The history of brutes, or, A description of living creatures wherein the nature and properties of four-footed beasts are at large described / by Wolfgangus Franzius ... ; and now rendred into English by N.W.

CHAP. II. (Book 2)

The Definition of an irrational Creature.

AN irrational or brute creature is a body per∣fectly mixed, indued with life and sense; for the Genus, here is body; for the Form of it, that is two-fold.

1. It is said to be perfectly mixed, to difference it from Meteors that are not.

2. It is indued with Life and sense, to diffe∣rence it from Vegetatives which have not; so that an irrational creature consisteth of a body and soul.

Of the body of a Brute.

THe body of a Brute is the collection of its severall members and intrails, ••of fluids as blood, of solids as flesh and bone, similar and dissimilar parts; in this order all the other parts are to be explained; but we shall pass by these mem∣bers which it hath in common with man, which are all explained in Melancthon, of the soul. There are many creatures which want blood, as Spi∣ders, and Pismires, but instead of that they have

fat and a sanguineous moysture, analogous to blood, which nourisheth the body, and is a ve∣hicle to the sensitive soul. Thus Fishes have no bones properly so called, but rather thorns. Thus crabs have grisles, in Insects there seem eh to be something between flesh and nerves, instead of bones. So Birds have small Meatus's which are for eares, instead of teeth they have a bony bill. And for their nose small passages into the head. Thus the Sea▪Calf hath his fore-feet for hands, the Elephant his snowt, Fishes and Serpents have no members of generation, but smal passages, through which the seed runneth; and the Pour∣countrel, a fish so called, hath no head, but a great paunch, other creatures have no tongue that appeareth outwardly; as, the Pismire; some creatures by a hollow spongie sting doe taste and take in the meat they eat: Fishes have no lungs living alwayes in the water, do not breathe, and so want not a neck, by which re∣spiration is made; but they have a larger gall than other creatures to keep them warm; see Gods wisdom in creating those creatures that serve man with a small gall, lest by heat of choler they should be inraged against those that use them; lesser creatures have a larger gall, because we need not fear their hurting of us; nature hath also armed every creature, some have hornes, some teeth, others have spurrs, others are swift, as the Horse, others have large bodyes as Camels. The Hedge▪hog hath prickles; there is a creature called Benasus, which pursued, voydeth so much

excrements, that it cannot be taken. Thus a fish called the Cuttle, doth mud the water so that one cannot see her. Thus the Pourcountrel by the pel∣lucidnes of his body changeth himself into divers colours, insects have but few members, but many feet. Their ears are moveable, that by their constant motion they might hear the better. Some creatures have teeth in one place, and some in another. Some in the roof of the mouth, some in the tongue, as Fishes.

Crabs have two rowes of teeth, the one in their mouth, the other in their ventricle, and because they have but few bowels, from their belly to their vent they have a small pipe which some im∣properly call their tail, for that is necessary for those fish that swim, which a Crab doth not; those creatures that have no teeth live in a moister Ele∣ment; some creatures have two ventricles as birds, they that chew the Cud have four, they feeding upon crude food which requireth great dige∣stion, especially milch kine. God hath made lesser creatures wiser than greater, as appeareth by birds-nests and Spiders-webs. The flesh of wild creatures is more wholsome than the flesh of tame, the superfluous humors of the one being by motion dispersed, the flesh of the other being softer, but not so pure. The females of all crea∣tures being the fiercest God hath made them weakest; some birds have a broader tongue than others, as Parots, though every creature cannot speak, yet have distinct voices to know one another by, as Aristotle saith, Lib. 7. c. 7.

of the parts of Animals. Fishes have not so broad a tongue, and so swallow their meat quick∣••r, lest humours meeting should stop it, and hinder the taste; it is strange that males and fe∣males are alike for number, not more of the one than the other in men. Those creatures that bring forth living creatures have firmer bones and flesh, as Lyons, Horses, which birds have not, the dung of the one is stronger than the other. Hairy creatures have but short tayls. Birds that feed on flesh have crooked bills. The Sow hath a snowt which serveth instead of a bill, to root up small plants; many Fishes have no bladders, their excrementitious humors being received into their tayles and finns. Bruit beasts want those members that are in a man, and what they have are not so placed as in a man.

Of the soul of a Brute.

NAtural Philosophers make 3. kinds of souls, from the three kinds of Animals. Vegetative in Plants, Sensitive in Brutes, Rational in Man; as for the soul of Brutes, it is not like ours, but, as the name for it signifieth, a wind or breath. There is a kind of a warm, spirituous breath in the blood of Beasts which is their soul, by which is performed all its actions and operations; hence, Levit. 17. 11, 14. it is thrice said, that the soul is in the blood; some members are more excellent than others, yet the soul is not in them, but in

the blood which is a convenient vehicle for the vital heat. Deut. 12. 23. They were forbidden to eat the flesh with the blood thereof, because it was the life thereof. Hence we may learn to take heed of murther, the prohibition of which followeth immediately after the other command; that this is so, appeareth,

1. Because the parts of some creatures will live after that they are cut off, and being put into the earth will draw moisture from it.

