228 SHAKESPEARE'S [OXLIP. 



world, for they are moved with their ears, turning in a 

 flexible manner sometime one way and sometime another. 

 In some countries they wash them all over with wine for 

 two or three days together, which doth wonderfully tame 

 them, though they have been never so wild. If a wild Ox 

 be tied with a halter of wool, he will presently wax tame. 

 If the Ox bend to the right side and lick that, it presageth 

 a storm ; but if he bend to the left side, he foretelleth a 

 calm, fair day. In like manner, when he loweth and 

 smelleth to the earth, or when he feedeth fuller than 

 ordinary, it betokeneth change of weather. If a wolf's 

 tail be hanged in the rack or manger where an Ox feedeth, 

 he will abstain from eating. If seed be cast into the earth 

 out of an Ox's horn, it will never spring up well out of 

 the earth, or at the least not so well as when it is sowed 

 by the hand of man. Of the teeth of Oxen I know no other 

 use but scraping and making paper smooth with them ; 

 their gall being sprinkled among seed which is to be sown 

 maketh it come up quickly, and killeth field-mice that taste 

 of it. The dung of Oxen is beneficial to bees if the hives 

 be anointed therewith, for it killeth spiders, gnats and 

 drone-bees. When a man biteth any other living creature,, 

 seethe the flesh of an Ox or a calf, and after five days lay 

 it to the sore, and it shall work the ease thereof. If one 

 make a small candle of paper and cow's marrow, setting the 

 same on fire, under his brows or eye-lids which are bald 

 without hair, and often anointing the place, he shall have 

 very decent and comely hair grow thereupon. There is. 

 in the head of an Ox a certain little stone, which only in 

 the fear of death he casteth out at his mouth ; if this stone 

 be taken from them suddenly by cutting the head, it doth 

 make children to breed teeth easily, being soon tied about 

 them. When the bee hath tasted of the flower of the 

 corn-tree, she presently dieth, except she taste the urine of" 

 a man or an Ox. Topsell, "Four-footed Beasts," s.v. 



V. Cow and Bull. 

 Oxlip. 



WINTER'S TALE, iv. 4, 125. 



OXLIPS, so called because oxen and cows delight in. 

 eating them. Minshetfs Dictionary, s.v. 



QXLIPS Or Paigles. Gerard's "Herbal," s.v.. 



