OF THE ZIBETH, OR SIVET-CAT.
THe best description that is of this beast in all the World that I could euer find, was taken by Doctour Cay, and thus sent as it is heere fi∣gured to Doctour Gesner with these words following. There came [ 50] to my sight (saith Doctour Cay) a Zibeth or Siuet very lately, which was brought out of Affrica, the picture and shape whereof in euery point I caused to be taken, which is this perfixed, so that one Egge is not more like another, then this is to the said Siuet or Zibet. It is greater then any Cat, and lesser then a Taxus, hauing a sharp face like a Martin, a short, round, blunt eare, which was black without but pale within, and on Page 757
The throat thereof was blacke, and a little aboue the eye there arise three blacke lines or strakes: whereof the first or vppermost descendeth downe right to the throate: the se∣cond descendeth compasse in and out of the middle of the Necke: And the third downe to the shoulder, and then a little beneath that place on the contrary, arise two other blacke lines like circles ascending in the compasse of the shoulder to the backe bone: and all the residue of the body is distinguished and parted into many colours, hauing diuers and sun∣dry blacke spots scattered abruptly through out the whole circuit: whereof some are con∣tinued and ioyned together. For that which is vppon the backe is continued from the [ 30] shoulder, and the second and third arising in that part, are broken and deuided, the fourth and all the residue are in like sort discontinued and separated one from the other, so that their position runneth all in length.
The first part of his taile to the middle is spotted, and all the residue blacke. The haire both on the face, Legges, and feet, is soft, and very gentle to be handled, falling downe, but in all other parts of the body, it is harsh, deepe, and standing vpright: the spots doth both ascend and descend, the tongue hereof was smooth and not rugged, and vnder the taile was the passage for the excrements after the fashion in other Beastes, and a little be∣neath the same was the receptacle or bag containing the Siuet, and a little space after that [ 40] the priuy part of the Male which was hid or sheathed in the body. The Beast being mo∣ued to anger, vttereth a voyce like to the voyce of an angry Cat, withal, doubling the let∣ter RR. but being not angry the voyce is like a young Cats, although lower.
This Zibet was in length from the head to the taile, one foote, three palmes, and one Roman fingers breadth, but the breadth thereof vnder the belly, was one foot, two palmes, and three Roman fingers. It was a gentle and tractable Creature, and was solde for eight pounds of English mony, which was in French twenty foure Crowns, or in Florens forty and eight. These things are said by Doctour Cay. Now vnto this Gesner addeth, that he receiued such another picture from one Iohannes Kentmannus, which he tooke by another of these Cats in the possession of the Duke of Saxony, and hee said that it was bought by [ 50] him for seuenty Taters (euery Tater being worth in our English mony eight pence halfe penny) in the yeare of the Lord 1545. This Beast is a very cleane Beast, I meane a hater of filthinesse; and therefore the place wherein it lyeth must be swept euery day, and the ves∣sels cleane washed. The Siuet or liquor distilled out of the Cod, must be taken away eue∣ry second or third day, or else the beast doth rub it forth of his owne accord, vppon some Page [unnumbered] post in his kennel, if he be tamed or inclosed. This Siuet is an excrement not growing in the secret part onely, but in a peculiar receptacle by it selfe, increasing euery day the waight of a groat. The colour whereof at the beginning is like butter, but afterwardes it groweth more sad and browne: one ounce of it if it be pure and not sophisticated, is sold for eight Crownes at the least. There be impostours which do adulterate it with an ox∣es gall, Styrax, and Honny. This is of a strange sauour, and preferred before Muske by many degrees, yet it smelleth worst if it be held hard to the Nose: It is said that the liquor running out, doth go backe againe if any vessell be put to receiue it, except it be a Syluer Spoone, or Porringer.
Leo Afer saith, these Beastes are wilde, vntamable, and liue vppon flesh, but the Euro∣paean Marchants buy of the young ones and nourish them tame, with Branne, Milke, hard Egges, and other things, and that so they conuay them into Europe out of Affrick, emp∣tying their cods twice or thrice a day in the hot Countries; and that this Siuet is nothing else but the sweat of the Beast vnder the ribbes, forelegges, Necke, and taile. There were diuers of these Zibets tamed among other. It is reported of a Consull of the Florentine Marchants at Alexandria that had one of these so tame, that it would play with a man and bite his Nose, eares, cheeks, or lips so gently, that it should not be felt, the reason where∣of was giuen, because it was at the first nourished with the Milke of a Woman. Cardinall Galeottus had three of these at Rome, which he kept for their Siuet, and Otho Duke of Ba∣uaria, had also one which he nourished with Sugar. They are bred in Aethiopia and In∣dia about the Citty Pegus and Tarnasari. Their Siuet is not sauory till it bee washed and clensed. It is said to be very excellent against the strangulations of the wombe, and it is good against the collicke, it hath also vertue to purge the wombes of women, to purge the braine, and is applyed to ma∣ny other diseases and infir∣mities.
