THE HISTORY OF FOUR-FOOTED BEASTS AND SERPENTS AND INSECTS
Volume 1 Four-footed Beasts THE HISTORY OF FOUR-FOOTED BEASTS AND SERPENTS AND INSECTS
Volume 1: THE HISTORY OF FOUR-FOOTED BEASTS by Edward Topsell
Volume 2: THE HISTORY OF SERPENTS by Edward Topsell
Volume 3: THE THEATER OF INSECTS byT. Muffet THE HISTORY OF FOUR-FOOTED BEASTS AND SERPENTS AND INSECTS
Volume 1 The History of Four-footed Beasts Taken principally from the Historire Animalium of Conrad Gesner by EDWARD TOPSELL
With a New Introduction by WILLY LEY
~ l Routledge iii~ Taylor & Francis Group LONDON AND NEW YORK A Da Capo Press Reprint Edition
UK edition published by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
An unabridged republication of the 1658 edition published in London, this work has been reproduced from a copy in the Rare Book Collection of the Library of the American Museum of Natural History.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 65-23391
Transferred to Digital Printing 2006
© 1967 Da Capo Press A Division of Plenum Publishing Corporation 270 Madison Ave, New York NY 10016
ISBN 0-7146-1589-7 (Set) ISBN 0-415-42695-2 (hbk)
Publisher's Note The publisher has gone to great lengths to ensure the quality of this reprint but points out that some imperfections in the original may be apparent Prjnted and bound by CPI Antony Rowe, Eastboume INTRODUCTION
~ The first animal in Tapsell's work is the "Antalope," a fact easily explained by stating that the arrangement is alphabetical by English names. But any reader with a reasonable amount of curiosity is going to ask why Tapsell used an alphabetical arrangement in the first place. Of course, Conrad Gesner had provided the precedent for this arrangement, and Tapsell's Four- footed Beasts was primarily a translation of Gesner's Histori12 Animalium. Nonetheless, Tapsell was not obligated to follow Gesner, and a better answer as to why he did so can be found by a survey of the status of zoology at the time. During the first decade of the seventeenth century, when Tapsell prepared his translation, zoology had just become a science through the works of Guillaume Rondelet (1507-1566), Pierre Belon (Petrus Bellonius) (1517-1564), and, mainly, Conrad Gesner of Zurich (1516-1565). Before these pioneers wrote their books, all zoological information, with the single exception of a book on falcons and falconry by Emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, had been of classical vintage. Anyone who, say in A.D. 1500, wanted to learn about animals had to go either to the encyclopedias of Albertus Magnus, Vincent of Beauvais, or Thomas of Cantimpre, or to tl;J.e classical authors directly. If he chose the latter, he might try to find a manuscript copy of the works of Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) ; or he could turn to the Histori12 Natura/is of Pliny the Elder (A.D. 23-79); or he might examine the somewhat later work of the "honey tongued" Claudius Aelianus (A.D. 170-ca. 230) . The earliest of these works, Aristotle's writings, were actually better than the reputation they acquired during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Since Aristotle was the first to discuss animals systematically, his writings naturally suffered from all the short comings of an early work on any subject. That Aristotle also repeated a number of obvious fables (among them the famous story that the crocodile's lower jaw is rigid and that only its upper jaw moves) would have been less important if the Church had not, many cen turies after his death, decided that his books contained the sum of INTRODUCTION knowledge about nature. This doctrine carried with it the logical continued corollary that nothing of his writings could be doubted, and eighteenth- and nineteenth-century scholars rebelled against such an idea almost instinctively. As for Pliny, he was an indefatigable collector of information and compiled whatever he could find. Being a proud Roman, he had a tendency to disbelieve stories that came to him from Greek sources, and he could be quite sarcastic about reports he did not believe. He actually eliminated quite a number of earlier fables. Unfortunately, he retained just as many, either believing them or not daring to discard them. Claudius Aelianus' book on animals was in sharp contrast to Pliny's in many respects. Where Pliny was dry, Aelianus was poetic; where Pliny was skeptical, Aelianus was willing to use any material, provided it was of Greek origin and a good story. In retrospect, we can say that the student of the year 1500 would have done best with Pliny's Historice Natura/is. But the student of 1500 could not have known that. Of course, that student could have fallen into a far worse trap: He could have taken seriously the older "bestiaries," although by the year 1500, they had, generally speaking, run their course. These bestiaries had their origin in a small book of immense popularity and unknown authorship. Generally referred to as the Physiologus, a word first used by Aristotle with the meaning of "one who knows nature," this work was written in Greek sometime between A.D. 200 and 250, and dealt with about forty different animals (actual as well as mythical), one plant (the tree Peridexion), and six stones. In each case, just one fact, usually untrue, was described; and this supposed fact was then used as the basis for an allegory. For example: The Hydrus is the enemy of the crocodile. When it sees one, it covers itself with mud in order to be slippery and permits itself to be swallowed by the crocodile. Then, once swallowed, it tears up the crocodile's intestines. Thus, Christ had assumed the body of a mortal, descended into hell, and conquered both death and the devil. The Physiologus was the original source of the story that the Phoenix cremates itself but rises from the ashes on the third day. Similarly, it was the origin of the tale that the salamander is not harmed by fire and that, in fact, any fire it enters will die down. Thus, the just were in no danger, and the three men in the fiery fur nace had remained unscathed. The Physiologus was at first simply translated, with editions appearing in Latin, Arabic, Armenian, Ethiopian, Old High German, Icelandic, Anglo-Saxon, Old French, Proven~al, and Middle English. But then things began to happen to it: Translators shortened the material, additional sermonizing was interpolated, the original allegories were explained and expanded, and, several times, the translation was versified. In this manner, the bestiaries were born, culminating in a troubadour's version, the Bestiaire d'Amour. The more serious-minded among fifteenth- and sixteenth-century scholars disregarded the bestiaries as much as they dared and went back to the classical sources, fortified, if at all possible, with per sonal observations. The most important of them, and Topsell's direct source, was the Swiss, Conrad Gesner. Born in Zurich in 1516, Gesner was educated in the "three languages" (the contemporary term for Latin, Greek, and Hebrew) . After teaching classical Greek for a time, he decided to become a physician. In pursuit of this goal, he embarked upon a six-week walk from Basel to Bourges in France. However, he was disappointed with the university at Bourges because of its concentration on juris prudence, and, after some time, he left for Paris. Ultimately, he acquired his medical degree in Basel in March 1541, and then returned to Zurich with license to practice medicine, at the same time taking on a poorly paid teaching job for side income. Having more free time than he liked, Gesner soon began to write. His first work was the Bibliotheca universalis, comprising an alpha betical treatment of all authors who had written in any of the "three languages." For each author, a biographical sketch was followed by a list of works, including both those already printed and those existing only in manuscript. This work was so thorough that Gesner soon became known throughout Europe. Ducal libraries were arranged according to his book, Archbishop Hoper invited him to come to England to live, and the famous Fugger family in Augsburg tendered the same offer. Gesner chose Augsburg. However, the Fuggers apparently insisted that he become a Catholic, and since he had no desire to change his religion, he soon returned to Zurich. ·while in Augsburg, however, Gesner had read a manuscript copy of the work of Claudius Aelianus, and he now decided to compose a modern equivalent. At that point, of course, the problem of arrangement arose. Aristotle had offered a broad distinction between animals with blood and "bloodless" animals, meaning those without red blood, and this was still acceptable to Gesner. But where did one go from there? Pliny had not developed an analytical system - he had started the book on four-footed animals with the elephant and that on birds with the ostrich because each was the biggest, and had then proceeded without discernible pattern. And Aelianus was of no greater help, since he had believed, apparently, that his book would be better if the reader could not guess which animal would be treated next. Since Gesner had used an alphabetical arrangement in his Bibliotheca universalis, he decided to do the same in his work on animals, the Historite Animalium. His over-all plan called for six volumes. The first was to deal with four-footed animals that bear live young- the mammals, as we would say. The second was to de scribe four-footed animals that lay eggs- reptiles and amphibians in our