The historie of foure-footed beastes Describing the true and liuely figure of euery beast, with a discourse of their seuerall names, conditions, kindes, vertues (both naturall and medicinall) countries of their breed, their loue and hate to mankinde, and the wonderfull worke of God in their creation, preseruation, and destruction. Necessary for all diuines and students, because the story of euery beast is amplified with narrations out of Scriptures, fathers, phylosophers, physitians, and poets: wherein are declared diuers hyerogliphicks, emblems, epigrams, and other good histories, collected out of all the volumes of Conradus Gesner, and all other writers to this present day. By Edward Topsell.

THE HEDG-HOG.

FOrasmuch as there bee two

[illustration]

sorts of hedghogs one of the sea, and [ 10] another of the lād, our purpose in this place is only to dis¦course of the land hedghog, the Hae∣brews cal him Ki∣pod, which in the 14. of Esay, and Zepha. 2. is so tran∣slated by the Sep∣tuagints: [ 20] although that some of the Haebrewes woulde haue it to signifie, a rauening byrde, but seeing that I finde the word Ka∣paz in moste Hae∣brewe dictionaries to signifie Claudere [ 30] and Contrahere, & Contrahere, that is to shut vp & draw together, I doe ra∣ther beleeue that the proper mean∣ing thereof is a hedghog, because this beast so draw∣eth it self togither, when it is in danger [ 40] as wee shall heare more at large af∣terwardes, accor∣ding to the olde verse:

[ 50]

Implici tumque sinu spinosi corporis erem.

The Arabians call him Ceufud, or Coufed, the Calde∣ans Caupeda, the Septuagints Mugale. Siluaticus calleth it Agilium, Auicen Aduldu••, and Aliherha signifieth a great Mountaine Hedghog: the Grecians Cher, and Acanthonocos, or Echinos, by reason of the prickes vpon his backe. The Latines Echinus, Ericius, Ricius, He∣rix, and Erinatius, the Italians Riccio, and Rizo, the Spaniards Erizo, the Portingals Ouriso, or Orizo, Cache, because of hiding themselues: the French Herison, the Germans Igal, as in lower Germany, in Holland, Een Yseren Vercken in English a Hedghog, or an vrchine: by which name also we call a man that holdeth his Necke in his bosome: the Italians Gess, [ 10] Malax, & Illirians Azvuijer Zatho, & Otzischax. So thē for the entrance of this discourse we take it for granted, that Herinatius and Echinus signifie one thing, except one of them sig∣nifie that kind which is like to a Hogge, and the other that kinde which is like to a Dogge, for they differ in place, or in habitation: some of them keepe in the mountaines and in the Woods or hollow trees, and other about Barnes and houses: in the Summer time they keepe neare vineyards and bushy places, and gather fruite, laying it vp against winter.

It is about the biggnesse of a Cony, but more like to a Hogge, being beset and com∣passed all ouer with sharpe thorney haires, as well on the face as on the feete: and those sharpe prickles are couered with a kind of soft mosse, but when she is angred or gathereth her foode she striketh them vp by an admirable instinct of nature, as sharpe as pinnes or Needles: these are haire at the beginning, but afterwardes grow to be prickles, which is [ 20] the lesse to be marueiled at, because there bee Mise in Egypt (as Pliny saith) which haue haire like Hedghogs. It hath none of these prickles on the belly, and therefore, when the skin is off, it is in all parts like a Hog.

His stones are inward and cleaue to his loins like as a birds, he hath two holes vnder his taile, to eiect his excrements, which no creature liuing hath beside him. His meate is Apples, Wormes, or Grapes; When he findeth Apples or Grapes on the earth, hee rowleth himselfe vppon them, vntill he haue filled all his prickles, and then carrieth them home to his den, neuer bearing aboue one in his mouth. And if it fortun that one of them fall off by the way, he likewise shaketh of all the residue, and walloweth vpon them a fresh, vntill they be all setled vpon his backe againe, so foorth hee goeth, making a noyse like a [ 30] cart wheale.

And if hee haue any young ones in his nest, they pull of his load wherewithall he is loaded, eating thereof what they please, and laying vppe the residue for the time to come.

When they are nourished at home in houses and brought vp tame, they drinke both Milke and Wine: But there is an Hearbe (called Potomagiton) whereof if they tast, they die presently. When they are in carnall copulation they stand vpright, and are not ioy∣ned like other beastes, for they imbrace one another, standing belly to belly: but the prickly thornes vppon their backes will not suffer them to haue copulation like Dogges or Swine, and for this cause they are a very little while in copulation, because they cannot [ 40] stand long together vpon their hinder Legges. When the female is to bring forth her young ones, and feeleth the naturall paine of her deliuery, she pricketh her owne belly, to delay and put of her misery, to her further paine, whereupon came the prouerbe (as Erasmus saith) Echinus Partum Differt, the hedghog putteth of the littering of her young which is also applyed against them which put of and defer those necessary workes, which God and nature hath prouided them to vndergoe; as when a poore man defereth the paiement of his debt, vntill the value and summe grow to be far more great then the principall.

