5.7. Of our English dogs and their qualities. Chap. 7.

Of our English dogs and their qualities. Chap. 7.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _THere is no countrie that maie (as I take it) compare with ours, in number, excellencie, and diuersitie of dogs. And therefore if Polycrates of Sa|mia were now aliue, he would not send to Epyro for such merchandize: but to his fur|ther cost prouide them out of Britaine, as an orna|ment to his countrie, and péece of husbandrie for his common wealth, which he furnished of set purpose with Molossian and Lacaonian dogs, as he did the same also with shéepe out of Attica and Miletum, gotes from Scyro and Naxus, swine out of Sicilia, and artificers out of other places. Howbeit the lear|ned doctor Caius in his Latine treatise vnto Gesner De canibus Anglicis, bringeth them all into thrée sorts: that is, the gentle kind seruing for game: the home|lie kind apt for sundrie vses: and the currish kind méet for many toies. For my part I can say no more of them than he hath doone alredie. Wherefore I will here set downe onelie a summe of that which he hath written of their names and natures, with the addi|tion of an example or two now latelie had in experi|ence, whereby the courages of our mastiffes shall yet more largelie appeare. As for those of other countries I haue not to deale with them: neither care I to re|port out of Plinie, that dogs were sometime killed in sacrifice, and sometime their whelps eaten as a de|licate dish, Lib. 29. cap. 4. Wherefore if anie man be disposed to read of them, let him resort to Plinie lib. 8. cap. 40. who (among other woonders) telleth of an armie of two hundred dogs, which fetched a king of the Garamantes out of captiuitie, mawgre the resi|stance of his aduersaries: also to Cardan, lib. 10. De animalibus, Aristotle, &c: who write maruels of them, but none further from credit than Cardan, EEBO page image 230 who is not afraid to compare some of them for great|nesse with oxen, and some also for smalnesse vnto the little field mouse. Neither doo I find anie far writer of great antiquitie, that maketh mention of our dogs, Starbo excepted, who saith that the Galles did somtime buy vp all our mastiffes, to serue in the fore|wards of their battles, wherein they resembled the Colophonians, Castabalenses of Calicute and Phe|nicia, of whom Plinie also speaketh, but they had them not from vs.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The first sort therefore he diuideth either into such as rowse the beast, and continue the chase, or sprin|geth the bird, and bewraieth hir flight by pursute. And as these are commonlie called spaniels, so the other are named hounds, whereof he maketh eight sorts, of which the formost excelleth in perfect smelling, the se|cond in quicke espieng, the third in swiftnesse and quickenesse, the fourth in smelling and nimblenesse, &c: and the last in subtiltie and deceitfulnesse. These (saith Strabo) are most apt for game, and called Sa|gaces by a generall name, not onelie bicause of their skill in hunting, but also for that they know their owne and the names of their fellowes most exactlie. For if the hunter see anie one to follow skilfullie, and with likelihood of good successe, he biddeth the rest to harke and follow such a dog, and they estsoones obeie to soone as they heare his name. The first kind of these are also commonlie called hariers, whose game is the fox, the hare, the woolfe (if we had anie) hart, bucke, badger, otter, polcat, lopstart, wesell, conie, &c: the se|cond hight a terrer, and it hunteth the badger and graie onelie: the third a bloudhound, whose office is to follow the fierce, and now and then to pursue a théefe or beast by his drie foot: the fourth hight a gase|hound, who hunteth by the eie: the fift a greihound, cherished for his strength, swiftnes, and stature, com|mended by Bratius in his De venatione, and not vnre|membred by Hercules Stroza in a like treatise, but aboue all other those of Britaine, where he saith:

—& magna spectandi mole Britanni,

also by Nemesianus, libro Cynegeticôn, where he saith:

Diuisa Britannia mittit

Veloces nostrí orbis venatibus aptos,

