rlihies Naturall Hiftorie* %jp 



A fhcllsj hcc givcth a ccrtaine fliadow to the reft of hisfeathcrSj which feeme the brighter veheri 

 they be a little i'hado\^ed : and witball he fetteth all thbfe eyes of his feathers togither in a rank, 

 and gathereth theiti rdundjknowing full Tvelljthat he is the more looked on for them , and thcriii 

 hetaketh no fmall joy andpleafurc.On the other fide, when he hath loft this taile (which ufually 

 he moulteth everic yeere when trees fhed their leaves) untill ftich time that trees blolTomc new 

 and his taile be growne againc, he hath no delight to come abroad, but as if hcc were aftiamed 

 or mourned, feeketh cornets to hide himfelfe in. The PeacOGke ordinarily liveth 25 ycercs . Ac 

 threeycersof agchc bcginneih to putforth that varietie of feoloursinl^iis feathers. AutKbrs who 

 have Written of him/ay that he is not onely a proud and vainglorious creature, but alio as ma- 

 licious and fpightfull^ as the Goofc is bafhfullandmodeft rforfo have fome of them obferved 



B thcfc properties and qualities in thefe birds. But I for my part like not to make fuch fimilitudes^ 

 ' The firft that killed Peacockes for to be ferved up as a difh at the table, was Hortctjftus th at 

 grcatOratour, inhisfolemne feaft which he made when he was coniecrated high Pricft. And 

 CM,Aufidm Lurcd devifed firft to feed them fat : by which invention of hisjhe might difpcnd by 

 yecrcly revenue * 6qo 'oo Scfterces. And this was about the time of the laft Pirats warre, * 4<58 m y fh. 



Chap. xxi. 



^ Of tochs } honf tky he tut and made Capm. Alfo 6f a dufighill-cock thitf^ake, 



N Ext to Peacocks, thefe birds about our houfc which are outferitinels by night,and whom 

 Nature hath created to breakcmenof their fleepe, to awaken and call them Up to thek 

 worke, have alfo a fenfc and undctftanding of glorie: they love (I fay) to be praiicd, and 

 are proud in their kind. Moreover, they are Aftronomers, and know the c'ourfe of the ftarrcsj 

 they devide the day by their crowing, from three houres to three houres : when the funne goeih 

 to reft, they go to r ooft : and like fcntinels that keepe the reliefe of the fourth watch in the camp j 

 they call aien up to their carefull labour and travaile : they will not fuffer the flinne to rife and 

 ftealeuponus, but they give us warning beforehand : by their crowing^ they tell us that the day 

 iscomming:and they foretell their crowing likewife, by clapping their fides with their wings. 

 They are commaunders and rulers of their owne kind, be they Hens, or other Cocks; and m 

 what houfefoever they be,they will be mafters and kings over them. This fbvcraigntie is gotten 

 D by plaine fight one with anochcrias if they knew,that naturally they had fpur5?(as weapons)given 

 them about their heeles, to trie the quarreil : and many times the combat is fo fliaipe and hot j 

 that they kill one another ere they give over. But if one of them happen to be cotiqueror,prc. 

 fently upon viftoric hee crovveth,and himleife foundcih ihQ triumph. Hee that is beaten,makes 

 no words,nor croweth at all, but hidcth his head in filence ; and ye t nevertheles it goerh againft 

 his ftomack to yecld the gantlet and give the buckicrsrhardly can he brook to be under another . 

 And not only thefe cocks of game, but the very common fort of the dunghill, arc as proud and 

 high minded ; yc iliall fee them to march ft atcly, carrying their neck bolt upright, with a combe 

 on their head like the creft of afouldiers helmec.Andtheieisnotabird befidcs himfelfe, that fo 

 often looketh aloft to the fun and the skie; and then up goeth the taile wi'thall, which he beareth 

 E on high,turningbackward again on the top like a hook.'^And hereupon it is,that marching thus > 

 proudly as they doe^the very Lions (which of all wild beafts be moft courageous) ftand in fearc 

 , and awe of them.a nd will not abide the fight of them. 



Now of thefe Cocks, fome of them araimade for nothing els but War and fighting, and never 

 are they well but in quarrels, brawls,andfraies 5 and thefe be cocks of the kind : and the countries , 

 from whence they come,arc grown into name and be much renowmed for their breed:as name-/ ' i ' 

 ly,Rhodusand Tenagra,in the firft and higheft dcgrec.In a fccond rankc and place, be f iiofe of 

 Melos and Chalcis. Vnto thefe birds (for their worth and dignitiejthe purple robe at Romc,and 

 iill magiftrates of ftate,difdaine not to give honour .Thefe be they that by their tripudmm foli/It- 

 mnm^ [/ahcirheartie feeding] obferved by the pullitiers, fhew goodfucce^. Thelertile our 

 F great rulers every day : and there is not a mightie L. & ftate of Rome,that dare open or fhut the 

 dore of his houfe,bsfore he knowcth the good pleafure of thefe fouls :and that which more is,the 

 foveraignemagiftratc inhisn»ajeftieof theRomaneEmpire,withthcregallenfigiisofrodsand 

 a3^es caricd before him, neither fetteth forward nor reculeth backc,without direction from thcle 

 biids i they give brdcr to whole armies to advance forth to battcll:they again command them to 



Bbij ftay 



