ould write the circumstances, that is, how he
took his advantage being let loose unto them, and finally drave them into
such exceeding fear, that they were all glad to run away when he was taken
from them, I should take much pains, and yet reap but small credit:
wherefore it shall suffice to have said thus much thereof. Some of our
mastiffs will rage only in the night, some are to be tied up both day and
night. Such also as are suffered to go loose about the house and yard are
so gentle in the daytime that children may ride on their backs and play
with them at their pleasures. Divers of them likewise are of such jealousy
over their master and whosoever of his household, that if a stranger do
embrace or touch any of them, they will fall fiercely upon them, unto
their extreme mischief if their fury be not prevented. Such a one was the
dog of Nichomedes, king sometime of Bithynia, who seeing Consigne the
queen to embrace and kiss her husband as they walked together in a garden,
did tear her all to pieces, maugre his resistance and the present aid of
such as attended on them. Some of them moreover will suffer a stranger to
come in and walk about the house or yard where he listeth, without giving
over to follow him: but if he put forth his hand to touch anything, then
will they fly upon them and kill them if they may. I had one myself once,
which would not suffer any man to bring in his weapon further than my
gate: neither those that were of my house to be touched in his presence.
Or if I had beaten any of my children, he would gently have essayed to
catch the rod in his teeth and take it out of my hand or else pluck down
their clothes to save them from the stripes: which in my opinion is not
unworthy to be noted.

The last sort of dogs consisteth of the currish kind meet for many toys,
of which the whappet or prick-eared cur is one. Some men call them
warners, because they are good for nothing else but to bark and give
warning when anybody doth stir or lie in wait about the house in the night
season. Certes it is impossible to describe these curs in any order,
because they have no one kind proper unto themselves, but are a confused
company mixed of all the rest. The second sort of them are called
turnspits, whose office is not unknown to any. And as these are only
reserved for this purpose, so in many places our mastiffs (beside the use
which tinkers have of them in carrying their heavy budgets) are made to
draw water in gre