se teeth, the
tongue, the great hanging eares, the bigge and long snout or troonke, with
all the flesh, braines, and skinne, with all other parts belonging to the
whole head, in my iudgement it could weigh litle lesse then fiue hundred
weight. [Sidenote: Sir Andrew Iudde. The contemplation of Gods works.] This
head diuers haue seene in the house of the worthy marchant sir Andrew
Iudde, where also I saw it, and beheld it, not only with my bodily eyes,
but much more with the eye of my mind and spirit, considering by the worke,
the cunning and wisedome of the workemaister: without which consideration,
the sight of such strange and wonderfull things may rather seeme
curiosities, then profitable contemplations.

[Sidenote: The decription and properties of the Elephant.] The Elephant
(which some call an Oliphant) is the biggest of all foure footed beasts,
his forelegs are longer then his hinder, he hath ancles in the lower part
of his hinder legges, and fiue toes on his feete vndiuided, his snout or
tronke is so long, and in such forme, that it is to him in the stead of a
hand: for he neither eateth nor drinketh but by bringing his tronke to his
mouth, therewith he helpeth vp his Master or keeper, therewith he
ouerthroweth trees. Beside his two great tusks, he hath on euery side of
his mouth foure teeth, wherewith he eateth and grindeth his meate: either
of these teeth are almost a span in length, as they grow along in the iaw,
and are about two inches in height, and almost as much in thicknesse. The
tuskes of the male are greater then of the female: his tongue is very
litle, and so farre in his mouth, that it cannot be seene: of all beastes
they are most gentle and tractable, for by many sundry wayes they are
taught, and doe vnderstand: insomuch that they learne to doe due honor to a
king, and are quick sense and sharpenesse of wit. When the male hath once
seasoned the female, he neuer after toucheth her. The male Elephant liueth
two hundreth yeeres, or at the least one hundred and twentie: the female
almost as long, but the floure of their age is but threescore yeres, as
some write. They cannot suffer winter or cold: they loue riuers, and will
often go into them vp to the snout, wherewith they blow and snuffe, and
play in the water: but swimme they cannot, for the weight of their bodies.
Plinie and Soline write, that they vse none adulterie. If they happen to
meete with a man in wildernesse being out of the way, gently they w