Uncommonly wily

This time twelvemonth, a wild beast began to make its appearance in the south of France, especially in the Vivarais and Gevaudan, so uncommonly wily, as seldom to attack any but children, or women when he could meet them alone, and of such uncommon speed, as to be seen in the same day, in many and very distant places, so as to prevent people's travelling, and greatly obstruct all country business heretofore carried on by children or single persons.

Several parties of dragoons having been sent against him to no purpose, the king, in February last, offered a reward of six thousand livres for killing him; and even public prayers were put up in several churches to be delivered from this terrible animal, which the coming up of the corn now rendered it almost impossible to discover or pursue, without doing more damage than could be apprehended from the creature itself, whom several traps had been laid for to no purpose, and many of the dragoons, by dressing themselves in women's apparel, had in vain endeavoured to entice to a fair engagement.

Having once attacked seven boys, the eldest not eleven, and seized on one of them, the three eldest, by beating him with sticks armed at the end with iron, obliged him to part with his prey; but not till he had bit off part of the child's cheek, which he devoured in their presence. He then seized another of the children, but his companions pursued him to a marsh, where he sunk up to the belly, and they belaboured him so, that he let go the child, who, though under his paw, received but one wound in his arm and a scratch in his face. At length, a man coming up to their assistance, the animal thought proper to retreat. These children were rewarded by the king, and ordered to be provided for.

At last, after having devoured more than fifty women and children, he was, on the 20th of this month, discovered in the wood of Pommieres, by monsieur Antoine de Beauterme, a gentleman of a distant province, remarkable for his skill and boldness in hunting, and the goodness of his dogs, who had come of himself to the assistance of tne terrified country, and shot by him in the eye at the distance of about 50 paces. But, though the creature fell on receiving the wound, he soon recovered himself, and was making up to M. de Beauterme with great fury, when he was shot dead by the duke of Orleans's game-keeper, named Reinhard.

Several inhabitants of the Gevaudan, who had been attacked by him, having all declared him to be the same animal, which had caused  such terror and consternation in that country, M de Beauterme set out with the body for Versailles in order to present it to the king.

This animal was 32 inches high, 5 feet 7 1/2 inches long, 3 feet thick; and weighed 130lb. The surgeons, who dissected him, say, that he was more of the hyena than the wolf kind. He had forty teeth, whereas wolves have but twenty-six. The muscles of his neck were very strong; his sides so formed, that he could bend his head to his tail; his eyes sparkled so with fire, that it was hardly possible to bear his look; his tail was very large, broad, thick, and bristled with black hair; and his feet armed with claws, extremely strong and singular. When killed, he sent forth a very disagreeable stench. In his body, several sheep's bones were found.

The king ordered him to be embalmed, and stuffed with straw; and to remain in the custody of young monsieur de Beauterme.

The accounts received of this animal were for a long time considered by many persons in England as a mere allegory, contrived to represent the state of popery and protestantism in France.