The fifth Section of this treatise.
Containing Curres of the mungrell and rascall sort and first of the Dogge called in Latine, Admonitor and of vs in Englishe VVappe or VVarner.
F such dogges as keep not their kinde, of such as are mingled out of sundry sortes not imitating the conditions of some one certaine spice, because they resēble no notable shape, nor exercise any worthy property of the true perfect and gentle kind, it is not necessarye that I write any more of them, but to banishe them as vnprofitable implements, out of the boundes of my Booke, vnprofitable I say for any use that is commendable, except to intertaine strangers with their barcking in the day time, giuing warnyng to them of the house, that such & such be newly come, wherevpon wee call them admonishing Dogges, because in that point they performe theyr office.
Of the Dogge called Turnespete in Latine Veruuersator.
THere is comprehended, vnder the curres of the coursest kinde, a certaine dogge in kytchen seruice excellent. For whē any meate is to bee roasted they go into a wheele which they turning rounde about with the waight of their bodies, so diligently looke to their businesse, that no drudge nor skullion can doe the feate more cunningly. Whom the popular sort herevpon call Turnespets, being the last of all those which wee haue first mencioned.
Of the Dogge called the Daunser, in Latine Saltator or Tympanista.
THere be also dogges among vs of a mungrell kind which are taught and exercised to daunce in measure at the musicall sounde of an instrument, as, at the iust stroke of the drombe, at the sweete accent of the Cyterne, & tuned strings of the harmonious Harpe showing many pretty trickes by the gesture of their bodies. As to stand bolte upright, to lye flat vpon the grounde, to turne rounde as a ringe holding their tailes in their teeth, to begge for theyr meate, and sundry such properties, which they leame of theyr vagabundicall masters, whose instrumentes they are to gather gaine, withall in Citie, Country, Towne, and Village. As some which carry olde apes on their shoulders in colouied iackets to moue men to laughter for a litle lucre.
Of other Dogges, a short conclusion, wonderfully ingendred within the coastes of this country.
| Three sortes of them, | The first bred of a bytch and a wolfe, | In Latine Lyciscus. | ||
| The second of a bytche and a foxe, | In Latine Lacœna. | |||
| The third of a beare and a bandogge, | In Latine Vrcanus. |
OF the first we haue none naturally bred within the borders of England. The reason is for the want of wolfes, without whom no such kinde of dog can bee ingendred. Againe it is deliuered unto thee in this discourse, how and by what meanes, by whose benefitte, and within what circuite of tyme, this country was cleerely discharged of ranenyng wolfes, and none at all left, no, not to the least number, or the beginnyng of a number, which is an Vnari.
Of the second sort we are not utterly voyde of some, because this our Englishe soyle is not free from foxes (for in deede we are not without a multitude of them in so much as diuerse keepe, foster, and feede them in their houses among their houndes and dogges, eyther for some maladie of mind, or for some sicknesse of body,) which peraduentnre the savour of that subtill beast would eyther mitigate or expell.
The thirde kinde which is bred of a Beare and a Bandogge we want not heare in England, (A straunge and wonderfull effect, that cruell enimyes should enter into ye worke of copulation & bring forth so sauage a curre.) Undoubtedly it is euen so as we haue reported, for the fyery heate of theyr fleshe, or rather the pricking thorne, or most of all, the tyckling lust of lechery, beareth such swinge and sway in them, that there is no contrairietie for the time, but of constraint they must ioyne to ingender. And why should not this bee consonant to truth? why shoulde not these beastes breede in this lande, as well as in other forreigne nations? For wee reede that Tigers and dogges in Hircania, that Lyons and Dogges in Arcadia, and that wolfes and dogges in Francia, couple and procreate. In men and women also lyghtened with the lantarne of reason (but vtterly voide of vertue) that foolishe, frantique, and fleshely action, yet naturally sealed in vs) worketh so effectuously, & many tymes it doth reconcile enimyes, set foes at freendship, vnanimitie, and atonement, as Moria mencioneth. The Vrcane which is bred of a beare and a dogge,
Is fearce, is fell, is stoute and stronge,
And byteth sore to fleshe and bone,
His furious force indureth longe
In rage he will be rul'de of none.
