By the Renaissance, writers urged people to defend themselves with axes – presumably whilst avoiding the creature’s gaze. After all, the basilisk was an embodiment of evil. If you do encounter a basilisk but don’t have a handy weasel to lob at it, medieval writers professed the power of prayer. An image of a basilisk held by the Bodleian Library shows the weasel being decidedly more aggressive and considerably larger that your average weasel. The weasel in this particular image from The British Library seems to be having a staring competition with the basilisk which has a resplendently serpentine tail attached to the body of a cockerel. Apparently, according to Pliny, who described the basilisk has having a deadly effect on everything in its vicinity including the vegetation, the weasel would become a fatality but the basilisk would succumb to the weasel’s smell. In the event of coming across a basilisk the advice is to throw a weasel down its hole or burrow. The Venerable Bede attested to the basilisk and Geoffrey Chaucer made mention of them. Pliny the Elder described basilisks killing with a single stare, being venomous and breathing fire.
As with most things scientific the medieval world took their cue from the Greeks. These creatures were allegedly hatched from the egg of a toad which had been incubated by a cockerel. It’s the beginning of December and I’m starting the annual advent count down to Christmas with a fabled creature from medieval bestiaries that gained more recent recognition thanks to a certain boy wizard. Matthew Paris and Henry III’s elephant Richard Cassidy and Michael ClasbyĪ basilisk in a 13th-century manuscript, with one of its human victims, while being confronted by a weasel: Royal MS 12 C XIX, f. The Aberdeen Bestiary – elephant and dragon in combat. Apparently dragons were fond of baby elephants …as a light snack and elephants were also afraid of mice. The writers of bestiaries listening to tales from travellers convinced themselves that elephants lacked knee joints and that if they fell over they couldn’t get up again. Meanwhile monastic writers described the elephant as a symbol of Christ and hope of redemption. As Louis gave Henry the elephant whilst in France it was Henry who had to transport the beast home – it gave the Sheriff of Dover a bit of a problem as Henry delegated the task,
The elephant was sent to France, et voila.In 1254, Henry III who was in Gascony at the time met up with Louis and the elephant was hastily passed on. Louis was presented with the elephant as part of peace negotiations. It arrived in 1255 but was deadly 1257.Īpparently the elephant arrived at its destination having been traded during the Crusades. The poor elephant did not survive long in medieval London. Inevitably it was packed off to the Tower where Matthew Paris saw and drew it. Anyway, King Louis IX of France gave Henry III, his brother-in-law, an African elephant – as you do. It’s neither medieval nor an elephant but Cardinal Wolsey owned a pet cat. Matthew Paris, British Library (CCCC MS 16, f. It even turns up as graffiti (Carlisle Castle).
Richard’s boar turns up on his standard, as supporters in the York Minster, as a badge and on livery collars.
It has even been suggested that Richard chose this symbol when he was little more than a child based on the carvings at St Mary and All Saints at Fotheringhay.Ī quick search of the Internet reveals plenty of white boar related posts – so I’ll keep this one short. Richard’s wife, Anne Neville, used a white boar as well but her livery badge was chained and muzzled and was in fact associated with the earldom of Warwick. It is often suggested that it was a play on Ebor or York. It’s not entirely certain why Richard used a boar by preference. Yup – tonight its the turn of the white boar which was used by Richard, Duke of Gloucester who ascended the throne as King Richard III. Charges are depicted on the shield and a sigil is the symbol that appears on a seal. Supporters usually appear in pairs holding a shield up. I’m changing tack slightly this evening having skipped through bestiaries and peered into menageries it’s now time to take a look at medieval royal animals in heraldic terms.