Graduated Response?

Image source: http://i40.tinypic.com/n1exw3.jpg, from http://monsterbrains.blogspot.com/2009_03_22_archive.html
It was sourced by the author of the webpage from Folger Shakespeare Library at http://www.folger.edu.
As far as I can tell it comes from The history of four-footed beasts and serpents by Edward Topsell, printed by E. Cotes for G. Sawbridge, T. Williams and T. Johnson in London in 1658.