ALbeit Sathan since the creation of the world hath performed his tirannous raigne in most prouinces and places of the erth, with sundry subtilties and sophisticall sleights to draw vnto him an honour of the [Page] people, vnder a forme of diuers beastes & other creatures, yet it is affirmed both by sacred & prophane authority, that the soueraigne and omnipotent God hath giuen him more scoape and libertie of rage against his people, in two pla­ces, than in all the worlde besides, wherof the first was in the Oracle of Apollo (a place very famous by report of hy­stories) where he kept his schole & open shop of villanous crueltie, for the space of 1000. or 1200. yeares, drawing the people not only to fall downe & worship him, but also (ac­cording to his bloudy disposition) he toke vpon him to giue answer to their demaūds, with constraint for y^e most part, that afore he performed resolution of their questions, they should honour & perfume his house with incense and quick sacrifice of men, maydes, & sometimes the fathers became murderers of their simple and innocent children, such was the blindnesse of the people, and such the sleight of this sub­tile serpent to enchaunt and charme their vnderstanding: wherwith notwithstanding not satisfied, he kept a cōmon storehouse of filthy gaine & rauenous couetousnesse, & that vnder the pretence of religion, in such sorte, that the most parte of Kings & Monarches of the earth came to worship him in that place, enriching his temple with infinite trea­sures, and giftes of precious value, besides a number of stately Images formed of massiue Golde, the same so en­larging his territorie, that of a little caue or hollow vault, wherin he kept residence at the beginning, within a small time he raised it vp to a huge & proud Citie, wherein he so traffiqued and practised his abhominable trade with Pil­grimes and straungers that came from farre, setting such price of the pelfe wherwith he abused the simplicitie of the people, that (as Diodorus writeth) there was found at that time of his treasure aboue ten thousand talentes, amoun­ting (according to the order of our accompt) to six Millions of golde. And now touching the description of the scite or situation of the place where this monstrous enimie to [Page 2] the life of man, performed his oracles, it was a desert and traggie mountaine planted in Grecia, vpon the breache or tip of a high and hard Rocke (out of the which issued a sul­phur or strong breath) wherupon was hong on high a colde spirite or figure wauering as the winde, and the mouth of this infernal cell did bestride certaine graund paunches or big belied priests, cowring one close by an other, as though they would hatch yong frie like them selues, who recey­uing the aire or breath of the wind, and participating with the spirite and power of the diuell, became as men enra­ged and without sense, braying out answere to the people vpon their demaundes. Thys also gaue further cause of wonder, touching the place, that he was so carefully gar­ded by diuels, that no mortal man durst assaile eyther him or his treasure amassed from so many partes of the world, the same mouing cause of feare to Princes of the greatest power, and also to the mightie conquerour Xerxes, who notwithstanding being vpon his conquest of Greece, follo­wing his couetous inclination to enrich himselfe with the spoile of Sathan, attempted to pill his Temple, which as he was striuing to bring to passe, that parte of the Rocke where Sathan sate in his throne, vpon a sodaine ouerwhel­med and fell downe vpon his souldiers, the Elamente be­gan to open and cast forth flames of fire, with such terrible threates of thunder and lightning, that those which were vpon the mountayne fel downe, some schortched to death by the vehemencie of the fire, and some torne in pieces by other violence, that (as Trogus affirmeth) that assault was the bane of .iiij. thousand of his souldiers, which hapned not only to him, for that the Frenchmen vndertaking the like enterprise vnder the conducte of Brenus, who vowing to skale the mountaine and sacke the temple of Delphos ▪ was resisted with a horrible quaking of the earth, which so sha­ked and disordered the hil, that the greatest parte fel vpon his armie, and smotheryng who so euer was founde either [Page] vpon or vnder it, whervpon folowed such terrible motiōs in the Elament, with storms, tempests, wind & haile mixed with sulphure and fume of fatal fire, that the most part of the armie was consumed, & Brenus himself so sore woūded, that what with the anguish of his hurt, & impacience of his repulse, he sacrifised himselfe vpon the point of his sword. The other special place where Sathan kepes hys maiestie, vsurping vpon the people with a reuerence as to a God, is yet in being in Calycut, one of the most riche and famous cities of the Indyans, but after a more strange and hydeous fashion than in the Oracle of Apollo, for that there he was rather masqued than séene openly, where now (ielous be­like of the honor of his creator) he is séene and worshipped vnder the most terrible and mōstrous forme that euer we sée him drawne and painted in any place. And here he hath so surely seeled the eies of this miserable people of Calycut, that although they acknowledge God, yet do they worship and reuerence the Diuel with Sacrifice, incense, perfume and erection of Images, as if he were one of the Deitie in déede. And albeit all that Prouince, which is of great cir­cuite, together with their Kings & Rulers of the same, are resolued of the vnitie of one God, maker of heauen & erth, with other Elamentes and the whole World besides, yet Sathan the father and first founder of all vntruthes, hath so preuayled amongst them with such suttle and sinister per­suasions, that they beleue that God being weary to debate the causes and controuersies happening among men, hath committed vnto him the charge of iudgement vpon earth, the same inducing this pore and ignoraunt people to think that God hath sent downe that spirit of torment with po­wer to do iustice and reason to euery cause and question a­mongst them: they cal him by the name of Deumo, whose portraite the King kepes with gret deuotion in his Chap­pel, as a sanctuarie or holy relike, placed in a stately chaire with a Crowne vpon his head after the forme of a Méetre, [Page 3] with a garnish of foure hornes, foure huge téeth growing out of a monstrous mouth, a nose and eyes of the like pro­portion, his handes like to the pawes of an Ape, and feete fashioned like a Cock, whose forme (as you sée) is both fear­full and monstrous: so it agréeth with the furniture of the chapel wherin it is inclosed, being garnished with no other tables or pictures, than figures of litle diuels of the like re­garde. And yet is not this all: for their priests which they call Bramynes, haue expresse charge to wash this Idol with swéete water and odoriferous balmes: and then vpon the sounde of a bell to fall prostrate, and doe sacrifice: neither doth the King eate any meate which is not offered afore by iiij. of those Priests to the mouth of the Idoll, wherewyth not satisfied with this ambicious abuse and vsurpation of reuerence in the Oratorie of the King, is content (in more derogation of the honor of God) to suffer them to buylde him a stately Temple in the middest of an Ilande, formed after the auncient maner, with .ij. rowes of Pillers, like to S. Iohns Church in Rome, wherein is placed with greate ceremonie, a huge Altare of stone, vpon the which (by an ordinarie custome is offered the .xx. of December, beyng Christmasse day, yearely by al the Gentlemen and priests within .xxv. dayes iorney about, sacrifice and incense, with great assistance of al degrées of common people, who com­ming thyther to get pardon and remission of their sinnes, are first annoynted in the heade with a certaine oyle, and then (by commaundement of the Priests) they fal downe afore the sayd Image set in great pompe vpon the Aulter, whome hauing worshipped in this extreme deuotion, eue­ry man returnes to hys place of aboade: besides (duryng the time of these ceremonies, which lasteth .iij. dayes, there is frée libertie proclaimed thorowe all the lande, that all murderers and haynous offenders whatsoeuer, shal come with assurance to this general remission, the same making the assembly so gret, that (according to the witnesse of such [Page] as write of it) there are founde yearely during that time a­boue an hundreth thousand persons, whom this enimie to mankinde hath so enchaunted, with illusions, that they be­leue their sacrifice is done to God, & merites pardon at his hande, where in déede they honor the chiefe enimie to their own saluation: which ought to serue for exāple to such as participate with the light of God & his Gospel, to the ende they labour to make appeare their talent, and make a spe­ciall treasure of the grace wherwith he hath endued them, seing that the seruant which knoweth the wil of his Lord, and doth it not, standeth in more daunger of blame before God, than he that is ignorant of it. And now to preuent al doubtes and suspition in such as may thinke these won­derful discourses to be made in the aire, or matters of vain deuise aboue the sunne, I commende them to the authori­tie of Paulus Venetus, Ludouicus Patricius Romanus, and of Vartomanus, in their Chronicles of y^e Indyans, by whom is set out a more large description of those wonders, not as vnderstanded by others, or red in any author, but as thin­ges séene and assisted by themselues, and in their presence, assuring (for mine owne part) all such as shall peruse my translation, not to commend thorowout this whole boke, any thing which is not confirmed with sufficient credit by some notable author, eyther Gréeke or Latine, Sacred or Prophane. Some late writers affirme that this people of Calycut haue bene reduced of late yeares to our true Reli­gion, by the great and charitable trauaile of certaine Em­bassadours which the Kings of Portingall did sende to disco­uer those countreyes.

LEt vs a litle consider, Christians, how much this Oracle and wonder diuine is dif­fering from that going before: the one habi­table, the other decayed: the one loste, dys­poyled and sacked: the other kept, repayred and dwelt in. And although we haue proued howe great and wonderful is the bountie and clemencie of our God, whom albeit we haue offended by an infinite multitude of abhominable sinnes, yet notwithstanding he holdes vs his [Page] hand, calles vs, warneth and wils vs to retourne to hym, shewing by sicknesse and particular afflictions, sometimes by signes and wonders, which for the moste parte be mes­sangers, trumpets, and forerunners of his iustice, as it is euidentely shewed vpon this miserable Citie of Ierusalem, which remayned stil so drowned in hir sinne, that for any straunge aduertisement sent to hir by God, she would not at any time be withdrawen from those vices. The signes and wonders by which the Lorde foretolde of the destruc­tion of their City, be those which followe, written by Io­seph in the .vij. booke of the Warres of the Iewes, and by Eusebe in his historie Ecclesiasticall. The first message which was sente them from heauen, was a Comet or bla­sing Starre, in the fashion of a sword, which continued the space of a yeare, casting & houering his beames ouer their Citie. The seconde chaunced the .xviij. day of April, euen when the people were assembled to solemnize the feaste of the Azimes, at what time was séene so great a light about the Altare of the Temple, at the ninth houre of the night, that it séemed to them as if it had bene plaine day, and con­tinued so cleare the space of halfe an houre. The same day of the sayde feast an Oxe (which they had sent to be sacrifi­ced) calued in the middst of the Temple: and besides that, a dore of the temple of brasse, which was so heuy that there must be .xx. men to make it fast at nighte, being tied wyth barres and locks of yron, opened the same time of it selfe, about the sixt houre of the night: Besides, the sayd Ioseph affirmeth further, which peraduenture might seme a fable or dreame, if those that sawe them were not at this day li­uing, and that these calamities were not come vpon them, as worthy of so vnhappie messages. It came to passe that a certaine time, before the Sunne sette, they perceyued in the aire Chariots rūning through all the regions of Hea­uen, the armies which trauersed the cloudes, & enuironed certaine cities. And the day of the feaste, which they call [Page 5] Penticost, the Priestes, hauyng done the seruice diuine, heard a certain brute, and incontinent heard a voice which sayd: Let vs go from hence. But the last wonder is most fearefull of all, that is: A simple man of the countrey, of base condition, the sonne of a peasant, called Nanus, the ci­tie being in peace, and ful of al wealth, being [...]ome to this feast, began at one instant to crie: A voice from the coast of the Orient, a voice from the coast of the Occident, and a voice from the foure quarters of the wyndes: a voice a­gainst Ierusalem and the Temple, a voice against the newe maried men and newe maried women, a voice against all that people: and howling and crying in this sorte, wente through al the streates of the Citie: whereof certaine of the chiefe not brooking this sommons of their Citie, made him to be beaten: but he would not aunswere any worde to those that whipt him, but continued the same cry with extreme obstinacie: wherof the Magistrates astonished, knowing well ynough that the same proceded of some di­uine inspiration, made him to be caried to him which had the gouernment of the Romaines, the which made him to be so tormented, that his fleshe was pluckte from the bones: which notwithstanding, he continued so firme and constāt that he would not let fall a simple teare, nor require them to stay their punishment: but to euery blowe of the whip which they gaue him, he exclaimed the more, euil Fortune euil Fortune vpon Ierusalem: and being asked of Albyn which was Iudge, where he was borne, and wherefore he so lamented, he made no answere, not ceassing to bewaile according to his accustomed manner the desolation of that miserable Citie. Which was the cause that Albyn iudging him madde, suffered him to passe. And that which is most straunge, he continued in this sort the space of seauen yea­res and fiue monethes, vntil the very destruction of y^e sayd Citie, without ceassing to vse his accustomed cries, or ma­king himselfe hoarce, not yelding thankes to those whiche [Page] gaue him meate or drinke. But rehearsing this dolefull song to al such as came vnto him, vntil the very time the Citie was besieged, and that Titus had giuen the assault & encamped before it: and then turning himselfe to the wal­les, began a fresh his noise, crying with a horrible voice: Euill Fortune vpon the Citie, temple and all the people: after he had made an ende of these words, and euil hap vp­on my selfe, a greate stone caste by the enimies, sodainely slew him: and incontinent the Emperor Titus sacked and burnt the Citie, where y^e slaughter was so great (as Ioseph writeth) that during that siege there died eleauen hundred thousand persons. And the ire of God was so feruent vp­on the poore Iewish people, that after they had eaten al the filthy, sluttish and vncleane meates they could get, in the ende they were constrained, not onely to eate the latchets of their shoes, but also their shoe soles dipped and stieped in water: and also the filthy Rattes haue serued them for meate, and that which was most horrible, the mothers forced to make meate of the flesh of their children: so much was the furie of God kindled agaynst this miserable Citie.

AS amongest all the dignities of the world, there is not any to be found more ex­cellent or wonderfull than the magnificence of Kings, nor wherin is figured in more per­fect forme the very Image of diuinitie. Euen so there is no state more perillous and subiect to eclipse or mutation, nor that findes more sharpe th [...] [...]rrowes and iudgementes of God, than those which degenerate from the excellent degrée of honor, whereunto the voice of God [Page] hath called them. The which is sufficiently verified by a number of examples both sacred and prophane. Wherein Croesus that great King of Lydie, (if he were risen from death) knew wel what to say, the which publishing himself in all places to be the most fortunate King of the worlde, was in the ende vanquished, ouercome and burned by Ci­rus. Policrates the renoumed King of the Samiens, (as Valerius witnesseth) did not feele at any time so much the prickes of Fortune, being vanquished by Darius, as when he was betrayed and killed by his owne Prouost vpon the height of a mountaine. Valerius Emperour of the Romains ouercome by Sapor king of the Perses, ended his life in such seruitude, that the sayd Sapor made him not only his fot [...] ­stoole, but also vsed hym as a stiroppe to alighte vpon hys horsse. Also the Emperor Diocletian, hauing lefte the Em­pire, died of the poyson which he himselfe had prepared. But where is now that great King Xerxes, whose Nauies and Sailes of warre ouerspread the whole Occean? Or where is that inuincible Hannibal, who by his extreme la­bor trenching the mountains, and making great hils equal with the valleyes of the earth, and forced also the frozen Alpes to yelde passage to his armie? In like sorte Paulus Emilius, Iulius Cesar, Pompey, with others of infinite num­ber amongst the Greekes and Romaines, what is become of them, or what other pomp remaines of their aūcient glo­rie and former Maiestie, if not a simple fame to féede the succession of their age? yea, what other remembraunce haue we of them and their doings, if not a monumente or register of report, for the which also they are bound to the Historians, in leauing to their posteritie so large a pawne & witnesse of their painfull life. Their bodies alas clothed with Purple, their Diademes, Perfumes, and other such vanities be [...] cōsumed to bones & ashes, leauing worms as heires to the rest of their glorie, the which in the ende shewes hir self so vaine & slippery, that those which accōp­ted [Page 7] their liues most fortunate, & iudged euen now to haue raught the height of their prosperitie, do féele them selues most sharply wounded by their malice. Hercules, albeit he passed so many perils bothe by sea and land, with the mor­tall encounters of huge monsters, yet did he embrace his bane in the armes of his delicate Deianyra. Alexander the great, who was of force to make a general conquest of the whole East worlde, passing eche straighte and daunger of warre without any mortall hurte to his person, was not able to shunne the fatall cuppe of poyson presented vnto him. After Iulius Caesar had triumphed in .52. batailes, with intent to sounde the last retreate of warre, with expecta­tion to retire his bones frō further toile, was killed in the Senate. Zeno, the .xij. Emperor of Constantinople (albeit the sundry famous victories which he obtained) died not in his bedde, but by the cruell and vnnaturall commaundement of his wife was buried quicke, not able to be succoured of any. Asclepius, the brother of Pompey, hauing ben a conti­nuall pyrate on the seas, the space of .22. yeares, and esca­ping the surging waues and terrible tempests of the same was in the ende drowned by drawyng water at a Well. Mempricius, a King of Englande, being on huntyng, and lost of his company, was by the cruel fate of Fortune, de­nied other harbor of princely sepulture, than the bellies of the rauening Wolues. Drusus, hauing vanquished by va­liant courage the Perthes, albeit he died not by any woun­des gotten in those conflicts, but receiued with great pōpe and triumph vpon a Chariot at Rome, was in the ende kil­led with a tyle stone. Bazileus, the .xxv. Emperor of Con­stantinople, did not ende his life in the cruell warres he had with the Sarazins, but hauing taken truce wyth world­ly vanities▪ was in hunting killed by a Hart. Charles king of Nauerre, albeit he died not in performing sundry noble and valiant actes, yet being troubled and tormented with the paine of the gowte: for whose helpe it was deuised by [Page] the counsell of all his Physitions, to wrap the sayde King in a linnen cloth dipped in Aqua vitae, which being kindled, in stede of present succour of his disease, he receiued his fa­tall bane, by being burned quicke in the same. Otho, the third Emperor of that name, not so well able to forsée the subtill deceipts of the wife of Crescentius, as to withstand the force and cruell assaults of warre he endured at Rome against Crescētius, was poisoned by a paire of gloues which he receiued of hir. Neither was the fearefull and daunge­rous stormes of warres, which Henry the .vij. Emperour proued during his life, such an impediment to the state of his health, as the cruell and subtill disposition of an abho­minable Monk, who gaue ende to his dayes, by the impoi­soning of an hoste he ministred to him. Iohn the .xj. Pope, ended not his days by the painful reading of the holy scrip­ture or preaching Gods worde to his flock and charge, but he finished his terme in a cruell prison, smoothered with a pillow. Pope Benet the sixte, died not in pāpering himself with sundry delicious and daintie banquets, as the moste part of those Romishe prelates do at this day: but he en­ded his dayes in prison by the pinching and gnawing pain of extreme famine. Pope Victor the thirde, deceased not from this vaine and transitorie life, as sommoned by the messanger of olde age, but celebrating the Masse, was cō ­pelled to yelde vp his vitall breath by an infectious poy­son giuen him in the Chalice. Then if so many Monarchs and renoumed princes haue ended their liues by so sundry and straunge kindes of death, it is nedeful for those which folow, exactly to consider of the warnings & iudgements of God, and especially such, by whose vile and detestable or­der of liuing, may be sene as in a glasse, the due reward ap­pointed for the same: for as y^e noble Marcus Aurelius sayth, that after euery euil fortune foloweth a good hap, and after euery ignominie ensueth great glory: euen so I assure you (sayth he) that for my self, I had rather my lyfe were lesse [Page 8] glorious and my death more honorable: for as by an vn­fortunate death groweth greate suspition of a good life: so a good death often times excuseth an euill life. Wherein if so many kindes of deathes bothe of Kings and Empe­rours by vs written, séeme strange and feareful vnto you, then those folowing wil deserue more admiratiō, the same agreeing with our intent, for they be wonders, by y^• which we are instructed, that when the Iustice of God is infla­med against vs, and that hée shootes his arowes as a sharpe punishment for our offences, he maketh his ministers and executers of his iust anger, the litle and insensible worms of the earth, neither doth his wrathe fall altogether vpon the vulgar or people of meane condition, but hath also like force vpon Princes and degrées of greate callings, where­of appeares a familiar experience in the monstrous death of a King & Bishop, recorded alreadie vnder the seale and authoritie of 40. or 50. Historians, of no lesse credite than vndoubted truthe, all whiche agrée in one, that King Po­peil raigning in Poloniae, 246. yeres after Christ, was wont amongst his particular curssyngs to vse this blasphemous othe: If this be not true, I would the Ratts might gnaw me: wherin he receiued the iust hier of so execrable an oth, for in the ende he was deuoured as you shall reade hereaf­ter. The father of King Popeill féeling himselfe to decline from the vanities of this miserable and vncertain pilgri­mage, lefte the gouernement and state of the Realme to the disposition of the two vncles of his sonne, men no lesse honored of al the cuntrie for the noblenesse of their hearts, than wel liked for their sinceritie of life towards God. Po­peill being come to his full age, his father deceassed, and the yong man hauing caught betwixte his téeth the bitte of the bridell, beganne to gyue hym selfe vnto all wan­tonnesse and riottous lyuyng, in suche sorte that in fewe dayes he became so shamelesse in euill and abhominable doinges, that hée lefte no kynde of vice vnassayed, in so [Page] much that in the ende he cruelly poisoned his two vncles: which wicked and vnnaturall facte performed, caused him­self to be crouned with a cap of floures perfumed with pre­cious ointments: & the more to solemnize the first entrie of his reigne, he caused to be prepared a sūptuous & delicate banquet, wherunto all the Princes and nobles of his Re­alme were somoned: And as they were banquetting, be­holde, an infinite multitude of Ratts risyng from the dead and putrified corpses of his two vncles, the which he with his wife had impoysoned, began to assaile that cruell tyrāt amidst his delites: the Archers of hys Garde offering to resist the same with maine hande, trauailed in vaine, for they encountred hym day and nyghte, that the poore men cried alas, being altogether vnable to defend their maister from the rage of these beastes, by reason whereof, it was thought good by the aduise of his counsell to enuiron the Prince with fire, & not knowing that the power of man is any way able to resist Gods appointment, they performed their deuise, which was no impediment or let to the ratts, who passing the hotte flames of fire without any let, to the admiration of al men, ceassed not to gnaw & deuoure this miserable murtherer of his vncles. His counsel seing their first intent frustrate & of none effecte, caused him to be ca­ried in a boate into the middst of a riuer. But these beasts not fearyng the rage of the water, assailed the boate on e­uery syde with such rage and impetuositie, that the boate­men defending the same in vaine, vnderstanding it to pro­cede of some diuine furie, were constrayned to thrust the boate to lande, committing the king to the mercy of these beasts, and he seing himself abandoned of al humaine suc­cour, not knowing what to do, he and his wife fled into a tower, where in the ende by the furie of these little crea­tures they receyued the iust guerdon of their vnnaturall & malicious murder. In like maner the Almain [...] in al their Chronicles and reportes, make mention of the like hysto­rie [Page 9] of one Hato. the .xxxij. Archbishop of Magence, at what time there was a cruell famine in the land, this Bishop or rauening Woulfe, seing the poore people surpressed wyth the gnawing rage of famine (and especially those of hys prouince) determined (I can not tell by what instincte of the diuel) to gather together a great number of them into a graunge, where in stede of reliefe in this their great and miserable dearth and hunger, he committed them to the mercie of the furious and raging flames of fyre, whervp­on he being asked, why he had shewed so vile and execrable tirannie on these miserable and innocent creatures, he an­swered: That he burned them, for that they differed litle or nothing from Ratts, which serued for no other vse than to consume corne. Albeit God (as witnesseth the Prophet, hauing care of the litle sparow) wold not suffer this great tyrannie vnpunished, for immediately he stirred vp an in­finite numbre of Ratts to the vtter destruction and ruine of this vile murderer, who fléeing for his more safegarde into a towre builte in a water, was by the expresse com­maundement of God eaten by these ratts to the very bo­nes, which remaine at this day, enterred in the monaste­rie of S. Albyn, in Magence, and the Towre where this ab­hominable pastor ended his dayes, is yet in being, and is called Ratts towre. Wherof Munster, amongst many o­thers, makes mention in his vniuersall Cosmographie, to be the place where he was borne. This néedes not séeme straunge to those which haue red histories: for Lice (which be much lesse than Ratts) coulde not be preuented by no kynde of physike or medicins, from deuouring and consu­ming the Emperor Arnoull, leauing him nothing but sy­newes and bones. In like sort, the greate Monarche An­tiochus, willing to blot out of memorie the name of God forth of the [...]inagoge, and bring in the worshyppyng of I­dols, sawe issue out of himself a great number of worms, and therby not only plunged in great dolour, but also his [Page] whole armie infected with the stinke of that corruption which issued from him. You may also reade in the second booke of the Machabees and the .xix. chapter, of a King who being full of pride and ambition (tooke vpon him not only to staye the waues of the Sea, and peyse in balance great mountaines, but also thoughte hym selfe able to touch the Starres of Heauen) is nowe by the iuste iudgement of God so muche imbased, that there is no man able to endure the stinke and corruption of his bodie.

