150 



SHAKESPEARE'S 



[HEDGEHOG. 



be better to seething and to defying [/.*., digesting] than 

 other. Also Urchins have a little body and many pikes, 

 that occupy more place than the body ; and the cause of 

 many great pricks, and the littleness of the body is for 

 feeding of the body passeth into nourishing and growing of 

 pikes, because of scarcity of heat, and for the meat is not 

 well- defied ; and therefore in his body breedeth much 

 superfluity, and that superfluity passeth into nourishing and 

 feeding of pricks. 



Bartholomew (Berthelet], bk xviii. 62. 



Is a little beast with pricks, and is like to the Urchin ; 

 but \ he is accounted more than he. He walloweth upon 

 apples, as the Urchin doth, which stick there on his pricks, 

 and he beareth them into hollowness of trees. And beside 

 the apples that he beareth on his back, alway he beareth 

 one in his mouth. And after that he is charged with 

 grapes or with apples, if any apple or grape fall out of the 

 pikes in any manner wise, then for indignation he throweth 

 away off his back all the other deal ; and oft turneth again 

 to the tree to charge him again with new charge. And 

 his skin that is so piked is needful to men, that if there 



