CHAP. II. Of the Ape.
THe Ape,* 1.1 in Latine Simiae, or Simius, from the flat nose, or from imitating, or his resembling of us. Festus calls them Clunas:* 1.2 The Greeks Pithekos, from being easily perswaded to imitate man; Emimoo,* 1.3 from the gestures, Arimos, in the old tongue of the Hetruscis, Bates, from climing-trees, Kalliar, by the Laconians. Hairy it is above, and below, back and belly;* 1.4 the hair is thick; nosed, eared, toothed like a man, two paps on the breast, armes like a man but hairy, which he can use, and turne as wee, fingered, toed, nayl like man, but those ruder, he steps like us, but treads more backward, arms short, and thighs answerable, he hath something hard like a navell, slenderer in the lower parts, they want a tayl, as being two legged creatures, the heart is Pyramide-wise,* 1.5 some found with two tops, veins, arteries like ours, the vein that goes into the right-lappet of the heart, and then into the right breast, is in them above the heart; those that are joyned to the reins, are widest, and passe to the stones: the substance of the eare is unmoveable. In many parts he is like a man, and in many unlike, as in the breast,* 1.6 and arme-muscles, and those that move the elbow, and thigh, those within the hands, and feet, in the mid-rif, lungs, as also in the bones; for in the loins are six turning-joynts, the shoulder-joynt is far from the breast, the thighs tend not streight toward the back-bone, thence it is, that going on the hind-feet, hee waggles, his feet are hollow, the toes much cloven.* 1.7 Bred they are in the eastern, and other warm parts, as in Lybia, Mauritania, in that part of Mount Caucasus, that looks toward the Red-Sea, in the Kingdome of Basman, in the tract between Egypt, Ethiopia, and Lybia. In the Indian-hills were so many, that they scared Alexanders army often. In Basman they kill them, pluck off the hair, all but from the chin, dry them, and embalm them, and sell them to merchants for mermen. They like hilly better then low-land; therefore they frequent the hils of Enisa.* 1.8 They love herbs, and barley, they go by troops to the ripe eares. They eat lice also,* 1.9 from men, and worms, and spiders, apples, nuts; but if the paring, or shell be bitter, they cast all away; they love flesh also, after eating, whereof they shed their hair. They drink wine too. They gender in Spring, when day and night is of a length, and beare a coupled about the summers solstice.* 1.10 The hee is reported to huge one for love, and to leave another with the shee, and never to looke after it. Being led through towns, they run a mad∣ding after women. They hold friendship with daws, and conies; but dis-agree with cocks, tortoyses, snails, &c. A noble man in England kept one, that keeps his Rabbits from Weesels. When a Parricide was sewd in a sack,* 1.11 they used to put in with him a Cock, an Ape, and Viper, that the Ape might fall on the Cock, and the Viper avoiding the Cock, might seaze the man. At Rome one of them, spying an Ape on a boys head, was so scared, that he pist, and shit.* 1.12 He dares not touch a Snayl. They are troubled with the hernia, or bursting, having a heavy kall, and with the falling-sicknesse, and inflammation of the liver, spleen, bladder, &c. Ill disgestion, &c. Galen anatomised a leane one, and found in the skin about the heart a praeternaturall swelling with moysture in it, such as Hydatides writs, did use to send forth. I say nothing of their biting, it is said to be venemous. Avicen, to prevent rancling, prescribes a playster of ashes with hony, and bitter almonds. They hide their meat in their cheeks, whence by degrees they fetch it to chew.* 1.13 They are extreame lustfull, and will gender with Lions. They remember a wrong long;* 1.14 some say they soon forget, when tamed they shew their young to every one. They severally affected at diverse seasons of the yeare, jolly, and gamesome at new Moon, very lumpish and dogged afore. So soon as they find approaching death, or any infections diseased,* 1.15 you may heare from them an unusuall snuffling in the noce. Whence Crollius thinks Physitians learn the pulses of arteries;* 1.16 they go awray, or sideling. Some can guide a cart, and play at chesse. One seeing a nurse wash, and winded a child, when shee was absent, undrest it, washt it in scalding water, and killed it.
They are taken by imitating what they see hunters do.* 1.17 They never are so tame, but that they quickly go wild again. They love to play with children, and dogs, but, if you look not to