terminology. The third was to concern birds; the fourth, fishes; the fifth, "serpents"; and the sixth, insects. Gesner's first volume, Tapsell's principal source, appeared in 1551. It contained lllO folio pages, not including dedications, prefaces, and lists of names. The second volume, only 137 pages in length, followed in 1554, and the third, a hefty 779 folio pages describ ing birds, was published in 1555. The fourth volume, the last to appear in Gesner's lifetime, was published in 1558 and contained 1297 pages describing fishes, clams, octopi, and sea monsters. Gesner died in 1565, but his papers contained enough material on "serpents" and "dragons" to make a fifth volume. This was printed in 1587 and contained 170 pages on serpents and a twenty two page section on the scorpion (the only part of the planned sixth volume that Gesner had written). Because Gesner's Latin work was huge and therefore expensive, a shortened version in German was prepared by two of his colleagues, the doctors Conrad Forer and Rudolf Heusslin. The first volume of the German version was a condensation of the first two volumes of the Latin original. The second German volume condensed the third Latin, and the third German, the fourth Latin. All of these appeared during Gesner's lifetime and with his approval. The fourth German volume, of course, was a shortened version of the fifth Latin and appeared two years after it. INTRODUCTION For his Four-footed Beasts, first published in 1607, Topsell used continued Gesner's first volume. I wondered briefly whether he might have taken advantage of the German condensation, but a comparison quickly demonstrated that he had followed the Latin original. Topsell made few additions, despite the "other Authors" mentioned on the title page, and the illustrations he selected had all appeared in Gesner's work, although he omitted a number. Furthermore, for want of an historical alternative, Topsell followed Gesner's alpha betical arrangement. In addition to this arrangement, Gesner had also evolved a scheme for the internal organization of chapters, dividing each into sections labeled A, B, C, D, ... , and avoiding numerals "because in some cases nothing may be known and leaving out a letter is less annoying to the eye than leaving out a number." Under the letter A, Gesner had listed the animal's name in all languages, even inventing a suitable name for languages in which the animal was unknown; under B, he had provided a detailed description of the animal and its habitat; and under C, he had dealt with the healthy functioning of the animal's body and with its diseases. In section D, Gesner had examined the animal's habits and instincts, including its behavior toward other animals and toward man, while in E, he had discussed its general utility for man, reserv ing its particular uses as food and medicine for sections F and G. In H, finally, Gesner had delved into the animal's effect on human language and custom, into man's treatment of the animal in religion, poetry, proverbs, place names, sculpture, and so on. In translating Gesner, Topsell also followed this scheme, although without using the letters. At the time Topsell was translating Gesner, the Italian Ulisse Aldrovandi (1522-1605) had begun publication of his own zoological work, a work resembling Gesner's in concept but having an even greater scope. Aldrovandi had planned a total of ten volumes. He completed only five, and Topsell might have taken advantage of the first four, describing birds and insects, since these volumes ap peared before his translations were published. However, Topsell failed to do so, perhaps because he was then starting work on his own (unpublished) study of birds, "The Fowles of Heaven." The three volumes comprising this set were published as one thick volume in 1658. Each was a slightly revised version of a work that had appeared separately at an earlier date. The first volume reproduces the second edition of The History of Four)ooted Beasts. In its essentials, this edition was unchanged from the first. But space was at a premium in producing a single-volume collection, and only by omitting the translation of Gesner's long foreword, as well as several pictures, and by using a smaller type size, were the printers able to reduce the earlier edition to a manageable number of pages. The next volume is a facsimile of the second edition of Topsell's History of Serpents, first published in 1608. The changes made by the printers followed those for the Four- footed Beasts. But this volume was never simply a direct translation from Gesner. Three long sections, the one on bees and related insects, that on spiders, and another on earthworms, were not by Gesner at all but by a Dr. Bonham, while the others were selections from volumes two, four, and five of the Historite Animalium. (Topsell seems to have reserved birds, discussed in volume three, for his own work.) The third volume of the set, The Theater of Insects, reproduces the first edition in English of the Insectorum sive Minimorum Ani malium Theatrum by Dr. Theodore Moufet (Moffet) (1553-1604). Left incomplete at the time of Moufet's death, this work was not published until 1634, after another doctor, Theodore Turquet de Mayeme (1573-1655), had edited the manuscript. It apparently was included with the two works by Topsell in order to round out the theme of living animals. Yet it too was related to the omnipresent Gesner, for as the authors of The American Drawings of john White recount, Dr. Thomas Penny (d. 1589), a well-known English natu ralist, had accumulated a vast body of material on insects through researches in Gesner's entomological collections, and it was from this very material that Dr. Thomas Moufet, Penny's friend, prepared his manuscript. (Moufet's manuscript, in the English Museum, con tains illustrations of insects drawn for Penny by John White, and woodcuts based on these illustrations are included in The Theater of Insect.) It remains now to say something about Edward Topsell. Information about Tapsell's life is scanty. It is known that he was born in 1572 in Sevenoaks, the son of John Topsell, and that he matriculated as a sizar of Christ's College, Cambridge, in December 1587. He apparently took his B.A. degree in 1591 or 1592, and his M.A. degree followed a few years later. Tapsell's career as a minister probably began in 1592 at Hartfield in Sussex. The next year he became Vicar of Framfield, also in Sussex, remaining there untill596, when he was made rector at East Hoathly, Sussex. The latter year also saw publication of his first book, The Reward of Religion. Delivered in sundrie lectures upon the Booke of Ruth. This work was evidently quite successful, being reissued in 1601 and 1613. After two years at East Hoathly, Topsell moved to Datchworth, Hertfordshire, where in 1599 he issued Time's Lamentation; or an exposition on the Prophet joel in sundry [427] Sermons or Medi tations. Perhaps because he thundered too harshly against "vices and frivolities," this book was much less successful than his first - it never saw a second edition. In 1602, Topsell moved again, this time to Syresham in Northamp tonshire. In 1604, he became perpetual curate of St. Botolph's, Alders gate, and from that time until his death in 1625, he divided his energies among a number of ministerial positions. After the publica tion of his translations, for which he is chiefly known, he wrote one more book, The Householder, or Perfect Man. Preached in three Sermons, which was published in London in 1610. Topsell was apparently married twice, but his first marriage is known only through references to his son Abel and daughter Mary, while the only record of the second is a license issued in London on August 12, 1612, permitting him to marry Mrs. Mary Seaton of the parish of St. Ann and St. Agnes, Aldersgate, widow of the stationer Gregory Seaton. Tapsell's fame from publication of his translations was restricted to the British Isles, for scholars on the continent read Gesner's original and Aldrovandi's newer work, while the Germans and Swiss had a version of Gesner in their own language. The failure of another large work on mammals to appear in Great Britain for many years was probably due to the existence of Tapsell's work. The important British naturalists who came immediately after Topsell, namely John Ray (Wray) (1627-1705) and his pupil, Francis Willughby (1635-1672), were already very "modem" in their approach, basing their works largely on collections they had made themselves rather than on literary sources. It may be assumed that both had read Tapsell's work, though I have failed to find definite proof for this INTRODUCTION assumption. There is proof that they had read Gesner's volume on continued birds, one that Topsell did not translate. Topsell's work, then, has a unique place: It was the first major book on animals printed in Great Britain in English; and it appeared at the last moment in history when all zoological knowledge since antiquity could be summarized sympathetically, before it was ren dered a curiosity by the many new discoveries soon to come.
Jackson Heights, N.Y. WILLY LEY March 12, 1967 CONTENTS
Volume 1: THE HISTORY OF FOUR-FOOTED BEASTS