of which sort also some be smooth, of sundrie colours, and some shake haired: the sixt a liemer, that excelleth in smelling and swift running: the seuenth a tum|bler: and the eight a théefe, whose offices (I meane of the latter two) incline onelie to deceit, wherein they are oft to skilfull, that few men would thinke so mis|chiefous a wit to remaine in such sillie creaturs. Ha|uing made this enumeration of dogs, which are apt for the chase and hunting, he commeth next to such as serue the falcons in their times, whereof he maketh also two sorts. One that findeth his game on the land, an other that putteth vp such foule as keepeth in the water: and of these this is commonlie most vsu|all for the net or traine, the other for the hawke, as he dooth shew at large. Of the first he saith, that they haue no peculiar names assigned to them seueral|lie, but each of them is called after the bird which by naturall appointment he is allotted to hunt or serue, for which consideration some be named dogs for the feasant, some for the falcon, and some for the partrich. Howbeit, the common name for all is spaniell (saith he) and therevpon alludeth, as if these kinds of dogs had bin brought hither out of Spaine. In like sort we haue of water spaniels in their kind. The third sort of dogs of the gentle kind, is the spaniell gentle, or com|forter, or (as the common terme is) the fistinghound, and those are called Melitei, of the Iland Malta, from whence they were brought hither. These are little and prettie, proper and fine, and sought out far and néere to satisfie the nice delicacie of daintie dames, and wanton womens willes; instruments of follie to plaie and dallie withall, in trifling away the treasure of time, to withdraw their minds from more com|mendable exercises, and to content their corrupt con|cupiscences with vaine disport, a sillie poore shift to shun their irkesome idlenes. These Sybariticall pup|pies, the smaller they be (and thereto if they haue an hole in the foreparts of their heads) the better they are accepted, the more pleasure also they prouoke, as méet plaiefellowes for minsing mistresses to beare in their bosoms, to keepe companie withall in their chambers, to succour with sléepe in bed, and nourish with meat at boord, to lie in their laps, and licke their lips as they lie (like yoong Dianaes) in their wagons and coches. And good reason it should be so, for course|nesse with finenesse hath no fellowship, but featnesse with neatnesse hath neighbourhead inough. That plausible prouerbe therefore verefied sometime vpon a tyrant, namelie that he loued his sow better than his sonne, may well be applied to some of this kind of people, who delight more in their dogs, that are de|priued of all possibilitie of reason, than they doo in children that are capable of wisedome & iudgement. Yea, they oft féed them of the best, where the poore mans child at their doores can hardlie come by the woorst. But the former abuse peraduenture reigneth where there hath bene long want of issue, else where barrennesse is the best blossome of beautie: or final|lie, where poore mens children for want of their owne issue are not readie to be had. It is thought of some that it is verie wholesome for a weake stomach to beare such a dog in the bosome, as it is for him that hath the palsie to féele the dailie smell and fauour of a for. But how truelie this is affirmed let the learned iudge: onelie it shall suffice for Doctor Caius to haue said thus much of spaniels and dogs of the gentle kind.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Dogs of the homelie kind,Homelie kind of dogs. are either shepheards curs, or mastiffes. The first are so common, that it néedeth me not to speake of them. Their vse also is so well knowne in keeping the heard togither (either when they grase or go before the sheepheard) that it should be but in vaine to spend anie time about them. Wherefore I will leaue this curre vnto his owne kind,Tie dogs. and go in hand with the mastiffe, tie dog, or banddog, so called bicause manie of them are tied vp in chaines and strong bonds, in the daie time, for dooing hurt abroad, which is an huge dog, stubborne, ouglie, eager, burthenous of bodie (& therefore but of little swiftnesse) terrible and fearfull to behold, and oftentimes more fierce and fell than anie Archadian or Corsican cur. Our Englishmen to the intent that these dogs may be more cruell and fierce, assist na|ture with some art, vse and custome. For although this kind of dog be capable of courage, violent, vali|ant, stout and bold: yet will they increase these their stomachs by teaching them to bait the beare, the bull, the lion, and other such like cruell and bloudie beasts, (either brought ouer or kept vp at home, for the same purpose) without anie collar to defend their throats, and oftentimes thereto they traine them vp in figh|ting and wrestling with a man (hauing for the safe|gard of his life either a pike staffe, club, sword, priuie coate) wherby they become the more fierce and cruell vnto strangers. The Caspians made so much ac|count sometime of such great dogs, that euerie a|ble man would nourish sundrie of them in his house of set purpose, to the end they should deuoure their carcases after their deaths, thinking the dogs bellies to be the most honourable sepulchers. The common people also followed the same rate, and therfore there were tie dogs kept vp by publike ordinance, to de|uoure them after their deaths: by means whereof these beasts became the more eger, and with great EEBO