Dr. Caius' Opinion. 13 



wolf has been seen in England, bred within the bounds and 

 borders of this country, although there have been divers 

 brought over from beyond the seas for greediness of gain 

 and to make money for gazing and gaping, staring and 

 standing to see them, being a strange beast, rare and 

 seldom seen in England. But to return to our shepherd's 

 dog. This dog, either at the hearing of his master's voice 

 or at the wagging of his fist, or at his shrill and hoarse 

 whistling and hissing, bringeth the wandering wethers and 

 straying sheep into the self-same place where his master's 

 will and work is to have them, whereby the shepherd 

 reapeth the benefit, namely, that with little labour and no 

 toil of moving his feet he may rule and guide his flock 

 according to his own desire, either to have them go forward 

 or stand still, or to draw backward, or to turn this way or 

 to take that way. For it is not in England as it is in France, 

 as it is in Flanders, as it is in Syria, as it is in Tartary, 

 where the sheep follow the shepherd, for here in our 

 country the shepherd followeth the sheep. And sometimes 

 the straying sheep, when no dog runneth before them, nor 

 goeth about and beside them, gather themselves into a 

 flock when they hear the shepherd whistle, for fear of the 

 dog (as I imagine), remembering this (if unreasoning 

 creatures may be reported to have memory) that the dog 

 commonly runneth out at his master's warrant, which is his 

 whistle. This have we oftentimes marked when taking our 

 journey from town to town; when we have heard a shepherd 

 whistle, we have reined in our horse and stood still a pace 

 to see the proof and trial of this matter. Furthermore, 

 with this dog doth the shepherd take the sheep to slaughter, 

 and to be healed if they be sick, and no hurt or harm is 

 done by the dogs to the simple creature." 



