and hinder the taste it is strange that males and females are alike for number not more of the one than the other in men Those creatures that bring forth living creatures have firmer bones and flesh as Lyons Horses which birds have not the dung of the one is stronger than the other Hairy creatures have but short tayls Birds that feed on flesh have crooked bills The Sow hath a snowt which serveth instead of a bill to root up small plants many Fishes have no bladders their excrementitious humors being received into their tayles and finns Bruit beasts want those members that are in a man and what they have are not so placed as in a man Of the soul of a Brute NAtural Philosophers make 3. kinds of souls from the three kinds of Animals Vegetative in Plants Sensitive in Brutes Rational in Man as for the soul of Brutes it is not like ours but as the name for it signifieth a wind or breath There is a kind of a warm spirituous breath in the blood of Beasts which is their soul by which is performed all its actions and operations hence Levit. 17. 11 14. it is thrice said that the soul is in the blood some members are more excellent than others yet the soul is not in them but in the blood which is a convenient vehicle for the vital heat Deut. 12. 23. They were forbidden to eat the flesh with the blood thereof because it was the life thereof Hence we may learn to take heed of murther the prohibition of which followeth immediately after the other command that this is so appeareth 1. Because the parts of some creatures will live after that they are cut off and being put into the earth will draw moisture from it 2. Because we see how the body is variously affected with the motion of the blood Thus we see when we are moved to anger how the blood doth boyl in the veinâ— So in fear the blood doth recede from the outward parts to the inward which causeth a paleness in the face thus joy sendeth out the blood and causeth a redness in the face thus when we are ashamed we blush so that we betray our selves in a fault according to the old saying Heu quà m difficile est crimen non prodere vâ—ltu The affections that happen in the blood are the same that happen in man An Ass is foolish a Horse hot in love and in war and a Wolf unruly a Lyon bold a Fox crafty the Dog docile and so other creatures I could instance in The Tartars drink horses blood to be valiant Those beasts that are fat are soonest old the vehicle of their sense being taken away viz their blood but a beast hath no rationall Soul though it doth exert such actions Gen. 9. 5. God will have the blood of man revenged on brutes the Ox that goreth aman shall be put to death Levit. 20. 15 16. The creature was to be burned that was found naturally joyned with a man the reason of all which was that men might be deterred from killing his fellow creature It being an argument a Minore ad Majus If God be so angry for beast killing a man much more for one man killing another Now concerning the faculties of the Soul of a brute 1. The vegetative Faculty containeth under it 1. Nutrition Some Creatures feed only upon flesh as Lyons Wolves others promiscuously as Dogs Some by prey as Lyons and Wolves some upon what they can get as Pismires and Earwigs some get prey in the night as Wolves others day and night as Cats Many brutes are not made immediatly for the use of man but for the use of other creatures and so mediately for the use of man The Pismire eateth the flesh and blood of a Toad but leaveth the bones Four-footed beasts eat more of these whereby their flesh and milk is increased Serpents endure hunger a great while otherwise they would be injurious to man Swallows devour Wasps and Titte-mice Gnats We have many Crows partly to destroy all Carrion and also to destroy those wormes which are bred in the earth which do follow in multitudes Pies by slitting the Barks of trees the Wormes fall out thus Spiders Gnats Serpents do clear the air Creatures that feed upon Mountains are the wholsomest because the herbs are driest on Mountains God hath ordered it so that beasts do not sleep much because they should feed in the night-time Some chew the cud as oxen Some creatures are generated by copulation others are generated out of excrements others both wayes as Mice 1. By naturall conjunction are produced creatures of the same kind as Dogs Harts c. The Serpent layeth Eggs others again generate neither by Seed nor Eggs. 2. Some creatures are generated out of rotten wood as Wormes lice c. many creatures are generated of the excrements of other crea ures others breed in the bowels of living creatures Bees are generated out of Calves that are starved as is noted in that History of Sampson there is a Worm bred in the boughs of Oak of which we make a Scarlet colour So Gnats are generated out of Horse-dung 3. Some Creatures are generated partly by copulation and partly by accident as Mice Mice are generated in Ships out of the putrid matter which lyeth at the bottom of the Pump I question whether all Creatures do not lay Eggs and whether a Hens Egg may not be hatched in a mans bosom We see small Creatures are generated in mans Body by the heat of some parts We find Birds to have been bred in Ships but we leave these things to be judged of by the more learned Those creatures that are of most use to man do generate often and many at a time as Doves and Hares but others generate but seldom and not many as Vipers c. as