The Preface. 
pull fometimes, mofl when they make an acute angle with the Belly 5 yet the 
greateU flrefs ufually lies upon the hinder 5 thefe being as the Centre of 
Gravity, and the Load, aud B- .J, of the Horje, the two Counter Weights. 
And when he Goes without Drawing, his fore Feet only fupport him ^ but 
his hinder, ferve alfo as heavers to carry him on. And therefore when he 
walks ; he always moves his hinder Foot firjl. 
Together with Juch Notes as thefe, arifing from the Defcription of the 
outward Parts 5 how largely and ufefully might that of the Inner ? his Gene- 
ration, Breeding and the like, be alfo in^ifled on. And fo the like of other 
Animals. Whereby a better Hijiory of them might be written in five years \ 
than hath hitherto been done in two Thoufand. 
As for the Figures, I have given only thofe of fuch particulars, as are 
omitted by others. Saving one or two, found in fome Authors lef known, 
or common. Nor any, but what is alfo defcrib'd : which makes any further 
Explication of thefe needle f, besides what the Reader will find next before 
them. 
After the Defcriptions 5 inflead of medling with Myjiick^, Mythological 
or Hicroglyphick matters , or relating Stories of Men who were great Ri- 
ders, or Women that were bold and feared not Horfes , as Jome others 
have done : I thought it much more proper, To remarque fome of the ZJfes 
and Reafons of Things. Where alfo for the fake of the Englifj Reader, I 
have undergone the tranferibing fome particulars. More I could have done 9 
with left trouble. Thefe I hope will compenfate the room, they take up. 
Anion gil Medicines, I have thought ft to mention tie Virtues of divers 
Exoticks. Becaufc the greatefl Rarity, if once experienced to be of good 
ujky will foon become common. The Jefuites Barque, of which, no Man 
yet hath well defcrib'd the Tree, and very few know precifely where it grows 3 
yet what great quantity, doth the much uflc of it bring over to us ? Unicorns 
Horns, upon the like motive of Trade, would be as plentiful as Elephants 
Teeth. 
I have made the Quotations, not to prove things well kpown, to be true 5 
as one * (and he too defervedly cflecmed for his great Diligence and Curio- *Aldrovznd 
fliy ) who very formally quotes Ariftotie, to prove a Sheep to be among ft the 
Birulca: Ovem, ("inquit) ex genere effe Bifulcorum, non fclum «W4<* 
ipfa loquitur, fed Ariftoteles etiam fcripto publicavit , inquiens } as if 
Ariftotie, muft be brought to prove a Man hath ten Toes. But partly, To 
be my Warrant, in matters lefs credible. Partly, to give the Authors, that 
which is their due : not at all liking the Malignant-way of fome, who never 
mention any, but to confute him. Tet withal/, To reUife his Mi flakes 
where I found them. And to mind the Reader, Not to perufe the mofl Ho- 
fiefl, or Learned Author, without fome caution. 
A 