ARistotle, Xenophon, Plato, and generally all those which haue treated or written of the policie of man, affirme by their writin­ges, that there is nothing more harde and difficulte, than to gouerne well or com­maund a publike weale, for (say they) the aboundance of goodes and honours into the which most Princes be custo­mably conuerted, libertie to do euil without controlment, together with the corrupt counsel of those which assist thē, [Page] be the true matches to light them to al vices: so that if we would but diligently search in order the discourses and hi­stories of both kindes, we shall finde the number of euyll Kings, Emperours and Monarques giuen to sedition and wickednesse, excéede farre the proportion of suche as haue gouerned and liued wel: for being once inuested with the roabes of authoritie, and supping the pleasant iuice distil­ling from the grape of Regal state, they seldome or neuer bridle their affections, but suffer themselues so to be ouer­whelmed and fall hedlong into the Laberynth of sundry vi­ces. For an experience wherof we may be bolde to prefer the example of S. Paule, whose life and vertue remaines of great fame by the sacred recordes, vntil the Lord made a tryal of him, by calling him to the gouernment of his elec­ted people of Israel, when he fell frō the path of his ancient vertue, and became an enimie to his maker, and a contem­ner of his lawes. Salomon in the beginning of his raigne, how wonderful was he? whose renoume, remembraunce and wisedome is spred through al the partes of the world, and being once stalled in the theatre of glorie, gaue hym­self ouer to the delites of women, by which meanes he be­came depriued and voyd of the happy blessing and grace of God. Calygula, Mitredates and Neron, gaue not they suf­ficient shewes at their first entry or beginning, of muche noblenesse and bountie? but the sequele and issue was such that al the earth was infected with their detestable tyran­nies and abhominable cruelties: and of .xxij. Kings of Iuda there were scarcely to be found aboue fiue or six which fol­lowed the true path of godly liuing and vertue: wherein who so list carefully to read the liues of the Kings of Israel from Ieroboam the sonne of Naboth, vntill the very laste, which were in number but .xix. shall finde that they were euil ministers and husbandes of the publike weale. In like sorte the Romaines, whose common wealth hath bene accompted to flourish most of all the worlde with good go­uernours, [Page 11] haue found amongst them Augustus, Vespasian, Titus, Antonius Pius, Antonius Verus and Alexander Se­uerus: but as their liues make iust declaration of their no­ble and vertuous liuing and politike gouernment, euen so the rest as farre surmounteth them for wicked and ab­hominable kindes of liuing. And if you will beholde with due regarde and iudgemente, the liues and renoumes of the Greekes, Assirians, Persians, Medes and Egiptians, you shal finde more euil spoken for their wickednesse, than ho­nour for their vertuous liuing. All which matters be suf­ficiently proued and auouched by the gret king Antiochus, who the first time he was presented with the Regal scep­ter, and before he was therwith crowned (as Valerius wri­teth) he beheld it with good iudgement, crying with a loud voice, sayd: O Diademe more noble than fortunate, if the most part of the Princes of the earth which by sword and fire séeke to obtain thée, were as willing to serch with good aduise & due regard to shun y^e miseries & calamities, which (as cōpanions) be annexed vnto thée, they would thē scarce vouchsafe to lift thée from the erth: & not without cause, for if any ambicious man wil measure according to right, and waigh in iust ballance the delightes and honours with the daungers and perils which folow the crowne, he wil finde for one pound of Honie, ten poundes of Wormewood, not compting the peril incident to the poore people wherewith he is charged: for if it chance the Prince be dysordred and of wanton life, the people most commonly frame themsel­ues to imitate his doings, who (as Herodianus writeth) be but the badges of Princes, and do nothing but what they sée their Princes do before. Wherfore seing that Princes Kings and Monarques be the cōmon fountaines whervn­to al men should resorte and drinke, and they be theatres wherupon al the world ought to loke for purenesse of life, and further serue as torches to giue light to all men wal­king in the darke caue of wicked doings, if these sinne (as [Page] Plato sayth) the example is no lesse hurtfull to all their sub­iectes, than to be abhorred in themselues. Let them there­fore vse such regard and moderation in their doings, with such respect to an integritie of lyfe, that they be founde perfect in the accōpt which they haue to yelde to the Lord, least he set abroche the vessell of his anger, and raine the shoure of reuenge as he did vpon the miserable King Na­buchodonosor the .iiij. King of the Babilonians, who (as Da­niel witnesseth in his first chapter) felte so sharply the hea­uie hande and iustice of God, that he was exiled and ba­nished from his kingdome the space of .vij. yeares, wan­dring and liuing in the deserts with brute beastes, and be­ing naked, remayned in that estate beaten not only with heate and cold, but also with hayle and dewe, vntil he was couered with haire like vnto the Eagle, & his nailes like to birdes. Here all men may sée as in a glasse, an example, spectacle and wonder worthie to be noted, that he hauing at commaundement a whole kingdome, and serued as a King with al delicat viandes, was taken into the deserts, and there fedde and banqueted with wilde beastes. Yea, he which had ben inuested with purple and decked with precious Iewels, was by the hande of God so much imbased, that he was couered with no other garment than with haire, a clothing natu­rall to all brute beastes.

HAuyng shewed in order in these Cha­piters before, how Kings, Emperors, Bi­shops and Monarches be no more exempted from the wonderful iudgemēt of God, than the common or vulgar sort: It resteth now according to our purpose, to search and sift those matters more neare a truthe, to the ende we may bring to lyghte the horrible monsters and fearfull wonders found amōgst the common people. And that the philosophie and contem­plation [Page] of those things might be made more manifest, and painted in their true coloures, it is needefull before we passe any further, to declare the causes wherevpon they procéede and are borne. It is moste certaine, that these monstrous creatures, for the most part do procéede of the iudgement, iustice, chastisement and curse of God, which suffreth that the fathers and mothers bring forth these ab­hominations, as a horrour of their sinne, sufferyng them­selues to run headlong, as do brute beastes without guide to the puddle or sinke of their filthie appetites, hauing no respecte or regarde to the age, place, tyme or other lawes ordeined of Nature, wherein S. Gregorie amongest diuers other examples taughte vs in his Dialogues, sheweth the incontinencie and abhominable desire of a Nourse, who made hir selfe with childe, by an Infant of the age onely of .ix. yeres: And for a proofe herein, S. Hierom affirmeth by othe, that there was an other infant of the age of tenne yeares, the which was so inflamed by the wāton regards and amorous countenances of his Nourse, that she made hym to lie with hir, being of the age as afore, and gotte hir with childe. These be the matters that Osee crieth out of in his .ix. chapter, saying: These abhominable doyngs, according to their loues, euen when they haue nourssed theyr children, I will destroy, in suche sort that they shall neuer become men, yea I will plague the wombe where they tooke their beginning, the brests that gaue thē sucke, and drie vp the very root, that it bring forth no more fruit: and if they c [...]aunce to engender, I wil also cōmit to death the fruite of their bellie. Al which is confirmed by the pro­phete Esdras in his .v. Chapter, where amongst other cruel cursings, wherwith the Angell threatned Babylon, it is ex­presly sayde: That women perfourming the desire of the fleshe being in their Sanguine menstruali, bring forth these monsters. And although this monstrous fruite be very of­ten a witnesse of the incontinencie & sinne of the parents: [Page 13] yet it is not alwayes true, nor hapneth in one place: for there be many fathers and mothers chaste and continent, whiche bring forth their children defectiue, as S. Iohn she­weth in his .ix. chapter, of a poore man whiche was blinde from his natiuitie, who hauing receyued his sighte by the mercifull goodnesse and grace of Iesus Christe, was asked of his disciples, whether his owne synne, or his parents, were the cause that he was borne blinde. But Christ wil­lyng to declare to them, that they oughte not to accuse the parentes for the defaultes of their children, aunswered, that it was neither the sinne of hym, his father or mother, but to the ende to shewe in him the wonderfull and mar­uellous workes of God. The auncient Philosophers a­mongst others, which haue serched the secrets of Nature, haue declared other greate causes of this wonderfull and monstrous childbearing, which Aristotle, Hypocrates, Em­pedocles, Galene, and Plinie, haue referred to an ardent and obstinate imagination, which the Woman hath, whylest she conceiues the childe, whiche hath such power ouer the fruite, that the beames and Charrecters, continue vpon the rocke of the infante, wherevpon they finde an infinite number of examples to proue the same, woorthy of memo­rie, the which albeit may séeme but iestes or fables, if the authoritie and truth of those which write them, were not their sufficient warrant. And for a further certaintie ther­of, Damascenus a graue▪ author doth assure this to be true, that being present with Charles, the .iiij. Emperoure and king of Boeme, there was broughte to him a maide, rough and couered with haire like a beare, the which the mother had brought forth in so hideous and deformed a shape, by hauing too much regarde to the picture of S. Iohn cloathed with a beasts skinne, the which was tyed or made fast cō ­tinually during hir conception at hir beddes féete. By the like meanes Hippocrates saued a princesse accused of adul­terie, for that she was deliuered of a childe blacke lyke an [Page] Ethiopian, hir husbande being of a faire and white comple­xion, which by the persuasion of Hippocrates, was absolued and pardoned, for that the childe was like vnto a Moore, accustomably tied at hir bed. Reade of this in Genesis vpon S. Hieroms questions, without musing or being curious to bring in the testimonies of Philosophers & other doctors, verifying the same by the authoritie of Moyses the greate prophete and secretarie of GOD in the thirtith Chapter of Genesis, where he plainely sheweth, howe Iacob de­ceiued Laban his father in lawe, and therby enriched him­selfe with his cattayle, hauing pilled a rodde, and put the beastes to drinke, to the ende the Goates and Shéepe, beholding the diuersitie of the colours of this rodde, might bring forth their litle ones, marked with sundry seuerall markes. Besides these causes spoken of before of the ge­neration of Monsters, the beste learned in the secretes of Nature, haue yet assigned vs others: for Empedocleus and Dephilus do attribute the same to come of the superabun­dance or defaulte and corruption of the seede and wombe, wherof they preferre diuers similies by the disposition of sundry mettals and other things, which melts and yeldes with the heate of fyre or sunne, for if the matter or sub­stance which a man goes about to melt, be not wel boiled, purified and confected, or the moulde be not well cast, the image or effect of such worke will appeare imperfect, hide­ous and deformed. The Astrologians (as Alcabitius) haue referred these monsters to the influēce of the starres, iud­ging that if the Moone be in certaine degrées and coniunc­tions when the woman conceyueth, hir frute shalbe mon­strous. Euen so Iulius Maternus writeth, & after him very learnedly the lawyer Alciates, vpon the title and significa­tion of these wordes and matters, that sometimes these monsters be engendred of the corruption and filthie vnsa­uorie meates, as burning coales, mannes flesh, and other like things that women desire after they haue conceyued, [Page 16] the which is very contagious and hurtfull to their fruite: whereof we haue a notable example in Leuinius Lemnius in his first boke of the hidden Secrets of Nature, in a cer­taine Matrone of Belges great with childe of two infants, who lusting to eate the flesh of a faire boy, whome she be­held at vnwares, and fearing he wold refuse hir demaūd, being pressed without measure of that vnruly appetite, fel vpon him, tearing the fleshe of his hand with hir téeth, and deuoured the same sodainly: Al which the infant abode in respect to satisfie hir longing. And as she returned to play the like parte againe, the childe grieuing at hir crueltie, withstode hir. Wherof being ashamed and full of despite, after she had liued certain days in cōtinual melancolie, she broughte forth two twinnes, the one aliue, and the other dead. Wherupon the physitions called together, to argue vpon the cause of this childe bearing, founde that the de­niall of the seconde morsel of the boyes flesh was the occa­sion therof. Behold in effect the causes moste frequented, touching y^e bringing forth of monsters, gathered according to the opinion of the best lerned authors, both Greekes and Latins. Resting yet ouer & aboue al those kind of artificial monsters, who be most familiar to these vacabunds & vn­certen people, traueling through al prouinces, with diuers abuses and deceiptful legerdemains, wherwith they abuse the simplicity of the people, in getting their money. These masked pilgrims, or rather absolute hypocrites, studying nothing but the philosophie of Sathan, as soone as their chil­dren be borne, & whilest their sinewes & bones be tender & flexible, with smal force, wil not stick to breke their arms, crush their legs, & puffe vp their belly with some artificial pouder, defacing their noses with other parts of the face: & somtime pecking out their eyes, & al to make them appere monstrous, wherof besides the familiar examples of oure miserable time, there was great experience in Asia, in the time of Hippocrates, as apereth in his booke, de aere & locis.

THe Auncients of olde time had these monstrous creatures in so greate horrour, that if they fortuned to méete any of them by chaūce in their way, they iudged it to be a foreknowledge of their misfortune: and [Page 15] to bel [...]eue it y^e more, the Emperor Adryan, chancing to sée a Moore at vnwares, assured himself to die immediatly. The souldiers of Brutus, being readie to ioyne battaile with the armie of Octauus Caesar, hauing encoūtred an Ethiopian in their way, prognosticated that they shold lose the battaile, which hapned according to their imagination. In like ma­ner, the auncient Romains had these deformed creatures in suche disdaine, that they straightly charged, that the mis­shapen, or hauing any other vice vpon their body, shoulde not be receyued amongst the virgins Vestales, Gellius lib. j. cap. 12. as Fenestel­lus teacheth in his boke of the Magistrates and worthie men of Rome. But that which is most to be maruelled at, is that God forbad Moyses, not to receiue them to do sacri­fice amongest his people, as you may reade more at large in the first chapter of Malachy, & the .xxj. of Leuit. Wherin S. Hierom hauing fully considered these abuses, in an Epi­stle written to a virgin called Demetriade, complaines of those Christians whiche offer vnto God those children, or put them into religious houses, being crooked, lame, & de­formed, hauing yet a matter more straunge, which Iulius Obsequius, and other authors haue written of among the Romaine wonders, wherin they credibly reporte, that the auncient Romaines had these litle monstrous creatures in such abhomination, that as soone as they were borne, they were immediatly committed to the ryuer of Tyber, there to be norished. But we being better broughte vp, and fo­stred in a schole of more humanitie, knowyng them to be the creatures of GOD, suffer them to be brought to the church, there to receiue the holy sacrament of Baptisme, as may be séene in the figure of these two Maides, embra­cing eche other, ioyned together by a straunge infirmitie of nature, who wer séene to liue in our age of many thou­sande persons, in forme or shape such as you see them por­traicted. And to the end the historie of their natiuitie might be the better vnderstanded, I will declare that which Se­bastian [Page] Munster writeth, who saw them, and behelde their vnnaturall order at large, in the yeare, as he sayde, a thou­sand foure hundred fourescore & .xv. and in the moneth of September, A womā brought forth a monster nigh to the citie of Worms, vpon the right syde of the riuer of Rhine, in a village called Bristante, which was two maides, hauyng their bodies entier and knitte together by the forheade, so that there was not any artificial or humaine policie to de­uide them asunder, as myne author saw them at Magence, in the yeare .1501. and being six yeres of age were constrai­ned to go togither, whiche was pitifull to beholde: for as the one marched forwards, the other of force reculed back­wards: they rose togither, and slept togither, their noses touching so nigh, that they coulde not turne their eyes but one way, their forheades ioyning togethers, hanged ouer their eyes, letting therby the iust course of their sight: and liuing till they were ten yeares of age, the one of them died, who being separated and taken from the other, the hurt she receyued in the separation from hir dead sister, was the onely cause she died immediately. Beholde here (sayth he) the cause of this monstrous birth, two women talking togither, the one of them being great with childe, there came a thirde woman (not knowyng that eyther of them were with childe) and sodainly thrust their heads to­githers as they talked, wherewith she with childe was a­stonished, whereupon grew this monstrous child bearing. And to confirme the same to be of more trouth, Cardan af­firmeth in his bookes de Subtilitate, saying: That the astoo­nishment was some help to tie these .ij. infants togithers: albeit he alleaged further cause of this vnnatural birth.

