his smell, and above all others the ape. But sea creatures generally all, have a certeine inbred sagacity, a wary perceivance before hand, which maketh them to be suspicious and circumspect, yea, and [ 40] to stand upon their guard against all fore-laying; so that the arte of hunting and catching them is not a small piece of worke, and a simple cunning; but that which requireth a great number of engins of all sorts, and asketh woonderfull devices, and subtill sleights to compasse and goe beyond them; and this appeereth by the experience of such things, as we have daily in our hands: For first and formost the cane or reed of which the angle rodde is made, fishers would not have to bee bigge and thicke, and yet they had need of such an one as is tough and strong, for to plucke up and hold the fishes, which commonly doe mightily fling and struggle when they be caught; but they chuse rather that which is small and slender, for feare lest if it cast a∣broad shadow, it might moove the doubt and suspicion that is naturally in fishes: moreover the line they make not with many water-knots, but desire to have it as plaine and even as possi∣bly [ 50] may be without any roughnesse, for that this giveth as it were some denuntiation unto them of fraud and deceit: they take order likewise that the haires which reach to the hooke, should seeme as white as possibly they can devise, for the whiter they be, the lesse are they seene in the water, for the conformity and likenesse in colour to it: as for that which the poet Homer saith:

Downe right to bottome of the sea, like plumbe of leade she went,

That peiseth downe the fishers hooke, and holdes the line extent; Which passing through transparent * 1.12 horne, that rurall oxes head bare, To greedy fishes secretly brings death ere they be ware.

Some misunderstanding these verses, would infer therupon, that men in old time used the hairs of anoxe tale to make there lines withal, saying that this word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which commonly in Greeke is taken for an horne, signifieth in this place haire; & that hereupon 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is derived, which be∣tokeneth to sheere or cut haire; and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is to say, sheering or clipping; as also, that from [ 10] hence it is that Archilochus tearmeth a daintie & wanton minion, who taketh delight in tricking and trimming the haire & wearing a peruke curiously set, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 But surely, this their collec∣tion is not true, for they used as we do, the haire of horse tailes, to make their angle-lines withal, chusing those that grow either on stone-horses or geldings, and not of mares, for that ever & a∣non they wet their tailes with staling, and by that means the haires of them are tenderand apt to breake. And Aristotle himselfe writeth, that in those verses above cited there is no deepe matter that requireth such an exquisit & curious scanning; for that (in truth) fishers use to overcast the line neere unto the hooke with a piece of horne, for feare lest fishes when they have swallowed down the hooke, should with their teeth bite or fret a two the line. And as for the hooks, they use those that be round, for to take mullets and the fishes amiae, because they have narrow mouthes: [ 20] for very wary they are to avoid the longer and streighter kind; yea, and many times the mullet suspecteth the round hooke, swimming round about it, and flurting with the taile the bait and meat that is upon it, and never linnes flapping, untill he have shaken it off, and then devoureth it: but say, he can not speed that way, he drawes his mouth together, and with the very edge and utmost brim of his lips he nibleth about the bait, untill he have gnawen it off. The wide mou∣thed sea-pike, when he perceiveth that he is caught with the hooke, sheweth herein more valour and animositie than the elephant; for he plucketh not out of another the dart or arrow sticking the bodie; but maketh meanes to deliver himselfe from the said hooke, shaking his head and writhing it to and fro untill he have inlarged the wound and made it wider; enduring most stoutly and resolutely the dolour to be thus rent and torne, and never gives over, untill he have [ 30] wrested and wrung the hooke out of his bodie. The sea fox will not many times come neere un∣to an hooke, he reculeth backe and is afraid of some deceitfull guile; but say that he chance to be surprised quickly, he maketh shift to winde himselfe off againe: for such is his strength, agili∣tie and slipperie moisture withall, taht he will turne himselfe upside downe with his taile up∣ward, in such sort, that when by overturning his stomacke all within is come forth, it can not chuse but the hooke looseth the hold which it had and falleth foorth.

These examples do shew a certeine intelligence, and withall a wittie and readie execution of that which is expedient for them, as need and occasion requireth. But other fishes there be, which besides this industrious sagacitie in shifting for themselves, do represent a sociable nature and loving affection one unto another; as for example, the anthiae and scari: for when the sca∣rus [ 40] hath swallowed downe and hooke, other of his fellowes come leaping about him, and gnaw the line a sunder; and if peradventure there be any of them gotten within a net and entangled, their companions give them their tailes without, which they holde as fast as they can with their teeth, and the other lie pulling and haling of them untill they have drawen them foorth. As for the anthiae, they come to rescue and succour one of their owne kinde with more audacitie, for putting the line against their backe, they set to it the ridge bone, which is sharpe toothed in ma∣ner of a saw, and with it they endevour to file and saw it in twaine. And verily, there is not a cre∣ature living on the land (as farre as wee know) that hath the heart and courage to aid their fel∣lowes being in danger of life, neither beare, bore, lion, nor leopard. Well may those gather all together in heaps, which are of the same kind and run one with another round about the cirque [ 50] or shew-place with the Amphitheaters: but to rescue or succour one another neither know they the meanes how, nor have the courage to doe it: for they fly and leape backward as farr as ever they can possibly from one that is hurt or killed in their sight: as for that story my good friend that you alledge of the elephants, that they cast into the ditch or trench whereinto one of their company is fallen all that ever they can get & gather together, thereby to make a banke, that he may cast himselfe upon, & besides so get forth, it is very strange and far fet: and because it com∣meth. 〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

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out of the books of king Juba, it would seeme to command us (as it were) by a roiall edict, to give credit thereto. But say it were, true there be examples of sea-creatures enough to prove that for sociable kindnesse and prudence withall, there be many of them which give no place to the wisest of all those which the land affoordeth: but as touching their communion and fellow∣ship, we will treat thereof apart, and that anon.

