LION.] NATURAL HISTORY. 185 



little marrow in his bones ; and his bones be so hard that by 

 smiting of them together, fire springeth out thereof. The 

 Lion dreadeth when he seeth or heareth a whelp beaten. 

 He hideth himself in high mountains, and espieth from 

 thence his prey. And he maketh a circle all about 

 other beasts with his tail, and all the beasts dread to pass 

 out over the line of the circle, and the beasts stand 

 astonied and afeard, as it were abiding the hest and com- 

 mandment of their King. And he is ashamed to eat alone 

 the prey that he taketh ; therefore of his grace, of free 

 heart, he leaveth some of his prey to other beasts that 

 follow him afar off". And is so hot of his complexion, 

 that he hath alway the fever quartan ; and hath kindly 

 this evil to abate his fierceness. His grease is contrary to 

 venom, so that whoso be anointed therewith shall not 

 dread that time biting of serpents nor creeping worms. 

 Also his grease meddled with oil of roses keepeth and 

 saveth the skin of the face from wens and vices, and 

 keepeth whiteness. His gall meddled with water sharpeth 

 and cleareth the sight, and helpeth against infecting evils. 

 His heart taken in meat destroyeth the fever quartan. 



Bartholomew (Bertkelet], bk. xviii. 65. 



THE Lion has a strong smell, and especially in the 

 mouth. When he sleeps in a ship, the ship is in danger. 

 The Lion flees before a mouse, and is afraid of the wood 

 which is called sethin. Hellebore too and squill kill dogs 

 and Lions and many wild beasts. 



Hortus Sanitatis, bk. ii. 80. 



THE circles of cart-wheels, empty carts, and the comb 

 on a cock's head do marvellously fear a Lion being a most 

 hardy or fierce beast. 



Lupton, "Notable Things," bk. iii. 37. 



IF you join a Lion's skin to the skin of a wolf or any 

 other beast, it will make them without hair, or cause their 

 hair to fall or consume away. Ibid., bk. vi. 54. 



CLOTHES wrapped in a Lion's skin killeth moths. And 

 so great is the fear of Lions to wolves, that if any part of 

 a Lion's grease be cast into a fountain, the wolves never 

 dare to drink thereof, or to come near unto it. The 