Herodotus observeth There are in Creatures distinct Sexes and they remain so A Hare is not now a Male anon a Female hence we imagine so many Hermaphrodites amongst Creatures Useful creatures are generated in a short time as Sheep in 5 moneths time Harts in 8 Moneths time Oxen 9 Moneths Sowes in 2 Dogs and Catâ—s in 60 dayes but Elephants 2 years Lyons Wolves and Beares 3 yeares some Creatures live longer than others an Elephant 300 a Camel 100 a Horse 50 a Dove 40 a Peacock 25 Oxen Dogs and Hogs 10 Partridges 17 Sheep 12 Goats 10 Hares and Mice 6 yeares Concerning the Sensitive Power of Brutes Brutes do excel man in several outward Senses The Boare for hearing the Ape for taste the Raveâ— for smelling the Spider for Touch. God hath also given beasts inward senses they can see objects and distinguish between them by their Phancy and they can remember them but yet they have not right reason what they do is in imitation and have only shadows of Virtue their building Nests seeking food prognosticating of weather are effects of their inward senses which the minutest animals have as appeareth in the
that oftentimes to avoid one danger he runneth into another when he is pursued he runneth into his hole It is reported of a Hare that being hunted very hard he ran into the Sea and there was killed by the Sea-dog no one would hunt a Hare with a Snail according to the Dutch Proverb It is a further argument of the timerousness of the Hare that she shunneth those places that passengers come through but loveth woods and hedges Lysander did well when he commanded his men to be of good courage when they lay before Corinth because he saw a Hare running upon the walls for saith he it cannot be that the Hare would be there if they had ever used any military exercise upon them and possibly from hence came that saying that it is a bad sign for a Hare to cross us in the way for it signifieth that those places are very lonesome and that few people frequent them and so the more dangerous 3. It hath a very weak and infirm sight he sleepeth not as other creatures do with his eyes shut and therefore of old to live the life of a Hare was as much as to say you are in perpetual fear 4. It is exceeding fruitful and of all other creatures this only after she hath brought forth her young conceiveth another she bringeth forth young and yet continually is with young whence Herodotus well observeth that God hath so ordered it that those creatures which are useful and beneficial unto mankind should exceedingly increase but on the other side those things that are ravenous and mischievous such as are Lions Bears and Wolves should not increase so much in old time it was thought that those that eat much Hares flesh it made them very fair as Martial saith and that it did in seven daies time because it is a kind of a melancholy flesh and good blood Martial therefore maketh the Hare to be the best of all four-footed creatures Inter aves Turdus si quis me judice certet Inter quadrupedes gloria prima Lepus Take it in English thus The Thrush above all Birds that are And of four-footed Beasts the Hare That a Hare should make one beautiful I know no reason can be given 5. It is exceeding leacherous but mostly in January when if she be hindred from the male she will devour those young ones which she had brought forth not long before 6. She may in some respects be said to be crafty for in the Winter time she is alwaies in plowed fields but in Harvest time she hideth her self in Vineyards and after Harvest when the Grapes begin to grow ripe she leaveth the Vineyards when she goeth to seek her food she alwaies goeth and cometh the same way but not in a straight line but in several turnings and windings she seldome goeth amongst the thorns lest it should tear her hair for the dogs by the scent of her hair would soon discover her when she bringeth forth her young she hideth them up and down in several places and of all enemies she feareth the Hawk most and continually when hunted windeth up and down and so deceiveth the dogs we do not hunt the Hare for any hurt it doth us but as we use to say the Hare is hunted for her flesh from whence came the Proverb As safe as a Hare spoken of one who had riches c. for which only he was vexed and troubled by others Neither is the Hare of an uncertain Sex sometimes male and sometimes female as some have falsly imagined but it is alwaies the same The Coney is not much unlike the Hare something less but much stronger alwaies being under the earth and makes her burroughs sometimes under mountains as Martial saith Gaudet in eff ossis habitare Cuniculus Antris Monstravit faciles hostibus ille Vias The Psalmist seems to speak almost the same Psal 10. 