The Armed Rhinoceros . 
113 
“ the Abada, or Rhinoceros, is not in India, but only in Benegala and 
Patane. They are lesse and lower then the elephant. It hath a 
short home upon the nose, in the hinder part somewhat bigge, and 
toward the end sharper, of a browne, blew, and whitish colour; it 
hath a snout like a hog, and the skin upon the upper part of his body 
is all wrinckled, as it were armed with shields or targets. It is a great 
enemie of the elephant. Some thinke it is the right unicorne, because 
that as yet there hath no other beeue found, but onely by hear-say, and 
by the pictures of them. The Portugalls and those of Bengala affirme, 
that by the river Granges in the kingdome of Bengala, are many of 
these rhinocerots, which when they will drinke, the other beasts stand 
and waite upon them, till the rhinoceros hath drunke, and thrust 
their home into the water, for hee cannot drinke but his home must 
be under the water, because it standeth so close unto his nose, and 
muzzle: and then after him all the other beasts doe drinke. Their 
homes in India are much esteemed and used against all venome, 
poyson, and many other diseases.” ( Purchas , vol. iv. p. 1773.) 
Shakspeare has but one reference to this animal— 
“ The arm’d rhinoceros, or the Hyrcan tiger ” (Macbeth, 
in. 4). For the epithet armed he may have been indebted 
to the foregoing description. 
The Indian rhinoceros is a one-horned species, and is 
probably the original of the unicorn of the Greeks and 
Romans. It is, however, distinguished from that animal 
by Drayton:— 
“ The unicorn leaves off his pride and close 
There sets him down by the rhinoceros/’ 
(Noah’s Flood.') 
In a pageant written by Thomas Hey wood, on the 
occasion of the mayoralty of Sir Maurice Abbot, printed 
1638, the following account is given of this curious 
animal:— 
“ The second show by land is an Indian beast called a rhinoceros, 
which being presented to the life, is for the rarenesse thereof, more fit 
to beautifie a triumph. His head, necke, backe, sides, and thighes, 
armed by nature with impenetrable skales; his hide or skinne of the 
colour of the boxe tree ; in greatnesse equall with the elephant, but 
his legges are somewhat shorter; and enemy to all beasts of rapine 
I 