THis hideous mōster, whose portraict is here set out, was born in base Pologne, in the noble city of Cracouie, in y^e month of Fe­bruarie and yeare of grace .1543. or as some write) 1547. and vpon the euen of the con­uersion of S. Paule: who although he were begotten of ho­norable parents, yet was he most horrible, deformed and fearefull, hauing his eyes of the colour of fire, his mouthe and nose like to the snoute of an Oxe, wyth an horne an­nexed [Page] thereunto like the trumpe of an Elephant, all hys backe shagge hairde like a dogge, and in place where other men be accustomed to haue brests, he had two heads of an Ape, hauing aboue his nauell marked the eies of a cat, and ioyned to his knee and armes foure heades of a dog, with a grenning and fierce countenance: the palmes of his féete and handes were like to those of an ape: and amongst the rest, he had a taile turning vp so hie, that the height therof was half an elle: who after he had liued foure houres died, saying only: Watch, the Lorde commeth. And although this creature were monstrous, yet haue not sundry lerned authors failed to decke him with their pennes, as Gaspa­rus Pucerus in his bookes of Teratoscopia, of Hieronymus Cardanus, of Munsterus, and amongst all the rest very ex­cellently written of in the Latin tongue by Gasparus Bru­chius. But albeit Egidius Facius, hauyng made mention of this monster in his booke de Cometa, sayth that he can not be persuaded, that a creature so horrible and monstrous shoulde be begotten of a humaine creature, but rather of some wicked spirite. Me séemes that in searching and can­uasing this matter, the most excellent and learned Philo­sophers sithens the creation of the worlde, till oure tyme, haue greatly molested and troubled them selues, in deci­ding the doubtes of this question, whiche is, Whether de­uils can engender, conceyue, and vse the works of nature as other creatures doe. Some thoughte they coulde: and for a more testimonie therein, doe assure vs by their wri­tings, that Plato was begot of a maide, by one in the like­nesse of Apollo, wherin the auncient Annatists and Chro­niclers, which haue committed to memorie the sundry acts of Almayne, haue thereby shewed, that the women of the Goathes as they were wandring by the desertes of Scythie, were got with childe of Diuels, whereupon one of them brought forth a monster. And others, as Pisellus, were not content only to say, that diuels coulde engender, and that [Page 17] the most parte of the beastes of the earth were by them brought forth and engendred. Wherefore Lactantius Fir­mian a graue author, whom S. Hierom before exalteth, be­leueth y^t these deuils were capable of generation, and that they haue engendred, as he sheweth in the .x. chapter of the second booke of his diuine institutions. Agrippus in euery of his bookes, and Hieronymus Cardanus in his treatise De rebus contra naturam, seames to haue followed this opini­on: and the more to confirme his saying, he reciteth one hi­storie of a yong damsell of Scotland which was got with child of an enchaunting deuill, thinking that he had ben a faire yong man which had lyen with hir, whereupon she brought forth so horrible a monster, that he feared all those which assisted hir in hir trauail, in such sorte that the mid­wife and all the rest of the sage and graue women, were cōstrained incōtinēt to cast him in the fire: the said Carda­nus reciteth yet an other like example, rehearsed by Tho­mas Liermont, of an other woman which was got with childe of a wicked sprite, and for confirmation of the mat­ters heretofore rehearsed, all the writers of the Cronicles of Englande, maruell not so much at any thing, as at the strange natiuitie of the prophet Marlin, who persuade ab­solutlie that he was begotten of a diuell: which with ma­ny other like matters although many notable persons haue assured to be things of truth, yet truly they be alto­gether false, deceitfull, and not only repugnant to nature, but also to our religion, by the which we are taught to be­leue that there was neuer any man begotten without hu­maine séede, sauing y^e sonne of God. But as Cassianus saith, what an absurditie, repugnancie and confusion would it be to nature, if it were lawfull for deuils incube and suc­cube, to conceiue men, or men to be conceiued and brought forth of them: and although that sithens the creation of the worlde, euen till our time, deuils haue begotten mon­sters through out al mākynd, casting therin the intrailles [Page] of beasts, beleuing that by the perturbations of their séede, they haue brought forth a great nomber of monsters and wonders, confessing very well: (such as S. Augustine hath not denied) that these diuels transforming them selues ve­rie often into the shapes of men and women, maye vse the works of nature, and haue to do with women & men, for to entice & stirre them to the filthie lust of the flesh, the ra­ther by that meanes to beguile and deceiue them, as the auncients heretofore haue not only proued, but it is also experimented at this daie, in diuers prouinces and places, that diuels by transforming them into the shapes as afore is rehearsed, haue to do with diuers persons: whereof Ia­mes Ruffus in his bookes De conceptu & generatione homi­nis, testifieth, that in his time there was a wicked sprite had to do by nighte with a cōmon woman, being transfor­med into the likenesse of a man, wherupon she becam im­mediatly with child, which when she perceiued, she fell in­to so strange a kinde of disease, that hir intrailes fell from hir bellie, which could not be holpe or made sounde by any deuice of phisicke. He writes an other like vnto this of the seruaunt of a butcher, who being extremelie plunged in the vaine cogitations of filthie and wicked luste, and therby astonnished, he sawe incontinent before his eyes a diuell in the shape or figure of a faire womā, with whom he had to do, & immediatly his priuie part & mēbers were in such sorte inflamed, that he iudged there was burning within his body a cōtinual fier, whereof as I haue brought forth these two examples, so could I iustifie the same with diuers others, written not only by Philosophers, but also by the Ecclesiasticall writers, who confesse that diuels by the permission of God, or rather for a punishment of our sinnes, myghte so abuse both men and women: but to saie, that any such coniunction coulde engendre any such mat­ter as we haue aforesaid, that is not onely false, but alto­gether [Page 18] repugnant and contrarie to our lawe.

And as concerning the Prophet Marlin, and manye other like examples, whose natiuitie hath abused very manie, stedfastly beleuing that he was begotten of a diuell, we confesse therein as we haue done before, that his mother mighte haue the companie of a diuel, but that she could en­gendre is no lesse vnlikely than impossible, albeit it maye be presumed and beleued that she was with child, conside­ring the authorities of diuerse histories, approuing therein chieflie the legerdemaine and subtiltie of the diuell, to whom they allowe a certain possibilitie with the assistance of his Charmes to make the bellie swell, troubling and corrupting the humors of the bodie, which women taste in the time of childe bearing, and at the instant of deliuerie he maye so enchaunte the eyes of the wyues and compa­ny assistant, hauing also a strange childe stollen from some other place, to exchaunge for the creature newe borne, that the simple mother may also be persuaded that such concep­tion and generation procéeded of the diuell: whereof, be­sides the confirmation of antiquities, we haue a familiar example remaining yet within memorie and viewe, in a yong Damsell of Constance called Magdaleine, in seruice with one of the richest magistrates of the towne, who, reporting to all men in common, that the diuell one night had lyen with hir and gotten hir with childe, was by and by put in prison by the officers, to sée an effecte and ende of hir bigge bellie, the painefull houre whereof being come, after she was pinched with euerye pang, which doe happen to women in that torment, and the women in expectation to receiue the frutes of nature, hir wombe opened, and yelded into the handes of the Midwife cer­taine yron nailes, thicke tronchions, or endes of knotted staues, glasse, bone lockes of haire, hardes of flaxe, hemp & stones, with other trumperie of lothsom & hideous regard, [Page] wherof the diuel by his coniuration and other hellish arte, had made an assembly in that place, to abuse the simpli­citie of suche as are apte to repose certaintie in suche vaine and deceitfull charmes: all which is aduouched by Licostenes Amberlachius, & Iacob. Ruffus, a notable phisition of Zurick in his booke de hominis generatione. Neither nede it seme either straunge or incredible to such as haue no­ted the epistles and records of S. Paule, where he did onely change his shape into the likenesse of an Angell of light, to deceiue the people, but also in diuerse places addressed himselfe to our sauior Christ, with intente to seduce him. But bicause wée haue better occasion to discourse at large of such villanies in an other part of this worke, where we meane to moue question whether they haue bodies or no, we will ende for this time, with this resolution that albe­it such wicked sprites may cōmunicat with the lusts and prouocations of the flesh, yet are they both voyde of séede, and without meane of generation: for that as there is no difference nor diuision of kynd betwene them, so they can not bée neither man nor woman.

WHo goeth about to make particular description of the desolation and destructi­on of diuers ancient and rich Cities, Thea­tres, Castles, towres, piles, pillers, & chur­ches, of sumptuous and of stately regarde, ouerthrowne and defaced by the violence of lightenyng, thunder, and other raging furie and tempests of the aire, had néede of the assistance of long time, and a large volume to pack vp such great and strange matters, which maketh [Page] me leaue all antiquities & records of ancient date to a long leisure, and touch only in this treatise such things as hap­nyng amongst our selues, are also confirmed by our owne viewe and memorie, the same being of familiar experiēce, may also stirre vp in vs spéedie remorse of cōscience, with a more dutiful regard & feare of the maruellous effects of the infallible iustice of god. At such time then as the french garison was within Milan, which according to the chroni­cles was anno. 1521. the said towne was so assailed with sū ­dry strange storms of lightning, that y^e citizens dispairing of longer life, yelded to y^e mercie of God, with expectation to be presently consumed with the flame of that torment, which amongst other places of the towne, semed to thūder his most force vpon y^e castle, wherin was kept both y^e trea­sure of the town, munitiō, & other furniture of war, with great store of Canon pouder cōmonly called Gunpouder, which, being of it self rather apt to yeld to y^e least spark of fire that is, thā able to cōtend with any thing that is hoat, was immediatly al in a flame by force of suche flashes as came from the opening of the element, & so raged vpon the towre wherin it was layd, that in one instāt it was razed and made flat with y^e earth, burning & blowing vp sundry lodgings & bulwarkes of the Castle, in such sort, that what with the strength of the pouder and furie of the fire, there were forced vp into the aire stones of an vnresonable big­nesse, wherof certain of them fell & redounded vpon the .ij. chief Prouosts, whom they brused and burned to ashes: o­ther brake in pieces the armes, legs, and other parts of al such as vnhappily were within their power, the same per­forming such effects of mortalitie vpon the garrison there, that of two hundred souldiours, were scarcely [...] on liue a dosen, being also of no lesse maruell to beholde the num­ber of huge corner stones caste out into seuerall places of the citie and fields therabout, the space of .v. or .vj.C. pas­ses, of such weight and greatnesse, that the strength of .xx. [Page 20] Oxen were scarce able to remoue them from the earth: and yet is there not such cause of wonder in these terrible messangers and tokens of Gods wrath, as we reade fel v­pon the late miserable and desolate citie of Malynes ▪ par­cell of the dominion of the Spanish King, within his Duchie of Brabant, the .vij. of August .1521. about .xj. of the clock in the night, which was afflicted with such horrible calamitie that way for the tyme, that the like hath not ben remem­bred by any report, nor seene in any age afore. For the thū ­der made tremble and shake in such sort this miserable ci­tie, that the townsmen looked when the earth should open and swalow them into hir intrailes: After which fearful brute and horrible noise in the cloudes, began to appere in the bottome of the Element, a flame resembling a bur­ning torche, casting a stinke or lothesome smell like vnto sulphur and brimstone, driuing the people into such indif­ferent feare & amaze, that they were neither able to take counsel of the case, and much lesse iudge the cause of so tra­gicall a view, vntil at last the crie was thorow the whole town, that the fyre of heauen was fallen vpon the strong towre and gate of brasse, wherin dyd lie .viij. or .ix. barrels of gunpouder: which immediatly grewe to such a mortall confusion of all degrées of people within the walles, that the very remembraunce of so monstrous a slaughter, may moue terror to any heart with what mettall of hardnesse soeuer it be stamped: for y^e noise was no sooner begoon, but the towre was cōuerted into ashes, & the gate diuided into 10000. peces, with like fury vpon y^e walls next adioining, who were so thorowly defaced & turned vp, y^t the very fū ­dation was disclosed, & their greatest stones conueyed fur­thest frō the Citie, their diches and pondes full of water drained and made dry by the extreme heate of the fire: the day after wer foūd (according to the authoritie of y^e chroni­cle) about the sayd towre & gate aboue .400. dead bodies, besides .140. mortally wounded and almost torne in peces, [Page] amongst whiche was founde a bigge bellied woman stric­ken dead, whose wombe being ripped, did yelde a childe on liue, and after baptised, whose picture or figure appeareth in the portraicte. Some had their heades taken from their bodies, as cuningly as it had ben carued with a sworde or sharpe axe for the nonce: other some as they were play­ing at cardes in a Tauerne or tippling house, were all de­stroyed with the lightning, and conuerted into cynders, except the hostesse or hir maid that was gone into the cel­lar for wine. Amongst suche as were reserued on liue in this horrible slaughter, was one man, who hiding himselfe in a stonie vault during the extremitie of the storme, durst not come out for any persuasion, for three dayes after the tempest, when he demaunded with greate feare whether the worlde stode still or not. To conclude, there was nei­ther temple, chapel, nor other place of sanctuarie frée frō the furie of this tempest, nor any corner of the towne dis­pensed withall for his malice, the same raging indifferent­ly vpon the whole citie, leauing it so tottered and defaced, that if there were paine in enduring the afflictions, there is no lesse cause of pitie nowe to remember so greate a de­solation. Neither is it inough for the contentment of the reader, nor sufficient to the discharge of my intent, to pre­ferre (as it were) paterns and familiar experience of these monstrous quarels (skirmishes of the aire and Element a­boue (if in some sor [...]e I make you not priuie to the causes and motions of the same▪ Whereof for a first authoritie, Aristotle in his Metheors and bokes of the worlde, giueth this reason: There be .ij. sortes of vapors (sayth he) which ascend cōtinually from the earth into the ayre, wherof the one is hot & moist, and withal very massy and heuy, which makes a stay of thē in the middle region of the ayre, wher they are conuerted into a heauy thicknesse or grosse cor­ruption, and in the ende dissolued into watrie humoures, as raine, haile, snowe, and other like: the other exhala­tions [Page 21] deriued of the humoures of the earth, and drawne vp by the violence of the aire, be of a more drie and hotte disposition, which makes thē lighter in weight, y^• same procuring them to a higher Moūt, euen to y^e vttermost regiō, where the extremitie of the heate forceth them to a fierie flame, wherof procéede those blasing Cometes, dragons, and other like wonders in the Element, whiche stirre vp an amaze in the people being ignorant of the cause. And if it happen that those drie vapoures get place within any cloude, they do so pierce and penetrate the most subtil part of it, that there is forced a present vent, which is the light­ning and tremblyng of the heauen, from the vehemencie of which conflict within the cloudes, doe procéede the thun­ders and ratling of the skies, in such sorte, that it séemeth most often that the noyse is in the ayre and the trembling in the earth. And yet be not all tempestes and stormes of wether, referred altogether to causes naturall (albeit it be the opinion of Aristotle, and by him very diligently ser­ched: for that at certaine times, diuels and euill spirites) (whose dominion and power (as S. Paule writeth) is chief­ly in the ayre▪ doe stirre vp and breede such monstrous mo­tions, when God is contented to giue them that libertie, which is very well approued by diuers examples▪ as well of prophane as sacred recorde. And first of all in Iob, wher Sathan hauing obteined (as it were) a licence or saufe con­duict of the Lorde, consumed by tempeste and fire, the ser­uantes and cattail of the Prophete: the like being also in experience amongst the Ethnikes, for that (according to di­uerse of their recordes of credite) at such time as the tem­ple of Hamon, of so great estimation among the Lybians, flourished, Sathan abused the people by many false mira­cles and sleightes of slender substance, making them wor­ship him vnder the form and figure of a Belier, or by which meanes hauing heaped together an infinite treasure, and Cambyses king of Persia, sendyng hys armie to spoyle it, [Page] and sacke the temple: the Diuell stirred vp suche stormes and angrie motions in the Element of thunder and ligh­tenings, that the furie and flame thereof, consumed and smoothered aboue Fiftie Thousande persons. Plinie also, with diuers others of the auncients affirme, that the He­trurians did so curiously obserue and marke the signes and motions in the Thunders, that they did not only calculate of the successe, but also gaue iudgement of the effect of di­uers things, and séemed able (as it were by a predestinati­on and forewarnyng appearing in these misticall influen­ces of the Heauens) to determine and appointe the very day of the death and lyfe of sundry greate estates: for ex­ample wherof, not long afore the fatall day of the Empe­ror Augustus Cesar, the thunder had defaced the fyrst let­ter of his name, as it stode engraued vpon a piller within the wall, whiche the Augurers construed to a spéedie de­struction of the emperour, and that hée had but a hundred dayes to liue, the rather bicause C being taken away, ther rested but Esar, which signifieth in the Hetrurian tong God, and the Romains by the letter C, accompte an hundred, so that they both agréed, that by the stroke of that thunder ta­king away C, was figured the death of Cesar, & that with­in the hundreth day he shoulde be with the Gods. Whiche chaunced accordingly, for that the day of his death agréed with the sentence of their prediction. A thing sure of great wonder, the rather for that therein appeareth a maruel­lous power and subtiltie of the Diuell, who by his Arte séemeth to discouer, and prognosticate the deathe of so greate an Emperoure. Aristotle, wyth dyuers others of exquisite skill in the studie and reuelation of suche my­steries, haue diuided the effectes and operations of those Lightenings and Thunders into thrée degrées: the one burneth and consumeth all that commeth wythin hys po­wer: the other scorcheth and maketh blacke euery thing [Page 22] it toucheth: the thyrde excéedeth them all in na [...]ure and qualitie, and is almoste vtterly vnknowen to all the Phi­losophers, for that it drayneth and dryeth vp the Wyne or other lycour, wythout hurtyng the vessell, or gyuyng it any vent, howe close so euer it be, it is of suche sub­tile force that it pierceth thorough euery thyng: it mel­teth Golde and Syluer in the bagge without hurtyng the pursse: it burneth and consumeth the apparell, withoute touche of harme to any parte of the body that weareth them: it smoothereth also the childe vnborne wythin the wombe, wythout doyng harme to the mother: where­of the chiefest reason wée haue of Recorde, is broughte in by Cardanus, in hys fyrste Booke de Subtilitate, and his fourth boke de Varietate rerum, wherein are described at large certayne causes and occasions of those thyngs.

