give him Cordial drinks that is to say made of hot and comfortable Spices and also to anoint all his breast and under his shoulders with hot Oyls and to purge his head by blowing up into his nostrils powders that provoke neezing such as have been taught you before Of Surfeting with glut of Provender THe glut of provender or other meat not digested doth cause a Horse to have great pain in his body so as he is not able to stand on his feet but lyeth down and waltereth as though he had the Bots. The cure whereof according to Martins experience is in this sort Let him bloud in the neck then trot him up and down for the space of an hour and if he cannot stale draw out his vard and wash it with a little white Wine luke-warm and thrust into his yard either a bruised clove of Garlick or else a little oyl of Camomile with a wax Candle If he cannot dung then rake his fundament and give him this Glyster Take of Mallows two or three handfuls and boil them in a pottle of fair running water and when the Mallows be sodden then strain it and put thereunto a quart of fresh Butter and half a pinte of Oyl Olive and having received this Glyster lead him up and down untill he hath emptyed his belly then set him up and keep him hungry the space of three or four days and the Hay that he eateth let it be sprinkled with water and let him drink water wherein should be put a little Bran and when he hath drunk give him the Bran to eat and give him little or no provender at all for the space of eight or ten days Of another kinde of Surfeting with meat or drink called of us Foundering in the body THis disease is â—alled of the old Writers in Greek Crithiasis in Latine Hordeatio it cometh as they say by eating of much provender suddenly after labour whilest the Horse is hot and panting whereby his meat not being digested breedeth evill humors which by little and little do spread throughout his members and at length do oppress all his body and do clean take away his strength and make him in such a case as he can neither go nor bow his joynts nor being laid he is not able to rise again neither can he stale but with great pain It may come also as they say of drinking too much in travelling by the way when the Horse is hot but then it is not so dangerous as when it cometh of eating too much But howsoever it cometh they say all that the humors will immediately resort down into the Horses legs and feet and make him to cast his hoofs and therefore I must needs judge it to be no other thing but a plain foundering which word foundering is borrowed as I take it of the French word Fundu that is to say molten For foundering is a melting or dissolution of humors which the Italians call Infusione Martin maketh divers kindes of foundering as the foundering of the body which the French men call most commonly Morâ—undu and foundering in the legs and feet also foundering before and behinde which some Authors do deny as Magister Maurus and Laurentius Russius affirming that there are fewer humors behinde then before and that they cannot easily be dissolved or molten being so far distant from the heart and the other vital parts Whereunto a man might answer that the natural heat of the heart doth not cause dissolution of humors but some unnatural and accidental heat spred throughout all the members which is dayly proved by good experience For we see Horses foundered not only before or behinde but also of all four legs at once which most commonly chanceth either by taking cold suddenly after a great heat as by standing still upon some cold pavement or abroad in the cold winde or else perhaps the Horse travelling by the way and being in a sweat was suffered to stand in some cold water whilest he did drink which was worse then his drinking for in the mean time the cold entering at his feet ascended upward and congealed the humors which the heat before had dissolved and thereby when he cometh once to rest he waxeth stiffe and lame of his legs But leaving to speak of foundering in the legs as well before as behinde untill we come to the griefs in the legs and feet we intend to talk here only of foundering in the body according to Martins experience The signes to know if a Horse be foundered in the body be these His hair will stare and he will be chill and shrug for cold and forsake his meat hanging down his head and quiver after cold water and after two or three days he will begin to cough The cure according to Martin is thus First scour his belly with the Glyster last mentioned and then give him a comfortable drink made in this sort Take of Malmsie a quart of Sugar half a quartern of Honey half a quartern of Cinnamon half an ounce of Licoras and Anise seeds of each two spoonfuls beaten into fine powder which being put into the Malmsie warm them together at the fire so as the Honey may be molten and then give it him luke-warm that done walk him up and down in the warm stable the space of half an hour and then let him stand on the bit two or three hours without meat but let him be warm covered and well littered and give him Hay sprinkled with a little water and clean sifted provender by a little at once and let his water be warmed with a little ground Malt therein And if you see him somewhat cheered then let him bloud in the neck and also perfume him once a day with a little Frankincense and use to walk him abroad when the weather is fair and not windy or else in the house if the weather be foul and by thus using him you shall quickly recover him Of the Hungry Evill THis is a very great desire to eat following some great emptiness or lack of meat and it is called of the old Authors by the Greek name Bulimos which is as much to say as a great hunger proceeding as the Physitians say at the first of some extream outward cold taken by long travelling in cold barren places and especially where Snow aboundeth which outward cold causeth the stomach to be cold and the inward powers to be feeble The cure according to Absyrtus and Hierocles is in the beginning to comfort the Horses stomach by giving him Bread sopt in Wine And if you be in a place of rest to give him Wheat-flowre and Wine to drink or to make him Cakes or Bals of Flowre and Wine kneaded together and to feed him with that or with Wine and Nuts of Pine trees Hierocles saith if any such thing chance by the way whereas no flowre is to be had then it shall be best to give him Wine and earth wrought together either to drink or else
the weaker against the sury of their persecutors being better able to fight then the foremost whom in natural love and policy they set farthest from the danger Mutiuc which had been thrice Consul affirmeth that he saw Elephants brought on shore at Puteoli in Italy they were caused to go out of the Ship backward all along the bridge that was made for them that so the sight of the Sea might terrifie them and cause them more willingly to come on land and that they might not be terrified with the length of the bridge from the continent Pliny and Solinus affirm that they will not go on shipboard untill their keeper by some intelligible signe of oath make promise unto them of their return back again They sometimes as hath been said fight one against another and when the weaker is overcome he is so much abased and cast down in minde that ever after he feareth the voice of the conquerour They are never so fierce violent or wilde but the sight of a Ram tameth and dismayeth them for they fear his horns for which cause the Egyptians picture an Elephant and a Ram to signifie a foolish King that runneth away for a fearfull sight in the field And not only a Ram but also the gruntling clamour or cry of Hogs by which means the Romans overthrew the Carthaginians and Pyrrhus which trusted overmuch to their Elephants When Antipater besieged the Megarians very straitly with many Elephants the Citizens took certain Swine and anointed them with pitch then set them on fire and turned them out among the Elephants who crying horribly by reason of the fire on their bodies so distempered the Elephants that all the wit of the Macedonians could not restrain them from madness fury and flying upon their own company only because of the cry of the Swine And to take away that fear from Elephants they bring up with them when they are tamed young Pigges and Swine ever since that time When Elephants are chased in hunting if the Lions see them they run from them like Hinde-calves from the Dogs of Hunters and yet Iphicrates sayeth that among the Hesperian or western Ethiopians Lions set upon the young Calves of Elephants and wound them but at the sight of the mothers which come with speed to them when they hear them cry the Lions run away and when the mothers finde their young ones imbrued in their own bloud they themselves are so inraged that they kill them and so retire from them after which time the Lions return and eat their flesh They will not indure the savour of a Mouse but refuse the meat which they have run over in the river Ganges of India there are blew Wormes of sixty cubits long having two armes these when the Elephants come to drink in that river take their trunks in their hands and pull them off There are Dragons among the Ethiopians which are thirty yards or paces long these have no name among the inhabitants but Elephant-killers And among the Indians also there is as an inbred and native hateful hostility between Dragons and Elephants for which cause the Dragons being not ignorant that the Elephants feed upon the fruits and leaves of green trees do secretly convey themselves into them or to the tops of rocks covering their hinder part with leaves and letting his head and fore part hang down like a rope on a suddain when the Elephant cometh to crop the top of the tree she leapeth into his face and diggeth out his eyes and because that revenge of malice is too little to satisfie a Serpent she twineth her gable like body about the throat of the amazed Elephant and so strangleth him to death Again they marke the footsteps of the Elephant when he goeth to feed and so with their tails net in and entangle his legs and feet when the Elephant perceiveth and feeleth them he putteth down his trunck to remove and untie their knots and gins then one of them thrusteth his poisoned stinging head into his Nostrils and so stops up his breath the other prick and gore his tender belly-parts Some again meet him and flie upon his eyes and pull them forth so that at the last he must yeeld to their rage and fall down upon them killing them in his death by his fall whom he could not resist or overcome being alive and this must be understood that forsomuch as Elephants go together by flocks and herds the subtil Dragons let the foremost passe and set upon the hindmost that so they may not be oppressed with multitude Also it is reported that the bloud of an Elephant is the coldest blood in the world and that Dragons in the scorching heat of Summer cannot get any thing to cool them except this bloud for which cause they hide themselves in rivers and brooks whither the Elephants come to drink and when he putteth down his trunck they take hold thereof and instantly in great numbers leap up unto his ear which is naked bare and without defence whereout they suck the blood of the Elephant untill he fall down dead and so they perish both together Of this blood cometh that ancient Cinnabaris made by commixture of the bloud of Elephants and Dragons both together which alone is able and nothing but it to make the best representation of blood in painting Some have corrupted it with Goats-blood and call it Milton and Mimum and Monocroma it hath a most rare and singular vertue against all poisons beside the unmatchable property aforesaid These Serpents or Dragons are bred in Taprobana in whose heads are many pretious stones with such naturall seals or figurative impressions as if they were framed by the hand of man for Podisippus and Tzetzes affirm that they have seen one of them taken out of a Dragons head having upon it the lively and artificial stampe of a Chariot Elephants are enemies to wilde Buls and the Rhinocerots for in the games of Pompey when an Elephant and a Rhinoceros were brought together the Rhinoceros ran instantly and whet his horn upon a stone and so prepared himself to fight striking most of all at the belly of the Elephant because he knew that it was the tenderest and most penetrable part of the body The Rhinoceros was as long as the Elephant but the legs thereof were much shorter and as the Rhinocerotes sharpen their horns upon the stones so do the Elephants their teeth upon trees the sharpness of either yeeldeth not to any steel Especially the Rhinocerot teareth and pricketh the legs of the Elephant They fight in the woods for no other cause but for the meat they live upon but if the Rhinocerot get not the advantage of the Elephants belly but set upon him in some other part of his body he is soon put to the worst by the sharpness of the Ivory tooth which pierceth through his more then buffe-hard skin not to be pierced with any dart with
length of their bodies wherewithall they claspe and begirt the body of the Elephant continually biting of him until he fall down dead and in the which fall they are also bruised to pieces for the safegard of themselves they have this device they get and hide themselves in trees covering their head and letting the other part hang down like a rope in those trees they watch until the Elephant come to eat and crop of the branches then suddenly before he be aware they leap into his face and dig out his eys then do they clasp themselves about his neck and with their tails or hinder-parts beat and vex the Elephant until they have made him breathlesse for they strangle him with their fore-parts as they beat them with the hinder so that in this combat they both perish and this is the disposition of the Dragon that he never setteth upon the Elephant but with the advantage of the place and namely from some high tree or rock Sometimes again a multitude of Dragons do together observe the paths of the Elephants cross those paths they tie together their tails as it were in knots so that when the Elepant cometh along in them they insnare his legs and suddenly leap up to his eyes for that is the part they aim at above all other which they speedily pull out and so not being able to do him any harm the poor beast delivereth himself from present death by his own strength and yet through his blindenesse received in that combat he perisheth by hunger because he cannot choose his meat by smelling but by his eye-sight There is no man living that is able to give a sufficient reason of this contrariety in nature betwixt the Elephant and the Dragon although many men have laboured their wits and strained their inventions to finde out the true causes thereof but all in vain except this be one that followeth The Elephants bloud is said to be the coldest of all other Beasts and for this cause it is thought by most Writers that the Dragons in the Summer time do hide themselves in great plenty in the waters where the Elephant cometh to drink and then suddenly they leap up upon his ears because those places cannot be defended with his trunck and there they hang fast and suck out all the bloud of his body until such a time as he poor beast through faintnesse fall down and die and they being drunk with his bloud do likewise perish in the fall The Gryffins are likewise said to fight with the Dragons and overcome them The Panther also is an enemy unto the Dragons and driveth them many times into their dens There is a little Bird called Captilus by eating of which the Dragon refresheth himself when he is wearyed in hunting of other beasts And to conclude he is an enemy unto all kinde of beasts both wilde and tame as may appear by these verses of Lucan where he saith Armentaque tota secuti Rumpitis ingentes amplexi verbere Tauros Nec tutus spacio est Elephas Which may be Englished thus And following close the Heards in field Great Bulls with force of might And Elephants are made to yeeld By Dragons valiant sprite In the next place I will passe unto the poyson and venom of Dragons omitting all Poetical discourses about the worshipping and transmutation of Dragons from one kinde to another such as are the hairs of Orpheus or the teeth of the Dragon which Cadmus slew into armed men and such like fables which have no shew nor appearance of truth but are only the inventions of men to utter those things in obscure terms which they were afraid to do in plain speeches It is a question whether Dragons have any venom or poyson in them for it is thought that he hurteth more by the wound of his teeth then by his poyson Yet in Deut. 22. Moses speaketh of them as if they had poyson saying Their Wine is as the poyson of Dragons and the cruel venom of Asps So also Heliodorus speaketh of certain weapons dipped in the poyson of Dragons For which cause we are to consider that they wanting poyson in themselves become venomous two manner of ways First by the place wherein they live for in the hotter Countries they are more apt to do harm then in the colder and more temperate which caused the Poet in his verses to write of them in this manner following Vos quoque qui cunctis innoxi numina terris Serpitis aurato nitidi fulgore Dracones Pestiferos ardens facit Africa Ducitis alium Aëra cum pennis c. Which may be Englished in this manner You shining Dragons creeping on the earth Which fiery Africk yeelds with skin like gold Yet pestilent by hot infecting breath Mounted with wings in t' air we do behold So that which is spoken of the poyson of Dragons infecting the air wherein they live is to be understood of the Meteor called Draco-volans a Fire-drake which doth many times destroy the fruits of the earth seeming to be a certain burning fire in the air sometime on the Sea sometime on the land whereof I have heard this credible story from men of good worth and reputation happening about some twelve years ago upon the Western Seas upon the Coasts of England which because it is well worthy to be kept in remembrance of all posterity and containeth in it a notable work of God I have thought good to set it down in this place There was an old Fisher-man which with his two hired servants went forth to take fish according to his accustomed manner and occupation and having laid their nets watched them earnestly to finde the booty they came for and so they continued in their labour untill mid-night or thereabouts taking nothing At last there came by them a Fire-drake at the sight whereof the old man began to be much troubled and afraid telling his servants that those sights seldom portended any good and therefore prayed God to turn away all evill from them and withall willed his servants to take up their Nets lest they did all repent it afterward for he said he had known much evill follow such apparitions The young men his servants comforted him telling him that there was no cause of fear and that they had already committed themselves into the hands of Almighty GOD under whose protection they would tarry untill they had taken some fish the old man rested contented with their confidence and rather yeelded unto them then was perswaded by them A little while after the Fire-drake came again and compassed round about the Boat and ran over the Nets so that new fears and more violent passions then before possessed both the old man and his servants Wherefore they then resolved to tarry no longer but hasted to take up their Nets and be gone And taking up their Nets at one place they did hang so fast as without breaking they could not pull them out of the water wherefore
lust of a Mare then a Horse If a Horse cover a female Asse which hath been entred by a male Asse he cannot alter the seed of the Asse but if an Asse cover a Mare which a Horse hath formerly entred he will destroy the seed of the Horse so that the Mare shall suffer abortment by reason that the seed genital of an Asse is more frigid then an Horses The Mares of Elis cannot at all conceive by Asses copulation and there is more abortments falleth out by commixtion of Horses with Asses or Asses with Mares then when every kind mingleth amongst themselves It is but a superstition of some which affirme that an Asse cannot conceive for so many years as she hath eaten grains of Barly corn defiled with womens purgation but this is certain that if an Asse conceive not at the first losing of her teeth she remaineth barren They are not coupled in generation in the Spring Aequinectium like Mares and other beasts but in the Summer Solstice by reason of their cold natures that they may bring forth their young ones about the same time for in the twelfe moneth after their copulation they render their Foles If the males be kept from labour they are the worse for generation wherefore they are not to be suffered idle at that time but it is not so with the female she must rest that the Fole may be the stronger but presently after she is covered she must be coursed and driven to and fro or else she will cast forth again the received seed The time that she goeth with young is according to the male kind by which she is covered for so long as the male lay in the belly of his dam so long will the Asse carry her young before deliverance but in the stature of body strength and beauty the young one taketh more after the female then the male The best kind of Asses are the Foles of a wild Asse and a tame female Asse They use when an Asse is foaled to take it from the dam and put it to suck a Mare that it may be the greater which Fole is callid Hippothela that is a Horse suckling and Mares will not be covered by Asses except by such a one as was a horse-suckling A she Asse will engender till she be thirty years old which is her whole life long but if she conceive often she will quickly be barren whereof their keepers must take such care that they cause them to be kept from often copulation They will not Fole in the sight of man or in the light but in darkness they bring forth but one a time for it hath not been heard of in the life of man that an Asse hath ever brought forth twins As soon as they are conceived they have milk iâ— their â—dders but some hold not untill the tenth moneth They love their young ones very tenderly for they will run through fire to come at them but if there be any water betwixt them it cooleth their affections for of all things they love not to wet their feet They will drive their young ones from sucking at the sixth moneth because of the pain in their udders but their keepers wean them not till a whole year after their foaling Their milk is so thick that it is used in stead of sodder a Mares is more thin and a Camels is thinnest of all It is mortal to their young ones to tast the dams milk for two dayes after their foaling for the food is so fat that it breedeth in their mouthes the Colostracion or Beestings Touching their several parts they have teeth on either chap like a Man and a Horse an Asse and a Mule have 36 teeth and joyned neer together the bloud of Asses and Buls is the thickest of all other as the bloud of man is the thinnest His head is great and his ears long and broad both male and female lose their fore-teeth in the thirtieth moneth of their age and the second to the first in the sixt moneth their third and fourth teeth are called Gnomons that is Regulars because by them there is a tryed rule to know their age and those teeth also they lose in the sixt moneth The heart of an Asse is great as all other fearful beasts have The belly is uniform as in other beasts that have a solid or whole hoof It wanteth a gall and hath two udders betwixt the thighes the forepart of the back neer the shoulder is weakest and there appeareth the figure of a Crosse and the hinder part neer the loins is stronger The hoofs are whole and not parted the Stygian water is so cold that nothing can hold it except the hoof of an Asse or Mule although Aelianus affirme that it cannot be contained but in the horns of Scythian Asses Their tails are longer by one joint then a horses though not so hairy They are purged with monethly courses more then Sheep or Goats and the urine of the female is more thin then the males If an Asse was hindered by any disease from making water certain superstitious persons for the ease of the beast muttered this charm Gallus bibit non merit Myoxus meiit non bibit that is The Cock drinketh and maketh not water The Dormouse maketh water and never drinketh They will eat Canes or Reeds which to other beasts is almost poison wherefore in the old time an Asse was dedicated to Bacchus as the Canes were sacred unto him and at the time of their copulation they give them herb Basill to stir up their lust They will be satisfied with any never so base food as chaffe whereof there is abundance in every Countrey young thornes and fruits of trees twiges of Osier or a bundle of boughs to browse upon in so much as Q. Hortentius was wont to say that he had more care that his Barbels should not hunger in his fish-pools then his Asses in Rosea but the young ones newly weaned must be more tendered for they must be fed with hay chaffe or Barley green corn or barley bran Asses will hardly drink but at watering places in their folds or such as they have been accustomed withall and where they may drink without wetting their feet and that which is more strange they cannot be brought to go over hollow bridges through which the water appeareth in the chinks of the planks and when in travail they are very thirsty they must be unladen and constrained to drink yea Herodotus reporteth that there are certain Asses among the African shepherds which never drink When they sleep they lie at length and in their sleep conceive many forceable dreams as appeareth by their often beating back their hinder legs which if they strike not against the vain aire but against some harder substance they are for ever utterly lamed When the Asses of Thuscia have eaten Hemlock or an herb much like unto it they sleep
head The breast is by the French-men called peculiarly Hampan his blood is not like other Beasts for it hath no Fibres or small veins in it and therefore it is hardly congealed His heart is very great as it so falleth out in all fearful Beasts having in it a bone like a Cross as shall be afterward manifested His belly is not of one fashion as it falleth out in all other which chew the cud He hath no gall which is one cause of the length of his life and therefore also are his bowels so bitter that the Dogs will not touch them except they be very fat The Achaian Harts are said to have their gall in their tails and others say that Harts have a gall in their ears The Harts of Briletum and Iharne have their reins quadrupled or four-fold The genital part is all nervy the tail small and the Hinde hath udders betwixt her thighs with four speans like a Cow Both male and female are wonderfully swift and subtile as shall be shewed in the discourse of their hunting They are also apt and cunning to swim although in their swimming they see no land yet do they wind it by their noses They chew the cud like other Beasts It is reported that when a Hart is stung by a Serpent that by eating Elaphoscum that is as some call it Harts-eye other Hart-thorn or grace of God others Wilde Ditany it presently cureth the wound and expelleth the poyson the same vertue they attribute to Polypodie against the wound of a Dart. Having thus entred into mention of their food it is to be farther observed that the males of this kinde will eat Dwall or Night-shade which is also called Deaths herb and they also love above all other food wilde Elder so as in the Summer time they keep for the most part in those places where these plants grow eating the leaves only and not the boughes or sprigs but the Hinde will eat neither of both except when she beareth a male in her belly and then also by secret instinct of nature she feedeth like a male They will also eat Serpents but whether for hatred to them or for medicine they receive by them it is questionable A Hart by his nose draweth a Serpent out of her hole and therefore the Grammarians derived Elaphos a Hart from Elaunein tous opheis that is of driving away Serpents I cannot assent to the opinion of Aelianus that affirmeth the Serpents follow the breath of a Hart like some Philtre or amorous cup for seeing that all Authors hold an hostility in natures betwixt them it is not probable that the Serpent loveth the breath of a Beast unto whose whole body he is an enemy with a perpetual antipathy And if any reply that the warm breath of a Hart is acceptable to the cold Serpent and that therefore she followeth it as a Dog creepeth to the fire or as other beasts to the beams of the Sun I will not greatly gain-say it seeing by that means it is most clear that the breath doth not by any secret force or vertue extract and draw her out of the den but rather the concomitant quality of heat which is not from the secret fire in the bones of the Harts throat as Pliny hath taught but rather from her ordinary expiration inspiration and respiration For it cannot be that seeing all the parts of a Serpent are opposite to a Hart that there should be any love to that which killeth her For my opinion I think that the manner of the Harts drawing the Serpent out of her Den is not as Aelianus and Pliny affirmeth by sending into the Cave a warm breath which burneth and scorcheth the Beast out of her Den but rather when the Hart hath found the Serpents nest she draweth the air by secret and violent attraction out from the Serpent who to save her life followeth the air out of her den as when a Vessel is broached or vented the Wine followeth the flying air and as a Cupping-glass draweth blood out of a scarified place of the body so the Serpent is drawn unwillingly to follow her destroyer and not willingly as Aelianus affirmeth Unto this opinion both Oribasius in his Commentaries upon the Aphorisms of Hippocrates and Guniterius his restorer do joyntly agree but the Serpent being thus drawn forth addeth greater force to her poyson whereupon the proverbial admonition did arise Cave ne incideris in serpentem cum extracta a latebris anhelitu cervi effugerit tum enim propter iracundiam vehementius ei venenum est that is Beware thou meet not with a Serpent drawn out of her hole by the breath of a Hart for at that time by reason of her wrath her poyson is more vehement After this self same manner do the Sea-Rams draw the Sea-Calfs hid in the Subterranean Rocks for by smelling they prevent the Air that should come unto them for refrigeration There is many times strange conflicts betwixt the Hart and the Serpent thus drawn forth for the Serpent seeing her adversary lifteth her neck above the ground and gnasheth at the Hart with her teeth breathing out very bitter hissings on the contrary the Hart deriding the vain endevour of his weak adversary readier to fight then powerful to harm hi suffereth him to embrace both his neck and legs with his long and thin body but at an instant teareth it into an hundred pieces But the most strange combates are betwixt the Harts and Serpents of Lybia where the hatred is deeper and the Serpents watch the Hart when he lyeth a sleep on the ground and being a multitude of them set upon him together fastening their poysonful teeth in every part of his skin some on his neck and breast some on his sides and back some on his legs and some hang upon his privy parts biting him with mortal rage to overthrow their foe The poor Hart being thus oppressed with a multitude and pricked with venemous pains assayeth to run away but all in vain their cold earthy bodies and winding tails both over-charge his strength and hinder his pace he then in a rage with his teeth feet and horns assaileth his enemies whose spears are already entred into his body tearing some of them in pieces and beating other asunder they never the less like men knowing that now they must dye rather then give over and yeeld to their pitiless enemy cleave fast and keep the hold of their teeth upon his body although their other parts be mortally wounded and nothing left but their heads and therefore will dye together with their foe seeing if they were asunder no compassion can delay or mitigate their natural unappeaseable hatred The Hart thus having eased himself by the slaughter of some like an Elephant at the sight of their blood bestirreth himself more busily in the eager battail and therefore treadeth some under foot in the blood of their fellows other he persueth with tooth and
body and to stay celerity and for their hunting in France by Dogs it is most excellently described by Budaus and Robertus Stephanus in his French Dictionary This wilde deceitful and subtil beast say they by windings and turnings do often deceive their hunter as the Harts of Meandros flying from the terrible cry of Dianaes hounds wherefore the prudent hunter must frame his Dogs as Pythagoras did his Scholars Luuers qui ne parlent point with words of Art to set them on and take them off again at his pleasure wherefore he must first of all compass in the beast En son giste in her own lodging and so raise her up in the sight of the Dogs that so they may never lose her footing Neither must they set upon every one either of the herd or that wandereth solitary alone nor yet a little one but partly by aspect or sight and partly by their footings in the soft earth and also by their dung Les fumees they judge of their game for a good Woodman must not stick to gather up the Deers excrement or soil and keep them La trempe in his hunting horn such things must the Kings huntsmen and forresters observe as also the quantity of his bed or lodging when they finde it being thus informed of their game then Discoppler les chiens they take off their Dog couplings and some on horseback other on foot follow the cry with greatest art observation and speed remembring and preventing Cer fruze the subtile turnings and headings of the Hart straining with all dexterity to leap hedge pale ditch and rocks neither fearing thornes woods down-hils but providing a fresh horse in case the first tire Chevaux de relatis and leaping on him with speed untill he see un grand cerfl ' escuyer du grand cerf the great Hart having ten speers on his horns and his little squire-hart to attend him which the Dogs once perceiving only follow the great Hart taking for a prohibition to follow any other The Dogs are animated by the winding of horns and voices of the hunters like Souldiers to a battel by the voice of a trumpet and other instruments but sometimes the crafty great beast sendeth forth his little squire to be sacrificed to the Dogs and Hunters in stead of himself lying close in the mean time then must the retreat be sounded and Rompre lechiens the Dogs be broken off and taken in Le limier that is leame again untill they be brought to the fairer game who ariseth in fear and rage betaking himself to his surest legs being pursued with all the cries of Hunters ringing and ecchoing betwixt heaven and earth dismaying him with the continual noise in his eares no lesse dreadful and fearful then the voice of a passing bell to a sick man or the sight of the executioner to a condemned caitife yet still he striveth untill wearied and breathless he be forced to offer up his bloud and flesh to the rage of all the observant pedissequants of the hunting Goddess Diana The vulgar sort call an old Hart a subtil and cunning beast but the Nobles call him cerf sage a wise Hart who to avoid all his enemies runneth into the greatest herds and so bringeth a cloud of error upon the Dogs to keep them from any further prosecution sometime also beating of some of the herd into his own footsteps that so he may more easily escape and procure a labyrinth to the Dogs and then after a little while he betaketh himself to his heels again running still with the wind not only for refrigeration but because he may the more easily hear the voice of his pursuers whether they be far or neer At last being for all this found out again by the observance of the hunters and skill of the Dogs he flyeth into the herds of Cattel as Kie Oxen or Sheep leaping upon an Ox and laying his body or the fore-part thereof upon him as a rider upon a Horse that so touching the earth only with his hinder hoofs to leave a very small or no sent at all behind for the Hounds to discern The chief huntsman or sergeant of the hounds unto Lewis the twelfth called Le grand venieur affirmeth that on a time they having a Hart in chase suddenly the Hounds fell at a fault so as the beast was out of sight and not a Dog would once stir his foot whereat all the Hunters were amazed like as in some jugling Apollonian trick as though the hart had clean forsaken the earth and with the wings of some fowl had been flown away or as if the earth had opened her mouth to receive him into her protection and had closed again over her head or else some Witchcraft had cast a mist before the Dogs and Hunters eyes At last by casting about as it is usuall in such cases they found the fraud of the horned beast which is worth the memory There was a great white-thorne which grew in a shadowie steep place as high as a tree and was invironed with other small shrubs about it into the which the said Hart leapt and there stood aloft the boughs spreading from one another and there remained whether because he could not get off again or else for that he was stifled in that place but surely he was there thrust through and so died and so had they all rather perish any other way then by the teeth and tearing in pieces of angry and greedy Hounds Yet their maner is that when they see themselves every where intercepted to make force at him with their horns that cometh first unto him except he be prevented by some sword or spear which being done the Hunter with his horn soundeth the fall of the beast and then every one approacheth luring with triumph for such a conquest of whom the skilfullest openeth the beast giving unto the Hounds such parts as belongeth to them for their incouragement against another time and for that purpose the Hunters dip bread in the skin and bloud of the beast to give unto the Hounds their full satisfaction and many such other things may the reader desirous of this knowledge find in the Authors aforesaid to whom I will commend him rather then spend more time in this business better manifested by experience then by any written document yet I would wish men to be sparing in this exercise seeing it hath been seldom found that a man given to hunting but he perished in his pleasure as Actaeon did by his own Dogs and therefore Alciatus doth fitly compare together hunters and receivers of Theeves and Robbers calling them new Actaeons who after they had received horns must be destroyed by their own Dogs which they have nourished The best use of these beasts is to keep them tame as in Helvetia where they hunt seldom and to make good use of them for nourishment rather then for sport as it is reported of a holy-man who kept a Hinde so familiar with him that in the Wilderness be lived
from their Cattel and also to guide govern them in executing their masters pleasure upon signs given them to which of the stragling Beasts they ought to make force Neither is it requisite that this Dog be so large or nimble as is the Grey-hound which is appointed for Deer and Hares But yet that he be strong quick ready and understanding both for brauling and fighting so as he may fear away and also follow if need be the ravening Wolf and take away the prey out of his mouth wherefore a square proportion of body is requisite in these Beasts and a tolerable lightness of foot such as is the Village Dog used only to keep houses and hereof also they are the best who have the greatest or loudest barking voyces and are not apt to leap upon every stranger or beast they see but reserve their strength till the just time of imployment They approve also in this kinde above all other the white colour because in the night time they are the more easily discerned from the Wolf or other noisome beast for many times it falleth out that the Shepheard in the twy-light striketh his Dog instead of the Wolf these ought to be well faced black or dusky eyes and correspondent nostrils of the same colour with their eyes black ruddy lips a crooked camoyse nose a flat chap with two great broches or long straight sharp teeth growing out thereof covered with their lips a great head great ears a broad brest a thick neck broad and solid shoulders straight legs yet rather bending inward then standing outward great and thick feet hard crooked nails a thick tail which groweth lesser to the end thereof then at the first joint next the body and the body all rugged with hair for that maketh the Dog more terrible and then also it is requisite that he be provided of the best breed neither buy him of a Hunter for such an one will be gone at the sight of a Deer or Hare nor yet of a Butcher for it will be sluggish therefore take him young and bring him up continually to attend Sheep for so will he be most ready that is trained up among Shepherds They use also to cover their throat and neck with large broad collars pricked through with nails for else if the wilde beast bite them in those places the Dog is easily killed but being bitten at any other place he quickly avoideth the wound The love of such to the Cattel they keep is very great especially to Sheep for when Publius Aufidius Pontianus bought certain flocks of Sheep in the farthest part of Vmbria and brought Shepherds with him to drive them home with whom the dogs went along unto Heraclea and the Metapontine coasts where the drovers left the Cattel the Dogs for love of the Sheep yet continued and attended them without regard of any man and forraged in the fields for Rats and Mice to eat untill at length they grew weary and lean and so returned back again unto Vmbria alone without the conduct of men to their first Masters being many daies journey from them It is good to keep many of these together at the least two for every flock that so when one of them is hurt or sick the herd be not destitute and it is also good to have these male and female yet some use to geld these thinking that for this cause they will the more vigilantly attend the flock howbeit I cannot assent hereunto because they are too gentle and lesse eager when they want their stones They are to be taken from their Dam at two moneths old and not before and it is not good to give them hot meat for that wil encrease in them madness neither must they taste any of the dead carkasses of the Cattel lest that cause them to fall upon the living for when once they have taken a smatch of their bloud or flesh you shall seldom reclaime them from that devouring appetite The understanding of these Shepherds Dogs is very great especially in England for the Shepherds will there leave their Dogs alone with the flocks and they are taught by custom to keep the Sheep within the compass of their pasture and discern betwixt grasse and Corn for when they see the Sheep fall upon the Corn they run and drive them away from that forbidden fruit of their own accord and they likewise keep very safely their Masters garments and victuals from all annoyance untill their return There is in Xenophon a complaint of the Sheep to the Shepherds concerning these Dogs We marvel said the Sheep at thee that seeing we yeeld thee milk Lambs and Cheese whereupon thou feedest nevertheless thou givest unto us nothing but that which groweth out of the earth which we gather by our own industry and whereas the Dog doth none of all these him thou feedest with thine own hand and bread from thine own trencher The Dog hearing this complaint of the Sheep replyed That his reward at the Shepherds hand was just and no more then he deserved for said he I look unto you and watch you from the ravening Wolf and pilfering Theef so as if once I forsake you then it will not be safe for you to walke in your Pastures for perill of death whereunto the Sheep yeelded and not replyed to the reasonable answer of so unreasonable a beast and this complaint you must remember was uttered when Sheep could speak as well as men or else it noteth the foolish murmuring of some vulgar persons against the chief Ministers of state that are liberally rewarded by the Princes own hands for their watchful custody of the Common-wealth And thus much for the Shepherds Dog Of the VILLAGE-DOG or HOVSE-KEEPER THis Village Dog ought to be fatter and bigger then the Shepherds Dog of an elegant square and strong body being black coloured and great mouthed or barking bigly that so he may the more terrifie the Theef both by day and night for in the night the beast may seize upon the robber before he discern his black skin and therefore a spotted branded party coloured Dog is not approved His head ought to be the greatest part of his body having great ears hanging down and black eyes in his head a broad breast thick neck large shoulders strong legs a rough hair short tail and great nails his disposition must not be too fierce nor yet too familiar for so he will faun upon the Theef as well as his Masters friend Yet is it good that sometime he rise against the household servants and alway against strangers and such they must be as can wind a stranger afar off and descry him to his Master by barking as by a watch-word and setting upon him when he approcheth neer if he be provoked Blondus commendeth in this kinde such as sleep with one eye open and the other shut so as any small noise or stir wake and raise him It is not good to keep many