The inward disposition of this beast, appeareth to bee very crafty and full of suttlety, by this, because (Licophron saith) that Nauplius had a cunning crooked wit, and was called [ 50] by him a Hedghog. When they hide themselues in their den, they haue a naturall vnder∣standing of the turning of the wind, South and North, and they that are norished tame in houses, immediatly before that change remoue from one Wal to another: the wild ones haue two holes in their caue, the one north, thother south, obseruing to stop the mouth a∣gainst the wind, as the skiful mariner to stiere & turne the rudder or sails, for which occasi∣on

Aristotle saith, that some haue held opinion, that they do naturally fore-know the chang of weather.

There is mortall hatred betwixt the Serpent and the Hedgehog, the Serpent seeketh out the Hedghogs den, and falleth vpon her to kill her, the Hedghog draweth it selfe vp together round like a foot-ball, so that nothing appeareth on her but her thorney prickes: whereat the Serpent biteth in vaine, for the more she laboreth to anoy the Hedghog, the more she is wounded and harmeth her selfe, yet notwithstanding the height of her minde, and hate of her heart doth not suffer her to let goe her hold, till one or both parties bee destroyed.

The Hehghog rowleth vpon the Serpent piercing his skin and flesh, (yea many times [ 10] tearing the flesh from the bones) whereby he scapeth aliue and killeth his aduersary, car∣rying the flesh vpon his speares, like an honorable banner won from his aduersary in the field. The Wolfe also is afraid of and flyeth from the Hedghog, and there is also a story of hatred between the Hare and the hedghog, for it is said that a Hare was seene to plucke off the prickles from the Hedghog, and leaue her bald, pieled, and naked, without any de∣fence. The Fox is also an enemy to the poore Hedgehogge, and lieth in waite to kill it, for the prouerbe is true. Multa nouit vulpes, Echinus Vero vnum magnum: That is to say, the Foxe knoweth many deuises: to helpe himselfe, but the Hedgehogge knowes but one great one, for by rowling vp her selfe (as before said) shee opposeth the thornes of [ 20] her back, against the Foxes teeth: which alone were sufficient to secure her from a greater aduersary; but the wily Fox perceiuing that he can no where fasten his teeth without dan∣ger of himselfe, pisseth vpon the Hedghogs face and poisoneth hir: Wherupon the poor beast is forced to lay open himselfe, and to take breath against the Foxes stincking excre∣ment: which thinge the Foxe espying, looseth no oportunity, but presently teareth the Hedghog in peeces, thus the poore beast auoiding the poyson, falleth into the mouth of his enemy.

The manner of Hedgehog is, that whensoeuer they are hunted by men, they draw vp their Legs and put downe there head to the mossy part of there belly, so as nothing of them can be taken but there prickles: and perceiuing that shift wil not serue the turne, but their case growing desperate, they render out of their owne bodies a certain vrine hurtful [ 30] to their skin and back, enuying that any good thereby should euer come to mankind; and therefore seeing they naturally know the manifold vses of their owne hides, heere is the cunning of her hunting, to cause her first of all to render her vrine, and afterward to take her, for the vrine maketh the thornes of her back to fall off euery day, and therefore they take this course for their last refuge: But in these cases the hunters must poure vppon the Hedghog warme water, for feeling warmth she presently vnfolds her self, and lyeth open which the Hunter must obserue, and instantly take her by one of her hinder Legges, so hanging her vp till she be killed with famine; otherwise there commeth no benefit by her taking.

With the same skin flead off brushes, are made for garments, so that they complaine il [ 40] which affirme, that there is no good or profitable condicion comming to mankind by this beast. Againe this is to be resereud and vsed for dressing of flaxe (as Massarius saith) and also it is set vpon a Iaueline at the dore to driue away Dogs. In ancient time they did not eate the flesh of Hedgehogs, but now a daies men eate thereof, (of them which are of the swinish kind.) When the skin is off their bodies, they skald it a little in wine and vine∣ger, afterward lard it and put it vppon a Spitte, and there let it be rosted, and afterwardes eaten, but if the head be not cut off at one blow the flesh is not good.

The Epithits belonging to this beast are not many; it is called red, sharp, maryne, vo∣lible, and rough, whereupon Erasmus said,

[ 50] Exhirco in laeuem nunquam mutabis Echinum

And thus much for the naturall and morall partes of this Beast. Now followeth the medicinall. Tenne sprigs of Lawrell, seauen graines of Pepper, and of Opponax as big as a Pease, the skin of the ribs of a Hedghog, dryed and beaten cast into three cups of Water and warmed, so being drunk of one that hath the Collicke, and let rest, he shall

in perfect health; but with this exception, that for a man it must bee the membrane of a male Hedgehog, and for a woman a female.