page image 231 difficultie after a while restreined from falling vpon the liuing. But whither am I digressed? In return|ing therefore to our owne, I saie that of mastiffes, some barke onelie with fierce and open mouth but will not bite,Some [...] some doo both barke and bite, but the cruellest doo either not barke at all, or bite before they barke, and therefore are more to be feared than anie of the other.Some bite and barke not. They take also their name of the word mase and théefe (or master théefe if you will) bicause they often stound and put such persons to their shifts in townes and villages, and are the prin|cipall causes of their apprehension and taking. The force which is in them surmounteth all beleefe, and the fast hold which they take with their téeth excéedeth all credit: for thrée of them against a beare, foure a|gainst a lion are sufficient to trie mastries with them. King Henrie the seauenth, as the report go|eth, commanded all such curres to be hanged, bicause they durst presume to fight against the lion, who is their king and souereigne. The like he did with an excellent falcon, as some saie, bicause he feared not hand to hand to match with an eagle, willing his falconers in his owne presence to pluck off his head after he was taken downe, saieng that it was not méet for anie subiect to offer such wrong vnto his lord and superiour, wherein he had a further mean|ing. But if king Henrie the seauenth had liued in our time, what would he haue doone to one English mastiffe, which alone and without anie helpe at all pulled downe first an huge beare, then a pard, and last of all a lion, each after other before the French king in one daie, when the lord Buckhurst was am|bassador vnto him, and whereof if I should write the circumstances, that is, how he tooke his aduantage being let lose vnto them, and finallie draue them into such excéeding feare, that they were all glad to run awaie when he was taken from them, I should take much paines, and yet reape but small credit: where|fore it shall suffice to haue said thus much thereof. Some of our mastiffes will rage onelie in the night some are to be tied vp both daie and night. Such also as are suffered to go lose about the house and yard, are so gentle in the daie time, that children may ride on their backs, & plaie with them at their pleasures. Diuerse of them likewise are of such gelousie ouer their maister and whosoeuer of his houshold, that if a stranger doo imbrace or touch anie of them, they will fall fiercelie vpon them, vnto their extreame mis|chéefe if their furie be not preuented. Such an one was the dog of Nichomedes king sometime of Bi|thinia, who séeing Consigne the quéene to imbrace and kisse hir husband as they walked togither in a garden, did teare hir all to peeces, mauger his resist|ance, and the present aid of such as attended on them. Some of them moreouer will suffer a stran|ger to come in and walke about the house or yard where him listeth, without giuing ouer to follow him: but if he put foorth his hand to touch anie thing, then will they flie vpon him and kill him if they may. I had one my selfe once, which would not suffer anie man to bring in his weapon further than my gate: neither those that were of my house to be touched in his presence. Or if I had beaten anie of my children, he would gentlie haue assaied to catch the rod in his teeth and take it out of my hand, or else pluck downe their clothes to saue them from the stripes: which in my opinion is not vnworthie to be noted. And thus much of our mastiffes, creatures of no lesse faith and loue towards their maisters than horsses; as may appeare euen by the confidence that Masinissa reposed in them, in so much that mistrusting his houshold seruants he made him a gard of dogs, which manie a time deliuered him from their treasons and conspiracies, euen by thier barking and biting, nor of lesse force than the Molossian race, brought from Epiro into some countries, which the poets feigne to haue originall from the brasen dog that Uulcan made, and gaue to Iupiter, who also deliuered the same to Europa, she to Procris, and Procris to Ce|phalus, as Iulius Pollux noteth, lib. 5. cap. 5: neither vnequall in carefulnesse to the mastiffe of Alex|ander Phereus, who by his onelie courage and at|tendance kept his maister long time from slaughter, till at the last he was remooued by policie, and the ty|rant killed sléeping: the storie goeth thus. The [...]e the wife of the said Phereus and hir three brethren con|spired the death of hir husband, who fearing the dog onelie, she found the means to allure him from his chamber doore by faire means, vnto another house hard by, whilest they should execute their purpose. Neuerthelesse, when they came to the bed where he laie sléeping, they waxed faint harted, till she did put them in choise, either that they should dispatch him at once, or else that she hir selfe would wake hir hus|band, and giue him warning of his enimies, or at the least wise bring in the dog vpon them, which they fea|red most of all: and therefore quicklie dispatched him.