18. The Coney where ever she makes her burrough she levels the ground again lest it should be discovered at mornings and evenings she constantly cometh out of her burrough and there she sits at the entrance of it to see if there be any approaching danger and if at any time she be closely pursued and hath no way to escape she immediately runs into her burrough out of which there is no way to get her but by sending a Ferret after her for there is nothing which the Rabbet hateth more than the Ferret there is such plenty of them in some parts of Spain that oftentimes they have destroyed the Harvest Nay we read of the Island called Carpathia that the Inhabitants were once destroyed by them and Marcus Varro quoted by Pliny saith that there was a City in Spain undermined by Coneys but what we said before concerning the Hare that it might be compared to timerous and cowardly men we may say the like concerning the Coney the Fable of the Hares and the Lion is known how that the Hares would have given Laws to the Lion who afterwards were destroyed by him which may signifie thus much to us that oftentimes mild and timerous Princes do rule and govern a fierce and war-like people by whom their Kingdome is sometimes overthrown or else it may signifie those men who are afraid to tell men of their faults the Germans have a Proverb Ber hasen Spurng i. e. The anckle of an Hare meaning any thing that men trust to or relye upon for the Anckle-bone in the Hare is that without which she could not leap but by the way we shall speak to Prov. 30. Vers 21. 25 26. there are four things which are upon the earth but are exceeding wise the Ants are a people not strong yet they prepare their meat in the Summer the Coneys are but a feeble folk yet make they their houses in the Rocks the Locusts have no King yet go they forth all of them by Bands the Spider taketh hold with her hands and is in Kings Palaces by all which this wise King signifyeth to us the great inadvertency and perverseness of mankind who of all creatures is only able to consider his waies and knoweth his own greatness and strength and yet daily runneth into dangers these four sorts of little creatures that Solomon spake of in the forecited place though small yet know their own weakness and therefore chuse alwaies those places where they may be most secure and will not go into any place where there may be a possibility of danger the Ants begin betimes to lay up food for Winter the Hare being timerous doth not love to be in those places where any one cometh the Locust being weak liveth quietly and doth not go where any one is in the place knowing that it cannot so well avoid dangers the Spider is alwaies exercising her curious art therefore this is to be wiser than the wisest 1. To know our own strength and our own weakness 2. To undertake nothing above our strength but on the contrary not to indulge our selves in sloth and idleness and
and so become a prey hence it is that the Scripture when at any time it speaketh of an Enemy to shew the terribleness of him setteth it out by the roaring of a Lyon 14. When he cometh to a wild beast he encompasseth him with his tayl so that he cannot get out after once he hath taken his prey he teareth it to pieces with his teeth and claws and after that he hath broken all the bones and torn the flesh in pieces he then first licketh up the blood before he eateth any of the flesh 16. If he espyeth an enemy approaching he immediately leaveth his prey and pursueth his Enemy and if he seeth that he flyeth from him he pursueth no further but if he will not run away from him and if he standeth to him he presently destroyeth him and then returneth to his prey again 17. He alwayes leaveth some of his prey for other beasts 18. Whatever Creature the Lyon woundeth the blood of it turneth black yet the fat of a Lion is good against a bite of any other Creature There is a kind of secret Antipathy in other Creatures against the fat of a Lyon 19. He can contract his nails and hide them as it were in his flesh which he doth many times lest they should grow dull in cold weather 20 The Lyon never feâ—deth with the Lyoness nor with any other Creature but alwayes feedeth in solitary places and desarts 21. As the Lyoness is very fierce so she is also very leacherous she will mingle her self with other Lyons also with the Libard and Civet 22. In those places where there are many Lyons if any of them are taken the rest presently run away 23. They cannot be taken but in pit-falls wherein a Lamb or two must be put and then they easily run in for them There are several things which the Lyon hateth and cannot endure 1. A Lyon cannot endure the noife of wheels 2. He cannot endure a Cocks-comb he is very much affrighted at the sight of it 3. A Lyon is very much afraid of fire 4. He is as great an enemy to the crowing of a Cock 5. They are easily afrighted with the sight of any that looketh like a Ghost or any wayes terrible to look upon but above all creatures they hate an Ape most which is a crafty cunning Creature which a Lyon hath very little of yet when a Lyon is sick nothing will cure him so soon as the blood of an Ape 7. A Lyon cannot endure to see a Wolf Philip Camerarius telleth us that a Lyon hath no such hatred against a Cock for they have been oftentimes seen to have taken both Cocks and Hens and tear them in pieces we have several names in Scripture by which Lyons are called which are especially four 1. They are called Whelps that is those young Lyons that are not yet able to seek their prey but although a Lyon is so fierce notwithstanding the divine providence hath put such an affection into these Creatures towards their young that they will bring them food into the Den until they are able to go out to take their prey 2. They are called Kephir in the Hebrew which signifieth those Lyons that are not yet come to full age but are of middle age at which time they are most ravenous and greedy of their prey The Psalmist compareth the covetous to Lyons whelps being violent and greedy Creatures 3. They are called Ari which is when they are at the strongest that they will be it