To returne unto our fishers: perceiving as they doe, that the most part of fishes scorne the line and hooke as stale devices or such as be discovered, they betake themselves to fine force, and shut them up within great casting nets, like as the Persians use to serve their enemies in their warres, making this account, that if they be enclosed once within those nets, they are theirs sure enough, as if no discourse of reason in the world, no wit & policie whatsoever will serve them to escape: for with hoopnets or castnets are mullets caught, & the iülides, the marmyri also, the sar∣gi, [ 10] sea-gogeon, and the wide mouthed pikes: but such as plunge themselves downe to the bot∣tome of the water, called thereupon 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 such as are the barbel, the guiltheads, and the scorpi∣ons of the sea, those they use to catch and draw up with great drags and sweepnets. And verily this kinde of net Homer calleth Panagra, which is as much to say, as catching and swooping all asore it. And yet as cunningly devised as these engins be, the sea-dogs have devices to avoid the same, as also the wide mouthed labrax; for when he perceiveth that the said sweepe net is a drawing along the bottome, he setteth all his strength to, scrapeth in the earth, and patteth if so, as he maketh an hole therein; and when he hath thus digged (as it were) as deepe a trench as will hide him against the incursion of the net, then he coucheth himselfe close within it, wai∣ting untill the net be glided over him and past. The dolphin, if he be surprised, and perceive that [ 20] he is inclosed and clasped within the armes (as one would say) of a net, endureth his fortune resolutely, and never dismaieth for the matter; nay, he is very well appaied and pleased; for he is glad in his heart, that he hath so many fishes about him caught in the same net, which hee may devour and make merrie with at his pleasure without paines taking: and when he sees that he is drawen up neere to the land, he makes no more adoe but gnawes a great hole in the net, & away he goes. But say that he cannot dispatch this feat so quickly, but he comes into the fishers hands, yet hee dieth not for this at the first time; for they draw a rish or reed thorow the skinne along his crest, and so let him go: but if he suffer himselfe to be taken the second time, then they beat and cudgell him well; and know him they do by the seames or skars remaining of the fore∣said reed. Howbeit, this falleth out verie seldome; for the most part of them when they have [ 30] beene once pardoned, do acknowledge what favour they have received, and beware for ever after how they do a fault and come into danger againe. But whereas there be infinit other examples of subtle slights and wittie wiles which fishes have invented, both to foresee and prevent a perill, & also to escape out of a danger, that of the cuttle is woorthie to be recited and would not be passed over in silence: for having about her necke a bladder or bag hanging, full of a blacke muddie li∣quor, which thereupon they call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is to say, Inke: when she perceives herselfe beset & compassed about, so as she is ready to be taken, she casteth forth from her the said inke full crafti∣ly, that by troubling the water of the sea all about her, and making it looke thicke and blacke, she might avoid the sight of the fisher, and so make an escape unseene. Following heerein the gods in Homer, who many times with overspreading a back cloud withdraw and steale away those [ 40] whom they are minded to save: but enough of this.

Now as touching their craft and subtiltie in assailing and chasing others, there be many expe∣riments and examples presented unto our sight: for the fish called the Starre, knowing full well, that whasoever he toucheth wil melt and resolve, offreth and yeeldeth her body to be handled, suffering as many as passe by her, or approch neere to stroke him: and as for the cramp-fish Tor∣pedo, you all know well enough her powerfull propertie; not onely to benumme and stupifie those who touch her, but also to transmit a stupefactive qualitie, even along the maishes and cords of the net, to the verie hands of the fishers who have caught her. And some there be who report thus much moreover, as having farther experience of her woonderfull nature, that in case she escape and get away alive, if men do baddle aloft in the water, or dash the same upon them, [ 50] they shall feele the said passion running up to the verie hand, and benumming their sense of feeling, as it should seeme, by reason of the water which before was altered and turned in that manner. This fish therefore having an imbred knowledge hereof by nature, never fighteth a front with any other; neither hazardeth himselfe openly: but fetching a compasse about the prey which it hunteth after, shooteth forth from her these contagious influences like darts, infe∣cting

or charming rather the water first therewith, and after wards by meanes thereof the fish that she laieth for; so that it can neither defend it selfe, nor flie and make an escape, but remaineth as it were arrested, and bound fast with chaines, or utterly astonied.

The sea-frog, called the Fisher, which name he gat by a kind of fishing that he doth practise, is knowen well enough to many: and Aristotle saith, that the cuttle aforesaid useth likewise the same craft that he doth. His manner is to hang downe as it were an angle line, a certaine small string or gut from about his necke, which is of that nature, that hee can let out in length a great way when it is loose, and draw it in againe close together verie quickly when he list. Now when he perciveth some small fish neere unto him, hee suffreth it to nibble the end thereof and bite it, and then by litle and little and prively plucketh and draweth it backe toward him, untill he can reach [ 10] with his mouth the fish that hangeth to it.

As touching poulps or purcuttles, and how they change their colour, Pindarus hath ennobled them in these verses:

His mind doth alter most mutable, To poulpe the sea fish skinne semblable, Which changeth hue to all things sutable, To live in all worlds he is pliable.