are like to Onions have power in them to purge the belly of Dogs Other give them Goats-milk or Salt beaten small or Sea-crabs beaten small and put into water or Staves-acre and immediately after his purgation sweet Milk If your Dog be obstracted and stopped in the belly which may be discerned by his trembling sighing and removing from place to place give unto him Oaten meal and water to eat mingled together and made as thick as a Pultess or leavened Oaten bread and sometime a little Whay to drink The Ancients have observed that Dogs are most annoyed with three diseases the swelling of the throat the Gowt and madness but the later Writers have observed many noysome infirmities in them First they are oftentimes wounded by the teeth of each other and also of wilde Beasts for cure whereof Blondus out of Maximus writeth these remedies following First let the sinews fibres or gristles of the wound be laid together then sow up the lips or upper skin of the wound with a needle and thred and take of the hairs of the Dog which made the wound and lay thereupon untill the bleeding be stanched and so leave it to the Dog to be licked for nature hath so framed the Dogs tongue that thereby in short space he cureth deep wounds And if he cannot touch the sore with his tongue then doth he wet his foot in his mouth and so oftentimes put it upon the maim or if neither of these can be performed by the Beast himself then cure it by casting upon it the ashes of a Dogs head or burned salt mingled with liquid pitch poured thereupon When a Dog returning from hunting is hurt about the snowt by the venemous teeth of some wilde Beast I have seen it cured by making incision about the wound whereby the poysoned bloud is evacuated and afterward the sore was anoynted with Oyl of Saint Johns-wort Wood-worms cure a Dog bitten by Serpents When he is troubled with Ulcers or rindes in his skin pieces of Pot-sheards beaten to powder and mingled with Vinegar and Turpentine with the sat of a Goose or else Water-wort with new Lard applyed to the sore easeth the same and if it swell anoynt it with Butter For the drawing forth of a thorn or splinter out of a Dogs foot take Colts-foot and Lard or the powder thereof burned in a new earthen pot and either of these applyed to the foot draweth forth the Thorn and cureth the sore for by Dioscorides it is said to have force to extract any point of a Spear out of the body of a man For the Worms which breed in the Ulcers of their heels take Vnguentum Egyptiacum and the juyce of peach-leaves There are some very skilful Hunters which affirm that if you hang about the Dogs neck sticks of Citrine as the wood dryeth so will the Worms come forth and dy Again for this evill they wash the wounds with water then rub it with Pitch Thyme and the dung of an Oxe in Vinegar afterward they apply unto it the powder of Ellebor When a Dog is troubled with the Mangie Itch or Ring-worms first let him blood in his fore-legs in the greatest vein afterward make an Ointment of Quick-silver Brimstone Nettle-seed and twice so much old Sewet or Butter and therewithall anoint him putting thereunto if you please decoction of Hops and Salt water Some do wash Mangy Dogs in the Sea-water and there is a Cave in Sicily saith Gratius that hath this force against the scabs of Dogs if they be brought thither and set in the running water which seemeth to be as thick as Oyl Flegm or melancholy doth often engender these evils and so after one Dog is infected all the residue that accompany or lodge with him are likewise poysoned for the avoiding thereof you must give them Fumitory Sorrel and Whay sod together it is good also to wash them in the Sea or in Smiths-water or in the decoction aforesaid For the taking away of Warts from the feet of Dogs or other members first rub and friccase the Wart violently and afterward anoint it with Salt Oyl Vinegar and the powder of the rinde of a Gourd or else lay unto it Aloes beaten with Mustard-seed to eat it off and afterward lay unto it the little scories or iron chips which fly off from the Smiths hot iron while he beateth it mingled with Vinegar and it shall perfectly remove them Against Tikes Lyce and Fleas anoint the Dogs with bitter Almonds Staves-acre or roots of Maple or Cipers or froth of Oyl if it be old and anoint also their ears with Salt-water and bitter Almonds then shall not the flies in the Summer time enter into them If Bees or Wasps or such Beasts sting a Dog lay to the sore burned Rue with Water and if a greater Fly as the Horner let the Water be warmed A Dog shall be never infected with the Plague if you put into his mouth in the time of any common Pestilence the powder of a Storks craw or Ventricle or any part thereof with Water which thing ought to be regarded for no creature is so soon infected with the Plague as is a Dog and a Mule and therefore they must either at the beginning receive medicine or else be removed out of the air according to the advice of Gratius Sed varii ritus nec in omnibus una potestas Disce vices quae tutela est proxima tenta Wolf-wort and Apocynon whose leaves are like the leaves of Ivie and smell strongly will kill all Beasts which are littered blinde as Wolves Foxes Bears and Dogs if they eat thereof So likewise will the root of Chamaeleon and Mezereon in Water and Oyl it killeth Mice Swine and Dogs Ellebor and Squilla and Faba Lupina have the same operation There is a Gourd called Zinziber of the Water because the taste thereof is like to Ginger the Flower Fruit and Leaf thereof killeth Asses Mules Dogs and many other four-footed Beasts The Nuts Vomicae are poyson to Dogs except their ear be cut presently and made to bleed It will cause them to leap strangely up and down and kill him within two hours after the tasting if it be not prevented by the former remedy Theophrastus Chrysippus affirmeth that the water wherein Sperage hath been sod given to Dogs killeth them the fume of Silver or Lead hath the same operation If a Dog grow lean and not through want of meat it is good to fill him twice or thrice with Butter and if that do not recover him then it is a sign that the worm under his tongue annoyeth him which must be presently pulled out by some Naul or Needle and if that satisfie not he cannot live but will in short time perish And it is to be noted that Oaten bread leavened will make a sluggish Dog to become lusty agile and full of spirit Dogs are also many times bewitched by the only
eyes cureth all evils in them and they presently like reasonable men acknowledge the benefit of the medicine The medicinal vertues in this Beast are by Authors observed to be these The bloud of an Elepbant and the ashes of a Weasil cure the great Leprosie and the same bloud is profitable against all Rhumatick fluxes and the Sciatica The flesh dryed and cold or heavy fat and cold is abominable for if it be sod and steeped in Vinegar with Fennel-seed and given to a Woman with childe it maketh her presently suffer abortment But if a man taste thereof salted and steeped with the seed aforesaid it cureth an old cough The fat is a good Antidote either by Ointment or Perfume it cureth also the pain in the head The Ivory or tooth is cold and dry in the first degree and the whole substance thereof corroborateth the heart and helpeth conception it is often adulterated by Fishes and Dogs bones burnt and by white Marble There is a Spodium made of Ivory in this manner Take a pound of Ivory cut into pieces and put into a raw new earthen pot covering and glewing the cover with lome round about and so let it burn till the pot be throughly hardned afterward take off the pot and beat your Ivory into small powder and being so beaten sift it then put it into a glass and pour upon it two pound of distilled Rose-water and let it dry Thirdly beat it unto powder again and sift it the second time and put into it again so much Rose-water as at the first then let it dry and put thereunto as much Camphire as will ly upon three or four single Groats and work it all together upon a Marble stone into little Cakes and so lay them up where the air may not corrut 〈…〉 them The vertue hereof is very pretious against spitting of bloud the Bloudy-flix and also it is 〈◊〉 for refrigeration without danger of binding oâ— astriction After a man is delivered from the 〈◊〉 Pestilence or sudden forgetfulness let him be purged and take the powder of Ivory and Hiera 〈◊〉 drunk out of sweet water This powder with Hony-Attick taketh away the spots in the face the same with wilde Mints drunk with water resisteth and avoideth the Leprosie at the beginning The powder of Ivory burnt and drunk with Coatsbloud doth wonderfull cure all the pains and expell the little stones in the reins and bladder Combes made of Ivory are most wholesome the touching of the trunk cureth the Headach The Liver is profitable against 〈…〉 evill the same vertue hath the gall if he have any against the Falling evill The fâ—â—e by anointing cureth a lowfie 〈◊〉 and taketh away that power which breedeth these vermine th 〈…〉 me perfâ—med easeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈…〉 and driveth 〈◊〉 or marshflies out of a 〈…〉 ouse Of the ELK AS the Elphant last handled could not live in any Countrey of the world but in the hot Eastern and Southern Regions so the 〈…〉 the contrary is most impatient of all heat and keepeth not but in the Northern and cold Co 〈…〉 for Polonia and the Countreys under that Climate will not preserve an Elk alive as it hath been often â—ryed by experience for which cause they are not found but in the colder Northern Regi 〈…〉 Prussia Hung 〈◊〉 and Illyria is the Wood Hercynia and among the Borussian-Scy 〈…〉 〈◊〉 most plentiful in S 〈…〉 whi 〈…〉 nias calleth the Celtes for all the Ancients called the Kingdoms of Germany and the North Celtarum Regiones Countreys inhabited by the Celts The Figure of the ELK with Horns This Beast is called in Greek Alke and in Latine Alces or Alce which was a name of one of Actaeons Dogs in Ovid the Turks Valachians the Hungarians Iajus the Illyrians and Polonians Los in the singular and plurally Lossie for many Elks. Albertus Magnus calleth it Alches and Aloy and afterward Equicervus a Horse-Hart The Germans Elch Ellend and Elent by a Metathesis of Alke or Alce and for my part I take it to be the same Beast which Pliny calleth Machlis for there is nothing attributed to an Elk which also doth not belong to Machlis The ELK without Horns I finde not any unreconcileable difference among Authors concerning this Beast except in Caesar lib. 6. of his Commentaries who by the relation of other not by his own sight writeth that there are Elks in the Hercynian Wood like unto Goats in their spotted skins who have no horns nor joints in their legs to bend withall but sleep by leaning unto trees like Elephants because when they are down on the ground they can never rise again But the truth is that they are like to Roes or Harts because Goats have no spotted skins but Deer have and there may easily be a slip from Caprea a Roe to Capra a Goat and Caesar himself confesseth that the similitude is in their spotted skins which are not competible in Goats but in Roes And whereas he writeth that they have no Horns the error of this relator may be this that either he had only seen a young one before the horns came forth or else an old one that had lately lost his horns and by this I suppose that the authority of Caesar is sufficiently answered so as we may proceed to the description of this Beast collected out of the ancient Writers Pausanias Vapiscus Caesar and Solinus Pliny and the later Writers consenting with them in all things excepting Caesar in the two things aforesaid Albertus Magnus Mathaeus Michuanus Seb Munster Erasmus Stella Iohannes Bonarus Baron of Balizce a Polonian Johannes Kentmannus Jo. Pontanus Antonius Schnebergerus Christophorus Wirsungus and that most worthy learned man Georgius Joachimus of Rhaetia and Baoron Sigismund Pausanias snpposeth it to be a Beast betwixt a Hart and a Camel and Albertus betwixt a Hart and a Horse who therefore as it hath been said calleth it Equi-cervus a Horse-Hart but I rather by the horns afterward described and by the foot which Bonarus had do take and hold it to be as big every way as two Harts and greater then a Horse because of the labour and qualities attributed thereunto whereunto also agreeth Albertus In Swedia and Riga they are tamed and put into Coaches or Charriots to draw men through great snows and upon the ice in the Winter time they also are most swift and will run more miles in one day then a Horse can at three They were wont to be presents for Princes because of their singular strength and swiftness for which cause Alciatus relateth in an emblem the answer of Alexander to one that asked him a question about celerity whether haste doth not alway make waste which Alexander denyed by the example of the Elk in these Verses Alciatae gentis insignia sustinet Alce Vnguibus meeden fert anaballomenos Constat Alexandrum sic respondisse roganti Qui tot obivisset tempore gesta brevi
of the earth It is a bold and audacious Beast enemy to all other except his own kinde drinking and sucking in the bloud of the Beast it biteth but eateth not the flesh When the Warrener setteth it down to hunt he first of all maketh a great noise to fray all the Conies that are abroad into their holes and so having frighted them pitcheth his Nets and then putteth his tame Ferret into the earth having a long string or cord with Bels about her neck whose mouth he muzzleth that so it may not bite the Cony but only terrifie her out of her borough and earth with her presence or claws which being performed she is by Dogs chased into the nets and there overwhelmed as is aforesaid in the history of the Conies Their body is longer for the proportion then their quantity may afford for I have seen them two spans long but very thin and small Their colour is variable sometime black and white on the belly but most commonly of a yellowish sandy colour like Hermeline or Wool dyed in urine The head little like a Mouses and therefore into whatsoever hole or chink she putteth it in all her body will easily follow after The eyes small but fiery like red hot iron and therefore she seeth most clearly in the dark Her voyce is a whyning cry neither doth she change it as a Cat She hath only two teeth in the neather chap standing out and not joyned or growing together The genital of the male is of a bony substance wherein Pliny and Scaliger agree with Cardan and Strabo for the Ictys also and therefore it alway standeth stiffe and is not lesser at one time then at other The pleasure of the sense in copulation is not in the yard or genital part but in the nerves muscles and tunicles wherein the said genital runneth When they are in copulation the female lyeth down or bendeth her knees and continually cryeth like a Cat either because the Male pincheth and claweth her skin with his sharp nails or else because of the rigidity of his genital And when the female desireth copulation except she be with convenient speed brought to a male or he suffered to come to her she swelleth and dyeth They are very fruitful in procreation for they bring forth seven or eight at a time bearing them in their little belly not above forty days The young ones newly littered are blinde 30 days together and within forty days after they can see they may be set to hunting The Noble men of France keep them for this pleasure who are greatly given to hunt Conies and they are sold there for a French crown Young boys and scholars also use them to put them into the holes of rocks and walls to hunt out birds and likewise into hollow trees where-out they bring the Birds in the claws of their feet They are nourished being tamed with Milk or with Barley bread and they can fast a very long time When they go they contract their long back and make it stand upright in the middle round like a bowl When they are touched they smell like a Martel and they sleep very much being wilde they live upon the bloud of Conies Hens Chickens Hares or other such things which they can finde and over-master In their sleep also they dream which appeareth by whyning and crying in their sleep Whereas a long fly called a Fryer flying to the flaming candles in the night is accounted among poysons the Antidote and resister thereof is by Pliny affirmed to be a Goats gall or liver mixed with a Ferret or wilde Weasil and the gall of Ferrets is held pretious against the poyson of Aspes although the flesh and teeth of a Ferret be accounted poyson Likewise the gall of a Ferret is commended against the Falling disease and not only the gall saith Marcellus but the whole body if it be rosted dressed and eaten fasting like a young pig It is said by Rasis and Albertus that if the head of a Wolf be hanged up in a Dove-cote neither Cat Ferret Weasil Stoat or other noysome Beast dare to enter therein These Ferrets are kept in little hutches in houses and there sed where they sleep much they are of a very hot temperature and constitution and therefore quickly digest their meat and being wilde by reason of their fear they rather seek their meat in the night then in the day time Of the FITCH or POUL-CAT THe difference of a Poul-Cat from the Wilde-Cat is because of her strong stinking savour and therefore is called Putorius of Putore because of his ill smell for all Weasils being incensed and provok't to wrath smell strongly and especially the Poul-Cat likewise when in the Spring time they endeavour procreation for which cause among the Germans when they would express an infamous Whore or Whoremaster they say they stink like an Iltis that is a Fitch or Poul-Cat The French call this Beast Putois and Poytois as it is to be found in Carolus Figulus the Savoyans Poutte 〈…〉 the Illyrians and Bohemians Tchorz and the Polonians Vudra and Scaliger calleth it in Latine Catum fuinam by another name then Putorius It is greater then an ordinary Weasil but lesser then the wilde Martel and yet commonly fatter the hairs of it are neither smooth and of one length or of one colour for the short hairs are somewhat yellowish and the long ones black so as one would think that in many places of the body there were spots of divers colours but yet about the mouth it is most ordinarily white The skin is stiff harsh and rugged in handling and therefore long lasting in Garments yet because the Beast is alway fat the savour of it is so rank that it is not in any great request and moreover it is said that it offendeth the head and procureth ach therein and therefore it is sold cheaper then a Fox skin and the fattest is alway the worst of all The Skinners approve the skins of Fitches and Martels best which are killed in Winter because their flesh and lust is much lower and therefore rendereth a less hurtfull smell then at other times The tail is not above two hands or palms long and therefore shorter then is a Martels In all other parts of the body it equalleth a Martell or exceedeth very little having thinner necks but larger and greater bellies the tail legs and breast are also of a blacker colour but the belly and sides more yellow Some have delivered that the left legs thereof are shorter then the right legs but this is found untrue by daily experience They keep in the tops of houses and secret corners delighting to kill and eat Hens and Chickens whose craft in devouring his prey is singular for to the intent that the silly creatures to be devoured may not bewray them to the House-keepers the first part that they lay hold upon with their mouths is the head of the Hen and
Cheese which the Writers call Tyropoeia and Virgil celebrateth the singular commendation both of the Wool and of the Milke in these Verses Haec quoque non cura nobis leviore tuenda Nec minor usus erit quamvis Milesia magno Vellera mutent ur Tyrios incocta rubores Densior hinc soboles hinc largi copia lactis Quo magis exhausto sâ—umauerit â—ubere mulctra Laeta magis pressis manabunt flumina mammis Nec minus interea barbas incanaque menta Cyniphii tondent hirci setasque comantes Vsum in Castrorum miseris velamina nautis Therefore their Milk is profitable for Butter although inferior to a Cows yet equal to a Sheeps and the herdsmen give their Goats salt before they be delivered of their young for this maketh them to abound in milk Others with Goats milk preserve their Wine from corruption by sowreness first they put into their Wine the twentyeth part so much as is of the Wine and so let it stand in the same vessell covered three or four dayes afterward they turn it into a sweet and fresh vessel and so it remaineth preserved from all annoyance of sowreness Cheeses made of Goats milk were wont to be called Velabrenses Casei because amongst the Romans they were made at Velabrum and that with smoak whereupon Martial made this Disttchon Non quemcunque focum nec fumum caseus omnem Sed Velabrensem qui bibit ipse sapit Aristotle and Julius Pollux do commend the Sicillan Cheese which was made of Sheep and Goats milke together and by Athenaeus it is called Caseus Tromilicus and by Simonides Stromilius In Khaetia of Helvetia there are excelent Cheeses made of Goats milk and Cow milk mixed together The milk also of a Goat mixed to a Womans milk is best for the nourishment of man because it is not too fat yet Galen saith if it be eaten without Hony Water and Salt it curdleth in the belly of a man like a Cheese and strangleth him and being so used it purgeth the belly from thence came the fiction of the Poets that Jupiter was noursed by a Goat and that afterward in his War against the Titanes or Giants he slew that Goat by the counsel of Themis and wore her skin for an armor and so having obtained victory placed the Goat among the Stars whereupon she was called Aix ourania a heavenly Goat and so Germanicus Caesar made this Verse upon him and Jupiter himself was called Aigiochus Illa putatur Nutrix esse Jovis si verè Jupiter infans Vbera Cretaeae suxit fidissima Caprae Sydere quae claro gratum testatur alumnum The flesh of male Goats is not wholesome for mans body but the flesh of a female in the Spring and Fall of the leaf by reason of the good nourishment may be eaten without danger They are worse then Bull-beef because they are sharper in concoction and hotter wherefore if they digest not well they increase melancholy The liver of a Goat being eaten doth bring the Falling sickness yet being salted a good space and then sod with Vine-branches or other such broad leaves to keep them asunder and some Wine poured into the Water when they almost sod they become are very which and delicate meat and theresore the Athenians praised the Lacaede 〈…〉 ans that in their feast sweet they called Copidae they slew a Goat and held it for a divine meat Also C 〈…〉 omachus an Academick of Carthage relateth of a certain Thebane Champion which excelled in strength all the Champions of his time and that he did eat continually Goats flesh for it is very strong and remaineth a long season in the body and doth much good being digested notwithstanding the strong and rank smell thereof otherwise it is dangerous as is already said therefore Fiera having commended the Kyd when he cometh to speak of the Goat he writeth thus Cum male olet siccat fit jam caper improbus absit Et cadat ante focos victima Bacche tuos But Pliny affirmeth that if a male Goat eat Barley bread or Parsneps washed the same day that he is killed then there is no poyson in his flesh the stones of a Buck goat resist concoction and beget evill humors in the body wherefore such a banquet is called in Greek Tragos Hulibertas for Goats after their copulation have an evill flesh not fat but dry and the remedy to make their flesh sweeter is to geld the male when he is young and tender for so his temperature is amended by a cold and moist constitution The Inhabitants of Portugal eat Goats flesh and account it delicate meat especially such as dwell in the Mountains In Germany they make of it a kinde of meat which is called Klobuusst and is prepared on this manner they take a Goats heart newly taken out of the body and slit it into small pieces and break six Egges upon it and the crums of white bread seasoned with spices and Saffron and so put into a bag and sod or roasted afterward they are served upon the table and strewed over with Kitchin Sugar The guts being salted are called Hilla which the French stuffe like puddings and call them Saulcisses from whence cometh our English Sawsadge of this sewet and fat of Goats are the best candles made because it is hard and not over liquid The bloud of a Goat hath an unspeakable property for it scoureth rusty iron better then a file it also softneth an Adamant stone and that which no fire is able to melt nor iron to break being of such an invincible nature that it contemneth all violent things yet is it dissolved by the warm bloud of a Goat The Load-stone draweth iron and the same being rubbed with garlick dyeth and loseth that property but being dipped again in Goats-bloud reviveth and recovereth the former nature Osthanes prescribeth for a remedy of love the urine of a Goat to be mingled with Spikenard and so drunk by him which is overcome with that passion assuring him thereby that they shall fall in as great loathing as ever before they were in loving With the hoofs of a Goat they drive away Serpents and also with the hairs by burning and perfuming them in the place where the Serpents lodge With the horns of Goats they make bows for in Delos there was dedicated the horn of a Goat which was two cubits long and a span and hereat ought no man to wonder for that noble Bow of Pandarus which Homer commendeth was made of a horn of a female Goat Affricanus declareth that in ancient time they made fruitful their Vine-yards by this means they took three horns of a female Goat and buryed them in the earth with their points or tops downward to the root of the Vine-stocks leaving the hollow tops standing a little out of the ground and so when the rain descended it filled the horns and soked to the root of the Vine
much of the gall of Buls just of the same weight and seethe it together and then lay it in the skin of the gall that it touch not the ground and drink it out of the water It is also good against the stinging of Scorpions being applied with Butter and the meal of Zea warmed and washed with red Wine The broath that is confected of Goats fat sodden is excellent for those that are troubled with the Ptisick to sup now and then a few also it helpeth the Cough being tempered with new sweet wine that an ounce may be put in a goblet and so mixed with a branch of Rue It being also sodden with husked Barley easeth those that have fretting in the guts The same also sodden with Barley flowre and Wine made of Pomgranates and Cheese let it be given to those that are troubled with the Bloudy flux and let them take it with the juice of husked Barly Rasis also saith that the fat of a fierce Lion is of such singular account that if a Glyster be made of it with the water of Barly sod either with the water of tosted meal and boyled Sunach and so dissolved with Wax it is a most pretious remedy for the swelling of the inwards But Goats fat doth much help the griefs of the inward parts that nothing cometh forth but cold water The fat of the Buck Goat many use being sod with bread and ashes against the Bloudy flux and also the She Goats fat being taken out of her back alone being a little cold and then supped up Other allow the fat to be sodden with Barly flower Cinnamon Annise and Vinegar mixed together The same fat taken so out of the back mixed with Barly Bran and Cinnamon Annise and Vinegar of each of them alike and seethe thereof and being strained give it the patient that is diseased with the Bloudy flux and it shall most speedily help him The same also mixed with Pellitory and Cyprian Wax may be laid to the Gowt Also sodden with Goats dung and Saffron and layed on the Gowt it asswageth the grief The marrow of the female Goat in the fourth place next after the marrow of the Hart the Calf and the Bull is commended of Dioscorides but the last of all is the Sheeps fat The Harts is most renowned of all next the Calves then the Buck Goats and last of all the female Goats To help the grief of the eye take the marrow of Goats and anoint your eyes and it will cure them Goats bloud sod with marrow may be taken against all toxical poison Pliny saith that their dung being anointed with Hony is good for the watering or dropping of the eys and their marrow against aches The bloud of Goats their marrow and their Liver is very good to ease the belly Goats bloud sodden with the marrow helpeth the Bloudy flux and those that have the Dropsie and I think that the Bucks is more effectual and of greater operation so it be eaten with Mastick Also the Goats marrow is good for the eyes of Horses The right horn of a Goat is of some held to be of more effect then the other which I rather hold to be superstitious whatsoever other reason or secret quality the Horn may afford for the bitings of Serpents take Goats horn and burn the hairs of them and the ashes of them soked in water and Goats milk with the horn and wilde Marjoram and three cups of Wine put together and being drunk against the stinging of an adder expelleth the poison The ashes of Goats horn being all anointed with Oil tempered with Mirtle stayeth the sweating of the body Harts horn and Goats being burned and if it be requisite is good to wash the teeth withal and it will make them look white and the gums soft It is also good against the Bloudy flux and watering of the eyes in regard they are most usual yet they neither asswage the griefes nor consume them which are of a cold and dry nature Harts horn being burnt as also a Goats horn taketh away bitings Goats dung or the horn being burnt to ashes and dipped in Vinegar stoppeth the bloud The corrupt bloud that cometh out of a Buck Goat is more effectual and of a better operation and the ashes of a Goats horn or dung soked in Wine or Vinegar and anoint the Nostrils stayeth bleeding at the Nose Goats horn being burned at the end and the pieces or scorchings that arise thereof must be shaken into a new vessel untill the horn be quite consumed then beat and bruise them with Vinegar made of Sea onions and anoint the evill called Saint Anthonies fire and it is of a miraculous operation It will make one sleep that is troubled with the weakness of his head and watching if it be laid under their pillow It being mixed with Bran and Oil of Mirtle it keepeth the hairs fast that are falling off the head The savour of the horn burned descrieth the Falling sickness so doth the smell of the intrails of a Goat or the Liver eaten likewise it raiseth up a Lethargick man They use also the horns of Harts and Goats to make white the teeth and to fasten the gums The same shorn or shaven into mixt hony represseth the flux of the belly In the pain of the belly perfume the shavings of the same mingled with Oil and burned Barly the same perfume is good to be laid upon the Ulcers of Horses The hoofs of Goats are prescribed by Palladius to be burned for the driving away of Serpents and the dust of them put into Vinegar cureth the Alopecias The dust of their hoofs is good to rub the teeth withall also to drive away the swellings in the disease called St. Anthonies fire burn the foot of the Goat with the horn and reserve the dust thereof in a box and when you will use it wet the place first with Wine and afterwards cast on the powder The juice of a Goats head sod with hair is commended for burstness in the belly and the ancient Magicians gave the brain of the Goats to little infants against the Falling sickness but pressed through a gold Ring the same cureth Carbunkles in the belly being taken with Hony If the body or head be rubbed with that water or meat which falleth out of the mouth of a Goat mingled with Hony and Salt they kill all kinde of Lice and the same thing giveth remedy to the pain of the belly but if it be taken overmuch it purgeth The broth of the entrails to be gargarized in the mouth cureth the exulceration of the tongue and arteries The Liver of the female Goat sod and eaten is given against the Falling evill and taketh from them Convulsion and with the liquor thereof after it is sod it is good to anoint the purblind eyes also it is good to hold the eyes open over it while it seetheth
fore-lock to the Mercurius there are contained eight inches the back-bone containeth three and thirty crosse ribs From the convulsion of the reins to the top of the tail are twelve commissures the length of his Sagula containeth also twelve inches from his shoulders to his legs six from his legs to his knees a foot in length from the Articles to the hoofs four inches in his whole length six feet And this is the stature of a couragious and middle Horse for I know there are both bigger and lesser The quality and the measure of the nerves or sinews is this from the middle nostrils through the head neck and back-bone is a dubble file or threed to the top of the tail which containeth twelve foot in length The two broad sinews in the neck do contain four-foot from the shoulders to the knees there are two sinews from the knee to the bottom of the foot there are four sinews in the fore-legs there are ten sinews in the hinder-legs there are other ten sinews from the reins to the stones there are four sinews so the whole number amounteth to thirty four Consequently the number of the veins is to be declared In the palat or roof of the mouth their are two veins under the eyes other two in the brest other two and in the legs other two four under the pasternes two in the ancles four in the crown of the pasternes four out of the thighes two out of the loins two out of the Gambaes one out of the rail and two in the womb or Matrix so the whole number is nine and twenty There are certain veins above the eyes which are divided in Horses wherein they are let bloud by making to them small incisions the bloud also is taken out of the veins in the palat or roof of the mouth There was an ancient custome of letting Horses bloud upon Saint Stevens day by reason of many holy dayes one succeeding another but that custom is now grown out of use Also some take bloud out of the Matrix veins but that is not to be admitted in Geldings because with their stones they lose a great part of their heat excepting extream necessity but out of the palat bloud may be let every moneth and stallions when they are kept from Mares if the vein of their mouths be opened fall into blindness although it is no good part of husbandry to let them bleed that year wherein they admit copulation for the vacuation of bloud and seed is a double charge to nature But the Organical vein of the neck is the best letting of bloud both in stoned and gelded Horses The later Leaches make incision in the great vein called Fontanella and in Inen Thymus or Jugulis The eyes of a Horses are great or glassie and it is reported by Augustus that his eyes were much more brighter then other mens resembling Horses these eyes see perfectly in the night yet their colour varieth as it doth in Men according to the caprine and glazie humour And some-times it falleth out that one and the same Horse hath two eyes of distinct colours When the eyes of a Horse hang outward he is called Exophthalmos Such fair eyes are best for Bucephalus the Horse of Alexander had such eyes but when the eyes hang inward they are called Coeloph-Thalmoi and the Parthians count them the best Horses whose eyes are of divers colours and are therefore called Heteroph Thalmoi because the breed of that Horse was said to take the beginning from the Parthians and the reason why the people loved not these Horses was because they were fearful and apt to run away in wars The ears of a Horse are tokens and notes of his stomach as a tail is to a Lion his teeth are changed yet they grow close together like a mans It is a hard thing for a Horse to have a good mouth except his stallion teeth be pulled out for when he is chafed or heated he cannot be held back by his rider but disdaineth the bridle wherefore after they be three year and a half old those teeth ought to be pulled forth In old age a Horses teeth grow whiter but in other creatures blacker A Mare hath two udders betwixt her thighes yet bringeth forth but one at a time many of the Mares have no paps at all but only they which are like their Dams In the heart of a Horse there is a little bone like as in an Oxe and a Mule he hath no gall like Mules and Asses and other whole-footed-beasts howsoever some say it lyeth in his belly and others that it cleaveth to his liver or to the gut-colon The small guts of a Horse lie near that gut that so one side of his belly may be free and full of passage and from hence it cometh that the best Horses when they run or travel hard have a noise or rumbling in their belly The Hip-bone of a Horse is called by some the haunch as the Arabians say the tail because therewith he driveth away flies is called Muscartum it ought to be long and full of hairs The legs are called Gambae of Campo signifying treading the hoofs of a Horse ought neither to be high nor very low neither ought the Horse to rest upon his anckles and those Horses which have straight bones in the Articles of their hinder knees set hard on the ground and weary the Rider but where the bones are short in the same places as they are in Dogs there the Horse also breaketh and woundeth one leg with another and therefore such Horses are called Cynopodae They have also quick flesh in their hoofs and their hoofs are sometimes called horns upon which for their better travel men have devised to fallen iron plates or shooes This hoof ought to be hard and hollow that the Beast may not be offended when he goeth upon stones they ought not to be white nor broad but almost kept moist that so they may travel the better having strong feet hard and sound hoofs for which cause the Graecians call them Eupodes Forasmuch as it is requisite for every man to provide him Horses of the best race and their kindes are divers in most places of the world so the coursers of Horses do many times beguile the simpler sort of buyers by lying and deceitful affirmation of the wrong Countreys of the best Horses which thing bringeth a confusion for there are as many kindes of Horses as Nations I will therefore declare severally the Countreys breeding the Horses for the Region and air maketh in them much alteration that so the Reader may in a short view see a muster of Horses made of all Nations The Wilderness of Acarnania and Etolia is as fit for feeding Horses as Thessaly The Horses of the Greeks Armenians and Trojans are fit for war of the Greckish I will speak more afterward Alexandria was wont to take great delight in Horses and combates of Horses Apollonius writeth
