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 Medicines of the Hyaena. [ 30]

The Oyle in which a Fox is baked either aliue or dead, doth either altogether cure and make whole those which are troubled with the gout,* 1.1 if so be that the disease or sicknesse be greene or new, or at the least not of to longe continuance, it doeth so cure them, that al∣though it may happen to returne againe: yet it will be much more milde and gentle then before it had beene. But the oyle which proceedeth from Foxes doth nothing more driue away the forenamed disease,* 1.2 then that which likewise is got or prepared out of the Hyae∣na; for that hath an excellent and eminent quallity of dissoluing & dispersing. The flesh of the Alzabo is both what and cold,* 1.3 and being baked with oile, doth very much help ey∣ther men or women which haue their feet gouty, or haue any paine in their ioynts, which [ 40] may happen or come by the occasion of colde: for it is of a slender and dissolute sub∣stance.

* 1.4The vanity of the Magi or Wise-men which is witty in nothing but in circumstance of words, doth say that the best time to take Hyaenaes is when the Moone passeth ouer the signe called Gemini, and that for the most part the haires bee all kept and preserued. The Magi do also affirme that the skinne of an Hyaena being spread vpon a sore which was bit∣ten by a mad Dogge,* 1.5 doth presently and without any paine cure the same. The same also being bound to that part of the head, which doth ake, will imediately driue away the pain and griefe thereof.

The same doth very effectually and speedily helpe them which are troubled with the [ 50] gout,* 1.6 or swelling in the ioyntes. The flower of Barly being mingled with the blood of an Hyaena, and fryed or baked ouer the fire and so taken, doth very much asswage the wring∣ings and wrinchings either in the guts or belly of a man or woman. If the bloud of an Hy∣aena being whot be annointed on them which are infected with the Leprosie, it will with∣out delay very effectually cure them.* 1.7

The Hyaenes flesh being eaten doeth much auaile against the bitinges of rauenous Dogs: but some are of opinion that the liuer only being earen is of more force and pow∣er to cure or heale them. The Nerues or sinnewes of an Hyaena being beaten to small powder and dried and mingled with and Frankincence, together and so drunke,* 1.8 doth re∣store fertility and plenty of seede in that woman which before was barren.

There is also for the biting of a rauenous dog another excellent remedy, which is this, first to annoint the place so bitten with the fat or greace of a Sea-calfe, or else to giue it in drinke, and then to make the operation more effectuall mingle the marrow of an Hyaena,* 1.9 and oile that commeth from the Masticke tree and waxe together, and being so applyed and annointed vpon the sore it will presently cure the same. The same marrow of the Hy∣aena [ 10] is very good and effectuall against the paine and griefe in the sinnewes, as also for the loosenesse and weakenesse of the raines.

The marrow which proceedeth from the Chine-bone of an Hyaena, being mixed with his gall and old Oyle altogether, and so boiled vntill they come vnto a soft temperance,* 1.10 and mollifiyng medicine, being annointed vpon the sinnewes, doth expell and force away all paine of griefe thereof whatsoeuer. The same marrow being bound vnto the backe of either man or woman who are troubled with vaine fantasies or dreams in their sleep, doth very speedily and very effectually help them. The fat or greace of an Hyaena being burnt, doth driue away all venemous Serpentes from the place where it is so vsed.

The same being mingled with leauen and so being wrought into a plaister is a very good [ 20] cure or remedy for the falling of the haire, or the disease called the Foxes euill.* 1.11 The left part of the braine of an Hyaena being annointed vpon the nostrils of either men or beasts is of such vertue that it will cure diseases vpon them which are in maner mortall. For the sterility or barrennesse of women, the eye of an Hyaena being mixed with Lycoras, and the hearb called Dill, and so taken in drinke, is of such force and power, that in three daies it will make them fit for conception.

