150 SHAKESPEARE’S [HEDGEHOG. 
be better to seething and to defying [i.e., digesting] than 
other. Also Urchins have a little body and many pikes, 
that occupy more place than the body; and the cause of 
many great pricks, and the littleness of the body is for 
feeding of the body passeth into nourishing and growing of 
pikes, because of scarcity of heat, and for the meat is not 
well defied; and therefore in his body breedeth much 
superfluity, and that superfluity passeth into nourishing and 
feeding of pricks. 
Bartholomew (Berthelet), bk xviii. § 62. 
Is a little beast with pricks, and is like to the Urchin ; 
but he is accounted more than he. He walloweth upon 
apples, as the Urchin doth, which stick there on his pricks, 
and he beareth them into hollowness of trees. And beside 
the apples that he beareth on his back, alway he beareth 
one in his mouth. And after that he is charged with 
grapes or with apples, if any apple or grape fall out of the 
pikes in any manner wise, then for indignation he throweth 
away off his back all the other deal; and oft turneth again 
to the tree to charge him again with new charge. And 
his skin that is-so piked is needful to men, that if there 