There be some that suppose the Venetians to descend from a people of Paphlagonia called Venetans which after the destruction of Troy came to these places and by these they make an argument conjecturing it to be good in regard they are wholly imployed about breeding Horses which at this time faileth altogether but in former days they were very careful to follow their business about the training up of young Mules whereof Homer writeth And Dionysius the Tyrant of Sicilia ordained that the breed of Horses should be fetcht from hence to make warlike combates with them that among the Graecians the excellency of the Venetian breed should remain and that a great while after that breed of Horses got the praise Vuallachus this day is called of the Saxons a gelded Horse and brought out of that Countrey which sometimes was called Dacia The Lycospaâ—es and Lycophotians shall be spoken of hereafter Of the choice of good Horses PAlladius adviseth to observe four things in choice of a Stallion Horse the form or outward proportion the colour the merit and the beauty all which are necessary to be observed in the choice of Colts or elder Horses that they may be of a generous race having soft legs lofty paces gently treading such as will lead the way and be not afraid of any water bridge or sudden noises having a gentle neck a sharp head a short belly a fat back a dapple colour nimble ears thick mane lying on the right side a double bone descending by his loins a sounding hoof and legs that cannot stand still which Virgil expresseth in these words Nec non pecori est idem delectus equino Tumodo quos in sp 〈…〉 statuis summittere gent is Praecipuum jam ind◠〈…〉 impende laborem Continuo pecoris genâ—â—â—sâ— pullus in arvis Altius ingreditur nulla crura reponit Primus ire viam fluvios tentare minâ—ces Audet ignoto sese committere ponti Nec vanos horret crepittus illa ardua cervix Aâ—gâ—tâ—mqâ—â— caput brevis alvus obesaque terga Luxuriatque toris animosum pectus honesti Spadices glaucique color deterrimus albis Et gilvo tum si qua sonum procul armadedere Starâ— loco nescit micat auribus 〈◊〉 emit artus Collectumque premens volvit sub naribus ignem Densa juba dextro jacta recumbit in armo At duplex agitur per lumbos spina cavatque Tellurem solido gravites sonat ungula cornu Varro sheweth that at the first foaling of a Colt a man may observe by certain signes how he will prove when he is in perfection for if he be chearful bold and not terrified at any strange sight if he run before the company be want on and contend with his equals in course and over-run them if he leap over a ditch go over a bridge or through water and being provoked appeareth meek these are the most true signes of an elegible Colt Also it is to be considered whether they rise quickly being stirred from their rest and run away speedily if their bodies be great long full of muscles and 〈…〉 arp having a little head black eyes open and wide nostrils sharp pricked ears a soft and broad neck not long a thick mane curled and falling on the right side a broad and full breast large shoulders and shoulder-bones round ribs a little belly a double back-bone or at the least not thin bunchy and extended his loins pressed downwards broad and well set little and small stones a long tail with curled hair high straight and equal legs round knees not great not bending inward round buttocks brawny and fleshy thighs high hard hollow and round hoofs well set to the crown of their pastern having veins conspicuous and apparent over all his body That Colt which at the time of his foaling hath the most highest legs is likeliest by common reason to prove most able and noble in his age for of all the joynts in the body the knees and legs grow least and they which have flexible joynts in their infancy will be more nimble and flexible in their age And thus much for the parts of a Colt Now in the next place we must likewise take consideration of a Horse untamed and ready for the saddle For the outward parts of his body saith Xenophon yeeld evident signification of his minde before he be backed Plato willeth that the state of his body be straight and articulate his head bony his cheeks little his eyes standing out and not sunk into his head flaming like bloud looking cruelly if the body be black but black eyes if the body be white do argue a gentler and better disposition short and little ear the crown of his head greater then the residue broad nostrils whereby he not only looketh more terribly but breatheth more easily for when one Horse is angry with another in their rage they are wont to stretch out their nostrils vehemently The beak or snowt of a Horse ought not to stand out like a Swines but to bend down a little crooked the head to be so joyned to the neck as it may bend more commodiously that is if the neck be small next to the head so will the neck stand before the rider and his eyes appear before his feet and although he be full of stomach yet will he never be violent or stiffe necked It ought also to be considered whether his cheek bones be sharp tender or unequal standing one above another for their imparity maketh the Horses neck to be hard and stubborn The back-bone above his shoulders higher commodious to set the saddle upon and his whole body the better compacted if the back-bone be double and smooth for then shall the Rider sit more easily and the form of the Horse appear more delectable A large breast sheweth his comeliness and strength making him fit to take longer reaches without doubling of his legs because in a broad breast the legs stand further asunder large side or ribs swelling out above the belly for they shew the ability of the Horse both to his food and work a round even belly and his loins being broad and short causeth the fore-legs to be lifted up more easily and the hinder-legs to follow for the small loins do not only deform but enfeeble and oppress the Horse therefore the loins ought to be double the ribs broad and fleshy agreeable to the breast and sides buttocks solid and broad with a long tail reaching down to the heels of his hinder-legs Thighs full of sinews the bones of his legs thick like posts of the whole body but that thickness ought neither to be of veins nor flesh for then they are quickly inflamed and wounded when they travel in rough and sharp waâ—s for if the flesh be cut a little the commissures part asunder and causeth the Horse to halt and above all other things have a regard to his feet and therein especially to his hoof for being thick
also received that a barren Mare shall conceive if you take a bunch of leeks bruised smal and put into a cup of Wine and twelve French flies called Cantharides in water put them two dayes together into the genital of a Mare like a Glyster and afterwards put her to a Horse anointing her secrets with the said ointment two several times when the Horse leaps down from her or else they take Niter Sparrows dung Rozen and Turpentine thrusting the same into the Mares genital whereby it hath been proved that fecundity oftentimes followed Also some use Siler of the Mountains to procure conception in Mares and Cowes and the true sign of conception is when their nature that is the fluent humour out of their secre s ceaseth for a moneth or two or three and Pliny saith that when a Mare is filled she changeth her colour and looketh more red which is to be understood not of her hair but of her skin lips and eyes her hair standing more full then before Then let them be separated from the males exempting them from moist places cold and labour for all these are enemies to her foaling and cause abortment Likewise they must not have too much meat nor too little but only a temperate diet and soft lodging their better ordering is elegantly described in Virgil by these Verses Non illas gravibus quisquam juga ducere plaustris Non saltu superare viam sit passus acri Carpere prata fuga fluviosque innare rapaces Salribus in vacuis pascant plena secundum Flumina muscus ubi viridissima gramine ripa Speluncaeque tegant saxea procubet umbra This is most certain that if a Woman in her flowers touch a Mare with foal or sometime do but see her it causeth to cast her foal if that purgation be the first after her Virginity In like manner if they smell of the snuffe of a Candle or eat Buck-mast or Gentian The Egyptians when they will describe a Woman suffering abortment they picture a Mare treading upon a Wolf for if a Mare kick at a Wolf or tread where a Wolf hath troad she casteth her foale If an Asse cover a Mare which a Horse hath formerly filled there followeth abortment but if a Horse cover a Mare which an Asse hath formerly filled there followeth no abortment because the Horses seed is hotter then the Asses If a Mare be sick of abortment or foaling Polypody mingled with warm water given her in a horn is a present remedy The Scythians when they perceive their Mares to be quick with foale they ride upon them holding opinion that thereby they cast forth their foales with lesse pain and difficulty They carry their young one in their wombs as hath been already said twelve moneths but sometimes they come at eleven moneths and ten dayes and those are commonly males for the males are sooner perfected in the womb then the females and commonly the females are foaled at twelve moneths and ten days and those which tarry longer are unprofitable and not worth education A Mare is most easily delivered of her young among other beasts and beareth most commonly but one at a time yet it hath been seen that twins hath proceeded from her At the time of her delivery she hath lesse purgation of bloud then so great a molde of body can afford and when she hath foaled she devoureth her seconds and also a thing that cleaveth to her foales forehead being a piece of black flesh called Hippomanes neither doth she suffer her young one to suck until she have eaten that for by smelling thereunto the young and old Horses or other of that kind would fall mad and this thing have the imposters of the world used for a Philtre or amorous cup to draw women to love them Virgil speaketh thus of it Quaeritur nascentis Equi de fronte tevulsus Et matris prareptus amor And again Hino demum Hippomanes vero quod nomine dicunt Pastores lentum distillat ab inguinevirus Hippomanes quod saepe malae legerenovercae Miscueruntque berbas non innoxia verba This poison made into a Candle Anaxilaus saith in the burning thereof there shall be a presentation of many monstrons Horses-heads There is very great poison contained in this Hippomanes for the Arcadian Phormis made a Horse of brasse at Olympia put Hippomanes into the same and if the Horses at any time seen this Brazen Horse they were so far inraged with lust that no halters or bands could hold them but breaking all run and leaped upon the said Brazen horse and although it wanted a tail yet would they forsake any beautiful Mare and run to cover it neither when they came unto it and found it by their heels to be sounding and hard brasse would not they despair of copulation but more and more with noise of mouth rage and endevor of body labour to leap upon the same although the slippery brasse gave them no admission or stay of abode upon the back of that substance neither could they be drawn from the said Brazen Image iuntill by the great strength and cruell stripes of the riders they were forcibly driven away Some think this little piece of flesh to cleave to the forehead others to the loins and many to the genitals but howsoever it is an unspeakable part of Gods providence to make the Mares belly a sepulchre for that poison for if it should remain in the males as in the females the whole race of Horses would utterly perish and be destroyed through rage of lust for which cause the keepers and breeders of Horses do diligently observe the time of their Mares foaling and instantly cut off the same from the Colt reserving it in the hoof of a Mare to procure the Stallions to carnal copulation and the Colt from which they cut this piece of flesh they sacrificed it for it is manifest saith Aelianus that the Mare will never love that foal from whence she hath not eaten and consumed this piece of flesh And this poison is not only powerful in brute beasts but also in reasonable men for if at any time by chance or ignorantly they tast hereof they likewise fall to be so mad and praecipitate in lust raging both with gestures and voice that they cast their lustful eyes upon every kind of Women attempting wheresoever they meet them to ravish or ingender with him and besides because of this oppression of their minde their body consumeth and fadeth away for three dayes after the Colt is soaled he can hardly touch the ground with his head It is not good to touch them for they are harmed by often handling only it is profitable that it be suffered with the dam in some warm and large stable so as neither it be vexed with cold nor in danger to be oppressed by the Mare through want of room Also their hoofs must be looked unto lest their dung sticking unto them burn
be then it is not well Secondly sickness is known by alteration of the quality as if it be too hot or too cold too moist or too dry Thirdly when the action of any member is hurt or letted as when the eye-sight is not perfect it is a manifest sign that the eye is evill affected or sick Likewise when there breedeth no good bloud in the body it is an evident token that the Liver is not well Fourthly sickness is known by the excrements that come from the Beast as by dung or stale for if his dung be too strong of sent full of whole Cornâ— or of Wormes too hard or too soft or evill coloured it is a token that he is not well in his body so likewise if his stale be too thick or too thin too white or too red it betokeneth some surfet raw digestion or else some grief in his reins bladder or stones But Vegetius saith that it is best known whether a Horse be sick or not or toward sickness by these signes here following for if he be more slow and heavie in his trotting or gallopping harder of Spur then he was wont to be or spreadeth his litter abroad with his feet often tumbling in the night season fetching his breath short and violently loud snuffling in the Nose and casting out vapors at his Nostrils or lyeth down immediately after his provender or maketh long draughts in his drinking or in the night season is now down and now on foot or if in the next morning he be very hot in his pasterns or betwixt his ears or that his ears hang more then they are wont to do again if his eye sight be dim and his eyes hollow in his head his hairs standing right up and his flanks hollow and empty whensoever two or three of these signes do concur together then it is to be thought saith Vegetius that the Horse is not well and therefore he would have him immediately to be separated from his companions that be whole and to be placed by himself untill his disease be perfectly known and cured and especially if it be any contagious disease I have seen divers Farriars here in England to use that for the trial of a Horses sickness which I never read in any Author that is to feel his stones whether they be hot or cold and tosmell at his nostrils and so by the savour thereof to judge what sickness the Horse hath Truly I think that no evill way if they can discern with their sense of smelling the diversity of savours that cometh out of his Nostrils and then aptly apply the same to the humours whereof such savours be bred and so orderly to seek out the originall cause of his sickness But I fear me that more Farriars smell without judgement then with such judgement and no marvell why sith that few or none be learned or have been brought up with skilful Masters But from henceforth I trust that my travail will cause such Farriars as can read and have some understanding already to be more diligent in seeking after knowledge then they have been heretofore whereby they shall be the better able to serve their Countrey and also to profit themselves with good fame whereas now for lack of knowledge they incur much slander Of the Fever and divers kinds thereof in a Horse I Think it will seem strange unto some to hear that a Horse should have an Ague or Fever but it was not strange unto the men of old time as to Absyrtus Hierocles Xenophon Vegetius and such like old Souldiers throughly experimented in Horses griefs A Fever according to the learned Physitians is an unnatural and immoderate heat which proceeding first from the heart spreadeth it self throughout all the arteries and veins of the body and so letteth the actions thereof Of Fevers there be three general kinds whereof the first is that which breedeth in the spirits being inflamed or heated more then their nature requireth The second breedeth in the humors being also distempered by heat The third in the firm parts of the body being continually hot What spirits and humors be hath been told you before in the keepers Office Of these three general kinds do spring many other special kinds as Quotidians Tertians Quartans Fevers Hectick and very many others whereunto mans body is subject whereof none of my Authors do treat unless Vegetius who speaketh somewhat of a Fever Quotidian of a Fever continual and also of a Fever accidental He speaketh also of Summer Autumn and Winter Fevers without making any great difference betwixt them more then that one is worse then another by reason of the time and season of the year so that in effect all is but one Fever Wherefore according unto Absyrtus opinion I will briefly shew you first the causes whereof it proceeds and then the signes how to know it and finally how to cure the same The Fever chanceth sometime by surfetting of extreme labour or exercise as of too much travelling and especially in hot weather of too swift gallopping and running and sometime by extreme heat of the Sun and also by extreme cold of the aire and sometime it breedeth of crudity or raw digestion which many times happeneth by over greedy eating of sweet green corn or of such provender as was not thoroughly dryed or cleansed for after such greedy eating and specially such meat never followeth perfect digestion The signes to know a Fever be these The Horse doth continually hold down his head and is not able to lift it up his eyes are even blown so as he cannot easily open them yea and many times they be watering the flesh of his lips and of all his body is lush and feeble his stones hang low his body is hot and his breath is very hot and strong he standeth weakly on his legs and in his going draweth them lasiely after him yea he cannot go but very softly and that staggering here and there he will lie down on his side and is not able to turn himself or to wallow he forsaketh his meat both hay and provender and is desirous of nothing but of drink which as Absyrtus saith is an assured token of a Fever he also sleepeth but little The cure and diet Let him bloud in the face and temples and also in the palat of his mouth and the first day give him no meat but only warm drink and that by little and little Afterward give him continually grasse or else very sweet hay wet in water and let him be kept warm and sometime walke him up and down fair and softly in a temperate air and then let him rest and when you see that he begins to amend give him by little and little at once Barley fair sifted and well sodden and also mundified that is to say the huske pulled away like as when you blanch Almonds Of divers sorts of Fevers according to Vegetius and first of that which continueth but one day THe Fever of
the use of his whole hand to the great grief of all his friends and also of all the Muses which were wont to be much delighted with such passing sweet musick as that his fine quavering hand could sometime make upon divers Instruments but especially upon the Virginals This Horse I say though he could eat his meat drink his drink and sleep yet if he were never so little offended he would take on like a spirit and both bite and strike at any man that came nigh him yea and would bite himself by the shoulders most terribly pulling away lumps of flesh so broad as a mans hand and whensoever he was ridden he was fain to be musled with a muslel of iron made of purpose to keep him from biting either of his Rider or of himself which no doubt proceeded of some kinde of frenzy or madness whereunto the Horse was subject by means that hot bloud as I take it abounded over-much in him But now as touching the causes signes and cure of Horses madness you shall hear the opinion of old Writers for Martin never took such cure in hand Absyrtus and the other Authors before mentioned say that the madness of a Horse cometh either by means of some extream heat taken by travelling or long standing in the hot Sun or else by eating over many fitches or by some hot bloud resorting to the panicles of the brain or through abundance of choler remaining in the veins or else by drinking of some very unwholesome water The signes be these he will bite the manger and his own body and run upon every man that comes nigh him he will continually shake his ears and stare with his eyes and some at the mouth and also as Hippocrates saith he will forsake his meat and pine himself with hunger The cure Cause him to be let bloud in his legs abundantly which is done as I take it to divert the bloud from his head Notwithstanding it were not amiss to let him bloud in the neck and brest veins Then give him this drink take the roots of wilde Cowcumber and boil it in harsh red Wine and put thereunto a little Nitre and give it him with a horn luke-warm or if you can get no Cowcumber then take Rue and Mints and boil them in the Wine it were not amiss also to add thereunto a handful of black Elleborus for that is a very good herb against madness Eumelius saith that if you give him mans dung in Wine to drink three mornings together it will heal him also to take of black Elleborus two or three handfuls and boil it in a sufficient quantity of strong Vinegar and therewith rub and chafe both his head and all his body once or twice a day for the oftner his head is rubbed the better and often exercise is very profitable to all his body Some again would have the skin of his body to be pierced in divers places with an hot iron to let out the evill humors but if none of all this will prevail then the last remedy is to geld him of both his stones or else of one at the least for either that will heal him or else nothing As touching the diet and usage of a mad Horse the Authors do not agree for some would have him kept in a close dark and quiet house void from all noise which as Absyrtus saith will either make him madder or else kill him out of hand His diet would be thin that is to say without any provender and that day that he is let bloud and receiveth his drink they would have him fast untill even and then to have a warm mash of Barley meal yea me thinks it were not amiss to feed him only with warm mashes and hay and that by a little at once untill he be somewhat recovered Another of the Head-ach THe Head-ach as most are opinionated proceedeth of cold and raw digestion the cure is Take a Goose feather anointed with Oyl-de-bay and thrust it up into the Horses nostrils to make him neese then take a wreath of Pease-straw or wet hay and putting fire thereunto hold it under the Horses nose so as the smoke may ascend up into his head then being thus perfumed take a knife and prick him in the palat of the mouth so that he may lick up and chaw his own bloud which done have great care in keeping his head warm and doubt not his recovery Of the Sleeping-evil THis is a disease forcing the Beast continually to sleep whether he will or not taking his memory and appetite clean away and therefore is called of the Physitians Lethargus it proceedeth of abundance of flegm moistning the brain overmuch It is easie to know it by the continual sleeping of the Horse The cure of this disease according to Pelagonius Vegetius and others is in this sort Let him bloud in the neck and then give him this drink Take of Camomile and Mother-wort of each two or three handfuls and boil them in a sufficient quantity of water and put thereunto a little Wheat-bran Salt and Vinegar and let him drink a pinte of that every day the space of three or four days together It is good also to perfume and chafe his head with Thyme and Pennyroyal sodden together in Vinegar or with Brimstone and feathers burned upon a chafingdish of coals under his nose and to provoke him to neese by blowing Pepper and Pyrethre beaten to powder up into his nostrils yea and to anoint the palate of his mouth with Honey and Mustard mingled together and in his drink which would be always warm water to put Parsley seed and Fennel seed to provoke urine His legs also would be bathed and his hoofs filled with Wheat-bran Salt and Vinegar sodden together and laid to so hot as he may endure it and in any case suffer him not to sleep but keep him waking and stirring by continual crying unto him or pricking him with some sharp thing that cannot pass through the skin or else by beating him with a whip and this doing he shall recover Another of the Sleeping-evill THe Sleeping-evill in a Horse differeth nothing from that which the Physitians call the Lethargy in men for it provoketh the Horse to sleep continually without desisting robbing his memory and appetite of their qualities the knowledge thereof is easily known by his drowsiness and the cure in this sort Let one stand by him and either with fearful noise or stripes perforce keep him waking then let him bloud under the eyes and in the neck and then take a leaf or two of the best Tobacco which being dryed and beaten to powder with a quill blow it up into his nostrils and give him to drink Vinegar Salt and Mustard mingled well together to which if you put a little Honey it shall not be amiss and also when he drinketh any water put thereto either Fennel-seeds Aniseeds or Pepper Of a Horse that is taken A Horse is said to
be taken when he is deprived of his feeling and moving so as he is able to stir no manner of way but remaineth in such state and form as he was taken in which disease is called of the Physitians by the Greek name Catalepsis and in Latine Deprehensio or Congelatio and of Vegetius Sideratio which also calleth those Beasts that have this disease Jumenta sideratitia The Physitians say that it cometh of abundance of phlegm and choler mixt together or else of melancholy bloud which is a cold dry humor oppressing the hinder parts of the brain But Vegetius saith that it comes of some extream outward cold striking suddenly into the empty veins or some extream heat or raw digestion or else of some great hunger caused by long fasting It is easie to know by the description before mentioned As touching the cure Vegetius saith that if it come of cold then it is good to give him to drink one ounce of Laserpitium with Wine and Oyl mixt together and made luke-warm if of heat then to give it him with Water and Honey if of crudity then to heal him by fasting if of hunger then by feeding him well with Pease But Martin saith that this disease is called of the French men Surprins and it cometh as he saith most chiefly of cold taken after heat and he wisheth a Horse that is thus taken to be cured in this sort First to be let bloud on both sides of the breast and then to be put in a heat either by continual stirring and molesting him or else if he will stir by no means then to bury him all save the head in a warm dunghill and there to let him ly untill his limbs have some feeling And before you so bury him it shall be good to give him this drink Take of Malmsie three pintes and put thereunto a quartern of Sugar and some Cinamon and Cloves and let him drink it good and warm and untill he be perfectly whole let him be kept warm and often exercised and walked up and down in the stable and thinly dieted and drink nothing but warm water wherein if you put some Fennel and Parsley seed to provoke him to urine it shall be the better And if he cannot dung let him be raked and have a Glyster made of the broth of Mallows and fresh Butter Another of a Horse that is taken A Horse which is bereft of his feeling moving or stirring is said to be taken and in sooth so he is in that he is arrested by so villainous a disease yet some Farryers not well understanding the ground of the disease conster the word taken to be stricken by some Planet or evill spirit which is false for it proceedeth of too great abundance of phlegm and choler symbolized together the cure is thus Let him bloud in his spur veins and his breast veins and then by foulding him in abundant number of cloaths drive him into an extream sweat during which time of his sweating let one chafe his legs with Oyl-de-bay then after he hath sweat the space of two hours abate his clothes moderately and throughly after he is dry anoint him all over with Oyl Petrolium and in twice or thrice dressing him he will be found Of the Staggers THis is a dizziness of the head called in Latine Vertigo and of the Italians as I remember Capistura It cometh of some corrupt bloud or gross and tough humors oppressing the brain from whence proceedeth a vaporous spirit dissolved by a weak heat which troubleth all the head The signes be these dimness of sight the reeling and staggering of the Horse who for very pain will thrust his head against the walls and forsake his meat The cure according to Martin is thus Let him bloud in the temple veins and then with a knife make an hole an inch long over-thwart his fore-head hard underneath his fore-top and raise the skin with a Cornet thrusting it upward towards the head-stale a good handful and then put in a tent dipt in Turpentine and Hogs grease molten together renewing the tent every day once untill it be whole and do the like upon the ridge of the rump but me thinks it were better to do the like in the powl of his head or nape of his neck for so should the evill humors have both ways the easier and speedier passage and as touching his diet let him have continually warm drink and mashes and once a day be walked up and down fair and softly to exercise his body Of the Staggers THe Staggers is a dizy disease breeding frenzy in a Horse which if it be not instantly helped is mortal the cure is thus Let him bloud in the temple veins and then apply to his temples cloth wet in the juyce of Garlike and Aqua vitae mixt together if you crush Garlike and put it in his ears it is excellent or if you slit his fore-head and loosening the skin from the bone taint is with Turpentine and Sallet-oyl it will undoubtedly help him Of the Failing-evil THis is a kinde of Convulsion or Cramp called of the Latines by the Greek name Epilepsia in Italian Il morbo caduco depriving the Beast at certain times and for a certain space of the use of feeling hearing and seeing and of all the other senses And although it be a disease hath been seldom seen to chance unto Horses of this Countrey yet it appeareth by Absyrtus and also by Vegetius and divers others that Horses he subject thereunto For Absyrtus writing to his friend Tiberius Claudius saith that unto Horses chanceth many times the Falling-sickness The signs whereof are these The Horse will fall down suddenly partly through the resolution of his members and partly through distension of his sinews and all his body will quiver and quake and sometime he will some at the mouth Vegetius again writeth in this sort By a certain course of the Moon Horses and other beasts many times do fall and dy for a time as well as men The signes whereof are these Being fallen their bodies will quiver and quake and their mouths will some and when a man would think that they would dy out of hand they rise suddenly up and fall to their meat And by feeling the gristle of their nostrils with your finger you shall know whether they will fall often or not for the more cold the gristle be the oftner and the less cold it be the seldomer they will fall The cure Let him bloud abundantly in the neck veins and within five days after let him bloud again in the temple veins and let him stand in a warm and dark stable and anoint all his body with comfortable Ointments and his head and ears with Oyl of Bay and liquid Pitch or Tar mingled together And also put some thereof into his ears and then make a Biggen for him of some sort warm skin as of a Sheeps skin or else of Canvas stuffed underneath
hath any Pearl growing in his eye or thin film covering the ball of his eye then Russius would have you take of Pumice stone of Tarturam and of sal Gemmâ— of each like weight and being beaten into very fine powder to blow a little of that in his eye continuing so to do every day once or twice untill he be whole Martin saith that he always used to blow a little Sandivoir into the eye once a day which simple he affirmeth to be of such force as it will break any Pearl or Web in short space and make the eye very clear and fair Russius amongst a number of other medicines praiseth most of all the powder of a black flint stone Of the Pin and Web and other dimness FOr to cure the Pin Web Pearl Film or other dimness use this means following Take of Sandivoir the powder of burnt Allum and the powder of black Flint-stone of each like quantity and once a day blow a little thereof into the Horses eye and it will wear away such imperfect matter and make the eye clear Of the Haw called of the Italians Ilunghia de gli occhi THis is a gristle covering sometime more then one half of the eye It proceedeth of gross and tough humors descending out of the head which Haw as Martin saith would be cut away in this sort First pull both the eye-lids open with two several threds stirched with a needle to either of the lids Then catch hold of the Haw with another needle and thred and pull it out so far as you may cut it round the bredth of a penny and leave the black behinde For by cutting away too much of the fat and black of the eye the Horse many times becometh blear-eyed And the Haw being clean taken away squirt a little white Wine or Beer into his eye Another of the Haw A Haw is a gross gristle growing under the eye of a Horse and covering more then one half of his sight which if he be suffered will in short time perish the eye the cure is thus Lay your thumb under his eye in the very hollow then with your finger pull down the lid and with a sharp needle and thred take hold of the Haw and plucking it out with a sharp knife cut it away the compass of a penny or more that done wash the eye with a little Beer Of Lunatich Eyes VEgetius writeth De oculo Lunatico but he sheweth neither cause nor signes thereof but only saith that the old men tearmed it so because it maketh the eye sometime to look as though it were covered with white and sometime clear Martin saith that the Horse that hath this disease is blinde at certain times of the Moon insomuch that he seeth almost nothing at all during that time and then his eyes will look yellowish yea and somewhat reddish which disease according to Martin is to be cured in this fort First use the platster mentioned before in the chapter of Waterish or Weeping eyes in such order as is there prescribed and then with a sharp knife make two slits on both sides of his head an inch long somewhat towards the nose a handful beneath the eyes not touching the vein and with a cornet loosen the skin upward the breadth of a groat and thrust therein a round peece of leather as broad as a two penny peece with a hole in the midst to keep the hole open and look to it once a day that the matter may not be stopped but continually run the space of ten days then take the leather out and healthe wound with a little flax dipt in the salve here following Take of Turpentine of Honey of Wax of each like quantity and boyl them together which being a little warmed will be liquid to serve your purpose and take not away the plaisters from the temples untill they fall away of themselves which being fallen then with a small hot drawing Iron make a star in the midst of each temple 〈…〉 where the plaister did ly Which star would have â—hole in the midst made with the button end of your drawing Iron Another of Lunatick or Moon-eyes OF these Lunatick eyes I have known divers they are blinde at certain times of the Moon they are very red fiery and full of film they come with over-riding and extraordinary heat and fury the cure of them is thus Lay upon the Temples of his head a plaister of Bitch Rozen and Mastick molten together very exceeding hot then with a little round Iron made for the purpose burn three or four holes an inch or more underneath his eyes and anoint those holes every day with Hogs grease then put it in his eyes every day with a little Honey and in short time he will recover his sight Of the Canker in the Eye THis cometh of a ranck and corrupt bloud descending from the head into the eye The signes You shall see red pimples some small and some great both within and without upon the eye-lids and all the eye will look red and be full of corrupt matter The cure according to Martin is thus First let him bloud on that side the neck that the eye is grieved the quantity of a pottle Then take of Roch Allum of green Copperas of each half a pound of white Copperas one ounce and boil them in three pintes of running water untill the half be consumed then take it from the fire and once a day wash his eye with this water being made luke-warm with a fine linnen cloth and cleanse the eye therewith so oft as it may look raw continuing thus to do every day untill it be whole Of diseases incident to the Ears and Poll of the head and first of aâ— Impostume in the Ear. IMpostumes breed either by reason of some blow or bruising or else of evill humors congealed in the ear by some extream cold the signes be apparent by the burning and painful swelling of the ear and part thereabout The cure according to Martin is in this sort First ripe the Impostume with this plaister Take of Linseed beaten into powder of Wheat flowre of each half a pinte of Honey a pinte of Hogs grease or Barrows grease one pound Warm all these things together in an earthen pot and stir them continually with a flat stick or slice untill they be throughly mingled and incorporated together and then spread some of this plaister being warm upon a peece of linnen cloth or soft white leather so broad as the swelling and no more and lay it warm unto it and so let it remain one whole day and then renew it with fresh Ointment continuing so to do untill it break then lance the sore so that it may have passage downward and tent it to the bottom with a tent of flax dipt in this Ointment Take of Mel Rosatum of Oyl Olive and Turpentine of each two ounces and mingle them together and make him a
another but betwixt every squirting give him liberty to hold down his head and to blow out the filthy matter for otherwise perhaps you may choke him And after this it shall be good also without holding up his head any more to wash and rub his nostrils with a fine clowt bound to a white sticks end and wet in the water aforesaid and serve him thus once a day untill he be whole Of bleeding at the Nose I Have seen Horses my self that have bled at the nose which have had neither sore nor ulcer in their nose and therefore I cannot choose but say with the Physitians that it cometh by means that the vein which endeth in that place is either opened broken or fettered It is opened many times by means that bloud aboundeth too much or for that it is too fine or too subtil and so pierceth through the vein Again it may be broken by some violent strain cut or blow And finally it may be fretted or gnawn through by the sharpness of some bloud or else of some other humor contained therein As touching the cure Martin saith it is good to take a pinte of red Wine and to put therein a quartern of Bole Armony beaten into fine powder and being made luke-warm to pour the one half thereof the first day into his nostril that bleedeth causing his head to be holden up so as the liquor may not fall out and the next day to give him the other half But if this prevaileth not then I for my part would cause him to be let bloud in the breast vein on the same side that he bleedeth at several times then take of Frankincense one ounce of Aloes half an ounce and beat them into powder and mingle them throughly with the whites of Egges untill it be so thick as Honey and with soâ—t Hares hair thrust it up into his nostril filling the hole so full as it cannot fall out or else fill his nostrils full of Asses dung or Hogs dung for either of them is excellent good to restrain any flux of bloud Of the bleeding at the Nose or to stanch Flux of bloud in any sort I Have known many Horses in great danger by bleeding and I have tryed divers remedies for the same yet have I not found any more certain then this take a spoonful or two of his bloud and put it in a Sawcer and set it upon a chafing dish of coals and let it boyl till it be all dryed up into powder then take that powder and if he bleed at the nose with a Cane or Quill blow the same up into his nostrils if his bleeding come of any wound or other accident then into the wound put the same powder which is a present remedy New Horse-dung or earth is a present remedy applyed to the bleeding place and so are Sage leaves bruised and put into the wound Of the diseases in the Mouth and first of the bloudy Rifts or Chops in the Palat of the Mouth THis disease is called of the Italians Palatina which as Laurentius Russius saith cometh by eating hay or provender that is full of pricking seeds which by continual pricking and fretting the furrows of the mouth do cause them to ranckle and to bleed corrupt and stinking matter which you shall quickly remedy as Martin saith by washing first the sore places with Vinegar and Salt and then by anointing the same with Honey Of the Bladders in a Horses mouth which our old Farriers were wont to call the Gigs The Italians call them Froncelle THese be little soft swellings or rather pustules with black heads growing in the inside of his lips next unto the great jaw-teeth which are so painful unto the Horse as they make him to let his meat fall out of his mouth or at the least to keep it in his mouth unchawed whereby the Horse prospereth not Russius saith that they come either by eating too much cold grass or else pricking dusty and filthy provender The cure whereof according to Martin is in this sort Slit them with a lancet and thrust out all the corruption and then wash the sore places with a little Vinegar and Salt or else with Allum water Of the Bladders in a Horses mouth SOme Horses will have bladders like paps growing in the inside of their lips next to their great teeth which are much painful the cure whereof is thus Take a sharp pair of shears and clip them away close to the gum and then wash the sore place with running water Allum and Honey boiled together till it be whole Of the Lampass THe Lampass called of the Italians Lampasous proceedeth of the abundance of bloud resorting to the first furrow of the mouth I mean that which is next unto the upper fore-teeth causing the said furrow to swell so high as the Horses teeth so as he cannot chew his meat but is forced to let it fall out of his mouth The remdy is to cut all the superfluous flesh away with a crooked hot iron made of purpose which every Smith can do Another of the Lampass THe Lampass is a thick spongy flesh growing over a Horses upper teeth hindering the conjunction of his chaps in such sort that he can hardly eat the cure is as follloweth Cut all that naughty flesh away with a hot iron and then rub the sore well with Salt which the most ignorant Smith can do sufficiently Of the Canker in the mouth THis disease as Martin saith is a rawness of the mouth and tongue which is full of blisters so as be cannot eat his meat Which proceeds of some unnatural heat coming from the stomach For the cure whereof take of Allum half a pound of Honey a quarter of a pinte of Columbinâ— leaves of Sage leaves of each a handful boyl all these together in three pintes of water untill a pinte be consumed and wash the sore places therewith so as it may bleed continuing so to do every day once untill it be whole Another of the Canker in the mouth THis disease proceedeth of divers causes as of unnatural heat of the stomach of foul feeding or of the rust or venome of some â—it oâ— snaâ—â—el undiscr 〈…〉 lookt unto The cure is thus Wash the sore place with warm Vinegar made thick with the powder of Allum two or three dayes together every time until it bleed which will kill the poison and vigor of the exulcerated matter then make this water Take of running water a quart of Allum four ounces of Hony four or five spoonfuls of Woodhine leaves of Sage leaves and of Columbine leaves of each half a handful boil all these together till one half he consumed then take it off and every day with the water warmed wash the sore until it be whole Of the heat in the mouth and lips SOmetime the heat that cometh out of the stomach breedeth no Canker but maketh the mouth hot and causeth the Horse to forsake
