HEMLOCK.] NATURAL HISTORY. 151 



were no pikes and pricks, neshness of flesh in beasts were 

 idle to mankind. For with such a beast's skin, cloths be 



cleansed and piked. 



Bartholomew (Bertbelet\ bk. xviii. 63. 



THE serpent seeketh out the Hedgehog's den, and falleth 

 upon her to kill her ; the Hedgehog draweth itself up 

 together round like a foot-ball, so that nothing appeareth 

 on her but her thorny prickles ; whereat the serpent biteth 

 in vain, for the more she laboureth to annoy the Hedge- 

 hog, the more she is wounded and harmeth herself. The 

 Hedge-hog rolleth upon the serpent, piercing his skin and 

 flesh (yea, many times tearing the flesh from the bones) 

 whereby he scapeth alive, and killeth his adversary, carrying 

 the flesh upon his spears, like an honourable banner won 

 from his adversary in the field. The wolf also is afraid of 

 and flieth from the Hedge-hog ; and there is a story of 

 hatred between the hare and the Hedge-hog, for a hare 

 was seen to pluck off the prickles from the Hedge-hog, 

 and leave her bald, peeled and naked without any defence. 

 With the skin, brushes are made for garments, and also it 

 is set upon a javelin at the door to drive away dogs. 



Topsell, "Four-footed Beasts," p. 219. 



Hemlock. 



MACBETH, iv. i, 25. 



IN English, Hemlock, Homlock, Kexe, and Herb Bennet. 

 Hemlock is a very evil, dangerous, hurtful and poisonous 

 herb, insomuch that whosoever taketh of it into his body 

 dieth remediless, except the party drink some wine that is 

 naturally hot, before the venom have taken the heart ; but 

 being drunk with wine the poison is with greater speed 

 carried to the heart by reason whereof it killeth presently, 

 therefore not to be applied outwardly, much less taken in- 

 wardly into the body. 



. Gerard's "Herbal," s.v. 



ITS greatest strength is in the root, the second in the 

 leaves, the least in the seed. Its leaves drive away vipers 

 and serpents. 



Hortus Sanitatis, bk. i. 115. 