2. Because we see how the body is variously affected with the motion of the blood. Thus we see when we are moved to anger, how the blood doth boyl in the vein••. So in fear the blood doth recede from the outward parts to the inward, which causeth a paleness in the face; thus joy sendeth out the blood, and causeth a redness in the face; thus when we are ashamed we blush, so that we betray our selves in a fault, according to the old saying,

Heu quàm difficile est crimen non prodere v••ltu.

The affections that happen in the blood are the same that happen in man. An Ass is foolish, a Horse hot in love, and in war, and a Wolf unruly, a Lyon bold, a Fox crafty, the Dog docile, and so other creatures I could instance in. The Tar∣tars drink horses blood to be valiant. Those beasts that are fat are soonest old, the vehicle of their sense being taken away, viz, their blood, but a beast hath no rationall Soul, though it doth exert such actions. Gen. 9. 5. God will have the blood of man revenged on brutes, the Ox that

goreth aman shall be put to death. Levit. 20. 15, 16. The creature was to be burned that was found naturally joyned with a man; the reason of all which was, that men might be deterred from killing his fellow creature. It being an argu∣ment a Minore ad Majus. If God be so angry for beast killing a man, much more for one man kil∣ling another. Now concerning the faculties of the Soul of a brute.

1. The vegetative Faculty containeth under it,

1. Nutrition. Some Creatures feed only upon flesh, as Lyons, Wolves, others promiscuously, as Dogs. Some by prey, as Lyons and Wolves, some upon what they can get, as Pismires, and Earwigs, some get prey in the night as Wolves, others day and night, as Cats. Many brutes are not made immediatly for the use of man, but for the use of other creatures, and so mediately for the use of man. The Pismire eateth the flesh and blood of a Toad, but leaveth the bones. Four-footed beasts eat more of these, whereby their flesh and milk is increased. Serpents endure hunger a great while, otherwise they would be injurious to man. Swallows devour Wasps, and Titte-mice Gnats. We have many Crows, partly to destroy all Carrion, and also to destroy those wormes which are bred in the earth, which do follow in multitudes. Pies by slitting the Barks of trees, the Wormes fall out; thus Spiders, Gnats▪ Serpents, do clear the air. Creatures that feed upon Mountains are the wholsomest, because the

herbs are driest on Mountains: God hath ordered it so, that beasts do not sleep much, because they should feed in the night-time. Some chew the cud, as oxen. Some creatures are generated by copulation, others are generated out of excre∣ments, others both wayes, as Mice.

1. By naturall conjunction are produced crea∣tures of the same kind, as Dogs, Harts, &c. The Serpent layeth Eggs, others again generate neither by Seed nor Eggs.

2. Some creatures are generated out of rotten wood, as Wormes, lice; &c. many creatures are generated of the excrements of other crea ures, others breed in the bowels of living creatures; Bees are generated out of Calves that are starved, as is noted in that History of Sampson; there is a Worm bred in the boughs of Oak, of which we make a Scarlet colour. So Gnats are generated out of Horse-dung.

3. Some Creatures are generated partly by co∣pulation, and partly by accident, as Mice: Mice are generated in Ships, out of the putrid matter which lyeth at the bottom of the Pump. I question whether all Creatures do not lay Eggs, and whe∣ther a Hens Egg may not be hatched in a mans bo∣som. We see small Creatures are generated in mans Body by the heat of some parts. We find Birds to have been bred in Ships: but we leave these things to be judged of by the more learned. Those creatures that are of most use to man do generate often, and many at a time, as Doves and Hares: but others ge∣nerate but seldom, and not many, as Vipers, &c. as

Herodotus observeth. There are in Creatures di∣stinct Sexes, and they remain so. A Hare is not now a Male, anon a Female; hence we imagine so many Hermaphrodites amongst Creatures. Use∣ful creatures are generated in a short time, as Sheep in 5 moneths time, Harts in 8 Moneths time, Ox∣en 9 Moneths, Sowes in 2, Dogs and Cat••s in 60 dayes; but Elephants 2 years; Lyons, Wolves, and Beares 3 yeares; some Creatures live longer than others, an Elephant 300, a Camel 100, a Horse 50, a Dove 40, a Peacock, 25, Oxen, Dogs, and Hogs 10, Partridges 17, Sheep 12, Goats 10, Hares and Mice, 6 yeares.

Concerning the Sensitive Power of Brutes. Brutes do excel man in several outward Senses. The Boare for hearing, the Ape for taste, the Rave•• for smelling, the Spider for Touch. God hath also given beasts inward senses, they can see objects, and distinguish between them by their Phancy, and they can remember them, but yet they have not right reason, what they do is in imitation, and have only shadows of Virtue; their building Nests, see∣king food, prognosticating of weather, are effects of their inward senses, which the minutest animals have, as appeareth in the artificial contexture of the Spiders-Web, and in the Pismires storing a∣gainst Winter; but in some Creatures these senses are more acute, in Fishes the Nerves are not so quick of Sense, they perceive little pain from any wound that is given them. No Creature can be without touch. The Mole hath no Sight, but it hath feeling. The Snail discovereth his way by

his fleshy Horns, and upon a dangerous obstacle draweth in her Horns. As to the sensitive and lo∣co-motive faculties that are in beasts, they have them analogously as they are in man; the exter∣nal Senses receive external objects, and so are car∣ryed to the braine, there causing joy or griefe. Some creatures fly, Some swim, Some have a pro∣gressive motion, as Serpents and Worms, first by a contraction, and then by an extention of the body.