ABSTRACT
ANother fort of Dogs be there, ferviceable for fowling, making no noife either with foot or with tongue, whiles they follow the game Thefe attend diligently upon their Matter and frame their conditions to fuch becks, motions, and geftures, as it (hall pleafe him to exhibite and make, either going forward, drawing backward, inclining to the right hand, or yeelding toward the left, ("in making mention offowlesj, my meaning is ofthePatridge and the Quail:) when he hath found the bird, he keepeth fure and fait filence, he ftayeth his fteps and will proceed no further,and with a clofe, covert, watching eye, layeth his belly to the ground and fo creepeth forward like a worm. When he approacheth neer to the place where the bird is, he lies him down,and with a mark of his pawes betrayeth the place of the birds laft abode, whereby it is fuppofed that this kind of Dog is called Index, Setter, being indeed a name moft confonant and agreeable to his quality .The place being known by the means of the Dog, the fowler, immediately openeth and fpreadeth his net, intending to take them ; which being done, the Dog at the cuftomed beck or ufuall fign of his Matter rifeth up by and by, and draweth neerer to the fowle, that by his prefence they might be the authors of their own infnaring, and be ready intangled in the prepared net, which cunning and artificial indevour in a Dog (being a creature domeftical or houfhold fervant, brought up at home with offals of the trencher, and fragments of viduals) is not fo much to be marvelled at, feeing that a Hare f being a wiUe and skippifh beaft) was feen in to the aftonifhment of the beholders, in the year of our Lord God 1564. not only dancing in meafure,but playing with his former feet upon a tabberet , and obfervingjuft number of ftrokes (as a praditioner in that a r t ) b'efides that nipping and pinching a Dog with his teeth and clawes, and cruelly thumping him with the force of his feet. This is no trumpery tale, nor trifle toy (as I imagine) and therefore not unworthy to be reported, for I reckon it a requital of my travell, not to drown in the feas of filence any fpecial thing, wherein the providence and effedual working of nature is to be pondered.