The Antalope I Of the Ape 2 The Munkey 5 The Cepus, or Maritime Munkey . 6 The Ape Calitrich ... 7 Of the Prasyan Apes . 7 Of the Cynocepale or Baboun 8 A Tartarine ... 10 The Satyre . 10 The Figure of Another Monster 13 Of the Norvegian Monsters. 13 Of the Aegopithecus .. 13 Of the Sphinga or Sphinx . 14 Of the Sagoin, Called Galeopithecus 15 Of the Bear-Ape Arctopithecus . 15 Of the Simivulpa, or Apish-Fox. 16 Of the Asse. 16 Of the Hinnus, Innus, and Ginnus, Mannus, Mannulus, Befi and Burdones, etc...... 23 Of the Wild Asse .. . 24 Of the Scythian Asses . 25 Of the Indian Asses 25 Of the Alborach and Axis . 26 Of the Badger, Otherwise Called a Brocke, a Gray, or a Bauson 26 Of the Bear . 28 Of the Beaver Male and Female 34 Of the Bison ...... 39 CONTENTS Of the White Scotian Bison ...... 41 continued Bonasus, the Figure of the Head and Horns . 42 Of the Buffe ...... 44 Of the Vulgar Bugil ...... 45 Of the African Bugil .. 46 Of the Bull ...... 47 Of Another Beast Called Buselaphus .. 51 Of the Oxe and Cow ...... 52 Of Cowes ...... 55 Of the Calf ...... 69 Of the Supposed Beast Cacus ...... 71 Of the Camel ...... 72 Of the Camel Dromedary ...... 76 Of the Two Sorts of Camelopardals ...... 78 Of the Allocamelus ...... 79 Of Another Beast Called Campe 80 Of the Cat...... 80 Of the Wilde Cat . 84 Of the Col us ...... 85 Of the Cony ...... 86 Of the Indian Little Pig-Cony 88 Of the Fallow Deer, Commonly Called a Buck and a Doe . 89 Of the Second Kind of Deer the Roe-Bucke . 90 Of the First Kinde of Tragelaphus Which May be Called a Deer-Goat ...... 93 The Figure of Another Tragelaphus, or Deer-Goat, Expressed by Bellonius . 94 Of the Hart and Hinde ..... 95 Of the Dyctyes ...... 108 Of the Dog in General 108 Of the Gray-Hound, with a Narration of All Strong and Great Hunting Dogs ...... 114 Of the Mixt Kinde of Dogs Called English Man grels or Mongrels ...... 122 Of the Village-Dog, or House-Keeper...... 126 Of the Mimick, or Getulian-Dog, and the Little Melitaen-Dogs of Gentlewomen ...... 127 Of the Dog Called a Harier; in Latin, Leverarius. 130 Of the Dog Called a Terrar; in Latin, Terrarius. 130 Of the Dog Called a Blood-Hound; in Latin, Sanguinarius. . 130 Of the Dog Called the Gase-Hound; in Latin, Agafaeus 132 Of the Dog Called the Gray-Hound; in Latin, Leporarius. 132 Of the Dog Called the Leviner, or Lyemmer; in Latin, Lorarius. 132 Of the Dog Called a Tumbler; in Latin, Vertagus ...... 133 Of the Dog Called the Theevish Dog; in Latin, Canis Furax 133 Of Gentle Dogs Serving the Hawk, and First of the Spaniel Called in Latin, Hispaniolus . 133 The Dog Called the Setter; in Latin, Index. 134 Of the Dog Called the Water Spaniel, or Finder; in Latin, Aquaticus seu Inquisitor . 134 Of the Dog Called the Fisher; in Latin, Canis Piscator .... 135 Of the Delicate, Neat, and Prety kind of Dogs Called the Spaniel Gentle or the Comforter; in Latin, Melitaeus, or Fotor . 135 The Virtue Which Remaineth in the Spaniel Gentle, Otherwise Called the Comforter ...... 135 Dogs of a Course Kinde Serving Many Necessary Uses, Called in Latin, Canis rustici, and First of the Shephards Dog, Called in Latin, Canis Pastoralis ... 136 Of the Mastive, or Bandog; Called in Latin, Villaticus, or Catenarius ...... 136 Containing Curs of the Mungrel and Rascal Sort, and First of All the Dog Called in La tine, Admonitor, and of Us in English, Wappe, or Warner. 139 Of the Dog Called Turnespit, in Latine, Veruversator 139 Of the Dog Called the Dancer, in La tine, Salta tor or Tympanista ...... 139 Of Other Dogs, a Short Conclusion, Wonderfully Ingendred Within the Coast of This Countrey ...... 140 A Start to Out-Landish Dogs in This Conclusion, Not Impertinent to the Authors Purpose ...... 140 A Supplement or Addition, Containing a Demonstration of Dogs Names How They Had Their Original 141 Of the Ethiopian Eal ...... 149 Of the Elephant ...... 149 Of the Elk 165 Of the Ferret ... 170 Of the Fitch or Poul-Cat ...... 172 Of the Fox...... 173 Of the Gennet-Cat, Called Genetha . 179 Of the Goat, Male and Female 181 Of the Goat Called by Pliny a Deer .. 192 Of the Wilde Goat, and the Figure of the Helvetian, Alpian, Wilde or Rock-Goat 193 Of the Kid ...... 195 Of the Guion ...... 205 Of the Gorgon or Strange Lybian Beast 206 Of the Hare...... 207 Of the Hedge-Hog ...... 217 Of the Horse ...... 220 Of the Choice of Good Horses ...... 230 Of the Choice of Stallions and Breeding Mares . 232 Of Handling, Taming, or Breaking of Horses . 237 Of Adorning and Furnishing Horses ... 240 Of Riding and Sitting on Horseback 240 Of the Disposition of Horses in General . 242 Of the Natural Disposition of Horses . 243 Of the Fear of Horses, and Their Enemies in Nature. 244 The Love and Knowledge of Horses to Men 244 Of Horse-men, and the Orders of Chivalry and Knighthood 246 Of the Greatest Horse-Masters and Nourishers of Horses .. 249 Of Fighting in War Upon Horses . 249 Of Riding ...... 250 The Instruments of Riding Appertaining to a Horse 251 Of Hunting Horses . 252 Of Coursers, or Swift Light Running Horses . 252 Of the Gelding ...... 253 Of Careering Horses for Pomp or Triumph 254 Of Load or Pack-Horses ...... 254 CONTENTS Of \'\Tilde-Horses, the Sea-Horse, and the Hart-Horse, continued Called Hippelaphus . 255 Of the Sea-Horse..... 256 Of the Diet of Horses, and Their Length of Life 257 Of the Uses of Horse-Flesh, Mares-Milk, and Other Parts 259 The Moral Discourse of Horses, Concerning Fictions, Pictures, and Other Devices . . 260 Of the Statues and Figures of Horses . 264 Of the Several Diseases of Horses and Their Cures . . 265 The Medicines Arising Out of Horses . 336 Of the Hyaena, and the Divers Kinds Thereof. 339 The Figure of the First Hyaena. 340 The Second Kinde of Hyaena Called Papio or Dabuh . 342 Of the Crocuta .. 343 Of the Mantichora . 343 The Medicines of the Hyaena ...... 345 Of the Ibex ...... 347 The Medicines of the Ibex . 349 Of the Ichneumon . 349 The Medicines of the Ichneumon 352 Of the Lamia 352 Of the Lion 355 The Medicines of the Lion . 378 Of the Linx . . 380 Of the Marder, Martel, or Marten . 386 Of the Mole or Want 388 The Medicines of the Mole . 391 Of the Vulgar Little Mouse . 392 The Medicines of the Mouse 400 Of the Rat . 403 Of the Water-Rat . 404 Of the Alpine Mouse . 405 Of the Dormouse 408 The Medicines of the Dormouse . 410 Of the Hamster or Cricetus . 411 Of the Norician Mouse 413 Of the Mouse Pontique . 413 Of the Mouse Called the Shrew, or the Erd Shrew . 415 The Medicines of the Shrew. 417 That the Biting of a Shrew is Venemous, and of the Reason of Healing in This Kinde . 417 Of the Wilde Field-Mice . 420 Of the Wood-Mouse 423 Of the Nut-Mouse, Hasel-Mouse, or Filbird-Mouse . 423 Of the Lascitt Mouse . 424 Of the Sorex 424 The Medicines of the Sorex . 425 The Indian Mouse, and Divers Other Kindes of Mice, According to Their Countries . 425 Of the Moschatte, or Musk-Cat 427 The Medicines of the Musk-Cat . 430 Of the Mule 431 The Medicines of the Mule . 438 Of the Neades, Neides, or Naides 440 Of the Ounce, the Description Whereof Was Taken by Doctor Cay in England 440 Of the Oryx. 442 The Scythian Wolf 444 Of the Otter 444 Of the Panther, Commonly Called a Pardal, a Leopard, and a Libbard 447 Th~ Medicines of the Panther, or Leopard 455 Of the Poephagus . 455 The Porcuspine or Porcupine 456 Of the Reyner, or Rainger 458 Of the Rhinoceros 460 Of the Sheep . 464 Of the, Diseases of Sheep, and Their Causes in General 474 Of the Ram. 489 0£ the Weather-Sheep . 494 Of the Lamb. 495 Of the Musmon 497 The Medicines of the Sheep in General . 498 The Medicines of the Ram 504 The Medicines of the Lamb 506 Of the Strepsiceros . 507 Of the Squirrel 508 Of the Getulian Squirrel, Described and Figured by Doctor Cay 510 Of a Wilde Beast in the New-Found World Called Su 5ll Of the Subus, a Kinde of Wilde Water-Sheep. 511 Of the Swine in General . 512 Of the Diseases of Swine . 528 The Medicines of the Hog . 531 Of the Wilde Boar . 537 The Medicines of the Wilde Swine . 544 0£ the Tatus, or Guinean Beast . 546 Of the Aiochtochth 547 Of the Tiger . 547. Of the Unicorn 551 The Medicines Arising From the Unicorn. 557 Of the U re-Ox 559 Of the Lybian Oxe .. 561 Of the Indian Wilde Oxen . 561 Of the Weasel 562 The Medicines Arising from the ·weasel 566 Of the Wolf . 568 Of the Sea-Wolf ...... 580 Of the Thoes 581 The Medicines of a Wolf .. 581 Of the Zebel, Commonly Called a Sabel 584 Of the N oerts . 585 Of the Varmel ...... 585 Of the Zibeth, or Sivet-Cat ... 585
Volume 2: THE HISTORY OF SERPENTS
Volume 3: THE THEATER OF INSECTS This page is intentionally left blank THE HISTORY OF FOUR-FOOTED BEASTS AND SERPENTS . AND INSECTS
Volume 1 Four-footed Beasts This page is intentionally left blank THE HISTORY OF Four-footed Beails, SERPENTS,
AND INSECTSe This page is intentionally left blank THE HISTORY OF Four-footed Beafis AND S E R PENT S: Defcribing at Large Their True and Lively Fi.gure, their feveral Namer, Conditions, I(jnds, Virtues ( both Natural and Medicinal ) Countries of their 'Breed, their Lo-ve and Hatred to Mankind , and the wonderful work of God in their Creation, Prcfervarion, and Ddl:ruction. Interwoven with curious variety of Hifl:or.ical Narrations out of Scriptures, Fathers, Phi\ofophers, Phyftcians, and Poets: Illufirated wirh divm Hieroglypnicks and Emblems,&c. both ple.1Clllt and pzolit,Jble for Studems in all FJculti~s and Profethons.
Colleeted out of the Writings of [ 0 N.. tit A 1J U S G E S 1{ E (1\. and other Authors, By E D W A ll D T 0 P S E L. ------·-··------Whereunto is now Added, The Theater of Infects; or, Lcffer living Creatures: As Bees, Flies, Caterpillars, Spiderr, vVorms) &c. A moil: Elaborate Work: By T. 5J.1 U F FE T, Dr. of Phyfick.
------,------·------··------The whole Revifed, Correeted, and Inlarged with the Addition of Two ufeful Phyfical Tables, by J. CR_; M.D.