cometh from an Hebrew word Arah which signifieth to snatch and devour because at that age they are aptest to tear and devour we find that Tyrannical Rulers are set out in Scripture by Lyons These Lyons when they grow old are called Levi because then they are not able to go out to seek their prey but hide themselves in Dens and behind bushes and lye as if they were asleep and move no part of their body so when any beast passeth by he setteth upon him on a sudden and teareth him in pieces just as Cats cateh Birds and Mice but if they are so old that they cannot get their prey they sometimes do fall upon men and destroy them But it is ordained so by divine providence that their young ones bring them meat when they are not able to go for it themselves A Lyon liveth to a great age for several of their teeth have been very much eaten in which sheweth that they were very old 3. Although the Lyon is of a noble and generous spirit yet sometimes also he is very fierce and cruel from whence we may learn several good instructions and first we will consider what the Scripture speaks as when the Jews Christ the Apostles and all wise men are called Lyons hence Gen. 49. 9. Kings are called Lyons whom no one dare raise and as the bones of a Lyon are firm and strong so the Jewish state was so firmly established that although it had many enemies yet they could never overthrow it Moreover though the Lyon is a strong Creature yet is he not proud of his strength neither hath he any craft or guile but doth all his actions openly so in the Jewish state right and Justice ought to prevail before fraud and injustice and as the Lyon is a great Enemy to the Wolf so all Common-wealths ought to be armed with strength and power against all sedition and heresie so David Psal 101. 7. He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house and he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight And though a Lyon be sometimes very fierce yet he is then so noble and generous that he will spare those who crouch to him so it is policy in Princes to be ready to forgive according to that of Virgil Parcere subjectis debellare superbos to spare the humble and to bring down the proud and as Lyons sleep but very little so all Rulers ought to be vigilant and watchful as Homer seems to intimate to us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. It is not fit for a Governour to sleep much and therefore it is that the Ancients have given a Lyon in the Arms of Princes to shew that they ought to be pitiful and merciful towards their subjects yet also just and impartial to all malefactors and offenders therefore Solomon compareth the wrath of a King to the roaring of a Lyon Pro. 20. 2. The wrath of a King is as the roaring of a Lyon whose provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul and we find it prophesied by Joel chap. 2. 10. concerning God That he shall utter his voice as a Lyon thus Christ is called the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah Rev. 5. 5. so the Tribe of Judah is called a Lyon and a Lyons whelp Gen. 49. 9. So called because it was such a setled and strong Government which continued even untill Christs time and was then the most famous Government in the whole World and although they had
beast with many heads and horns Dan. 8. 3. we find in Tobit the Persian Empire compared to a Ram and the Grecian to a goat we read many things in Scripture of the Lyons whelp Gen. 49. 9. 10. 11. 12. 14. 17. 21. 27. So Gen. 3. 15. many places of Scripture cannot be interpreted without the knowledge of Animals Thus for the History of Jonah it is necessary we should be acquainted with the nature of the whale in whose belly the Prophet was swallowed up Thus John 1. 29. we find Christ compared to a Lamb. Mat. 3. 16. The Holy Ghost appeared in the shape of a dove and we are commanded to be wise as serpents and innocent as Doves Mat. 7. 15. Sathan and false teachers are compared to Wolves Mat. 24. 28. where the carcass is there will the Eagles be gathered Chap 23. 1. how would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens Thus David Psal 55. 7. O that I had the wings of a Dove then would I fly away Thus we find him wishing himself a Coney and a Sparrow in several places Psal 84. 4. we find the Church compared to a nest in which the Swallow and Sparrow layeth her young So Psal 103. 5. David wisheth he might renew his strength as the Eagle Examples of which are frequent in prophane Authors But finally the knowledge of the creature doth tend very much to the glory of God Thus we find that the frost is called upon to praise God Bless the Lord ye whales and all things that move in the water praise the Lord bless the Lord ye fowls of the air bless ye the Lord man by the beholding of creatures is thereby induced to praise God if he consider 1. The different nature of Creatures their beauty magnitude and agreement one with another 2. The benefit of them the least Creature being not useles to man 3. The wonderful providence of God that is in the generation of creatures in the places where they live of which Job telleth us Chap. 39. 40. 41. 4. The constant use that several creatures are of to mankind which they might easily avoid if they knew their own strength God hath also commanded them to serve man Gen. 1. repeated also after the flood Chap 9. 