Sceptics refuted . 455 
kinds of animals which are described as having a single 
horn, he adds:— 
“ Now our discourse of the unicorne is of none of these beasts, for 
there is not any vertue attributed to their homes, and therefore the 
vulgar sort of infidell people which scarcely beleeve any hearbe but 
such as they see in their owne gardens, or any beast but such as is in 
their own flocks, or any knowledge but such as is bred in their owne 
braines, or any birds which are not hatched in their owne nests, have 
never made question of these, but of the true unicorne, whereof there 
were more proofes in the world, because of the noblenesse of his horn, 
they have ever bin in doubt: by which distraction, it appeareth unto 
me that there is some secret enemy in the inward degenerate nature 
of man, which continually blindeth the eies of God his people from 
beholding and beleeving the greatnesse of God his workes. But to the 
purpose that there is such a beast, the Scripture it selfe witnesseth, 
for David thus speaketh in the 92. Psalme: Et erigetur cornu> 
meum tanquam monocerotis. That is, My home shall bee lifted up 
like the home of a unicorn; whereupon all divines that ever wrote 
have not onely collected that there is a unicorne, that as the home of 
the unicorne is wholesome to all beasts and creatures so should the 
kingdome of David be in the generation of Christ; and do we think 
that David would compare the vertue of his kingdom, and the power¬ 
ful redemption of the world unto a thing that is not, or is uncertain 
or fantastical, God forbid that ever • any man should so despight the 
Holy Ghost.” (Page 712.) 
The Rev. Mr. Topsell is here so angry that he is 
rather incoherent. The following minute description of 
the unicorn by an eye-witness may serve to justify this 
author’s indignation:— 
“ On the other part of the temple [of Mecha] are parkes or places 
inclosed, where are seene two unicornes, named of the Greekes 
monocerotce , and are there shewed to the people for a miracle, and not 
without good reason, for the seldomeness and strange nature. The 
one of them, which is. much hygher then the other, yet not much 
unlike to a coolte of thyrtye moneths of age, in the forehead groweth 
only one home, in maner ryght foorth of the length of three cubites; 
the other is much younger, of the age of one yeere, and lyke a young 
colte; the home of this, is of the length of foure handfuls. This bea'st 
is of the coloure of a horse of weesell coloure, and hath the head lyke 
an hart, but no long necke, a thynne mane liangyng onlye on the one 