The poet Theognis likewise:

Put on a mind like polyp fish, and learne so to dissemble, [ 20] Which of the rocke whereto it sticks, the colour doth resemble.

True it is that the chamaeleon also eftsoone changeth colour, but it is not upon any craftie des∣seigne that he hath, nor yet for to hide himselfe, but only for that he is so timorous; for cowardly he is by nature, and feareth everie noise. Over and besides (as Theophrastus writeth) full he is of a deale of wind; and the bodie of this creature wanteth but a little of being all lungs and lights; whereby it may bee guessed that it standeth altogether upon ventositie and wind, and so conse∣quently verie variable and subject to change: whereas that mutabilitie of the polype is a power∣full and setled action of his, and not a momentarie passion or infirmitie: for hee altereth his co∣lour of a deliberate purpose, using it as a sleight or device, either to conceale himselfe from that [ 30] whereof he is affraid; or else to catch that whereof hee feedeth: and by meanes of this deceitfull wile, he praieth upon the one that escapeth him not, & escapeth the other that passeth by & sees him not. But to say that he eateth his owne cleies or long armes that he useth to stretch foorth, is a loudlie; marie that he standeth in feare of the lampray and the conger, is verie true: for these fishes do him many shrewd turnes, and he cannot requite them the like, so slipperie they be and so soone gone. Like as the lobster on the other side if they come within his clutches, holdeth them fast & squeizeth them to death: for their glibby slicknesse serveth them in no stead against his rough cleies; and yet if the polype can get & entangle him once within his long laces, hee dies for it. See how nature hath given this circular vicissitude to avoid and chase one another by turnes, as a verie exercise and triall to make proofe of their wit and sagacitie. [ 40]

But Aristotimus hath alledged unto us the hedghoge, or land urchin, and stood much upon I wot not what foresight he hath of the winds: and a woondrous matter he hath made also of the triangular flight of cranes. As for me, I will not produce the sea urchins of this or that particu∣lar coast, to wit, either of Bizantine, or of Cyzicum, but generally all in what seas soever; name∣ly, how against a tempest and storme, when they see that the sea will bee very much troubled, they charge and ballast themselves with little stones, for feare of being overturned or driven to and fro for their lightnesse, by the billowes and waves of the sea: and thus by the meanes of this weight, they remaine firme and fast upon the little rocks whereto they are setled. As for the cranes, who change their maner of flying according to the winde; I say, this is a skilfull quality, not proper and peculiar to one kinde of fishes, but common unto them all; namely, to swimme [ 50] evermore against the waves & the current; yea, and very warie they be, that the winde blow not their tailes, and raise their skales, and so hurt and offend their bodies laid bare and naked, yea and made rugged by that meanes. Heereupon they carie their snouts and muzzels alwaies into the winde, and so direct their course: and thus the sea being cut afront at their head, keepeth downe their finnes, and gliding smoothly over their body, laieth their scales even, so as none of them stand staring up. This is a thing, as I have said, cōmon unto al fishes, except the Elops, whose nature is to swimme downe the winde and the water; neither feareth he that the winde

will drive up his scales in so swimming, because they doe not lie toward his taile, but contrary to other fishes, to ward his head.

Moreover, the tuny is so skilfull in the solstices and equinoxes, that he hath taught men to observe them without need of any astrologicall rules; for looke in what place or coast of the sea the winter tropicke or solstice finds him, there resteth he, and stirreth not untill the equinox in the spring. But a woonderfull wisedome (quoth he) there is in the crane, to hold a stone in his foot, that by the fall thereof he may quickly awaken. How much wiser then, my good friend Aristotimus, is the dolphin? who may not abide to lie still and cease stirring, for that by nature he is in continuall motion, and endeth his mooving and living together: but when he hath need of sleepe, he springeth up with his body to the toppe of the water, and turneth him upon his [ 10] backe with the belly upward, and so suffreth it partly to flote and hull, and in part to be caried through the deepe, waving to and fro as it were in a hanging bedde, with the agitation of the sea, sleeping all the while, untill he settle downe to the bottom of the sea, and touch the ground: then wakeneth he, and mounting up with a jerke a second time, suffreth himselfe to bee ca∣ried untill he be setled downe againe; and thus hath he devised to have his repose and rest inter∣mingled with a kinde of motion. And it is said that the tunies doe the like, and upon the same cause.

And now forasmuch as we have shewed already the mathematicall and astrologicall fore∣knowledge that fishes have in the revolution and conversion of the sunne, which is confirmed likewise by the testimonie of Aristotle, listen what skill they have in arithmeticke; but first (be∣leeve [ 20] me) of the perspective science; whereof as it should seeme, the poet Aeschylus was not ignorant: for thus he saith in one place:

Like tuny fish he seemes to spie, He doth so looke with his left eie.

For tunies in the other eie are thought to have a dimme and feeble sight: and therefore when they enter Mer major into the sea of Pontus, they coast along the land on the right side; but contrariwise when they come foorth, wherein they doe very wisely and circumspectly, to com∣mit the custody of the body alwaies to the better eie. Now for that they have need of arithme∣ticke, by reason of their societie (as it may be thought) and mutuall love wherein they delight; they are come to that height and perfection in this arte, that because they take a woondrous [ 30] pleasure to feed together, and to keepe one with another in sculles & troupes, they alwaies cast their company into a cubicke forme, in maner of a battailon, solid and square every way, close, and environed with six equall sides or faces; and arranged in this ordinance as it were of a qua∣drat battell doe they swim, as large before as behind, & of the one side as of the other, in such sort, as he that lieth in espiall to hunt these tunies, if he can but take the just number how ma∣ny there be of that side or front that appeereth next unto him, may presently tell what the num∣ber is of the whole troupe, being assured that the depth is equall to the bredth, and the bredth even with the length.