2. to have Dominion over the Beasts of the Earth 5. The wonderful obedience of the creature to God Thus Herod Lib. 2. in Sennacheribs army the Enemy being great they despaired of victory in one night the mice destroyed their shields and arrows so that the next day they were forced to fly Thus we see most of Pharaâ—hs plagues were inflicted by Brutes and no less wonderful is the History of Balâ—am's Ass Numb 22. and of the Crow which fed the Prophet and of the beares which destroyed those that mocked the Prophet 2. King 2. 24. thus we see the beâ—efit usefulnes of this knowledge CHAP. II. The Definition of an irrational Creature AN irrational or brute creature is a body perfectly mixed indued with life and sense for the Genus here is body for the Form of it that is two-fold 1. It is said to be perfectly mixed to difference it from Meteors that are not 2. It is indued with Life and sense to difference it from Vegetatives which have not so that an irrational creature consisteth of a body and soul Of the body of a Brute THe body of a Brute is the collection of its severall members and intrails â—of fluids as blood of solids as flesh and bone similar and dissimilar parts in this order all the other parts are to be explained but we shall pass by these members which it hath in common with man which are all explained in Melancthon of the soul There are many creatures which want blood as Spiders and Pismires but instead of that they have fat and a sanguineous moysture analogous to blood which nourisheth the body and is a vehicle to the sensitive soul Thus Fishes have no bones properly so called but rather thorns Thus crabs have grisles in Insects there seem eh to be something between flesh and nerves instead of bones So Birds have small Meatus's which are for eares instead of teeth they have a bony bill And for their nose small passages into the head Thus the Sea Calf hath his fore-feet for hands the Elephant his snowt Fishes and Serpents have no members of generation but smal passages through which the seed runneth and the Pourcountrel a fish so called hath no head but a great paunch other creatures have no tongue that appeareth outwardly as the Pismire some creatures by a hollow spongie sting doe taste and take in the meat they eat Fishes have no lungs living alwayes in the water do not breathe and so want not a neck by which respiration is made but they have a larger gall than other creatures to keep them warm see Gods wisdom in creating those creatures that serve man with a small gall lest by heat of choler they should be inraged against those that use them lesser creatures have a larger gall because we need not fear their hurting of us nature hath also armed every creature some have hornes some teeth others have spurrs others are swift as the Horse others have large bodyes as Camels The Hedge hog hath prickles there is a creature called Benasus which pursued voydeth so much excrements that it cannot be taken Thus a fish called the Cuttle doth mud the water so that one cannot see her Thus the Pourcountrel by the pellucidnes of his body changeth himself into divers colours insects have but few members but many feet Their ears are moveable that by their constant motion they might hear the better Some creatures have teeth in one place and some in another Some in the roof of the mouth some in the tongue as Fishes Crabs have two rowes of teeth the one in their mouth the other in their ventricle and because they have but few bowels from their belly to their vent they have a small pipe which some improperly call their tail for that is necessary for those fish that swim which a Crab doth not those creatures that have no teeth live in a moister Element some creatures have two ventricles as birds they that chew the Cud have four they feeding upon crude food which requireth great digestion especially milch kine God hath made lesser creatures wiser than greater as appeareth by birds-nests and Spiders-webs The flesh of wild creatures is more wholsome than the flesh of tame the superfluous humors of the one being by motion dispersed the flesh of the other being softer but not so pure The females of all creatures being the fiercest God hath made them weakest some birds have a broader tongue than others as Parots though every creature cannot speak yet have distinct voices to know one another by as Aristotle saith Lib. 7. c. 7. of the parts of Animals Fishes have not so broad a tongue and so swallow their meat quickâ—r lest humours meeting should stop it
Disciples that he sent them out as lambs among Wolves Luke 10. 3. Is 11. 6. It is said that the Wolf shall dwell with the lamb and the Leopard shall lye down with the kid and the calf and the young Lion together spoken allegorically of the conversion of great ones the same is spoken of them Cap. 65. 25. Tyrants are compared to Wolves ravening the prey those cruel exactions that were used to the people of Israel God doth not call them barely robberies and thefts but rapines as may be seen more at large in these following places Is 1. 23. ch 2. vers 14. ch 10. 2. Ezek. 22. 25. 27. 29. Mich. 3. 11. Wisd 3. 