136 Appendix B 



prey they would not loose their hold. An Italian MS. of the four- 

 teenth century says that Alans that are to be set on cavalry should be 

 trained by their masters to be ferocious and "biting" (Ducange; 

 Wynn, "Brit. Mastifif," p. 48; De Noir. ii. 398 [298]). 



As to the general appearance of the alan gentil, De Noirmont^^ 

 compares it to the Great Dane or German boarhound, to which 

 he assigns a height of 30 to 32, or, exceptionally, 34 inches ; but 

 Chance, the Great Dane whose picture is here reproduced, 'stood 

 fully 35 inches at the shoulder, and was perhaps the tallest dog 

 of any breed, and at any time, whose measurements have been 

 recorded,'^* Vendetta having been 32^ inches in height. 



The picture of alaunts reproduced below is from an illumina- 

 tion in the beautiful manuscript of Gaston de Foix's work 

 which was executed in the early years of the fifteenth century. 

 The reproduction has been made from Baillie-Grohman, PI. 

 XVIII, opposite p. 64 (with which may be compared PI. XIV, 

 opposite p. 42, lower left hand; PI. XXVIII, opposite p. 80, 

 upper left hand and lower right hand; PI. XLVIII, opposite p. 

 240, bottom). 



De Noirmont^'' says the alaunts always wore a muzzle, except 

 in the chase. 



The alaunt has not often figured in literature. One of the 

 most' notable occurrences of the word is in the Orlando Furioso 

 (46. 138) : 



Come mastin sotto il feroce alano 



Che fissi i denti ne la gola gli abbia, 



Molto s'affanna e si dibatte in vano 



Con occhi ardenti e con spumose labbia, 



E non puo uscire al predator di jnano, 



Che vince di vigor, non gia di rabbia. 



National Library of France. These alaunts were sent against cavalry, 

 bearing a brass pot of blazing pitch, ignited by means of alcohol, and 

 trained to fierce biting of the enemy's horses. They were protected by 

 leather coats from the effects of the fire or from kicks and blows. 



''2. 297. 



^^ Leighton, p. 91, who knows of a mastiff (p. 29) somewhat over ss 

 inches, while De Noirmont (2. 300) refers to one as having been S7j4 

 inches (.95 metre) in height; Leighton, by the way (p. 22), considers 

 Chaucer's alaunt to have been a mastiff. The New Eng. Diet., following 

 Bailey, defines the word as 'wolf-hound'; Scott (below, p. 138) as 'wolf- 

 greyhound'; Rose (below, p. 137) as 'deer-hound'; none of these seems 

 correct. 



"^ 2. 298. 



