The noble lyfe a[nd] natures of man of bestes, serpentys, fowles a[nd] fisshes [that] be moste knoweu [sic].

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 y^t 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 y^t wyl haue hym do marke the tre that he resteth to / & whan he is gone thēs / than they get a saw & sawe

a sonder & leueth it so stāding / & y^e next tyme that he cometh for to rest hym & leneth to the tree / downe cometh y^e tre and he togeder / and than he can nat a rise so incontinent he is taken

¶Nota It is wryten also that whan the hūters come for to stryke him they be agreed / before honde that y^e one shal stryke hym & the other defende hym / & haue a boxe or other vessell & therin is red colour or wyne / and that he y^t is y^e defendour is all bespylt or sprinked w^t the same as yf he hath shede his blode for the ••liphāte / & whā the oliphāt spy¦eth that y^e last man hath shed his blode for hym he foloweth hym mekly & is trewe & obedient vnto hym in all his besynes vnto the deth / and wyll nat fo¦lowe the other hunter whiche is vnto vs wrec••ed ••reatures a worthy ēsam¦ple for oure lernyng / wherfore late vs thinke in our myndes that we be the Olyphantes an thinke in our hertes what loue this onresonable beste she¦weth vnto man for hys goode wylle y^t he hath redemed hȳ / whiche was but a fayned mater / what oughte we syn∣full ••reatures to thinke y^t the very son of god is descended frome his godhed and hath taken vpon hym the nature of man for to feght agaynste the firste hunter that chased vs that was oure mortall ennemye the deuill of hell. O lorde god there thou sheddest thy most precyous blode for oure redemp••ion & losed vs from the bādes of euerlastin∣ge dampnacion / where fore gyue vs grace thate we maye obserue and ke¦pe thy preceptis and commandemen¦tes / and that we may humble our self to laude and thanke the fore thy glory¦ous woundes and passyon that thou suffreddest and for thy moste precious blode that thou sheddest for the redem¦cyon of all mankinde

The Operacion

Auicenna sayth

¶If a woman sytt ouer a vessell w^t fyre and that ther be of the grese of the olyphant cast therin so that the smoke stryke vpwardes to her she shall nate conceyue of chylde. ¶The dong of the Oliphāt burned and the fume or smo¦ke therof made to the bely of one that hathe the acces or ague shall helpe hȳ. ¶The donge also layde in wolle vnd a woman causeth that she shall nat cō¦ceyue of chylde.