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A40406
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The history of brutes, or, A description of living creatures wherein the nature and properties of four-footed beasts are at large described / by Wolfgangus Franzius ... ; and now rendred into English by N.W.; Historia animalium sacra. English
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Franz, Wolfgang, 1564-1628.; N. W.
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1670
(1670)
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Wing F2094; ESTC R20699
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139,929
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266
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is from the place they are in Asia being a hot Region all sweet scents being hot and dry yet we may very well doubt of this reason untill we have plainer evidence of the truth of it 6. If he hath at any time eaten any poyson he presently seeketh for some of mans dung which he with a great deal of eagerness devoureth and it is a certain remedy for him speedily curing him 7. It is observed that they will sleep three whole dayes together and after he is awake he roareth out and then it is that his body smelleth the sweetest at which time abundance of Creatures are drawn to him by the scent of his body 8. Although he be so fierce and cruel a Creature yet it is reported of him that he is not unmindful or ungrateful to any one that doth him any courtesie for the truth of which we have the testimony of several Historians which do affirm that if he meeteth a Passenger that is wandring up and down in a Wood and cannot get out again if he hath formerly shewed any kindness to his young ones he will take him and set him in his way Aelian telleth us that the Leopard while young accompanieth with the Kid it is reported that a certain Kid being cut to pieces and given to the Leopard to eat he would not touch it being his old companion Although men oftentimes do indeed devour as it were their neer relations 9. If at any time he hath touched any poysonous flesh he immediately dieth The Panther hath an inveterate hatred against three kinds of Creatures more especially The first is the Dragon whose voice he cannot endure neither the scent of him 2. He hath an inveterate hatred against the Hyaena and that not only while he is alive but after he is dead so he hateth the Leopard that if he seeth a man that hath only his skin he will fall upon him and destroy him it is affirmed by some that if the skin of a Hyaena and a Leopard be hung up both together the hairs of the Leopards skin will all fall off 3. He is a great Enemy to the Cock he cannot endure his flesh insomuch that he will not meddle with a man that he smelleth hath eaten of a Cock. 11. The Female is not so cruel as the Male for she hath a very large heart the reason why she is so timerous and fearful if at any time she doth any mischief it is meerly out of fear 12. The Female is very leacherous she not only coupling with the Panther but with the Lyon also 13. The Females skin hath a more fragrant and odoriferous smell with it then the skin of a Male. 14. Although this Creature be so valiant and sâ—btle yet it is easily intoxicated with wine which he is very greedy of therefore it is that the Huntsman pours wine into the water that he drinketh first in a morning and when he is very thirsty he is drawn with the scent of the wine to the place after he hath drunk it flyeth into his head which maketh him wanton sporting himself in the fields with other Creatures until at last they are tired and fall asleep so that then they are easily taken and thus we have shewn the several properties of this Creature let us now see what is to be learned from them and although we may compare them to all cruel men to Devils c. yet we will first take notice what the Scripture saith thus we find it comparing the Grecian Monarchy as also Alexander the Great who was a chief member of it to the Panther or Leopard the reasons of which according to Pererius and others are these that follow 1. As the Panther is no bigger than a Beagle yet is very strong thus we see that Alexander the Great had but a small Empire yet with an Army consisting but of 40000 men conquered the Eastern Countries 2. As the Leopard is a very swift Creature thus we read how that Alexander the Great in the space of twelve years had got the whole Empire to himself for at twenty years of age he enjoyed his Fathers Kingdom he dyed when he was but thirty three years of age at which age men use to have but little of any experience and prudence but how much he gained in those twelve years we shall know hereafter more at large he being once asked how he brought about such great things in so small a time he answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 never delaying nor procrastinating any business but it is much to consider what a fiery bloody Empire he had therefore Apelles pictured him carrying Lightening in his hand his Mother Olympias when she was with Child dreamed that it lightned into her womb and that it caused a great flame Iu seventeen dayes time he built that noble City of Alexandria seated upon the River Tanais In three fights he conquered all Asia and built seventy Cities and as Hieronymus saith well that he was rather famous for his victories than his war thus we read in the Prophet Daniel who speaking of the Leopard chap. 7. v. 6. saith thâ—â— dominion was given to it for when he came to Jerusalem and met the High-Priest there he fell on his knees and worshipped him being asked the reason why he would so debase himself he answered that he did not Worship the man but God for the night before God did appear to him in the shape of a High-Priest and promised him several Victories 3. As the Leopard hunteth all living Creatures and maketh a prey of them so the Dominion of Alexander was very large as the Prophet Daniel saith that he had dominion over the whole Earth thus 1 Machabees it is said that he went even to the ends of the Earth for he had overcome the greatest part of Europe All Asia Macedonia Armenia Ilerica Albania Cappadocia Syria Egypt Mount Taurus Caucasus Media Persia India and indeed all the Eastern Countries in general several Kings being subject to him and he had gone further had not his Army mutynyed as the learned have observed out of Q. Curtius coming from the East to Babylon he found there the Ambassadors from several Nations not only from those which he had conquered but from those which he had not conquered as out of Africa Spain France Italy and also from the Romans themselves and he had conquered the whole Mediterranian and the rest had he lived a little longer 4. As the Leopard hath a most sweet and fragrant smell thus Alexander was not only civil and courteous to all and happy and successful in all he undertook but as Plutarch affirmeth he had a sweet smell came from his Body he being of a hot and moist temper we will not now speak any thing of his converting the Barbarous Nations how he instructed them how they ought to cherish and nourish their Parents and not to destroy them as some of them did he also taught them to abstain from incest it being