most good so that he go in a dry warm ground for by feeding alwayes downward he shall purge his head the better as Russius saith Thus much of the Glanders and mourning of the Chine Now we will speak somewhat of the Strangullion according to the opinion of the Authors though not to the satisfaction perhaps of our English Farriars Of the Strangullion or Squinancy THe Strangullion called of the Latines Anginae according to the Physitians is an inflamation of the inward parts of the throat and as I said before is called of the Greeks Cynanche which is as much to say in English as Strangling whereof this name Strangullion as I think is derived for this disease doth strangle every Man or Beast and therefore is numbred amongst the perillous and sharp diseases called of the Latines Morbi acuti of which strangling the Physiâ—ians in Mans body make four differences The first and worst is when no part within the mouth nor without appeareth manifestly to be inflamed and yet the patient is in great peril of strangling The second is when the inward parts of the throat only be inflamed The third is when the inward and outward parts of the throat be both inflamed The fourth is when the muscles of the neck are inflamed or the inward joynts thereof so loosened as they straiten thereby both the throat or wesand or wind-pipe for short breath is incident to all the four kinds before recited and they proceed all of one cause that is to say of some cholerick or bloudy fluxion which comes out of the branches of the throat veins into those parts and there breedeth some hot inflamation But now to prove that a Horse is subject to this disease you shall hear what Absyrtus Hierocles Vegetius and others do say Absyrtus writing to his friend a certain Farriar or Horse-leach called Aâ—storicus speaketh in this manner When a Horse hath the Strangullion it quickly killeth him the signes whereof be these His temples will be hollow his tongue will swell and hang out of his mouth his eyes also will be swollen and the passage of his throat stopt so as he can neither eat nor drink All these signes be also confirmed by Hiâ—rocles Moreover Vegetius rendereth the cause of this disease affirming that it proceedeth of aboundance of subtle bloud which after long travel will inflame the inward or outward muscles of the throat or wesand or such affluence of bloud may come by use of hot meate after great travel being so alterative as they cause those parts to swell in such sort as the Horse can neither eat nor drink nor draw his breath The cure according to Vegeâ—ius is in this sort First bathe his mouth and tongue in hot water and then anoint it with the gall of a Bull that done give him this drink Take of old Oyl two pound of old Wine a quart nine Figs and nine Leeks heads well stamped and brayed together And after you have boiled these a while before you strain them put thereunto a little Nitrum Alexandrinum and give him a quart of this every morning and evening Absyrtus and Hierocles would have you to let him bloud in the palace of his mouth and also to powre Wine and Oyl into his Nostrils and also give him to drink this decoction of Figs and Nitrum sodden together or else to anoint his throat within with Nitre Oil and Hony or else with Hony and Hogs dung mingled together which differeth not much from Galên his medicine to be given unto man For he saith that Hony mingled with the powder of Hogs dung that is white and swallowed down doth remedy the Squinancy presently Absyrtus also praiseth the ointment made of Bdellium and when the inflamation beginneth somewhat to decrease he saith it is good to purge the Horse by giving him wilde Cucumber and Nitre to drink Let his meat be grasse if it may be gotten or else wet hay and sprinkled with Nitre Let his drink also be lukewarm water with some Barley meal in it Of the Cough OF Coughs some be outward and some be inward Those be outward which do come of outward causes as by eating a feather or by eating dusty or sharp straw and such like things which tickling his throat causeth him to cough you shall perceive it by wagging and wrying his head in his coughing and by stamping sometime with his foot labouring to get out the thing that grieveth him and cannot The cure according to Martin is thus Take a Willow wand rolled throughout with a fine linnen clout and then anoint it all over with Hony and thrust it down his throat drawing your hand to and fro to the intent it may either drive down the thing that grieveth him or else bring it up and do this twice or thrice anointing every time the stick with fresh Hony Of the inward and wet Cough OF inward Coughs some be wet and some be dry The wet Cough is that cometh of cold taken after some great heat given to the Horse dissolving humors which being afterward congealed do cause obstruction and stopping in the Lungs And I call it the wet Cough because the Horse in his coughing will void moist matter at his mouth after that it is once broken The signes be these The Horse will be heavie and his eyes will run with water and he will forsake his meat and when he cougheth he thrusteth out his head and reacheth with great pain at the first as though he had a dry Cough untill the fleam be broken and then he will cough more hollow which is a signe of amendment And therefore according to Martins experience to the intent the fleam may break the sooner it shall be necessary to keep him warm by clothing him with a double cloth and by littering him up to the belly with fresh straw and then to give him this drink Take of Barley one peck and boyl it in two or three gallons of fair water untill the Barley begin to burst and boyl therewith of bruised Licoras of Anise seeds or Raisins of each one pound then strain it and to that liquor put of Hony a pinte and a quartern of Sugarcandy and keep it close in a pot to serve the Horse therewith four several mornings and cast not away the sodden Barley with the rest of the strainings but make it hot every day to perfume the Horse withal being put in a bag and â—ied to his head and if the Horse will eat of it it shall do him the more good And this perfuming in Winter season would be used about ten of the clock in the morning when the Sun is of some height to the intent the Horse may be walked abroad if the Sun shine to exercise him moderately And untill his Cough wear away fail not to give him warm water with a little ground Mault And as his Cough breaketh more and more so let his 〈◊〉 every day be lesse warmed then other Of the dry Cough THis seemeth
cloth and then put thereunto of Sugar one pound of Cinamon two ounces of Conserve of Roses of Barberries of Cherries of each two ounces and mingle them together and give the Horse every day in the morning a quart thereof luke warm untill all be spent and after every time he drinketh let him be walked up and down in the stable or else abroad if the weather be warm and not windy and let him neither eat nor drink in two hours after and let him drink no cold water but luke-warm the space of fifteen days and let him be fed by little and little with such meat as the Horse hath most appetite unto But if the Horse he nesh and tender and so wax lean without any apparent grief or disease then the old Writers would have him to be fed now and then with parched Wheat and also to drink Wine with his water and eat continually Wheat-bran mingled with his provender untill he wax strong and he must be often dressed and trimmed and ly soft without the which things his meat will do him but little good And his meat must be fine and clean and given often and by little at once Russius saith that if a Horse eating his meat with good appetite doth not for all that prosper but is still lean then it is good to give him Sage Savin Bay-berries Earth-nuts and Boares-grease to drink with Wine or to give him the intrails of a Barbel or Tench with white Wine He saith also that sodden Beans mingled with Bran and Salt will make a lean Horse fat in very short space Of grief in the Breast LAurentius Russius writeth of a disease called in Italian Gravezza di petto which hath not been in experience amongst our Farriers that I can learn It comes as Russius saith of the superfluity of bloud or other humors dissolved by some extream heat and resorting down the breast paining the Horse so as he cannot well go The cure whereof according to Russius is thus Let him bloud on both sides of the breast in the accustomed veins and rowel him under the breast and twice a day turn the rowels with your hand to move the humors that they may issue forth and let him go so roweled the space of fifteen days Of the pain in the Heart called Anticor that is to say contrary to the Heart THis proceedeth of abundance of ranck bloud bred with good feeding and over much rest which bloud resorting to the inward parts doth suffocate the heart and many times causeth swellings to appear before the brest which will grow upward to the neck and then it killeth the Horse The signes The Horse will hang down his head in the manger for saking his meat and is not able to lift up his head The cure according to Martin is thus Let him bloud on both sides abundantly in the plat veins and then give him this drink Take a quart of Malmsie and put thereunto half a quartern of Sugar and two ounces of Cinamon and give it him luke-warm then keep him warm in the stable stuffing him well about the stomach that the wind offend him no manner of way and give him warm water with mault always to drink and give him such meat as he will eat And if the swelling do appear then besides letting him bloud strike the swelling in divers places with your fleam that the corruption may go forth and anoint the place with warm Hogs grease and that will either make it to wear away or else to grow to a head if it be covered and kept warm Of tired Horses BEcause we are in hand here with the vital parts and that when the Horses be tired with over-much labour their vital spirits wax feeble I think it best to speak of them even here not with long discoursing as Vegetius useth but briefly to shew you how to refresh the poor Horse having need thereof which is done chiefly by giving him rest warmth and good feeding as with warm mashes and plenty of provender And to quicken his spirits it shall be gâ—od to pour a little Oyl and Vinegar into his nostrils and to give him the drink of Sheeps heads recited before in the Chapter of Consumption of the flesh yea and also to bath his legs with this bath Take of Mallows of Sage of each two or three handfuls and of a Rose-cake boil these things together and being boyled then put unto it a good quantity of Butter or of Sallet-oyl Or else make him this charge Take of Bole Armony and of Wheat-flowre of each half a pound and a little Rozen beaten into powder and a quart of strong Vinegar and mingle them together and cover all his legs therewith and if it be Summer turn him to grass Of the diseased parts under the Midriff and first of the Stomach THe old Authors make mention of many diâ—eases incident to a Horses stomach as loathing of meat spewing up his drink surfeting of provender the hungry evil and such like which few of our Farriers have observed and therefore I will briefly speak of as many as I think necessary to be known and first of the loathing of meat Of the loathing of Meat A Horse may loath his meat through the intemperature of his stomach as for that it is too hot or too cold If his stomach be too hot then most commonly it will either inflame his mouth and make it to break out in blisters yea and perhaps cause some Cancker to breed there The cure of all which things hath been taught before But if he forsake his meat only for very heat which you shall perceive by the hotness of his breath and mouth then cool his stomach by giving him cold water mingled with a little Vinegar and Oyl to drink or else give him this drink Take of Milk and of Wine of each one pinte and put thereunto three ounces of Mel Rosatum and wash all his mouth with Vinegar and Salt If his stomach be too cold then his hair will stare and stand right up which Absyrtus and others were wont to cure by giving the Horse good Wine and Oyl to drink and some would seethe in Wine Rew or Sage some would adde thereunto white Pepper and Myrrhe some would give him Onyons and Rocket-seed to drink with Wine Again there be other some which prescribe the bloud of a young Sow with old Wine Absyrtus would have the Horse to eat the green blades of Wheat if the time of the year will serve for it Columella saith that if a Horse or any other Beast do loath his meat it is good to give him Wine and the seed of Gith or else Wine and stampt Garlick Of casting out his Drink VEgetius saith that the Horse may have such a Palsie proceeding of cold in his stomach as he is not able to keep his drink but many times to cast it out again at his mouth The remedy whereof is to let him bloud in the neck and to
the inside suffering him not to bleed from above but all from beneath Of the Foundering in the Fore-legs THe cause of this grief is declared before in the Chapter of foundering in the body whereas I shewed you that if a Horse be foundered in the body the humors will immediately resort down into his legs as Martin saith within the space of 24 hours and then the Horse will go crouching all upon the hinder-legs his fore-legs being so stiffe as he is not able to bow them The cure whereof according to Martin is in this sort Garter each leg immediately one handful above the knee with a list good and hard and then walk him or chafe him and so put him in a heat and being some-what warmed let him bloud in both the breast veins reserving the bloud to make a charge withall in this manner Take of that bloud two quarts and of Wheat-flowre half a peck and six Egges shels and all of Bole Armony half a pound of Sanguis Draconis half a quartern and a quart of strong Vinegar mingle them all together and charge all his shoulders breast back loyns and fore-legs therewith and then walk him upon some hard ground suffering him not to stand still and when the charge is dry refresh it again And having walked him three or four hours together lead him into the stable and give him a little warm water with ground Mault in it and then a little Hay and provender and then walk him again either in the house or else abroad and continue thus the space of four days and when all the charge is spent cover him well with a housing cloth and let him both stand and lie warm and eat but little meat during the four days But if you see that at four days end he mendeth not a whit then it is a sign that the humor lies in the foot for the which you must search with your Butter paring all the soles of the fore-feet so thin as you shall see the water issue through the sole That done with your Butter let him bloud at both the toes and let him bleed well Then stop the vein with a little Hogs grease and then tack on the shooes and Turpentine molten together and laid upon a little Flax and cram the place where you did let him bloud hard with Tow to the intent it may be surely stopt Then fill both his feet with Hogs grease and bran fryed together in a stopping pan so hot as is possible And upon the stopping clap a piece of leather or else two splents to keep the stopping And immediately after this take two Egges beat them in a dish and put thereto Bole Armony and Bean-flowre so much as will thicken the same and mingle them well together and make thereof two plaisters such as may close each foot round about somewhat above the cronet and binde it fast with a list or roller that it may not fall away not be removed for the space of three days but let the sole be cleansed and new stopped every day once and the cronets to be removed every two days continuing so to do untill it be whole Dating which time let him rest walked for fear of loosening his hoofs But if you see that he begin to amend you may walk him fair and softly once a day upon some soft ground to exercise his legs and feet and let him not eat much nor drink cold water But if this fundering break out above the hoof which you shall perceive by the looseness of the coffin above by the cronet then when you pare the sole you must take all the fore-part of the sole clean away leaving the heels whole to the intent the humors may have the freer passage downward and then stop him and dress him about the cronet as is before said Of Foundring OF all other sorances foundering is soonest got and hardlyest cured yet if it may be perceived in twenty four hours and taken in hand by this means hereafter prescribed it shall be cured in other twenty and four hours notwithstanding the same reâ—eit hath cured a Horse that hath been foundered a year and more but then it was longer in bringing it to pass Foundering cometh when a Horse is heated being in his grease and very fat and taketh thereon a sudden cold which striketh down into his legs and taketh away the use and feeling thereof The sign to know it is the Horse cannot go but will stand cripling with all his four legs together if you offer to turn him he will couch his buttocks to the ground and some Horses have I seen sit on their buttocks to feed The cure is thus Let him bloud of his two breast veins of his two shackle veins and of his two veins above the cronets of his hinder hoofs if the veins will bleed take from them three pintes at least if they will not bleed then open his neck vein and take so much from thence Save the blood and let one stand by and stir it as he bleeds lest it grow into lumps when he hath done bleeding take as much Wheat flowre as will thicken the blood the whites of twenty Egges and three or four yolks then take a good quantity of Bolearminack and a pinte of strong Vinegar incorporate all these well together and withal charge his back neck head and ears then take two long rags of cloth and dip in the same charge and withal garter him so strait as may be above both his knees of his forelegs then let his keeper take him out to some stony causie or high-way paved with stone and there one following him with a cudgel let him trot up and down for the space of an hour or two or more that done set him up and give him some meat and for his drink let him have a warm mash some three or four hours after this take off his garters and set him in some pond of water up to the mid-side and so let him stand for two hours then take him out and set him up the next day pull off his shooes and pare his feet very thin and let him blood both of his heels and toes then set on his shooes again and stop them with Hogs grease and bran boiling hot and splint them up and so turn him out to run and he shall be sound Of the splent as well in the inside or outside of the knee as other where in the Legs THis sorance to any mans feeling is a very gristle sometime as big as a Walnut and sometime no more then a Hasel-nut which is called of the Italians Spinella and it cometh as Laurentius Russius saith by travelling the Horse too young or by oppressing him with heavie burthens offending his tender sinews and so causeth him to halt It is easie to know because it is apparent to the eye and if you pinch it with your thumb and finger the Horse will shrink up his leg The cure whereof according to
tacking on the shooes again stop the hoofs with Bran and Hogs grease boyled together and let both his feet having this geer in it be wrapped up in a cloth even to his pasterns and there tie the clout fast Let his diet be thin and let him drink no cold water and give him in Winter wet hay and in Summer grasse Of the dry Spaven THe dry Spaven called of the Italians Spavano or Sparavagno is a great hard knob as big as a Walnut growing in the inside of the hough hard under the joynt nigh unto the master vein and causeth the Horse to halt which sorance cometh by kinde because the Horses Parents perhaps had the like disease at the time of his generation and sometime by extreme labor and heat dissolving humors which do descend through the master vein continually feeding that place with evil nutriment and causeth that place to swell Which swelling in continuance of time becometh so hard as a bone and therefore is called of some the Bone Spaven It needeth no signes or tokens to know it because it is very much apparent to the eye and therefore most Farriers do take it to be incurable Notwithstanding Martin saith that it may be made lesse with these remedies here following Wash it with warm water and shave off the hair so far as the swelling extendeth and scarifie the place so as it may bleed then take of Cantharides one dozen of Euforbium half a spoonful break them into powder and boyl them together with a little Oyl-de-bay and with two or three feathers bound together put it boyling hot upon the sore and let his tail be tyed up for wiping away the medicine and then within half an hour after set him up in the stable and tie him so as he may not lie down all the night for fear of rubbing off the medicine and the next day anoint it with fresh butter continuing thus to do every day once the space of five or six days and when the hair is grown again draw the sore place with a hot Iron then take another hot sharp Iron like a Bodkin somewhat bowing at the point and thrust it in at the neather end of the middle line and so upward betwixt the skin and the flesh to the compasse of an inch and a half And then tent it with a little Turpentine and Hogs grease moulten together and made warm renewing it every day once the space of nine dayes But remember first immediately after his burning to take up the master vein suffering him to bleed a little from above and tie up the upper end of the vein and leave the neather end open to the intent that he may bleed from beneath until it cease it self and that shall diminish the Spaven or else nothing will do it Of the Spaven both bone and bloud DOubtless a Spaven is an evill sorance and causeth a Horse to halt principally in the beginning of his grief it appeareth on the hinder-legs within and against the joynt and it will be a little swoln and some Horses have a thorough Spaven which appeareth both within and without Of the Spaven there are two kindes the one hard and the other soft that is a Bone-Spaven and a Bloud-Spaven for the Bone-Spaven I hold it hard to cure and therefore the lesse necessary to be dealt withal except very great occasion urge and thus it may be holpen Cast the Horse and with a hot Iron slit the flesh that covereth the Spaven and then lay upon the Spaven Cantharides and Euforbium boyled together in Oyl-de-bay and anoint his legs round about either with the Oyl of Roses and with Vnguentum album camphiratum Dresse him thus for three dayes together then afterward take it away and for three dayes more lay unto it only upon flax and unsleck't Lime then afterward dresse it with Tar until it be whole The Cantharides and Euforbium will eat and kill the spungy bone the Lime will bring it clean away and the Tar will suck out the poison and heal all up sound but this cure is dangerous for if the incision be done by an unskilful man and he either by ignorance or by the swarving of his hand burn in twain the great vein that runs crosse the Spaven then the Horse is spoiled Now for the bloud Spaven that is easily helpt for I have known divers which have been but newly beginning helpt only by taking up the Spaven vein and letting it bleed well beneath and then stop the wound with Sage and Salt but if it be a great bloud Spaven then with a sharp knife cut it as you burnt the bone Spaven and take the Spaven away then heal it up with Hogs grease and Turpentine only Of the wet Spaven or through Spaven THis is a soft swelling growing on both sides of the hough and seems to go clean through the hough and therefore may be called a through Spaven But for the most part the swelling is on the inside because it is continually fed of the master vein and is greater then the swelling on the outside The Italians call this sorance Lâ—ierda or Gierdone which seemeth to come of a more fluxible humour and not so viscous or slimy as the other Spaven doth and therefore this waxeth not so hard nor groweth to the nature of a bone as the other doth and this is more curable then the other It needs no signes because it is apparent to the eye and easie to know by the description thereof before made The cure according to Martin is thus First wash shave and scarifie the place as before then take of Cantharides half an ounce of Euforbium an ounce broken to powder and Oyl-de-bay one ounce mingle them well together cold without boyling them and dresse the sore therewith two dayes together and every day after until the hair be grown again anoint it with fresh Butter Then fire him both without and within as before without tenting him and immediately take up the master vein as before and then for the space of nine dayes anoint him every day once with Butter until the fired place begin to scale and then wash it with this bath Take of Mallowes three handfuls of Sage one handful and as much of red Nettles boyl them in water until they be soft and put thereunto a little fresh Butter and bathe the place every day once for the space of three or four dayes and until the burning be whole let the Horse come in no wet Of the Selander THis is a kinde of Scab breeding in the ham which is the bent of the hough and is like in all points to the Malander proceeding of like causes and requireth like cure and therefore resort to the Malander Of the hough bony or hard knob THis is a round swelling bony like a Paris ball growing upon the tip or elbow of the hough and therefore I thought good to call it the hough-bony This sorance cometh of some stripe or bruise and
attributeth this to her right foot The like is attributed to a Sea-calf and the fish Hyaena and therefore the old Magicians by reason of this exanimating property did not a little glory in these beasts as if they had been taught by them to exercise Diabolical and praestigious incantation whereby they deprived men of sense motion and reason They are great enemies to men and for this cause Solinus reporteth of them that by secret accustoming themselves to houses or yards where Carpenters or such Mechanicks work they learn to call their names and so will come being an hungred and call one of them with a distinct and articulate voice whereby he causeth the man many times to forsake his work and go to see the person calling him but the subtile Hyaena goeth further off and so by calling allureth him from help of company and afterward when she seeth time devoureth him and for this cause her proper Epithet is Aemula â—â—cis Voyce-counterfeiter There is also great hatred betwixt a Pardall and this Beast for if after death their skins be mingled together the hair falleth off from the Pardals skin but not from the Hyaenaes and therefore when the Egyptians describe a superiour man overcome by an inferiour they picture these two skins and so greatly are they afraid of Hyaenaes that they run from all beasts creatures and plaâ—es whereon any part of their skin is fastened And Aelianus saith that the Ibis bird which liveth upon Serpents is killed by the gall of an Hyaena He that will go safely through the mountains or places of this beasts abode Rasis and Allertus say that he must carry in his hand a root of Colloquintida It is also believed that if a man compasse his ground about with the skin of a Crocodile an Hyaena or a Sea-calf and hang it up in the gates or gaps thereof the fruits enclosed shall â—ot be molested with hail or lightning And for this cause Mariners were wont to cover the tops of their sails with the skins of this Beast or of the Sea-calf and Horns saith that a man clothed with this skin may passe without fear or danger through the middest of his enemies for which occasion the Egyptians do picture the skin of an Hyaena to signifie fearless audacity Neither have the Magicians any reason to ascribe this to any praestigious enchantment seeing that a Fig-tree also is never oppressed with hail nor lightning And the true cause thereof is assigned by the Philosophers to be the bitterness of it for the influence of the heavens hath no destructive operation upon bitter but upon sweet things and there is nothing sweet in a Fig tree but only the fruit Also Columella writeth that if a man put three bushels of â—eed grain into the â—kin of this Beast and afterward sow the same without all controversie it will arise with much encrease G 〈…〉 worn in an Hyaenaes skin seven dayes instead of an Amulet is very soveraign against the biting of mad dogs And likewise if a man hold the tongue of an Hyaena in his hand there 〈◊〉 Dog that dareth to seize upon him The skin of the forehead or the bloud of this Beast resisteth all kinde of Witchcraft and Incantation Likewise Pliny writeth that the hairs layed to Womens lips maketh them amorous And so great is the vanity of the Magicians that they are not ashamed to affirm that by the tooth of the upper jaw of this Beast on the right side bound unto a mans arme or any part thereof he shall never be molested with Dart or Arrow Likewise they say that by the genital of this beast and the Article of the back-bone which is called Atlantios with the skin cleaving unto it preserved in a House keepeth the family in continual concord and above all other if a man carry about him the smallest and extreme gut of his intrails he shall not only be delivered from the Tyrany of the higher powers but also foreknow the successe and event of his petitions and sutes in Law If his left foot and nails be bound up together in a Linnen bag and so fastened unto the right arme of a Man he shall never forget whatsoever he hath heard or knoweth And if he cut off the right foot with the left hand and wear the same whosoever seeth him shall fall in love with him besides the Beast Also the marrow of the right foot is profitable for a Woman that loveth not her Husband if it be put into her nostrils And with the powder of the left claw they which are anointed therewith it being first of all decocted in the bloud of a Weasil do fall into the hatred of all men And if the nails of any beast be found in his maw after he is Ilain it signifieth the death of some of his hunters And to conclude such is the folly of the Magiâ—ians that they believe the transmigration of souls not only out of one man into another but also of man into beasts And therefore they affirm that their men Symis and religious votaries departing life send their souls into Lions and the religious women into Hyaenaes The excrements or bones coming out of the excrements when it is killed are thought to have virtue in them against Magical incantations And Democritus writeth that in Cappadocia and Mesia by the eating of the hearb Therionarcha all wilde beasts fall into a deadly sleep and cannot be recovered but by the aspersion of the urine of this beast And thus much for the first kinde now followeth the second The Second kinde of HYAENA called Papio or Dabuh THis Beast aboundeth near Caesarea in quantity resembling a Fox but in wit and disposition Wolf the fashion is being gathered together for one of them to go before the flock 〈…〉 or howling and all the rest answering him with correspondent tune In hair it resembleth a 〈◊〉 and their voices are so shrill and sounding that although they be very remote and far off yet do men hear them as if they were hard by And when one of them is slain the residue flock about his carcase howling like as they made funeral lamentation for the dead When they grow to be very hungry by the constraint of famine they enter into Graves of men â—nd eat their dead bodies Yet is their flesh in Syria Damascus and Berâ—tus eaten by men It is â—alled also Randelos Abenâ—â—m Aldabha Dabha Dabah and Dhoboha which are derived from the He 〈…〉 ew word Deeb or Deeba Dabuh is the Arabian name and the Africans call him Lesâ—ph his feet and 〈…〉 gs are like to a mans neither is it hurtful to other Beasts being a base and simple creature The 〈…〉 olour of it is like a Bear and therefore I judge it to be Aâ—â—â—oâ—â—on which is ingendered of a Bear and 〈◊〉 Dog and they bark only in the night time They are exceedingly delighted with Musick such 〈◊〉 is
dwell with the Lamb and the Pardal Libbard and Panther shall lie with the Kid. So in the vision of Daniel chap. 7. among the four beasts comming out of the Sea the Prophet seeth Nameâ— a Leopard In the 13 Revel of 8. John he seeth another Beast rising out of the Sea having ten horns and he saith it was like Pardalet which Erasmus translateth Pardo a Leopard Jeâ— 5 Pardus Nameâ— vigilat super civâ—â—atem eorum ut omnen inde â—gâ—â—dientem dâ—â—ceâ—pat That is a Panther or Pardal watcheth at the gates of the City that he may tear in pieces every one that cometh forth Factus sum eis sicut Leo sicut Pardus sicut Namer directus ad viam suam For Namer in that place the Graecians translate Pardalis a Pardal In the 13. Jer. Si muâ—are potest Aethiops 〈◊〉 suam â—ut Pardus maculas suas vos poteritis beâ—e facere cum diuiceritis malum If the Blackmoore can change his skin or the Leopard his spots theâ— may you do well which have learned to do ill Cant 14. Coronabâ—â—is de vertice Siner Hermon de cubilibus Leonum de montibus Pardorum That is Thou shalt be crowned from the top of Siner and Hermon from the dens of the Lions and the Mountains of the Leopards Now according to Brocardus the Mountain of the Leopards is distant from Tripolis in the holy lan 〈…〉 two leagues Raâ—â—s and Avicen two Arabians do call the Panther and Leopard by one name Alpheth or Alphil so that by comparing all these together the Panther Pardal Libbard and Leopard are but one Beast called by divers names For the farther manifesting hereof it is good to examin what is said of the Pardal and Leopard in particular that so having expressed that it may be clear by the discourse succeeding that there is no difference betwixt them and the Panther or very small First of all therefore it is said of the Pardus that it differeth not from the Panther but only in sex and that the skin hath received a natural tincture of divers spots Aristotle writeth thus of it Cutis Chamaeleontis distincta mâ—culis ut Pardalia The skin of the Chamaelion is spotted like a Pardals and in relation of Lampridius where he sheweth how Heliogabalus was wont to shut up his drunken friends â—um Leonibus Leopardis ursis ita ut expergefacti in cubiculo eodem Leones ursos Pardos cum luce vel quod est gravius nocte invenirent ex quo plerique exanimati sunt and so forth By which words it is apparent that those which in the first place he calleth Leopards in the last place he calleth Pardals and the only difference betwixt the Leopard Pardal and Lion is that the Leopard or Pardal have no manes and therefore they are called Ignobiles Leones Isidorus and Solinus write in this manner Pardus secundum post Pantheram est genus varium ac velocissimum praeceps ad sanguinem saltu enim ad mortem ruit ex ad ulterio Pardi Leâ—nae Leopardus noscitur tertiam originem efficit That is to say the Pardal is the next kinde to a Panther being divers coloured and very swift greedy after bloud and catcheth his prey by leaping the Leopard is bred betwixt the Pardal and the Lioness and so that maketh a third kinde by which testimony it appeareth that these names make three several kindes of Beasts not distinct in nature but in quantity through commixture of generation The greatest therefore they call Panthers as Bellunensis writeth The second they call Pardals and the third least of all they call Leopards which for the same cause in England is called a Cat of the Mountain And truly in my opinion until some other can shew me better reason I will subscribe hereunto namely that they are all one kinde of Beast and differ in quantity only through adulterous generation For in Africk there is great want of waters and therefore the Lions Panthers and other Beasts do assemble themselves in great numbers together at the running Rivers where the Pardals and the Lions do engender one with another I mean the greater Panthers with the Lionesses and the greater Lions with the Panthers and so likewise the smaller with the smaller and thereby it cometh to pass that some of them are spotted and some of them without spots The Pardal is a fierce and cruel Beast very violent having a body and minde like ravening birds and some say they are ingendered now and then betwixt Dogs and Panthers or betwixt Leopards and Dogs even as the Lycopanthers are ingendred betwixt Wolves and Panthers It is the nature of these Pardals in Africk to get up into the rough and thick trees where they hide themselves amongst the boughes and leaves and do not only take birds but also from thence leap down upon Beasts and Men when they espy their advantage and all these things do belong unto the Panthers Concerning the Leopard the word it self is new and lately invented for it is never found among any of the ancients before Julius Capitolinus or Spartianus Sylvaticus maketh no difference betwixt Pardalis and Leopardus and the Italians generally call a Pardal Leopardo and never Pardo except some of the Poets for brevity sake in a verse The Leopard is like to a Lion in the head and form of his members but yet he is lesser and nothing so strong by the sight of a Leopards skin Gesner made this description of the Beast The length saith he from the head to the tail was as much as a mans stature and half a cubit The tail of it self three spans and a half the breadth in the middle three spans the colour a bright yellow distinguished into divers spots the hair short and mossie The price of the skin was about five nobles or forty shillings for they differ in price according to the Regions out of which they are brought they which come furthest are sold dearest and they which come less way are sold cheapest It is a wrathful and an angry Beast and whensoever it is sick it thirsteth after the bloud of a wilde Cat and recovereth by sucking that bloud or else by eating the dung of a man Above all other things it delighteth in the Camphory tree and therefore lyeth underneath it to keep it from spoil and in like sort the Panther delighteth in sweet gums and spices and therefore no marvel if they cannot abide Garlick because it annoyeth their sense of smelling And it is reported by S. Ambrose that if the walls of ones house or sheep-coat be anointed with the juyce of Garlick both Panthers and Leopards will run away from it but of this matter we shall say more afterwards The Leopard is sometimes tamed and used in stead of a Dog for hunting both among the Tartarians and other Princes for they carry them behinde them on Horse-back and when they see a Deer or Hart or convenient prey
are delivered of their young which are apt to run away lest that some ravening beast or thief deceive the loitering shepheard by taking away from him the hindmost or formost There may also be more in a flock of Sheep then in a flock of Goats because the Goats are wanton and so disperse themselves abroad but the Sheep are meek and gentle and for the most part keep round together Yet it is better to make many flocks then one great one for fear of the pestilence In the story of the Dogs we have shewed already how necessary a shepheards Dog is to the flock to defend them both from Woolfs and Foxes and therefore every shepheard must observe those rules there expressed for the provision choice and institution of his Dog and to conclude this discourse of the shepheard when the Lambs are young he must not drive their dams far to pasture but seed them neer the Town Village or House and his second care must be to pick and cull out the aged and sick Sheep every year and that in Autumn or Winter time lest they die and infect their fellows or lest that the whole flock do go to decay for want of renewing and substitution of others and therefore he must still regard that when one is dead he supply the place with one or two at the least and if he chance to kill one at any time for the houshold the counsel of Antiphanes is profitable to be followed Illas tantum mactare debes oves ex quibus nullas amplius fructus vel casei vel velleris vellactis vel agnorum perveniet That is to kill those Sheep from whom you can never expect any more profit by their Lambs Milk Cheese or Fleeces Of the diseases of Sheep and their causes in general IN the next place it is necessary for the wise and discreet shepheard to avoid all the means whereby the health of his flock should be indangered and those are either by reason of their meat and food that they eat or else by reason of natural sicknesses arising through the corruption of bloud and the third way is by the biting of venemous beasts as Serpents and Wolves and such like and a fourth way scabs Gowts swellings and such like outward diseases Of venomous meats or herbs unto Sheep THere is an herb which the Latines call Herba Sanguinaria Pilosella Numularia and by the Germans and English cald Fenugreek and by the French because of the hurt it doth unto Sheep they use this circumscription of it L'herbe qui tue les brebis The herb that destroyeth Sheep It is called also Serpentine because when Snakes and Adders are hurt therewith they recover their wounds by eating thereof when a Sheep hath eaten of this herb the belly thereof swelleth abundantly and is also drawn together and the Sheep casteth out of his mouth a certain filthy spume or froath which smelleth unsavourly neither is the poor beast able to escape death except presently he be let bloud in the vein under his tail next to the rump and also in the upper lip yet is this herb wholesome to all other cattle except Sheep alone wherefore the Shepheards must diligently avoid it It is a little low hearb creeping upon the ground with two round leaves not much unlike to Parsley it hath no savour with it or smelleth not at all the flower of it is pale and smelleth strong and the stalk not much unlike the flower It groweth in moist places and near Hedges and Woods If in the Spring time Sheep do eat of the dew called the Hony-dew it is poyson unto them and they die thereof Likewise canes in the Autumn do make their belly swell unto death if they drink presently after they have eaten thereof for that meat breaketh their guts asunder The like may be said of Savine Tamarisk Rhododendron or Rose-tree and all kindes of Henbane The female Pimpernel doth likewise destroy Sheep except assoon as they have eaten of it they meet with the herb called Ferus-oculus Wilde-eye but herein lyeth a wonder that whereas there are two kindes of this herb a male and a female they should earnestly desire a male and eagerly avoid a female seeing that both of them have the same taste in the palat of a man for they taste like the raw roots of Beets There is an herb in Normandy called Duna not much unlike Rubarb or great Gentian but narrower leaves and standing upright the nerve whereof in the middle is red and it groweth about the waters and therefore I conjecture it may be Water-sorrel or Water-planton whereof when Sheep have eaten they fall into a disease called also Duna for there is bred in their liver certain little black Worms or Leeches growing in small bags or skins being in length half a finger and so much in breadth wherewithall when the Beast is infected it is uncurable and therefore there is no remedy but to take from it the life and that this is true the Butchers themselves affirm how many times they do finde such little worms in the Sheeps liver and they say they come by drinking of Fenny or Marshy-water And to conclude there is a kinde of Pannick also whereof when Sheep have eaten it destroyeth them and there be other herbs which every common shepheard knoweth are hurtful unto Sheep and the Beast it self though in nature it be very simple yet is wise enough to chuse his own food except the vehement necessity of famine and hunger causeth him to eat poysoned herbs In cases when their bellies swell or when they have worms in their belly which they have devoured with the Herbs they eat then they pour into their bellies the urine of men and because their bellies presently swell and are puffed out with winde the shepheards cut off the tops of their ears and make them bleed and likewise beat their sides with their staff and so most commonly they are recovered If Sheep chance to drink in their heat so as their grease be cooled in their belly which Butchers do finde many times to be true then the shepheard must cut off half the Sheeps ear and if it bleed the Beast shall be well but if it bleed not he must be killed and eaten or else he will starve of his own accord If at any time a Sheep chance to devour a leach by pouring in Oyl into his throat he shall be safe from danger Of the Colds of Sheep SHeep are known to be subject to cold not only by coughing after they have taken it but also by their strength before they take it for the shepheards do diligently observe that when any frost or ice falleth upon a Sheep if he endure it and not shake it off it is a great hazard but the same Sheep will die of cold but if he shake it off and not endure it it is a sign of a strong sound and hea 〈…〉 by constitution Likewise for to know the health of their Sheep they