The fish called in Greeke * 1.13 Hamiae, tooke that name, it may be thought, for their conversing in companies al together: and so I suppose came the Pelamydes by their name. As for other fishes [ 40] that be sociable & love to live & are seene to converse in great companies together, no man is able to nūber thē, they be so many. Come we rather therfore to some particular societies & in∣separable fellowships that some have in living together: amōg which is that * 1.14 Pinnotheres, which cost the philosopher Chrysippus so much inke in his descriptiō, for in al his books as wel of mo∣rall * 1.15 as naturall philosophie, he is ranged formost. As for the Spongetheres, I suppose he never knew, for otherwise he would not have left it out. Well, this Pinnotheres is a little fish, as they say, of the crabs kind, which goeth & commeth evermore with the Nacre, a big shel fish keeping still by it, and sits as it were a porter at his shell side, which he letteth continually to stand wide open, untill he spie some small fishes gotten within it, such as they are woont to take for their food: then doth he enter likewise into the Nacres shell, and seemeth to bite the fleshy sub∣stance [ 50] thereof; whereupon presently the Nacre shutteth the shell hard, and then they two toge∣ther feed upon the bootie which they have gotten prisoners within this enclosure.

As touching the spongotheres, a little creature it is, not like unto the crabbe fish as the other, but rather resembling a spider, & it seemeth to rule and governe the spunge, which is altogether without life, without bloud and sense; but as many other living creatures within the sea, clea∣veth indeed heard to the rocks, and hath a peculiar motion of the owne, namely, to stretch out and draw in it selfe: but for to do this need, she hath of the direction and advertisement of ano∣ther

for being of a rare, hollow, and soft constitution otherwise, and full of many concavities, void & so dull of sense besides, & idle withal, that it perceiveth not when there is any substance of good meat gotten within the said void and emptie holes; this little animall at such a time gi∣veth a kind of warning, and with it she gathereth in her body, holdeth it fast, and devoureth the same: but much more will this spunge draw in her selfe when a man comes neere and touches her; for then being better advertised and touched to the quicke, she quaketh as it were for feare, and plucketh in her body so streight and so hard, that the divers, and such as seeke after them have no small adoe, but finde it to be a painfull matter for to get under and cut them from the rocks.

The purple fishes keepe in companies together, & make themseves a common cel, much like [ 10] to the combs which bees doe frame, wherein by report, they do engender & breed: and looke what they have laid up for their store and provision of victuals, to wit, mosse, reits and such sea∣weeds, those they put forth out of their shels, & present them unto their fellowes for to eat, ban∣quetting round as it were every one in their turne, and keeping their course to feast, one eating of anothers provision. But no great marvell it is to see such an amiable society and loving fel∣lowship among them, considering that the most unsociable, cruel and lavage creature of all that live either in rivers or lakes or seas, I meane the crocodile, sheweth himselfe wonderfull fellow∣like and gracious in that society and dealing that is betweene him & the trochilus. For this trochi∣lus is a little bird of the kinde of those which ordinarily doe haunt meres, marishes and rivers, waiting and attending upon the crocodile as it were one of his guard: neither liveth this bird at [ 20] her owne finding nor upon her owne provision, but of the reliques that the crocodile leaveth. The service that she doth for it is this: when she seeth the ichneumon, having plastred his body as it were with a coat of mud baked hard in maner of a crust, and like unto a champion with his hands al dusty, ready to wrestle & prepared to take hold of his enimy, ly in wait for to surprise the crocodile asleepe, she awakeneth him partly with her voice, and partly by nebbing him with her bill. Now the crocodile is so gentle and familiar with her, that he will gape with his chawes wide open, and let her enter into his mouth, taking great pleasure that she should picke his teeth and pecke out the little morsels of flesh that sticke betweene, with her prety beake, & withall, to scarifie his gummes. But when he hath had enough of this, & would shut and close his mouth againe, he letteth fall the upper chaw a little, which is a warning unto the bird for to get forth: [ 30] but he never bringeth both jawes together, before he knowe that the trochilus is flowen out.

There is a little fish called the guide, for quantity & proportion of shape, resembling the gud∣geon, only without forth it seemeth like unto a bird, whose feathers for feare stand up; the scales stare so, and are so rough. This fish is ever in the company of one of these great whales, swim∣ming before, and directing his course as if he were his pilot, for feare lest he should light upon some shelves, runne upon the sands in the shallowes, or otherwise shoot himselfe into some narrow creeke where he can hardly turne and get foorth. The whale followeth hard after, wil∣ling to be guided, and directed by him, even as a shippe by the helme: and looke what other thing soever besides commeth within the chaos of this monsters mouth, be it beast, boat, or stone, downe it goes all incontinently that foule great swallow of his, and perisheth in the [ 40] bottomlesse gulfe of his panch: onely this little fish he knoweth from the rest, and receiveth into his mouth and no farther, as an ancker, for within it sleepeth; and while the fish is at re∣pose, the whale likewise resteth still, as if he ridde at ancker; no sooner is it gotten foorth, but he followeth on a fresh, never leaving it by day nor by night, for otherwise hee would wander heere and there: and many of these whales there have beene lost in this manner, wanting their guide & pilot, which have runne themselves a land, for default of a good pilot. For we our selves have seene one of them so cast away not long since about the isle Anticyra: and before time by report, there was another cast upon the sands, and not farre from the city Buna, which lay there stinking and purrified; whereupon by the infection of the aire, there ensued a pestilence in those parts adjoining. What should one say? Is there any other example woorthy to bee [ 50] compared with these societies so streightly linked, and enterlaced with mutuall benevolence? Aristotle indeed reporteth great friendship and amitie betweene foxes and serpents, joining and combiming together against their common enemie the eagle also betweene the Otides and horses; for the bird Otis delighteth in their company, and to be neere them, for that they may rake into their dung. For mine owne part, I cannot see that the very bees, or the pismires, are so industrious and carefull one for another. True it is, that they travell and labour in common for a publicke weale; but to aime at any particular good, or to respect the private benefit one