poysoned if it be but touched with his horn it takes away the poysonous quality it was a Custome in old time among rich men to have drinking Cups made of the Unicorns horn and when at any time they drank they used to have a piece of the horn in the Cup for it is very much commended by Physicians now having explained the properties of the Unicorn we will next consider what we may learn from it 1. Nazianzen in his 13 Orations compares the Philosopher and the Unicorn together for 1. As the Unicorn loveth solitude so he who addicts himself wholly to good learning desires nothing so much as privacy and retiredness 2. As the Unicorn loveth to be on the high Mountains so wise men ought to despise and sleight these worldly things as below them 3. As the Unicorn hateth any slavery or servitude so the true Philosopher should be servant to none nor should he dwell as it were in another mans brains taking up and changing his opinions on anothers judgment 2. I suppose that that in the Psalms is unknown to few Psal 22. 22. where Christ being compassed about with most cruel Enemies makes sad complaints as of their cruel usage and compares them to Lyons and Unicorns saying in the fore-cited place Save me from the Lyons mouth from the horns of the Unicorn by which we are to understand more especially the cruelty of those who Crucified our Saviour although it may not unfitly be applyed to all the Enemies of the Gospel for 1. As the Unicorn is a very cruel Creatâ—re so the Enemies of Christ were strong and cruel 2. As it is strong and vigorous so are the Enemies of the Church 3. As it is very difficult to be taken and when taken as difficult to tame it which Job Chap. 39. 9. seems to hint to us saying Will the Unicorn be willing to serve thee or abide by thy Crib Canst thou binde the Unicorn with his band in the fâ—rrow c. so the Enemies of Christ are implacable 4. As the Unicorn loveth to dwell in solitary places never keeping company with any other Creature thus the Enemies of Christ will by no means be reduced to the society of the Church but do still go on in enmity and hatred against it 3. In other places of Scripture the Church and Jewish state is compared to a Unicorn so Num. 23. 22. it is said that God brought them oâ—t of Egypt he hath the strength of a Unicorn and the very same words are there used Nâ—mb 24. 8. like to which we have Deut. 33. 17. His horns are like the horns of a Unicorn with them he will push the people together to the ends of the Earth so the Family of Joseph is compared to the horns of a Unicorn so David Psal 75. prayeâ— that his K â—gdom might be exalted as the horns of a Unicorn and in general we may reâ—emâ—le this to the Church and so to all holy and pious men that ever have or shall be in the World and without doubt the horn is an Emblem of power and strength as also of defence which we may liken to the true knowledge of God and to his presence aid and assistance and then we may learn 1. As the Unicorns horn is so high by which he defends himself against all injâ—ries so the Churches wellfare and safety consists in the knowledge and love of God 2. And as his horn is an excellent Antidote against all poyson so the knowleâ—ge and love of God is an excellent remedy against all vice 3. As the chief thing that Huntsmen regard in a Unicorn is his horâ— so it is most certain that the main reason of the Churches sufferings is as I may so speak her horn i. e. her great confidence and affiance in God 4. As it is very difficult to take the Unicorn alive and when she is hunted taketh great care of â—eâ— horn thus the Church ought in the midst of all her afflictions to take great heed lest she loâ—e her horn i. e. her knowledge and love of God these heads of inferences might be further inlarged I shall add a story which I have read in the third Book of Philip's Declamationes where he saith that he saw the Church pictured like to a Unicorn standing one half of which only appeared but immediately it appeared in his full proportion about whom stood divers beasts as the Elephant Panther c. making a great noise about him the Unicorn in the mean while standing undauntedly He addeth there â—hat the Church hath in this World sometimes prosperity and sometimes adversity but alwayes hath great Enemies which she at last overcometh by the way here we may take notice that oftentimes states and Kingdoms are called by the name of horns for as horns are of no use at all but only to defend the body so Kings and Princes unless they defend the Church are useless 4. Also Christ himself and his Kingdom are not unfitly compared to an Unicorns horn for although we have it not expresly mentioned in the Bible yet we read in the Book of Numbers that when Balaam was to bless Israel he taketh many similitudes from the Unicorn from whence we may learn 1. That as the Unicorn is an invincible Creature thus the Church shall prevail against the gates of Hell moreover as the Unicorn with his horn doth overcome all other Creatures thus we by this horn of Christ do overcome all the temptations of Sathan and of wicked men and as his horn is a Sovereign remedy against poyson so the Kingdom of Christ is the horn of Salvation in which sin is destroyed death is abolished and overcome and everlasting life promised to all Believers and as the Unicorn spareth the Female as being the weaker thus Christ loveth and cherisheth those that are of a contrite heart to conclude as the Unicorn pursueth any one that goeth about to ensnare him thus Christ doth by his horn as it were oppose all that set themselves against his Gospel insomuch that to all Eternity they shall find nothing but severe punishments and torments inexpressible and intolerable CHAP. XII Of the Horse THe Americans never saw this Creature till about a hundred years since and therefore when they saw a man on Horse-back they thought the man and the Horse to be one individual Creature which made them much afraid of it this being the Creature that Conquered the Indians so that the Spaniards if they could not bring Horses the Indians overcame them this is a very useful and necessary Creature to man and that not only for war but also for Journeying concerning his usefulness in war we have it set down at large in Job chap. 39. 22 23. c. Hast thou given the Horse strength hast thou cloathed his neck with Thunder Canst thou make him afraid as a Grass-hopper The glory of his Nostrils is terrible he paweth in the Valley and rejoyceth in his strength he goeth out to meet the armed men he