capitulo. lv. [illustration]
THe Olyphant is a gret beste that lightely wyll be tamed and he is hūbler than any other beste / and me∣keneth himselfe lowlyer thāne any o∣ther beste and becōmeth subiect very lyghtely / and he is cōmonly lerned to do reuerens to kynges and noble prin¦cys / & who so hurteth or greueth hym that wyll he remember / and reuenge it in longe tyme after / and put him in ie{per}dy yt greued him / these bestes ware wont to do gode sruice in tyme of war for they be so stronge that they maye fell downe gret stone walles / and they may bere a meruelous great weight Whan the male wyll engender with the female than do they go togeder to¦wardes the Orient partyes as farre as they can / And there they fynde an∣herbe named Mandragora and ther¦of they ere bothe / but the female eteth first / and whan they haue eten therof than they come by eche other and en∣gendreth be the way of nature & whā she shall cast her yonge than gothe she to a great water & casteth it therupon for feare of the dragon that is hir enne¦mye & wayteth to destroy her and her yong also for the whiche cause thother neuer departeth frome her tyll she be quite of her burden / the Olyphant ly∣ueth iij.c. yere. & hathe no ioyntes in his legges wherfore he cāne nouther bowe nor knele / and he hath a rounde fote lyke an apple / wherfore whan he resteth him he leneth to a great strong tree and so reposeth hym and slepeth on his fete standīge because that his legges be so stiffe and will nat bowe / & the hūters yt wyl haue hym do marke the tre that he resteth to / & whan he is gone thēs / than they get a saw & sawe