Capitulo. lxxx. [illustration]
THe lyon is a noble beste for he is prynce of all other bestes / & he is strong & mighty & of very noble cora¦ge / the he / hathe longe curled here and croked clawes & maketh his wa•• bac∣warde out / yet he lifteth his legge like a dogge & whā he openeth his mouthe there out cōmeth a swete sauour / & he slepeth with open iyen / he hath v. cla¦wes in his fore fete / & but four ī his hin¦der fete / his tethe be sharpe as a sawe / and all his bones be very harde / & ly¦tell mary therin / & whan he is chased he rōneth fast before and trayleth his brode tayle after him vpon the groūd and so stryketh out the steppys of his fete that he therby sholde nat be foūde The female bringeth forth at her first warpinge or litteringe .v. yonges / at the next tyme foure / than thre / than .ij and at the last time but one. and after that she bydeth euer barayn. & whan she hathe littered hir yonges / they be dede and so byde tyll the thirde daye / and than cometh the dāme with hir fa¦milye and there they make so great a crye / that thrugh the soūde of it they be¦come leuinge and be afrayde / and the lyon fereth the mouse.
¶The Operacyon.
¶Esculapius saith / he that sitteth vpō a Lyons skynne is heled of ye pyles in the fundament / he yt is enoynted with the sewet or bed of the kydney of ye no¦ble lyon / the wolues shalbe of hī right sore a dred / the talowe of hym named adeps tempered wt oyle of roses with driueth the spottes in the vysage & ma¦keth it clere and shininge and heleth yt that is burned. The gall of him tempe¦red wt water maketh bright iyen / and his hart is gode to beeten for ye fourth daye axces.