of another, we can finde example of no beast upon the land wheresoever: but we shall perceive this difference much better, if we convert our speech to the principall duties and greatest offices of societie; generation (I meane) and procreation of yoong: First and formost, all fishes which haunt any sea, either neere unto lakes, or such as receiveth great rivers into it, when they perceive their spawning time to be neere, come up toward the land, and seeke for that fresh water which is most quiet and least subject to agitation for that calmenesse is good for their breeding; besides, these lakes and rivers ordinarily have none of these monstrous sea monsters; so as both their spawne and their yoong frie, is there in most safetie, which is the reason that there are so many fishes bred about the Euxine sea; for that it nourisheth no whales or other great fishes: onely the sea-calfe which there is but small, and the dolphin [ 10] who is as little. Moreover, the mixture of many great rivers which discharge themselves into the sea, causeth the temperature of the water to be very good and fit for great bellied spawners. But most admirable of all others, is the nature of the fish anthios, which Homer called the sa∣cred fish; although some thinke that sacred in that place, is as much to say, as great: in which sense we tearme the great bone, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is to say, sacred; whereupon the ridge bone resteth: as also the great maladie, called the falling sicknesse, is tearmed in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is to say, the sacred sicknesse: others interpret it after the common and vulgar maner, namely, for that which is vowed and dedicated to some god, or otherwise abandoned: but it seemeth that Eratosthenes so called the guilthead or golden-ey, as appeareth by this verse of his:

Most swift of course, with browes as bright as golde, [ 20] This is the fish which I doe sacred holde.

but many take it for the elops; for rare he is to be found, and hard to be taken: howbeit, manie times he is seene about the coast of Pamphylia; and whensoever the fishers can meet with any of them, and bring them home, both they themselves weare chaplets of flowers for joy, and also they crowne and adorne their barques with garlands, yea, and at their arrivall they are received with much shouting and clapping of hands; but the most part are of opinion, that the anthios beforesaid, is he which they call the sacred fish; and so is he held to be; for that wheresoever he is, there may no hurtfull nor ravening monster be found there: insomuch as the Divers plunge downe into the sea for spunges, boldly in those coasts where these be; yea, and other fishes, both spawne and reare their yoong frie safely there, as having him for their pledge and warrant of all [ 30] safety and security, as in a priviledged place. The cause hereof is hardly to be rendred; whether it be that such hurtfull fishes upon a secret antipathie in nature, doe avoid him as elephants a swine, and lions a cocke; or that there be some marks & signes of those coasts which are clere of such harmfull monsters, which he knoweth well and observeth, being a fish quicke of wit, and as good of memorie. Common it is to all females for to have a naturall care and providence for their yong, but in fishes, the males generally are so respective that way, and so farre off from de∣vouring the seed of their owne kinde, that they continue neere unto the spawne that the females have cast, and keepe the same, as Aristotle hath left in writing. Some milters there be, that fol∣low after the spawners, and sprinkle them a little about the taile; otherwise, the spawne or frie will not be faire and great, but remaine unperfect, and come to no growth. This property particu∣larly [ 40] by themselves have the phycides, that they build their nests with the sea weeds or reits, co∣vering and defending therewith their spawne and frie against the waves of the sea. * 1.16

Dog-fishes give not place in any sort to the most tame and gentle beasts in the world, for kinde love and naturall affection to their yoong: for first they engender spawne, and after that, a quicke frie; and that not without, but within, nourishing and carrying the same within their owne bodies, after a kind of second generation; but when they are growen to any bignesse, they put them foorth and teach them how to swim hard by them, and afterwards receive them by the mouth into their bodie, which serveth in stead of a place of abode, of nourishment and of re∣fuge, untill such time as they be so big, that they can shift for themselves.

Moreover, the provident care of the tortoise in the generation, nourishment and preservati∣on [ 50] of yer yoong, is woonderfull: for out she goeth of the sea, and laieth her egges or casteth her spawne upon the banke side; but being not able to cove or sit upon them, nor to remaine her∣selfe upon the land out of the sea any long time, she bestoweth them in the gravell, and after∣wards covereth them with the lightest and finest sand that she can get: when she hath thus hid∣den them surely, some say, that with her feet she draweth raies or lines, or els imprinteth certeine pricks, which may serve for privy marks to herselfe, to finde out the place againe: others affirme, that the male turneth the females upon the backe, and so leaveth the print of their shell within

the same: but that which is more admirable, she observeth just the fortieth day (for in so many daies, the egges come to their maturity, and be hatched) and then returneth she to the place where knowing her owne treasure by the seale, she openeth it with great joy and pleasure, as no man doth his casket of jewels or cabinet where his golde lieth.