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The last sort of dogs consisteth of the currish kind méet for manie toies: of which the whappet or prick|eard curre is one. Some men call them warners, bi|cause they are good for nothing else but to barke and giue warning when anie bodie dooth stirre or lie in wait about the house in the night season. Certes it is vnpossible to describe these curs in anie order, bi|cause they haue no anie one kind proper vnto them|selues, but are a confused companie mixt of all the rest. The second sort of them are called turne spits, whose office is not vnknowne to anie. And as these are onelie reserued for this purpose, so in manie pla|ces our mastiffes (beside the vse which tinkers haue of them in carieng their heauie budgets) are made to draw water in great whéeles out of déepe wels, going much like vnto those which are framed for our turne spits, as is to be séene at Roiston, where this feat is often practised. Besides these also we haue sholts or curs dailie brought out of Iseland, and much made of among vs, bicause of their sawcinesse and quarrelling. Moreouer they bite verie sore, and loue candles excéedinglie, as doo the men and wo|men of their countrie: but I may saie no more of them, bicause they are not bred with vs. Yet this will I make report of by the waie, for pastimes sake, that when a great man of those parts came of late into one of our ships which went thither for fish, to see the forme and fashion of the same, his wife apparrel|led in fine fables, abiding on the decke whilest hir husband was vnder the hatches with the mariners, espied a pound or two of candles hanging at the mast, and being loth to stand there idle alone, she fell to and eat them vp euerie one, supposing hir selfe to haue béene at a iollie banket, and shewing verie ple|sant gesture when hir husband came vp againe vn|to hir.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The last kind of toiesh curs are named bansers, and those being of a mongrell sort also, are taught & exercised to danse in measure at the musicall sound of an instrument, as at the iust stroke of a drum, sweet accent of the citharne, and pleasant harmonie of the harpe, shewing manie trickes by the gesture of their bodies: as to stand bolt vpright, to lie flat vpon the ground, to turne round as a ring, holding their tailes in their teeth, to saw and beg for meat, to take a mans cap from his head, and sundrie such pro|perties, which they learne of their idle rogish masters whose instruments they are to gather gaine, as old apes clothed in motleie, and coloured short wasted iackets are for the like vagabunds, who séeke no bet|ter EEBO page image 232 liuing, than that which they may get by fond pa|stime and idlenesse. I might here intreat of other dogs, as of those which are bred betwéene a bitch and a woolfe, and called Lycisca: a thing verie often séene in France saith Franciscus Patricius in his common wealth, as procured of set purpose, and learned as I thinke of the Indians, who tie their fault bitches often in woods, that they might be loined by tigers: also betweene a bitch and a fox, or a beare and a ma|stiffe. But as we vtterlie want the first sort, except they be brought vnto vs: so it happeneth sometime, that the other two are ingendered and seene at home amongst vs. But all the rest heretofore remembred in this chapter, there is none more ouglie and odious in sight, cruell and fierce in déed, nor vntractable in hand, than that which is begotten betwéene the beare and the bandog. For whatsoeuer he catcheth hold of, he taketh it so fast, that a man may sooner teare and rend his bodie in sunder, than get open his mouth to separate his chaps. Certes he regardeth neither woolfe, beare, nor lion, and therfore may well be com|pared with those two dogs which were sent to Alex|ander out of India (& procreated as it is thought be|twéene a mastiffe and male tiger, as be those also of Hircania) or to them that are bred in Archadia, where copulation is oft seene betweene lions and bitches, as the like is in France (as I said) betwéene shée woolfes and dogs, whereof let this suffice; sith the fur|ther tractation of them dooth not concerne my pur|pose, more than the confutation of Cardans talke, De subt. lib. 10. who saith, that after manie generati|ons, dogs doo become woolfes, and contrariwise; which if it were true, than could not England be without manie woolfes: but nature hath set a difference be|twéene them, not onelie in outward forme, but also in inward disposition of their bones, wherefore it is vnpossible that his assertion can be sound.

