ndi mole
Britanni;" also by Nemesianus, libro Cynegeticon, where he saith:
"Divisa Britannia mittit Veloces nostrique orbis venatibus aptos," of
which sort also some be smooth, of sundry colours, and some
shake-haired: the sixth a liemer, that excelleth in smelling and
swift-running: the seventh a tumbler: and the eighth a thief whose
offices (I mean of the latter two) incline only to deceit, wherein
they are oft so skilful that few men would think so mischievous a wit
to remain in such silly creatures. Having made this enumeration of
dogs which are apt for the chase and hunting, he cometh next to such
as serve the falcons in their time, whereof he maketh also two sorts.
One that findeth his game on the land, another that putteth up such
fowl as keepeth in the water: and of these this is commonly most usual
for the net or train, the other for the hawk, as he doth shew at
large. Of the first he saith that they have no peculiar names assigned
to them severally, but each of them is called after the bird which by
natural appointment he is alloted to hunt or serve, for which
consideration some be named dogs for the pheasant, some for the
falcon, and some for the partridge. Howbeit the common name for all is
spaniel (saith he), and thereupon alluded as if these kinds of dogs
had been brought hither out of Spain. In like sort we have of water
spaniels in their kind. The third sort of dogs of the gentle kind is
the spaniel gentle, or comforter, or (as the common term is) the
fistinghound, and those are called Melitei, of the Island Malta, from
whence they were brought hither. These are little and pretty, proper
and fine, and sought out far and near to falsify the nice delicacy of
dainty dames, and wanton women's wills, instruments of folly to play
and dally withal, in trifling away the treasure of time, to withdraw
their minds from more commendable exercises, and to content their
corrupt concupiscences with vain disport--a silly poor shift to shun
their irksome idleness. The Sybaritical puppies the smaller they be
(and thereto if they have a hole in the fore parts of their heads) the
better they are accepted, the more pleasure also they provoke, as meet
playfellows for mincing mistresses to bear in their bosoms, to keep
company withal in their chambers, to succour with sleep in bed, and
nourish with meat at board, to lie in their laps, and lick their lips
as they lie (like young Dianas) in their waggons and coaches. And good
re