meat in their mouth to prevent famine whatsoever befall them and as Peacocks cover themselves with their tails in hot Summer from the rage of the Sun as under a shadow with the same disposition doth the Squirrel cover her body against heat and cold They grow exceeding tame and familiar to men if they be accustomed and taken when they are young for they run up to mens shoulders and they will oftentimes sit upon their hands creep into their pockets for Nuts go out of doors and return home again but if they be taken alive being old when once they get loose they will never return home again and therefore such may well be called Semiferi rather then Cicures They are very harmful and will eat all manner of woollen garments and if it were not for that discommodity they were sweet-sportful beasts and are very pleasant playfellowes in a house It is said that if once they tast of Garlick they will never after bite any thing and this is prescribed by Cardan to tame them their skins are exceeding warm and well regarded by skinners for their heat is very agreeable to the bodies of men and therefore they are mixed also with the skins of Foxes Their flesh is sweet but not very wholesome except the Squirrel were a black one It is tender and comparable to the flesh of Kids or Conies and their tails are profitable to make brushes of The medicines are the same for the most part which are before expressed in the Dormouse saving that I may add that of Archigenes who writeth that the fat of a Squirrel warmed on a rubbing cloth and so instilled into the ears doth wonderfully cure the pains in the ears And so I conclude this history of the Squirrel with the Epithets that Martial maketh of a Peacock a Phoenix and a Squirrel in a comparison of a beautiful Virgin Erotion Cui comparatus indecens erat pavo Inamabilis sciurus frequens Phoenix Of the Getulian Squirrel described and figured by Doctor Cay THis Getulian or Barbarian Squirrel is of mixt colour as it were betwixt black and red and from the shoulders all alone to the tail by the sides there are white and russet strakes or lines which in a decent and seemly order stand in ranks or orders and there be some of these Squirrels which have such lines of white and black with correspondent lines in the tail yet they cannot be seen except the tail be stretched out at length by reason there is not much hair upon it The belly seemeth to be like a blew colour upon a white ground It is a little lesse then the vulgar Squirrel and hath not any ears extant or standing up as that but close pressed to the skin round and arising a little in length by the upper face of the skin The head is like the head of a Frog and in other things it is very like the vulgar Squirrel for both the outward shape the manner and behaviour the meat and means of life agree in both and she also covereth her body like other Squirrels This picture and description was taken by him from one of them alive which a Marchant of London brought out of Barbary They are very pleasant and tame and it is very likely that it is a kinde of Egyptian or African Mouse whereof there are three sorts described by Herodotus the first called Bipedes the second Zegeries and the third Echines of which we have already spoken in the story of divers kinds of Mice and therefore I will here end the discouriâ— of this Beast Of a Wilde Beast in the New found World called SU THere is a Region in the New-found World called Gigantes and the Inhabitants thereof are called Pantagones now because their Countrey is cold being far in the South they clothe themselves with the skins of a Beast called in their own tongue â—u for by reason that this Beast liveth for the most part neer the waters therefore they call it by the name of Su which signifieth water The true Image thereof as it was taken by Thevetus I have here inserted for it is of a very deformed shape and monstrous presence a great ravener and untamable wilde Beast When the Hunters that desire her skin set upon her she flyeth very swift carrying her young ones upon her back and covering them with her broad tail now for so much as no Dog or Man dareth to approach neer unto her because such is the wrath thereof that in the pursuit she killeth all that cometh near her the Hunters dig several pits or great holes in the earth which they cover with boughs sticks and earth so weakly that if the Beast chance at any thâ—â—e to come upon it she and her young ones fall down into the pit and are taken This cruel untamable impatient violent revening and bloudy beast perceiving that her natural strength cannot deliver her from the wit and policy of men her hunters for being inclosed she can never get out again the Hunters being at hand to watch her downfall and work her overthrow first of all to save her young ones from taking and taming she destroyeth them all with her own teeth for there was never any of them taken alive and when she seeth the Hunters come about her she roareth cryeth howleth brayeth and uttereth such a fearfull noysome and terrible clamor that the men which watch to kill her are not thereby a little amazed but at last being animated because there can be no resistance they approach and with their darts and spears wound her to death and then take off her skin and leave the â—arcass in the earth And this is all that I finde recorded of this most savage Beast Of the SUBUS a kinde of wilde Water-sheep THis Beast is called by Oppianus Soubes and thereof 〈…〉 Latines call it Subus Bodine in his interpretation of Oppianus doth make it one beast with the Strepsiceros but because he expresseth no reason thereof I take it that he was deceived by his conjecture for we shall manifest that either the colour or seat of living cannot agree with the Stre 〈…〉 ros for he saith only it is the same Beast which Pliny calleth a Strepsiceros But we know by the description of Oppianus that this Beast is of a red-gold-colour having two strong armed horns on the head and liveth sometimes in the Sea and Water sometime on the land Of all kindes of Sheep this is the worst and most harmful ravening after life and bloud for it goeth to the water and therein swimmeth when the silly simple fishes see this glorious shape in the waters admiring the horns and especially the golden colour they gather about him in great flocks and abundance especially Shrimps Lobsters Mackarel and Tenches who follow him with singular delight on either side both the right and the left pressing who shall come nearest to touch and have the fullest sight of him to they accompany him in ranks for love of his
which is so strong in the nouriture of the hair must needs be of correspondent power in other parts Some have thought that Swine care not for grass or herbs but only roots and therefore hath a peculiar snout to attain them but I finde by experience that they will eat grass above the earth as well as roots beneath and they love to feed in herds together They love above measure Acorns and yet being given to them alone they are hurtful and bring no less damage to them then to Sheep though not so often especially to Sows that be with Pig The best time for gathering of Acorns is in November and it is a work for women and children The Woods of Italy are so full of Acorns that they nourish abundance of Swine and that therewith are fed the greatest part of the Roman people They delight also in Buck-mast and that meat maketh the Swines flesh light easie of digestion and apt for the stomach In some Countries Haws have the same vertue to fat Hogs that is in Acorns for they make them waighty straight neat and sweet The next unto this Holm-berries do fat Hogs saving that they procure looseness except they be eaten by little and little There is a tree which hath such bitter fruit called Haliphlocus whereof no beast will taste hereof Hogs will tast but in extream famin and hunger when they are without all other food and meat The fruit or Apples of Palm-trees especially such as grow in salt grounds near the Sea sides as in Cyrene of Africa and Judea and not in Egypt Cyprus Syria Helvetia and Assyria do fatten and feed Hogs And indeed there is scarse any food whereof they do not eat as also no place wherein they pick not out some living both in Mountains and Fens and plain fields but best of all near waters wherein by the banks sides they gather many sweet and nourishable morsels There are no better abiding places for Hogs then are the Woods wherein abound either Oakes Beeches Cork-trees Holm wilde Olives Tamarisk Hasels Apples or Crab-trees white Thorn the Greek Carobs Pine-trees Corn-trees Lote-trees Prune-trees Shrubs Haws or wilde Pears or Medlers and such like for these fruits grow ripe successively one after the other for there is no time of the year wherein some of them are not to be gathered soft and nourishable whereby the herds of Swine may be maintained But if at any time this food cease and not to be found then must there be some other provision out of the earth such as is corn or grains and turn your Hogs to moist places where they may pick up worms and suck up fat fenny water which thing is above all other things grateful to this beast for which cause it pleased the holy Ghost in Scripture to compare the pleasure that beastly men take in â—â—nning to the wallowing of Swine in the mire The Dâ—g saith S. Peter is returned to his vomit and the Sow that was washed to wallow in the mire For this cause also you must suffer them to dig in the water and to eat Canes and wilde Bulrushes likewise the roots and tops of Water-cresses and you must provide to lay up for them in water Acorns and not spare corn to give it them by hand as Beans Pease Fitches Barly and such like And Columella from whom I have taken these instructions addeth moreover that in the Spring time before your Hogs go abroad to bite at the sweet and fresh growing herbs lest they provoke them to looseness you must give them some sodden drink wash or swill by vertue whereof that mischief must be avoided for if it be not such leanness will follow that it will overthrow and kill them In some Countries they also give them the scapes or refuse Grapes of Vintage and moreover the fruits of yew tree which is poyson to Dogs Aristomachus the Athenian by many and sundry praises advanceth three-leaved-grass and among other for that as when it is green it is commodious for Sheep so being dryed it is wholesome to Swine They love green corn yet it is reported that if Swine eat of it in the Isle of Salamine their teeth by the law of the Countrey are beaten out of their mouths It is wholesome to give them crude or raw Barly especially to a Bore when he is to couple with a Sow but unto a Sow with Pig sod There is in Bavaria a kinde of Scallion which beareth a red purple-flower like to the flower of the Lilly of the Vallies which is greatly sought after and devoured by Swine They also seek after wilde Vines and the herb called Hogs-bread and the root of wilde rapes which beareth leaves like unto Violets but sharper and a white root without milk By some it is called Buchspick because it groweth in Woods among Beeches They eat also flesh and abstain not from fat Bacon and herein they differ from most of the ravening creatures for Dogs will not taste of Dogs flesh and Bears of Bears yet will Hogs eat of Swines flesh yea many times the dam eateth her young ones And it is found that Swine have not abstain'd from the flesh of men and children for when they have been slain by theeves before they could be found the greatest part of their body was torn in pieces and eaten by wilde Swine And indeed as we see some Hens eat up the Egs that they themselves have laid so shall we observe some Sows to devour the fruits of their own wombs whereat we ought not to marvel as at a monstrous prodigious thing but rather acknowledge a nutural voracity constrained in them through famine and impatience They also eat Snails and Salamanders especially the Boars of the Mountains in Cilicia and although there be in Salamanders a very deadly poyson yet doth it not hurt them at all but afterward when men or beasts tast of such a Swines flesh the operation of the poyson worketh upon them mortally neither is this any marvel for so it is when a Frog eateth of a Toad and whereas if a man eat Hemlock presently all his bloud congealeth in his body and he dyeth but if a Hog eat thereof he not only not dyeth but thriveth and groweth fat thereby Aristotle reporteth one great wonder of a place about Thracia as he saith wherein for the compass of twenty paces there groweth Barly whereof men eat safely but Oxen and Sheep and other creatures avoid it as mortal poyson and Swine will not vouchsafe to tast of mens excrements that have eaten thereof but avoid them carefully At Swine delight in meat so also they delight more in drink and especially in the Summer time and therefore they which keep sucking Sowes must regard to give them their bellyful of drink twice a day and generally we must not lead them to the waters as we do Goats and Sheep but when the heat of Summer is about the rising of the Dog-star we must keep
broath of them The Bur pulled out of the earth without Iron is good also for them if it be stamped and put into milk and so given them in their wash They give their Hogs here in England red-lead red-Oker and in some places red loam or earth And Pliny saith that he or she which gathereth the aforesaid Burre must say this charm Haec est herba Argemon Quam Minerva reperit Suibus his remedium Qui de illa gustaverint At this day there is great praise of Maiden-hair for the recovery of Swine also holy Thistle and the root of Gunban and Harts-tongue Of leannesse or pining SOmetime the whole herd of Swine falleth into leannesse and so forsake their meat yea although they be brought forth into the fields to feed yet as if they were drunk or weary they lie down and sleep all the day long For cure whereof they must be closely shut up into a warm place and made to fast one whole day from meat and water and then give them the roots of wilde Cucumber beaten to powder and mixed with water let them drink it and afterward give them Beans pulse or any dry meat to eat and lastly warm water to procure vomit as in men whereby their stomacks are emptied of all things both good and bad And this remedy is prescribed against all incertain diseases the cause whereof cannot be discerned and some in such cases do cut off the tops of the tails or their ears for there is no other use of letting these beasts bloud but in their veins Of the Pestilence THese beasts are also subject to the Pestilence by reason of earth-quakes and sudden infections in the air and in such affection the beast hath sometime certain bunches or swellings about the neck then let them be separated and give them to drink in water the roots of Daffadill Quatit aegros tussis anbela sues Ac faucibus angit obesis tempore pestis Some give them Night-shade of the wood which hath great stalks like cherry twigs the leaves to be eaten by them against all their hot diseases and also burned snails or Pepper-wort of the Garden or Lactuca foetida cut in pieces sodden in water and put into their meat Of the Ague IN ancient time Varro saith that when a man bought a Hog he covenanted with the seller that it was free from sicknesse from danger that he might buy it lawfully that it had no manngie or Ague The signs of an Ague in this beast are these WHen they stop suddenly standing still and turning their heads about fall down as it were by a Megrim then you must diligently mark their heads which way they turn them that you may let them bloud on the contrary ear and likewise under their tail some two fingers from their buttocks where you shall finde a large vein fitted for that purpose which first of all we must beat with a rod or piece of wood that by the often striking it may be made to swell and afterwards open the said vein with a knife the blood being taken away their tail must be bound up with Osier or Elm twigs and then the Swine must be kept in the house a day or two being fed with Barly meal and receiving warm water to drink as much as they will Of the Cramp WHen Swine fall from a great heat into a sudden cold which hapneth when in their travel they suddenly lie down through wearinesse they fall to have the Cramp by a painfull convulsion of their members and the best remedy thereof is for to drive them up and down till they wax warm again and as hot as they were before and then let them be kept warm still and cool at great leisure as a horse doth by walking otherwise they perish unrecoverably like Calves which never live after they once have the Cramp Of Lice THey are many times so infested and annoyed with Lice that their skin is eaten and gnawn through thereby for remedy whereof some annoynt them with a confection made of Cream Butter and a great deal of Salt Others again anoynt them after they have washed them all over with the Lees of wine and in England commonly the Countrey people use Stavesaker red Oaker and grease Of the Lethargy BY reason that they are much given to sleep in the Summer time they fall into Lethargies and die of the same the remedy whereof is to keep them from sleep and to wake them whensoever you finde them asleep Of the head-aches THis disease is called by the Grecians Scotemia and Kraura and by Albertus Fraretis Herewith all Swine are many times infected and their ears fall down their eyes are also dejected by reason of many cold humours gathered together in their heads whereof they die in multitudes as they do of the pestilence and this sicknesse is fatall unto them if they be not holpen within three or four dayes The remedy whereof if there be any at all is to hold Wine to their nostrils first making them to smell thereof and then rubbing it hard with it and some give them also the roots of white Thistles cut small and beaten into their meat but if it fall out that in this pain they lose one of their eyes it is a sign that the beast will die by and by after as Pliny and Aristotle write Of the Gargarisme THis disease is called by the Latines Raucedo and by the Grecians Branchos which is a swelling about their chaps joyned with Feaver and Head-ache spreading it self all over the throat like as the Squinancy doth in a man and many times it begetteth that also in the Swine which may be known by the often moving of their feet and then they die within three dayes for the beast cannot eat being so affected and the disease creepeth by little and little to the Liver which when it hath touched it the beast dieth because it putrifieth as it passeth For remedy hereof give unto the beast those things which a man receiveth against the Squinancy and also let him blood in the root of his tongue I mean in the vein under the tongue bathing his throat with a great deal of hot water mixed with Brimstone and Salt This disease in Hogs is not known from that which is called Struma or the Kings evil at the first appearance as Aristotle and Pliny write the beginning of this disease is in the Almonds or kernels of the throat and it is caused through the corruption of water which they drink for the cure whereof they let them bloud as in the former disease and they give them the Yarrow with the broadest leaves There is a Hearb called Herba impia all hoary and outwardly it looketh like Rosemary some say it is so called because no beast will touch it this being beaten in pieces betwixt two tiles or stones groweth marvellous hot the juice thereof being mixed in milk and Wine and so given unto the Swine to drink cureth them of this disease
he may first approve the same in Swines bloud but if it shew not the same it may in a manner shew the like action For although it be somewhat inferiour unto mans bloud yet at the least it is like unto it by knowledge whereof we hope we shall bring by the use thereof more full and ample profit unto men For although it do not fully answer to our expectation notwithstanding there is no such great need that we should prove mens bloud For the encouraging of a feeble and diminished Horse Eumelius reporteth the flesh of Swine being hot mingled in wine and given in drink to be exceeding good and profitable There also ariseth by Swine another excellent medicine against divers perillous diseases which is this to kill a young gelded Boar Pig having red hairs and being of a very good strength receiving the fresh bloud in a pot and to stir it up and down a great while together with a stick made of red Juniper casting out the clots of the bloud being gathered while it is stirring Then to cast the scrapings of the same Juniper and stir the berries of the Juniper in the same to the quantity of seven and twenty but in the stirring of the same let the clots be still cast out Afterwards mingle with the same these hearbs following Agrimony Rue Phu Scabious Betony Pimpernel Succory Parsly of each a handfull But if the measure of the bloud exceed three pints put unto it two ounces of Treacle but if it shall be bigger for the quantity of the bloud you shall diminish the measure of the Treacle But all things ought to be so prepared that they may be put to the bloud coming hot from the Boar. These being mixed all together you must draw forth a dropping liquor which you must dry in the sun being diligently kept in a glasse-vessell for eight dayes together which you must do once every year for it will last twenty years This medicine is manifestly known to be a great preservative against these diseases following namely the Plague impostumes in the head sides or ribs as also all diseases whatsoever in the Lungs the inflammation of the Milt corrupt or putrified bloud the Ague swellings in the body shaking of the heart the Dropsie heat in the body above nature evill humors but the principallest and chiefest vertue thereof is in curing all poysons and such as are troubled with a noysome or pestilent Fever Let him therefore who is troubled with any of the aforesaid diseases drink every morning a spoonful or four or five drops of the same liquor and sweat upon the same and it will in very short time perfectly cure him of his pain Some also do use Almonds pounded or beaten in the bloud against the Plague the liquor being extracted forth by the force of fire A young Pig being killed with a knife having his bloud put upon that part of the body of any one which is troubled with warts being as yet hot come from him will presently dry them and being after washed will quite expell them away The bloud of a Sow which hath once pigged being anointed upon women cureth many diseases in them The brains of a Boar or Sow being anointed upon the sores or Carbuncles of the privy members doth very effectually cure them the same effect also hath the bloud of a Hog The dugs of a woman anointed round about with the bloud of a Sow will decrease lesse and lesse A young Pig being cut in pieces and the bloud thereof anointed upon a Womans dugs will make them that they shall not encrease Concerning the grease of Swine it is termed diversly of all the Authors for the Grecians call it Stear Choirion and Oxungion for the imitation of the Latin word Axungia but Marcellus also applyeth Axungia to the fat of other creatures which among the ancient Authors I do not finde for in our time those which in Latin do call that fat Axungia which encreaseth more solid between the skin and the flesh in a Hog a Man a Brock or Badger a Dor-mouse a Mountain-mouse and such like The fat of Swine they commonly call Lard which groweth betwixt the skin and the flesh in expressing the vertues of this we will first of all shew how it is to be applyed to cures outwardly and then how it is to be received inwardly next unto Butter it hath the chiefest commendations among the antients and therefore they invented to keep it long which they did by casting some salt among it neither is the reason of the force of it obscure or uncertain for as it feedeth upon many wholesome herbs which are medicinable so doth it yeeld from them many vertuous operations and besides the physick of it it was a custom for new marryed wives when they first of all entred into their husbands house to anoint the posts thereof with Swines grease in token of their fruitfulness while they were alive and remainder of their good works when they should be dead The Apothecaries for preparation of certain Oyntments do geld a male sucking Pig especially such a one as is red and take from his reins or belly certain fat which the Germans call Schmaer and the French Oing that is Vnguentum the husbandmen use Swines grease to anoint the axle trees of their Carts and carriages and for want thereof they take putrified Butter and in some Countries the gum that runneth out of Pine trees and Fir trees with the scum of Butter mingled together and this composition taketh away scabs and tetters in Men but it is to be remembred that this grease must be fresh and not salted for of salt grease there is no use but to skowre those things that are exulcerated The antients deemed that this is the best Grease which was taken from the reins of the Hog washed in rain water the veins being pulled out of it and afterwards boyled in a new earthen pot and so preserved The fat of Swine is not so hot and dry as the fat of other beasts the chief use of it is to moisten to fasten to purge and to scatter and herein it is most excellent when it hath been washed in Wine for the stale salt grease so mixed with Wine is profitable to anoint those that have the Plurifie and mingled with ashes and Pitch easeth inflammations fistulaes and tumors and the same virtue is ascribed to the fat of Foxes except that their fat is hotter then the Swines and lesse moist likewise ashes of Vines mingled with stale grease of Hogs cureth the wounds of Scorpions and Dogs and with the spume of Nitre it hath the same vertue against the bitings of Dogs It is used also against the French disease called the French pox for they say if the knees of a Man be anointed therewith and he stand gaping over it it will draw a filthy matter out of his stomach and make him vomit By Serenus it is prescribed to be anointed upon the knees
to Eurystheus whereat Eurystheus was so much afraid that he went and hid himself in a brazen vessell whereof Virgil speaketh thus Placarit sylvam Lernam tremefecerit arcu And of this Erymanthean Boar Martial speaketh Quantus erat Calydon aut Erymanthe tuus Of the Calydonian Boar there is this story in Homer When Oeneus the Prince of Aetolia sacrificed the first fruits of his Countrey to the Gods he forgot Diana wherewithal she was very angry and sent among the people a savage Boar which destroyed both the Countrey and Inhabitants against whom the Calydonians and Pleuronians went forth in hunting and first of all that wounded the wilde Beast was Meleager the son of Oeneus for reward whereof he received his head and his skin which he bestowed on Atalanta a Virgin of Arcadia with whom he was in love and which did accompany him in hunting wherewithal the sons of Thestius which were the Ulcles of Meleager were greatly offended for they were the brothers to his mother Althea those men lay in wait to destroy him whereof when he was advertised he killed some of them and put the residue to flight For which cause the Pleuronians made war against the Calydonians in the beginning of which war Meleager fell out with his Mother because she did not help her Countrey At last when the City was almost taken by the perswasion of his wife Cleopatra he went out to fight with his enemies where in valiant manner he slew many of them others he put to flight who in ther chase running away fell down upon steep rocks and perished Then Althea the mother of Meleager began to rage against her son and flung into the fire the torch which the Fates had given unto her to lengthen his dayes so when she saw her son was dead she repented and slew her self and afterwards was cast into the very self same burning fire with him In the hunting of this Boar Ancaeus the companion of Jason to Colchis was slain This Boar is also called a Meliagran and Atalantian Boar of whom Martial writeth thus Qui Diomedeis metuendus Setiger agris Aetola cecidit cuspide talis erat And again in another place Lacte mero pastum pigrae mihi mortis alumnum Ponat Aetolo de sue dives edat It is said that this Boar had teeth of a cubit long and the manner of his hunting was expressed in the pinnacle of the Temple of Tegea for which cause he is called the Tegean Boar. Upon the one side of the Boar against his middle were painted Atalanta Meleager Theseus Telamon Peleus Pollus and Iolaus the companion of all Hercules travails Prothus and Cometes the sons of Thiestius and brethren of Althea on the other side of the Boar stood Ancaeus wounded and Epochus sustaining his hunting spear next unto him stood Castor and Amphiaraus the son of Oicleus After them Hippothus the son of Cercion Agamedes the son of Stymphelus and lastly Pyrithous The teeth of this Boar were taken taken away by Augustus after the time that he had overcome Anthony which he hung up in the Temple of Bacchus standing in the Gardens of the Emperor And thus much for the Calidonian Boar. Now concerning the Mysian Boar I finde this story recorded of him When Adrastus the Phrygian who was of the Kings bloud had unawares killed his brother he fled to Sardis and after his expiation dwelt with Cresus It happened at that time that there was a wilde Boar came out of Olimpus and wasted a great part of the Countrey of Mysia the people oppressed with many losses and terrifyed with the presence of such a Beast besought the King to send his own Son Attys with much company to hunt and kill the Boar. The King was affraid thereof because in his dream he saw a vision his Son perishing by an iron spear yet at last he was perswaded and committed the safe-gard of his body to Adrastus When they came to the wilde Beast Adrastus bent his spear at the Boar and while he cast it to kill him the son of Cresus came betwixt them and so was slain with the spear according to the dream of his Father Adrastus seeing this misfortune that his hands which should have defended the young Prince had taken away his life fell into extreme passion and sorrow for the same and although the King knowing his innocency forgave him the fact yet he slew himself at the Funeral of Attys and so was burned with him in the same fire And thus much for the Mysian Boar. Now we will proceed to the particular story of the wilde Boar and first of all of the Countries breeding Boars The Spaniards say that in the new found world there are wilde Boares much lesse then ours which have tails so short that one would think they had been cut off they differ also in their feet for their hinder feet are not cloven but stand upon one claw and their forefeet are cloven like common Swines Their flesh also is more sweet and wholesome then common Swines flesh whereof Peter Martyr giveth reason in his Ocean Decads because they feed under Palm trees neer the Sea-shore and in Marshes Olaus Magnus writeth that in divers places of Scandinavia they hunt wilde Boars which are twelve foot long The wilde Boars of India according to Pliny have teeth which in their compass contain a Cubit and besides their teeth growing out of their chaps they have two horns on their head like Calves horns In the Islands Medera there are abundance of wilde Boars likewise in Helvetia and especially in those parts that joyn upon the Alpes where they would much more abound but that the Magistrates give liberty to every man to kill and destroy them There are no Boars in Africk except in Ethiopia where their Boars have all horns and of those it was that Lycotas the Country-man saw in a publick spectacle at Rome Et niveos lepores non sine cornibus apros that is Hares white like Swine and Boars that have horns It is a wonderful thing that there are no Boars in Creet and no lesse admirable that the Boars of Macedonia are dum and have no voice and thus much concerning the Countries of Boars Now concerning their Colour it is observed that wilde Boars for the most part are of a black and brown colour especially at the top of their hair and somewhat yellow underneath and yet Pausanias writeth that he hath seen Boars all white howbeit that is not ordinary Their bloud is sharp and black like black wine and such as will never be thick their eyes like to the eyes of wrathful beasts as Wolves and Lyons Their tuskes are most admirable for with them while they are alive they cut like sharp knives but when they are dead they have lost that cutting property the reason of it is in the heat of the tooth for it is certainly affirmed by Hunters of wilde Boars that when the Beast falleth first on
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 publiquely 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 bellies 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 apply 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 â—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 Theuetus writeth that betwixt Florida and Palma in the new found World there are very many strange shaped beasts and among other a kinde of wilde Bull whose horns are a foot long but on his back he hath a tumour or bunch like a Camel and is therefore called Bos Camelita his hair all over his body is very long but especially under his chin and his colour like a yellow Mule and this beast is a continual enemy to a Horse Like unto these are the tame Scythian Oxen and some other in Asia who carry pacâ—s upon the bunches of their backs and also bend their knees like Camels Of the Lybian OXE THere is so great an innumerability of Lybian Oxen of so great swiftnesse and celerity that the Hunters are many times deceived in hunting them and so do certainly chance or fall upon other wilde beasts for the same they raised and he in the mean while doth hide himself in a place of brambles and briars keeping himself there safe while other wilde beasts doth appear like unto them and so do deceive the eyes of the Hunters therefore if
the Glosse upon the 42. Psalm which beginneth Like as the Hart desireth the water springs so longeth my soul after my GOD. But for the ending of this question we must consider and remember that there are two kindes of Harts one eateth Serpents and feeling the poyson to work straight-way by drinking casteth up the poyson again or else cureth himself by covering all his body over in water The other kinde only by nature killeth a Serpent but after victory forbeareth to eat it and returneth again to feed in the Mountains And thus much for the discord betwixt Harts and Serpents In the next place great is the variance betwixt Serpents Dragons and Elephants whereof Pliny and Solinus write as followeth When the Elephants called Serpent-killers meet with the Dragons they easily tread them in pieces and overcome them wherefore the Dragons and greater Serpents use subtilty in stead of might for when they have found the path and common way of an Elephant they make such devises therein to intrap him as a man would think they had the devise of men to help them for with their tails they so ensnare the way that when the beast cometh they intangle his legs as it were in knots of ropes now when the beast stoopeth down with his trunk to loose and untie them one of them suddenly thrusteth his poysoned head into his trunk whereby he is strangled The other also for there are ever many which lie in ambush set upon his face biting out his eyes and some at his tender belly some winding themselves about his throat and all of them together sting bite tear vex and hang upon him untill the poor beast emptyed of his blood and swollen with poyson in every part fall down dead upon his adversaries and so by his death kill them at his fall and overthrow whom he could not overcome being alive And whereas Elephants for the most part go together in flocks and troops the subtile Serpents do let passe the foremost of every rank and set only upon the hindermost that so one of the Elephants may not help another and these Serpents are said to be thirty yards long Likewise forasmuch as these Dragons know that the Elephants come and feed upon the leaves of trees their manner is to convey themselves into the trees and lie hid among the boughs covering their foreparts with leaves and letting their hinder parts hang down like dead parts and members and when the Elephant cometh to brouze upon the tree-tops then suddenly they leap into his face and pull out his eyes and because that revenge doth not satisfie her thirsting only after death she twineth her gable-long body about his neck and so strangleth him It is reported that the blood of Elephants is the coldest bloud in the world and that the Dragons in the scorching heat of Summer cannot get any thing to cool them except this bloud for which cause they hide themselves in Rivers and Brooks whither the Elephants come to drink and when he putteth down his trunk they take hold thereof and instantly in great numbers leap up into his ears which only of all his upper parts are most naked and unarmed out of which they suck his bloud never giving over their hold till he fall down dead and so in the fall kill them which were the procurers of his death So that his and their bloud is mingled both together whereof the Ancients made their Cinnabaris which was the best thing in the World to represent bloud in painting Neither can any devise or art of man ever come neer it and beside it hath in it a rare vertue against poyson And thus much for the enmity betwixt Serpents and Elephants The Cat also by Albertus is said to be an enemy to Serpents for he saith she will kill them but not eat thereof howbeit in her killing of them except she drink incontinently she dyeth by poyson This relation of Albertus cannot agree with the Monks of Mesuen their relation about their Abby-cat But it may be that Albertus speaketh of wilde-cats in the Woods and Mountains who may in ravin for their prey kill a Serpent which followeth with them the same common game The Roes or Roe-bucks do also kill Serpents and the Hedge-hog is enemy unto them for some-times they meet both together in one hole and then at the sight of the Serpent the Hedge-hog foldeth himself up round so as nothing appeareth outwardly save only his prickles and sharp bristles the angry Serpent fetteth upon him and biteth him with all her force the other again straineth herself above measure to annoy the Serpents teeth face eyes and whole body and thus when they meet they lie together afflicting one another till one or both of them fall down dead in the place For sometime the Serpent killeth the Hedgehog and sometime the Hedge-hog killeth the Serpent so that many times she carrieth away the Serpents flesh and skin upon her back The Weasels also fight with Serpents with the like successe the cause is for that one and other of them live upon juyce and so for their prey or booty they fall together in mortall warre Herein the Weasel is too cunning for the Serpent because before she fighteth she seeketh Rue and by eating thereof quickly discomforteth her adversary But some say that she eateth Rue afterward to the intent to avoyd all the poyson she contracted in the combat The Lyon also and the Serpent are at variance for his rufling mane is discouraged by the extolled head of the Serpent to his breast And therefore as S. Ambrose saith this is an admirable thing that the Snake should run away from the Hart the most fearfull of all other beasts and yet overcome the Lyon King of all the residue The Ichneumon or Pharos Mouse is an enemy to Serpents and eateth them and because he is too seeble to deal with a Snake alone therefore when he hath found one he goeth and calleth as many of his fellowes as he can finde and so when they find themselves strong enough in company they set upon their prey and eat it together for which cause when the Egyptians will signifie weaknesse they paint an Ichneumon The Peacock is also a professed terror and scourge to Snakes and Adders and they will not endure neer those places where they hear their voice The Sorex and Swine do also hate and abhor Serpents and the little Sorex hath most advantage against them in the Winter-time when they are at the weakest To conclude the Horse is wonderfully afraid of all kindes of Serpents if he see them and will not go over but rather leap over a dead Snake And thus I will end the warre betwixt Serpents and Four-footed beasts and Fowls Now lest their curse should not be hard enough unto them God hath also ordained one of them to destroy another and therefore now it followeth to shew in a word the mutuall discord betwixt themselves The Spider although