3.13. Of Engliſhe Dogges. Cap. 13.

Of Engliſhe Dogges. Cap. 13.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 THere is no country that may (as I take it) compare with ours in number, excel|lencie, and diuerſitie of Dogges: all which the learned Doctour Caius in his Treatize vnto Geſnere de canibus Anglicis doth bring into thrée ſortes: that is, the gentle kinde ſer|uing for game: the homly kind apt for ſundry neceſſarie vſes: and the curriſh kinde, méete for many toyes. For my part I can ſaye no more of them then he hath done alreadie, wherfore I wil here ſet downe only a ſomme of that which he hath written of their names and natures, with the addicion of an example or twoo now lately had in experience, wher|by the courages of our Maſtiſſes ſhall yet more largely appeare.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The firſt ſort therefore he deuideth eyther into ſuch as rowſe the beaſt and continue the chaſe: or ſpringeth the Birde, and bewrayeth hir flyght by purſute. And as theſe are com|monly called Spanyels, ſo the other are na|med Hounds, wherof he maketh eight ſorts, of whych the foremoſte excelleth in perfite ſmelling, the ſeconde in quicke eſpying, the third in ſwiftneſſe and quickneſſe, the fourth in ſmelling and nimbleneſſe. &c. & the laſt in ſubtilty and deceitfulneſſe: The firſt kinde of theſe are alſo commonlye called Haryers, whoſe game is the Foxe, the Hare, Wolfe, (if we had any) Hart, Bucke, Badger, Ot|ter, Polcat, Lobſtart, Weſell, Conye. &c: the ſecond hight a Terrer, & it hũteth the Bad|ger ang Grey onely: the third a bloudhound, whoſe office is to follow the fierce, and nowe and then to purſue a théefe or beaſt by hys dry foote: the fourth a Gaſchounde, who hun|teth by the eye: the fifth a Greyhounde, che|riſhed for hys ſtrength and ſwiftneſſe: the ſixt a Lyei [...]er, that excelleth in ſmellyng and ſwift r [...]i [...]g: the ſeuenth a humbler, and the eight a théefe, whoſe offices (I meane of the l [...]r two) outline onely to deceite, wherein they are oft [...]o ſkilfull, that fewe men woulde thinke ſo miſcheuous a witte to remayne in ſuch two treatur [...]s. Hauing made thys enu|meration of Dogges which ſerue for y^e chaſe and Hunting he commeth next to ſuche as ſerue the Falcons in theyr times, whereof he maketh alſo two ſortes. One that findeth hys gaine on the lande an other that putteth vp ſuch Fowle as kéepeth the water. And of theſe thys [...] commonly moſte vſuall for the nette or traine, the other for the Hawke, as he doeth ſhewe at large. Of the firſt, he ſay|eth that they haue no peculiar names aſſig|ned vnto them ſeuerally, but eache of them is called after the birde whych by naturall appoyntmẽt he is allotted to hunt: for which conſideration ſome be named Dogges for the Feaſant, ſome for the Falcon, and ſome for the Partriche. Howe be it, the common name for all is Spanniell, as if theſe kindes of Dogges had bene brought hyther out of Spaine. In like ſort we haue of water Span|niels in theyr kinde. The third ſort of Dogs of the gentle kinde is the Spaniell gentle, or conforter: or as the common terme is the [...]ſtinghound, and called Melitri, of the Iland Malta, frõ whence they were brought hither. Theſe Dogges are little and prettie, proper and [...]ine, and ſought out far and néere to ſa|tiſfie the nice delicatie of daintie dames, and wanton womens willes. Inſtrumẽts of fol|ly to play and dally withal, in trifling away the treaſure of time to wythdrawe theyr mindes from more commendable exerciſes, and to content theyr corrupt concupiſcences wyth vaine diſp [...]rt, a ſilly poore ſhift to them theyr irkeſome ydleneſſe. Thoſe puppies the ſmaller they be (and thereto if they haue an hole in the forepartes of theyr heads) the but|ter they are accepted, the more pleaſure alſo they prouoke as méere plane [...]owes for min|ſing miſtreſſes to beare in theyr boſomes, to keepe company wyth all in theyr chambers, to ſuccour wyth ſléepe in bedde, and nouryſh wyth meate at bord [...], to lye in theyr lappes; and licke theyr lippes as they lie (like yonge Dianaes) in