GRIFFIN.] NATURAL HISTORY. 137 



dwelleth in those hills that be called Hyperborean, and be 

 most enemies to horses and men, and grieveth them most, 

 and layeth in his nest a stone that hight Smaragdus against 

 venomous beasts of the mountain. 



Bartholomew (Berthelef), bk. xii. 19. 



THE Gripes are of colour of a dark ochre on the base, 

 their breast of purple colour, their wings brown and white, 

 their talons black, and the beak turning as doth the eagle's ; 

 he is more higher than the lion, the hinder feet cloven as 

 the stag's, able to carry away the weight of two men, a 

 stag, or the like beast. 



Batman's addition to Bartholomew ^ bk. xii. 19. 



GRIFFINS dig up gold and delight in looking at it when 

 dug up. The body of a large Griffin is larger than eight 

 lions of those parts ; for having killed an ox, a horse, or 

 even an armed man, it lifts them up and carries them off 

 in its flight. Hortus Sanitatis, bk. iii. 56. 



THEY build their nests of the gold which they dig up, 

 and lay two eggs larger, harder, hotter and drier than those 

 of eagles. 



Jonston, " Natural History," bk. iii., appendix, ch. i. 



GRIPES keep the mountains, in the which be gems and 

 precious stones, as emerald and jasper, and suffer them not 

 to be taken from thence. And in some countries in 

 Scythia is plenty of gold and of precious stones ; but for 

 great Gripes men dare not come thither openly, but seld 

 for fierceness of Gripes. There is best emerald and crystal. 

 And the Gripe hath so great claws and so large, that of 

 them be made cups that be set upon boards of kings. 



, Bartholomew (Berthelet), bk. xviii. 56. 



IN that country [Bacharie] be many Griffins, more plenty 

 than in any other country. One Griffin is more great 

 and stronger than an hundred eagles such as we have 

 among us. For one Griffin there will bear, flying to his 

 nest, a great horse, or two oxen yoked together, as they 

 go at the plough. For he hath his talons so long and so 

 large and great upon his feet, as though they were horns 



