of the terrier

John Caius (or Keyes, if his name were Anglicized) in 1576, in the course of detailing the many manner of English dogs:

Of the Dogge called Terrar, in Latine Terrarius.
Another sorte there is which hunteth the Foxe and the Badger or Greye onely, whom we call Terrars, because they (after the manner and custome of ferrets in searching for Connyes [rabbits]) creepe into the grounde, and by that meanes make afrayde, nyppe, and byte the Foxe and the Badger in such sort, that eyther they teare them in pieces with theyr teeth being in the bosome of the earth, or else hayle and pull them perforce out of their lurking angles, darke dongeons, and close caves, or at the least through conceved (?) feare, drive them out of their hollow harbours, in so much that they are compelled to prepare speedy flight, and being desirous of the next (albeit not the safest) refuge, are otherwise taken and intrapped with snares and nettes layde over holes to the same purpose.

Of Englishe dogges, the diversities, the names, the natures and the properties: a short treatise written in Latine and newly drawne into Englishe, John Caius (Reprinted from the original by M. G. Denlinger, 1576), p. 4. I'm fascinated by the phrase "make afrayde, nyppe, and byte." I think I have to get that into a conversation at work somehow.