L 0 'N. 1J 0 1'{: Printed by E. Cotes, for g. Sa"llJbridge at the Bible on Ludgateohiil, T. Williams at the Bibk Ill Littlt- !Jr:tam, and T. :Johnjon, at the Key in p""'J Chr~rch-,ard. MDC LV ll r. :...______This page is intentionally left blank !~~~~l~~llllll~~~~~llll~ll~l:~~~~~~l~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ $$@~®@®®$®®~®$t~®~*~®~1i$®®®$®®;· ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE Lord Marqueffe
OF DORCHESTER, Earl of K IN G S T 0 N E> Vicount 1.\[ E W .A (1( I( E , &c,
My very Noble L o It o, Our Lordfhip "QJe/l knoTPs that Honour attends upon Virtue, M the \{-1"/.tf>ffli~ foado~ doth upon the Jubflance ; there u fuch a magnetick force " in Goodne{s, that it dra11Js tlJe !Jearts of men after it. The 'lllorld objer)Jes t!Jat Your Honour is a great Lo)Jer of tbe "f!Jorks of Learned Writers, itJIJich u an infallible argument of an excellent mind refiding in You. Wherefort! I here humbly offir unto Your 'Noble Patronage the moft Famor.u and Incomparable Hiftory ofC oN R AD us G.E s N E R, a great 1Philofoplxr and Phyfitian, "!lJho by hu 1Jaft expences, and indefatigable pains, ColleBed and Digefled into t11Jo Volums, 'llllJat ewr be _found flattered here and there i1t almofl infinite Authors, concerning Fourfooted-Beafl:s and Serpents, adding al(o 'lllllat he could pofSibly attain to by !Ju o11Jn experience, and correfpondence held T~Jith other famozu Scholars e)Jery 11Jhere. .After him Mr. Edward Topfel a Learned Di1Jine, (f(e1Jijed and .Augmented the fame Hiftory ; a-s it u not altogether fo difficult to add fomething to "Dihat if firfl begun, and to build upon fuch a foundation Tvhich 11JM before Jo artificially laid. He hath dejerwd i!Jell ofour Englifh Natio~z info doing; and the more, that !Je dot!) "ttlitf, Jo much modefly attribute tlJe pra!fe of the Tvhole "f!Jork. to the Majler-Tvorkman to 11Jhom it wa-s chiefly due. T7Je_(ame Geiner, after Mr. Edward Wotton !Jad begun, undertook to compofe the Hiflory of Infects; T~J!Jich as it u a bujinejs of more curiofity and dijficulty to "Dil'ite exaEtly of; Jo all things confidered, tbey Jer)Je a-s much to Jet forth theW ifdom and PoTver of God M the great eft Creatures be IMth made, and arc a-s bmeficial to Mankind, not on~ for dainty Food, but for the many Plryfical u/es that arife from tbem. John 13aptift fed upon Lacufts and '»'ildt The Eptfile Dedicatory. "lVilde Honey, and we rettd that our Sa1Jiour eat a piece of a Honey comb. Tbefe little lnfeets are not {o contemptible as the WoJ'ld generally thinks they are, for t17ey cau do M much by their multitfldes, ~ the other can by .t];eir magnitude, 'lPhm M one Hornet fhall be able fudJenly to lull a Hor{e, and Gnats, Ants and Wafps to bid rejiftance to 13ears) Lions and Elephants, and to depopulatt }v/;o/e Countries. The ho~s, Locufts, and Lice, There none of tbe leaft Judgements in t!Je Ltmd of Egypt. c Mr. Thomas Per.n~us,~nothr Plryjitim_l, lighting /;is Candle _by the former lights, fucceeded them t_n tl:ro grtat und_erta.kmg. !But all thife 11tgilant and painful Men ne"'Ver could brmg tt to per{eBwn, bemg e1Jery one of them pre~ )Jented by deat1J. .And indeed, thin$s of deep fearch , and high concernment, are )Jery jeldom begun and ended by the Jame perfons. Hippocrates gi1Jes the re~fon for it, t1Jat .Art is long, Life Jhort, Ej(perience diffic~tlt, occajion precipitate, Judge,. ment uncertain. I may fay farther, 'llJhich he a!fo comprehends in the cloje of that .Ap17orifm, that all mufl perform tl1eir je1leral offices: ilhich is ~ot often done, but ingenious men frequent!J labour under the ilant of means, and find /mall encourage~ ment to rroceed i~ their great defigns, efpecia/11 in this latter age of the World. Gefner makes a fad complaint in heha!f of !Jimfel{, and Top[el doth tbe like:~ a11 dJo do all tl1e refl ilho fpent tlJeir Ejlc.tes, and 'llJafted t!Jeir Seirits for the common good. Which iJ fitjficient proof to can"l1ince many rich mm of blindne{s and ingratitude, and confirms that truth tbe Poet fpeak.s ;
Haud facile emerguunt, quorum virtutibus obfrat Res angufl:a domi ------
Good and well meaning men cannot proceed, Virtue is crufht by want, opprell by need ..
.Afttr the death of the {arementioutd four Wartlaies of their times, Mr. Thomas Muffet a noted Englifh Phyfitian undertook tbe fame tafk:., .tnd compleated it; ~h~{e Encomittm ;s excellently 'Olell penned by tl;.e late Honourable DCiElar tJ{PhyJick. Sir Theodore Mayerne, in his Epiftle to DoElor William Paddy offamou£ 1ne" mory, premijed to tlJis :B.ook.; TV herein to his. o"JPn immortalpraije,.IJfl hath fo· .A.naro,. micaUy di/Jelted ma1fy ofthe chiefeft InfeCts, e1Jen to admiration) that h6· hatf,let tlJe World underftand hy it, that he.TPas a deep Philofopl,er, and a: mofl aec11rate jear cber into tlJe fe'retJ ofNature, and 'llJorthy of tbofe. places of Honour he e-njoyed i1r Great Princes Courts. Thir large flijiory ~not, nor could po[Sibly be the pro" duBirm ofone .Age; both able :Di1Jims~and Phyfiti4ns. contributed "»Jhat they had, and employed tloeir Talents, audgre¢-eft fludies, for many years in their [e11er,1.fl generati9ns, to brinx. it forth; "»lhereby it may appear ho'llJ necef[a.ry this Work is for thefouls and boJies of Men) to teach them to k.no"»J tbe f!'ifdom and Omnipo~ tmce of God in the Creatiou of tbeje Creatures, and Goodnefs ta beflo~ them upon Mmt, both for profit aud delight; and though ma1ry of tlJC11l be :Dan:;erous and Penomous, yet they wrm not Jo 1bhen God jz'rjt made tJ,em. Far the Wifeman faith, ThatGod made not death, neither takeshe pleafure inthedelhueti on of the living, for he created all things that they rnighe have their being, and the Generarion5 of theW orld were healthful, and there was no poifon of ddl:ruetion in them, no Kingdom of death upon the earth, but ungodly men TThe Epiftle Dedicatory.
to them. ‘This Book will أل men bytheirwicked works and words, called plentifully furnijh us Tbitb ([Remedies againjl tnojl ofthefe inconveniences , Dibich is nofmalloccafion to put US in mini b
Jam que opus exegi,c|uod nec ^ovis ira,nec.ignis_, Necpoterit ferrum, nec edaxabolere vetuftas.
