OF THE BISON.
*A Bison called of some Latines though corruptly Vrson, and Veson, of the Graecians Bisoon, of the Lituanians Suber, of [ 30] the Polonians Zuber, from whence some Latines deriued Zubro, for a Byson. Of the Germanes Visent, and Vaesent, & Wisent: a beast very strange as may appear by his figure prefixed▪ which by many authors is taken for Vr.••, some for a Bugle, or wild Oxe, other, for Rangifer, and many for the beast Tarandus a Buffe. By reason whereof there are not many things, which can by infallible collection be lear∣ned of this beast among the writers; yet is it truely and ge∣nerally held for a kind of wild Oxe,* bred in the Northern parts of the world for the most part, and neuer tamed, as in Scythia, Moscouia, Hercynia, Thracia, and Brussia. But those [ 40] tall wilde Oxen which are said to be in Lapponia,* and the Dukedome of Angermannia, are more truely saide to be Vrt, as in their story shall be afterward declared Their name is taken from Thracia,* which was once called Bistonia, and the people thereof Bistones, from Bisto the sonne of Cicas and Terpsicores; and thereof came Bistonia Grues, cranes of Thracia, and Bistonia L•eus, for the lake or sea of Dicaea, neere Abdera, where neuer liuing thinge, or other of lesse weight was cast in, but it presently sunke and was drowned.
This Bison is called Taurus Paeonicus, the Paeonian-Bull, whereof I find two kinds, one of greater,* and another of lesser size, called the Scotian or calydonian Bison, whereof you shall see the picture and qualities at the foot of this history.
The greater is as big as any Bull or Oxe, being maned about the necke and backe like a [ 50] Lyon, and hath haire hanging downe vnder his chin or neather lip like a large beard: and a rising or little ridge downe along his face, beginning at the height of his head, and con∣tinuing to his nose very hairy;* his hornes great and very sharpe, yet turning vp towardes his back & at the points hooked like the wild goats of the alps, but much greater: they are black of colour,* and with them throgh the admirable strength of his neck can he tosse into Page 51
[ 30] Their haire is red, yellow, or black, their eyes very great and terrible; they smell like a Moschus or Musk-cat, and their mane reacheth ouer their shoulders, shaking it irefully when he brayeth; their face or forehead very broad, especially betwixt their hornes, for Sigismund king of Polonia, hauing killed one of them in hunting, stood betwixt his horns, with two other men not much lesser in quantity then himselfe, who was a goodly well pro∣portioned and personable Prince.
There are two bunches on his backe, the former neare his shoulders, which is the higher, and the other neare the rumpe, which is somewhat lower. I haue seen the horns of a Byson, which was in the hands of a Gold-smith to lippe with Siluer and Gilt, that it might be fit to drinke in: it did bend like the talant of an Egle or Gryphin, or some raue∣nous bird. The flesh in Summer time is most fat, but it tasteth so much of wild-garlicke,* [ 40] or ramsens, that it is not pleasant to eat, being full of small vaines and strings, and is ac∣counted a noble and strong kind of flesh: the blood is the most purest in the world, excel∣ling in color any purple, and yet for al that it is so hot that being let forth whē the beast di∣eth, within two houres space it putrifieth, and the flesh it selfe in the coldest winter will not keepe sweet many houres, by reason of the immoderate heate thereof,* if the Hunter do not presently after the fall of the beast, seperate from it the intrals: and which is most strange of all, being pierced aliue with any hunting speare, dart, or sworde, the weapon by the heate of the body is made so weake and soluble, that it commeth forth as flexible as lead: and to conclude, it is a most noble and fierce spirited beast, neuer afraid, or yeel∣ding till breath fayleth, neither can he be taken with any nettes or ginnes, vntill they be [ 50] thoroughly wearied: Wherefore they which hunt him, must bee very strong, nimble,* and skilfull men, or else that sport will be their owne vndoing and ouerthrow.*
Therefore when they go to hunt this Byson, they choose a place replenished with larg trees, neither so great that they cannot easily wind about them, nor so little that they shal Page 52 not be able to couer theyr bodyes from the horne or tongue of the beast: behinde which the hunters place themselues out of sight: and then the Dogges rouze vp the beast, dri∣uing him to that place where the hunters stand, whome the beast first espieth, to him hee maketh force, who must warily keepe the tree for his sheild, and with his speare wounde him where hee can, who will not fall without many mortall strokes, but waxe more and more eager, not onely with horne but with tongue, for if he can but apprehend any part of the hunters garment with his tongue, he looseth no holde but draweth him vnto him, and with his horne and feet killeth him: but if the fight be long, and so the hunter wearied and out of breath, then doth he cast a red cap vnto the beast, who maketh at it with head and feete, neuer leauing till it bee in peeces; and if another come to helpe him as hunters must, if they will returne aliue, then shall he easily draw the beast to combate, and forsake the first man, if he cry Lu-lu-lu.
