Nevertheless the biting of the cockatrice is death to the weasel if the weasel eat not rue before.

And though the cockatrice be venomous without remedy while he is alive, yet he looseth all the malice when he is burnt to ashes.

His ashes be accounted profitable in working of alchemy, and namely in turning and changing of metals." Bartholomew also enlightens us on the animals of Egypt, and says, "If the crocodile findeth a man by the water's brim he slayeth him, and then he weepeth over him and swalloweth him." Naturally this good Franciscan naturalist devotes much thought to the "dragons" mentioned in Scripture.

He says: "The dragon is most greatest of all serpents, and oft he is drawn out of his den and riseth up into the air, and the air is moved by him, and also the sea swelleth against his venom, and he hath a crest, and reareth his tongue, and hath teeth like a saw, and hath strength, and not only in teeth but in tail, and grieveth with biting and with stinging.

Whom he findeth he slayeth.
Oft four or five of them fasten their tails together and rear up their heads, and sail over the sea to get good meat.