T h e W ork is ended^ which can envies iiime., .re, nor waftingtime coniume؛Nor Sword, nor F
2s(eVer ft>as thereJo compleatea Hiflory ofthe Creatures its thisisjincethe dates of -/٢ i r i t theftory o fcBeafls and Creeping things : and indeed it ٠;/^ ,Solom on quires aJQngly Treafure and Underjlanding to accomplifh it. And Petrus Gil- lius Writes, that in former Ages, all the Htjloriesof Creatures tuere complied by bear the charge of it, andmojl هﺀ Kings, or Dedicated to them; 'toboare bejl able “¿ S رم honoured Tbith it. what !could the World nony give for that iBook ﺀﺀ ﺀم lom ons, f»htch by the negligence o f ungrateful men and length o ftime is utterly -Gefner and M uf /٠ this Hijiory آ م efteem ٠؛ lojl ? How highly then ought Tbe one but that ? For what Ariftotlcjet forth upon this¡? ٠، fetj which IS inferiour and for Tfrhich he received رfubjeEl at the appointment o f Alexander the Great from him 400 Talents 04 a f\ingly reTt>ard,is all comprehended in this, Toith the addition ofmany hundreds more that have travelled in the fame h>ay. Orpheus> ٠» bl)0m the *Poetsfo much magttijiefor draTbing the ,Beasts after him, could do¡' more Tbith all his melodious harmony,then thejefamous and ingenious Men have done. And becaufe I cannot but think, what the !Poets fancied concerning hhn^as but the dim light they had) ofall the Crea ٠؛ an Hieroglyphical reprefentation(according tures coming to N oah into the Ark, this Hijiory feems tome to be like another Ark o/N oah, therein the fever al kinds ofbeajls are onceagainmet together,for their preferVation in the underjlanding ofManj& bo'toeVer thereToere mukitudesof ٢،؛؛’ ’،، becaufe Aldrovandus and others have ﺀﺀ Birds in the Ark'ft’ hich arenotbere(it may, "Written The EpiiHe Dedicarory. "iiJritten largely to that purpofe) yet here are abundance of1,~{eclJ that never JPere in Noahs .Ark, and 1ilhereo{ we never had, or "ll1e can find extant) any compleate Hiftory until! this 1vM made; ")}J/;ich is like to another Paradije, liJIJere t!Je !J3eajls 7 a-s they 1vere brought to Adam, are agai11 de{cribed by their 'N..atures,and named in moft Languages; "iiJhich je~ves to make fomc repa~ation for the great lo/s of tlJat excellent k.nol!Jiedge o{the Creature, -whtch our fi;jl P arcnts brought upon tl,eir pofterity when they fell from God. We read in the 10th. of the Acts, that lJ!Jen a vejJel )}Jas lee doiVn from heaven,l!Jherein there )}Jere all manner ofFourfooted~13eaftf ~tnd Creeping t!Jings, that St. Peter wondered at it : who then can choofe but ad. mire to fee jo many living Creatures that Nature hath divided and fcattertd in Woods, Mountains and Jlallies, over tbe face ~{the 'TV hole eartiJ,to come all toget!Jer to agmeral mujler, and to aEt their Jeveral parts in order upon tiJe fame Theaur? I confeft there are many Men fo barbarous, that they make no account oft!Jis kind of learning, but think all clJarge and pains {ruitlejs that ir imployed this 'TVay; fhe'TV• i1~ tiJemjelves herein more unreafonable and brutifh then the irrational r.Beafts. F()r next unto Man are theje Creatures rankt in dignity, and they "ftlere ordained by God to live upon the fame earth, and to be Fe/lo]!.commoners witb Man; having all the Plants and Vegetables appointed tlmn for their food M "ftlell M Man had; and lJave obtained one priviledge beyond m, in that tlJey were created before Man "iiJas; and ever Jince they are obnoxious to the fame cafualtier, and have the fame coming into tiJe World, and goi1~ out that JPe have; For that which befals the Sons of Men befals Beafl:s ,even one thing befals them both,as the one dyeth, lo dyeth the other ; fo that Man hath no preeminence above the Beafl:s. All go unto one place, all are of the dufl:, and all return to dufl: again : Ecclef 3· 19, 20 • .And tl;e Prophet David doubts not to compare Man being in honour, and having no underftandin!, unto the :Beajls that perifh. .As for Mi .. nerals ,tlJey are yet anotiJer degree btlo'TV r.Be~fls ,all the Gold,Je")}Je/s ,and 'Diamonds in the World, are not comparable to any one of the meanefl Creatures that hath ~ithin it the breath of life. God hath bountifully bejlowed them all 011 Man , "'ilJIJom he 1Jat!J advanced above them all, for food, and raiment, and other necejfary ujes; aljo for hu pleafure and recreation : and fo long M 'TVe ufe them 'lrith Sobriety and T!Jankfulnefs, 'TVe foall finde an infinite benefit and advantage by them; but "ftthm we prove ungrateful/ unto God, they become (o many Inftruments of !Ju vengeance againfl finners, to make up tbat fourfold Judgement, Tt-ith t}Je S")}Jord, Famine ,and Pejlilence, tlJe Prophet tlmatens the Jews 11ith. I fear to be tedious, therefore I bejeech Your Honour to accept thu Hiftory in good part from him i!Jho humbly prayeth for Your Lordfhips temporal #lnd eternal happinefs,and'TVho ii
Your Ho1zours mofl alfo8ionately
humble Str"'~nt
J 0 H N R 0 vv L A N )), ------~-----
To the Reverend and Right \!Vorshipful R I CHARD :A( E I L E~ D. of Divinity, Dean of Weftmin(ler, Mafl:er of the Savoy, and Clerk of the King his moil: Excellent Majefl:ies Clofer; all fdicity Temporal;) Spiritual, and EternaL
·aei~!iit!!l9.!. HE L1brary of Englrfo Books, and Catalogue of Writers, (Right Worthy and Learned D a AN, my mofl: rc:fpcetcd P A T ll. oN) have grown to t~e height, not only of a jult number, bur almoft innumerable: and no marvel,for God himftlfhath in all ages prefer ved Learning in the next place: to Life; for as Lite is the: Minifierial Governor and Mover in this World, fo is Learning the Minific:rial Governor and Mover in Life : As an Interpreter in a firange Countrey is necdfary for a Tnvdler that is ignorant of Languages (or elfe he iliould periili,) Co is Knowledge and Learning to us puor Pilgrims in this our Perigrination , out of Paradife unro Paradife ~ whereby confufed B A 11 a L s tongues are again redLJCed to their fignificant Diale.tls, not in the builders of B A B a L to further and finilh an earthly Tower, but in the builders of J E R u s A L B M > to bring them all to their own Counrrey J~~hi,h they fuk , and to the: ddired refi offouls. Liter.t objictri&es artium, qtMrtlm bentficiub mttritu vindicantur. As Life: is different: and divers, according to the Spirit wherein it is feated, and by which it is nourilhed a$ with a current; fo alfo is Learning, according to the taft, ufe, and pracrife of Rules, Canons, and Authors, from whom as from a Fuunrain it ta'keth b:Jth beginning and encreafe: even as the lpirit of a Se1 penc is much quicker then the fpirit ot an Ox; and the Learning of Arlftotle a"nd Plin7 more lively and lightf<1me then the knowledge of other obfcure Pbilofophcrs, ~nworthy to be named, which either through Envy or N ~TI- pr~Jiciencit durfi never wme. Si &um hac exuprione detur fapientia,ut ill.tm tNclufttm teneam, nrc enuntiem, rejiciam. NuOu.u bDni fine JociD jrwmd.t tjl pojfejfio. And there fore I fay with Petrus Blefm: Scienti.crum generofa peffefio in plures difper{a, nON per ditur, & d1{1ributa ptr partu, minorAtionu detrrmentum non fentit : (ed to diuturm~ per peruata jtne(Cit, qao publtwa fg:cundill4 {e dtjfundit. The grearell: men fiored with all helps of Learning, Nature: and Fortune, were the firfi Writers, who as they did excell other men in Pofii:ffions and Worldly dioni· ty fo they manifcficd their Virtues and Worth in the tdition of excellent part~ of kdowledge, either for the: delight or profit of the World , according to the Poets profcffion :
A~et prodeffe 'Volunt, 11ut dt/e{/are Poet.e, Aut jimul & jucunda & 1d1Dtll dittre vif41. Omnt tultt punCium,qui mtfcuit utile dulci, Lt8orem dtltCI11ndo, p11rittrque monmdo.
Yct now of late thes this cufiom hath been a! moll: difcontinued to the infinire prejudice: of lac red inviolable Learning and Science ,for Turpu f,epe ja71111 dAtur minori~m~ (as .Au[11• nim wrote in his time) for indeed the reafon is pregnant: 1 he Epiftle Dedicatory.
H11ua [a&ile ct~mgtmt, quotum virtutihtU ehjlat Res Ar,gujlil dorm.------
But yet tl•e great R(etor and Chancellor of all the Academies in the World 1efU4 chrijl, t'fJ whom ~orc-brd ali the trfafures fl[!nNjdom ilrJd ktmvltdgt, the Maller of that Colledge wherein he was but a Servant or Steward' that IVM learmd .in an the learning of the Egyptiars, (I me:m M of eJ) the firft writer,the firft Author, the firfi commender ofknow lcdgc, and the firfi ordainc:r of a lawful Common-wealth, and Ruler of Church and State, hath not left our age wid,out Come monuments of great Princes, Earls, Lords, Knights, for the ornament and honour of Learning, who for general and pmicular caules and bentfits have added their Names to the fociety ofWrirers, and divulged their works in Print, which arc likely tO be remembred till the Worlds end. Such are our moll: Temperate, Juft, Wife, and Learned King and Soveraign. The Right Noble, and Honourable Earl of Surry, long ago depamd out of this earthly Hon'{on. The now li virg Earls of Durfet, N urthampten, Stilubury \ and many Knights, Sir Phtlrp Sulney, Sir Gurge MotJrt, Sir Richard Bllrtlet, Sir Franca HAjlings, and others. But of .AArlns and Cuch as fir at the Helme of the Church , or are worthily advanced tor their know~ ledge in Learning and State, I mean both Bifhops and Doctors, almoft innume rable, of all whom I can fay no more, if I were worthy to fay any thing, then apply Bilb. Juel. unto them particularly that which was faid of one of the greatefi Scholars and Divines that c\rer l!.ngland had:
------Die obfm fan{] a JlojleriltU, nee enim mtbi f.u tfl dietrt: tantum De tantu tacttum, aut tantos Audire jrwabit.
Then why lhould I pre fume, being every way the leafi and meaneft of all other, uow the thitd time to publilh any part of my conceived ftudies for the age prefcnt and fuccecdtng, and Co to have my Name inrollcd amongft the benefacto1 sand Authors ot Learning~
Non omnia grandior AftU :2.!!_.e fugiamtM hahtt ~ Jtris vet~it tlfus •b •n11v • .A las Sir, I h.:.vc r.c:ver abounded in any thing, cxcept want and labour, and I thank God that one of thefc ha-th been prepared to feed the other, rl1erefore I will not fiand upon any mans objections, who like Horfcs as it is in the Fable being led empty, well fed, and without burden, do fcorn the laden Affe,addin5 mifet y to his lold,ull his back wJs broke and then was all laid upon the p3mpred difdainful Hor fe: even fo rhefe proud diCpleafing fpirits arc eafed by the labors ot us that bear the burthens: and if they content not tpem· felves with cafe, bur will alfo fit in the feat of the fcornlul, let tf.c:m temember, that \"hen our backs be broak, they muft t1ke up the carriJgc:. But pardon me (I bdcech you) if by way of Preface I open my heart unto your Wodhip, who is better able then ten thouf•nd of rhe Momuls, and more charitably generous in receiving fuch gifts with the riohr hand (as thefe are) although they were given with the left; for feeing I have chafe~ you the Patron ofthts Work, 1 will briefly declare and open my mind unto you concerning the whole Volum, fp.1ring any other praifcs of your demerits then thoCe which by Mmial are afcribed to Rrgu/U4, which I will without flattery or fear of the envious thus apply UntO }'OU:
Cnm fit Sgphi.e par f11ma & cu,. dtorum, [SSS .Trinitatu] /f!gmlo puttU nee minor ipfa tu11. Ignorat mmtu dare ,,utura, qt~i trb; ltbrum Et q1u maratur [Neiilt] Thura dt~ri.