*Pausanias sheweth how these Bysons are taken aliue, in this sort. The hunters (sayth he) chuse out some steepe and slippery downe hill, whereupon they lay skinnes of beasts new∣ly taken off, and if they want such, then annoint they old skins with oyle, and so leaue them spread vppon those sleeping or bending passages: then raise they the beasts, and with dogs and other means on horseback driue them along to the places where they laid their hides, and as soone as they come vpon the skins they slip and fall downe, rowling heade∣long till they come into the valleys, from whence they constraine them back again some other way, three or foure times a day, making them fall downe the hils as aforesaid, and so wearying them with continual hunting, and fasting. At the last they come vnto them, when they are no more able to rise for faintnes, & giue them pine-Aples taken out of the shels, (for with that meat are they delighted) and so while they eagerly feed and ly weary on the ground,* they intoile them in bands and manacles, and lead them away aliue: The medicins comming from this beast may be coniectured to be more forcible, then of common and ordinarie oxen, but because they were not knowne to the Grecians and Arabians, and wee find nothing recorded thereof: we wil conclude the story of this great Bison; with a good opinion of the vertues, though we are not able to learne or discouer them to others.
Of the White SCOTIAN Bison.
Page 53IN the Woods of SCOTLAND, called Callendar or Caldar,* & in auncient time CALIDONIA, which reacheth from Mon∣teth and Erunall, vnto Atholia and Loquhabria, there are bred white Oxen, maned about the necke like a Lyon, but in other parts like ordinary and common Oxen. This wood was once full of them, but now they are all slaine,* except in that parte which is called Cummirnald. This beast is so hatefull and fear∣full of mankind, that it will not feede of that grasse or those [ 10] hearbes, whereof he sauoureth a man hath touched, no not for many daies togither: and if by art or pollicy they happen to be taken aliue, they will die with very sullen griefe. If they meete a man, presently they make force at him, fearing neither dogs, speares, nor other weapons. Their flesh is very pleasant, though full of sinewes, and very acceptable to the greatest Nobles, for which cause they are now gro∣wen to a small number, their qualities being like to the former beast, excepting their co∣lour and beard, I will tearme them a white calidonian, or Scotian BISON.
BONASVS, the figure of the head [ 20] and HORNES.
THis beast is
The head of this beast is like the head of an Oxe or Bull,* his hornes bending round to the sides of the cheeke, by reason whereof he hath no defence by them, neither can a man [ 50] be hurt that is cast vpon them. His necke is very thicke with a large mane,* from his eyes downe to his shoulders in length like a Horses, but the haire thereof is much softer, and lyeth more smoothly, the vppermost haires being harsher, and the vndermost softer like wooll. Their colour betwixt red and ash coulour, but blacke and yellow appeareth not in them; They haue no vpper teeth, in this point resembling an Oxe and other horned beasts: their hornes being in compasse about nine ynches and somewhat more, are verie Page 54 smooth and blacke like varnish. Their voice is like the voice of an oxe, their legs all hai∣ry, and their feet clouen, their taile too shorte for the other members of the Body like a Bugles,* their backe stretched out at length, is as long as a seat for seauen men, their flesh is very sweet, for which cause he is much sought for in hunting, hee will with his feet dig vp the ground like an oxe or bull in his rage, when he is once stroke he flyeth a∣way,* fighting with his heeles backward, and whereas nature hath denyed him the bene∣fit of hornes which other beastes haue, so that hee is onely adorned and not armed by those weapons, like a souldiour that cannot draw foorth his sword: she hath giuen him the secret operation of his dung:* which in his chase he casteth forth of his body so plen∣tifully, [ 10] vpon the Dogges or other that pursue him, by the space of foure paces backe∣ward, that he slayeth their course, and the heat of this dung is so admirable, that it scor∣cheth or burneth the haire or skinne of any beastes or men that hunt him: neither hath this fime such vertuous operation at any other time, but onely when the beast flieth, be∣ing hunted and pursued for life, at other times it lying quiet, there is no such vertue ther∣in: neither ought this to seeme incredible, seeing many other beasts in their chase, haue the like or at the least do then eiect their excrement more plentifully and noisomly then at other times:* as the Cuttell-fi•h, for when in chase the intrals are heated, and the passage somewhat restrained, so that the holding in of breath breedeth more wind in the guttes, it may very naturally chaunce, the excrement being with the inclosed wind and heat sent forth by violent eruption that it may flie far backward, and also burne as aforesaid. These [ 20] beasts calue in the mountaines,* and before that time commeth she chuseth a place, which she walleth in with the abundance of her owne dung, so high as it may couer her younge one, for there is no beast that is naturally so full of excrement as a bonassus. Their eares are very broade as the Poet sayeth, Patutae camuris sub cornibus aures, broad eares, vnder crooked winding blunt hornes, the skinne is so large, that it hath couered a good part of a house, the inward colour whereof is like the earth whereon the beast did vse to feed. That excellent Phisitian of England Iohn Cay, did sende mee the head of this beast, with this description, in an Epistle saying.
I Send vnto thee the head of a great wild beast, the bare mouth and the bones supporters [ 30] of the hornes being very weighty,* and therefore bearing vp some like heauy burden, the hornes are recurued and bending backward, so that they do not spire directly downe∣ward but rather forward, though in a crooked manner, which because it could not appear forward, as they doe when the Beast is aliue, therefore they are described turning on the one side:
Whereunto I assent holding his coniectures to be very probable, vntill by the diligent [ 30] industry of some other, or my owne eie sight we may deliuer to the world som more assu∣red and perfect knowledge in these kinde of beastes. Exhorting in the meane season all learned men, to discouer more exactly their present or future knowledge heerein, to the high benefit of al them that are diligent students in this part of Gods creation.