And touchyng the examples I haue alleaged, albeit they séeme straunge and wonderfull for the effect of Thunder, yet are they of vndoubted truthe. Besides wée haue read and also séene in oure tyme many valyaunt men put in feare wyth Thunder, and dyuers greate personages bro­ken in pieces, murdered and slaine by such kinde of death. The Pope Alexander, celebratyng hys Masse on Easter day at Syenna, and the diuell belyke pronouncing the pas­sion, or rather communicatyng with hys Papisticall ce­remonies, as he was vpon thys worde or clause of Con­sumatum est, beholde suche a sodaine noise in the cloudes, and opening of the Element, beganne to houer and pierce into the Temple, with such terrour, that the Pope beyng dryuen to take day in perfourmyng the residue of hys prayers, habandoned the Churche, lefte his booke vn­shutte for haste, and forsooke his Cope and surplesse to make hym selfe lyghter to flée away, the same being al­so done by hys Cardinalles, and euery other assistant. Zoroastes, kyng of the Bractiens, was kylled by the fu­rie of a Tempest. Capanus by lyke meanes dyed at the [Page] warre of Thebes, the emperor Anastasius, after he had reig­ned .27. yeares, did ende his days by semblable stroke, like as also Carius, and diuers other Emperours were subiect and consumed by the lyke force. Marcus Claudius Pretor was burned within his ship by the thunder that fell vpon it. Iulius Obsequens reciteth a wonderful example (as here vnder appeareth) in the stocke of Pompeius Liuius, a Ro­main

knight, who returning with his daughter from cer­taine playes which had ben performed at Rome, sawe his [Page 23] doughter being on horsbacke sodainly smothered & striken to death with thunder & lightning, & making hir be tour­ned naked to the viewe of all men, sawe hir tong come forth at hir secret partes, as if the fire had entred in at hir mouth, and forced a vent for it self belowe: which shall suffice for this time both for examples and causes of these terrible motions of the Elamēt: and let vs now make the ignoraunt sorte priuie to some principall meanes to deli­uer and defende them selues from such furies. The Aun­cients amongst their secret experiences, haue made prouf of diuerse things resisting both thunder and lightnings, as amongest the foule and flying Creatures certaine fethers of an Eagle, but chiefly such as she beares in hir panche are readie defenses against the blast or bolte of thunder. Plinie and other writers more familiar, describing the dis­positiō of diuerse great fishes affirme diuerse to haue bene saued from the violence of lightning and thunder, by wea­ring a girdle made of the skin of a Seacalf. The Laurell or bay leafe amongst trées, hath his priuiledge of speciall defence against suche assaultes, for which respect the aun­cients haue vsed to plante it as an assured porter of saue­tie at the entrie or dore of their houses. Augustus Caesar was alwayes crowned with it: vsinge also to carry cer­tain braunches in his hande, for continuall feare he had of that furie. Albeit certaine Latins write, that since his time, one wearing Laurell was striken with thunder at Rome, whiche they put amongest their wonders or mat­ters of admiration. Tarcon Etruscus witnesseth that by a certaine secret propertie the white vyne defendes from the thunder, affirming that for the same cause in diuerse countries subiect to such terrible effects, men vse to enuirō their houses with the braunches and bowes of the same: & yet are not all these in déede of such vertue against suche furie of the heauens as the true Hiacinthe, which according to the opinion of Serapio & other olde phisitions, is of force [Page] not onely to defende men from perill that waye, but also giues assurance by diuerse proues that the Wax stamped or graued with the same, withstandes the thunder: which they agrée to haue bene proued in the countries where many perished by suche accident, seing that no man hath euer bene touched which hath caried the true stone called Hiacynthe. And nowe to put to the laste seale to our bead­roll of these iniuries and angrie influences of the hea­uens, I haue to preferre certaine monstrouse stones falling from the Element, of the colour of yron, singed and burned, not much vnlike that which the Auncientes affirme to fall in Thracia, being by estimation of the thick­nesse of a chariot, whereof the great Philosopher Anaxa­goras prognosticated many yeares before. Besides, with­in our age and memorie, and also in a countrey suffici­ently knowen to sundrie trauailers. I meane in Sugolye confynyng vppon the borders of Hungarie, the seauenth day of September in the yeare a Thousand fiue hundred and fourtene, in a horrible clappe of Thunder and lighte­nyng, there fell downe from Heauen, a huge Stone, of the weyght of two hundreth and fiftie poundes, the whych the Citizens haue made faste wyth a greate chayne of yron wythin their Temple, vsing to shewe it, as a thing of greate wonder to straungers visityng theyr prouince in sorte of perigrination. And to make an end, Cardanus in his fourth booke De varietate rerum, saith that he hath séene in a fielde in Italie, a number of harde stones of the colour of yron, castyng a smell of Sulphure fallen oute of the Ayre, whereof some of them weighed a Hundred and twentye pounde the péece, & others thrée score, the which being shewed to the Frenche Kyng (as a thyng of greate wonder) in hys Royall voyage to Naples, putte hym into a great maruell how the Heauens coulde sustaine so greate a waighte the space of twoo houres, séeing that [Page 24] the noise ceassed not, nor the flames to flashe oute of the Skye from thrée of the clocke vntyll fyue, when the fall of the stones appeased the brute and horrible Rumbling whiche was in the Ayre.

HIeronymus Cardanus writeth a wōderful Historie in his sixt booke De subtilitate, as I might saie, repugnant to nature, sauing that the same was done in the presence and sight of the whole companie of a Citie, whiche makes it of more faith and credit. When (saith he) I wrote my workes of subtil inuentions, I sawe a certaine man at Millan which washte his face & handes with skalding leade, hauing washte them before with som [Page 25] other water: wherfore Cardanus, (as he was accustomed w^t great diligēce enforcing himselfe to searche & trie out that secret in nature) was of opiniō y^• of necessitie it must be, y^t y^e water wherewith he first washed was extreme colde, & withall, had a certaine obscure & hidden vertue, the which did with stande the heate of the leade, not suffering y^e same to cleaue or sticke to his bodie: & some (saith he) affirme that the water wherein he washed, was made of the sappe of Pourpie and Mercuriall, for bicause of the sliminesse and lightnesse thereof, which to me séemes not to be true, for that he vsed the same water very often to wash his whole bodie, putting but a litle on the place where he poured the hoate leade, taking a crowne for the sighte thereof, of all such as came to sée his doing therin. And surely if y^e water had bene made of these twoo herbes, which be of small esti­mation, in respect of such goodnesse and vertue, he woulde haue cast a farre more quantitie on his bodie than he did. But to cōclude it, is thought that the water which he vsed was metical as that of Stybium. Cōferring y^e particulari­ties therof with y^e saying of Cardā & other authours which I haue read, I finde that in times passed, these doings were not had in so great admiratiō as they be at this day, seeing we see by common experience, that there be diuers things which of nature haue not only power to resiste the force of fier, but also will not be consumed thereof, as the poulse of Pirrhus, which when his bodie was broiled, it could not be consumed by the fire, mennes teeth and the diamont cannot be executed by fire. And there springs a certain gumme of the Pine male, the which as Theophra­stus writeth, being rubbed vpon the tables of woodde, de­fendes them from the force of the fire, whereof there was sufficient proofe made by Silla with his armie brought against Archelaus, who hauing enuironed on all sides a tower of woodde of the sayd Archelaus with the burning flames of fire, was not thereby hable to endomage the [Page] same, which Silla much maruelled at. Isidorus and manie others writeth that there was brought into the presence of Pope Alexander a white linnen shirte, the which for pleasure & admiration, he caused to be caste into the fire, at such time as the strange Embassadours came to sée hym, sometimes leauing the sayd shirte in the fire the space of a daye, without any hurte to it, but that the same taken from the fire, was become thereby more fairer: whereof some affirme, that the cloth of this shirte was made of the worme,Silemander, a worme liuing in the fire. which men name Salemander, who (as Aristotle teacheth) liueth in the fire, but whether it be true or no, I leaue that to the iudgement of those which haue waded further in searching the hidde misteries & secretes of na­ture, than I. Albeit I knowe that S. Augustin hath made mentiō in his .xxj. booke, named the Citie of God, in the .v. chapter, of a Lampe, which was in the Temple of Venus, the which although it were exposed and brought into the winde,A Lampe bur­ning without the aide of oile or match. raine or other weather comming from heauen, yet it burned with so muche the more efficacie, without con­suming, hauing neither ayde of oyle or matche. But after the saide S. Augustin had by diligent searche, sought the maruellous cause of that fire, which did not consume, he resolued in the ende in this sorte, either it must be (sayeth he) that there is in the saide Lampe some peice of the stone called Abseste, growing in Arcadie, the which being lighted, cannot be quenched, or it muste be (sayth he) that the same Lampe was forged by magicall arte, or els that this wonder was deuised by some diuel vnder the name of Venus, to the ende not onely thereby to make him selfe worshipped, but still to keepe and entertaine the people in the same error, wherof, as Ludouicus Viues vpon the expo­sitiō of the same chapter, which hath heretofore added lear­ned commentes to S. Augustins bookes De ciuitate Dei, af­firmeth in the same to haue séene in the time of his studie at Paris, matches which the fire could not cōsume. And for [Page 26] a more proufe thereof, it hath bene told & recounted in the time of our fathers y^t there was opened a sepulcher enclo­sed in the earth, wherin was found a burning Lāpe, which had remained lighte without going out y^• space of foure or v. hundreth yeares (as it appeared by inscription or autho­ritie of time, ingraued vpon the stone) the same, dissoluing into pouder assone as it was toutched, which I could con­firme by diuers like examples and authorities of proufe, aswell auncient as familiar, who haue lefte sundrie expe­riences of diuers things of vertue and force able to re­siste the fire, like as who dippes or rubbes his hands in the iuyce of Mauue or Mer­curial, shal neuer be endomaged with the furie of any flame or fire.

THis wicked secte of the Iewes hath from time to time so much disquieted and molested our Christian publike weale, that the Historians of our time haue attainted thē in their writing of sondrie misdemea­nours and abuses in lyuing, that whosoeuer shall reade their cruell blasphemies & abhominable execrations which they continually publishe and set forth againste Iesus Christ the Sauiour of all the worlde, in a certaine booke [Page 27] common in their Sinagoges) which they cal Talmud, will iudge the same a cause sufficient, to exile & abandon them out of all the Prouinces and places where Christe is to be honored. For like as these poore people blinded and led in the myst of errour, haue not only gone about to defame the name of our Sauiour by their writings, but also that whiche is worse, they haue moste shamefully trauailed to extirpe and blot out the remembrance of him for euer. E­uen so in the yeare a thousand, a hundred and foure score, and in the raigne of king Philip, these wicked people in the despite of the passion of Iesus Christe, vpon good Friday, when they iudged that the Christians were most occupied in celebrating that day, they inclosed them selues yearely in a caue, where hauing stolne a yong chylde, they whipte him, crounyng him with thornes, makyng him to drinke gall, and in the end crucified him vpon a crosse, continuing in this sort of cruel doings, till the Lorde grudging great­ly with the death of so many poore innocents, suffred them as thieues to be taken with the déede, and after he had cau­sed them to be examined and tormented for the same, they confessed that they had vsed this many yeres before, mur­dring a great number of infantes in this sort, wherof king Philip being ascertained, caused them not only to be cha­sed from his realme, but also broiled of them, to the num­ber of .lxxx. in a hot burning caudron. After that king Phi­lip seing him selfe oppressed with warres, and wantyng money to maintaine the same, for a better supplie of hys necessitie, he (for a summe of money payd to him in hande by the said Iewes, for their outragious liuing) licenced them to return & trauail into France. But euen as vices be chai­ned togither, drawing one another, so these wicked people yet smellyng of this first iniurie which they had receyued, determined and fully resolued amongst them selues, to ex­tirp at one instant the name of Christians, destroying thē all by poyson: And for a further helpe in these their wic­ked [Page] practises, they allied them selues in consorte wyth di­uers Lepres, by whose succoures and meanes they made an oyntment, with a confection of the blood of mans vrine composed with certaine venemous herbes, wrapped with­in a little lynnen cloth, tying a stone to the same to make it sinke to the bottome: they nightly cast in the sayd infec­tion into all the fountaines and welles of the Christians. Whervpon this corruption engendred such cōtagious dis­eases in all Europe, A great infec­tion thro [...]gh­out all Europe by reason the water in their welles was ympoysoned. that there died wel nigh the thirde per­son throughout the same: for this plague passing sodainly from citie to citie, by the contagiousnesse therof destroyed and smoothered al things bearing life, encountring it. But after the Lorde had suffred to raigne for a time, the tyran­nie of these wicked and euil disposed persons, he stopped so their cruel enterprises, that they passed no further therin. And like as in tyme diuers of those welles and fountains became drie, by which meanes the impoisoned bags were founde in the bottom of the water: Euen so by coniecture and suspition, diuers of these malefactors were apprehen­ded: and being grieuously tormented, confessed the facte, whervpon grew such sharp & seuere punishement, as well to al the Iewes, as Lepres, thorough out all the prouince of Europe, being founde culpable therof, that their posterities smell therof til this day: for they hauing proued so many kindes of torments and martirdoms, that vpon theyr im­prisonments, they had greater desire to kil and broile one an other, than become subiecte to the mercie of the Chri­stians. And as Conradus of Memdember, of equall fame in the studie of Philosophie and artes Mathematicall wri­teth, that ther died in Almayn for this cause aboue xij. thou­sand Iewes. Wherfore as it was strange to behold their af­flictions: Euen so it was as extreme to sée the poore Chri­stians haue in horrour & abhomination the water of theyr welles and fountains, that they rather choosed to die of the drought, than to receiue any drop therof into their bodies, [Page 28] but hauing recourse to rain water, or to riuers, whereof they had greater want than any store or plentie at all, fin­ding not at al times to serue theyr turnes, they preuented sundry times the perill of the poison. And as these false deceiuers were of all nations much detested, so they often times proued diuers kindes of calamities (as the Histori­ans testifie:) the same Cōradus Licostenes amongst others, reciteth a strange deuice hapening in the yere .434. about which time he foūd by fortune in the Isle of Cre [...]e, a seducer and false prophet, or rather a wicked spirite▪ as they might cōiecture by the issue of his enterprises. This prophet pre­ched opēly through al the Isle, that he was the same Moy­ses which brought the Israelites from the seruitude of Pha­rao, and that he was sent againe from God to deliuer the Iewes frō the bondage & seruitude of the Christians: wher­in hauyng thus planted the rootes of his pestilent doctrine, he therby woon the people by false miracles and other dia­bolicall illusions, that they began to forsake their houses, lands, possessions, and al the goodes they had, to folow him, in such sort, that they founde no other matter in that coū ­trey, but a great troupe of Iewes, accompanied with their wiues and children, which folowed this holy man as their chief. And after he had wel led thē in this miserable error, he made them mount in the end to the height of a rock, ioy­ning to the sea, and there tolde them, that he would make thē passe through the sea on foote, as he had tofore brought the people of God thorough the floude of Iordain, whiche he coloured so finely by his deceyuable arte, that he per­suaded them very easily, and in such sort, that the pore peo­ple gathered together on a heape, dyd caste them selues headlongs into the sea. Whereby the greatest parte of them were drowned, and the reste saued by certain chri­sten Fishermen, whiche were then in the sea. Whereof the Iewes perceiuing the greate deceite whereby he hadde abused them, coulde not by any humaine Arte heare [Page] any newes, nor discouer where was becom their prophet, which gaue occasion to many of them, not onely to thinke, but also write, that he was a Diuell vnder the shape and figure of a man, which had so deceiued them. Sebastian Mū ­ster writeth in his boke of vniuersall Cosmographie an o­ther historie of them set out in a more gay and braue fashi­on, saying: That in the yeare of health .1270. when the Countie of Steruembergh was bishop of Mandeburgh, one of the chief Priests of the Synagoges of the Iewes, fell by chaunce vpon their Saboth day into a déepe Iakes, oute of which he coulde not get, and therby constrained to call for the aide of his companions, who being arriued, sayd vnto him with grieuous complaints, that it was theyr Saboth day, and that it was not lawfull for them as that daye to yelde hym the benefite of their handes, but willyng hym to vse pacience til the next day following, which was sun­day. The bishop of Mandeburgh aduertised of this, being a very wyse man, gaue commaundement to the Iewes by the sounde of a Trumpet, that vpon paine of death they shold frō henceforth kéepe holy and solem­nise as their Saboth daye the Sunday. By meanes whereof, thys poore martir remained parfu­med tyll the Monday.

THe antiquities of forain times haue sufficiently proued the horrible rage of wa­ters, that if I shoulde goe about to declare them in order, I shoulde rather want E­loquence to describe them, than matter wherupon to entreate. The first and most worthie of me­morie, is sufficiently shewed by Moyses, in the .vij. chapiter of the boke of Genesis, at what time God opened the veines of heauen, and sent downe such abundance of water vpon [Page] all the earth for the purifying and clensyng of the synnes of men, that the same ouerflowed the highest mountaines aboue .xv. cubites. And in the reigne of kyng Henry the fourth, the waters raged with suche impetuositie within the prouinces of Italie, that there was not onely thereby drowned many thousand men, but that whiche was more strange (as the Historians make mētion) the tame & hous­hold beasts, as hennes, géese, Pehens, & such like, were by the terror therof so frighted, that they became sauage, wā ­dring in the deserts and forrests, and neuer after to be re­claimed. Wherof S. Augustine in the third boke called, the Citie of God, maketh mention, that in the yeare of health 1446. and on the .xvij. day of April, in the tyme of Federike the .iij. Emperor, at what tyme printing was first founde out) there was in Hollande, so great an inundation of wa­ter, and the sea ouerflowed the bankes with suche furie, that it brake the causeys running behinde Dordrech, coue­ring al the land, as wel cities as villages, in such sort that ther were drouned not only xvj. parishes, but also .100000. men with their wiues, children, and beasts. And in y^e yeare 1530. in Hollande, Flaunders, and Brabant, the sea so swelled, that it brake not only bulwarks and rampiers, but also vi­olently caried away both cities and villages togither with the creatures in them: & bisides made all the hauen tow­nes no lesse nauigable, than the open and main sea: which not only chaunced in Flaunders, but also the same yeare the riuer of Tyber so flowed in Rome, that it moūted aboue the highest towres and estages of the citie, and withal not on­ly breaking down the bridges, but endamaging theyr goo­des, as gold, siluer, corne, wine, cloth of silke, flowre, oyles woull, and other riches, to the value of thrée millions of golde, bisides the losse of thrée thousande persons, as well men as women and litle childrē, which were therby smoo­thered and drouned. Wherein as all these matters were maruellous: so the auncientes and writers at this day, [Page 30] haue not made proofe of one more strange sithens the vni­uersall floud of Noe, than this which chaunced in Phrygia, in the yeare of grace .1230. For euen as when they thought them selues most happie, and were banketting, drinkyng, and giuing them selues ouer to all kindes of pleasure, be­holde all the lande, nigh to the sea of Phrygia and Halde­rich, were in one moment so couered with water, and the sea so peopled with men and beastes, crying with pitifull vehemencie, that it séemed by them, that God had forgot­ten his vowe made to Noe, wherein he promised neuer to destroy mankinde by water againe. Albeit the rage was so cruell that men were forced to climbe trées like birdes, others ramped vpon the mountaines, the mothers caste their children vpon the grounde, to the ende they myghte with more spéede flée and shunne the furie of the element. And to be short, the desolation was suche, that there was not only an infinite multitude of men, women, children, and beasts drowned: but that whiche was more to be la­mented, the corruption which sprang of the putrified bo­dies, after the waters were retired to their olde chanel, so infected the aire with a sodain plague, that the rest which were saued from drownyng, were destroyed by the mise­rable infection therof, in suche sort that the Prouince re­mayned almoste deserte and inhabitable. Wherein who list to beholde Flouds more freshe in memorie, wherwith other Cities haue bene tormented, let hym reade Carion in the Abridgement of his Chronicles, and all those of Gasparde Contarenus, in his learned boke of Philosophie, whiche he made of the foure Elements.