then was there prepared a Glyster made of the herbs Mercurialis Mallows and the root of Altheae decocted wherein was dissolved Cassia with Oyl of Violets and Lillies After the administring of this I commanded him to take a good draught of Cows or Goats milk once in every hours space and if Milk could not be had then I willed him to take an Almond Milk made Ex nucleis pineae seeds of Mellons Gourds and Poppy bruised with the distilled Water of Mallows and Alkeakengy and this would I have given to him in good quantity in stead of the Milk if it were wanting But after that my fiery Frenchman had recovered his former health with these and the like remedies and that the unadvised Author of this rash counsel had very humbly intreated pardon at our hands for this his great fault he protested solemnly with a great oath that he would never hereafter prescribe any Physick to any man living Thus far Johannes Langius in his first Book Epistola Medicinal forty eight There is also very profitable use to be made of Cantharides for if you beat them to powder and convey a little of it into Apples Pears Plums Figs Peaches or Quinces especially those that be fairest and ripest and those that hang the lowest finely closing it up again with the pill which if any Theeves or Robbers of Orchards shall tast of they fall within a while after into an intolerable burning in their Urine and Strangury making it only in dropping wise whereby their theft is soon found out and they well rewarded with sowre Sawce for their sweet meat And this is an excellent night-spell and therefore I was loath to pretermit it but to make you acquainted withall There is also another excellent medicinal use of Cantharides if they be duly and according to true art administred and with great warinesse for that passionate grievance which at this time though some foolish Physitians never heard tell of any such I will call Pessuli infirmitas yet I may not set it down in English because I would have but a few acquainted with secrets Habeo enim ego singulare quoddam contra penis Languorem remedium quo cum promiscuè uterer utramque multis nobilibus qui veneris vulgo studiosiores videntur animos vires adauxit absque noxa Vni tamen inter caeteros sic obsuit ut à venere cuiâ—n mium litârat sanguinem continuò mingeret lipothymia frequenti là boret Sanè nisi lactis copia in procinctu suisset emninò interiisset venireus pullus meritas salacitatis cupidinisq poenas luisset And let this suffice to have spoken of their medicinal vertues and qualities Now will I proceed to tell you of their ill name naughty venomous and pernicious properties They are reckoned and scored up in the number of most deadly and hurtful poysons not only because they cause erosion and inflamation but more in regard of their putrefactive quality and making rotten wherein they exceed Their juyce being taken into the stomach and so piercing into the veins or laid upon the skin outwardly so long till it hath entred the veins is a most strong poyson where-upon Ovid when he wished ill unto or cursed his enemy writ this Cantharidum succos dante parente bibas lib. Trist Cicero ad Parum in his ninth Book of his familiar Epistles hath these words Catus accusante L. Crasso Cantharidas sumpsisse dicitur as if he purposed by that way to make an end of himself by death Galen in his third Book De Simplic medicam facult writeth thus If they be taken inwardly into the body though but in small quantity and mixed with other convenient correctories they do mightily provoke urine and sometimes corrode and fret the bladder so that it is as clear as the noon-day that what things soever do overthrow nature by reason of their extreme frigidity if they be taken but in a very small quantity yet will nourish the body so on the other side whatsoever is contrary repugneth or goeth against humane nature by means of corrupting or any putrefactive quality like unto Cantharides can never do so Bartholomeus Montegnana a learned Physitian assureth us that he once knew one Francis Bracca a Citizen of Padua in Italy who having but outwardly applyed Cantharides to his knee yet their poyson spreading to other inwards parts he voided five pintes of bloud by way of urine and this may any man see if he will take the pains to read over Montegnana Consil 182. Cap. 10. The same accident hath also befaln them who to be remedied of rough hard mangy or leprielike nails have adventured to apply them to their great toe So that Cantharides must not rashly be applyed and used as common deceivers blinde Empericks and cousening Land-lopers would make plain Countrey people believe Pliny relateth a story of one Cossinus a Roman Knight who was deerly beloved of Nero the Emperor who having a very dangerous Tetter a disease in times past peculiar to the people of Egypt a Physitian of that Countrey in stead of curing did kill him by giving him Cantharides to drink But I should rather think that Cossinus dyed by the outward application of Cantharides because by their burning and caustick quality they clean eat and consume away filthy Tetters or Ring-worms Manginesse Scurvinesse Lepries and all hard Callous Warts Corns or pieces of flesh that grow in the hands or feet for I can see no reason why any would be so wilfully blinde as to give them inwardly for the curation of any Tetters or such like griefs or at leastwise I must think that the right use of Cantharides was unknown to the ancient Physitians of the old world as by Galen it may appear in his 11. Book De Simplic Med. fac and in his fourth Book De victu Acut. The same Pliny in his twenty nine Book and fortieth Chapter witnesseth that Cantharides were reproachfully laid to Cato Vticensis charge and that he was sorely blamed for offering to make a price of poysons and to sell them openly as in Port-sail to any that would give most so that their price rose to threescore sesterties Being drunk in too large a quantity or else applied outwardly to any part either too long or too deep they produce these or the like symptomes accidents and effects The party to whom they are any way given feeleth a pricking pain and torment in his bowels and inward parts extending from the mouth down to the lower parts about the Bladder Reins and the places about the waste and short ribs they do also ulcerate the bladder very dangerously inflaming the yard and all other parts neer the same with a vehement apostumation after this they pisse bloud and little pieces of flesh Otherwhiles there will follow a great lask or Bloudy-flix fainting and swounding a numnesse or dulnesse of moving or feeling debilitation or feeblenesse of the minde with alienation of the wit as though they were bestraught likewise
where the Inhabitants abhor and condemn the worship of Crocodiles for when they take any of them they hang them up and beat them to death notwithstanding their tears and cryings and afterwards they eat them but the reason of their hatred is because Typhon their ancient enemy was clothed with a Crocodiles shape Others also say the reason of their hatred is because a Crocodile took away and devoured the daughter of Psamnites and therefore they enjoyned all their posterity to hate Crocodiles To conclude this discourse of Crocodiles inclination even the Egyptians themselves account a Crocodile a savage and cruel murthering Beast as may appear by their Hieroglyphicks for when they will decipher a mad man they picture a Crocodile who being put from his desired prey by forcible resistance he presently rageth against himself And they are often taught by lamentable experience what fraud and malice to mankinde liveth in these Beasts for they cover themselves under willows and green hollow banks till some people come to the Waters side to draw and fetch water and then suddenly or ever they be aware they are taken and drawn into the water And also for this purpose because he knoweth that he is not able to over-take a man in his course or chase he taketh a great deal of water in his mouth and casteth it in the path-wayes so that when they endevour to run from the Crocodile they fall down in the slippery path and are over-taken and destroyed by him The common proverb also Crocodili lachrymae the Crocodiles tears justifieth the treacherous nature of this Beast for there are not many brute Beasts that can weep but such is the nature of the Crocodile that to get a man within his danger he will sob sigh and weep as though he were in extremity but suddenly he destroyeth him Others say that the Crocodile weepeth after he hath devoured a man Howsoever it be it noteth the wretched nature of hypocritical hearts which before-hand will with faigned tears endevour to do mischief or else after they have done it be outwardly sorry as Judas was for the betraying of Christ before he went and hanged himself The males of this kinde do love their females above all measure yea even to jealousie as may appear by this one History of P. Martyr About the time that he was in those countries there were certain Mariners which saw two Crocodiles together in carnal copulation upon the sands neer the River from which the water was lately fallen into a certain Island of Nilus the greedy Mariners forsook their ship and be took themselves to a long boat and with great shouting hollowing and crying made towards them in very couragious manner the male at the first assault fell amazed and greatly terrified ran away as fast as he could into the waters leaving his female lying upon her back for when they ingender the male turneth her upon her back for by reason of the shortnesse of her legs she cannot do it her self so the Mariners finding her upon her back and not able to turn over her self they easily slew her and took her away with them Soon after the male returned to the place to seek his female but nor finding her and perceiving bloud upon the sand conjectured truly that she was slain wherefore he presently cast himself into the River of Nilus again and in his rage swam stoutly against the stream untill he over-took the ship wherein his dead female was which he presently set upon lifting up himself and catching hold on the fides would certainly have entered the same had not the Mariners with all their force battered his head and hands with clubs and staves until he was wearyed and forced to give over his enterprise and so with great sighing and sobbing departed from them By which relation it is most clear what natural affection they bear one to another and how they choose out their fellows as it were fit wives and husbands for procreation And it is no wonder if they make much of one another for besides themselves they have few friends in the world except the Bird Trochilus and Swine of whom I can say little except this that followeth As for the little Bird Trochilus it affecteth and followeth them for the benefit of his own belly for while the Crocodile greedily eateth there sticketh fast in his teeth some part of his prey which troubleth him very much and many times ingendereth Worms then the Beast to help himself taketh land and lyeth gaping against the Sun-beams westward the Bird perceiving it flyeth to the jaws of the Beast and there first with a kinde of tickling-scratching procureth as it were licence of the Crocodile to pull forth the Worms and so eateth them all out and clenseth the teeth throughly for which cause the Beast is content to permit the Bird to go into his mouth But when all is clensed the ingrateful Crocodile endevoureth suddenly to shut his chaps together upon the Bird and to devour his friend like a cursed wretch which maketh no reckoning of friendship but the turn served requiteth good with evill But Nature hath armed this little Bird with sharp thorns upon her head so that while the Crocodile endevoureth to shut his chaps and close his mouth upon it those sharp thorns prick him into his palate so that full sore against his unkinde nature he letteth her flye safe away But whereas there be many kindes of Trochili which are greedy of these Worms or clensings of the Crocodiles some of them which have not thorns on their heads pay for it for there being not offence to let the closing of the Crocodiles mouth they must needs be devoured and therefore this enforced amity betwixt him and the Crocodile is only to be understood of the Cledororynchus as it is called by Hermolaus There be some that affirm that he destroyeth all without exception that thus come into his mouth and othersome say he destroyeth none but when he feeleth his mouth sufficiently clensed he waggeth his upper chap as it were to give warning of avoidance and in favour of the good turn to let the bird flie away at his own pleasure Howbeit the other and the former narration is more likely to be true and more constantly affirmed by all good Authors except Plutarch And Leo Afric saith that it was the constant and confident report of all Africa that the Crocodile devoureth all for their love and kindenesse except the Cledororynchi which they cannot by reason of the thorns upon their head That there is an amity and natural concord betwixt Swine and Crocodiles is also gathered because they only among all other living four-footed Beasts do without danger dwell feed and inhabit upon the banks of Nilus even in the midst of Crocodiles and therefore it is probable that they are friends in nature But oh how small a sum of friends hath this Beast and how unworthy of love among all creatures
they kill thereby forthwith or else wound greatly with the same so that the strokes of his tail are more deadly then the biting of his teeth which caused Nicander to write thus Nec tamen illegraves ut caetera turba dolores Si velit infixo cum forte momorderit ore Suscitat exiguus non noxia vulnera punctus Qui ceu rodentes noctu quaeque obvia muris Infligit modicum tenuis dat plaga cruorem Which may be thus Englished Nor yet he when with his angry mouth Doth bite such pains and torments bringeth As other Serpents if Ancients tell the truth When with his teeth and spear he stingeth For as the holes which biting Mice do leave When in the night they light upon a prey So small are Dragons-bites which men receive And harmlesse wound makes bloud to run away Their mouth is small and by reason thereof they cannot open it wide to bite deep so as their biting maketh no great pain and those kinde of Dragons which do principally fight with Eagles are defended more with their tails then with their teeth but yet there are some other kinde of Dragons whose teeth are like the teeth of Bears biting deep and opening their mouth wide wherewithall they break bones and make many bruises in the body and the males of this kinde bite deeper then the females yet there followeth no great pain upon the wound The cure hereof is like to the cure for the biting of any other Beast wherein there is no venom and for this cause there must be nothing applyed thereunto which cureth venomous bitings but rather such things as are ordinary in the cure of every Ulcer The seed of grasse commonly called Hay-dust is prescribed against the biting of Dragons The Barble being rubbed upon the place where a Scorpion of the earth a Spider a Sea or Land-dragon biteth doth perfectly cure the same Also the head of a Dog or Dragon which hath bitten any one being cut off and flayed and applyed to the wound with a little Euphorbium is said to cure the wound speedily And if Alberdisimon be the same that is a Dragon then according to the opinion of Avicen the cure of it must be very present as in the cure of Ulcers And if Alhatraf and Haudem be of the kinde of Dragons then after their biting there follow great coldnesse and stupidity and the cure thereof must be the same means which is observed in cold poysons For which cause the wound or place bitten must be embrewed or washed with luke-warm Vinegar and emplaistered with the leaves of Bay anointed with the Oyl of herb Mary and the Oyl of Wilde-pellitory or such things as are drawn out of those Oyls wherein is the vertue of Nettles or Sea-onions But those things which are given unto the patient to drink must be the juyce of Bay-leaves in Vinegar or else equall portions of Myrrhe Pepper and Rew in Wine the powder or dust whereof must be the full weight of a golden groat or as we say a French Crown In the next place for the conclusion of the History of the Dragon we will take our farewell of him in the recital of his medicinal vertues which are briefly these that follow First the fat of a Dragon dryed in the Sun is good against creeping Ulcers and the same mingled with Honey and Oyl helpeth the dimnesse of the eyes at the beginning The head of a Dragon keepeth one from looking asquint and if it be set up at the gates and dores it hath been thought in ancient time to be very fortunate to the sincere worshippers of GOD. The eyes being kept till they be stale and afterwards beat into an Oyl with Honey made into Ointment keep any one that useth it from the terrour of night-visions and apparitions The fat of a Hart in the skin of a Roe bound with the nerves of a Hart unto the shoulder was thought to have a vertue to fore-shew the judgement of victories to come The first spindle by bearing of it procureth an easie passage for the pacification of higher powers His teeth bound unto the feet of a Roe with the nerves of a Hart have the same power But of all other there is no folly comparable to the composition which the Magitians draw out of a Dragon to make one invincible and that is this They take the head and tail of a Dragon with the hairs out of the fore-head of a Lyon and the marrow of a Lyon the spume or white mouth of a conquering Horse bound up in a Harts skin together with a claw of a Dog and fastned with the crosse nerves or sinew of a Hart or of a Roe they say that this hath as much power to make one invincible as hath any medicine or remedy whatsoever The fat of Dragons is of such vertue that it driveth away venomous beasts It is also reported that by the tongue or gall of a Dragon sod in Wine men are delivered from the spirits of the night called Incubi and Succubi or else Night-mares But above all other parts the use of their bloud is accounted most notable But whether the Cynnabaris be the same which is made of the bloud of the Dragons and Elephants collected from the earth when the Dragon and Elephant fall down dead together according as Pliny delivereth I will not here dispute seeing it is already done in the story of the Elephant neither will I write any more of this matter in this place but only refer the Reader unto that which he shall finde written thereof in the History of our former Book of Four-footed Beasts And if that satisfie him not let him read Langius in the first book of his Epistles and sixty five Epistle where that learned man doth abundantly satisfie all men concerning this question that are studious of the truth and not prone to contention And to conclude Andreas Balvacensis writeth that the Bloud-stone called the Haematite is made of the Dragons bloud and thus I will conclude the History of the Dragon with this story following out of Porphyrius concerning the good successe which hath been signified unto men and women either by the dreams or sight of Dragons Mammea the Mother of Alexander Severus the Emperor the night before his birth dreamed that she brought forth a little Dragon so also did Olympia the Mother of Alexander the Great and Pomponia the Mother of Scipio Africanus The like prodigy gave Augustus hope that he should be Emperor For when his Mother Aetia came in the night time unto the Temple of Apollo and had set down her bed or couch in the Temple among other Matrons suddenly she fell asleep and in her sleep she dreamed that a Dragon came to her and clasped about her body and so departed without doing her any harm Afterwards the print of a Dragon remained perpetually upon her belly so as she never durst any more be seen in any bath The Emperor Tiberius Caesar had a Dragon
of the poyson of Frogs First therefore the poyson of the Frog causeth swelling in the body depelleth the colour bringeth difficulty of breathing maketh the breath strong and an involuntary profusion of seed with a general dulnesse and restinesse of body for remedy whereof let the party be inforced to vomit by drinking sweet Wine and two drams of the powder of the root of Reeds or Cypresse Also he must be inforced to walking and running besides daily washing But if a Fever follow the poyson or burning in the extremities let the vomit be of water and Oyl or Wine and Pitch or let him drink the bloud of a Sea-tortoise mixed with Cummine and the rennet of a Hare or else sweat in a Furnace or Hot-house a long time besides many other such like remedies which every Physitian both by experience and reading is able to minister in cases of necessity and therefore I will spare my further pains from expressing them in this place and passe on to the medicinal vertues of the Toad and so conclude this history We have shewed already that the Toad is a cold creature and therefore the same sod in water and the body anointed therewith causeth hair to fall off from the members so anointed There is a medicine much commended against the Gowt which is this Take six pound of the roots of wilde Cucumber six pound of sweet Oyl of the marrow of Harts Turpentine and Wax of either six ounces and six Toads alive the which Toads must be bored through the foot and hanged by a thred in the Oyl until they grow yellow then take them out of the Oyl by the threds and put into the said Oyl the sliced root of a Cucumber and there let it seethe until al the vertue be left in the Oyl Afterwards melt the Wax and Turpentine and then put them all together in a glasse so use them morning and evening against the Gowt Sciatica and pains of the sinews and it hath been seen that they which have lyen long sick have been cured thereof and grown perfectly well and able to walk Some have added unto this medicine Oyl of Saffron Opobalsamum bloud of Tortoises Oyl of Sabine Swines grease Quicksilver and Oyl of Bays For the scabs of Horses they take a Toad killed in wine and water and so sod in a brazen vessel and afterwards anoint the Horse with the liquor thereof It is also said that Toads dryed in smoak or any piece of them carryed about one in a linnen cloth do stay the bleeding at the nose And this Frederick the Duke of Saxony was wont to practise in this manner he had ever a Toad pierced through with a piece of wood which Toad was dryed in the smoak or shadow this he rowled in a linnen cloth and when he came to a man bleeding at the nose he caused him to hold it fast in his hand until it waxed hot and then would the bloud be stayed Whereof the Physitians could never give any reason except horror and fear constrained the bloud to run into his proper place through fear of a Beast so contrary to humane nature The powder also of a Toad is said to have the same vertue according to this verse Buffo ustus sistit naturae dote cruorem In English thus A Toad that is burned to ashes and dust Stays bleeding by gift of Nature just The skin of a Toad and shell of a Tortoyse either burned or dryed to powder cureth the Fistulaes Some add hereunto the root of Laurel and Hen-dung Salt and Oyl of Mallows The eyes of the Toad are received in Ointment against the Worms of the belly And thus much shall suffice to have spoken of the history of the Toad and Frogs Of the GREEN SERPENTS IN Valois there are certain Green-serpents which of their color are called Grunling and I take them to be the same which Hesychius called Sauritae and Pliny by a kinde of excellency Snakes of whom we shall speak afterwards for I have no more to say of them at this present but that they are very venomous And it may be that of these came the common proverb Latet Anguis sub herba under the green herb lyeth the Green-snake for it is a friendly admonition unto us to beware of a falshood covered with a truth like unto it Of the HAEMORRHE THis Serpent hath such a name given unto it as the effect of his biting worketh in the bodies of men for it is called in Latine Haemorrbous to signifie unto us the male and Haemorrbois to signifie the female both of them being derived from the Greek word Aima which signifieth bloud and Reo which signifieth to flow because whomsoever it biteth it maketh in a continual bleeding sweat with extremity of pain until it die It is also called Affodius and Afudius Sabrine and Halsordius or Alsordius which are but corrupted barbarous names from the true and first word Haemâ—rrbous It is doubtful whether this be to be ascribed to the Asps or to the Vipers for Isidorus saith it is a kinde Asp and Aelianus a kinde of Viper They are of a sandy colour and in length not past one foot or three handfuls whose tail is very sharp or small their eyes are of a flery-flaming colour their head small but hath upon it the appearance of horns When they goe they go straight and slowly as it were halting and wearily whose pace is thus described by Nicander Et instar Ipsius obliquae sua parvula terga Cerastae Claudicat ex medio videas appellere dorso Paroum navigium terit imam lubrica terram Alvus haud alio tacitè trahit ilia 〈…〉 tu Ac per Arundineum si transeat illa grabatum In English thus And like the Horned-serpent so trails this elf on land As though on back a little boat it drave His sliding belly makes paths be seen in sand As when by bed of Reeds she goes her life to save The scales of this Serpent are rough and sharp for which cause they make a noyse when they goe on the earth the female resteth her self upon her lower part neer her tayl creeping altogether upon her belly and never holdeth up her head but the male when he goeth holdeth up his head their bodies are all set over with black spots and themselves are thus paraphrstically described by Nicander Vnum longa pedem totoque gracillima tractu Ignea quandoque est quandoque est candida forma Constrictumque satis collum et tenuissima cauda Bina super gelidos oculos frons cornua profert Splendentem quadam radiorum albentia luce Silvestres ut apes populatricesque Locustae Insuper horribile ac asprum caput hortet Which may be Englished in this manner following On foot in length and slender all along Sometime of fiery hue sometime milk-white it is The neck bound in and tayl most thin and strong Whose fore-head hath two horns above cold eyes Which in their light resemble shining beams Like
with forein Enemies there is no creature under heaven so bold and adventurous as they are insomuch that what soever whether man or beast or bird or wasp shall molest them vex and seek to destroy them they sharply set themselves against and according as they are able wound them with their stings Unclean persons or any that use sweet oyls or perfumes about them or those that wear curled or ruffled locks or red clothes as resembling the colour of bloud they cannot in any wise endure as also all base and vile companions Whereas on the contrary their masters keepers governors and those that make much of them they do most dearly love and affect and sitting upon their hands in stead of stinging them they seem rather to tickle and as it were by way of sport to lick them without any the least harm at all Yea they may have free leave when they are uncovered in the hear of fummer to gather their Swarms with their bare hands to handle them to dispose of them at pleasure 10 tosse them to and fro to sit or stand before the Hives mouth and therehence to â—â—ive away the Dors Drones Wasps and Hornets with a wond But if any of them have lost his sting in skirmish as a souldier having his armes taken from him he is quite disheartned and living not long after dies with grief When they go forth to battel and are ready to give the onset they carry while the signal is given and then they surround their King if he be one they love and in one battel determine the quarrel But in the fight what wonderful valour strength and courage those little beasts do shew both I my self have seen and know but they far better who report that whole fields of armed men have been conquered by the stinging of them and Lions and Bears and Horâ—â—â— slain with them But yet as fierce and warlike as the are by daily converse with them they become tame and unlesse they be provoked they live very quietly so that any man may stand before their Hives if not on purpose to disturb them and they never offer to hurt him But if we should go about to set forth at large their ingenious disposition cunning workmanship industry and memory we should not with Virgil the Poet yeeld them only to be 〈◊〉 dued with a small portion of divine inspiration but euen wholly to be possest with a 〈◊〉 soul and to erre with Pythagoras to have the understanding of the most ingenious man infused into them by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For as soon as they are lodged in a clean and sweet Hive they gather from those plants that distil moisture and yeeld gum as from the Willow Elin and Reed and even from stones themselves a kinde of Glue very thick and claâ—â—y and with that which the Latines call Commesit the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they lay the first fomidation of their work and dawb it all over he with the first plaister or rough cast the which afterwards they cover over again with a 〈◊〉 of wax mix with rosâ—â— and gum last of all with Bee-glew When this tripple wall is aâ—tificially finished they do not only deceive the most curious and 〈◊〉 observer of there works but without any man taking notice they do better and better arm and fence themselves against wind and weather vermine and all their enemies whatsoever When this is done they frame their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with that skilful Architecture as than they may seem to put down Archimedes himself in his own Art For first of all they build the cells of the King and Nobility in the upper or more eminent part of the comb large fair and stately wrought with the most pure wax of all which also the better to secure and defend the Kings persons they compasse round about as it were with a certain fence or wall And as their Bees are of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sort or condition so they make a threefold division of their cells Those that are aged and stricken in years being to be as counsellors of State and Esquires of the Body have their lodgings near the Kings Court next of all to them those of the first year or young fry these of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 in body they place utmost of all as those that should be able to fight for their King and the royall Issue Notwithstanding Arastotle writes that they first provide cells for themselves and their 〈◊〉 afterwards for their Kings and last of all for the Drones 〈◊〉 in the making of their combs they fashion them according to the largenesse and figure of the place and those either round or long do square 〈◊〉 according as they please and sometimes eight 〈◊〉 in length so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their cell 〈◊〉 tyed to a strict Geometrical for◠〈◊〉 to wi◠〈◊〉 or with fix 〈◊〉 only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 more for the bulk of the inhabitant But those cells where they make their Honey and those which are for 〈◊〉 for their young ones 〈◊〉 all double from one side of the Honey 〈◊〉 the other separated one from the others with a thin partition or mound Those Ligatures whereby the Combs are fastened to the side of the Hive are more 〈◊〉 and are empty of honey being also much more firm and strong that they may the better bear the rest of the weight which depends upon them Those Combs likewise which they cover or plaisler most with wax in those they use to store a greater quantity of Honey as in a more safe and 〈◊〉 repository Now the whole Honey Comb contains four ranks or divisions of cells the first the Bees take up the next the Drones the third the Gentles and the fourth and last is set apart for a store-house for Honey There are that affirm that the Drones do make Combs in the same Hive with the Bees but cannot make any Honey at all whether it be by reason of unwieldinesse or corpullency of their bodies or their natural inbred sloth is uncertain But if their Combs begin by reason of the weight of the Honey to shog or to be ready to fall they raise them up and under-prop them with arched Pillars that they may go under them for to every Comb there must of necessity be a ready passage and whereby they may execute their several offices which are appointed them In some places as in Pontus and the City Anisum they make white Honey in trees without any Hives at all But as for the others in making their Combs so beyond all humane Art who would not acknowledge for truth that of the Poet Esse Apibus partem divina mentis haustus Aethereos That the Bee hath in it a particle of divine understanding and heavenly wisdome Who I say will deny them to have fantasie memory and some kinde of reason But I will not argue the truth of this neither will I affirm with Pythagoras that the souls of other wise and ingeniors creatures or of men
worms as the Hen doth eggs which afterwards by a strange Metamorphosis are again changed into Flyes Although Pliny contrary to experience doth without ground affirm that nothing else doth arise out them Very rightly Scaliger saith that the Flyes at first do generate Insects unlike themselves but yet in a capacity of becoming the same that is to say white little worms which afterwards being made like to Flies have eyes hanging down by their sides in reference to whose likeness there is a kinde of disease in the eye called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. headed like a Fly Now a great number of Flyes if not the more part of them arise from dung whence I have seen them to come perfect where before they were begun But in this kinde of generation we must note that Flyes are not immediately procreated of dung but of the little worms proceeding of digested dung as the Philosopher writes in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Which Gaza translateth thus Muscae ex vermiculis fimi digesti in partes gignuntur c. In English thus Flyes are begotten of dung digested into parts therefore they that desire to meddle in this businesse strive to distinguish the dung that is not digested from that is mingled with that which is digested Now these worms at the first are exceeding small afterwards begin to be red then as yet without motion as it were cleaving by fibres they begin to move then they become unmovable worms afterwards they move again then become they again to be without motion and in conclusion by the assistance of air and sun there is begotten a living Fly Arist here as it seems spake rather from others observation than his own skill For neither those worms that are generated by copulation nor those which are bred of putrefaction are subject to so many metamorphoses or transmutations before they are transformed into Flyes For they only grow to such a bignesse afterwards are turned into a Nymph or young Fly and so lie still then at a certain time appointed by Nature the Nymph groweth to be a Fly Neither are Flies begotten of dung only but of any other filthy matter putrefied by heat in the summer time and after the same way spoken of before as Grapaldus and Lonicerus have very well noted But yet the question would be whether Flyes are not immediately generated of putrefaction and not of those worms For experience witnesseth that there are a certain kinde of Flies which are begotten in the back of the Elm Turpentine-tree Wormwood and so perchance in other herbs and plants without any preceding vermiculation or being turned into little worms first So that Scaliger that angelical man and the most learned of this Age writeth thus of their original Peradventure saith he they may seem not to arise from putrefaction but from some certain principles changed as from some kind of liquid gum or from some other matter concocted by Nature for this end Now whether concoction can be without putrefaction there is the scruple Each part of mans body hath its conveyance for the expurgation of its excrements called in Latine Emunctoria But whether a living creature may be the excrement of a creature that never had life let others determine here my sight fails me or rather I am altogether blind A third way how Flyes are begotten Sir Tho. Knivett an English man and of singular learning did first of all inform Pennius of and it was thus The corrupted body of a Caterpillar or a little bruised is converted into an imperfect Aurelia then from that not a Butterfly but three black eggs are cast out that are somewhat long fashioned from whence proceed ordinary Flyes or others like to them and some times the Aurelia being putrefied neither Butterfly nor eggs come forth of it but white worms sometimes one sometimes many come forth whence are generated very small Flyes The which famous observations of natural History truth it self doth enjoyn us to acknowledge received from the foresaid Knight for no man before him did ever observe the like Peter Martyr in his 3 Decad. and 6 Book reports that he saw drops of sweat falling from the fingers of labourers turned into Flyes and so they write that in the marshy Countrey of Paria by reason of the contagiousnesse and venemous quality of the air the drops that fall from the hands of the labourers do bring forth Toads But whether it be done immediately or mediately by some worm out of which the Fly should break forth he doth not shew In the year 766. before the Nativity of Christ Rivallus then being K. of Britains there were showres of bloud three daies together very great very many from whence came abundance of Flyes and so poysonous that with their stings they killed a great number of people so saith the English History Now the Fly for the most part is not at the first a Fly but a worm proceeding either from the dead corpses of men or the carkasses of other creatures then it gets feet and wings and so becomes of a creeping creature a flying and begets a little worm which afterwards becomes a Fly Take off the head of a Fly yet the rest of his body will have life in it yea it will run leap and seem as it were to breath Yea when it is dead and drowned with the warmth of the sun and a few ashes cast upon it it will live again being as it were anew made and a fresh life put into it insomuch that Lucians disciples were perswaded and did verily beleeve that the soul of them was indeed immortal Forasmuch as it goes and comes it owns its own body and raiseth it up so that it drinketh eateth wipes its head and eyes makes clean its snout rubs its shanks and legs claps its wings and flies verifying the opinion of Plato concerning the immortality of the soul and the fable concerning Hermotimus Clazomenius whose soul would often go out of hi◠body wander up and down a great way by it self and afterwards would return into the body replenish and raise it up again Some will put drowned Flyes into warm Ashes or warm Bran and in a quarter of an hour fostering them in their hands and breathing on them they will bring them to life again CHAP. XI Of the divers kindes of Flies THere is a great deal of difference amongst Flies whether you respect the matter or form of them Some of them come from themselves by way of copulation as hath been said others from some ascititious or external matter such are they that are bred in Dung Apples Oaks Beans c. In regard of their form or shape some have two wings others four with horns or without some short some long some have round tails others sharp or piked hairy and without hairs in a word they vary in colour shape bigness according to the nature of the Countrey they live in or the putrefied matter whereof they are made I
wish I had seen them all and I know Apelles himself would hardly have been able to paint their fashions The Flesh-fly in regard of his bignesse and bulk of his body is the biggest of all other he hath a reddish head his body full of gray spots his belly thick blew transparent having two wings hairy very greedy of flesh He flies for the most part alone unlesse it be perhaps in the flesh-market or Shambles where the Butchers turn fencers continually killing and beating them away with their Fly-flaps lest with their fly-blowes which Hippocrates cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek their flesh should be tainted There is a story as Caelius Rhodiginus relates it that at Toletum in the open Butcher-row one Fly amongst the rest used to come by the space of an year as white as snow which I dare say was of this sort in regard it was seen to be so long together in that place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Musca canum in English a Dog-fly in the German tongue Hunds Fliege Hunds Mucken in the Polonian Psia Mucha Isidore and Eâ—thyâ—ius and Philo suppose it to be a Wood-fly very irksome to the ears of Dogs the which notwithstanding they shake it oft never so often yet returns with as much violence as before where if he tarry any while with the galling of the flesh he raiseth a blister of whom Homer in his Iliad 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. c. Why like a Dog-fly dost thou contend with the gods Athenaus also in his 4 Book reports that the like name of Dog-fly was given to a certain famous Curtizan for her unparallel'd impudence mordacity and troublesomenesse Now the Dog-fly to borrow the words of Philo is an Insect that bites hard is importunate and treacherous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This seemeth to me in holy Writ as in Exod. 8. Psal 77. 104. to be the common name of all hurtful Insects as appeareth by the Chaldee Paraphrase As for their more special signification they can be compared to no kinde of Fly better than those black great broad flat ordinary Flies which do so boldly fly upon cattel and not only suck from the outermost skin of them watry bloud as other Flies but with great pain fetch out and suck bloud very deep They want a snout but in stead thereof they have two teeth as the Wasps have which they fasten deeply into the skin but more especially they infest and annoy the ears of Hounds in Germany insomuch that as Camerarius witnesseth they even pluck off the skin These an English Gent. said he saw in Italy in shape altogether like the Dog-fly only without wings whose wings also are represented so close to his body that the learned Dr. Barbar takes them for the same Niphus doth ascribe unto it wonderful swiftnesse of flight and roundnesse of body The nearest in likenesse to it is the Tick or Sheep-fly making a kinde of a horrid noise as he flies and is in his flight more slow and heavy then a Gad-fly There are two kindes of them differing only in bignesse the greater which is the Forrest-fly the other the lesse living in hedges and quicksets This Beast-fly is in Latine called Asilum in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from striking or stinging whence not only this Insect but another that useth to scare Bees of which hereafter and a third very so midable to some kinde of Fish are called by the same name of Oestrum Of this kinde of Fly the Poet Virgil in the 3 of his Georgicks chanteth after his manner A Fly there 's in Silarus woods that much Vseth nâ—er to green holm the Greeks call such Oistron Asilus is the Latine name It makes a sharp harsh noise and with the same Heards of cattel frighted fly and quiver Woods and barks sound of Tanagius River Calepine and other Lexicographers of his gang besides some Physicians and even Pliny himself makes this Fly one and the same with the Oxe-fly so that it is very probable that they did not so heedfully read Aristotle as they might or did not indeed understand his meaning It is confest on all hands that Asilus and Tabanus are a species of Flies and that both of them have a sting in their mouth with which they pierce the sides of the beasts and suck out their bloud For so saith the Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oxe-flies and Brees make holes in the skins of four footed Beasts and they have a strong tongue which serve them for a sting they are creatures that eat bloud c. But yet that they differ much Aristotle and Aelian plainly shew First the Tabani are more frequent especially in woods and highwaies that are beset with trees and hedges as they who use to travel on horseback know to their great trouble and vexation For in the heat of the day they sting deeply And being then greater in number do draw out such a quantity of bloud that many times the horses strength fails them insomuch that the Countrey people are forced to beat them off from their horses with fly-flaps and boughs which they carry in their hands But the Asili are more rare and never fly but near the water side Moreover the Asili as witnesseth Aristot do take their beginning of certain kinde of broad and flat little creatures which haunt about rivers sides but the Tabani come of certain worms breeding in wood or timber that which Sostrates wrote and Pierius diligently hath observed Besides the Asili do trouble Oxen and all living creatures according to that of Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Tabani trouble Oxen only To which agreeth that of Orpheus vers 47. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The horrid Brees mans body doth not spare He flies from us into the open air And Homer in his Odysses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But they fled home as herds of Oxen doe When that the Brees doth force them for to goe In the spring time when daies do longer grow Where the Scholiast thus defines this kinde of Fly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Fly called Oestrum is of a yellowish colour who when it enters the ears of the Oxe causeth him to run mad upon which Callimachus in imitation of the Countrey people cals him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Oxe-driver But the Myopes or Tabani do set upon Men Horses yea and Serpents as Nicander affirms Their shape and form is also different as the Philosopher sheweth De part Anim. l. 2. in these words The tongues of the Asili and Tabani are alike of a purple colour yet these dare seize upon men the other upon Oxen only Now the Asilus hath a green heâ—d and the rest of his body all over yellowish having a greater snout than the Tabanus but making not so great a noise or buzzing he carries before him a very hard stiffe