The crocodiles deale much after this maner in all other points; but at what marks they aime in chusing or finding out the place where they breed, no mortall man is able to imagine or give a reason whereupon it is commonly said, that the foreknowledge of this beast in that respect, proceedeth not from any discourse of reason, but of some supernaturall divination: for going neither farther nor neerer than just to that gage and heigth where Nilus the river for that yeere will rise and cover the earth, there laieth she her egges: so that when the paisant or countrey [ 10] man chanceth by fortune to hit upen a crocodiles nest, himselfe knoweth and telleth his neigh∣bours how high the river will overflow that Summer following: so just doth she measure the place that will be drowned with water, that herselfe may be sure not to be drenched while she sit∣teth and coveth: furthermore, when her yoong bee newly hatched, if she see any one of them (so soone as ever it is out of the shell) not to catch with the mouth one thing or other comming next in the way, be it flie, pismire, gnat, earth-worme, straw or grasse, the damme taketh it be∣tweene her teeth, teareth it and killeth it presently; but such as give some proofe of animositie, audacitie and execution, those she loveth, those she cherisheth and maketh much of, bestowing her love as the wisest men judge it meet and reasonable, according to reason and discretion, and not with blinde affection. [ 20]

The sea-calves likewise bring forth their yoong on the dry land; but within a while after they traine them to the sea; give them a taste of the salt water, & then quickly bring them back againe: thus practise they with them by little and little many times together, untill they have gotten more heart and begin of themselves to delight for to live within the sea. Frogs about their bree∣ding time, cal one to another, by a certaine amorous note or nuptiall tune, called properly Olo∣lugon. And when the male hath by this meanes entised and allured the female to him, they at∣tend and waite together for the night: and why? In the water they cannot possibly engender, and upon the land they fear to do it in the day time; dark night is no sooner come, but boldly they go foorth of the water, and then without feare they claspe and embrace one another. Moreover against a showre of raine their crooking voice, such as it is, you shall heare more cleere and shrill [ 30] than ordinarie, which is a most infallible signe of raine.

But (oh sweet Neptune) what a foule fault and grosse errour was I like to have committed; how absurd and ridiculous should I have made my selfe, if being amused and busied to speake of these sea-calves and frogs, I had forgotten and overpassed the wisest creature, and that which the gods love best, of all those that do frequent and hant the sea? for what musicke of the nightingale is comparable to that of the halcyon; what * 1.17 artificiall building of the swallowes, and martinets; what entier amitie & love of doves; what skilfull cunning of the bees, deserveth to be put in bal∣lance with these sea-fowles halcyones? Of what living creatures have the gods and goddesses so much honored the breeding, travell and birth? for it is said that there was but one onely Isle, to wit Delos, that was so wel beloved, that it received the childbirth of Latona, when she was delivered [ 40] of Apollo & Diana: which iland floating before time, continued afterwards firme-land; whereas the pleasure of God is such, that all seas should be still and calme without waves, winds or drop of raine falling upon them, all the while that the halcyon laieth and coveth, which is just about the winter solstice, even when the daies bee shortest: which is the reason that there is no living creature that men love so well; by whose meanes seven daies they have, and seven nights even in the verie heart of winter, during which time they may safely saile, having their voiage by sea for those daies space, more secure than their travell by land. Now if I must say somewhat likewise of ech particular vertue that this bird hath: first and foremost the female is so loving to the male her mate, that she tarrieth not with him for one season only, but al the yeere long keepeth him com∣pany; and that not for shamelesse lust & wantonnesse (for she never admitteth any other male to [ 50] tread her) but onely upon a kind love and tender affection; even like an honest wedded wife that keepeth onely to her husband. And when the male groweth to be for age weake and unweldie, in such sort as he cannot follow her, but with much ado, she beareth and feedeth him in his old age; she never forsaketh nor leaveth him alone for any thing, but she taketh him upon her shoulders, carrieth him everie where about, tendeth him most tenderly, and is with him stil unto his dying day. Now for the affection which she beareth to her yoong, and the care that she hath of them and their safetie: when she perceiveth once that she is with egge, presently shee goeth about the

building of her nest; not tempering mudde or cley for to make thereof morter; nor dawbing it upon the walles, and spreading it over the roufe as the swallowes do; and yet employing her whole body or the most part thereof about her worke, as doth the bee, which entring in the ho∣ny-combe with her entier bodie; and working withall the six feet together, devideth the place in six angled cels: but the alcyon having but one instrument, one toole, one engine to worke with∣all, even her owne bill, without any thing else in the world to helpe her in her travell and opera∣tion; yet what workmanship she makes & what fabricks she frameth, like unto a master carpen∣ter or shipwright, hard it were to beleeve, unlesse a man had seene it, being in deed such a fa∣bricke and piece of worke, which onely of all other cannot bee overthrowen nor drenched with the sea: for first and formost shee goes and gathers a number of bones of the fish called [ 10] Belone, that is to say, a Needle, which shee joineth and bindeth together, interlacing them some long-wise, others overthwart, much like as the woofe is woven upon the warpe in a loome, win∣ding, plaiting and twisting them up and downe one within another; so that in the end fashioned it is in forme round, yet extended out in length like unto a fishers weele or bow-net: after she hath finished this frame, shee bringeth it to some creeke, and opposeth it against the waves, where the sea gently beating and dashing upon it, teacheth her to mend that was not well com∣pact, and to fortifie it in such places where shee sees it gapeth, or is not united close by reason of the sea-water that hath undone the composition thereof: contrariwise, that which was well jointed, the sea doth so settle and drive together, that hardly a man is able to breake, dissolve or doe it injurie either with knocke of stone or dint of edged toole. But that which yet maketh it [ 20] more admirable, is the proportion and forme of the concavitie and hole within this vessell; for framed it is & composed in such sort, that it will receive and admit no other thing, but the verie bird which made it, for nought else can enter into it, so close it is and shut up, no not so much as the very water of the sea. I am assured that there is not one of you all, but he hath many times seene this nest: but for mine owne part, who have both viewed, touched and handled it, and that verie often, I am readie to say and sing thus:

The like at Delos once I weene, Was in Apollos temple seene.

