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 Raeyner, or Rainger.

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[ 10] [ 20] [ 30] [ 40]

THis beast is called by the Latines Rangifer, by the Germains Rein, Reiner, Raineger, Reinssthier, by the French Raingier, and Ranglier, and the later Latins call it Reingus. It is a beast altogither vnknowne to the auncient Graecians and Latins,* 1.1 except the Machlis that Pliny speaketh of be it: but we haue shewd already in the story of the Elk, that Alces and Machlis are all one. This beast was first of all discouered by Olaus Magnus in this Northerne part of the world, towardes the [ 50] poale Artique, as in Norwa••, Swetia, and Scandinauia, at the first sight whereof he called it Raingifer, quasi Ramifer because he beareth hornes on his head like the boughes of a tree. The similitude of this beast is much like to a Hart, but it is much bigger, stronger, and swifter. It beareth 3. orders or rowes of hornes on the head, as by the direction of Valentinus Grauius, and Benedictus Martinus are heere expressed.

This beast chaungeth his colour, according to the time of the yeare, and also acording to the quality of the place wherein he feedeth, which appeareth by this, because some of them are found to be of the colour of Asses, and shortly after to be like Hartes. Their breast is ful of long bristles,* 1.2 being rough and riged through the same. The legges hairy, and the hooves hollow, clouen, and moouable, which in his course he spreadeth abroade vppon the deepest snowes, without pressing his footsteppes farre into them: and by his admirable celerity he auoideth all the wilde beasts which in the vallies lie in waight to de∣stroy him. He beareth very high and lofty horns, which presently from the root branch forth into two stems or pikes, I meane both the hornes seuerally into two, which again at the top disperce themselues into pikes like the fingers of ones hand; In the middle of the [ 10] hornes there is a little branch standeth out like a knobbe, or as a huckle in the hinder part of a beasts legge, from thence againe they ascend vpwards a great heighth, and doe grow broad at the toppe, where they are diuided like the palme of a hand.

The hornes are white, distinguished with long apparant vaines, differing both from the hornes of Elks, and the horns of Harts, from Elks in heighth, and from Harts in bredth and from them both in colour and multitude of braunches: When he runneth he layeth them on his backe, for when he stands stil, the lowest braunches comming foorth of the roots of the hornes, do almost couer his face with these lower braunches.

In the winter time when he is a thirst, and commeth to the frozen waters he breaketh the yce:* 1.3 being wilde he liueth vpon such fruits as he findeth in the woods, especially the [ 20] gum that commeth out of the Trees, and also the mosse that groweth vpon them, making himselfe shaddowed dens and resting places in the mountaines: but in the deepest colde weather he commeth into the Mountaines of Norway, towards Mosiberg, and other hils. He is taken by the Countrey-people for priuate vses, for hee is profitable after he is ta∣med, both for the plow and trauailes in iournies. The people called Lappi or Lappones, do vse them instead of horses and Oxen, for they haue a kind of Cart made in forme and fa∣shion of a fishers boat, whereunto they ioyne these beasts to draw them, and the Carter hath a conuenient seat fitted for him on the forepart thereof, wherein he sitteth with his legs fast tyed to the cart, to the intent he be not cast off when the beast runs speedily: he carrieth the raines whereby he gouerneth them in his left hand, and in his right hande a [ 30] staffe, wherewithall he sustaineth the

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cart when it is in daunger of falling, and in this course they wil continue indefatigable twenty Germain miles a day, which is more then threescore English miles. At night when the beasts are vnyoaked, of their owne accord, without guide or leader they wil go to their feeding places, or ac∣customed [ 40] stables. It is a very sociable creature, for they do liue togither in heardes aboue a thousand in a flock, wherunto it may be the Lord aluded in the 50. Psalme, when hee saide by the mouth of Asaph, All the beasts of the fielde are mine, and the flockes of thousands which run wilde on the hilles. The females want hornes, and theyr milke is the greatest part of foode to those Northerne people: they haue bin seene at Auspurge in Germany sadled and bridled, [ 50] for in their trauailes they need not haue any prouender carried with them, for if ye turne them out in the midst of the winter, they find certaine rootes and mosse vnder the snowe whereof they eat, and content themselues. Their best food is grasse. They are vsed both in Muscouia, Polonia, Bohemia, Scandinauia, and Massouia, yet they can endure no heate, for being brought into Bohemia they dy.

Their cartes which they draw must be made with a sharp edge at the bottome like a boat or ship as we haue said already, for they are not drawne vpon wheeles, but like draies and sleads vpon the earth. There was a Laponian which brought one of these into Ger∣many in December, and he professeth he neuer felt so much heat of the Sun in al his life as hee did at that time, which is our coldest time in the yeare, and therefore how great is the cold which both men and beasts endure in that country.

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[ 30] The hornes of these beastes are to be seene both in BERNE and at AVSPVRGE in GERMANY; the feet are somewhat white, being rounder then a Harts feete, and more clouen or deuided, wherefore at sometimes one part of his hoofe may be seene vppon a stone, while the other part resteth vpon the earth, and in the vper part of the hoof where it beginneth to be clouen neare the legge, there is a certaine thicke skin or membraine, by vertue whereof the foote may be stretched in the diuision without harme or paine to the beast.

The king of SVVETIA had ten of them nourished at LAPPA, which he caused euery day to be driuen vnto the mountaines into the colde ayre, for they were not able to en∣dure [ 40] the heat. The mouth of this beast is like the mouth of a cow, they many times come out of Laponia into Swetia, where they are wonderfuly anoied with wolus, but they gather themselues togither in a ring, and so fight against their enimies with their hornes. They are also in their owne naturall countrey annoyed with Gulons, and generally all beastes that liue vppon the spoile of flesh, are enemies vnto them, and desire to destroy and eate them. In their pace, both slow and speedie, the Articles of their legs make a noise like the craking of Nuts. Their was one of these beasts giuen vnto the Duke of Saxony in the year of our Lord 1561. In Scandiuania they vse them for the carriadge of mettels, drawing of Chariots and riding, and the nerues of them when they are dead make bows, and for want of nailes, they do fasten plankes and [ 50] boords togither.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Of the seue∣rall names.
• * 1.2

  The colour and seuerall parts.
• * 1.3

  The vse of their lowest horns.