HEMLOCK. | NATURAL HISTORY. 151 
were no pikes and pricks, neshness of flesh in beasts were 
idle to mankind. For with such a beast’s skin, cloths be 
cleansed and piked. 
Bartholomew (Berthelet), bk. xviii. § 63. 
THE serpent seeketh out the Hedgehog’s den, and falleth 
upon her to kill her; the Hedgehog draweth itself up 
together round like a foot-ball, so that nothing appeareth 
on her but her thorny prickles ; whereat the serpent biteth 
in vain, for the more she laboureth to annoy the Hedge- 
hog, the more she is wounded and harmeth herself. The 
Hedge-hog rolleth upon the serpent, piercing his skin and 
flesh (yea, many times tearing the flesh from the bones) 
whereby he scapeth alive, and killeth his adversary, carrying 
the flesh upon his spears, like an honourable banner won 
from his adversary in the field. The wolf also is afraid of 
and flieth from the Hedge-hog; and there is a story of 
hatred between the hare and the Hedge-hog, for a hare 
was seen to pluck off the prickles from the Hedge-hog, 
and leave her bald, peeled and naked without any defence. 
With the skin, brushes are made for garments, and also it 
is set upon a javelin at the door to drive away dogs. 
Topsell, “* Four-footed Beasts,” p. 219. 
Hemlock. 
MacserH, iv. I, 25. 
In English, Hemlock, Homlock, Kexe, and Herb Bennet. 
Hemlock is a very evil, dangerous, hurtful and poisonous 
herb, insomuch that whosoever taketh of it into his body 
dieth remediless, except the party drink some wine that is 
naturally hot, before the venom have taken the heart ; but 
being drunk with wine the poison is with greater speed 
carried to the heart by reason whereof it killeth presently, 
therefore not to be applied outwardly, much less taken in- 
wardly into the body. 
Gerard’s “Herbal,” s.v. 
Irs greatest strength is in the root, the second in the 
leaves, the least in the seed. Its leaves drive away vipers 
and serpents. 
Hortus Sanitatis, bk. i, § 115. 
a 
