De Canibus Britannicis: Of Englishe Dogges — John Shaqi
De Canibus Britannicis: Of Englishe DoggesCaius, John
Science
De Canibus Britannicis: Of Englishe Dogges
Caius, John
Dogs -- Early works to 1800
The first kinde, namely the shepherds hounde is very necessarye and
profitable for the auoyding of harmes and inconueniences which may come
to men by the meanes of beastes. The second sort serue to succour
against the snares and attemptes of mischiefous men. Our shepherdes
dogge is not huge, vaste, and bigge, but of an indifferent stature and
growth, because it hath not to deale with the bloudthyrsty wolf,
sythence there be none in England, which happy and fortunate benefite is
to be ascribed to the puisaunt Prince _Edgar_, who to thintent y^t the
whole countrey myght be euacuated and quite cleered from wolfes, charged
& commaunded the welshemẽ (who were pestered with these butcherly
beastes aboue measure) to paye him yearely tribute which was (note the
wisedome of the King) three hundred Wolfes. Some there be which write
that _Ludwall_ Prince of Wales paide yeerely to King _Edgar_ three
hundred wolfes in the name of an exaction (as we haue sayd before.) And
that by the meanes hereof, within the compasse and tearme of (24) foure
yeares, none of those noysome, and pestilent Beastes were left in the
coastes of England and Wales. This _Edgar_ wore the Crowne royall, and
bare the Scepter imperiall of this kingdome, about the yeere of our
Lorde, nyne hundred fifty, nyne. Synce which time we reede that no Wolfe
hath bene seene in England, bred within the bounds and borders of this
countrey, mary there have bene diuers brought ouer from beyonde the
seas, for greedynesse of gaine and to make money, for gasing and gaping,
staring, and standing to see them, being a straunge beast, rare, and
seldom seene in England. But to returne to our shepherds dogge. This
dogge either at the hearing of his masters voyce, or at the wagging and
whisteling in his fist, or at his shrill and horse hissing bringeth the
wandring weathers and straying sheepe, into the selfe same place where
his masters will and wishe is to haue thẽ, wherby the shepherd reapeth
this benefite, namely, that with litle labour and no toyle or mouing of
his feete he may rule and guide his flocke, according to his owne
desire, either to haue them go forward, or to stand still, or to drawe
backward, or to turne this way, or to take that way. For it is not in
Englande, as it is in _Fraunce_, as it is in _Flaunders_, as it is in
_Syria_, as it in _Tartaria_, where the sheepe follow the shepherd, for
heere in our country the sheepherd followeth the sheepe. And somtimes
the straying sheepe, when no dogge runneth before them, nor goeth about
& beside them, gather themselues together in a flocke, when they heere
the sheepherd whistle in his fist, for feare of the Dogge (as I imagine)
remembring this (if vnreasonable creatures may be reported to haue
memory) that the Dogge commonly runneth out at his masters warrant which
is his whistle. This haue we oftentimes diligently marcked in taking our
journey from towne to towne, when wee haue hard a sheepherd whistle we
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account