CHAP. YIII. THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 131 



But before I proceed further, I am to tell you, that 

 there is a great antipathy betwixt the Pike and some frogs : 

 and this may appear to the reader of Dubravius, a bishop 

 in Bohemia, 1 who, in his book Of Fish and Fish-ponds, 

 relates what he says he saw with his own eyes, and could 

 not forbear to tell the reader. Which was : 



" As he and the Bishop Thurzo were walking by a 

 large pond in Bohemia, they saw a frog, when the Pike 

 lay very sleepily and quiet by the shore side, leap upon 

 his head; and the frog having expressed malice or anger 

 by his swoln cheeks and staring eyes, did stretch out 

 his legs and embraced the Pike's head, and presently 

 reached them to his eyes, tearing, with them and his 

 teeth, those tender parts: the Pike moved with anguish, 

 moves up and down the water, and rubs himself against 

 weeds and whatever he thought might quit him of his 

 enemy; but all in vain, for the frog did continue to ride 

 triumphantly, and to bite and torment the Pike till his 

 strength failed ; and then the frog sunk with the Pike to 

 the bottom of the water : then presently the frog appeared 

 again at the top, and croaked, and seemed to rejoice like 

 a conqueror, after which he presently retired to his secret 

 hole. The bishop, that had beheld the battle, called his 



(1) Janus Dubravius Scala, bishop of Olmutz, in Moravia, in the sixteenth 

 century, was born at Pilsen, in Bohemia. The functions of the Bishopric did not 

 hinder him from bring an Ambassador into Sicily, then into Bohemia, and Presi- 

 dent of the chamber established to proceed against the rebels who had borne a 

 pprt in the troubles of Smalcald. Besides the above book, (the Latin title 

 whereof is, De Piscina Sf Piscium quiin eit aluntur nnturis.J he appears, by 

 the Bodleian Catalogue, to have written, in Latin, a History of Bohemia; and 

 an oration to Sigismund, king of Poland, exhorting him to make war on the 

 Turks. He seems to have practised the ordering of fish-ponds and the breeding 

 offish, both for delight and profit. Hoffman, who in his Lexicon has given his 

 name a place, says, he died with the reputation of a pious and learned prelate, in 

 1553, which last particular may admit of question ; for, if it be true, it makes all 

 his writings posthumous Publications, the earliest whereof bears date, anno 155p. 



His book On Fish and Fish-ponds, in which are many pleasant relations, 

 was, in I5Q9, translated into English, and published in4to. by George Churchey, 

 Fellow of Lion's Inn, with the title of A new Book of good Husbandry, very 

 pleasant and of great profit, both for gentlemen and yeomtn, containing the 

 order and manner of making of fish-ponds, S(.c, 



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