their wagons. And good reaſon it ſhould be ſo, for courſeneſſe wyth fineneſſe hath no fellowſhip, but featneſſe w^t neatneſſe hath neighborh [...]ad inough. That plauſible prouerbe therfore verifies ſometime vpon a tyrant, namely y^t he loued hys Some better then hys ſonne, may well [...]e applied to ſome of thys kinde of people, who delight more in theyr dogges, that are depriued of all poſſibi|litye EEBO page image 122 of reaſon, then they doe in children that are capable of wiſdom and iudgement. Yea, they ofte féede them of the beſt, where the poore mans child at theyr dores can hard|ly come by the worſt. But the former abuſe peraduenture raigneth where there hath ben long want of iſſue, els where harẽnes is the beſt bloſſom of beauty: or finally, where pore mens children for want of theyr owne iſſue are not redy to be had. It is thought of ſome that it is very holeſome for a weake ſtomake to beare ſuch a Dogge in ones boſome, as it is for hym that hath the palſie to féele the dai|ly ſmell of a Foxe. But how truly thys is af|firmed let the learned iudge: onely it ſhall ſuffi [...]e for D. Caius to haue ſayd thus much of Spaniels and Dogges of the gentle kinde.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 Dogs of y^e homely kinde, are eyther ſhep|heardes curres, or Maſtiffes. The firſt are ſo common, that it néedeth me not to ſpeake of them: Theyr vſe alſo is ſo well known in ke|ping y^e herd together (either when they graſe or go before the ſhepheard,) that it ſhould be but in vaine to ſpend any time about them. Wherfore I will leaue thys curre vnto hys owne kinde, and goe in hande wyth the Ma|ſtiffe or banddogge, which is an huge dogge, ſtubborne, ougly, eagre, burthenous of bo|dy, (and therfore but of litle ſwiftneſſe,) ter|rible and feareful to behold, and more fearſe and fell then any Archadien curre. Our En|gliſh men to the enfe [...]t that theſe Dogges maye be more fell and fearſe, aſſiſt nature wyth ſome art, vſe & cuſtome. For although thys kinde of dogge be capeable of courage, violent, valiant, ſtout and bolde: yet wil they increaſe theſe theyr ſtomackes by teaching them to bait the Beare, the Bull, the Lyon, and other ſuch lyke cruell and bloudy beaſts wythout any coller to defende theyr throtes, and oftentimes thereto, they traine them vp in fighting and wraſtling wyth a man, ha|uing for the ſauegard of his life either a pike ſtaffe, olubbe, ſword, or priuie coate, wherby they become the more fearſe and cruell vnto ſtraungers. Of Maſtiffes, ſome barke onely with fearſe and open mouth but wil not bite, ſome do both barke and bite, but the cruelleſt doeth eyther not barke at all, or bite be|fore they barke, and therefore are more to be feared then any of the other. They take alſo theyr name of the word maſe and théefe (or maſter théefe if you will) becauſe they often put ſuch perſones to theyr ſhiftes in townes and villages, and are the principall cauſes of theyr apprehenſion and taking. The force whych is in them ſurmoũteth all beléefe, and y^e faſt holde whych they take with theyr téeth excedeth all credite, for thrée of them againſt a Boare, fowre againſt a Lion are ſuffici [...] both to [...]rie maſtries with them, and vtter [...] ouermatch them. King Henrye the ſeuent [...] as the reporte goeth, commaunded all ſuch [...] curres to be hanged, becauſe they durſt p [...]+ſume to fight againſt the Lion: who is th [...] king and ſoueraigne. The like he did with [...] excellent Falcon, becauſe he feared not h [...] to hand to match wyth an Eagle, willing [...] Falconers in his owne preſence to plucke [...] hys heade after he was taken downe, ſayin [...] that it was not méete for any ſubiect to off [...] ſuch wrong vnto his Lord and ſuperior [...] if king Henrye the ſeuenth had liued in [...] time, what would he haue done to one Eng|liſh Maſtiffe, which alone and wythout an [...] help at al, pulled downe firſt an huge Beare [...] then a Parde, and laſt of al a Lyon, eache af+ter other before the Frenche King in one day: wherof if I ſhould wryte the circumſtã+ces, that is, how he toke his