The teeth of an Hyaena either touched or bound in order vnto the teeth of any man or woman who are troubled with the tooth-ach, will presently ease the paine and vexation thereof. One of the great teeth of an Hyaena being bound with a string vnto any that are troubled in the night tims with shadowes and fantasies, and which are frayed out of their [ 30] sleepe with feareful visions, doth very speedily and effectually procure them ease and rest. The tooth of an Hyaena (called Alzabo) being bound vppon the right arme of any one which is either obliuous or forgetfull, and hanging downe from the arme vnto the mid∣dle finger or wrist, doth renew and refresh their decayed memory.* 1.12

The pallat of an Hyaena being dryed and beaten to powder, and then mingled with Egyptian Allum, and so made whot and mixed altogether, being three times turned in a∣ny ones mouth which hath either fore or vlcer in it, will in smal time procure them reme∣dy and help of their vexation and trouble. The flesh which groweth vpon the hinder part of the necke being burned and then eaten or taken in drinke, doth very speedily helpe and cure the griefe and aches of the loines.

[ 40] The shoulders likewise being vsed in the aforesaid maner, doth profit much for the hea∣ling of any who are vexed with any anguish or paine in their shoulders or sides. The lungs being dryed and taken in drinke, do ease any either man or woman which is troubled with the Collick or stone. But being dryed into powder and mingled with Oyle and so annoin∣ted vpon the belly, it killeth the wormes and expelleth all aches away from the belly. The Hart being vsed in the aforesaid manner and taken in drinke, doth ease and help all aches, paines, or griefe in the body whatsoeuer. The white flesh being taken from the breast of an Hyaena, and seuen haires, and the genitall of a Hart, being bound altogether in the skin or hide of a buck or a Doe, and afterwards hanged about the neck of a woman which is in trauell, will greatly hinder her for bringing forth her child.

[ 50] If ther shal be any flesh or bones of men found in the body of a dead Hyaena, being dried and beaten to powder, and then mixed with a certaine perfume, they will bee very excel∣lent to help the gout, or driue away the conuulsion of the sinewes. The kell or caule wher∣in the bowels are contained, being vsed in the aforesaid manner and also mixed with oile will be a present remedy against the burnings and inflamations of sores, botches, and vl∣cers.

The chine bone of an Hyaena being brused and beaten into small powder, and so dried, and then mingled with the tongue and the right foot of a Sea-calfe, the gall of an Oxe be∣ing added thereunto,* 1.13 and all of them boiled or baked togither, and annointed vppon the hide or skinne of an Hyaena, and so lapped about the legges or ioyntes of them which are troubled with the gout, will in short time ease the paine, and ridde them altogether of the greefe thereof.

The chine-bone being also beaten to powder and giuen in wine to drinke, is very pro∣fitable and necessary for those which are in sore trauaile or paine of childe-birth. The firste or eighth rib of the same beast, being beaten and mingled with a certaine perfume, is very good and medicinable for sores and botches which do breake thorough the flesh. [ 10]

Their flesh also being eaten, doth quickly cure and heal the bitings or tearings of a ra∣uenous Dogge, but the liuer being so vsed is more effectuall and speedy, for the curinge thereof. The liuer of the aforesaide beast is also very curable for Agues or Quarterne fea∣uers being beaten to powder and drunke in Wine, before the augmentation or second as∣saults thereof. The fame also is an excellent and speedy remedy for the wringings & aches of the belly,* 1.14 as also for that grieuous and painefull disease called the collicke and stone. For the same diseases, the gall of a Sea Scorpion, and of a fish called Haelops, and of a sea crabbe and of an Hyaena, being beaten to powder, and mixed together, and so drunke in Wine, is a very good and effectual cure and help.* 1.15 The gall of an Hyaena, by it self alone being rubd or anointed vpon the head of eyther man or woman whose haires are fallen off, doth pre∣sently [ 20] procure the haire to renew and grow againe, it will also bring haire vpon the eie-lids, being rubbed thereupon.

The gal of an Hyaena being mingled with hony, and annointed vpon the eies; doth shar∣pen and cleare the eye sight, and expell and driue away al blemishes and smal skins which couer the sight of the eye, as also the paine in the eies called the pinne and the webbe. But Apollonius Pitanaus doth say,* 1.16 that the gal of a Dog, being vsed in the aforesaide manner is better to cure the sight of the eies then the gal of an Hyaena. But Pliny whom I thinke best to follow, and worthiest to be belieued, doth best allow of the Hyaenaes gal for the aforesaid purpose, and also for the expelling of certaine white spottes in the eie which doe hinder the sight thereof.* 1.17 [ 30]