3. CHAP. XXI Of the Dog THis is a creature more commonly known than any we have yet spoken of and hath many good properties in him fidelity love to his Master constancy vigilancy obedience sagacity and memory 1. He is more faithful than a servant watching in the night and like a Porter keeping the doors and gives notice by his barking of any thief or stranger and therefore the Proverb is true That the Dog hath nine lives but 2. Amongst all other creatures there is no creature hath so much love to his Master as the Dog alwaies going along with him knowing his voice and will find him out by his scent if his Master be killed he will not leave his Garkass but will betray the Murtherer if he seeth him barking at him and fastning upon him fighting for his Master against any one that shall assault him Plutarch relateth a story of King Pyrrhus who in a journey found a Dog who for three whole daies together lay by his Master that was murthered never eating any thing all that while afterwards he found out the murtherer by flying on him who being examined confessed the fact 3. He is very constant to any house where he is kept and will not follow any one that shall entice him away Jovius relateth of the Dogs in France that fled into the enemies Camp and licked their feet which they took to signifie their Victory which afterwards came to pass for thereupon Maximilianus Sphorsia vanquished the French 4. Their vigilancy is known to all although Geese are more watchful than they and thence the French entring into Rome were not disturbed at the Dogs but were betrayed by the noise of a company of Geese and therefore once every year several Dogs were slain because they gave no notice of the enemies approaching 5. No less is his prudence and sagacity being no less fierce and rough to strangers than he is courteous to his Master but he is especially an enemie to any one that he seeth come in a poor habit for he knoweth these do but rob him of what he should have Among all birds the Vulture and of all four-footed beasts the Dog hath the best smell and therefore Aelian saith he hath so quick a scent that if you cut a piece of a dead Dog amongst several sorts of meats he will scent it from all the rest and will not touch it 6. He is as obedient as he is constant or faithful he will learn to do any thing he will go into the Shambles and fetch meat pluck hairs off from ones head c. Plutarch saith that in a Comedy acted at Rome he saw a Dog that feigned his Master had poysoned him and as soon as he had taken it all his body would shake and tremble but that would abate by degrees and at last would stretch himself and never move at all his Master cometh to him and biddeth him rise he then hearing him stirreth one part and then another untill at last he came to himself again all which he did so cunningly that Caesar and all the rest of the Spectators were moved with no less laughter than admiration not long after that he would draw himself up altogether as if he were going to dye and would lye without any motion at all suffering himself to be dragged out by the heels as if he had been dead but in a little while after he recovered himself again to the admiration of the Spectators when he is hunting or at any other time he will come at his Masters call although he hath a good prey before him he hath a greater respect for his Master than for himself his actions are all for the good of his Master when he is hunting he will bring the prey to his Master and he himself is content with the bones nay is content without them if his Master will not give them him 7. He hath a very strong memory insomuch that he will remember the way to his Masters house though through Woods and Lands and will remember those persons a long time that have injured him he will lay up those bones that he cannot eat and fetch them out again when he hath occasion for them when he is asleep in the night he will remember what he hath seen in the day-time and therefore it is we often hear them bark in their sleep when no body is nigh them 8. He is very careful of his whelps and will suffer no one to take them away from him he loveth to be among company but as timerous when among strangers as he is bold among his acquaintance 9. He hath a kind of ambitious desire for Plutarch saith that Dogs if they get a hare alive besmear their mouths with the blood of it this they do not do if they run her dead then they will not touch her but stand about it wagging their tails to signifie that they rejoyce not so much in the flesh of it as in the Victory Pliny saith that it is a sign of an Heroick spirit in Dogs that if any one lyeth upon the ground they will not meddle with them and the Scholiast upon Homer saith that it is the best way to secure our selves against Dogs to sit down and hide our sticks and we may adde further that as the deepest Rivers make the least noise so fearful Dogs will bark more than they will bite 10. A Dog cannot endure to see the Moon and are very much afrighted at a Spectrum or apparition and therefore when the Moon shines Dogs be continually barking 11. When they grow old they are very dull and heavy they then will sleep in the dirt and the flies oftentimes will eat through their ears which they might easily prevent yet are so lazie that they will not unless they come upon their face and then they snap them in their mouthes 12. They cannot hunt if the South-wind bloweth for that is the moistest of all the four winds and all moisture hindereth the smelling in Egypt the Dogs are so subtil that because they know the Crocodiles oftentimes devour them they will not stand still when they drink but drink as they run and therefore the Proverb is Canis ad Nilum i. e. a sup and away just as many men learn Philosophy but on the other side they have their