LIke as it is straunge that the fyre fal­ling from heauen should burne those places which it toucheth: Euen so it is more mon­strous to see the same issue from the earth, without knowing where it firste tooke hir nouriture, beginning and birth, as this, whereof Titus Liuius and Orseus make mention, which sprang of the in­trailes of the earth, in the territorie of Calene, which ceas­sed not burning by the space of thrée dayes & thrée nights, vntill [Page 31] it had committed to cinders about fyue acres of groūd, drying so muche the moisture and humour of the grounde, that not only the Corne and other frutes, but also the trees with all their rootes were burnte and consumed. Diuers Historians write, that in the olde time the moste parte of the Realme of Scotland was by the like violente irruption of fire springing from an vnknowen opening and caue of the earth, quite consumed and burned. The cause where­of, the Philosophers haue searched with great diligence, and in the ende founde that Sulphur, Allom, Pitche and Water be the cause of the entertaining of that fire, toge­ther with the very fatnesse of the ground, and that fire af­ter it hath founde a vente, can not long continue without issuing with a wonderfull violent force. And for the most part these flames haue bene diuers times séene of the peo­ple (with great wonder & terrour to them) cōmonly about the Sepulchers and Churchyardes, and other fat & moyste places, which was engendred of the fertilitie and moist­nesse of the deade bodies, who were there buried: for men amongest all other creatures, be of a very subtile and fat substance, as is plainly shewed by that which is discoue­red in our time of the Sepulcher of Alexander Duke of Florence, which, although it were made of white Marble both massie & heauie, yet notwithstanding, the fatnesse of y^e bodie pierced & distilled through the said Sepulcher, pier­cing the bottome of the pillours thereof. In like maner the moisture of the bodie of Alphonsus Aualus, albeit the Phisitions had dried the same with salte and sande, and in­wrapped his bodie in leāde, yet the fatnesse thereof spot­ted and spoiled not onely the stones aboue the Tombe, but dropped through euery parte of the leade. And there is also a mountaine called Hecla in the Isle of Islande, whereof one George Agricola, a man amongest others of our time worthie of memorie, hath made mention repor­ting the same to caste such flames, and making so great a [Page] a noise, that it séemes to be made, the same casting and darting greate stones & withall vomitteth Sulphur, smo­thering, as in a gulphe, all those which approch to beholde the nature of that fire: whereby the common people of that cuntrie be brought in such an errour, that they beleue that place to be y^e prison of the damned. Besides also ma­nie Historiās write, that there appeared in that place vi­sions, which shewe themselues visible, and make their ser­uice to men: they appeare for the moste part in the shape and figure of those which by some violent aduenture haue bene either killed or drowned: and when those which they know makes their returne to their houses, they aunswere them with maruellous complaint & wéepingins, willing them to returne to the mounte Hecla, & so sodainly passe & vanishe awaye. But for my part, I haue alwaies thought, that they be certaine disciples of the diuell, which haue vo­wed them obedience in that place, to deceiue the people, being by nature of a Barbarous & grosse capacitie: where­of, as we haue declared before y^t the cause of these hideous and pepetuall flames is naturall, so it also commeth of the fertilitie of the grounde, together with the plentie of Sul­phur wherewith the marchants loade so many shippes, ca­rying them into strange countreyes. And moreouer, the fatnesse of the groūde of this Islande, as the Auncients and Historians at these dayes write, is such (and especially in the lowe countrey) that they are constrained to féede their cattel but a smal time, leaste they shoulde surfeit of the swéetnesse thereof, & so die, as is dayly proued. Neither let vs muse or be to curious in searching the cause of these flames of the mountaines so farre from vs, for we haue the mounte Vesuue neare to Naples, whereof Martial, Stra­bo, and Xiphilnius in the life of Seuerus the Emperour haue verye often in their writing made mention to be in times pastmost fertil, is now by the continual embracements of [Page 32] the fire vtterlye ruinous and consumed, and in the time of Titus Caesar, it caste forth such plentie of fire, that it bur­ned twoo Cities, and the smoke thereof rose so thick and high, that it had welnigh darkened the Sunne, making the dayes like to the night, and all the fields therea­bouts were so full of cinders, that they seemed in heighte equall with the trées. Wherein Plinie (who raigned in the time of Vespasian the Emperour) desiring to knowe the cause of the continual burning of this mountaine, wente to sée it, and approching too neare the same, was at the sight thereof so astonished, that he was immediatly sur­prised with the flame, and his bodye thereby committed to ashes, as you maye beholde in the pourtraite before: & that which is yet fresh in memorie, in the yeare 1538. where it began againe to make so great an irruption, that it fea­red al the people bordering vpō it. We can in like maner bring in amongst these wonderful mountayns, the mount Aetna, otherwise called the mount Gibell, in Sicile, whereof S. Augustine hath made so often mention in hys workes, and whiche Strabo witnesseth, as one that hath not feared to mounte to the very heighte to beholde and consider the maruellous effects therof, wherof Sueton affirmeth, that Caius Cesar, Caligula Emperor of the Romains, hauing be­held this great store of fire, that the mount vomited forth, was therewith so feared, that he fled by night to Messane, and not withoute cause, for after the windes had gotten within the euents of this mountain, it darted forth migh­tie stones, and great flakes of burning fire, whiche con­sumed all things it encountred. Thucidide maketh menti­on of three notable embracementes of this mount Aetna, which was after the Greekes had gotten to Sicile. And Orose reciteth, that in the time that Marcus Aemilius and Lucius Oresteus were Consules, the same mount sodainely threwe out such a quantitie of flames of sulphure, that al the coun­trey [Page] theraboutes was destroyed: by meanes wherof, the Romains remitted the ordinarie tribute whiche they recei­ued of those of Casine for the space of ten yeares. And the men at those dayes thought that the matter wherwith the fyre was nourished, was quite consumed, for that y^e same ceassed for a time: but in the yeare .1570. they very well proued the contrary: for as they were astoonished at the great masse of fyre, with the light darkened. Euen so that light of the sulphure fell from the height of the sayde mountain to the lowest part therof, the which by a certaine coldenesse coulde not be so wel gouerned, but that running here and there, it burned not only fields, stones, forrestes, but also two villages, and all that it encountred, and the fyre being at this time extinguished, the grounde by that meanes brings forth muche good fruite, and withal is become fertile.

THe Histories & yeares of Romains, Greekes, Parthains, Medians, Persians, and others like, haue so often made mention of the ruinous chaunce of manie Cities and Prouinces, by [Page] the trembling of the earth, that I could bring to memorie, very neare the number of fyue hundreth greatly renow­med, which perished and were destroyed by this kind of torment, as Epheseus, Magnesus, Sardos, Cesaree, Philadel­phius, Mirimneus, Apolonius, Nicomedius, Antiocheus and many others, in suche sorte, that in one night in the tyme of Tibereus the Emperour vnder whome y^e sauiour of the worlde was crucified, twelue of the most proud Cities of Asia were made ruinous in one night by the sodaine trem­bling of the earth, as Plinius and Cornelius write. In like sorte at what time Flaminius warred against Hanibal, and as their hostes were ready to ioine battaile y^e one against the other, the earth begā so vehemently to euente & shake, that many of the strongest partes of the Cities, and diuers of the highest mountaines were battred and made flatte with the earth: and yet (as sayeth Titus Liuius) these twoo armies were so enraged the one against the other, that they forbare not to continue their furie, making no ac­compte of these wonders: whereof who listeth to reade Dion Niceus and Xiphilinus, in the life of Anthonie the Emperour, shall finde so strange earthquakes happening in Hellespont and Bithinie, that it canot seeme otherwayes, but y^t those prouinces should be deuoured & swallowed vp. The Isle of the Rhodes so much renoumed by writings, hath bene very often decayed by earthquakes, in so much that the great Idol and Image of the Sun, which shone so greatly in Rhodes, made by Chares Lindius scholer of Lisip­pus, when he was twelue yeares of age, the which was in heyghte thrée score and six cubits, was defaced and broken by trembling of the earth, the .lv. yeare after the setting vp thereof, which was once againe layde on the earth in the time of Plinie, to the great maruel of those which went to sée it, in such sorte that the very thombe of that Image, surpasseth in bignesse y^e greatest Image which they could finde, and the riches of that Image was so maruellous, [Page 34] that when the Soudan of Egipte inuaded Rhodes, he loaded with the fragmentes & reliques of Brasse of that Image which he founde battred, nine hundreth Camels, which he sente by lande into Alexandria. And moreouer Iosephus in his first booke of the warres of the Iewes, maketh mētion of an earthquake which chaunced in Iudee, by the violence whereof there was killed a thousand men, wherein as the Auncients vnder the gouerment of Eudoxius, willing to celebrate a second Councel at Nice, to vndoe the articles agréed vpon by y^e general councel, were sodainly stonished euen when their Byshops & Prelats were assembled, with the sodain mouing & shaking of the Citie of Nice, wherein many building sounke, and many thousands of men were deuoured and choked, who perceiuing that god was not cō ­tente with their enterprise, were forced to desiste from their purpose, and returne to their Prouinces, (as Fuctius writeth.) Also in the yeare .1345. & the daye of the conuer­sion of S. Paul, was so horrible an earthquake in Venise (as Sabellique writeth) that by y^e space of fyue dayes together, they sawe no other thing but houses & building decay, and besides that, all the women being with childe during that time, were deliuered before their times, & their frute lost. But to the ende we should not consume much time in cō ­mitting to memorie the hurtes receiued in y^e olde time by those shakings of y^e earth, we haue in our age proued y^e like in y^e yere of our Sauiour .1538. the .xxvj. day of Ianuarie, where the Realme of Portugal was so shaked, by the thru­sting together of y^e earth, y^t there fel at Lisbone (as the wri­ters at this daye reporte) very neare a thousand or .xij. hundreth buildings, besides more than .ij. hundreth others which where halfe decaied, & that torment cōtinuing .viij. dayes, y^e assaultes thereof renewed .v or .vj. times a day, by meanes whereof al y^e poore inhabitāts were so frighted, y^t they abādoned their houses & lodged in y^e fields. Titꝰ Liuius in his vij. booke & .j. decade, Oroseus in his .ij. booke & .v. chap. [Page] Iulius Obsequens, Polidorus Virgilius & many others, haue made mention of a strange earthquake in Rome, which me seames worthie of memorie in this place for the no­ueltie of an acte so strangelie happening. They write that in the time of Seruilius Hala, and Lutius Genutius being Consulles, the Citie of Rome was besieged with a sodaine shaking of the earth, which being ceassed, lefte a certaine caue or depth in the midst of a place of the Citie, which by no meanes coulde be closed or shutte vp with all the earth or other matter they coulde caste into it besides: there is­sued out thereof such a stinke of diuers pestilent and infec­tiue vapours, that the most part of the Citizens of the Ci­tie were therewith infected: and after they had searched all the meanes they coulde to remedie their euill, they deter­mined (as their laste refuge) to demaunde councell therin of their diuines and soothsaiers, who after they had done to them their accustomed ceremonies, they answered that it was not possible by any artificiall meanes to close it vp, vnlesse the moste precious Iewell in all the Citie were caste into it: wherefore, after that the Ladies and other Romain Citizens had liberallie caste into it the moste pre­cious Iewels that they had in their closets, without pro­fiting or appeasing the furie of that gulphe, Marcus Cur­tius an excellent and valiante Romain Knight, armed at all pointes, and mounted vpon the best horse in his stable, cast himselfe headlong into that depth, the which immediatly closed vp, and so ceassed to rage. So much is the deceit of the diuel in this world, that men thinking to do sacrifice to their Gods, to deliuer their countrie from captiuitie, make their soules a willing sacrifice to the diuel. Wherwith en­ding these earthquakes, it resteth now to shew y^• causes of their beginning. Aristotle, Plinie, and generally all those who haue treated of the motion of the earth, attribute the causes of that euil fortune to the vapours and exhalations which be inclosed in y^e intrailles of y^e earth, by whose force [Page 35] searching to euente and to come forth, the earth is moued and stirred, which is of power in some places to dissunder strong walles and buyldyngs, and make them fall into the earth: and in some place it leaueth a hollowe hole or caue, like to that in Rome, whereof we made mention: someti­mes these fires issue before any assault or warning giuen, where diuers tymes at the very same instant, may bée hearde an horrible sounde and murmure, like to the mut­terings or clamors of men, accordyng to the quantitie of the matter which is shaken, or the forume of the caue by the which the vapour passeth, leauyng sometimes a caue which sheweth the thyng swallowed: and sometimes the earth is made so firme sodainly, that they can finde no token therof, and at other times de­uoureth whole villages, swallowyng somtimes the most part of a coun­trey. And that which is to be noted, these earth­quakes happen for the most part, rather in the Spring time, and in Autumne, than in any other season of the yeare.

SUche nede not to be astonnied at all of the figure of this monster, whiche haue read the eight Chapiter of S. Augustine, in his .xvj. boke written of the Citie of God, where a litle before his time was borne an infant in the east parties, which was double aboue, and single be­lowe, hauing two heades, two brestes, foure handes, and the rest of the bodie in the shape of one, that is to say, two thighes, two féete, one belly, and the rest from the nauell [Page 36] downewarde, had not but the figure of one mā (as he wit­nesseth in a place before) and lyuyng so, many wente to sée it for the renoume and fame thereof. And that wher­of also I thought somwhat to speake, for that thys whose portraict is presented, is like vnto that whiche S. Augu­stine writeth of, sauing that that had the figure of a man, and thys the fourme of a woman, who was engendred v­pon the confines of Normandie, and Englande, at what time Henry the thirde there reigned. Wherof, if you wyll well consider, you shall fynde the same to bée a straunge spectacle in Nature: for beholde, these two bodies were knit togither from the toppe of their heads to their nauell, like .ij. graftes in the trunke of a trée, hauing two heades, two mouthes, two noses, with their faces faire, well for­med and made in euery point requisite in nature euen to the nauel, and from the nauel downwardes, it had but the figure and shape of one only, that is to say, two legs, two thighes, one nature, and one onely conduict whereby the excrements were discharged. And that whiche was more pitifull, is that they differed in all the actions of nature: for somtimes when the one wept, the other laughed, if the one talked, the other helde hir peace, as the one eate, the other dranke: Liuyng thus a long season, till one of them died, the other being constrained to traile the deade body af­ter hir for certaine yeares after, where by the stinke and corruption of hir who was deade, in the ende she was in­fected, and died also. The Authours of this be Cuylerinus, Mattheus Palmerius, Vincentius in hys .xxvj. booke and xxxviij. Chapiter. Hieronymus Cardan, an excellente Mil­lanois Physition, searching greately the secretes of Na­ture, which at this day is liuing, affirmeth in his .xiiij. boke of his bokes of diuerse histories, that in the yeare .1544. & in the moneth of Ianuary, the like monster was engēdred in Italie, which he describes in pointes like vnto this, and the mother brought it forth in the ende of the .ix. moneth, [Page] very well formed in all respects, and withall corpulente, notwithstanding it died immediatly after the mother was brought to bedde, by meanes that the sage women had v­sed to much force and violēce in taking the same from the body of the mother. And further he describes afterwards a thing worthie to be noted: whiche is, that there was a surgion named Gabriel Cuneus, a man very expert in hys arte, who heretofore had ben his disciple, made an Anato­mie of this monstrous maide, committing hir into pie­ces: and after he had opened the interiour partes, he found a double wombe, all the intestines double, sauing that which they cal rec­tū, bisides he found two liuers, and so almost all the other partes, reseruing the heart, which was single: the which moueth vs to thinke (sayth Cardan) that Nature wold haue created two, sauing that by some defecte she imperfected the whole.

SAint Hierom, Licostenes, and Isidorus make mention of a monster, who vpon a sodaine appeared to S. Anthonie, whilest he did pe­nance in the desert, hauing (as it is written) the forme of a man, his nose hideous & hau­ked, two hornes on his head, and his feete like to a goate, according to his figure appearing in this portraict, wherof that holy man being afrayd to behold so wonderful a crea­ture in the desert, he coniured him in the name of God to [Page] tell him what he was, who answered him, I am a mortall man as thou art, appointed to dwell in this wildernesse, which the cōmon people (deceiued) are persuaded to be one of these hurtfull Satyres, wandring by the desertes, or else some enchaunting deuill: wherof also the holy man S. Au­gustine in his first boke and thirde question of Genesis ma­keth mention, in that he reportes so diuersly of certain di­uels (hurtful specially to women) that it is neither easy nor seeming to pronounce a resolution, albeit in the .xxv. chapiter and .xv. boke of the citie of God, he speaketh more frankly, affirming by the authoritie of scripture, that an­gels haue appered to certaine men with mortal shape, and haue not only bene séene of them, but suffred them selues to be touched by such as they haue appeared vnto. Bysides there be many of opinion now a days by report of others, and thousandes who haue proued it true by experien [...]e in themselues, that there be certain impes and gliding spiri­tes in the woods and sauage places, which the cōmon sorte call Nimphes, who desire the companie of women, & haue had to do with them, deliting chiefly in such vncleane and filthy exercise: which albeit is sufficiently and absolutely approued by so many, that it is not almost to be denied, yet for my part I dare not affirme, and much lesse assure, that the spirites that haue their bodies of the ayre, & participate with that element, can either desyre or performe effects of such vnclean plesure: wherein notwithstandyng, who sée­keth to be more largely resolued, let him reade Guilielmus Parisiensis, in y^e third part of his treatise de succubis and In­cubis, who albeit he hath gathered the opiniō of most of the Theologians, yet Lodouicus Viues in the .xxiij. chapter of his fifte booke de ciuitate Dei, despising suche vanitie, maketh them of the Ile of Cypres, a mockyng stocke, bicause they glorifie their originall, as mouyng first from the Dyuels succubi and incubi, wherof you haue hearde a large descrip­tion before.