So then leaving thcle perorations, 1 will cndcvor to prove unto you that this Work which I now publilh and divulge unto tile world, under the PatronJge of your Name, is Divine, and necdfary for all men ro know; TruC', and therefore without flander or fufpicious f:...:dal T be Eprftle Dedicatory. fcandall to be: received ; and that no man ought rather to publi{h this unto theW orld} then a f?~vmc or PreKher. For the firfl, that the knowled~e of Bcnlls, I.ke as d1e know· ledge ot the other creatures and works of God, is Divine, I fee no caufe why any man 1hould doubt thet cof, feeing that :u the firll: they were created and brought to man as we may read Gen. 1. 14,15. and all by the I.ord himfelf, fo tim their Life and Creation is D.vine in refptd: of rhw Maker; rl1eir naming Divine, in rcfpetl: that Adii'I!JOut of the plenty of his own divine wtfdom,gavethem their feveral:1ppelbtions, as it were our of a tountain ofProphefie, fordhewing the nature of every kind in one elegam and fionificanc denomination, which to the great lolfe of all his children was taken awJy, loft :nd con founded at Ba6el. When I affirm that the knowledge ofBe:l(ls is Divine, I do mean r.() ot~e~ ~hen the right :tnd perfeCt delcription of their Names, Figures, and .Natures, and thts IS 1n the Creator himfdf moft Divine, and therefore fuch as ts the Fountain, f uch are the fireams ilruing from the fame into the minds of men. Now it is mofi clear m Grnrfls bow the: Holy GhoA: remembreth the creation of all living creatures, and the Fourfooted ~ext be_forethe creJtion of Man, as though they alone were appointed the Uihers, going nnmedtately before the race: of Men. And therefore all the Divines obtervc both in the Hebmv, in the Grttk and LAtin, that they were created of three fc:veral forts or kinds. The firft 1umentam, as Oxen, Horfe, Alfes and fuch ltke, ~iA hominum jtw•mer.ta, The [econd,R~ptite, qreia hominum medicin4. the third, Bejlta,i. a-oaflando,for that they were wilde and depoptilators ofother their alfociates,rifing alfo againft Man,after thar by his fall he had loft his firft image and integrity. Now wert it not a knowledge D.vine, why lhould the holy Scriptures relate it, and divide the kinds r: Yea, why lhould.all holy MentakeexJmplcsfromthe naturesofBeaft, Birds, &c. :1nd apply \hem to heavenly things,except by the ordinance of God they were bCJth allowed and commanded fo to do~ and therefore in admiration of them the Prophet David cryeth our, f!.uam magmfha funt opera tua D1mint! omnia in [4pientia {tcifli. The old Man;chw among other b!alphemirs accufed the creation of hurtful, venomous, ravening, at'ld deftroying 8cafis, affirming them to be made by an evil God,:tnd alfo they accuted the creation of Mice and other un profitable creatures, becaule their dnlnefs was no kinder to the Lord, but like cruel and covetous Milers, made no account of thofe Btafls, which brought not profit to theit purfe. You know (Right Learned Dean) how that grave Father anfwercd that calumny, firfi affirming that the tame thing which leemed idle to Men, was profitable to God; and the fame thar appeared ugly to them, was bc~uriful to him, fl.!ii o.,nibus utJtuoagt~btr mztionem univrrfi. He therefore wifely compareth a fool that knows not the u[e of the creatures in this world,to one ignorant that cometh into the workhoulc of a cunning Man, viewing a number of ftr:mgc tools, and having no cunning but in an Axe or a Rake, thinketh,that all thofe rare inventions ot a wife workman are idle toies:and whil!l thm he thinketh,wandring to and fro, not looking to his feet, fuddenly falleth into fome furnace in the fame Work- houfe, or chance to rake up fome lharp tool whereby he is wounded , then he alfo thinketh that the fame are hurtful and dmgerous. fl!.Jorum tamen ufum qi$;/S novit artifex,in.fifitnttam ejm imdet,& ver6d inept a no;J c11rans ojficinam Jilam con(lanttr exercu. But we that are alhamed to deny the ufe of infiruments in the lhops of rare Arti fans, bur rather admire their invention, yet are not afraid to condemn in Gods ftor,houfe fundry of his creatures, which are rare invcntions,ahhough through folly we be wounded or harmed by them, and therefore he concluder h that all Beafis are either Htilia, :tnd a gainfi them we dare nor fpeak; or perr.icioja,whereby we are terrified that we {hould not love this perilous life; or elfc: they are fopcrflua,which to affirm were moft tidiculous: for as in a great houfe all things are not for ufe, but fomc for ornament) fo is it in this World, the tnfcriour Pabce of God. 7 hm far Auftm. Therefore I will conclude this firfl part, that not only the knowledge of the profitable creature is divine, and was firft of all taught by God, but alfo of the huttful : For .t ,.1je M11n, laith Sq[omon, (uth the Plague (by the revelation of God) .tnd hidtth him{elf (tom it. And fohn BJpti/1, f!Jil vss docuit 4b ira venturA fngm ~ Thefe things have I prin cipJily laboured in thts Treatife,to lhew unto Men what Beafis are their triends,and what their cnc:mic:s, which to trull:, and which avoid)in which to find nouriillmcnt,and which to thun as poifon. Another thing that perfwadcth me in the necdf:1ry ufe of this H flory,that ir was dtvine,was the prefervation of all creatures living, which are ingendred by copula tion (except Filhes) in the Ark of No11h, unto whom it pie lied the Crc:aror at that rime to infufe an inflinaJanJ bring them home to man as to a fold: furc:ly it was for that a m·m night '1 be t ptfile Dedicatory. mi~ht gain out of them much D:~·ne knowledge, fuch as IS imprmred------in them by nature, :1sa tyre or fpark of that great \\tldom whereby they were Cleated. In Mice and Serpents a foreknowledge of things to come, in the Ant and P.fmire a providence agJinft old age: in the Bear the love of young; in the Lion his fiately pace; in the Cock and Sheep,changc: ot we~thcr; asS. Bajil in his Hexameron, Etiam in Brut is quidem {Ill uri (en{~H rft,ut tm prttftnti vtt.e non addiiii jimta, fed de futuro {.ecu/1 ~mne Jludium h.:hemtU. For this caufe there wtre ofbeaCl:s in holy Scripture three holy u[es, one for S::crificc:, another in Vifion, and a third for Reproof and Inftruaion. In Sacrifices were the clean bcalls, wh:ch Men were bound firft to know, and then to offer; for it is unreafonable that thofe things iliould be facred at the Lords altar, which are ref ufed worthily at private mens Tables. Now although we: have: no ufc: of Sacrificing cf BeJfts,N.rm ficutbruta pro peccatis immo/abantur, ita jam vitill pro cDrporibtU; yet we have ufc: of clean Beafts for food and nouriiliment, and therefore for the inriching of the minds :md tables of men, it is necdfary to know not only the liberty that we have to eat, but alfo the quality :tnd nutriment of the Beaft we cat, cot for any Religion, but for health and corporal ncceffity. This point is alfo opened in this ftory, and the other of Sacrifice:, wherein I have not omitted to fpeak of the Divine ufe of every Be aft, both among the ftrrs and among the: prop bane Gentiles. Now for the fccond holy ufe of BcaCl:s in Vifions, the Prophet Daniels Vilions, and E'{!kids, and S.:Johns in the Rev timon do teftifie of them, whereby the molt Divines have obferved how great Princes and Kingdoms after they have iliaken off the: praCl:ife of Juftice and Piety, turn Tyrants and ravening Beafts. For fo Man being in honour under• ltandetl' not, but becometh like the Beafis that pc:rifi1, and fo as DiMyjita faith by Vi li ons of Beafts, Infima rtdacuntur pur media in Juprema. Now there were,as S.Ar~gujlilse f.1ith, three kinds of vifions, Smjibiles, intcUei/ullles, & imagirlllTi~ : the firft were moft pregnant, bccacfe to the underftanding and conceiving, a Man never loll his fenfes, and therefore God did fuddenly create favage Bcafts both of natural and extraordin.uy ilia