To the well difpofed Reader. 



i^" eiiery manifeft effect proceedeth 



fro som certain cause, so the penning of this 

 present abridgement (gentle and courteous 

 reader) issued from a speciall occasion. For 

 Conradus Gesnerus, a man whiles he liued, of 

 incomparable knowledge, and manyfold expe- 



rience, being neuer satisfied with the sweete 



sappe of vnderatanding, requested lohannes Caius a profound clarke 

 and a rauennous deuourer of learning (to his praise be it spoke, 

 though the language be somewhat homely) to write a breuiary or short 

 treatise of such dogges as were ingendred within the borders of England : 

 To the contentation of whose minde and the vtter accomplishement 

 of whose desire, CoAus spared no study, (for the acquaintance which 

 was betweene them, as it was confirmed by continuaunce, and established 

 vpon vnfainednes, so was it sealed with vertue and honesty), withdrew 

 himself from no labour, repined at no paines, forsooke no trauaile, re- 

 fused no endeuour, finally pretermitted no opportunity or circumstaunce 

 which seemed pertinent and requisite to the performance of this litle 

 libell. In the whole discourse wherof. the booke, to consider the sub- 

 staunce, being but a pamphlet or skantling, the argument not so fyne and 

 affected, and yet the doctrine very profitable and necessarye, he vseth 

 such a smoothe and comely style, and tyeth his inuention to such metho- 

 dicall and orderly proceedings, as the elegantnes and neatnesse of hia 

 Latins phrase (being pure, perfe ;t, and vnmingled) maketh the matter 

 which of it selfe is very base and clubbishe, to appeare (shall I say 

 tollerable) nay rather commendable and effectuall. The sundry sortes of 



