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.