or joyne with him in his quarrel. And the same you may likewise reade to have beene the ancient manner of the wilde Scotts, which are indeed the very naturall Irish. Moreover the Scythians used to sweare by their Kings hand, as Olaus sheweth. And so do the Irish use now to sweare by their Lords hand, and, to forsweare it, holde it more criminall than to sweare by God. Also the Scythians said, That they were once a yeare turned into wolves, and so it is written of the Irish: Though Master Camden in a better sense doth suppose it was [o 1] a disease, called Lycanthropia, so named of the wolfe. And yet some of the Irish doe use to make the wolfe their I gossip. The Scythians used also to seethe the flesh in the hide: and so doe the North erne Irish. The Scythians used to draw the blood of the beast living, and to make meat thereof: and so do the Irish in the North still. Many such customes I could recount unto you, as of their old manner of marrying, of
- ↑ a disease called Lycantliropia,] " Amongst these humours of Melancholy, the phisitions place a kinde of madnes, by the Greeks called Lycanthropia, termed by the Latines Insania Lupina, or Wolves furie: which bringeth a man to this point, (as Attomare affirmeth) that in Februarie he will goe out of the house in the night like a wolfe, hunting about the graves of the dead with great howling; and plucke the dead mens bones out of the sepulchres, carrying them about the streets, to the greate feare and astonishment of all them that meete him: And the foresaide author affirmeth, that melancholike persons of this kinde have pale faces, soaked and hollow eies, with a weak sight, never shedding one tear to the view of the world, &c." The Hospitall of Incurable Fools, (a translation from the Italian,) 4to. 1600, p. 19. Todd.