The same membrane, or the body of all Hedgehogs burnt to ashes, hath power in it of clensing, digesting, and detracting, and therefore it is vsed by Phisitians for taking downe of proud swelling wounds, and also for the clensing of vlcers and boyles; but spe∣cially the powder of the skinne hath that vertue; also it being rosted with the head, and afterwardes beate vnto powder and annoynted on the head with Hony, cureth the Alo∣pec••as.

The same powder restoreth haire vpon a wound if it be mingled with Pitch, and if you adde thereunto Beares-grease, it will restore vnto a bald man his head of haire againe, if [ 10] the place be rubbed vntill it be ready to bleed. The same powder cureth the Fistula, and some mingle red Snailes with this dust, applying it in a plaister to ruptures and swellings in the cods, and being mingled with oile by anointment, it taketh away the burles in the face, and being drunke in wine is a remedy against the paines of the raines or the water be∣twixt the skin and the flesh.

A suffumigation made of a Hedgehogs skin, vnder them that haue their vrine stopped, by Gods help (saith my Author) the stopping shall be remoued, if it proceede not from the stone, nor from an impostime. The flesh salted, dried, & beat to powder, and so drunk with sweete vineger, helpeth the paine in the raines, the beginning of Dropsies, conuulsi∣ons, and Leprosies, and all those affections which the Graecians cal Cachectae. The Moun∣taine [ 20] Hedghog is better then the domesticall, hauing prickles like Needles pointes, but Legges like to the other: the meate is of better tast and doth more helpe to the stomack, softning the belly and prouoking the vrine more effectually, and all this which is attribu∣ted to Hedghogs is much more powerfull in the porcupine.

The Hedghog salted and eaten is good against the Leprosie, the Crampe, and all sick∣nesse in the Nerues, and Ptisicke and paine in the bellye, rising of windinesse and difficul∣ty of digestion: the powder anointed on Women with child alwaies keepeth them from abortment. The flesh being stale giuen to a madde man, cureth him, and being eaten ke∣peth one from the Strangury; also being drunke in wine, expelleth the stone in the blad∣der, and is good against a quotidian feuer and the bitinges of Serpentes. The fatte of a [ 30] Hedgehog stayeth the fluxe of the bowels; If the fat with warme water and hony be gar∣garized, it amendeth a broken and hoarse voice, the left eie being fried with oile, yealdeth a liquor which causeth sleepe, if it bee infused into the eares with a quill. The gall with the braine of a Bat and the milke of a Dog, cureth the raines; likewise, the said gall doth not suffer vncomely haires to grow againe vpon the eie-browes, where once they haue bin pul∣led vp. It maketh also a good eie-salue.

Warts of al sorts are likewise taken away by the same, the melt sod and eaten with meat, it healeth all paines in the melt, and the raines dried are good against a leprosie or ptisicke comming by vlcer, or the difficulty of vrine, the bloody-flixe, and the cough. The dunge of a Hedghog fresh, and Sandaracha with vineger and liquid pitch, being laied to the head, [ 40] staieth the falling away of the haire.

When a man is bitten with a mad dog, or pricked with prickles of a Hedghog, his own vrine laid there vnto with a spunge or Wooll, is the best cure: or if the thornes sticke in the wound of his foote, let him hold it in the warme vrine of a man, and it shall easily shake them forth: and Albertus and Rasis affirme, that if the right eie of a Hedghog be fryed, with the oile of Alderne or line-seed, and put in a vessell of red brasse, and afterward anoint his eies therewith, as with an eie-salue, he shall see as well in the darke as in the light. And thus I will conclude this discourse, with one story that a Hedghog of the earth was dedica∣ted to the Good-god among the foolish Pagans, and the water Hedghog to the euill, and that once in the cittye of Phrigia called Azanium when a great famine troubled the inha∣bitants, [ 50] and no sacrifice could remoue it, one Euphorbus sacrificed a hedghog, whereupon the famine remoued and he was made priest, and the citty was called Traganos vpon the occasion of that sacrifice.

Notes

• Of the kinds of hedghogs.
• The seuerall names.
• Their place of abode.
• The quanti∣tye.
• The parts. Hermolaus.
• Albertus.
• Their copu∣lation.
• ••heir inward 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••nd di••••••••••tion
• Oppianus.
• The enimies to Hedghogs
• Coelius. The eating of their flesh.
• The medici∣nal parts of Hedghogs
• A••••ius
• Rasis
• Marcellus
• Aelianus
• Dioscorides
• Marcellus.
• Auicen
• Albertus.
• Pliny.