That I may vse the wordea of the Poet Gratius. This dogge exceedeth all other in cruell conditions, his leering and fleering lookes, his steame and sauage vissage, maketh him in sight feareful and terrible, he is violent in fighting, & wheresoeuer he setteth his tenterhooke teeth, he taketh such sure & fast holde, that a man may sooner teare and rende him in sunder, then lose him and seperate his chappes. He passeth not for the Wolfe, the Beare, the Lyon, nor the Bulle and may wortherly (as I think,) be companpiō with Alexanders dogge which came out of India. But of these, thus much, and thus farre may seeme sufficient.
A starte to outlandishe Dogges in this conclusion, not impertinent to the Authors purpose.
VSe and custome hath intertaiued other dogges of an outlandishe kinde, but a fewe and the same beyng of a pretty bygnesse, I meane Iseland, dogges curled & rough al ouer, which by reason of the lenght of their heare make showe neither of face nor of body. And yet these curres, forsoothe, because they are so straunge are greatly set by, esteemed, taken vp, and made of many times in the roome of the Spaniell gentle or comforter. The natures of men is so moued, nay rather marryed to nouelties without all reason, wyt, iudgement or perseueraunce. Ερωμεν αλλοτριαν, παϱοϱμεν συγγενεις.
Outlandishe toyes we take with delight
Things of our owne nation we haue in despight.
Which fault remaineth not in vs concerning dogges only, but for artificers also. And why? it is to manyfest that wee disdayne and contempne our owne workmen, be they neuer so skilfull, be they neuer so cunning, be they neuer so excellent. A beggerly beast brought out of barbarous borders, fro' the vttermost countryes Northward, &c., we stare at, we gase at, we muse, we maruaile at, like an asse of Cumanum, like Thales with the brasen shancks, like the man in the Moone.
The which default Hippocrates marcked when he was alyue as euidently appeareth in the beginnyng of his booke περὶ ἀγμῶν so intituled and named:
And we in our worcke entituled De Ephemera Britanica, to the people of England haue more plentifully expressed. In this kinde looke which is most blocklishe, and yet most waspishe, the same is most esteemed, and not amonge Citizens onely and iolly gentlemen, but amonge lustie Lordes also, and noble men, and daintie courtier ruffling in their ryotous ragges. Further I am not to wade in the foorde of this discourse, because it was my purpose to satisfie your expectation with a short treatise (most learned Conrade) not wearysome for me to wryte, nor tedious for you to peruse. Among other things which you haue receaued at my handes heretofore, I remember that I wrote a seuerall description of the Getulian Dogge, because there are but a fewe of them and therefore very seldome seene. As touching Dogges of other kyndes you your selfe haue taken earnest paine, in writing of them both lyuely, learnedly and largely. But because wee haue drawne this libell more at length then the former which I sent you (and yet briefer than the nature of the thing myght well beare) regardyng your more earnest and necessary studdies. I will conclude makyng a rehearsall notwithstanding (for memoryes sake) of certaine specialties contayned in the whole body of this my breuiary. And because you participate principall pleasure, in the knowledge in the common and vsuall names of Dogges (as I gather by the course of your letters) I suppose it not amysse to deliuer vnto you a shorte table contayning as well the Latine as the Englishe names, and to render a reason of euery particular appellation, to th'intent that no scruple may remaine in this point, but that euery thing may bee sifted to the bare bottome.
A Diall pertaining to the Fifte Section.
| Dogges contained in this last Diall or Table are | The Wapp of Warner, The Turnespet, The dauncer, |
called in Latine Canes Rustici |