AMongest all and euery cause of wonder in Nature, there is none that more moueth maruel in men, nor halfe so meritorious of phi­losophicall contemplation, than the excellente [Page] propretle of precious stones, who being once drawne out of the intrailes and wombe of theyr mother and nurse the earth, do so amaze our sighte and rauishe oure senses, that they séeme to contain some charme or newe mysterie sent by nature to dazell our eyes▪ Ludouicus Vartomanus a Ro­main writeth, that he hath seene the king of P [...]g [...], a famous citie in India, haue Carbuncles, which the Gretians call Pyro­pi, so great & shining, that who behelde them in any darke or shaded place, seemed to haue his body distempered, and almost transformed by imagination: suche was the lighte and piercing glimmers of these stones, séeming of no lesse force to penetrate than if they had bene assisted with the moste hoate and vehement reflection of the Sunne. The moste part of the Greeke and Latine philosophers, as Theo­phrastes, Mutianus, Plinie, Ruffus, wyth other of no lesse credite than they, haue so precisely searched the propre­tie and procreation of stones, that they affirmed, that they doe not onely engender, but also do suffer diseases, olde Age, and Death. And touching the procreation, they are of diuerse opinions. For some say, they engender be­twéene rockes, when the sappe or iuyce of other stones distilles within the creuices or hollow places of she same, euen as the childe taketh his begynnyng of hys mother: some affirme, that they conceiue of the sap & mary of pre­cious mettals, like as oftētimes is found the reason in di­uerse mynes of gold & syluer: some agayn, who take vpon them to sifte more narrowly the secretes of Nature, are of opinion, that they come and grow in the earth, as knots in wood, waxkernels in men, or séede in herbes: whervnto as there may be credit giuen according to reason that mo­ueth it, so there be other Philosophers, eyther more igno­rant of the truthe, or more precise than standeth eyther with learning or naturall persuasion,The Adamant smelleth and [...]eleth. who doubt not to as­sure absolutely, that they haue sense & motiō, wherof they proue the first by the Adamant, which smelles yron, & dra­weth [Page 39] it to him, whose vertue shal folow at full hereafter. And for the second, they make good their opinion by a com­mon experience in a litle stone not rare in Fraunce & Italye called by them Astroites, which being put within either vineger or wine, moueth of himselfe, with crooked pace not vnlike to an Oxe or Cowe réeling here and there: and yet I thinke these seueral opinions, intēde rather to aduaunce the estimation and propertie of stones, than to persuade a credit that they haue either motion or féeling, albeit tou­ching this stone called Astroites, it is most certaine that it stirres being put in wyne: whereof notwithstāding mine eyes haue bene often witnesses, yet is it not sufficient to assure, albeit it is not altogether voyde of cause & reason in nature to proue his mouing, séeing it is not cleare nor shining, but couered with spots or staines like ashes presē ­ting a duskish hue or cōplexion, y^e same being made of an humour very subtil, which may be conuerted into vapour by force of the wine, which vapour searching wayes to go out and can finde no issue, thrustes (as it were and giueth motion to the stone whiche is light,) like as the true signe and argumēt of the subtill vapour is proued chiefly in that y^e stone is ful of litle knobbes which persuades it to be cor­rupte or rotten, and to haue both hoales and conduites▪ Here as it may be that some haue a precise opinion of my diligence in searching so narrowly the cause of mouing in this stone, (which notwithstāding), as I accōpte such Phi­losophie neither vnnecessarie, nor vnprofitable, seeing it gi­ueth cause of wonder to suche as sée it stirre alone, with­out vnderstanding the reason. So, were it not that te­diousnesse woulde take awaye the delight of the readers, and peraduenture include some discredite touching the thing it selfe, I could preferre matters of more wonder in stones, and such as haue passed by proofe and familiar expe­rience. Hector Boetius makes mention of a spunging stone in Scotlande, whiche being dipped in the Sea, altereth the [Page] taste therof, and makes it pleasant. Other historiās bring in a kinde of stone which is piercing and somewhat pale, which they call Nicolaus, the same making him that wea­reth, it sad and melancholike, and so wrestes the sprites and inwarde partes that it stirres vp wonderfull passions in the minde: they haue lefte also remembraunce of a wonderfull vertue in the Iewell hanging about the necke of Hermion, which makes as many perish as weare it: it is most certaine that in Archadie a cuntrie in Scotland, there is a kinde of stone, which being laide any small time vpon strawe or other like drye substance, it kindles and growes to flame without the assistance of fire: all which bicause thy séeme wonders excéeding our reason, & things rather mysticall than agréeing with our capacitie, I will nowe stay to cōmitte them any more to the iudge­ment or contemplation of the reader, and enter into the searche and discourse of the being and propertie of those that be both familiar with our selues & cōmon in our vse. Amongest the most riche & precious treasures which the earth bred in hir intrailles, or caste vp for the vse of man, the Diamont deserues moste estimation, who besides his violent clearenesse which of it selfe hath power to dimme our eyes as if it were the sodaine flashe of a thunder, is of a hardnesse so infringible, that it resistes not only the ham­mer or stroke of other mettall, but it is also inuincible againste fire or flame. Plinie in his last booke of his natu­rall histories writes, that in his time, the Diamōt was not founde but in the Courtes of Princes, and that very rarely: but nowe nature, which since his age is become more bountifull, doth yelde vs such plentie of it, that there is not so meane a marchaunt mans wife at this day, whose fingers are not decked with that Iewell. Ezechiel and Zacharie, twoo of the moste famous Prophetes in the Churche of GOD, haue gyuen greate honour to this stone, and not without cause, for besides his common pro­perties to withstande venom, poyson, charmes, dreames, [Page 40] enchauntementes, and visions of the night, yet hath he a moste wonderfull vertue to resiste fire, according to the opinion of some Philosophers, whose experience war­rantes it to be of force to endure amyds the moste hotte burning coles that be, for nine dayes continuallye, with­out diminushing any parte of it: such is the excellencie of this stone that waye, albeit in this place it cannot séeme impertinent to my intent of true descriptions of stones, to impart to the readers, wherein both the Aun­ciēt and late writers haue erred touching the reseruation of the properties of this stone. Plinie, with moste that were afore hym, and Francisce Ruell professour of Phi­sike, with Morbodeus a latter Poete, (writers not long since) haue greatly abused the simplicitie of a number of people, in persuading, that the Adamant hath no power o­uer the yron, neither to smell nor drawe it, if the Dia­mont be in place, séeing the contrarie is proued by com­mon and daily experience, euen so they haue erred no lesse in that they assure the Diamont not to be vanished either by fire, yron or other meane, excepte onely by the bloud of a [...] hée goate, for it is moste certaine that the hammer is of force to bruse and bring hym in pieces, being striken with a strong hande. I will not denie but that it excéedes all other stones in hardnesse, and that it deuides and con­foundes all other precious stones by his soliditie, neither is he with ease to be polished or framed with other thing thā with his owne lime, pouder or duste, with this further argumēt of his subtiltie & hardnesse, which y^e Auncients did practise with greate maruel, that y^e point of a dart, dagger or other instrument cutting, being dipped in the pouder or forge of Diamont, doth penetrat or pierce any armour, for y^e yron & steele being chafed or stirred with the blow, w^t the vehement hardnesse of the forge, makes it of power to pierce easely whatsoeuer resistes it. Nature hath yet gy­uen to the Diamōt another secret & singular propertie, no [Page] lesse maruelous than the other, which is, that being cha [...]ed it drawes a rushe or light strawe, as the Ieat doth, but not with such vehemencie. Many other strange condiciōs in a diamont could I preferre, and the same approued both by forein and familiar writers: but because they bring with them a suspicion of lightnesse or discredit, I will re­serue them for an other vse & time, and note vnto you in this last discourse of the diamont, how nature in counter­paise of the sundry graces and good gyftes bestowed vpon it, hath infected it with one speciall and mortall vice, for that it is most venemouse, and of suche fatall operation, that it stoppes breath assone as it is dronke in pouder, which some affirme to procéede of his extreme coldnesse, and other holde it to moue by a violent gnawing in the bowels. The greatest diamōt that euer was seene, excéedes not in greatnesse an Almonde, which as I haue hearde, re­maines amongest the Iewels of Solyman, late Emperour of the Turkes. The nature of the Emeraud. Most writers haue gyuen the second place of honour for stones to y^e Emeraud, bycause that by his li­uelye verdure he doth not onely solace the eye more than any other stone, but also for delite and flourishing viewe, it so surmountes both forrests, trées, and hearbes, that na­ture séemes to contende with the earth, to whome the price of gréennesse is due, either to the Emeraud or y^e plan­tes. Touching the exellencie of this stone, they write that it abhorres all vncleane and filthie liuers,The Emeraud enimie to vn­cleanesse. and is a special friend to chastitie: the which they make good by an exam­ple & experience in the Kyng of Hungarie, who lying with his wife, and hauing an Emeraud on his finger, maruelled to sée it breake and conuert to many péeces, which might also happen aswell by chaunce, as come of any vertue in the stone, séeing that (of all other stones) it is moste fraile & tender. The most true and credible properties attribu­ted to this stone by most learned men be these. First Ari­stotle giues councel to hang it at the heade of him that hath [Page 41] the falling sicknesse. Rabie persuades that if a man drinke ix. graines of it, it drieth vp euil humors. Sana Verola affir­meth that if it be layed to the thighe of a womā feeling the paine of childe bearing, it procures deliuerie. Rasis & Dios­corides will such as be infected with leprosye to drinke the pouder of an Emeraud, wherunto as are diuerse other sin­gularities, so because they be not grounded vpon good sub­stance, let them persuade credit, according to the wise­dome of such as can iudge of them: for my parte in suche causes of difference and doubt, I had rather be carefull than curious: but for a familiar example of the estimatiō and valewe of the Emeraud, I maye boldely commende and bring in the honour of King Edward, who hauing re­ceiued a booke from Erasmus, presented him with an Eme­raud, valued after his death at three thousande crownes, whereof that famous clerke made so deare accompte, that he had it on his finger euen at the instant of his death. Suetonius writes that Nero was wont to discerne the eyes and lookes of ruffians and dashebucklers within an Eme­raud. Good Emeraudes do proue them selues by the touch stone called Lidia, which if they be naturall and true, they leaue a marke like the touche of brasse. Saint Iohn in his Apocalipse hath giuen great honour to this stone. That which the Auncients called a Carbuncle, is no other thing than that which we commonly call a Rubie, which takes his name by the similitude he hath in lighte with the bur­ning coale: the same being committed to the flames doth not onely resiste their force, but excéedes them in cleare­nesse: touching his giftes and properties, the Philoso­phers moste commonly commende it of a vertue to chase awaye melancholye, defende dreames and illusions of the night, and to serue for a counterpoison againste all corrupte aire. Ther be of them diuerse kindes, as the Gre­nat, and such other, whereof I wil speake particularlye hereafter. The Saphire gyues no place at all to the Ru­bie, [Page] séeing that as the one representes vnto vs fire when he is in his moste vehement and penetrant heate: so in the other we discerne a lykenesse of the azured Skye be­ing moste calme and cleare. Besides, there was no stone of more price amongest the Auncientes for the vse of P [...] ­sike thā the true Saphire. For Auicenne witnesseth that it is of a vertue so binding, by reason of his coldnesse, that it staunches presentlye bléeding at the nose. Galene and Dioscorides assure it to restraine webbes, pushes or boy­les, and other things y^t else woulde offende the eyes. The Phisitions of late time haue put it with greate effect vn­der the tongues of suche as haue suffred hotte and bur­nyng feuers, finding that the greate colde in the stone hath mortifyed the heate of the disease. It serues as a countre poyson against all venoms, and defendes all infe­ctions of ayre from suche as weare it in pestilent tymes, as Isodorus and Rufus write: some saye they haue reade in Dioscorides, that the Saphyre enclosed in a boxe with a spider, killes hir sodainelye, such is his power ouer hir poyson. The Amatist in Aristotles time (as it is writen) was not commended, for any thyng, sauing that it resi­sted dronkennesse. The Hiacintha, withstandes thun­ders, as is alreadye shewed in the Historie of thunders, for a more proufe whereof, Serapius affirmeth that no man hath bene euer offended with thunder which caried the Hiacinthe aboute hym. The Turquise (accordyng to the moste Philosophers) is of no singular propertie, but to chase awaye thoughtes and troubles of the braine. The beste of them come from a towne in Persia, called Balascha, where there is greate store. For the Agat, this is the moste wonder and vertue that I finde in it, that the Arabians vsed to trye the maydenheade of theyr wyues afore they maried them, by gyuing them of the pouder of the Agat in wyne, whiche according to theyr [Page 42] lightenesse I passe ouer for this tyme, like as also I for­beare to enterlarde my treatise with descriptions of pear­les, the stones of Aquilin, Alectre with manye other, by­cause God willing, many yeares shall not passe afore I set before your eyes an vniuersall description of all the [...]cious stones whereof the Arabians, Egiptians, He­brewes, Greekes and Latins haue lefte memorie in their writings, together with the secretes in makyng artifi­ciall stones, whiche I doubte not will be of profit to the common wealth, séeing that by that meanes shall be cut of euery meane and waye to the fine Italiens and others, whose studie tendes not but to corrupte, counterfaicte and abuse that which is sent vnto vs by Nature, both per­fect, sincere and withoute spotte. Besides the peculiar pleasure redounding to noble men and Gentlemen, who in theyr priuate houses maye discerne the deuises in ar­tificiall stones, and practise the lyke if they liste, and that at small charges by the ayde of my endeuour onely, whiche according to my talent, I will frankely impart amongest them: wherewith leauing to treate further of the vertues in stones, till their time agrée to bring them to lyght, it is nowe necessarie to distribute (in maner of a counterpoyson) their seuerall faultes and vices, wyth meanes to discerne the true from the false. The moste common faultes whiche are founde in stones, consiste for the moste parte, in fumes shadowes or cloudes, whiche doe so darken them, that in some parte they do diminishe their beautie & clearenesse: some againe be thick, fourmed with a sharpe pointe, enterlarded with certaine vaines & stroakes, wihich do some way take away the estimation of their value. You may discerne the true & perfect from the false & corrupte, by the iudgemēt of the eye, lime, substāce & touch: by the view, bycause the clerenesse of y^e true stone is more shining, cōstāt, & of greater contentmēt to the eye, [Page] and not so dym or dull by the light of the candle, as that which is formed of artificial matter, the same in deed being the beste meane to trye a perfect stone. They are also knowen by their lyme, being of force to resiste the liuelye temper, so that, that hardnesse cannot be counterfeited by any artificiall imitation. The thirde iudgement of stones is by their substance & touche, bicause they be more lighte and cold than those that be imperfect: which is a direct ex­perience amongest the Indians, who being the most excel­lent Lapidaries of the worlde, do proue them by the touch of the tong, buying such for the best as they finde moste cold. There be also certaine precious stones founde in the bellies of beastes, which Georgius Agricola witnesseth by a stone called Alectorius, founde in the intralles of olde ca­pons, whereof also Plinie makes mention, speaking of the conqueste of Milo Crotoniatos. In an other cuntrie of the Indians is founde a stone in the heades of olde and greate toades, which they call Borax or Stelon, which Brasauolus approueth, is most commonly founde in the head of a hee toade, and yet is of opinion that it is rather a boane than a stone, which some affirme to be of power to repulse poy­sons, and that it is a moste soueraigne medecine for the stone. There is a certaine stone founde within the gall of an oxe, and the same in ordinarie practise of phisike at this daye in Turkie: some such be founde in Fraunce, but not so cōmon. There is a late writer of phisike who affir­meth that not long since there was a stone founde in the bladder of a mans gall, infected with leprosie: which I maye boldly affirme with the like, for that I saw in Paris, an Anotomie of a mans bodie, dead vppon the disease of the stone, which had in his bladder a stone as bigge as a pigeons egge. There be stones ingendred in the heades of fishes, as Aristotle writes of the Maigre and ma­ny other, which I reserue (as I said afore) to describe more plentifull hereafter, treating lastlye and for ende of our [Page 43] disputation, of stones of the vertue of the Adamant, which hath so amazed many of oure late Philosophers, that they doubt not to beleue, that it hath both vital motion and fee­ling. The anciēts for want of knowledge of the true pro­pertie and condition of this stone, haue bene so troubled in their nauigation, that they haue not bene able to discouer either countrey or companie on the sea, whether it were in peace or warre, but by iudgemēt of the Sun or starres: but now that God hath more plentifully set abroache the vessell of his grace by the benefite of the Adamant, naui­gation is both so easy and so plaine, that a man of meane courage or skill may be bolde to proue the perill of the sea, and hazarde him self and goodes in a little pinnysse against all assaultes and daungers of stormes, whiche the Elders durst not doe, because their néedle and quadrante was not tipped or wrought with the Adamant stone: in whome al­so are found two vertues of a contrary disposition, for one of the endes maketh the néedle beholde alwayes the north, and the other the south. He that firste founde oute the vse of this stone was named Flauius, but the first that wrote of his vertue was Albertus Magnus. Aristotle knewe well that it was of a nature attractiue, and coulde drawe yron vnto it, but yet he was ignoraunt to vse it in the Arte of Nauigation: for if he had vnderstoode so farre of it, he had preuented a numbre of miserable shipwracks and daungers of sea, which ouerwhelmed his countreymē, for want of direction by vertue of this stone. Neither was it without cause that Plinie (giuing singular estimation to this stone) did forme his cruell complaints against nature in that she was not onely contente to gyue a voyce vnto rocks to send or returne certain cries and calles in maner of an Eccho, but also to giue feelyng, motion, and hands to stones, as to the Adamant, wherwith he smelleth and hol­deth yron, and séemeth to be iealous when any offereth to take it from him: he not only allureth yron, and holdeth it [Page] when he hath it, but also is contented to imparte and transferre hys vertue to any thyng that toucheth it, which hath not bene onely an experience among the pro­phane, but Saint Augustine hym selfe confesseth to haue seene the Adamant drawe vnto it a ryng of yron, whiche being rubbed or touched with the Adamant, drew another ring, and so the thirde drew the fourth, and so consequent­ly, in suche number, as he made a large coller of rings in the forme of a chaine, by the only ayde and touche of thys stone, such is his propretie and such his wonderful vertue, whiche also hath bene verified by many familiar experien­ces, and chiefly by a late triall, whiche I sawe in Fraunce in this sorte: There was a knife layd vpon a square thick table, and vnderneath the bourde was helde in a mans hande, a piece of an excellent good Adamant, whose vertue piercing thorough the table that was betwene it and the mettall, made the knife moue & turne alone, to the great wonder of the assistantes. These propreties of the Ada­mant be common, therefore we will syft out of it a more secrete wonder, whyche wyth the profite may also bring pleasure to the Reader. There is nowe a dayes a kinde of Adamant which draweth vnto it fleshe, and the same so strongly, that it hath power to knit and tie together two mouthes of contrary persons, and drawe the hearte of a man out of hys body withoute offendyng any parte of hym, wyth thys further propretie, that yf the poynte of a néedle be touched or tempered wyth it, it pierceth tho­rowe all the partes of the bodye, wythoute doyng any harme, whyche woulde not séeme credible, were it not that Experience dyd warraunt it wyth greate wonder. Hieronymus Cardanus writeth, that a Physition of Tours called Laurentius Crascus, had of this stone promised by the meane of the same to penetrate any fleshe wythoute griefe or sorrowe: whiche Cardanus did eyther doubte or lightly beléeue tyll the experience assured the effect, for he [Page 44] rubbed a néedle with this Adamant, & then put it thorough his arme, where he let it remaine without any sorow ma­ny days after, but that which maketh this experience and vertue of the Adamant more famous, is, that he respected neither veins nor sinews, but thrust in his néedles or yrōs indifferently without sparyng any place. This Adamant which he had, excéeded not the bignesse of a beane, and was of colour like yron, distinct of veynes, and peysing aboute the weight of .xij. graines of corne. By this Admant many people were deceyued, like as also it was the occasion to entertain an errour amongst many persons, which myne author confesseth to haue séene by experience about .xv or xvj. yeres past, being in the vniuersitie of Poyctiers, whe­ther came in great pomp a stranger, naming him self to be a Greeke borne, who in the presence of the people, gaue him self many and great blowes with a dagger, both vpon his thighes, armes, & almost euery part of his body, which be­ing rubbed with a certain oyle, which he called the oyle of Balsamyn, it did so refresh & consolidate his hurts, as if the yron had neuer touched thē. Ther is also at this day in Ita­ly one Alexander of Verona, who practised the like artificial experience with his seruāts, who pinched them in the pre­sence of the people, with pinsers, tongs, daggers, and other tormenting instruments, and that with such horrour, that it greued the eyes of the assistants, and then rubbing theyr woundes with a certaine oyle, he made them hole agayne presently, which so abused the simplicitie of the assistants, that they bought of his oyle, which he assured to be as pro­fitable to all kinde of diseases what soeuer, whiche was suche a gaine to him, that there scaped no daye wherein he gat not tenne or twelue crownes aboue his hire for the cure of those that were sicke. The mysterie whereof, dyd driue Cardanus into such a wonder, that he was very curi­ous to searche the cause: and falling for that matter into an intricate Labyrinth of Philosophie, he coulde not fynde [Page] nor giue any other reason of it, than that the people were enchaunted: touching the oyle whiche he solde, and wher­with he fained to heale his seruant being hurt, he confessed it was a fiction and a thing nothing worth, for that those that bought it of him, coulde do no cure on themselues, or any other. And now to drawe to ende and resolution of al these things, it is moste like, that this Greeke and Alexan­der of Verona, and all the rest that haue bene seene to cutte and teare their flesh in peces in sundry parts of the world, dyd not heale them by eyther theyr oyles or balmes (as they fayne) but it is more likely they rubbe their dag­gers, pinsers, and instrumentes wherewith they hurte them wyth this seconde kynde of Ada­mant, the same hauyng a certayne se­crete and hydden vertue to consoli­date that part that is hurt, and to resist all sorow and griefe in the wounde: wherein for a more credite I com­mende you to the authoritie of Plau­danus in his seconde Booke De Secretis orb [...], & rerum miraculis.

