The Eagle-stone . 
233 
“ She brings her birds being yong into the aire, 
And sets them for to looke on Phoebus light, 
But if their eyes with gazing chance to water, 
Those she accounteth bastards, leaves them quight, 
But those that have true perfect constant eyes, 
She cherisheth, the rest she doth despise/ 5 
(Love’s Martyr , p. 118.) 
Prince Edward , in 3 Henry VL (ii. 1, 91), is appealed 
to by his brother Bichard to prove in like fashion his 
royalty :•—• 
“ Nay, if thou be that princely eagle’s bird, 
Show thy descent by gazing ’gainst the sun. 35 
Spenser refers to the notion that the eagle by bathing 
could renew its youth 
“ An eagle, fresh out of the ocean wave, 
Where he hath left his plumes all hory gray, 
And deckt himselfe with fethers youthful gay, 
Like eyas-hauke up mounts unto the skies, 
His newly-budded pineons to assay, 
And marveiles at himselfe, stil as he flies.” 
(Faerie Queene, I. si. 35.) 
In the English translation of the Bible a similar 
expression occurs: “Thy youth is renewed like the eagleY 5 
(Psalm ciii. 5). 
The eagle was evidently a favourite with Lyly, the 
Euphuist, who has perpetuated some curious classical lore 
concerning its habits. He- writes, “'The princely eagle, 
who fearing to surfet on spices, stoopeth to bite on worm¬ 
wood ” (Sappho and Phaon). “ The eagle is never stricken 
with thunder, nor the olive with lightning 55 (Galathea). 
“ The eagles feathers consume the feathers of all others, 55 
and “ every feather of the eagle is of force to consume the 
beetle 55 (Euphues, p. 214). Lastly, he mentions “the 
precious stone, setites, which is found in the filthy neastes 
of the eagle 55 (Euphues, p. 240). This stone, setites, or 
eagle-stone, is a flint, which rattles on being shaken, 