pes, whereby he lhewed to his fcrvants the Prophets, the ruinc: or uprifing of beaftly States and Kingdoms. And not only rhus, but alfoin heaven (as St.f9lm faith) there arc 4 Bcafts ful of eyes before rhe throne of God; both which muft needs magnifie the know· lt dge of thefe ~11drupeJes; for feeing God hath ufed them as Sacraments or Myfteries to contain his will, (not only in monltrous treble-hc:Jded, or feven horned iliapcs, but alfo) in pure, ordinary, naturall1mbs and members show £hall we be able to ghdfe at the meaning in the fecm, that do not underCl:and the re\'ealc:d-: And what ufe can we make of the: invifiblc: part of that S:~cramcnt, where we know not the meaning of the vifible! Doth the Lord compare the: Devil to a Lion; evill Judges to Bem ; falfe Prophets to Wolves; fecret and crafty perfecutots to Foxes; open enemies in hoftility to wilde Boars; Heretickes and fa He Preachers to Scorpions; good men to the Fowles of heaven, and Martyrs to Sheep, and yet we: have no knowledge of the natures of Lions, Wolves, .Bears, Foxes, wilde Boars, or Scorpions? Surely when Solomon faith to the fluggard,Go to the Pifmire, he willeth him to learn the nature of the Pifmirc:, and then according thereto reform his manners : And fo all the World are bid to le:uR the nau1,res of all Beafts, for there is alway fomerhing to be learned in them, according to this f1ying of St. Bajil, A deo wiiJI!non proviJum in natur.e rebm tjl, mque qui&qtwn ptrtimntis ad fo cur-e expers, & ji ip{.u 1111imalium partes &on.ft~er4vtris, i!'ve»~ts qrwi ;He que Juperjltltl711 quid conditor oppoju1t, mque mceffAr:ll detraxzt. Then lt being clear that every Be aft is a natural Vifion, wh1ch we ought to fee and underftand, for the: more clear apprehen· fion of the invifib!e Majc:fty of God, I will conclude that I have nor omitted this parr of the ufe of Beafts, bur have collected, exprdfed, and declared, whatthe Writers of all ages have herein obfc:rved. Now the: third and !aft holy ure that is made of Beafis in Scripture, is for Reproof and Inftruction s fo the Lord in fob 38, &. 39· mentioneth the Lion, the Raven, the wilde Goats, the Hinds, the Hind-Calves,the wilde Alfcs, the Unicorn, the OCl:rich, the S•ork, the puiffant Horfc, the Hawke, tbe Eagle, the Vulture, the Whale, ~nd the Dragon, that is, the Fowles, F.lhes, Serpents, :md Four·footed Beafis: All whtch he reckoneth as koown things to foh, and difcourfech of as Cl:rangc: things in their natures as any we h:~ve
wlened for truth in our H1ftory 1 as moy appear to any man whatto(vcr, that will look fludioufly into them. Shall The Epiftle Dedicatory. Shall I add hereunto how Mojts,a~d all the P~op~ets, St. :jt~lm Bupt'.Jf, our mofi blef fc:d Saviollr, St. Paul, and all the Wnrc:rs fince his umc (both ancient and hter) have: made: profdlion of this part of Di;:inity ; fo that he was an unskilful Divine and not apt to teach, which could not at h1s fingers fpeak ofrhc:fe things: for (faith our Saviour) If I tell you earthl1 things .md ye heluve not, how jh.t/1 ye helieve when I tell y011 heavenly things ~ S11lomon, as it is wirndfc:d in holy Scripture, wrote of Plants, of Birds, ofFi01eS and :Beafis,and even then when he fiood in good favour with God, therefore it is an exc~cife of the: highdl: Wifdom to travel in, and the Nohldl: minds to fiudy in: for in it as I will 1bcw you (with your good patic:nce,for I have no other Preface) there is both the know ledge of God and Man. If any man objeCt, Multa multi tie mu[ca,de npicula,de 'Vermicu/o, pauca de Deo : I will anfwer with the words ofTheod~rm Ga{ a, l'ermulta tRtm tie Deo 11 traCiat, qui d9C1rina rerum ctmditarum exquijiti.fima, &onditorem ipfum dtclarat, ntq11e mufca, mque vermiculru omittendH4 tft nhi dt mira folertia agitur. Whereur-no St. Aujtin agrecth when he faith, Majeitattm dwinam ~que in fmni&.t mem6ru Atq•e magnojamewto tranante jluvi11m. And for the knowledge of man, many and moll: excellent rules for pub~ick :~nd private affaires, both for prcferving a good confcience, and avoiding an evill danger, are gathered from Bea!l:s: It were too long to run over all, let me (I bcfccch you) be bold to reckon a few which defcend from Nature onr common parent, and there fore are neither firaincd, counterfeit, inconfiant, o1· deceitful; but free, full of power to perfwade, true, having the feal of the Highelt for their evidence; confiant and never al trc:d in any age; faithful, fuch as have been tryed at fire and rouch-fione. Were: not this a good perfwafion againfi murder, to fee all Beafis foto maintain their natures, that they k1ll not their own kind ? Who is fo unnatural and unthankful to his Pa rents, but by reading how the young Storkes and Wosd- pee furs do in their parents old age feed and nourilh them, will not rcpenr, amend his folly, and be more natural-: What man is fo void of compaffion, that hearing the bounty of the B II'Jt-breaker Bird to the young E4glu, will not become more liberal? Where is there fuch a fluggard and drone,that con fidereth the labours, pains, and travels of the Emmet, little "Bee, Field·moufe, Squirrel, and fuch other that will not learn for lharne to be more indufirious, and fet his fingers to work? Why lhould any man living fall to do evill againft his Confcience,or at the tem· ptation of the: Devill,fceing a Lion will never yecld? Mori foit;vinci lftfoit; and feeing the little Wren doth fight with an Eagle, contcndfng for Soveraingty ~ Would it not make all men to reverence a good King fc:t over them by God, feeing the Bees feekout their King if he: lofc: himfc:lf, and by a moll: fagacious frnelling fenfe, never ceafe till he be found our, and then bear him upon their bodies if he: be not able to flie,bllt if he die: they all forfake him: And what King is not invited to clemency, and dehorted from tyranny, feting the King of Bees hath a fting, bur never ufeth the fame~ How great is the love & faithfulnefs of Dogs,the meeknefsofElephants,the modefiy or l11arncfafinefs ofthe adulterous Lionefs, the nearnefs and politure of the Cat and Peacock the jufhce oft he Bee, which gathereth from all flowers that which ferveth their tum, and yet dcfiroyeth not the flower; the care of the Nightingale to make her voice pleafant,rhe cha!l:ity of a Turtle, the canonical voice and watchfulnefs of a Cock, and to conclude,the utility of a Sheep~ All thefc: and ten thonfand more I could recite , to iliew what the knowledge ofrhe nature of brutilhcrc:aturcs doth work or teach the minds of men; but I will conclude this part with the words of S. :Jerom again{\ :Jovinhm. .Ad Herod em di &itt~r propter malitiam, lte & Jicite vslpi huic, Luk. 13. ad Scrib.u & Pharifttos g~nimina 'Viperarum, Mat. 13. 11d lzhidinofos e9ui hinmtnW in proximorsm J1ZmintH,Jer.5 .tie v,.. luptuofo, Nolite mitt ere margarittH vejlr.u ante po"or. De impudenttbH4, mque Ja111i1um dm cttTJibm, Mat. 7• de in~deli6w,Epheji cum bejiiil pugnttvi in Jimilrtudine hl'fllintmt. And thus far S. :Jmm. Whereby we may boldly aver by way of induCtion, that where in the knowledge of God, the knowledge of Man, the precepts of Virtue, the means to avoid evil! arc: to be: learned, that Science is Divine and ought of all men to be inquired and fought after: and fuch have I manifdled in this Hiftory following. Now again the neceffity of this Hifiory is to be preferred before the Chronic Irs and Records of all ages made by Men, becaulc the: events and accidents of the time pall, are peradventure: fuch things aslhall never again come in ufe; but this fheweth that Ch:-o niclc which was made by God himfelf, every living Beall: being a word, every Kind being lhe Eprftle Dedicatory. bc:ing :t fentence, and all of them together a large Hittory, containing admirable knowledge and learning, which was, wh1ch is, wbich fiull continue, (if not tor ever) yet to the Worlds end.
