_Abrahamus_
_Flemingus._
To the well disposed Reader.
As euery manifest effect proceedeth frõ som certain cause, so the
penning of this present abridgement (gentle and courteous reader) issued
from a speciall occasion. For Conradus Gesnerus, a man whiles he liued,
of incomparable knowledge, and manyfold experience, being neuer
satisfied with the sweete sappe of vnderstanding, requested _Iohannes
Caius_ a profound clarke and a rauennous deuourer of learning (to his
praise be it spoke though the language be somewhat homely) to write a
breuiary or short treatise of such dogges as were ingendred within the
borders of England: To the contentation of whose minde and the vtter
accomplishement of whose desire, _Caius_ spared no study, (for the
acquaintance which was betweene them, as it was confirmed by
continuaunce, and established vpon vnfainednes, so was it sealed with
vertue and honesty) withdrew himself from no labour, repined at no
paines, forsooke no trauaile, refused no indeuour, finally pretermitted
no opportunity or circumstaunce which seemed pertinent and requisite to
the performance of this litle libell. In the whole discourse wherof, the
booke, to consider the substaunce, being but a pamphlet or skantling,
the argument not so fyne and affected, and yet the doctrine very
profitable and necessarye, he vseth such a smoothe and comely style, and
tyeth his inuention to such methodicall and orderly proceedings, as the
elegantnes and neatnesse of his Latine phrase, (being pure, perfect,
and vn mingled) maketh the matter which of it selfe is very base and
clubbishe, to appeare (shall I say tollerable) nay rather commendable
and effectuall. The sundry sortes of Englishe dogges he discouereth so
euidently, their natures he rippeth vp so apparantly, their manners he
openeth so manifestly, their qualities he declareth so skilfully, their
proportions he painteth out so perfectly, their colours he describeth so
artificially, and knytteth all these in such shortnesse and breuity,
that the mouth of th'aduersary must needes confesse & giue sentence that
commendation ought to bee his rewarde, and praise his deserued pension.
An ignoraunt man woulde neuer have beene drawne into this opinion, to
thincke that there had bene in England such variety & choice of dogges,
in all respectes (not onely for name but also for qualitie) so diuerse
and vnlike: But what cannot learning attaine? what cannot the kay of
knowledge open? what cannot the lampe of vnderstanding lighten? what
secretes cannot discretion detect? finally what cannot experience
comprehend? what huge heapes of histories hath _Gesnerus_ hourded vp in
volumes of a large syze? Fishes in floudes, Cattell on lande, Byrdes in
the ayre, how hath he sifted them by their naturall differences?
how closely and in how narrow a compasse hath he couched mighty and
monstruous beasts, in bygnesse lyke mountaines, the bookes themselues
being lesser then Molehilles. The lyfe of this man was not so great a
restority of comfort, as his death was an vlcer or wound of sorrow:
the losse of whom _Caius_ lamented, not so much as he was his faithfull
friende, as for that he was a famous Philosopher, and yet the former
reason (being, in very deede, vehement and forceable) did stinge him
with more griefe, then he peraduenture was willing to disclose. And
though death be counted terrible for the time, and consequently vnhappy,
yet _Caius_ aduoucheth the death of _Gesner_ most blessed, luckie, and
fortunate, as in his Booke intituled _De libris proprijs_ appeareth. But
of these two Eagles sufficient is spoken as I suppose, and yet litle
enough in consideration of their dignitie and worthines. Neurthelesse
litle or mickle, something or nothing, substaunce or shadow take all in
good part, my meaning is by a fewe wordes to wynne credit to this worke,
not so much for mine owne Englishe Translation as for the singuler
commendation of them, challenged of dutie and desart. Wherefore gentle
Reader I commit them to thy memorie, and their bookes to thy courteous
censure. They were both learned men, and painefull practitioners in
their professions, so much the more therfore are their workes worthy
estimation, I would it were in me to aduaunce them as I wishe, the worst
(and yet both, no doubt, excellent) hath deserued a monument of
immortality. Well there is no more to be added but this, that as the
translatiõ of this booke was attempted, finished, and published of
goodwill (not onely to minister pleasure, as to affoord profit) so it is
my desire and request that my labour therin employed may be acceptable,
as I hope it shalbe to men of indifferent Judgement. As for such as
shall snarr and snatch at the Englishe abridgement, and teare the
Translatour, being absent, with the teeth of spightfull enuye, I
conclude in breuity there eloquence is but currishe, if I serue in their
meate with wrong sawce, ascribe it not to vnskilfulnesse in coquery, but
to ignoraunce in their diet, for as the Poet sayeth
_Non satis est ars sola coquo, seruire palato:_
_Nanque coquus dontini debet habere gulam:_
It is not enough that a cooke vnderstand,
Except his Lordes stomack he holde in his hand.
To winde vp all in a watcheworde I saye no more, But doe well, and
Farewell,
His and his Friendes,
Abraham
Fleming.
The first Section of this
_discourse_.
¶ The Preamble or entraunce, into
this treatise.
I wrote vnto you (well beloued friende _Gesner_) not many yeares past, a
manifolde historie, contayning the diuers formes and figures of Beastes,
Byrdes, and Fyshes, the sundry shapes of plantes, and the fashions of
Hearbes, &c.
I wrote moreouer, vnto you seuerally, a certayne abridgement of Dogges,
which in your discourse vpon the fourmes of Beastes in the seconde order
of mylde and tameable Beastes, where you make mencion of Scottishe
Dogges, and in the wynding vp of your Letter written and directed to
Doctour _Turner_, comprehending a Catalogue or rehersall of your bookes
not yet extant, you promised to set forth in print, and openly to
publishe in the face of the worlde among such your workes as are not yet
come abroade to lyght and sight. But, because certaine circumstaunces
were wanting in my breuiary of Englishe Dogges (as seemed vnto mee) I
stayed the publication of the same, making promise to sende another
abroade, which myght be commytted to the handes, the eyes, the eares,
the mindes, and the iudgements of the Readers. Wherefore that I myght
perfourme that preciselye, which I promised solempnly, accomplishe my
determination, and satisfy your expectacion: which art a man desirous
and (2) capeable of all kinde of knowledge, and very earnest to be
acquaincted with all experimentes: I wyll expresse and declare in due
order, the grand and generall kinde of Englishe Dogges, the difference
of them, the vse, the propertyes, and the diuerse natures of the same,
making a tripartite diuision in this sort and maner.
All Englishe Dogges be eyther of,
{ A gentle kinde, seruing the game.
{ A homely kind, apt for sundry necessary vses.
{ A currishe kinde, meete for many toyes.
Of these three sortes or kindes so meane I to entreate, that the first
in the first place, the last in the last roome, and the myddle sort in
the middle seate be handled. I cal th[em] vniuersally all by the name of
English dogges, as well because England only, as it hath in it English
dogs, so it is not without Scottishe, as also for that wee are more
inclined and delighted with the noble game of hunting, for we Englishmen
are adicted and giuen to that exercise, & painefull pastime of pleasure,
as well for the plenty of fleshe which our Parkes and Forrests doe
foster, as also for the oportunitie and conuenient leasure which we
obtaine, both which, the Scottes want. Wherfore seeing that the whole
estate of kindly hunting consisteth principally,
In these two pointes,
{ In chasing the beast } that is in { hunting }
{ In taking the byrde } { fowleing }
It is necessary and requisite to vnderstand, that there are two sortes
of Dogges by whose meanes, the feates within specifyed are wrought,
and these practyses of actiuitie cunningly and curiously compassed,