I meane the altar made al of hornes, renowmed amongst the seven wonders of the world; for that without soder, glew, or any other matter to binde and holde the parcels together, made it was [ 30] and framed of hornes which grew on the right side of the head onely. But ô that this god would be so good and gracious unto me, being in some sort musicall and an islander, like himselfe, as to pardon me if I sing the praise of that sirene and mer-maid so highly commended; as also gently to heare mee laugh at these demands and interrogatories that these propound, who in mockerie seeme to aske, Why Apollo is never called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is to say, the killer of con∣ger, nor Diana his sister 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is to say, a striker of barbels, knowing that even Venus, borne as she was of the sea, and instituting her sacrifices neere unto it, taketh no pleasure that any thing should be killed. And moreover, ye wot well enough, that in the city of Leptis, the priests of Neptune eat nothing, that commeth out of the sea, as also that in the citie Elcusin, those who are professed religious, and admitted to the holy mysteries of Ceres, honour the barbell; [ 40] yea, and in the city of Argos the priestresse of Diana upon a devout reverence forbeareth to feed of this creature; for that these barbles doe kill and destroy all that ever they can, the sea-hare, which is so venimous and so deadly a poison to man: in regard of which benefit, reported they are friendly unto mankinde, and preservers of their health, and therefore honoured they be, and kept as sacrosanct: and yet you shall see in many cities of Greece, both temples and altars dedi∣cated unto Diana surnamed Dictynna, as one would say, affected unto fishers nets: like as to A∣pollo Delphinius: for certeine it is, that the place which he especially chose above all others for his abode, the posteritie descended from the Cretansians came to inhabit and people, being conducted thither by the guidance of a dolphin: and not because himselfe (as some fabulous writers report) being transformed into a dolphin, swam before their fleet: but surely a dolphin [ 50] he sent to direct those men their navigation, and so he brought them to the bay of Cirrha.

Also written it is in histories, that those who were sent by king Ptolomaeus surnamed Soter, to the city Sinope, for to carie the god Serapis, together with their captaine Dionysius, were by force of winde and tempest driven against their willes beyond the cape or promontorie Malea, where they had Peloponnesus on the right hand; and when they wandered and were tossed to and fro upon the seas, not knowing where they were, making account they were lost and cast away, there shewed himslefe before the prow of their ship, a dolphin, which seemed to call unto them, and

who guided them unto those coasts where there were many commodious havens and faire baies for ships to harbour and ride in with safetie; and thus he conducted and accompanied their ship from place to place, untill at length he brought it within the rode of Cirrha; where after they had sacrificed for their safe arrivall and landing, they understood that of two images there, they were to have away that of Pluto, and carrie it with them, but the other of Proserpina to leave be∣hinde them, when they had taken onely the mould and patterne thereof. Probable it is there∣fore, that the god Apollo carried an affection to this dolphin, for that it loveth musicke so well: whereupon the poet Pindarus comparing himselfe unto the dolphin, saith that he was provoked and stirred up to musicke by the leaping and dauncing of this fish, [ 10]

Like as the dolphin swimmes apace Directly forward to that place Whereas the pleasant shawmes do sound. And whence their noice doth soone rebound: What time both winds and waves do lie At sea, and let no harmonie.

or rather we are to thinke that the god is well affected unto him, because he is so kind and loving unto man: for the onely creature it is, that loveth man for his owne sake, and in regard that he is a man: whereas of land-beasts, some you shall have that love none at all; others, and those that be of the tamest kinde, make much of those onely, of whom they have some use and benefit; namely, such as feed them or converse with them familiarly, as the dogge, the horse and the ele∣phant: [ 20] and as for swallowes, received though they be into our houses, where they have enter∣teinment, and whatsoever they need, to wit, shade, harbour and a necessary retrait for their safe∣tie, yet they be afraied of man, and shun him as if he were some savage beast; whereas the dol∣phin alone of all other creatures in the world, by a certeine instinct of nature, carrieth that sin∣cere affection unto man, which is so much sought for and desired by our best philosophers, even without any respect at all of commoditie: for having no need at all of mans helpe, yet is he ne∣verthelesse friendly and courteous unto all, and hath succoured many in their distresse; as the storie of Arion will testifie, which is so famous, as no man is ignorant thereof: and even you Aristotimus your owne selfe, rehearsed to very good purpose the example of Hesiodus:

But yet by your good leave, my friend, [ 30] Of that your tale you made no end.