IT is no newe thyng, neither chaūceth it often, that the innocent creatures coulde not be endomaged by the flames of fire, as it is verified in many noble persons found and spoken of in the holy Scriptures. But it is a straunge thing at these days, wherin sinne so aboundeth, and we seldome sée suche miracles, that such lyke shoulde happen amongst vs. For as Polydorus Vergi­lius witnesseth in the eyght boke of his histories of England [Page] and as others write before his time, makyng mention of one Goodwyn prince of Englande, who accused vniustly of many vices, Emnia mother to Edward the seconde, King of England, and wrought therin so much by his false suggesti­ons & accusations, that the Kyng hir son despoiled hir not only of all hir goodes, but in processe of time, as one synne draweth another, he so continuyng his wicked enterprise, would not be satisfied with hir goodes, but sought to deuest hir of hir honor, accusing hir a freshe that she had cōmitted adulterie with the bishop of Winchester: whereof king Ed­ward storming out of measure to heare hir accused of such execrable vices, who had giuen him suck within hir intrai­les, resolued to put hir to death, and in the meane tyme whilest all the court was molested with the inquisition of this offence, he cōmitted hir and the bishop into seuerall prisons, where she being grieued, demaunded one day a­mongst others, to talke with the kyng hir sonne, in whose presence she cast hir selfe headlong into the burnyng fla­mes, crying with a loude voyce, y^t those hote burning fla­mes myght consume hir body▪ if she were culpable of the faults wherof she was wrongfully accused: and hauyng ended this talke, she issued oute of the fyre in good safetie, without diminishing any part of hir body. Wherat y^e king was much astonished. Crantius in his chronicles of Almayn and many others whiche haue written of their Histories, report the like of lame Henry the .xv. Emperor of the Ro­mains, a mā very religious, who maried with the daughter of Sigeroy, Palatin of Rheyn, called Gunegonde, a woman chast, and of good life, if euer there were any, with whō the emperour lyued in maruellous continencie and chastitie, louing hir onely. Albeit, a certain Gentlewoman of hys house, persuaded by some wicked spirite, repinyng to see their cōtinēcies, determyned to sow some ielousy betwixt them: who findyng the Emperoure at conuenient ley­sure, tolde hym that she dyd beholde the Empresse vsing the company of a knyght in vnhonest manner. Whereof [Page 46] the Quéene being aduertised, commaunded there shoulde be made ready secretely, six greate Culters of yron, and to bring them into the presence of the Emperour, who ig­norant of the occasion, was sodainely amazed to sée hys wyfe marche so hardly barefooted, and without any feare at all, and stande vpon those burning yrons: Whome she beholdyng attentiuely, sayde vnto hym: Behold Em­perour, as I am not hurt with this fire, euen so am I clere from all immundicitie. Whereof the Emperor was asto­nished, and began to thinke of the vaine superstition, the whiche he had beléeued, prostrating hym selfe sodainly vp­on the earth, and required pardon at Gods handes for his rashe iudgement in the same. Wherin as these innocent doings proued by those flames séeme straunge, so doe the liues of these two persons, wherof the Historians wryte, seeme to me no lesse wonderfull, for that they liued toge­thers like maydes, withoute knowyng one the other, du­ryng al theyr lyues, in such sort, that the Emperor feeling death to approch, caused hir parents to be sent for, & sayd to them: Like as y^e first day ye gaue me your daughter in ma­riage she was a maid, euē so I render hir vnto you again a maide, with cōmaundement to vse hir in faithfull & trusty maner. The Emperor with his maidēlike wife were bu­ried in the cathedral church of Bambergh, which heretofore was subiect to the archbishop of Maiencey. Preferring fur­ther as of good right into y^e nūber of .ij. vertuous princesses, y^e history recited by Eusebius Cesariēsis, in his ecclesiasticall history of Policarpus, Volateranus writeth a lyke example in his geography which during the great butchery and persecution of the christians which they made vnder y^e em­peror Verus, wer brought to y^e fire to be burned quick: and after they had lifted their eyes to heauen, and made their prayers to god, they wer cast hedlong into a great hot burning fire: albeit in the place where y^e flame ought to haue cōsumed thē, & brought thē to cinders, it began (with great maruel) to reuolt: flying far off frō the bodies of y^e martirs [Page] in maner like the sayle of a shippe, whiche is tossed and ca­ried by the windes in the middest of the sea, which appea­red as euidently as the golde or siluer which they melte in the fornace. And when these wicked monsters sawe that their bodies consumed not, they commaunded the tormen­tor or hangman to thrust them thorough wyth a sworde, when beholde (sayth he) there issued out of their bodies suche quantitie of bloode, in suche greate abun­dance,A wonderfull prouidence of God. that the fire was cleane extincte, gi­uing to the lookers on, suche a grieuous remorse of conscience, that they fledde altogethers: wher­of you may reade more at large in the fourth booke of the Historie Ecclesiasticall of Eusebius, and the .xlj. chapter.

AMongest most of those things which merit Philosophicall contemplation, tou­ching the vniuersall subiect of creatures without reason, I thinke such are moste wonderful, whose nature is furthest from our vnderstanding and iudgemēt, as especially huge fishes and other monsters of the water, who being shrined in the bottome and bellye of the Sea, and buried in the depth of diuerse lakes, do excéede moste commonly the opinion and [Page] iudgemeat of suche as be most curious to searche and fifte their maners and conditions, the same being so rare and strange, and specially in the exercise of their naturall ac­tions, that I thinke they be of force to moue equall delite & desire to many men to participate for a time with their societie in the Elament where they dwell, to the ende they mighte come to a more frée and perfect knowledge of their vertues, whiche was plentifully approued by the Emperour Antonine, who hauing receiued a certaine worke of Opian, treating of the order of fishing and dis­position of fyshe, gaue hym as manie Crownes as there were verses in his bookes. Conradus Celtis and after hym, Gesnerus shewing the desire and affection that the Aun­ciente Emperours had to bée priuie to the propertie, age, maners, and condicion of fishes, write, that in the yeare .1497. was taken in a poole neare to Haelyprum the Imperiall Citie of Sweura, a Brochet, whiche had a hoope or ring of leather tyed to his eares, wherein was written in Carracters of Greeke this whiche foloweth. I am the firste fyshe that was put into this Riuer, by the handes of Federike, seconde Emperour of the Worlde, the fifte of October, a thousande twoo hundred and thirty, which proued by the witnesse of those letters, that the saide Brochet had lyued in that water 297. yeares. Wherein also it séemes that this good Emperour Federik obserued in fishes, that which Alexander vsed in Hartes or déere, who (according to Plinie) woulde cause very often chaines of golde with inscriptions to be tied about theyr neckes, & then gaue them the libertie of the wilde forestes the same being founde a hundred or twoo hundred yeares after, kéeping the same coller & letters about their neckes. The Romains for the estimation they had of fishes & plea­sure to behold them, would sometime caste cōdemned men all quicke into their riuers & Lakes, to the ende that those litle creatures might be the executioners of their offices, [Page 48] others for delite sake would make thē so tame, that at the sounde of a whistle they would leaue the water, and come and take meate at their handes vpon the bankes of theyr riuers, hauing them in suche delite, that Lucius Crassius Censor, lamented no lesse the death of one of his litle fishes dying out of his pondes, than if it had bene for one of his daughters. It is not vnknowen also that the Romain Em­perours helde fyshes in suche honour and affection, that in their moste Royall and pompous banquets, they made more daintie & deare accompte of fishe, than of any kinde of foule or other fleshe, reseruing suche reuerend obser­uation to some of them, and specially the Sturgeon, that (as some saye) he that broughte it to the borde vsed to do it bareheaded, sauing a Cornet or garland of flowers, and for a more honour of the thing, the Trumpettes and dr [...] ̄mes ceassed not to sounde & blow, so long as that dishe stoode on the table. At this day in Grece & Turkie, y^e people for y^e most part be more desirous of fish than of flesh, which was also the custome of y^e Auncientes, wherupon both the Greeke & Latin Phisitions do most cōmōly in all their trea­tises preferre the nouritures & soueraine goodnesse of fishe afore flesh, & haue giuen also the inferiour place of estima­tion to flesh. Like as at this time also the Egiptians do ab­staine all their lyfe from eating of fish, obseruing the order of our Mōkes in their abstinēce from eating of flesh, which shall suffice for this tyme for the dignitie & commendacion of fishes, folowing in order to describe how y^e Seas bring forth their wōders with more maruel thā y^e lande, wherof I will lay afore you in this place only the principal, & such as haue moued cause of astonishmēt in y^e most precise Phi­losophers of y^e world. Amōgest the most wōders of y^e Sea, it may séeme miraculous & almost incredible, that fishes do flye, and that those dūme creatures do lifte themselues frō out of their moyste Element to pierce and breake the ayre, as birdes do with their winges: whereof although [Page] there be diuerse kindes according to the experience of the Sea, yet I haue not figured the pourtrait of any in this chapter, saue onely the Arundel or swallowe of the Sea, & that as Gesnerus and Rondelet in their histories of fishes haue drawne it. Who desireth to haue a more large des­cription of this fishe, let him read Rondelet in his first chap­ter of his vj. booke, wher he affirmeth this fish to be so called by reasō of his colour, greatnesse in proporciō, & pinions like to a balde Mouse, yet (saith he) who cōsidereth thorow­ly of this fishe, and maner of his flying, he may seeme ra­ther to resemble a swallow than a balde Mouse. Opianus saith he flieth out of the water for feare he be deuoured of the great fishes. Plinius writeth that there is a fishe flying called Arundelle, whiche is very like the birde which we comonly cal a swallowe, which as he is rare, and sheweth himselfe by greate wonder with his greate wings, so be­ing taken, they vse commonly to drie him and hang him vp in their houses: which I thinke was more rare in the time of Plinie than now, because there be diuerse founde in sundrie houses in Spaine, Italie, Fraunce, and elswhere. Clau­dius Campensius, Phisition to the Lord Marquis of Trans, sayd, y^t not many yeares past, the Lord Admiral of Englād, made him a banquet, where he presented him with a flying fishe. And in our time those that haue sayled by the pillers of Hercules, affirme that there is such store of flying fishes thereabout, that they séeme rather birdes with wings than fishes of the Sea. Besides it is not inconuenient to set forth in this place the pourtrait of a fishe flying, or ra­ther a water monster, which is the chiefe cause that I haue vndertaken this treatise of fishes. This fishe or rather monster of the Sea, I haue considered with long viewe & iudgement, and haue caused him to be drawne as neare as I can according to his naturall proportion, wherein I maye boldly preferre as witnesses aboue twoo hundreth personnes who sawe him in Paris, aswell as I.

Amongest the things of wōder to be séene in this beaste, it hath chiefly a hydeous heade, resembling rather in figure a horrible Serpent than a fishe, with wings, resemblyng rather the pynions of a balde mouse, sauing they be farre more thicke and massiue: he containes neare a foote and a halfe in length, neyther is he so well dried, but he yeldes some sauour or smel of a fishe: the reste is to bée discerned in his figure. Many learned men of the, vniuersitie who considered largely of hym and his forme, assured me, that [Page] it was a kinde of flying Fishe, the same notwithstan­ding agréeing in nothing with the description of the Aun­cientes touching the Arun [...]elle of the Sea, nor of the Mugilatus, nor of other flying fishe, which makes me thinke that it is a sorte of monstrous fishe vnknowen to the el­ders. Neither am I ignorant that there bee that can coun­terfaict by arte dyuerse formes of fishes, Dragons, Ser­pentes and other like things, wherewith many are abu­sed: lyke as maister Gesnerus hath acknowledged by his writings to haue bene circumuented with the like. Yet of all those which behelde this fish, & argued vpon his conditi­on, there was not one that could discerne other artificiall sleyght than as Nature brought hym forth, & formed him.

The Sea hath also other monsters, which be more won­derfull than these, as the fishe which they call in Latine Torpedo, most cōmon in Hauen townes, and is accomp­ted to resemble most of all those fishes that be harde skin­ned: and she hath a hidden propertie, which is very strāge, for being hidden within the sand, or moudde, she slepeth by a secret vertue, and making also al the fishe that be neare hir immouable and without sense, she féedes vppon them, and deuoureth them, neither doth hir charme of sleepe ex­tende onely againste fishes, but also against men, for if a man touch hir with his Anglerod, she enchaunteth forth­with his arme. And if she féele hir selfe taken with the lyne and hooke, she hath this pollicy, to embrace the lyne with hir wings, and so making hir poyson mounte all along the lyne and the rode, so tormenteth the arme of the fisher, that often times he is constrained to abandon his prize. The authours hereof be Aristotle in his ninth booke and xxxvij. chapter, De historia animalium. Plinie in the .xxxij. booke and second chapter: Theophrastus in libro De his quae hyeme latent: Galen, Opianus, Plutarch in libro vtrum anima &c. Plato also makes lyke mention in Mem­ [...]o, where Socrates is compared to the Torpedo, in that [Page 50] by the violence and subtiltie of his argumentes, he so gra­uelled those against whome he maintained disputation, that they séemed to participate with the enchauntement of the Torpedo, of whose properties although the authours had made no mention, yet the common experience of e­uery fisher maketh good no lesse of hym: It is defended to sell him in the open market at Venise, bycause of his poy­son. Moste parte of oure Phisitions nowe a dayes write, that his fleshe is moiste, softe, and of an vnpleasant taste. Yet Galen in his thirde booke, de Alimentorum facultati­bus, and in his booke de Attenuante Victu, and in the eyghte of his Methodes doth allowe it: onely there hath bene great cōtrouersie amongest the Auncients, to know in what parte of his bodie consistes the venom of his char­me, that casteth both fishe and the parts of men into a sleepe: some giue out that it lyeth in one parte, some saye in an other, but moste agrée that it is deuided throughout euen vnto the gall, whiche they confirme by the witnesse of Plinie, which saith, that the gall of a Torpedo on lyue, being applied to the genitors or priuye partes, repres­seth the desire of the fleshe: wherein we will ende the dis­course of that fishe and his propertie, and visite other mar­uels founde in other fishes.

