424 SHAKESPEARE’S [ UNICORN. 
Tue horn, growing out of the forehead betwixt the eye- 
lids is neither light nor hollow, nor yet smooth like other 
horns, but hard as iron, rough as any file, revolved into 
many plights, sharper than any dart, straight and not 
crooked, and everywhere black except at the point. His 
horn, being put into the water, driveth away the poison, that 
he may drink without harm, if any venomous beast shall 
drink therein before him. This cannot be taken from the 
beast being alive, forasmuch as he cannot possibly be taken 
by any deceit. The horn of this beast being put upon the 
table of kings, and set among their junkets and banquets, 
doth bewray the venom (if there be any such therein) by a 
certain sweat which cometh over it. There are found in 
Europe to the number of twenty of these horns pure, and 
so many broken. 
These beasts are very swift, and their legs have no 
articles. [here was nothing more horrible than the voice 
or braying of it, for the voice is strained above measure. 
He feareth not iron, nor any iron instrument. He is an 
enemy to the lions, wherefore as soon as ever a lion seéth 
an Unicorn, he runneth to a tree for succour, that so when 
the Unicorn maketh force at him, he may not only avoid 
his horn, but also destroy him; for the Unicorn in the 
swiftness of his course runneth against the tree, wherein his 
sharp horn sticketh fast; then when the lion seéth the 
Unicorn fastened by the horn, without all danger he falleth 
upon him and killeth him. These things are reported by 
the King of Ethiopia in an Hebrew epistle unto the Bishop 
of Kome. [Topsell describes the way of catching the 
Unicorn given in the quotation above from Bartholomew, 
and adds: ‘Concerning this opinion we have no elder 
authority than Tzetzes, who did not live above five hundred 
years ago, and therefore I leave the Reader to the freedom 
of his own judgement to believe or refuse this relation.” ] 
Rich men do usually cast little pieces of this horn in their 
drinking-cups, either for the prevention or curing of some 
certain disease. It being cast in wine doth boil. [He 
avers that spurious Unicorn’s horn, made of ivory, was sold 
by apothecaries and‘ others.] The price of that which is. 
true is reported at this day to be of no less value than 
gold. For experience of the Unicorn’s horn, to know 
whether it be right or not,—put silk upon a burning coal, 
