young, yet they love other heards of Cattel, and will not forsake them easily after they have once joyned themselves unto them, whereby many times they are deceived and killed, twenty, thirty, or forty at a time. Caligula Caesar brought of these alive to Rome, and did shew them in publick spectacle to the people, and at that time they were taken for wilde Bulls. Some affirm that there are of these in Prussia, and that they are so wilde, cruel, and untamable, as they fear or spare neither man nor beast; and when they are set upon and wounded by the Hunters in the Woods among the trees, feeling their hurts, and perceiving their bloud issuing out of their body, they rage above measure; for having no means to take revenge upon the Hunter, by reason that he standeth behinde some great tree, for very wrath and fury they kill themselves with their own head-long force upon the same tree. It is said that their foreheads are so broad and large, that two men may easily sit betwixt their horns. They are able to take up an armed man and his Horse, and to tosse him into the air like a Bull, and the heads of these or such like beasts are to be seen publique∣ly fixed up in common places at Mentz and Wormes, which are worth the observation, because in all proportion they are twice so big as the vulgar Bull or Oxe.
Now although their large bodies and manes do also appertain to the Bisons, yet it is not unfit to attribute the same also to the Ure-oxe. For if it be in the pleasure of any man to make it also a kinde of Bison, I will not deny that this must be remembred, that both the body of this beast is much larger, and also the aspect not so grim or fierce as is the Bison.
There are many of these found also in Angremannia, and the Confines of Lapponia, and other Northern parts of the world, where they are called by the Illyrian term Zubrones, and these are so high as a tall man can hardly lay his hand upon the top of their backs, although he strain himself very much.
And some of them are fifteen cubits in length, of whom, beside their admirable strength, their velocity and nimblenesse is also remarkable, for it is said of them, that when they empty their bel∣lies, they can turn about to take their dung or excrement upon their horns before it fall to the ground, which they cast upon the Hunters or pursures, Dogs or men, whereby they blinde and burn them. They which accustome or practise to kill and hunt these beasts, are greatly commended and rewarded when they have killed many of them, whereof they make proof, by bringing the horns of them that they have killed into the common Market-place.
In ancient time before the invention of Iron weapons, they did take them in those Countreys in ditches, and great caves of the earth, whereunto the strongest and most active young men did ap∣ply themselves, having both Dogs and all other needfull instruments to take away the life of this beast; and if it did not happen that he fastned his horns into some tree, then was all their labour lost, for they could never come neer to touch him, only when in his speedy swift fury among the woods, he ran his horns into the body of some Oaks or such like, whereby he was stayed, (for it is not so easie to pull them forth as to fixe them, because they are rugged, crooked, and stand upward) then he was overtaken and killed by some Hunter or other. And if at any time he met with a Hunter, it was fatall and deadly to the man, except he could avoid the beast by getting unto some tree.
Sigismundus Baro, that honourable man writeth thus hereof, that in Malonia neer Lituania, it is bred, and called Thur, and they are a kinde of wilde Oxen, not differing from the vulgar, (except as aforesaid) but in their colour, and a spotted strake or line which goeth all along their backs. And those Ure-oxen are kept as it were in Parks and Chases, having a peculiar designment by the King, and the inhabitants of certain Villages to keep and watch them. Sometimes when they meet with a common or vulgar tame Cow, they leap upon her, and fill her; but such a Calf liveth not long, but dyeth as if it were not perfect, and if it do chance to live, it never resembleth the ••ire, nor yet is admitted into their society and herd, but are refused for bastards and ignoble breed. And when he was Ambassador to Sigismundus the Emperour he received for a gift one of these killed, and bowelled, having the skin of the forehead cut off and taken away, whereat he wondred much but durst not ask the question or reason thereof; yet afterward he understood that there were girdles made of that part of the hide, whereby the women in that Countrey were perswaded that they should be made apt to conceive and bring forth children: and Bona the mother of Sigismundus gave unto him two girdles for that purpose, whereof he said he bestowed one upon the Queen of of Romans, who did take the same at his hand very graciously and thankfully. And it is certain, that out of the hides of these beasts are made girdles, which are two fingers thick, and strong and yet the hair upon them is soft and gentle like any Wooll.
The flesh of these beasts is rank and heavy, and if it be eaten fresh it causeth loosenesse, but if it be salted a day or two it is nothing inferiour to Beef, for so the humidity is taken away. With the horns are made drinking Cups, and for that purpose the richer sort of people do edge or lip them over with silver and gold: they hold or contain as much as two ordinary Pitchers of water. Other take off the points and fasten them to spears, being very sharp, and not easily blunted or broken, and other make of them cut into slices or panes the best Lanthorns in the World. And thus much for the Ure-ox, unto whose History it is needfull for me to adde the story of divers other wilde Oxen not yet described.
Strabo saith, that there are Oxen called Rhizes, among the Hesperian Aethiopians, who in outward proportion are much like the vulgar Bulls, but in other parts, as quantity, strength, and vigour, comparable to the Elephants.