AMongst all the Wonderful and Prodigious Creatures that have been seen in this Kingdom of England , since the Age of Man , none so strange , nor so great as an Elephant , and which is more , it cometh nearest in wit and capacity , to man , as Pliny saith ; for they understand the Language of that Country wherein they are bred : they do whatsoever they are commanded , they remember what duty they are taught , and withal take delight both in love and glory : Nay , more then all this , they embrace goodness , honesty , prudence , and equity , ( rare qualities to be found in men ) and withal have in Religion , reverence , ( with a kind of Devotion ) not onely the Stars and planets , but the Sun and Moon they also worship . And some writers report thus much of them , that when the New Moon beg●neth to appear bright , they come down to a certain River named Amelus , in the Desarts and Forrests of Mauritania , where after they are washed , and dashed themselves all over with the water , and have saluted and adored , after their manner that planet , they return again into the woods , carrying before them their young Calves , that be wearied and tired . Moreover ▪ they are thought to have a sense of Religion and Conscience in others ; for when they are to pass the Seas into another Countrey , they will not Embarque before they be induced thereunto by an Oath of their Governours , that they shall return again ; and seeing there have been divers of them , being infeebled by sickness ( for as big as they be , subject they are to grievous Malladies ) to lie upon their backs , casting and flinging Herbs up towards Heaven , as if they had procured and set the Earth to pray for them . Now for their Docility and aptness to learn any thing , the King they adore they kneel before him , and offer unto him Garlands and Chaplets of Flowers , and green Herbs . The lesser sort of them , which they call Bastards , serve the Indians in good stead to plow their Ground .

They breed in that part of Africk which lyeth beyond the Deserts of Syrtes : also in Maurita●ia , they are found also amongst the Aethiopians and Troglodites , but India bringeth forth the biggest : as also the Dragons that are continually at variance with them , and evermore fighting , and those of such greatness that they can easily clasp and wind round about the Elephants , and withal , tye them fast with a Knot . In this Conflict they dye , both the one and the other : the Elephant falls down dead as conquered , and with his heavy weight crusheth and Squeeezeth the Dragon that is wound and wreathed about him .

In India , from whence this Elephant came , they take them in this manner : The Governour driveth one of them that are tame , into the Chase and Forrests , and when he can meet with one of them alone , or single him from the Herd , he beateth the wild beast till he hath made him weary , and then he mounteth upon him , and ruleth him as well as the other .

In Africk they catch them in great ditches , which they make for that purpose , unto which if one of them chance to fall , and cannot get out ; so soon as he is seen by other Elephants , they imediately come to succour him , they bring all the boughs they can get , and put them into the Ditch , then rowl down blocks and stones , and any thing that will serve to raise a banck , then strive all they can to pluck him out .

The manner of taming ( as furious and raging mad as they be sometimes ] is with hunger and stripes ; but men must have the help of other Elephants that are tame already , to restrain the unruly Beast with strong Chains , In the Indian and African Wars they served to carry Castles with armed Men on their backs , to enter the Squadrons and battalions of the Enemies , and for the most part , all the service in the Wars of the East , was performed by them , they broke the ranks , bore down armed men that were in their way , and stamped them under foot . These terrible beasts [ as outragious as they seem ) are frighted with the least grunting of a Swine .

They breed but once in all their l●fe time , and go two years with young , yet bring forth but one neither ; also they Live commonly by course of Natu●e 200 years , some of them 300. Their youthful time and strength of age beginneth when they be sixty years old , but this which is brought over into England is said to be but seven .

The Truncks and bodies of Trees is the best meat they have , and therein take most delight . They chew and eat their Meat with their mouth , but they breath , drink , and smell with their Trunck , which is not improperly called their hand . Of all other living creatures they cannot abide a Mouse or a Rat , and if they perceive their provinder lying in the Manger tast or scent never so little of them , they refuse it , and will not touch it . They are mightily tormented with pain , if they chance in their Drinking to swallow down an Horse-Leech , for as soon as the horse-Leech hath settled fast in his Wind-Pipe it putteth him to intollerable pains ; their skin or their backs is most tough and hard , but the flesh soft and tender , covered their skin is neither with hair nor brisle , no not so much as in their tail , which might serve them in good stead to drive away their troublesome flyes . Their skin is full of cross wrinckles , and besides that , the smell thereof is able to draw such vermine to it ; and therefore when they are laid stretched along , and perceive the flyes settle in swarms on their skins , suddenly th●y draw such cranies together close , and so crush them all to Death : their teeth bear a very high price , and were reckoned very commendable by the Heathens , to make the Stautes and Images of their Gods ; but the greatest use that we make of them here , is to make Combs , as we may see here at most Comb-makers doors in London .

Now having given you an account of their understanding , how they breed , the manner of taking and taming of them , I will now inform you of one lately brought over into England , and give you a full Description of it , as thus : This Elephant is of a Dun colour , the body of it [ though but young ) is bigger then the bodies of two horses , a strange , wonderful , and mighty large head , with a Trunk or Nostril extending a yard downwards , Eyes but ordinary , Ears like a Blood-Hound , hanging down , Legs as big or bigger than an ordinary mans body , and feet proportionable , &c. But this being not above seven years old , is not grown the sixth part to what it will be about sixty years hence , if it live so long .

If any persons are desirous to see this wonder of Beasts , let them repair to the Rising-Star in St. Johns-Court , neer Clerkenwell-green , where they may have true information , where they may see it , it being kept neer it .