and well compacted sting with which he strikes through the Oxe his hide he is in fashion like a great Fly and forces the beasts for fear of him only to stand up to the belly in water or else to betake themselves to wood sides cool shades and places that the wind blowes through For whilest they stand in the cold water they flap their wet tails all about their bodies and so cause him to be gone The Scholiast of Nicander saith that they are bred of Horseleeches As if he would have us to understand Horseleeches by those slat creatures of which Arist makes mention before and yet it is against nature or experience that bloud-sucking mothers should bring forth a bloud-sucking brood He flies exceeding swiftly drawes bloud with much pain Pennius hath set down 2 very raâ—e kindes of Asili one of which was sent him out of Virginia by White the other out of Russia by Elmer a Chirurgeon for a gâ—eat present That out of Virginia was full as big as the biggest Flies having a reddish head and very like in shape too but only that the head was black and had from the shoulders a white streak drawn to the mouth having also bigger and blaâ—ker eyes He had in his mouth a long 〈…〉 ing and very strong his shoulder of a blackish brown colour from whence came forth two wings of a silver colour to the tail downward it had six or seven joynts or fissures of a whitish colour all the rest of the body blackish In swiftnesse of flight inferious to none surpassing the most his belly was between an ash and yellow colour or a pale green That of Elmer which came from Moscovia had silver wings longer than the whole body great eyes very long taking up almost all the head a black bill or beak hardish tripartite with which out of hand she penetrates hose lined with a three double cloth skin flesh and all sucking it with great pain As for the Generation of the Asili or the Fly with great eyes I wonder at the inconstancy of the Philosophers opinion thereupon For first he makes them to come of a little flat creature swimming in the water which the Scholiast of Nicander not unfitly cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Hirudines in English Horseleeches and in the 8. of his History he will have them the off-spring of the Gnats in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some living creatures live first in moysture and after that they change their shape and live out of it as it fals out with Gnats about rivers from which proceeds the Brees But how that can be I know not For of creatures that have wings it is impossible that other winged creatures of a diverse form should be generated as the diligent observer of Nature may easily gather And so much of the Oxe-fly which the Goths call Hestabryviss but the English have no name for it Wherein the Author seems to me to be mistaken because it hath afforded it a very proper name as is abovesaid He feeds not only on the juice of flowers and honey but on the bloud of beasts which with great tediousnesse and pain he sucks out There is another Fly much of the same sort with a head and body more inclining to green His shoulders shine with greennesse wings he hath two whitish in the middle and outward parts but are otherwise blackish or dunnish This only once Pennius saw it it Hanworth in the year 86. in the moneth of August In the year 82. he found in England two other sorts of Flies like Gnats one of which had a pretty big body of yellow and red colour it had two wings the head very long the tail reddish The other also had a long head long and slender shanks of a very sad black colour the latter were longer than the former which he stretched at length when he flew and let hang down A Countrey-man there was that affirmed for certain that out of their eggs for he had observed them coupling together came those worms that usually eat the leaves of trees The Fly called in Latine Tabanus is of the Greeks called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by reason perchance of its stinging or pricking for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies also a spur wherewith horses are pricked or spurred The French call it Tahon the Italians Tabano the Spaniard Tavano the Germans Braem Kâ—flyege ross muck the Brabanters Rochleghebrem the Polonian Kirowia muka the English a Burrel-fly Stowt and Breese and also of sticking and clinging Cleg and Clinger This Calepine more boldly then truly saith hath four wings But with more judgement Aelian and others say it hath but two silver white The whole bulk or body is very long divided into three principal parts the head shoulders and the ventricle or belly distinguished with five or six clefts or incisures the whole body of a blackish white in the mouth of it it carries a strong long and browny Proboscis it hath six black feet in all parts else representing much the Dog-fly In the moneths of July and August by reason of the extremity of heat they are most fierce and do miserably handle Oxen and Horses and young cattel unlesse protected with fly-flaps boughs of trees or plants which they follow by sent of their sweat because they cannot reach them with their sight being very weak sighted from whence the infirmity of the eyes called purblindnesse is in Greek termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are generated saith Pliny of the worms that come out of the wood putrefied Which some cunning men before they have wings did use to binde about the wrist of the left arm as a remedy against Quartain Agues They suck out bloud with such force and in so great abundance that a friend of mine whom I dare believe told me that his horse being tyed to a tree was by reason of the multitude of them killed in lesse then six hours they had drawn out so much bloud that the spirits failing he fell down dead By these things it is manifest that the Tabani are of a different nature from the Asili notwithstanding that most of the Greek and Latine Authors do seem to confound them and make them all one Yea even Gesner himself in this very matter could not tell what to say in his book de Quadrup and indeed unlesse it were only Pierius and my friend Pennius now deceased no man as yet found the difference between them Ardoinus is here desired to be censured in the first place because he saith that both the Tabanus and Asilus have stings in their tails as the Wasps have and secondly because he makes them to have eight feet where as none of them in the world was ever known to have above six Lastly he reckons them in the classis or rank of Gnats whereas the Gnat never bites in the heat of the day as the Asilus and Tabanus do but altogether in the night at what
time they are very irksome indeed Next to these is another Fly shrewdly annoying cattel in the heat of the day which Pennius cals Curvicaudam very well in English a Wringle-tail in regard that alwaies sitting upon the buttocks or belly of the beast he bends his tail towards him with his sting started that he may be ready to strike at-pleasure whensoever opportunity may ofter it self This Fly the English in their proper tongue call a Whame and a Burrell-fly and it is scarce found any where else but in England This kinde of Fly is almost like the Bee in shape and colour only it is bigger in body It doth not cleave to the flesh nor suck bloud as others do but only stings with its tail flying a long way after horses and stinging them in their travel Horses are naturally afraid of this Fly whom upon the least touch they endevour by what means possible with their tails feet and mouths to drive away Some are of a minde that these flies do not indeed use a sting or prick but with their tails they fasten their dung to the horses hair from whence a while after come a number of very irksome Nits But experience must prove that for reason in a matter so improbable is silent True it is they are very violent upon their prey as being blinde both the Tabanus and the Wringle-tail which may be the reason why they are so bold and fearlesse as being secure of any danger But especially the Oestrus from whence those famous Poets of old weâ—e said to be Oestro perciti stung with this furious Fly called Oestrum Plutarch cals them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gad-stricken Those kinde of Flies that follow are more rare There are â—undry sorts of Flies of the Greeks called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Pilicauda Seticaâ—dae in English Hair-tails or Bristle-tails For some of them have one others two othersome yet three or four bristles in their tail of which in order The Fly with four hairs represents the first of those with three hairs only its tail is somewhat bigger at the latter end of it the feet as also the horns black the wings long the outermost three times exceeding the innermost in bignesse having a black spot in the middle and in the tail four hairs or bristles The greatest Libellae The Mean The Smallest The middle sort of the Libellae do set forth Natures elegancy beyond the expression of Art The first is of a most cutious colour The body blue or sky colour the wings of bright violet colour the space between the shoulders is adorned with four golden gems set as it were in a blackish collet The second hath the head and body gray the wings whitish which are beautified with gray lines drawn quite through them in the middle they are of a purple colour The third hath its head and body of a greenish colour the lines of the wings are marked as it were with bloud colour streaks towards the edges or outmost parts like to a dark purple The fourth-seems to be all over of the same colour to wit of a duskish colour mixt with a pale green The eyes of the fifth are blue the head green the whole body mixt of green and blue except the wings which are most accurately wrought with silver colour and black in the 〈…〉 adowed with a dark purple The sixth is all over green yea and the wings themselves are of light green I have seen four of the least 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 The first the body all over of a bright blue colour The second red the 〈…〉 to both of them a silver colour The third yellowish but the tail more thick the edges of the wings as also all the lines that run along them are red and marked with a bloud colour spot The fourth which is the least of all hath a long spiny tail a great head blue eyes standing out with two little horns to guard them the body somewhat long slender underneath greenish above blackish on the back it hath two greenish lines or streaks drawn along from the head to the 〈◊〉 of the wings the tail bound together with five joynts or knots in the end whereof is a ring of bluish colour One there is of this number which â—â—alleth some of the other bigger very speedily of a thin gray coloured body and the wings alike coloured and when he creeps into an apple no hole can be seen where he went in he feeds also upon seeds This Fly William Brewer a learned man and an excellent naturalist sent to Pennius There are found in the leaves of young Fennel Flies of an exceeding smalnesse inasmuch as sometimes they are so little that they are not able to be seen they run and fly very swiftly insomuch that you would wonder how it were possible for nature to fasten feet and wings to such very exceeding small bodies Water Flies of the Greeks called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Lâ—custres â—s abiding in fenny places are those that feed upon things that swim upon the suâ—â—ce of the water and that live especially upon the water as these and the like Phryganides 〈◊〉 Tigurina Aeschna Lutea Fâ—sca c. Phryganides comes from the little worm Phryga 〈…〉 which in English is called Cados worm living in the waters and in the midst of August ascending to the top or superficies of the waters it hath four wings of a brown colour the body somewhat long having two short horns the tail forked or rather bristles coming out of the tail The form or figure of this Fly is various in regard of the great variety of those little Cados worms whereof they come CHAP. XII Of the use of Flyes THese little creatures so hateful to all men are not yet to be contemned as being created of Almighty God for diverse and sundry uses First of all by these we are forewarned of the near approaches of foul weather and storms secondly they yeeld medicines for us when we are sick and are food for divers other creatures as well Birds as Fishes They shew and set forth the Omnipotency of God and execute his justice they improve the diligence and providential wisdome of men All which shall appear in their places As for their presaging of weather when the Flies bite hardel then ordinary making at the face and eyes of men they foretell rain or wet weather from whence Politian hath it Sitiensque cruoris Musca redit summosque proboscide mordicat artus English Thirsty for bloud the Fly returns And with his sting the skin he burns Perhaps before rain they are most hungry and therefore to asswage their hunger do more diligently seek after their food This also is to be observed that a little before a showre or a storm comes the Flies descend from the upper region of the air to the lowest and do fly as it were on the very surface of the earth Moreover if you see them very busie about sweet meats or
flies and within being full of their worms he putrefied by little and little and so died Which kinde of examples of severity as the Ancients shewed to the guilty and criminous offenders so on the other side the Spaniards in the Indies use to drive numbers of the Innocents out of their houses as the custome is among them naked all bedâ—wbed with honey and expose them in open air to the biting of most cruel flies But for these things let Nemesis answer who is at the back of cruel miscreants yea may be said every moment to be present with them To conclude the last use of Flies and thatnot to be contemned neither appears to be this that where is none of them passe a Summer yet some of them do not live out a short day we should by them be put in minde of our own frailty and of the uncertainty of this vanishing life the which although preserved with all the dainty food that can be got with the softest raiment and all the best waies and means that may be for a short space yet when it seems most to flourish it on a sudden declines and scarce with the fly holds out an Autumn much lesse a Winter we are in Pindars account but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Daiesmen i. e. of a daies continuance and as the dream of a shadow And with the flies short liv'd yea shorter liv'd then they for the most short lived of them liveth a day whereas we have young children that survive not sometimes the fourth part of an hour Away then thou Tyrant whoever thou art make lawes as thou pleasest persecute the godly add impudence to thy strength trouble and confound all things give thy self up to all abominable and filthy lusts yet at length Jupiter shall scare away these fl 〈…〉 s and after thou art dead exercise thee with variety of torments CHAP. XIII Of Gnats THE Gnat is called in Hebrew Arabick Heagi in Italian Zenzala zinzala sanzara sanzala in Germane mock m' n' ucke schnack flinger braem in Flanders Mesien in Polony Komer Welchicomor in Muscovy Coomor in Spanish Moxquite mosquito whence our se 〈…〉 en call it a Muschite in French if it be lesser Moucheron if greater Bordella in English if bigger a Gnat if lesser Midges in Latine Culex perchance from its sting as Isidor saith or from the word culeum which signifies the same with cortum a skin But if I might be bold to give the Etymologie I should rather read the word cuticem not calicem a skin fly because it most affects that whence by way of Hieroglyphick it signifies a Letcher because as the Gnat covets the fairest skin and strikes till bloud come forth so doth the Letcher which Plautus seems to intimate when as the Parasite if I am not deceived takes up an old fornicator for kissing his mistress too hard after this manner Eho tunihili cane culex c. What art thou not ashamed thou gray-headed Gnat I can scarce forbear to tell thee thine own The Greeks have no general word that comprehends all kindes of Gnats as on the other side the Latines want words for particular Gnats with which the Greeks abound Of the Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seems to be most comprehensive whence the Oeteans worshipt Hercules by the name of Conopius because he was thought to have driven all the Gnats out of their Countrey The same Alexandrinus witnesseth that Apollo was called in Attica Culicaris The Boeotians worshipt their god by the name of Apollo Parnopius because he drave away their Gnats called in their language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Pausanias But since the Greeks have one herb they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Culicularia or Gnatbane a remedy against all sorts of gnats 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth indeed seem to be the most general word That is evident by the network coverlid spread on beds taken from the Greeks which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we also at this day name not much unlike a canopy a thing to catch all manner of Gnats The Gnat seems to be a kinde of Fly yet as flies love sweet things Gnats love things sowre and tart The Flies do couple the Gnats do not They are most troublesome in the day time these in the night they make a kinde of a dull humming noise these sing shrill loud and pleasantly The Gnat hath two wings for the bigness of his body great coming forth of his cromp shoulders he hath six long crooked scambling legs going in and out growing from his prominent square breast with which as Arist saith they with the more ease lift up their bodies and go the better he hath a very long body as also a snout or proboseis three times as long as the Flies have with the sharp point whereof he breaks through the skin and with the hollowness of his trunk he sucks bloud which he makes use of in stead of a mouth and a tongue Pliny He makes a terrible sound and great for the bulk of his body so that Homer in his Batrochomyomachia makes them to give the signal for the fight Aristophanes in his Nubibus in derision of Socrates brings in Chaerepho demanding whether the Gnats make that sound with their mouth or with their tail Yet in his Avibus he terms them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Scholiast expounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shrill singing Their Proboscis saith Pennius seems to be given them by nature to suck bloud and to feed themselves withall but we may not assent to him in this particular even reason is against it for that the Gnat when he turns towards one sings more shrill but in turning away more flat which could not possibly be if they made their sound with their tail The structure or make of the Gnat there is no man but with Pliny may justly admire For in these so small Insects and as good as none almost what reason is there what force what inextrieable perfection where hath nature placed so many senses in the Gnat where his sight where his tâste where his smelling where is begotten that terrible and great sound which that little body makes with what curiosity are the wings fastened and the shanks and legs to the body an empty hollow place for a belly which causeth such a thirst after bloud of mens especially but their dart wherewith they pierce the skin how sharp is it as in the biggest it cannot be perceived so it is doubled with reciprocal art that it might be sharp to break through the skin and fistulous to suck the bloud Their manners and conditions are very ill disposed both in regard that by their good will they will wound none but the fairest and also those that are asleep harmlesse and thinking no hurt Whence groweth the proverb of a very ill conditioned man that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mort mischievous than the Gnat. The Gnat certainly is a very
will stand to the judgement of Hippocrates that women are more â—ot than men but if they be not so yet it must needs be acknowledged that the female Grashoppers are more hot than the male because under the midriffe they are not so divided but the males in that place were it not for that little membrane to hinder they might easily be blown through Nature certainly intended by denying a voice to the females of these Grashoppers to teach our women that lesson 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what ornament silence brings to the female sex They begin first of all to sing about the latter end of the Spring the Sun being 〈◊〉 past the Meridian and perchance in hotter Countreys sooner where quickseâ—s or thickeâ—s are 〈◊〉 rare there they live more happily and sing more willingly For they are of all creatures the least melancholy and for that reason they do affect not only green and pleasant 〈…〉 es but 〈…〉 on and open fields Yea they are not to be found in those places where there are no trees at all nor where there are too many and too shady Hence it comes to passe saâ—tâ— Arist that aâ— Cyrene in none of the fields there is there any Grashoppers to be found whereas near the Town they are frequently heard They shun also cold places indeed they cannot live in them They love the Olive tree because of the thinness of the bough and narrowness of the leaves whereby they are lesse shady They never alter their place as neither doth the Stork or at least very seldome or if they do they are ever after silent they sing no more so much doth the love of their native soyl prevail with them In the Countrey of Miletus saith Pliny they are seldome seen In the Island Cepholenia there runs a River on the one side whereof there is plenty of them on the other in a manner none that which I should take to be the cause is either the want of trees or the too much abundance or else a certain natural antipathy of the soyl as Ireland neither brings forth not breeds any venomous creature for the same reasons they do not fancy the Kingdome of Naples although Niphus relates that to be done by the enchantment of one Maro Timaeus that writeth the History of Sicily reports that in the Countrey of Locris on the hither side of the River Helicis they are marvellous loud on the other side toward the city of Rhegium there is scarce one to be heard they are not therefore silent because Hercules prayed against them for disturbing him of his sleep as Solinus fabulously relates but because they are more merry and jocond at home as the Cock is whence it is that the Locrian Grashoppers will not sing at Rhegium nor theirs on the contrary near Locris and yet there is but a small river runs between them such a one as one may cast a stone over Much certainly doth their Countrey which comprehends in it all the love that may be move them where like the people of the Jewes they refuse to sing their native Songs in a strange Countrey who being cast out of their own habitation seek means to die rather than waies to live so prodigal seem they of their short life and desirous after their native dwelling They do so affect the company of men that unless they see fields full of Mowers or harvest folk and the waies with passengers they sing very low and seldome or silently and to themselves But if once they hear the reapers making merry talking and singing which is commonly at noon then they sing so loud as if they strove who should sing loudest together with them Wherefore not undeservedly was the Parasice in Athenaeus called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who being naturally obstemious by nature yet was so full of talk as if he strove that no body should be heard at the table but he Socrates in his Phaedro recites the History of the Grashoppers very wittily warning men not to sleep in the heat of the day lest the Grashoppers mock them for the Poets report how their diligence was highly rewarded For they â—ay that the Grashoppers before the Muses were were men who afterwards when the Muses came taught them to sing but some of them were so delighted with musick and singing that altogether neglecting their meat and drink inconsiderately they perished the which afterwards being turned into Grashoppers the Muses gave them that for a reward that they should be able to live even in the heat of the day without meat or drink neither to have any need of bloud or moisture They couple and generate with creatures of the same kinde as Aristotle tels us and the male casts his seed into the female which she accordingly receives they bring forth in fallow grounds hollowing it with that sharp picked hollow part of their tail as the Bruchus doth and therefore there is great plenty of Grashoppers in the Countrey of Cyrene Also in reeds wherewith the vines are propped they make hollow a place for their nest and sometimes they breed in the stalk of the herb Squilla but this brood soon fals to the ground This is also worth the notice which Hugo Solerius writing upon Aetius affirmeth that the Grashoppers dye with bringing forth the ventricle of the female being rent asunder in the birth the which some being very much deceived therein do report of the Viper the which I exceedingly marvel at For they lay white eggs and do not bring forth a living creature as the field mouse doth unless it be by reason of weakness of the egge comes a little worm of that comes a creature like to the Aurelia of the Butterfly which is called Tettigometra at what time they are very delicate meat to be eaten before the shell be broken afterwards about the Solstices in the night come forth of that matrix the Grashoppers all black hard and somewhat big When they are thus got out those that are for the quicksets betake themselves thither those that live amongst the corn go and sit upon that at their departue they leave behinde them a little kinde of moisture not long after they are able to take wing and they begin to sing That therefore which Solerius feigneth concerning the bursting of the womb of the mother I should conceive to be understood of the matrixes A certain woman did bring up some young Grashoppers for her delight sake and to hear them sing which became with young without the help of the male if we may believe Arist 1. l. de hist anim but since he hath told us that all the females of Grashoppers are mute by nature and this spontaneous impregnation is far from truth either the woman deceived Aristotle or he us There is another kinde of Generation of Grashoppers that we read of For if clay be not dug up in due time it will breed Grashoppers so saith Paracelsus and before him Hesychius For this cause Plato saith
wind creeps between the skin and flesh which hapneth no doubt by the flux of humours melted by the poison and the vapours elevated upwards The lips are of a strong colour to wit of a dead violet In the mouth there is the like poysonous taste the stomach belly and guts do ake extremely the urine is stopt the body is ill all over as also the head and brain are sensible of it A remedy of this is Salt-peter taken in Wine and Oxe gall Useful to that purpose is womans milk suckt out abundantly and in defect cowes goats or sheeps milk Womans urine drank and vomited up again but before a vomit they ought not be given because by that means the Feaver would be more sharp Dioscor First of all therefore of good store of Wine sodden or with oyl of Myttle Bacon lard or fat Pork broth or with good store oyl of Olive or boyled Wine a Vomit is to be made New Wine drank freely is held to be a special remedy against the Buprestis Galen and Ardoynus Pliny commends Nitre with water or Laserwort Asa dulcis Wine and Honey or Bezoin dissolved in warm water or take red Nitre 4. drams and in warm water or Posca cause Vomit After vomit there must be means used for purgation afterwards use dry Figs as Galen prescribeth or a decoction of them in old generose Wine when the fit begins to bate The Thebane date is prescribed to eat alone or bruised in sweet Wine or womans Milk all kinde of Pears and oyl of blossomes of Apples are much commended for this use Nicander commends wood-pears for that I think he means by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and especially Myrtle berries following the authority of Dioscorides For that they do refrigerate and bind and by that means do asâ—wage the hot nature of the Buprestis and help the weakness of the stomach But heed must be taken they be not eaten while the body is yet swoln lest the disease be increased by the poyson being kept in Some with good reason give 31. berries of bladder Nightshade and with Almonds the make Almond-milk together with the decoction of Lettice Violets Borage Bugloss garden Nightshade Plantain Raisins and the great cold Seeds Aetius gives the root of Scorpion grass in sweet Wine to drink Many extoll the wings and feet of the Cantharides for an Antidote against the Buprestis but either it hath an opposite quality by antipathy which makes good that opinion or else we may suspect it to be false If an Horse or an Oxe eat one of these flies presently he swels growes mad and shortly after bursteth and dieth So Aelian 6. de Anim. c. 35. and Hierocles a Greek writer witnesseth it He bids to binde the horses head and to open the veins about his nostrils that the bloud may run forth of his mouth and to rub it with Coleworts and give him Fish-pickle and Oyl and Vegetius likewise almost in the same words If a Horse or an Oxe eat a Buprestis with the grass his belly will instantly swell he is inflated all over he refuseth his meat and he often and by little and little sends forth his dung To cure this Absyrtus and Vigetius prescribe one and the same remedy presently get upon the Horse and cause him to gallop as fast as he is able afterwards let him bloud a little in the roof of his mouth and let him swallow the bloud as it runs forth chewing it in his mouth then keep him continually walking let his diet be wheat steeped in sweet Wine with Leeks given him with a horn in Wine warm well beaten with Raisins Some as Praxanus taught them pour Oyl into the nostrils of the Oxe l. 17. c. 17. To Goats that are swoln with the Buprestis apply Bacon-lard or pour the fat broth of it down their throat saith the same Author The Cynoprestis seems to be the same with the Buprestis for that works the same effects in Dogs as this doth in Cattel or if it be a different sort of creature from this I confess ingenuously I have not met with it CHAP. XX. Of the Cantharides or Spanish Fly I Know not what the reason was that the Cantharides above the rest so well known of so great use in Physick were omitted by Pennius and Gesner Which task notwithstanding I shal willingly undertake and thus I begin their History The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek is the same in Latine in French it is Cantaride in Italian Catarella in Spanish Cubillo in the German Tongue Grune Kefer Goldkefer in Low Dutch Spaensche Vlieghe in English Cantharides or Spanish Fly Of the Cantharides two sorts have come to our knowledge the one greater the other lesse Of the greater sort there are some thick and long taken in wheat and fat likewise as the Blats are drawn with variety of golden lines which in the wings run athwart and those are accounted of the best use in Physick Others are lesse and lean hairy called the innermost not so fit for medicine Of the greater sort also not all are of a glittering green but some of them of a sad red but all of them of an inexpressible splendor and very pleasant to the eye Their virtue consists in burning the body causing a crust or as Dioscorides will have it to corrode cause exulceration and provoke heat and for that reason are used mingled with medicines that are to heat the Lepry Tettars and Cancerous sores And in being mixt with Cecots or fit plaisters they do cure deformities of the nails causing them to fall off They are used in medicines for Corns on the feet or hands Some anoint the places where the hair 〈◊〉 off with Cantharides bruised and liquid Pitch the skin being prepared with Nitre they are good for Cauteries but care must be had that they do not ulcerate so deep then some command to annoint those ulcers made with the heads of with the gall or dung of Mice mixt with Helleboâ—e and Pepper Cantharides mixt with quick Lime cure Botches as if you should cut them off with a razour Some use to cast a little of them into Medicaments to provoke urine But there is a great question of it because they are poyson drank in respect of the bladder that they afflict with perpetual tomentâ— But these is no question but in oyntment they may do good with the juyce of wilde Vine or with Sheeps or Goats suet Some of my Masters put only their wings and their feet into Medicaments that provoke urine We saith Galen are wont to cast in the Cantharides whole and we judge those to be the best that are found in wheat and have a yellow girdle running athwart their wings to adorn them L. 3. l. 11. desimpl fac also put under they mightily provoke the terms and put to medicaments for the Dropsie they are a very good antidote against it as not only Hippocrates and Dioscorides but Galen Avicenna Rhasis
Nitre and oyl of Violets and let the patient take this Theriack Take Opopanax Myrrhe Galbanum Castoreum white Pepper of each alike make it up with liquid Storax and Honey The Dose is the quantity of a Jujube the part must be fumed with a piece of a milstone heat and sprinkled with Vinegar Also foment it with water of wilde Lettice The usual Theriack Take the rind of the root of Cappaâ—is root of Coloquintida Wormwood round Birthwort Hepatica wilde Dandelion dried each alike make a Powder the Dose â—s two drams also sowre Apples must be eaten For pain in the belly Let him drink oyl of Roses with Barley water Citrals Gourds also give sowre Milk For trembling of the heart Let him take juice of Endive or syrup of Vinegar or syrup of Apples with troches of Camphire or sowre Milk the same way If the wound be afflicted with great pain Lay on a Cataplasm of Bole and Vinegar for a defensative and for a sharp remedy lay on Euphorbium or Castoreum Poly root drank with water and a Rams flesh burnt is profitable Theriack called Hascarina first invented in the Province of Hascarum Take leaves of red Roses iv drams Spodium ij drams Citron Sanders ij drams and half Saffron j. dram Licorice ij drams seeds of Citrals Melons Cucumers Gourds Gum tragant Spike e 〈…〉 j. dram Lignum Aloes Cardamon Amylum Camphir each j. dram most white Sugar Manna each iij. drams with the mucilage of Fleawort and Rose-water what may suffice make it up The people of Hascarum was wont to draw bloud from the sick saith holy Abbas almost till they fainted then they gave sweet milk to drink and water distilled from sowre Apples Also they gave sowre Milk in great quantity Thus the Arabians speak of this pestilent kinde of Scorpions that Nicander and all the Greeks were ignorant of and that was too common in the Countrey of Hascarum Now we will speak of Spiders CHAP. XI Of the Name of Spiders and their Differences THE Latine name Araneus or Aranea is in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the slender feet it hath or from its high gate fom the cobwebs it spins Others call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Muscatricem Kiramides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Hebrews Acabitha Acbar Acabish Semamith in Arabick Sibth and Phihit Aldebahi and Aldebani as it is called by Bellunensis the Germans call it Spinn and Banker the English Attercop Spider Spinner the Brabants Spini and French Araigne Italian Ragno Ragna the Spanish Arana or Taranna the Sclavonians Spawauck the Polonians Paiack the Barbarians Koatan Kersenati Isidore l. 12. c. 12. saith it is called Aranea because it is bred and nourished by the air a twofold error for if they live by the air wherefore are they so careful to weave nets and catch Flies and if they were bred of the air wherefore do they copulate wherefore do they thrust forth little worms and eggs but we will pardon the elegant Etymologer because who makes a custome to play thus with words There are many of these kindes and all of them have three joynts in their legs A little head and body small With slender feet and very tall Belly great and from thence come all The webs it spins Now Spiders are venomous or harmless of harmless some are tame or house-spiders those are the biggest of all others live in the open air and from their greediness are called hunters or wolves the smaller kindes of these do not weave but the greater sort begins his web very sharp and small by the hedges or upon the ground having a little hole to creep into and laying the beginnings of his webs within observing whilest something shakes the web then he runs to catch it The venomous Spiders called Phalangia are so venomous that the place they wound will presently swell These are of two kindes for some are less some greater the less are various violent sharp salacious and going as it were rebounding which as we read are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Fleas or Apes others are called Oribates which are found especially on trees in mountains they are called Hypodromi because they live under leaves Gesnerus It is a hairy creature and breeds in the greater trees The belly of it is moderately with incisions that the cutting may seem to be marked by thred Aelianus CHAP. XII Of Spiders that are hurtful or Phalangia Grievous symptomes follow the bitings of Pismire Phalangium for there followes a mighty swelling on the part bitten the knees grow weak the heart trembles the forces fail and oft-times death succeeds Nicander saith that the sick sleep so deeply that they are alwaies asleep at last and are in the same condition as those are that are stung by the Viper Histories relate that Cleopatra set one to her breast that she might escape Augustus without pain nor is the wound deadly unless it be wholly neglected Rhagium makes very small wound and that cannot be seen after it hath bitten the lower parts of the eyes as also of the cheeks wax red then horror and fainting seize on the loyns and weakness on the knees the whole body is very cold hath no heat and the nerves suffer convulsion from the malignity of the venome The parts serving for generation are so debilitated that they can harly retain their seed they make water like to Spiders webs and they feel pain as those do are stung with a Scorpion From the sting of Asterion men seem wholly without strength their knees fail them shivering and sleep invade the patient The blew Spider is worst of all causing darkness and vomitings like Spiders webs then fainting weakness of the knees Coma and death Dysderi or Wasp-like Phalangium causeth the same symptomes with the blew but milder and with a slow venome brings on putrefaction Where the Tetragraphii bite the place is whitish and there is a vehement and continual pain in it the part it self growes small as far as the joynts Lastly the whole body findes no profit by its nourishment and after health recovered men are troubled with immoderate watchings Aetius Nicander denies directly that the ash-coloured Tetragnathon can poyson one by biting him The Cantharis like or pulse Phalangium raiseth wheals which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the minde is troubled the eyes are wrested aside the tongue stammers and fails speaking things improperly the heart is as it were moved with fury and flies up and down The Vetch kinde produceth the same mischiefs and cause Horses that devour them and cattel to be very thirsty and to burst in the middle Cranocalaptes saith Pliny if it bite any one death followes shortly after But Aetius and Nicander affirm the contrary and that the wound thereof is cured without any trouble almost at all Head-ache cold vertigo restlesness tossings and pricking pains of the belly follow but they are all asswaged saith Nicander by fit remedies