Et pt~tris, & n1[ir Ill, nonumqru prematur in 1111:111m, Mtmbranu intus po{ttu de/ere lictbit .f2!!_od non ediderii------
The fccond thing in this difcourfc: which I have promifed to affirm, is the truth of the HiCl:ory of Creatures,for rhc: rna; k of a good Writer is to fol!ow truth and not deceivable Fables. And in this kind I have paffedthe firaightefi pallage,b~cauie the relation of moft things in this Book :ne taken our of Heathen wr~tcrs,fuch as ptradventure arc: many time$ fuperfiitioufly credulous, and have added of thc:1r own very many ra!h invcmions, with out reafon, authority, or probability, as if they had been hired to fell fuch Fables: For, Nen hen• eond11lii vmdunt ptrjurit~ ttjlts. I would not have the Reader ofthefe Hifiories to imagine that I have infcrted or related all that ever is faid of thefe Bea(ls, btlt only fo much as is faid by many, For in the mosth oftwo ,,.three witnrffes jlandeth ever1 word: aud if at any time I have fct down a fingle Tefiimony ,it was Lecaufc: the matter was c~ear and ncedc:th not farther probation, or elfc: I have: laid it upon the Author with fpeclal words, not giving the Reader any warrant from me to beLeve it. Be fides, 1 have: taken regard to imirate the heft Wri:ers, which was e:lfie for me to do, becaufe Gefner rehtc:th every mms opinion (hkc: a common p:acc: or Dj{/zonar1, as he pro fdleth ;) and if at any time he fec:med obfcure, I turned to the Books which I had at hand to gh:ffc their meaning, putting in that which he had left 011; of many good Authors and leaving out many magical dc:vtl'cs. Now although I h1vc: u!ed no (mali diligence or cue in colleCt!ng thofethings which were mofi cffential to every Bc:lir, mofi true without ex ec:ption,and mofi evident by the Tdl:imony of many good Autho:s; ~c:r I h.tvc ddive ed in this Treatife many firange and rare things, not as FiCtions, bur Miracles of nlturc, for tvifemen to be: hold and obfervc: to their fingular comfort, if they love: the power, glory, and prai(c of their maker, not withholding their confent to 1he things c:xprdfcd, becaufe they intrcat ofliving things made by God himfclf. Si ergo quttrimus qui! fmm,Deus ejl: Si per qu1d, drxit, Fiat, & {11811 funt: Si quare ft.ct, quia bonus tjl. Nee tiJ.m liNter eft cx t:.tUentror Dto, me Ars tjjteaeior Dei verb11, nee ean{a melror, quam ut bonrzm creatttltr a Dt# lmttJ; and this Plato faid was the only caufe ol the worlds creation, nt a De a luno opera 6ena fiertnl. Now I do in a fort chJ!Ic:nge a conf:ntunto the probability of thcfc things to wi:·e anJ le3rned men, although no bdief. For Frdes, iscredm i!Jvi(IMrA; but eonjmfru is a del ving or ycclding to a relation untill the manifdlation of anuthcr trurh; and when any man !hall jllfily reprove any thing I have written for fallc and erroneous, I will not fiick to rdeafe the Readers confcnt, but m:1ke fatisfaa on for ufurpation. But for the rude and vulgar fort(who being utterly ignorant of the: operat:on of Learning, do prefently con demn all firange things web arc: not ingraven in the palms of their own hands,or evident in their own herds and flocks) I care nor,for my ears have heard fome or them fpd> againfi the Hifiory of S11mp[1n, where he tied fire-brands to the tails ofFox~s, and many ot them :1gainfi the miracles of Chrifi. I may remc:mbc:r you (R. w.) of a Countny talc ot an old Maffe-Priellin the daic:s of Henr7 the eight, who reading in Englijb afrer the tranflation ofthe :Bible, the miracles of the five Loaves and two F11hes, and wLcn he came to the verfe that reckoneth the number of the: ghc:fis or eaters of the banquet, he p:m 1d a little and ac lafi faid, they were about five hundred: The cl"k, that was a lit1lc wiftr, wh1fp~~ red into the Pricfis ears tbat it was five thoufoml, but the Priefi turned back and rcplyed with indignation, HtJid your peAet .fimh, we Jb•li mver make 1hcm b:l:evt they were five hundred. Such Priells, fuch People, fuch pc:rfons I {hall draw upon my back, ani although I do not challenge a power of not erring, yet becaufe I fp,ak of the power ot God, that is unli mirab!e, I will be bold to aver that for trurh in th~ Book of Crc::mms (althotJgh firft ubfc:rved by Heathen men) which i~ not contrary to the hook ofScripwrcs. l:!fily, that it is the: proper office of a Preacher or Divine to fct for,h thcfc: works of God, I think no wifc:man will mak' quefiion, for (o did M~f~, and D.1vid, and s~lomou, ar.d The Epzftlc Dedicatory. and chrijl, and S.P.wl,and S.:john, and S.lre#e1, S.GrtJirJ, S.Btifil, S.Aujfin, S.Jmm, S. BerNardin his cnarrations or Sermons upon rhe Canticles, and oflarrer d:1ies I(idorm; The Monks of Mtffrun, Gtminiamu, and to conclude, that orn:1menr of our time :jtroni mm Zan&him, For how lhall we be able tofpeak the whole Counfel of God unto his people, if we read unto them but one of his books, when he hath another in the world, which we never lludy pall the title or oudide; although the great God have made them an Epifile Dedicatory to the whole race ofMankind~ Th;s is my indevour and pains in this Book,tha: I might profit and delight the Reader, wherein to he may look on the Holiell daies, (not omitting prayer and the pb!blick fervice of God) and p1ife away the Sabbaths in heavenly meditations upon earthly creatures. I have followed D. Grfim as necr as I could, I doprofefs him my Author in moll of my Stories, yet I have gathered up that which he let fall,and added many PiCtures and Stories as may appear by Conference of both together. In the names of the Bealls, and the Phy :fick I have not fwarved from him at all. He was a Protefiant Phyfician, (a rare thing to find~? any Religion in a Phyfitian) although St. Lr1ke :t Phyfician were a writer of the Gofpell. His praifes there tore l11all remain, and all living Creatures !hall witndfe for him at the bft day. This my labor whatfoever it be, I confecrate to the benefit of all our .Englijb Nation under your Name and Patronage, a publick Profdfor, a learned and re verend Divine, a famous Preacher, obfcrved in Court and Cour.trey; if you will vouch fafe to allow ot my Labors, I ftand not upon mhers, and if it have your commendation, it 1hall incourage me to proceed to the rdidue, wherein I fear no impediment but ability to carry out the charge, my cafe fo ftanding that I have not any accdfe of maintenance) but by voluntary benevolence for perfonal pains, receiving no more but a laborious wages, and but for you, that had alfo been taken from me: Therefore I conclude with the words of St. Gregory to Ltontitu, .Et nos bon• qu.c de vuhis multrplrciter pr.cd;cantur llddrJ&entes, afidue pro glori.c vejlr£ inulumitate omnipotenttm vAleamus Dominutn deprecari.
Your Chaplain in the Church of
St. BOtQ!ph Aldtrfgate,
Edward T opfel.
An An Alphabetical Table of all the Creatures defcribed in this Firft V olum.
A. F. N.
ANta!upt, pag.I pErrtt, 170 NAida, 440 /lft, 2 F tlcb ~r 1 1U!cat, 172 M~n~ey, 'i Fox, 173 0. More k!_nds •f Apn, ibid. Crucig£ran Ffl,l(, 174 Affes Gf divm kinJr, 16,Stc. ovnce, 440 Alborac~ and Axil, 26 Orpr., 442 G. Otter, B. 414 GEnnetcat. 179 1'. B ,tJJ'.er, 26 Gws and tbtlr k.j nJs, 1lh Bear, 28 G~Jon, 205 pAm bar» Leopard, cr Lihbard, B~wver, 34 Gorgon, 206 447 Bifon, 39 Potphagur, 45~ Bona [us, 42 H. Porc~pmr, .;56 JOI:rff, 4+ Bugle, 4S HAre, 207. R. BuU, 47 Htd!!,f•hog, ~JJ. Bufd~ph,, 51 Hor fes and their kjndt, d1 fe4e s and R Fyner or Ranger, 45S Ox, 52 rcmtdics, 210, &c. Rhinoceros, 460 Cull', 55 Rid:ng, ~0.250 Cit if, 69 Ho•fms and chivalry, 246 s. Furniture f~r bcrfos, 251 c. Hippel~tpbu1, 255 s Erpml!, 59• ,&:c. Sea h9r{e, 256 Sbup and tbeir lrJnds, diftll[tr, CAc111, 71 Horfe.flrfhandMam milk,_, ~)9 andcSKes, 464,&:C. Camel, 72 Morals and df'l)ices 'DTJ~trning horfts Sq11irrel, $03 Camel Drcmttfttry, 76 260 Su, 511 Camrlopar dttl, 78 H;.ena ttnd its k,!nds, 339 Subur, ibid. .AUocamei111, 79 Srrme and their "Jnds, difo<~for 11nd C.:mp, So c11rer, 5 12,&:c. C.:t, ibid. I. Wilde Cat, 81 T. Cul111, ss IBex, 347 Cony, 86 lcl;neumon, 349 TAt~s, 546 Imlian Pig, 88 'Iigtr, 547 L. D. u. LAmia, 3)2 DEerf<~Uow, 89 Lim, 3'i5 uNicorn, S5• Roe hue~<,, 90 Lyme, 380 Vrt';c 'SS9 "'ragelaphrM, 93 Hart and Hind, 95 w. D1l1yes, 1o8 M. Do~r, ibid. Wildt Oxen, s6• 'Ibeir k,!nds, ibid. J\;J Ardcr, Marui, or Marlin, Wtlt,'e!, 561 386 Wolf, s68 E. Mole, 388 St<~ Wolf, 580 Mice and R~tts, and their ~nds, E A/ o{Ethiofi.t, J.t9 392,8cc. z. ,tJephant. ibid. MwJk;c•t, 427 z Ehd or Sahel, 584 "f. I~' 165 Mulrs, '131 Zihet or Sivet-c.:t, 585 THE I
THE HISTORY 0 F Four-Footed Beafl:s.
The ANTALOPE.
_ "~ H E A11talope called in Latin Cttloplll, and of the Grecian!> ArJalopos, or -- ~ Aplolos : of tlus beaft there is no mention made among the Ancient Writers, except Surd .I!, and the Epifile of Alexander to Arif/otlt, incer- preted by Comeb111 Nfpotlllf_ They are bred in India and S)ritt, nter the Counmy of -~~~~~.-; Q!P" Rtver Euphrarn, and delight much to drink ofthe cold water thereof: Th ir bre