ABSTRACT
Likewife there was a moft odoriferous Musk-cat at Venice, which a Merchant there had to be feen, brought as he faid out of Cathay, and for proof whereof he (hewed the way that he went, namely through the Euxine Sea,Colcbk, Iberia, and Albania, even to the entrance of Scythia. For the Countrey Cathay is a part of Scythia, beyond Imaus, neither ought this to feem wonderful, for in that place there was a Region, called by Vtolemeus, Randa marcoflra, wherein he placeth the eleventh Table of Afia. This Region is watered by the River Sotus, and therein aboundeth Spikenard, and the Inhabitants call the Countrey wherein the beft Musk-cats are bred, Ergimul, and the greateft City of that Countrey Singuy. The fame Author writeth alfo, that Musk-cats are brought out of Egypt, and out of many places of Africkf In TUbeth alfo there are many Cities, and Beafts about thofe C i - ties called Gadery, which do bring forth the Musk 5 and the Inhabitants hunt them with Dogs. The Province of Caniduet, doth alfo yeeld many of thefe Beafts, and likewife Syria. S. Jtrom alfo writeth thus: Uufcus & Oenanthe, & peregrim murk pellicula, by which skin of the ftrange Moufe, he meaneth the little bag, or skin wherein the Musk of the Musk-cat is included. The Princes of Europe do nourifh thefe tame, being brought out of the New-found World, and many other rich men efpecially in Italy, be delighted with the odoriferous favour which cometh from it. Brajfavolus faith, that he faw a Merchant offer one of thefe to be fold unto Alpbon[us Dake of Ferrara, which had the Navel full of Musk. And Catherinus Zenut, an ancient Nobleman of Venice, had a Roe of this kinde, which he left after his death unto his heirs 5 and by this it doth plainly appear, that the Musk-cat is neither like a Cat, nor a Moufe, and that all thofe which have affirmed fo much thereof, have been deceived of their own con jeåural derivation of Mofcus or Mufcus, or by the err our of fome Writer of the ancient Books, which inftead of Magnitudo Capreoli a Roc, have inferted Catti, a Cat. And thus much fhall fuffice for the defcription of this Beaft, and for the Regions where it is bred, except I may adde the Relation of LudovUus Romanus, who affirmeth, that the Musk-cats of Calecut are brought out of the Countrey Pegus. Thefe Roes of the New-foundland are wonderful nimble and quick,and fo fwift,that they are feldom taken alive;but after they are taken, by pulling out their longer teeth they wax tame. When they are profecuted with the Hunters, and with Dogs, they defend themfelves with their teeth. In fome places they take them in fnares, and in ditches, alfo kill them with darts 5 and fo having killed them, they cut off the little bag wherein the Musk groweth,for that Musk doth exceed in fweetnefs of odor all things that were ever made by the art of man, and therefore the ufe of it is more plentiful then of any other thing, for they carry it about in Garments.