is in pain and it profits much Or presse out the juice of Spiders with juice of Roses and put it in with Wooll Marcellus Empir Pliny bids infuse them in Vinegar or Oyl of Roses and stamp them and then drop some into the ear with Saffron and it will still the pain certainly Dioscorides affirms as much Sostratus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith that Cranocolaptes a certain Spider drowned in Oyl is a present remedy against poysons as the Scholiast of Nicander professeth Somecatch a Spider with their left hand and bruise her in Oyl of Roses and drop some of it into the ear of the same side the tooth akes and Pliny saith it is a cure Laid upon their own bites and taken inwardly they help us What should I speak of the Albugo of the eye a most hurtfull disease Yet that is taken away very easily by the help of one Spider if you do but bruise the longest and slenderest feet especially of that kinde of Spiders that are the whitest with Oyl and anoynt the eyes affected with it Pliny Also the running of the eyes is stopped which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the dung and urine of a House Spider dropt in with Oyl of Roses or one dram of Saffron or else laid on alone with Wooll whereby you may know that there is nothing so filthy in a Spider that is not good for something Aetius for suffocation of the mother applyed a Cerate of Spiders to the Navel and saith it did great good Pliny saith that Spiders help the swelling and pain of the spleen but he tells us not his reason He saith moreover that if any man take a Spider coming down with his thread and bruised in the hollow of his hand do lay it to the Navel it will cause a stool but if he takes him climbing up and applies him it stops the belly He writes also that a Spider applyed to one that knowes not of it and taken off the third day will cure a Felon The head and feet being taken away it helps swellings of the Fundament The same Author By the fume of Spiders all the Lice fall down and never breed again Goose-grease and Oyl of Roses with a Spider anoynted on the breasts keeps the milk from curding in them Anonymuss Also that knotty Whip of God and mock of all Physicians the Gowt which learned men say can be cured by no remedy findes help and cure by a Spider layd on if it be taken at that time when neither Sun nor Moon shine and the hinder legs pulled off and put into a Deers skin and bound to the pained foot and be left on it for some time Also for the most part we finde those people to be free from the Gowt of hands or feet which few Medicaments can doe in whose houses the Spiders breed much and doth beautifie them with her Tapestry and hangings Oh the rare miracle of Nature O the wonderfull vertue of a poor contemptible Creature O most happy rich men if they knew many of them how to make use of a thing ready to do them so much good Antoninus Pius was wont to say that the quirks of Sophistry were like to Spiders Webs that had a great deal of art and ingenuity in them but very little profit But how often hath the bloud run forth of the body most miserably by a fresh wound yet it had been easie to have stopt it by laying on a Spiders Web something thick and binding it fast on were we but more attentive to look to such remedies that God affords us in our houses But we are greedy after forain remedies fetcht from farre as if they were better that we bring with great pains from the farthest Indies or more healthfull because of their greater cost But unlesse mad affection did drive us as if we were Gad-stung through all the places of Sea or Land to finde remedies to stop bloud cure Ulcers hinder corruption drive away inflamation knit wounds One Spiders Web would do more good than Sercocolla Sandaraca Bole brought from Armenia Terra Sigillata Argilla Samia Terra Lemnia For it bindes cools dries glutinares and will let no putrefaction continue long there wherefore it suddenly stops all bleeding at the nose as also bleeding of the Emrods and bloud in a Dysentery Menstrual bloud and all over great evacuations of bloud by the opening of the mouths of the veins whether you give it alone with wine inwardly and lay it on outwardly or else mingle it with Bloud-stone Crocus Martis and other things of that kinde Also the Spiders web is put into the Unguent against Tetters and applyed to the swellings of the Fundament it consumes them without pain Marcel Emp. Also Pliny saith it cures runnings of the Eyes and layd on with Oyl it heals up wounds in the joynts Some rather use the ashes of the webs with Polenta and wine Our Chirurgians cure warts thus They wrap a Spiders ordinary web into the fashion of a Ball and laying it on the wart they set it on fire and so let it burn to ashes by this means the wart is rooted out by the roots and will never grow again Marcellus Empiricus was wont to use the webs of Spiders sound in the Cypress tree in a remedy for the Gowt to ease the pains For the Tooth-ache Galen 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of Archigenes commends highly Spiders Egges mingled with Spike Oyl and put into the tooth Also Kiranides gives Spiders Egges to drink against a Tertian whence we conclude with Galen ad Pison From the Spiders web we may understand enough that Nature hath made nothing so vile but thâ—t it serveth for its necessary use if so be Physitians would use more diligence and would not disdaign to enter into the wood of such things as are easie to attain Now I will proceed to other things least if I stay too long in the History of the Spiders I may indeed be said to weave the Spiders web yet I will add this that Munkeys Apes Stellions Lizards Wasps Ichneumons Swallows Sparrows Muskins Hedge-sparrows feed on Spiders And the Nightingale that is the chief of singing Birds is cured from some diseases by eating of Spiders When Alexander reigned it is reported that there was a very beautifull Strumpet in Alexandria that fed alwayes from her childehood on Spiders and for that reason the King was admonished that he should be very carefull not to embrace her least he should be poysoned by venome that might evaporate from her by sweat Albertus also makes mention of a certain Noble Mayd of Collen that was fed with Spiders from her childehood And we in England have a great Lady yet living who as we said before will not leave off eating of them I cannot but repeat a history that I formerly heard from our dear friend worthy to be believed Bruerus A lustfull Nephew of his having spent his estate in rioting and Brothel-houses being ready to undertake any
are long Worms almost like those round ones that are bred in mens bellies half a foot long and stretched out a foot long they are of a weak flesh-colour and for the most part they have a ring or else a collar about their neck that is thick wherein there is a little bloud contained they have no eyes for no Worms have any They first breed of putrefied earth they are afterwards fed by the same and lastly they are resolved to earth again Those that you see wreathing little hils at the brink of their holes as I suppose those heaps are their excrements for in them we finde nothing but earth the nutrimental juice whereof being spent they cast forth the rest as unprofitable matter at their doors and they are fenced by it against the rain falling in At night chiefly when it is rainy weather they willingly copulate and stick fast till morning They are not wrapt together in copulation like Serpents but they stick fast together by their sides sending forth a frothy kinde of spittle when they copulate when they are in conjunction they keep the middle of their bodies that is the hinder half in their holes and they are never so fast glewed together but with the least motion of the earth they can easily part in rainy weather they are whiter unless it be when they copulate for then especially they are red Gesner saith in the middle of April he dissected a female Earth-worm that was very thick within the flesh through the whole body a receptacle descends that is ringed covered with a thin membrane when he dissected it it stank filthily in this is the earth contained that they take in but above this receptacle there lie white eggs very many heaped together next the mouth The lesser Worms for clearet description sake I will with George Agricola call Ascarides they are frequently found in dung-hils and under heaps of stones some of them are red ones they call them Duggs and fâ—shers much de 〈…〉 e them some are wan-coloured others have yellow tails and are so called some also are with collars and are fat others without collars and slender which I take to be the males These are bred chiefly in Autumn by reason of no plenty of moisture as Aristotle seems to affirm Both kindes live long in water but at last they die for want of food They move from place to place with a certain drawing and pulsation for the Philosopher saith they do not pâ—operly tumble along The great ones live in the bowels of the earth especially in the open air and where men oft-times resort In the morning when they withdraw themselves into their holes when the air is clear they sence them with earth cast up but in rainy weather they slop them by drawing in some stalk they feed frequently on earth but most greedily on a piece of white bread unleavened as I learned from our Turner a very credible man and have oft-times seen it Many of them dye if the Winter be too cold or the Summer too hot Moreover they are taken by Fishermen and driven forth of their holes either by digging and shaking the earth or by pouring in some liquor of strong juice as of Walnut leaves Hemp or strong Lye It is good also in tempestuous and dark nights to go into gardens silently which they miserably hurt and to creep upon them when they couple by the help of fire carried in a horn for so in one night thousands of them may be intercepted and killed Uses of this despicable creature are observed to be many and Nature scarce affords any simple that she hath bestowed more vertues on against diseases For Earth-worms soften glew together ease pain and by their earthly and watry moisture together they duly temper the part affected Powder of Earth-worms is thus prepared Wrap up great Earth-worms for some time in earth-moss that so they may free themselves of that glutinous matter that sticks on their outward parts then press their hinder parts next the tail that they may cast forth their excrements and be cleansed Then cast them into a vessel of white Wine and a little Salt and gently pressing them with your fingers cast away that first Wine pour on more and after the Worms are washed take some part of this away also for it must not all be cast away as some would have it till it be perfectly clear for so that glutinous clammy quality would be lost with it Thus prepared they must be gently dried in a furnace till they will crumble into dust when you touch them Then the powder being beaten and searced it will smell like Runnet or Cheese must be kept something far from the fâ—re in a glass vessel Otherwise iâ— is best to kill the Worms cut in pieces in Wine and Salt and when they are dead to take them out and to cleanse them This powder with the juice of Marigolds will cure the Epilepsie with Mead the Dropsie with white Wine and Myrrhe of the Troglodytes the Jaundies with boyled Wine Hydromel or Wine the Stone the Ulcers of the reins and bladder you may give a dram weight In three cyathi of water they will break inward Impostumes and bring them forth if seven or nine of them be brought into powder They stay also the Dyarrhoea help Barrenness bring forth the Secondine that staies behinde ease the pains of the Hip-gowt open the Liver cure Tertian Agues kill and drive out all Belly-worms given in liquors or decoctions that are proper for it Also the decoction of Earth-worms dâ—ank with the juice of Knot-grass or Comfrey is good against continual pisâ—ing especially if it be also cast in by a Clyster Also a Clyster of their decoction easeth the Emrods wonderfully Some where they suspect clotted bloud give the decoction of Earth-worms to drink with great success For the diseases of the Ears almost past cure boyl them in Goose-grease and pour that in Boyled in oyl for the Tooth-ache and poured into the ear on that side the pain is as Pliny saith they give ease or if you drop them into the contrary ear as Dioscorides saith Thus far for Earth-worms given inwardly from experience and testimony of Dioscorides Galen Aetius Aegineta Myrepsus Pliny Vularis Also outwardly applied and bruised they joyn wounds and nerves cut in funder and heal them in seven daies wherefore Democritus would have them kept in Honey Their ashes with old oyl cleanseth corrupt Ulcers and as Pliny writes consumes the hard edges of them if it be mingled with liquid Pitch and Simblick Honey Dioscorides saith Sicilian Honey is called Simblick A certain Chirurgion now in England of good note makes a liniment of Earth-worms and Honey wherewith he anoints the tent and sprinkles it with fine powdred Allum and puts it into a Fistula and so brings forth the core eaten out with no pain and heals the wound Also their ashes drawes forth things that stick within and laid on with oyl of
of bitter choler innumerable worms are oft-times found And I see no reason why Worms may not breed from yellow choler as well as in Wormwood from melancholy as well as in stones from bloud as well as in sugar But if they be not bred from them whence have they matter that they breed of The Physician of Padua will answer It remains therefore that they can breed only of raw flegm which either ariseth from too great quantity of the best meats for want of heat or quantity of bad meats corrupt by depravation which opinion though it well agree with Galen Aegineta Aetius Avenzoar Avicenna Coluâ—nella Celsus Alexander and chiefly with our Mercurialis yet in my judgement Hippocrates is in the right who thought that living creatures are bred in the little world as well as they are in the great Therefore as in the earth there are all kinde of humours heat and spirit that it may nourish living creatures that breed so hath man all kinde of moisture that mourisheth things that breed Moreover when as these living creatures do represent perfectly Earth-worms no man in his wits will deny but that they have both the same original What flegm is there in the earth yet it breeds round Worms and Gourd-fushioned and Ascarides and all sorts of Worms and the best and warmest earth abounds with them so far is it that they should breed only of raw and corrupt humours Do we not also daily see that Worms are voided by men that are in health For I knew a woman of Flanders that at Francfort on the Main which from her youth till she was forty years old did daily void some round Worms without any impairing of her health and she was never sick of them I conclude therefore that from every raw humour of the body Worms may breed and not only from crude or corrupted flegm The formal cause depends from internal heat which is weak gentle pleasing and fit to breed living creatures wherein that plastick force of Caleodick Nature to use the word of Avicennas doth make the colours by the degrees of secret heat and sporting her self doth make that broad form of Gourd-worms and some-times of Lizards Toads Grass-worms Catterpillers Snakes Eels as we read in Histories This doth give them taste feeling and motion this gives them that force of attracting whereby they forcibly draw forth with greediness the juices that slip into the guts If it were not so that heat that consumes all things might perhaps dispose the matter that is changed by putrefaction but it would never give the form and figure of a living creature For it is not because the guts are round that round Worms are bred in them as some men dream but the external form depends from the internal and the spirit drawn forth of the bosome of the soul it self doth frame the shapes without a Carver or Smith This spirit is the mediate efficient cause but God himself is the principal cause in this and other things in whom as well as we the Worms are move and have their being The final cause shewes their use which declares Gods omnipotency Natures majesty and the singular providence of both for mans good For there are collected in us some putrefied excremental superfluous parts which the more bountiful hand of Nature changeth into Worms and so cleanseth our bodies as we account it a good sign of health to be full of lice after a long disease also they consume much superfluous moisture in mans body and unless they grow too many for then they feed on our nutrimental juice they are a great help to the guts so far is it that they should be accounted by physitians amongst diseases or the beginnings of diseases Amongst the concomitant causes I reckon the place and the countrey For though they are more common to children than to those that are of years to women than men in a pestilential than a healthful time in Autumn than in the Spring to such as use an ill diet rather than to those that keep an exact diet yet they accompany all ages sexes conditions seasons diets for no man is priviledged from them yet some places or climates are free for according to the nature of them in some many in others no Worms will breed for all kinde of Worms will not breed in each part of the guts but round Worms only in â—he small guts Ascarides in the Longanum the Gourd-worms only are bred in all Also as Theophrastus and Pliny testifie there are no small differences amongst Nations and Countreys lib. hist pl. 9. c. 2. Lib. Nat. hist 27. cap. 13. For broad or Gourd-worms are common amongst the Egyptians Arabians Syrians and Cilicians again they of Thracia and Phrygia know them not And though the Boeotians and Athenians are under the same Confines they are frequently full of Worms and these are by a priviledge as it were freed from them He only will admire at this or think it a Fable who knowes not that the nature of Countreys vary according to the position of the stars the nature of the winds and the condition of the earth There is a River saith Aristotle lib. de nat anim c. 28. in Cephalenia that parts an Island and on one side of it there is great abundance of Grashoppers but none on the other In Prodoselena there is a way goeth between and on one side of it a Cat will breed but not on the other side In the Lake Orchomenius of Boeotia there are abundance of Moles but in Lebadius that is hard by there are none and brought from other parts they will not dig the earth In the Island Ithaca Hares cannot live nor in Sicily flying Ants nor in the Countrey of Cyrene vocal Frogs nor in Ireland as we know any kinde of venomous creature The reason of all this he can only tell who hath hanged the earth in the air without a foundation for it is not my eye that can see so far nor have I any minde to affect to know things above my understanding I leave that work to those that dare aspire To know Gods secrets let me them admire CHAP. XXXIII Of the signs and cure of Worms out of Gabucinus LEt us therefore shew the signs of Worms beginning from those that are called round Worms both because these do more frequently vex children and because they produce more cruel symptomes of which Paulus writes thus they that are troubled with round Worms are cruelly torn in their bellies and guts and they have a tickling cough that is troublesome and somewhat tedious some have a hickop others when they sleep leap up and rise without cause sometimes they cry out when they rise and then they fall asleep again their Arteries beat unequally and they are sick of disorderly Feavers which with coldness of the outward parts come thrice or four times in a day or a night without any reason for them Children will eat in their sleep and put forth their tongues
sleep as the disease increaseth their hearts beat exceedingly their voice is interrupted their arteries beat weakly sometimes in the height of their pain they are extended and their mouth fomes as in the Epilepsie their belly is swoln like a Tympany Sometimes the pains abate and again there follow torments and Colique pains with a henterie flux of the belly sometimes they are costive and the excrements are hard These are the signs of Worms now follow the Prognosticks The Prognosticks are very necessary in all diseases to know what will be the event and to know the condition of the patient serves much for the cure as Hippocrates especially in his Prognosticks hath abundantly shewed who in the beginning of his book de prudent Medico hath delivered it Especially foretelling here before the patient things present past and to come and what the sick have neglected he is thought to understand the condition of the patient and hence it is that men wil better dare to trust the Physitian But because it is difficult to foresee all this unlesse we use some artificial conjecture I call that an artificial conjecture that comes very neer the truth and who can easily attain this unlesse he have learned the things that belong to the art and remember them and hath with all diligence exercised himself in the practice of it The things wil be thus known If a man suppose that there is any vital vertue he must know the disposition of the patient in strength and weaknesse and when he is perfect in these he must study further to know all differences of diseases in the greatnesse and manner of them and then to learn the foreknowledge of the future state And when he hath learned all these then he must exercise himself both in comprehending the magnitude of the disease by exact conjecture and the â—orce of the patient and how long they may last Now practise wil help him much in this and before he hath diligently learned all these it wil no whit profit him to see sick people wherefore they that professe physick proceeding in this method shal never undergo any disgrace neither in curing nor foretelling of future events which they report some famous Paysitians have fallen into Hence it may be collected why some Physitians are more fortunate then others and what a fraud that is to call a Physitian more fortunate then another how absurd that is Galen and Erasistratus have shewed saying that a Physitian must be exercised in all these things in his minde and he must be diligent and prudent by nature that comparing all together he may get a grosse summe of praedictions that shal be useful for himself and for his patient For such is the force of praediction that alwayes for the most part what the Physitian foresces wil come to passe where the Physitian is perfect and the sick doth not negiect his orders But because as it is evident a Physician by praedictions may get immortality almost so chiefly from those things that do belong to this affect he shal win glory to himself by telling the sick their condition who for the most part are children or ignorant what their disease is Since therefore Prognosticks are chiefly necessary for this disease I wil not fail to set down what the Ancients have written of this disease Paulus a great follower of Galen writes of these things to this purpose Worms bred at the beginning of Feavers have their subsistence from the corruption in the body about the state of the disease from the malignity of the disease about the declining they grow better For Hippocrates saith it is good that round Worms come forth when the disease comes to a Crisis But Aetius writes thus from the opinion of Herodotus a Physician Worms breed in Feavers and without that differ one from the other in multitude magnitude colour and time For Worms bred at the beginning of a disease have their being from the corruption that is in the body about the vigour of it from the malignity of the disease about the declination from the change to better and they are soon also voided forth Nature driving them to the outward parts as she doth the rest of the excrements But the greater ones are worse then the lesser many than few red than white living than dead Our new writers adde to these if round Worms are cast forth alive at the beginning of acute diseases they shew pestilent diseases but if dead ones be cast forth when the diseases decline they are an ill sign also however they appear both these times it is bad It may be because that Feaver that follows Worms is alwayes naught because it consumes the matter for Worms It happens also that the Worms are set on fire and grow hot by reason of a Feaver and so are wreathed together and moved that they so much the more affect and trouble those that have these Worms They adde further that it is proved by experience that Worms are in the belly if in the morning you sprinkle cold water on the mouth of childrens stomachs for they will all gather to one place Worms sprinkled with bloud so voided is ill for they shew great hurt of the guts to cast Worms up by vomit is naught for it shews the stomach to be stuffed with filthy humours Frequent cold breathing of children their bodies yet swelling is deadly for it shews they will die the next day If the eyes of the sick are somewhat held together and cannot be closed by the fingers of those that stand by death is at hand Some there are it may be following the opinion of Alsaravius that say that those who are troubled with Ascarides are but short-lived But there is a great question to be resolved and that being done I shal put an end to those things that concern the Prognosticks taken from Worms Aetius a little before said that live Worms were worse than dead ones But Rhasis and Avicenna that follows him think the contrary absolutely preferring the dead ones before the living In which question to passe over other men I shal say what I think that the strongest affection is taken from those that are dead because they must needs be driven forth and cannot come forth of their own accord yet I follow Hippocrates who in a certain place useth some words that are difficult wherein he would have us to consider diligently what symptoms VVorms breed for if they come forth without any symptoms they foreshew a good sign But he makes it clearer elsewhere thus It is necessary that round Worms should come forth with the excrements when the disease comes to the Crisis So that by this we may understand that if they be voided any other time it is done rather symptomatically than by force of nature and therefore they shew corruption or malignity as Paulus and Aetius distinguished But because we can never rightly undertake the methodicall way of curing Worms unlesse the belly in which they are
know nothing concerning the use of these creatures but I seriously exhort posterity to search out the use of them CHAP. XXXIX Of the Flea or Asellus and the Scolopendra found in the Sea The Sea Scolopendra sometimes is of a grey colour and sometimes you shall see others that are more red These are longer and leaner that is shorter and thicker I saw both kindes in the year 1578. in coves of Oysters For they are not found in the deep sea as Gesner supposeth but in the muddy standing waters where the Oysters are fatted there they lye hid are bred and do live Numenius warned Fisher-men concerning these when he said See therefore that you let not ingender The stupid Julii or deadly Scolopender They are as Aristotle writes lesse than the land Scolopendras but not differing in their form Nonus the Physitian makes of these a remedy to hinder hair from growing or a depilatory and highly commends it in his 34. Chapter Take Frankincense Vitriol of each two ounces sea Scolopenders three ounces grinde them all well and mingle them with the powder of Quick-lime then pull out the hairs first and anoynt the places with that CHAP. XL. Of Water Insects without feet and first of Oripes NO Philosopher that understands as he should will deny but that snow is water turned to froth by long subliming in the air In this Worms are bred which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristotle writ something concerning these which History I will briefly touch In snow there are bred hairy Worms very sluggish and that move slowly wherefore I reckon them amongst Worms without feet so soon as they are taken out of the snow they die as the Worms bred in the fire doe being taken from thence with snow that is old and begins to look red they become red also but those that are found in new snow are white It is saith he a certain thing that snow can no more corrupt than fire can And indeed they cannot corrupt yet in both of them are living Creatures bred and they are nourished in both I cannot in any wise consent to Eustathius the Scholiast upon Homer who affirms that snow growes red from Minium because those places are of a Cinnaberous quality whence he conceives that from the vapours rising from Cinnaber the snow becomes red I will not deny but that it is so in some places But whether the Interpreter be pleased or not we must needs grant that in some places the snow grows red where no Cinnaber is Strabo makes mention of such places in these words In Charzena and the Countrey of Cambicium and in places neer to the mountains of Caucasus some little beasts are bred in the deep snow which Apollonides calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Theophanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Mountain little hairy Worms like unto the greater Teredines I think their generation as admirable as of the fire Worms yet living Creatures are more easily bred in snow than in fire because in snow there is much air earth and spirit all which the fire consumes abundantly And if the heat of the Sun happen to be with these I shall use Scaligers words they make dung that smells the sweetest of all ordure Also they are bred in abundance in Carinthia as Joach Vadianus reports But Strabo in his Comment upon Pompon Mel. addes a thing that is admirable saying that these Worms are full of excellent water which Travailers take by breaking the bladder or coat it is in and they drink this pressing it forth gently For it is very wholsome and seasonable when the fountains are troubled as it falls out often in great snowes CHAP. XLI Of Horsleeches A Blood-sucker or Horsleech in Latin Hirudo in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrew Halukab in French Sangsue in Italian Sansuga in Spanish Sanguisuella in High-Dutch Ein agel so das blut sauget in English a Horsleech These are water Worms that thirst exceedingly after the bloud of living Creatures and they will fill themselves with it sometimes till they burst and die Some of them are without any passage through their belly some are open behinde we give you the pictures of them here Europe hath scarce any open behinde but in America and India they are common Those that are not open behinde are obvious to every man and when they are filled with bloud their skin seems checquer'd with fibres Some of them are of divers colours some green black brown yet not venomous only the bright bay and Chesnut colours that are like to pills of trees They breed chiefly in standing pools where Cattel are wont to be watred for from their feet earth and foulnesse are washed and fall to the bottome to say nothing of the sediment of their dung out of which that want not vital heat living Creatures are bred Once bred they most greedily thirst after bloud and therefore they lie in wait in the very entrance of the pools that they may light upon Horses Oxen Elephants c. so soon as they come to drink for thirst of cold water Pliny writes that they are so troublesome to the Elephant that the beast is by their tickling and sucking in his snout almost mad which doth manifestly shew the wonderful power of Insects For what is there greater then an Elephant and what is there more contemptible than a Horsleech Yet the greatnesse and wit of the Elephant must give way and yeeld to this Worm They feed most on bloud of beasts and watry bloudy matter yet when they want sustenance they still themselves with the filth that riseth from the water Pliny saith they vanish in the Spring l. 9. c. 51. but we see that season to be most fit for the breeding of them And indeed I can see no reason that when they have overcome the Winters cold they should not be able to stand out the Springs mildeness And this we all know that Horsleeches will die in the Winter unlesse they be carefully preserved in warm water and fed with bloud very plentifully If any man swallow a Horsleech some perswade us to drink pickle others snow-water But Asclepiades bids us first to wash the mouth and to put a soft Sponge wet in cold water into the mouth that the Horsleech sticking to the Sponge may be drawn forth After this he prescribes the juice of Duck-weed and to cover the neck with cooling plaisters But Apollonius whose surname was Mus gave the sharpest Vinegar with pickle to drink but those that gave snow did first warm it and used it being dissolved and they did use meat and drink at fit times to make the belly soluble that they might drive forth the Horsleech for they report that so they will oft-times come forth with the excrements Gal. l. 2 de Antidotis In the dayes of Pliny wicked men did privily give Horsleeches to their enemies to do them mischief but Rue with Vinegar or only Butter as against all venoms that did
Cheisthai to proceed out of their middle because the true liquor cometh out of the navel as we shall shew but I rather think they derive it from the Arabian words Mesch and Misch and Almisch The Italians French and Spaniards use Musci and Muschi which is derived from the later Latines and beside the Italians call it Capriolo del Musco and the French Cheureul du musch the Musk it self is called in Italy Muschio of the Latine Muschum and Muscatum the Illyrians Pizmo and the Germans Bisem The Arabians were the first that wrote any discovery of this Beast and therefore it ought not to seeme strange that all the Graecians and Latines derive the name from them And although there be an unreconcilable difference amongst Writers about this matter yet is it certain that they come neerest unto the truth that make it a kinde of Roe for the figure colour stature and horns seem to admit no other similitude except the teeth which are like a Dogs whereof two are like a Boars teeth very white and straight And there be some as Simeon Seiâ—â—t and Aetins which say he hath also one horn but herein is a manifest error because no man that ever saw one of these Beasts doth so much as make mention thereof and therefore the original of this error came from the words of Avicen who writeth that his teeth bend inward like two horns Cardan writeth that he saw one of these dead at Millain which in greatness fashion and hair resembled a Roe except that the hair was more thick and the colour more gray Now the variety of the hair may arise from the Region wherein it was bred It hath two teeth above and two beneath not differing absolutely from a Roe in any thing except in the savour It is called Gazella they are lesser thinner and more elegant creatures then the Roes are Paulus Venetus writeth thus of this Beast The creature out of whom the Musk is gathered is about the bigness of a Cat he should say a Roe having gross thick hair like a Hart and hoofs upon his feet It is found in the province of Cathay and the Kingdom of Cergoth which is subject to the great King of Tartars Likewise there was a most odoriferous Musk-cat at Venice which a Merchant there had to be seen brought as he said out of Cathay and for proof whereof he shewed the way that he went namely through the Euxine Sea Colchis Iberia and Albania even to the entrance of Scythia For the Countrey Cathay is a part of Scythia beyond Imaus neither ought this to seem wonderful for in that place there was a Region called by Ptolemeus Randa marcostra wherein he placeth the eleventh Table of Asia This Region is watered by the River Sotus and therein aboundeth Spikenard and the Inhabitants call the Countrey wherein the best Musk-cats are bred Ergimul and the greatest City of that Countrey Singuy The same Author writeth also that Musk-cats are brought out of Egypt and out of many places of Africk In Thebeth also there are many Cities and Beasts about those Cities called Gadery which do bring forth the Musk and the Inhabitants hunt them with Dogs The Province of Canicluet doth also yeeld many of these Beasts and likewise Syria S. Jerom also writeth thus Muscus Oenanthe peregrini muris pellicula by which skin of the strange Mouse he meaneth the little bag or skin wherein the Musk of the Musk-cat is included The Princes of Europe do nourish these tame being brought out of the New-found World and many other rich men especially in Italy be delighted with the odoriferous savour which cometh from it Brassavolus saith that he saw a Merchant offer one of these to be sold unto Alphonsus Dake of Ferrara which had the Navel full of Musk. And Catherinus Zenus an ancient Nobleman of Venice had a Roe of this kinde which he left after his death unto his heirs and by this it doth plainly appear that the Musk-cat is neither like a Cat nor a Mouse and that all those which have affirmed so much thereof have been deceived of their own conjectural derivation of Moscus or Muscus or by the errour of some Writer of the ancient Books which instead of Magnitudo Capreoli a Roe have inserted Catti a Cat. And thus much shall suffice for the description of this Beast and for the Regions where it is bred except I may adde the Relation of Ludovicus Romanus who affirmeth that the Musk-cats of Calecut are brought out of the Countrey Pegus These Roes of the New-found-land are wonderful nimble and quick and so swift that they are seldom taken alive but after they are taken by pulling out their longer teeth they wax tame When they are prosecuted with the Hunters and with Dogs they defend themselves with their teeth In some places they take them in snares and in ditches also kill them with darts and so having killed them they cut off the little bag wherein the Musk groweth for that Musk doth exceed in sweetness of odor all things that were ever made by the art of man and therefore the use of it is more plentiful then of any other thing for they carry it about in Garments They make perfume of it they anoint Beads whereupon they tell their prayers they also make Bals of it and include it in Gold or Silver carrying it about either to be seen or because they are delicate and wanton or to shew their riches and abundance or to preserve themselves from putrified and stinking airs or else against cold and moist diseases of the brain With this the luxurious women perfume themselves to entrap the love of their Wooers for as the thing it self is a vice or sickness of the Breast so also by men it is used to vice and wickedness yet the Venetian Matrons will never use it and he that beareth it about him shall never perceive it himself We haye shewed already that it groweth in the navâ—l â—or in a little bag neer unto it and it is true by Gyraldus and Varinus that when the Beast beginneth to be luxurious and prone to the rage of venery and carnal copulation then the bloud floweth to the navel and there putteth the Beast to pain because it swelleth above measure The Beast then abstaineth from all meat and drink and rowleth himself upon the ground and so by the waight of his body presseth forth the humor that troubled him which after a certain time doth coagulate and congeal together and then rendereth such an acceptable savour as you see it hath The relation whereof you shall hear out of the words of Serapion The wilde Roes saith he which wander to and fro in the Mountains freely without the government of man have in a little bag certain putrified matter or bloud which of it self groweth to be ripe whereunto when it is come the Beast itcheth and is pained as it were with launcing therefore
he rubbeth himself upon stones rocks and trees a great while together for it delighteth him whereby the stones grow white through his rubbing and therefore in time he weareth the bag asunder making issue unto it for the corruptible matter to come forth which presently runneth out upon the sores no otherwise then if it had been lanced Then the wound groweth to be whole again and the Beast departeth until the like exsuperance of bloud come into the same place again For every year this happeneth them The Inhabitants of the Countrey know all the Hunters of these wilde Beasts and therefore note them where they empty their bellies For the humor so pressed out as before is declared through the heat of the Sun congealeth and dryeth upon the stone growing more commendable and pleasant through the Suns heat Then come the Inhabitants and in little bottles made of the skins of these Beasts which before they have killed and so put the musk into them This they sell for a great price because it is thought and that worthily to be a gift fit for a King But if this Musk be taken out of the creature by violence then will he bring forth no more yet express it by his own natural art he beareth again and again The greatest cause of this humor is the sweetness of his food and the air wherein they are bred therefore if one of them be brought into this part of the world with Musk in his cod it will grow to ripeness in a temperate air but if it be brought without Musk in the cod then it will never yeeld any among us and besides that it liveth but a little while And therefore my opinion is that this excremental humour is unto it like a menstruous purgation for the want whereof it dyeth speedily Every part of this Beast is called Musk which cometh forth of his ulcerous issue for although the other parts smell sweet yet we will shew afterwards more at large that it is not of themselves but by reason of this humor The pretiousness of this thing deserveth a further treatise for thy better direction and instruction of the knowledge hereof both for the choise of that which is best and for the avoiding and putting away of that which is adulterate At Venice at this day it is sold in the cods and the Indian Musk is better then the African The brown is always better then the black except it be of Catha for that of Catha is black and best of all There is some that is yellowish or betwixt red and yellow after the very same colour of Spikenard this also is of the best sort because the Beasts that render it do feed upon Spikenard Therefore this is good to be chosen because it cannot be adulterated and besides the tast of it is bitter and assoon as ever it is tasted it presently ascendeth to the brain where it remaineth very fragrant without resistance and is not easily dissolved It is not bright within but muddy having broad grains and equal throughout like the wood of Baulm But according to the Regions they chuse Musk in this sort Of the Indian Musk that of the Region of Sceni called Antebeuus they set in the first place and next unto it the Beasts of the Sea side The Musk of Cubit is known by the thin bladder of the Beast wherein it is contained but that of Gergeri is less Aromatical and more thick The Musk of Caram is in the middle place betwixt both wherewithal they mingle powder of Gold and Silver to encrease the waight The musk of Salmindy is worst of al because it is taken out of his bladder or cod and put into a glass There are some which prefer the Tumbascine Musk and they say that the odor thereof cometh from the sweet herbs whereupon the Beast feedeth and the like is said of the Region of Sceni but the odor is not equal to the other And the Tumbascines do not gather the Musk after the fashions of others for they draw not forth this matter out of the cod nor yet gather it in calm weather The Genians they press forth the matter out of the ventricle and when they have it forth mingle it with other things and that in cloudy and tempestuous weather afterwards they put them up in glasses and stop the mouth close and so they send it to be sold unto the Sarizines and to Amanus and to Parsis and to Haharac as if he were a Tumbescine When this Beast goeth furthest from the Sea and feedeth toward the Desert upon Spikenard then is his Musk sweeter but when they feed neer the Sea it is not so fragrant because they feed upon Myrrh Avicen saith there is some kinde of Musk like a Citron but such hath not been seen in this part of the world for our Musk is most commonly like the colour of Iron and the savour of it like a Cyrenian Apple but stronger and consisteth of little pieces but it is better that hangeth together and hath a savour of the Wilderness but if it be adulterated with Snakes or Birds-dung then will it be lesser pleasant in the savour and also pinch and offend the nose The Hunters of Tebeth and Seni as we have shewed already do kill their sweet Rose and afterwards take out from them their bladder of Musk which Musk being excerpted before it be ripe smelleth strongly and unpleasantly And then they hang it up a little while in the open and free air wherein it ripeneth as it were by concoction in the Sun and thereby receiveth an admirable sweetness And the like do divers Gardners use towards Apples and fruits of trees which are gathered before they be ripe For by laying them up in a dry place they wear away their sharpness and become pleasant But it is to be remembred that Musk is the best which doth ripen in its own cod before it be taken out of the Beast for before it is ripe it smelleth displeasantly There is not much perfect Musk brought into this part of the World but the strength of it cometh from the vertue of the cod wherein it is put and so it is brought to us but the best is brought out of the East where groweth Spikenard and sweet herbs Rodericus Lusitanus saith that our Musk is compounded of divers things the ground whereof is the bloud of a little Beast like a Cony which is brought out of Pegun a Province of India But the means whereby to try it may be this after it is waighed they put it into some moist or wet powder and after a little while they weigh it the second time and if it exceed the former waight then do they take it for sound perfect and good but if it do not exceed then do they judge it adulterate Some Merchants when they are to buy Musk stop it to their noses and holding their breath run half a stones cast