10 



lar Antiquities,' where a farmer near Bideford, on finding that one 

 of his sheep had lost the use of its hinder parts evidently from a 

 blow or some violence which had injured the spine, attributed the 

 injury to a mouse having crept over its back, and expressed a 

 determination to cure the animal by means which were never 

 known to fail, viz., to procure a field mouse, which he should 

 inclose within a hollow in the trunk of a particular tree, and having 

 left it there to perish, he should bring back with him some of the 

 branches of the tree for the purpose of being drawn across the 

 sheep's back, and that as soon as the devoted mouse had yielded up 

 his life a prey to famine, the sheep would be restored to its proper 

 strength and vigour. 



I find in a copy of a book that was considered good authority in 

 former days, viz., " Cheap and Good HVSB ANDRY for the 

 " well-Ordering of all Beasts and Fowles, and for the gcnerall 

 " Cure of their Diseases" 



" Containing the Natures, Breeding, Choise, Vse, Feeding and 

 " Curing of the diseases of all manner of Cattell, as Horse, Oxe, 

 " Cow, Sheepe, Goates., Swine and tame Conies. * * * 



" Gathered together for the general good and profit of this 

 " whol-Realme, by exact and assured experience from English 

 " practises, both certaine, easie, and cheape : differing from all 

 " former and forraine experiments, which eyther agreed not with 

 " our Clime, or were too hard to come by, or ouer-costly, and to 

 " little purpose ; all which herein are auoyded" 



" The Third Edition. 



" Printed by T. S., for Roger lachson, and are to be sold at 

 " his Shop, neere the Conduit in Fleet Street 1623" 

 which I possess, and which I like to suppose may have once 

 belonged to some old cavalier or squire of Sir Walter Scott's novels 

 the following extract which, after its quaint fashion, may interest 

 those who, like me, read more for amusement than for profit. In 

 Book 1, which treateth of " The generall Cure of all Cattells 

 Chapter 39 is written thus : 



" Of being shrew-runne or shrew bitten-*' 

 " A Shrew Mouse which is a Mouse with short vneuen, legges 

 " and a long head, like a swine's, is a venemous thing, and if 



