ABSTRACT
THis kind of D o g called aMaft iveor Bandog is vaft, huge, ftubborn, ugly, and eager, of a heavie and bourthenous body, and therefore but of little fwiftnefs, terrible, and frightful t o behold, and more fierce and fell then any Arcadian cur (notwithftanding they are faid to have their generation of the violent Lion.) They are called ViUatici, becaufe they are appointed to watch and keep farm-places and Countrey Cotages fequeftred from common recourfe, and not abutting upon other houfes by reafon of diftance, when there is any fear conceived of Theeves, Robbe r s , Spoilers, and Night wanderers. They are ferviceable againft the Fox and Badger, to drive wilde and tame Swine out of Medowes, Paftures, Glebelands, and places planted with fruit , to bait and take the Bull by the ear, when occafion fo requireth. One D o g or two at the utmoft is fufficient for that purpofe,be the Bull never fo monftrous, never fo fierce, never fo furious, never fo ftern, never fo untamable. For it is a kind of D o g capeable of courage, violent and valiant, ftriking cold fear into the hearts of men, but ftanding in fear of no man, in fo much that no weapons will make him fhrink, nor abridge his boldnefs. Our Enghfbmen ( to the intent that their Dogs might be more fell and fierce) aflift nature with art , ufe and cuftorn, for they reach their Dogs to bait the Bear, to bait the Bull and other fuch like cruell and bloudy Beafts ("appointing an overfeer of the game) without any Collar t o defend chciv t h roa t s , and oftentimes they train
them
Of Dogs. JOG thcmTup in fighting and wreftling with any man having for the fafegard of his life,either a Pikefhffe , a Club, or a fword, and by uf ing them to fuch exercifes as thefe, their Dogs become more fturdy and ftrong. T h e force which is in them fu rmoun te th all belief, the fait hold which they take with their teeth exceedeth all credit , three of them againft a Bear, four againft a Lion are fufficient, both to tr ie mafteries with them, and ut ter ly to overmatch tliem. Which thing Henry the feventh of that name, King of England (a Prince both politick and warlike) perceiving on a certain t ime (as the r epo r t runne th ) commanded all fuch D o g s (how many fo ever were in number) fhould be h a n g e d , being deeply difpleafed, and conceiving great difdain, tha t an ill favoured r a f ca lCur fhould with fuch violent villany, affault the valiant Lion King of all beafts. An example for all fub j e å s wor thy remembrance, to admonifh them, tha t it is no advantage to them to rebell againft the regiment of their Ruler , but t o keep them within the limits of loyalty. I read an Hif tory anfwerable t o this of the felf fame Hcmy ,who having a notable and an excellent fair Falcon, it fo r tu - ned tha t the Kings Falconers, in the prefence and hearing of his grace, higgly commended his Ma jellies Faulcon, faying, tha t it feared not to intermeddle with an Eagle,it was fo venturous a Bird and fo mighty ; which when the King heard, he charged tha t the Falcon fhould be killed wi thout delay, for the felf fame reafon (as it may feem) which was rehearfed in the conclufion o f the former hif tory concerning the fame king. This D o g is called in like m a n n e r , Catenar'm, a Catena, of the chain wherewith he is tyed at the gates in the day time, left being loofe be fhould do much mifchief, and yet might give occafion of fear and terror by his big barking. And albeit Cicero in his Ora t ion had pro S. Kojs. be of this opinion, t ha t lueh Dogs as bark in the broad day light fhou ld have their legs broken , yet our Countrymen on this f ide the Seas,for their carelefnefs of life fe t t ing all at cinque and fice are of a contrary judgement. ForTheeves rogue up and down in every corner , no place is free f rom them, no no t the Princes palace, nor the Countrymans cotage. I11 the day time they pra&ife pilfering, picking, open robbing, and privie ftealing, and what legerdemain lack they ? no t fearing the fhameful and horrible death of hanging.
