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 Porcuspine or Porcupine.

I Can not learne any name for this beast among the Hebrewes, and therefore by probabilitie it was vnknowne to them: The Graecians call it Acanthocoiros and Hystrix, that is, sus setosa, a hairy, or bristly, or thorny hogge, for their quils which they beare vpon their backe, are called both Pili, setae, villi, pinnae, [ 10] aculei, and spinae, that is, both haires, bristles, rough-haire, pins, prickles, and thornes. The Arabians call it Aduldull, and Adualbul, adubul, adulbus, and some Aherha which by A∣uicen and his Glossographer, is defined to bee Montanus Ericius habeus spinas sagittales, an Hedghogge of the Mountaine, hauing qvils or thornes vppon his back which he shooteth off at his pleasure. The Graecians at this day call it Scan••••cha∣ros which is deriued or rather corrupted of Acanthocoiros. The Italians call him Porco-spi∣noso and Histrice or Istrice, without an Aspiration, the Spaniardes Puerco-espin, the French Porc espic, the Illirians Porcospino, the Illirians Morskaszwijnija, imitating therein the Germans which call a Sea-Hogge Ein Meerschwyn: The Germaines in some places call it [ 20] Taran, and in other places Dornschweyn, that is a Thorny-hogge, by a fained name in imi∣tation of other Nations, and also Porcopick following the Italians, Spaniardes, French, English, and Illirians: I will not stand to confute them, who write that this beast is a Sea-beast, and not a beast of the land, nor yet those that make question whether it be a kind of Hedghog or not, for without all controuersie as the Arabians, Pliny, Albertus, Bellunensis, and other doe affirme, the vulgar Hedghog is Ericius Syluestris, and the Porcupine Erici∣us Montanus.

These are bred in INDIA and AFFRICKE, and brought vp and downe in Europe to be seene for mony: Likewise about the Citty Cassem in TARTARIA, by the sight of one of these it appeared that it was three foot long, the mouth not vnlike to a Hares, but [ 30] with a longer slit or opening: so also the head of the same similitude: the eares like to the eares of a man: The forefeete were like the feete of a Badger, and the hinderfeete like the feete of a Beare, it hath a mane standing vp in the vpper part right or direct, but hollow or bending before: Vpon the bunches of his lips on either side of his mouth, their groweth forth long blacke bristles. The generall proportion of his body is like a Swines, and they neuer exceede the stature of a Swine of halfe a yeare old.

The foure for most teeth hang ouer his lips, and that which is most admirable in him, the quils or thornes growing vpon his backe in stead of haire, he vseth for hands, armes, and weapons.

They first grow out of his backe and sides, which are of two colours, that is partly black [ 40] and partly white, which whensoeuer he pleaseth, he mooueth to and fro like as a Peacocke doth his taile: they grow in length two, three, or foure hands breadths, they stand not in any confused order of colours, but in well formed and distinguished rankes, being sharp at the points like a knife: When they are hunted the beast stretcheth his skin, and casteth thē off, one or two at a time, according to necessity vpon the mouths of the Dogs, or Legs of the Hunters that follow her, with such violence that many times they stick into trees & woods wherfore Solinus writeth thus, and also Paulus Venetus: Cum capiuntur, spinis suis sape homines, & canes ledunt: nam canes in eos prouocati adeo irritant fer as illas vt simul concur∣rentes terga sua, quibus spinae innituntur vehe••enter commoueant, at{que} inuiciniores homines, & canes vibrent. That is to say, When they are taken they many times hurt both Dogs [ 50] and men, for when the Dogges being prouoked by them, runne vpon the backes which beare the quils, they are so far stirred, that they cast them off vpon al that stand near them, and therefore they sight flying.

The Hunters to saue their Dogges doe deuise engins and traps wherein to take them: beside the quils that grow vpon their backes, they haue also some vppon their heades and Neckes, which they never cast off, but keepe them on as a Horsse doth his mane. The

[illustration]

pilgrimes that come yearly from Saint Ieames of Compostella in Spaine, doe bring backe generally one of these quils in their caps, but for what cause I know not. The pace of this beast is very slow and troublesome vnto it, and therefore it is hardly drawne out of his den, which it diggeth like a Badger, from which it neuer goeth farre, but feedeth vpon those thinges which are neare vnto it: It is a filthy beast, smelling ranke because it liueth so much in the earth, being wilde it neuer drinketh, and I thinke it eateth Apples, roots, and rindes of trees, and peraduenture snailes, and such reptile creatures, but being ta∣med, it eateth all kinde of fruite, likewise bread, pycrust, and such thinges broken small. It drinketh also water, but aboue all other wine mingled with water: In the day time it [ 10] sleepeth and in the night time it waketh, by which we gather, that being wilde it feareth the light, and therefore trauelleth in the night time for his meat and liuing. It is a gene∣rall liue creature, and begetteth other in his owne kinde: the female bearing the yoong ones in her belly, as long time as a Beare, that is thirtie daies; and also it hideth it selfe foure monethes in the Winter time like a Beare, but whether for cold or any other cause the Authors doe not expresse.

In my opinion for cold rather then for any other reason, although there be some that affirme it lyeth hid in the Summer time, and commeth abroad in the Winter time, contrary to the course of all other beasts, and therefore such a paradox doth want the testimony of some credible writers, which should affirme it vpon their owne experience, [ 20] or else it were requisite to bring sufficient reasons to lead their Readers to beleeue it, but neither of both is discharged by them and therefore it is safer for vs to follow Aristotle and Pliny, who hold the first opinion, then Albertus and Agricola who encline to the later. In all other things both of their lying hid, of their procreation, of the comming out of their caue and nourishing their yoong ones, they imitate the manners and conditions of Beares.

Concerning the vse of their parts I find none but onely of their quils, for with them it is said if men scrape their teeth they will neuer be loose, likewise women were wont in auncient time to vse them for parting asunder their haire in the toppe of their crownes.

The flesh of this beast is like a hedg-hogs, neither very naturall for meate and nourish∣ment, [ 30] nor yet very medicinable: yet it is said to helpe a weake and ouerburthened sto∣macke, to procure loosenesse of the belly, and to diminish all leprosies and scabbed ex∣ulcerations and pustles: Being salted it is good against the dropsie, and also very profitable as Platina writeth to be eaten by them, that cannot containe vrine in their beds: yet the Graecians attribute no such qualitie vnto this, but to helpe the stomacke and loosen the belly they attribute to the sea-hogge, and against the leprosie scabs, and incontinencie of vrine to the hedg-hog, but peraduenture the saying of Pliny (Quae de Herniaceis dicuntur omnia tanto magis valebunt in Histrice) leadeth them to attribute these things to the Porcuspine. The powder of their quils burnt, drunk or eaten in meats or broth do promote and helpe conception: Thus saith Aui∣cen, [ 40] and herewithall I conclude this short dis∣course of the Hedg-hogge.

[ 50]

Notes

• The seuerall names. Bellonius.
• Bellonius
• The quils & speares.
• The den and foode.
• The vse of the flesh and other parts.