Read on Twitter
A year ago I was in the Bodleian (sob!) reading John Blount's English translation of Nicholas Upton's 1447 De Studio Militari, which includes this wonderful description of cats: 1/4
Of the catt.
A cat ys a beeste that hyntyth myse, and she ys
quick of syght, seyng better in the nyght than
the Daye. Also she ys a beeste of oncertayn coloure:
nowe whyte, nowe blacke, nowe yellowe, nowe
pyde, nowe spekeld in body, face and fete. 2/4
A cat ys a beeste that hyntyth myse, and she ys
quick of syght, seyng better in the nyght than
the Daye. Also she ys a beeste of oncertayn coloure:
nowe whyte, nowe blacke, nowe yellowe, nowe
pyde, nowe spekeld in body, face and fete. 2/4
She haithe a longe tonge, very pliable, thin, and sottel,
wyth the wiche she lappyth in Drinking. She ys
a very wanton and nymble beeste: whe she ys
yonge Runnyng at euery thinge that wagged
ayenst her, and woll play wyth a strawe. 3/4
wyth the wiche she lappyth in Drinking. She ys
a very wanton and nymble beeste: whe she ys
yonge Runnyng at euery thinge that wagged
ayenst her, and woll play wyth a strawe. 3/4
She ys very sloggysshe in her Aege and slepy, butt
yet she huntyth At myse very warely, pourseuing
thym by smell Afore she seyth theym, and so
invadeth and catched theym, playeing wyth theym
firste when they haue caughte theym, but then
afterward deuoureth theym. 4/4
yet she huntyth At myse very warely, pourseuing
thym by smell Afore she seyth theym, and so
invadeth and catched theym, playeing wyth theym
firste when they haue caughte theym, but then
afterward deuoureth theym. 4/4