aduantage being let loſe vnto them, and finally draue them [...] to ſuch exceding feare, that they were al [...] to runne away when he was taken frõ them I ſhould take much paines, and yet rea [...] but ſmall credite, wherfore yt ſhall ſuffice [...] haue ſayd thus much thereof. Some of our Maſtiffes will rage onely in the nyght, ſome are to be tied vp both day and night. Such [...] ſo as are ſuffered to go loſe about the [...] and yarde, are ſo gentle in the day time; th [...] children may ride vpon theyr backes & pl [...] with thẽ at theyr pleaſures. Some of them alſo will ſuffer a ſtraunger to come in and walke about the houſe or yarde where him li|ſteth, without giuing ouer to folow him. Bu [...] if he put forth his hand to touche any thyng then wil they flie vpon him & kill hym if they may. I had one my ſelfe once, whych woulde not ſuffer any man to bring in hys weaping farder then my gate: neither thoſe that were of my houſe to be touched in his preſence. Or if I had beaten any of my children, he would gently haue aſſayed to catch the rodde in hys téethe and take it out of my hande, or elſe plucke downe theyr clothes to ſaue them t [...] y^t ſtripes: which in my opinion is worthy to be noted, & thus much of our Maſtiffes. The laſt ſort of Dogges conſiſteth of the curriſh kinde méete for many toyes: of whyche the wap or prickeard curre is one. Some mẽ cal them warners, becauſe they are good for no|thing elſe but to giue warning when any bo|dy doth ſturre or lie in waite about the houſe in the nyght ſeaſon. It is vnpoſſible to de|ſcribe theſe curres in any order, becauſe they haue no one kinde proper vnto themſelues, but are a confuſed companye mixte of all the reſt. The ſeconde ſorte of them are called EEBO page image 131 turne ſpiltes, whoſe office is not [...] to any. And as theſe are onely reſerued for this purpoſe, ſo in manye places our Maſ|tiffes are made to drawe water in greate whéeles out of déepe welles; going much li [...]e vnto thoſe which are framed for ouer t [...]ne ſpittes, as is to be ſéene at Royſton, where this feate is often practiſed.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The laſt kind, of toyiſh curres, are named dauncers, and thoſe being of a m [...]ngerel ſor [...] alſo, are taught & exerciſed to daunce in mea|ſure at y^e muſicall ſound of an inſtrument, [...] at the iuſt ſtroke of a drownie, ſwéete acco [...] of the Citharne, and pleaſaunt harmony of the Harpe, ſhewing many tryckes by the geſture of theyr bodyes. As to ſtand bolt vp|ryght, to lye flat vpon the grounde, to tourne round as a ryng holding their tayles in their téeth, to ſaw and begge for meate, & ſundrye ſuch properties, which they learne of theyr ydle rogiſhe maiſters, whoſe inſtrumentals they are to gather gaine, as olde Apes [...]l [...]|thed in motley, and colloured ſhort waſtes Iacketes are for the lyke vagaboundes, who ſéeke no better lyuing, then that which they may get by fonde paſtime and ydleneſſe. I myght here intreat of other Dogges, as of thoſe which are bredde betwéene a bytche & a Woolfe, and betwéene a [...]yche a & foxe, or a beare and a maſtife. But as we vtterly want the firſt ſort, except they be brought vnto vs, ſo it happeneth ſometime, that the other tw [...] are ingendred and ſéene amongſt vs. But of all the reſt heretofore remembred, in this Chapter there is none more vglye in ſight, cruell and fearce in déede, nor vntrac|table in hande, then y^t which is begotten be|twéen the Beare & the banddoge. For what|ſouer he catcheth hould of, he taketh it ſo faſt that a man may ſooner teare & rend his body in ſunder, then get open his mouth to ſepa|rate his chappes. Certes he regardeth ney|ther Woolfe, Beare, nor Lyon, and therfore may wel be compared with thoſe twoo dogs which were ſent to Alexander out of India (and procreate as it is thought betwéene a Maſtiffe and male Tyger as bée thoſe alſo of Hyrcania) or to them that are bred in Ar|chada, where copulation is oft ſéene betwéen Lions and Byches, as the like is in fraunce betwéene the Woolfes and Dogges, where|of let this ſuffise.