which is in them surmounteth all beleefe, the fast holde which they take with their teeth exceedeth all credit, three of them against a Beare, fowre against a Lyon are sufficient, both to try masteryes with them and vtterly to ouermatch them. Which Henry the seuenth of that name, King of England (a Prince both politique & warlike) perceauing on a certaine time (as the report runneth) commaunded all such dogges (how many soeuer they were in number) should be hanged, beyng deepely displeased, and conceauing great disdaine that an yll faured rascall curre should with such violent villany, assault the valiaunt Lyon king of all beastes. An example for all subiects worthy remembraunce, to admonishe them that it is no aduantage to them to rebell against ye regiment of their ruler, but to keepe them within the limits of Loyaltie. I reede an history aunswerable to this of the selfe same Henry, who hauing a notable and an excellent fayre Falcon, it fortuned that the kings Falconers, in the presence and hearing of his grace, highly commended his Maiesties Falcon, saying that it feared not to intermeddle with an Eagle, it was so venturous a byrde and so mighty, which when the King harde, he charged that the Falcon should be killed without delay, for the selfe same reason (as it may seeme) which was rehersed in the cōclusion of the former history concerning the same king. This dogge is called, in like maner, Cathenarius, a Cathena, of the chaine wherwith he is tyed at the gates, in ye daytime, least beyng lose he should doe much mischiefe and yet might giue occasion of feare and terror by his bigge barcking. And albeit Cicero in his oration had Pro. S. Ross, be of this opinion, that such Dogges as barcke in the broade day light shoulde haue their legges broken, yet our countrymen, on this side the seas for their carelessnes of lyfe setting all at cinque and sice, are of a contrary iudgement. For theefes roge vp and down in euery corner, no place is free from them, no not ye prince's pallace, nor the country mans cotage. In the day time they practise pilfering, picking, open robbing, and priuy
