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.

of the night Mare. [ 50]

THis is a disease oppressing either man or beast in the night season when he sleepeth, so as he cannot drawe his breath, and is called of the Latines Incubus. It commeth of a continual crudity or raw digestion of the stomach, from whence grosse vapors

ascending vp into the head, do oppresse the braine, and al the sensitiue powers, so as they cannot do their office, in giuing perfect feeling and mouing to the body. And if this dis∣ease chancing often to a man, be not cured in time, it may perhaps grow to a worse mis∣chiefe, as to the faling euil, madnesse, or Apopelexy. But I could neuer learne that Hor∣ses were subiect to this disease, neither by relation, nor yet by reading, but only in an old English writer, who sheweth neither cause nor signes, how to know when a horsse hath it, but onely teacheth how to cure it with a fond foolish charme, which because it may per∣haps make you gentle Reader to laugh, as wel as it did me, for recreation sake I will heere rehearse it. Take a flint stone that hath a hole of his owne kinde, and hang it ouer him, and [ 10] write in a bill.

In nomine patris, &c. Saint George our Ladies Knight, He walked day, so did he night, Vntill he her found, He her beate, and he her bound, Till truely her troath she him plight, That she would not come within the night, There as saint George our Ladies knight, Named was three times, saint George.

[ 20] And hang this scripture ouer him, and let him alone: with such proper charmes as this is, the false Friers in times past were wont to charme the mony out of plaine folks purses.