The gall of a Beare and of a Hyaena, being dried and beaten to pouder, and so mixed with the best hony which is possible to bee had, and then stirred vp and downe a long time togither, doth helpe them vnto their eye-sight which are starke blinde, if that it bee dailye annointed and spred vppon the eies for a reasonable space together: The gall of a Hyaena being baked in a cruse of Athenian hony, and mingled with the crooked hearbe Crocis, and so annointed vpon the browes or forehead of them which are purblind doth speedily helpe them;* 1.18 it doth also ease them which are troubled with the water or rheume which falleth in the eies. Democritus doth also affirme that if the brow of either man or woman be annoin∣ted with the gall of an Hyaena onely, it will driue away all darkeninges, and blemishes, in the eies, and expell the Water or rhewme thereof, and also asswage the paine or greefe [ 40] which may come or happen in them whatsoeuer it be.

The marrow which proceedeth from the chine-bone of an Hyaena, being mixed with his owne gall,* 1.19 and with old oile, and then baked or boiled in a cruse vntill it come vnto a tem∣perate and mollifying medicine, and then being laid or annointed vppon the sinnewes or Nerues who is in those parts troubled, wil thoroughly heale and cure any default or paine which may hapen thereunto. The gal of a male Hyaena being pounded or beaten and bound about the left thigh of any woman that is barren, doth help for conception. The gal of the same beast being drunke in wine to the value of a dram, with the decoction or liquor which commeth from Spike-Lauender called oyle of spike, is a very good remedy and helpe a∣gainst the timpany or swelling of the belly. The gall also being beaten and mixed with the [ 50] stone called Eat-flesh, is very good & profitable for them which are trobled with the gout. The milt of an Hyaena is very effectual to cure and heale any paine or greefe in the milt of either man or woman.* 1.20 The lunges being dryed and beaten to powder, and mingled with oile, and annointed vpon the loynes of any one who is greeued or troubled in those places, will speedily cure the Aches or griefes thereof.

The bladder of an Hyaena being drunke in wine, is a very good and effectuall remedy a∣gainst the incontinency of man or womans vrin, or the running of the raines.* 1.21 But if there be any vrine in the blader of the Hyaena found when he is taken, let it be poured forth into some cleane vessell, and mixed with oyle which proceedeth from the pulse or corne of In∣dia, and so drunke vp, and it will much ease and help them who are troubled in mind, and are full of care and griefe. The secret partes of a femal Hyaena beaten and mixed with the ••nd or skin of a Pomgranate and taken in drinke is very profitable to cure the inconueni∣••nces or paine of a womans secret parts.

The genitall of a male Hyaena dryed and beaten to powder, being mingled with a cer∣taine perfume, doth cure and help those which are troubled with the crampe, and conuul∣sion [ 10] of the sinnewes.* 1.22 The feete of an Hyaena being taken doth heale and cure those which are sand-blind, and such as haue botches and sores breaking through the skin and flesh, and also such as are troubled with inflamations or breedings of winde in their bodies, on∣ly by touching and rubbing them ouer.

The durt or dung which is found in the interior partes of an Hyaena, being burned, and dryed into powder and so taken in drinke is very medicinable and curable for those which are grieued with painful excoriatious and wringings of the belly, and also for those which are troubled with the bloody-flixe. And the same being mingled with Goose-grease and annointed ouer all the body of either man or woman, wil ease them of any paine or griefe [ 20] which they haue vpon their body whatsoeuer. The dung or filth of an Hyaena also being mingled with certaine other medicins, is very excellent to cure and heale the bites and stingings of crocodiles and other venemous Serpents. The dung it selfe is also very good to purge and heale rotten wounds and sores which are full of matter, and filthy corrup∣tion.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The medici∣nal propertis
• * 1.2

  Galen
• * 1.3

  Rasis
• * 1.4

  Pliny
• * 1.5

  Pliny
• * 1.6

  Albertus
• * 1.7

  Rasis
• * 1.8

  Plinius
• * 1.9

  Pliny.
• * 1.10

  Democritus
• * 1.11

  Myrepsus
• * 1.12

  Albertus
• * 1.13

  Pliny.
• * 1.14

  Dioscorides.
• * 1.15

  Marcellus
• * 1.16

  Gallen
• * 1.17

  Marcellus.
• * 1.18

  Pliny.
• * 1.19

  Marcellus
• * 1.20

  pliny.
• * 1.21

  Marcellus
• * 1.22

  Dioscorides