for when you reported unto us the fidelitie of his dogge, you should have proceeded farther, and told out all, not leaving out (as you did) the narration of the dolphins: for surely the notice that the dogge gave, by baying, barking, and running after the murderers with open mouth, was (I may tell you) but a blinde presumption, and no evident argument. About the citie Nemium, the dolphins meeting with the dead corps of a man floting up and downe upon the sea, tooke it up and laied it on their backs, shifting it from one to another by turnes, as any of them were wea∣rie with the carriage, and very willingly, yea, and as it should seeme, with great affection, they conveied it as farre as to the port Rhium, where they laied it downe upon the shore, and so made it knowen that there was a man murdered. Myrtilus the Lesbian writeth, that Aenalus the Ac∣olian [ 40] being fallen in fansie with a daughter of Phineus, who according to the oracle of Amphi∣rite, was by the daughters of Pentheus cast downe headlong into the sea, threw himselfe after her; but there was a dolphin tooke him up, and brought him safe unto the isle Lesbos. Over and besides, the affection and good will which a dolphin bare unto a yoong lad of the citie Iasos, was so hot and vehement, in the highest degree, that if ever one creature was in love with ano∣ther, it was he, for there was not a day went over his head, but he would disport, play and swimme with him, yea, and suffer himselfe to be handled and tickled by him upon his bare skinne; and if the boy were disposed to mount aloft upon his backe, he would not refuse, nor seeme to a∣voide him; nay hee was verie well content with such a carriage, turning what way soever hee reined him, or seemed to encline: and thus would hee doe in the presence of the Iasi∣ans, [ 50] who oftentimes would all runne foorth to the sea side of purpose to behold this sight. Well on a daie above the rest, when this ladde was upon the dolphins backe, there fell an ex∣ceeding great shower of raine, together with a monstrous storme of haile; by reason where∣of the poore boy fell into the sea, and there died: but the dolphin tooke up his bodie dead as it was, and together with it shut himselfe upon the land; neither would he depart from the corps so long as there was any life in him, and so died, judging it great reason to take part with him of his death, who seemed partly to be the cause thereof. In remembrance of which memorable ac∣cident,

the Iasians represent the historie thereof stamped and printed upon their coine, to wit, a boy riding upon a dolphin; which storie hath caused that the fable or tale that goeth of Caeranus is beleeved for a truth: for this caeranus, as they say, borne in Paros, chanced to be upon a time at Byzantium, where seeing a great draught of dolphins taken up in a casting-net by the fishers, whom they meant to kill and cut into pieces, bought them all alive, and let them go againe into the sea. Not long after, it hapned that he sailed homeward in a foist of fiftie oares, which had aboord (by report) a number of pyrates and rovers; but in the streights betweene Naxos and Paros the vessel was cast away, and swallowed up in a gust: in which shipwracke, when all the rest perished, he onely was saved, by meanes as they say of a dolphin, which comming under his bodie as he was newly plunged into the sea, bare him up, tooke him upon his backe, and carried [ 10] him as farre as to a certaine cave about Zacynthus, and there landed him: which place is she∣wed for a monument at this day, and after his name, is called Coeranium. upon this occasion, Archilachus the poet, is said to have made these verses:

Of fiftie men by tempest drown'd, And left in sea all dead behind: Coeran alone alive was found, God Neptune was to him so kind,

Afterwards the said Caeranus himselfe died: and when his kinsfolke & friends burned his corps nere to the sea side in a funerall fire, many dolphins were discovered along the coast hard by the shore, shewing (as it were) themselves how they were come to honour his obsequies; for depart [ 20] they would not before the whole solemnitie of this last dutie was performed. That the scutchi∣on or shield of Ulysses had for the badge or ensigne, a dolphin, Stesichorus hath testified, but the occasion and cause thereof, the Zacynthians report in this manner, as Criteus the historian bea∣reth witnesse. Telemachus his sonne being yet an infant, chanced to slip with his feet, as men say, to fall into a place of the sea, where it was very deep; but by the means of certaine dolphins who tooke him as he fell, saved he was and carried out of the water: whereupon his father in a thank∣full regard and honour to this creature, engraved within the collet of his signet, wherewith hee sealed the portrait of a dolphin, & likewise carried it as his armes upon his shield. But forasmuch as I protested in the beginning that I would relate to you no fables, and yet (I wot not how) in speaking of dolphins, I am carried farther than I was aware, and fallen upon Ulysses and Caeranus, somewhat beyond the bounds of likelihood and probabilitie, I will set a fine upon mine owne [ 30] head, and even here for amends lay a straw and make an end. You therefore my masters who are judges, may when it pleaseth you proceed to your verdict.

SOCLARUS.

As for us, we were of mind a good while since to say according to the sentence of Sophocles:

Your talke ere while which seem'd to disagre, Will soone accord and joint-wise framed be.

for if you will, both of you conferre your arguments, proofes and reasons which you have alledged of the one side and the other, and lay them all together in common be∣tweene you, it will be seene how mightily you shall confute and put [ 40] downe those who would deprive bruit beasts of all understanding and discourse of reason. [ 50]

Notes

• * 1.1

  That is to say, Stoicks.
• * 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as Plinie re∣porteth of her, unlesse you reade 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in this sense, that the swallow doth not prepare beforehand: for Plinie also commendeth her industrie in artificiall building.
• * 1.3

  〈1 line〉〈1 line〉
• * 1.4

  Of chasing in the forest.
• * 1.5

  Of fishers casting nets, called proper∣ly, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of casting: in which sense, the casting net is also cal∣led 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.6

  It may 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he speaketh of certeine 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the kind of fishes, by way of oppo∣sition to some sand-〈◊〉〈◊〉 .
• * 1.7

  Haply the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 .
• * 1.8

  Or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 , as appeereth afterwards.
• * 1.9

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.10

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.11

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.12

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.13

  Of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is to say, alto∣gether.
• * 1.14

  Of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 neere.
• * 1.15

  Some take it for the shrimp.
• * 1.16

  〈1 line〉〈1 line〉
• * 1.17

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 some read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is, love to their yoong birds.