Althoughe the water is the proper Element, mansion house and place of abode for fishes, where they féede, liue, disporte, encrease and exercise all their other functions, yet is there of them whiche leaue the Sea, floudes and riuers, and leape vppon the lande, eate and féede vppon hearbes, vse recreation in the féeldes, and sléepe there now and then. Theophrastes affirmeth, that neare vnto Babylon, when the riuers retire within their bākes, there be certain fishes lefte within caues and hollowe places, which issue out to feede, marching vpō their wings, or with their often mouing of their taile, & whē any offreth to offend or assault them, they flie forthwith into their caues as their refuge. [Page] The auncient Philosophers affirme, that there haue bene founde fiishes vnder the earth, who (for that cause) they called Focilles, whereof Aristotle makes mention, and Theophraste speaking of Paphlilagonia, where men drawe fishe (and they be very good to eate) out of déepe diches, and other places wherein no water doth remaine. Polybe writes in lyke sorte, that neare to Narbone hath bene founde fishes vnder the earth. We maye also bring in amongest other wonders of the Sea, a kind of fishe cal­led Stella, or Sea starre, bycause it hath the figure of a painted starre: this fishe is of a Nature so hote that he en­dureth assoone as he hath deuoured, which Aristotle appro­ueth in his .v. booke De Historia anima. where he gyueth such hotnesse to this fish, that she boyleth what she taketh. Plinie, and Plutarch do likewise affirme that the starre by hir onely touche, doth melte, boyle and burne whatsoeuer she toucheth, and knowing hir vertue, she suffreth hir selfe to be touched with other fishe, to the ende she maye burne them. Monsieur Rondelet, a man liuing at this daye, and aswel worthie of credit as the best that write, in his histo­storie de piscibus, affirmeth that he hath séene many starres of the Sea, but one amongest the reste containing almost a foote in length, which he opened in maner of Anotomie, and founde in his bellye three Coquylles whole, and twoo Remollies halfe digested, such is the greate & furious heate of this litle creature, all which may seeme wonderfull ex­amples of the wonders of the Sea, & yet are they nothing in respect of those whiche we meane to treate hereafter, the same mouing both feare and amaze to suche as haue most nearely sifted the secretes of the Sea. For this litle beast which so amazeth y^e world, is called in Greeke Ethneis, and of the Latins Remora, to whome is gyuen that name, bycause she doth stay Ships, as hereafter you shall heare more at large. Opyanus and Aelian write that he delites moste in the high sea: he is of the length of a cubite, of a [Page 51] browne colour like vnto an Eele. Plinie maketh hym like to a greate Limace, whiche he proueth by the witnesse of suche as sawe one of them that stayed the Galey of the prince Caius Caesar. In his .ix. booke he brings in diuers opi­nions of sundry authors touchyng this fishe, who although they differ in his description: yet they agree all that suche one there is, and is of power to stay shippes. Whereof also many Philosophers of late dayes, whiche haue trauailed by many ports and hauens in Asia and Affrica, beare wit­nesse, in that they haue séene hym made an Anatomie, and proued his vertues with wonderfull effectes. It is sure a maruellous and monstrous thing in Nature to finde a fish or creature in the water of y^e gretnesse of a Limace, which is of force by a secrete propretie of nature to stay imme­diatly what she toucheth, be it the moste huge and tal ship or galey that vseth to scumme the sea, whiche made Plinie crie out in this sorte: Oh straunge and wonderful thyng (sayth he) that all the windes blowyng from all partes of the worlde, and the moste furious tempestes raging vpon and ouer the waues, and contendyng wyth extreme vio­lence against the vessels that sayle thervpon, stand in awe of a little fishe of the greatnesse of a Limace, whose power preuaileth ouer their furie, can restraine and bridle theyr rage, and is of more force to stay the strongest shippe that is, than all their ankers, cables, tackles, or any other en­gine employed or vsed about the same. This fishe encoun­tred Anthonie in hys warres, and restrained hys shippe. Adamus Louicerus Lib. de Aquatilibus, cōfirming Plinies o­pinion, rauished (as it were) with suche straunge conditi­ons in a fishe, hath trauailed with great paines to searche out the cause in nature, wherof being not able to giue any reason by any learnyng or diligence he vsed, gaue it ouer with this exclamation: Who is he of so dumbe and grosse iudgement, whiche wyll not enter into admiration, if he beholde at leysure the propreties and power of this little [Page] fishe: I knowe (sayth he) that the Adamant hathe power to smell and drawe yron,The natures of sundry stoues. the Diamont sweateth, and di­stilleth poyson, the Turkeys doth moue when there is a­ny peril prepared to him that weareth it, the Torpille in­fecteth and maketh slepe the hande and arme of the Fisher, and I know that the Basilicke is so venomous, that with his onely viewe and regard he poisoneth man: of all which notwithstandyng their straungenesse, a man maye yelde some reason, but of the vertue of this fish we may not ar­gue, bicause it is supernaturall: for he lyueth in the wa­ter, taketh his nouriture in the water as other fishes doe, and doth no exercise but in the water: his little stature ap­proueth, that he can do no great violence, and yet is there no power equal with his, nor force able to resist him, there is neither storme nor engin by hande, of power to moue a ship after he hath once plyed him selfe to it, wer it that the whole windes and violence of the Element were assem­bled in one, and blew with maine force against the saile: and yet after he hath left off to holde the shyp, she moueth and saileth as before: biside, in this little fishe is discerned a fatall prognostication, wherein she séemeth to giue vs some forewarnyng of the euils that are like to befall vs. For did she not stay the Embassadors ship of Periander? and also the barke of Caius Caesar, who soone after was killed at Rome, séemyng thereby in hir kinde to take pitie of the missehappe wherevnto she sawe hym predestinate: the whiche is all in effecte, that Adamus Louicerus wryteth of this fyshe. I knowe againe, that Aristotle, Plinie, and others, doe gyue vnto hir sundry other propreties, as to serue in speciall vse in matters of loue, to drawe chil­dren from the wombes of their mothers, wyth other lyke qualities, whiche accordyng vnto their small credite, I doe passe ouer for thys tyme. Plutarch in Symposiacis .2. problem .7. searcheth the reason why that thys fyshe doth [Page 52] stay shyppes, whiche shall also gyue ende vnto the de­scription of hys Wonders. And bicause the Reader maye be fully satisfied touchyng the maruelles of the Waters, wée wyll nowe enter into the treatie of a chiefe membre thereof, the same since the creation of the Worlde vntill this age, hauyng muche troubled the Philosophers and o­ther learned men by the curious searche, to knowe whe­ther there haue bene in the sea Seamen, Tritons, Nerei­des, and other lyke Monsters, carying the figure of man, whyche in tymes paste the Auncientes doe witnesse to haue séene in Flouds, Ryuers, Fountaines, Rockes, and Lakes. Those whyche haue persuaded them selues, that there is none suche, iustifie their opinyon by the authori­tie of the Scripture, whych makyng no mention of such thyngs, affirmeth absolutely, that the earth is the onely house and tabernacle of man, wherein he is to remayne and kéepe hys residence vntill that it please the Lorde to call hym home, as the Prince or Capitayne dothe by the Souldiour that he putteth in hys Garryson. Those whyche defende the contrary, doe preferre the Experi­ence and wytnesse of so many learned persones, whose grauitie and wysdome woulde not leaue to a generall posteritie, their bookes full of suche vanities and drea­mes, to entertayne the children, parentes, friendes, and vniuersally all suche as shoulde come after them, in er­rour. Besides (say they) it is no lesse impertinent to be­léeue, that there bée Men monsters in the sea, than to giue faith to those that write, that there be wooddy Nim­phes, Satyres, and other sauage Monsters, approued for trouthe by some of oure Ecclesiasticall writers, lyke as also the other is gyuen oute for a matter of faith by sun­dry menne of credite, who haue séene them wyth their eyes. Pausanias amongest other of the auncientes dothe affirme, that hee hathe séene at Rome, a Triton. And those which haue recorded the chronicles of Constantinople, [Page] wherof one parte concerneth the state of Europe, write that in the .29. yeare of the Emperour Mauritius, the prouost of Delta in Egipt, walking amongst other people against the rising of the Sunne, was astonished when he sawe vpon the banke of the floud of Nile two creatures, bearyng the figure of humanam figuram, wherof the one that did most resemble a man, séemed of fierce and stoute regarde, with a curled haire standing ryght an ende, and oftentymes in their presence woulde shewe hym selfe aboue the water, to the secrete partes, and then sodainly sinke agayne into the water vnto the nauell, giuing (as it were) to knowe vnto the people, that for a dutie and reuerence to nature, he sought to couer the rest. Whiche mouing suche indiffe­rent maruel and feare to the Prouost and rest of his com­panie, that they adiured hym in the name of God, that if he were any wicked spirite, he shoulde retire to the place ordeined for hym by his creator: but of the contrary, if he were one of those whiche were created for the glorye of his name, that he woulde make some aboade there for the contentment of that poore people so desirous of suche a straunge sight. This creature bounde (as it were) by the vertue of this coniuration, remained long amongst them. Immediatly after which tyme, chaunced a sighte no lesse straunge than this: it was an other creature representing the forme and shape of a Woman, who began to cutte the waues, and approche the banke of the Ryuer, hauyng a great bush of haires dispersed, a white face, and of plesant regard, hir fingers and armes wel proporcioned hir dugs somewhat rounde and bigge, shewing hir selfe in this or­der, namely vntill the nauell, the reste (with a lyke reue­rence to nature as the other) she concealed within the wa­ues. And after these two creatures hadde long delited the eyes of the people with their sight, they gaue place to the darknesse of the night, and vanished away, without euer being séene afterwarde. Wherof after the Prouost hadde [Page 53] taken witnesse of the assistants, he dispatched immediatly a messanger to the Emperour Mauritius with the newes. Baptiste Fulgose, writeth a like historie of a Sea monster, which was séene of a numbre of men, in a certaine port or hauen of the sea, in the time of Eugenius the fourth. This monster (sayth he) was a man of the sea, who hauing left the water, made a roade vpon the land, and caught a childe as he disported hym selfe vpon the banke, which being de­sirous to cary with hym into the sea, hée was so speedily pursued with men, and hurte with stones, that he was not only forced to leaue his pray, but also had muche to doe to recouer the water: his figure resembled the fourme of a man, sauyng that hys skynne was like the sloughe of an Eele, and had two little hornes on his head: he hadde on eyther hande but two fyngers, and his féete dyd ende like two little tayles, and on his armes he had two little win­ges, as a balde Mouse hath. Conradus Gesnerus writeth that there was séene at Rome in the great riuer, a sea man, or monster of the sea. Theodorus Gaza, a man learned, and as well studied as any of our time, writeth, that on a tyme when he was in Greece vpon a certaine coast of the sea, af­ter the rage of a wonderfull tempeste, hauyng taken vp­on the shoare a good quantitie of fishe, he sawe amongest certaine other wonderfull thinges, a Mermayde or fyshe, hauyng the face of a woman, fully perfect in euery thing requisite in Nature vnto the wast, from which part doun­ward she caried the forme of a fishe, finishing in the tayle like an Eele, euen as we sée them ordinarily drawne by the painter. This Mermayd (as it is written) was vpō the grauell or sande, and shewed by hir iestes and countenan­ces to suffer suche passions, as the sayde Theodore Gaze moued to pitie, considering that she had a desire to returne to the sea, tooke hir, and conueyed hir into the water. Plinie lykewise writeth, that in the time of the Emperor Tyberius, the inhabitants of Lysbona, a towne in Portingal, [Page] sent Embassadours to the Emperour to certifie hym that they hadde séene many tymes a Tryton, or man of the Sea, hyde and wythdrawe hym selfe into a caue, neare vnto the Sea. There was also aduertisement sente to the Emperor Octauian Augustus, that vpon the coast of France were founde certayne Mermaydes deade vpon the banke of the ryuer. In like sorte Georgius Trapezuntius, a man very famous in learning, affirmeth to haue seene vpon the border of the Ryuer, appearyng out of the water in the fourme of a Woman vntill the nauill, whereof seemyng to maruell, and beholdyng hir somewhat nearely, shée re­tired into the water. Alexander ab Alexandro, a great ci­uilian Philosopher in the .viij. Chapter of hys thyrd booke assureth for certaintie, that in Epyre, now named Romain, is a certayne fountaine neare the Sea, from whence yong Maydes for the necessitie of theyr houses, dydde drawe water, and that harde by issued a Triton or Sea man, and caughte a little damsell, whome he caried oftentymes in­to the sea, and after sette hir on lande agayne: wherof the inhabitauntes beyng aduertised, vsed suche watche and guarde, that they tooke hym, and broughte hym afore the Iustice of the place, afore whome beyng searched and examined, founde in hym all partes and membres of a man, for whyche they committed hym to certaine garde and kéepyng, offeryng hym meate, the whyche he refused wyth sorrowfull lamentations after hys kynde, not ta­styng any thyng that was offered hym, and lastly dyed of hunger, séeing hym selfe restrayned from the Elemente wherein he was wonte to dwell. Many writers nowe a days do witnesse a thyng more strange than any of these, if it be true, whyche is, that the Archduke of Austriche, third sonne of the Emperor Ferdinando, made to be caried with him to Gennes, in the yere .1548. a Mermayd dead, the same so astonishing the people, that the moste learned men in Italie came to visite and sée him. I coulde yet make [Page 54] of more Watermonsters séene in oure tyme, as that whych was figured lyke a Monke, an other like a Bishop wyth other of lyke resemblaunce: whyche importe the more faith, bicause they are preferred by thrée of the most notable Fishers in Europe, being also figured so amply in the vniuersall Historie of Fyshes, that I néede not to enlarge their descriptions, for they haue so lerned­ly discoursed of the propreties of the same, that they haue cutte of all hope to suche as shall come after them, to aduaunce it with further addition.

IF the bones & ashes of all those which haue bene persecuted for the name of Iesus Christe,Damascen writeth, that in the time of Maximinian there wer kil­led and mar­tyred in .xxx. dayes .xvij. thousande christians. were at this day in being, and to be séene with our corporall eyes, we myghte then confesse, that they were able to buylde a great and proude Citie: and withal, if all the bloud which hath bene shed for his name, were gathe­red together into one certaine place, it were sufficient to make a great floud. For who soeuer will reade in Eusebi­us, and S. Augustine, the [...]rsecutions, burnings, butcheries [Page 55] and slaughters which were made of the poore flocke of Ie­sus Christ, in the time of the Emperour Domitian, Traian, Antonius, Seuerus, Maximinian, Decius, Valerian, Aurelian, Diocletian & Maximian with many others, he shal not finde so many thousandes slaine in the cruell warres of the Ti­raūts, as he shal reade to haue shed their blood for y^e name of Iesus Christ: neither is the sacrifices of so many Martirs and companies of the good, so amplie spoken of by Sainct Augustin in his .xviij. booke .lij. chap. of the Citie of God, or by Eusebius in his Ecclesiasticall historie, or that Orseus writeth, so muche to be wondered at or strange,Cornelius Ta­citus lib. 15. as this whereof Cornelius Tacitus maketh mention is wonderfull and worthie to be put in memorie amongest the moste ce­lebrate pourtraicts & monsters of this worlde. For it did not onely suffise the infamous Tiraunt Nero, to make to be burned the bodies of the poore Christians, making them serue as torches and blazing linkes to giue light to the Ci­tizens of Rome, but also made thē to be wrapped quicke in the skinnes of certaine sauage beastes, to the ende that the dogges, thinking they had bene beastes in déede, might teare and commit their bodies to pieces. Which you may nowe sée by the furious assaultes that Sathan, and his ac­complices haue builded againste the members of Iesus Christe: for there is no Religion which he hath not so fu­riously persecuted sithens the beginning of the worlde, as this of ours, wherein although he hath set abroche all his subtilties, fraudes, malices and inuentions to vndermine it, yet notwithstanding it remaineth whole and sounde, by the vertue and ayde of the Sonne of God: who hath & can bridle & represse the enuious rage of his enimies. And although he hath procured the death of many members of the Churche, as Abell, Esaie, Ieremie, Zacharie, Policarpius, Ignatius, and many thousand Martirs and Apostles: yet notwithstāding he could neuer deface any iote therof: for it is writen in like maner, that the gates of hel coulde not [Page] by any meanes preuaile againste hir, albeit that for a cer­taine time she was put in some perill, and was shaken and tossed like a litle barke, by the rage & tēpestes of the Sea: yet surely Iesus Christe did not forsake at any time his espouse, but alwayes assisted hir, as the head of his bodie, watched hir, garded hir, and maintained hir, as is witnes­sed in the promisses made vnto hir: when he saide, I will not leaue you, my Orpheus, I will be with you to the ve­rye laste consummation of the worlde. And further he sayeth in Esaie, I will put my worde into your mouth, and defende you with the shadowe of my hande, and those wordes which I put into your mouth, shall not be taken from your séede, now nor neuer. Wherein séeing then that our only religion is true and purified, and that it is signed by the bloud of so many Prophetes, Apostles and Mar­tirs, and confirmed besides with the bloud of Iesus Christ, whereof he hath lefte to vs the true Charecter and wit­nesse of his death, & that all others be vnlawfull bastards, and inuented by the Diuels, and men their ministers, to the vtter confusion of ours: wherefore if it be so pure and holy, let vs then indeuour our selues to conserue and kep [...] the same, to the ende we maye saye in the last daye to God, as the good king Dauid saide, Lord, I hate them that hate thée, I am angrie with them that rise against thée, and I hate them with a perfect hate, and holde them for mine enimies.

THe face of Heauen hath bene at diuers times so much disfigured by blasing starres, torches, fireforkes, pillours, Lances, buck­lers, Dragons, twoo Moones & twoo Sunnes at one instant, with other like things, that whosoeuer woulde recompte by order, those which onely haue appeared (sithens the natiuitie of Iesus Christe,) to­gether, searching the causes of their beginning & birthes, the life of a man woulde not perfourme the same: albeit [Page] the most notable & worthie to be celebrated, of al others, is the starre which cōducted the .iij. sage Kings of Perse, to the place where Christe was borne, the which feared not on­ly the common people, but the sighte thereof rauished and brought into admiration the most learned of the worlde, for that it, againste the Nature of all other starres (which drawe them selues from the Orient to the Occident,) ad­dressed hir course into Palestine, which is situated towards y^e North, causing S. Iohn Chrisostome to thinke, that that starre was none of them which we sée in heauen, but ra­ther a vertue inuisible, figured vnder the forme of a starre. Notwithstāding let vs leaue of to discourse of this starre, and come to other strange things, whiche haue appeared frō heauen, whereof Gaguin in his sixte booke of y^e gestes of the Kings of Fraunce, maketh mention of a very maruel­lous blasing starre, which appeared in the Septentrion in the time of Charles the .vj. In the yeare .597. which was in the yere of the natiuitie of the false impostour Maho­met, at Constantinople was séene a hearie Comet, so hide­ous and fearefull, that they thought the ende of the worlde approched. An other like president was séene a little space before the death of the Emperour Constantin, whereof Or­seus in his .vij. booke and .ix. Chapter, and Eutropeus in his second booke maketh mention: that in the yeare that Mi­trydates was borne, and in the yeare wherein he receiued the Scepter Royall, there appeared a Comet from hea­uen, as Iustin and Vincentius write, which for the space of xxiiij. dayes, occupied so well the fourth part of heauen, ca­sting such a cleare lighte, that the brighnesse of the Sunne was thereby darkened. And also in the yeare that Tam­burlan the Tirant killed so many men and women in one ouerthrowe of the Turkes, that of their heades onely he made a greate wall (as Matheolus writeth) there appea­red a maruellous blasing starre in the Occident,A wall of dead mens head. whereof Pontanus and Ioachinus Camerarius in his booke de ostentis, [Page 57] learnedly writeth. Herodian a Greeke authour, in the life of the Emperours maketh mention that in the raigne of Commodeus the Emperour, they sawe by the space of a whole daye, a number of starres shyning as though it had bene night: likewise in the yeare that Lewes the stutting Frenche King died, they behelde frō heauen shining a great number of starres at nyne of the clocke in the morning, wherein as Hieronimus Cardanus in his .xiiij. booke De veri­tate rerum, assureth to haue seen in the yere 1532. the .xj. day of Aprill, being at Venise, thre sunnes together, cleare, bright & shining. Euen so in the yeare that Francis Sforce died (after whose deceasse grew greate warres in Italie) there was in like maner seen at Rome thrée sunnes, which dydde so frighte the people, that they fell immediately to prayer, thinking the malice and ire of God were kyndled against them for their sinnes. Also the Pope Pius, second of that name, who was called before he receiued that dig­nitie, Aeneas Siluius, who died in the yere 460. writeth in his description of Europe the .liiij. chap. that in the sixt yere after the Iubile, there was séene amongest them of Sienne and Florence, twentie cloudes in the ayre, who being stir­red of the wyndes, fought one against another, euery one in his ranke, reculing and approching according to the or­der and maner of battaill, and during the conflicte of these cloudes, the winde was not vnoccupied in dispoiling, bat­tering, brusing and breaking trées, houses, and rockes, be­sides lifting of men and beastes into the ayre. The anti­quitie of time cannot reporte or make mention of a more wonder in the aire, than of a horrible Comet of the colour of bloude, which appeared in the West, the eleuenth day of October in the yeare 1527. being so wonderfull and fearefull, that it engendred so greate terrour to the com­mon sorte, that diuers not onely died with the sighte, but others fell into strange and miserable maladies. This strange Comet was séene of manie thousand, continuing [Page] the space of an houre and a quarter, and in the ende began to bring hir selfe to the side of the sunne, after drawing towards the Midy, the Occident, and the Septentrion, ap­pearing to be of an excessiue length, and of the colour of bloud, there was séene in y^e height of the Comet the Chara­cter and figure of the stumpe of an arme, holding a greate sworde in his hande, as he woulde haue striken: about the pointe of the said sword, were thrée starres, but that which was right vpon the pointe, was more cleare and brighte

[Page 58] than the others: on the other twoo sides of the beames of this Comet, they sawe a greate number of hatchettes, kniues, swordes of the colour of bloud, about the whiche were a great number of humaine faces very hideous, with their beardes and haire stirring, as may bee seene before fi­gured. Shortely after y^e viewe of this hideous & wonder­ful Planet, all the parties of Europe were welnigh bathed in humaine bloude▪ so muche preuailed the inuasion of the Turckes, besides other hurtes which Italie receiued by the Lord of Bourbon, when he committed Rome to sacke, dying at the same instant: like as Petrus Creuserus & Iohn Litch­ber excellent Astrologians interpret by writing the signi­fication of this wonderfull Planet. Euen so for that we haue promised in the induction of our worke, to shewe the causes & beginnings of these wonders, it is therfore now requisite to serch more narrowly the matter, and to decide the question so often debated amongest the Auncients and learned Philosophers. These fantasticall figures, as dra­gons, flames, Comets, & other like of diuers formes, which are séene so often in the Element according to the opiniōs of many wise men, do giue to vnderstande, foretel or shew many things that shal and do happen, as Albumazar, Doro­theus, Paulus Alexādrinus, Ephestion Maternus▪ Aomar, The­bith, Alkindus, Paulus Manlius, Alberanger, and generally the most part of the anciēt Greekes, Hebrues, Caldees, Arabec and Egiptians, who haue written and attributed so muche to the starres, and their influence, that they haue assured the moste parte of the humaine actions, to depende of the celestiall constellations. Whereof Cicero in his first booke De fato [...], seemes to fauour them muche, when he affirmeth darckely▪ that those whiche are borne vnder the Planet De Canis, shall not be drowned. In like maner Faber Stapulensis in his Paraphrase of Metheores, ma­keth mention that the Commettes, whiche appeared from heauen, signified scarsitie of goodes, aboundance of [Page] greate windes, warres, effusion of bloud and the death of Princes, Hieronimus Cardanus a late Philosopher, wri­teth in his fourth booke De subtilitate, and .xiiij. booke De ve­ritate rerum, that the hearie and bearded Comets and o­ther like monstrous figures whiche appeare from heauen, be as foretellers and messengers of famine, pestilence, warres, mutations of Realmes, and other such like hurtes which happen to the generation of man. And he further beleues, that the greater and hideous these figures ap­peare, they purporte and shew the greater euils. Where­of, Proculus one of the moste excellent Astrologians which Grece at any time norished, followeth the interpretations of suche predictions, by all the signes of heauen, recomp­ting by order the maruellous powers which these starres haue vppon the actions humaine. And there be others as Ptolome, whiche haue written, that if any infant in his natiuitie be borne vnder certaine constellations, he shall haue power ouer diuels: there be also others of opiniō, but they be most shamelesse & full of blasphemies, who haue so much referred themselues to the dispositiō of starres, that they haue not feared to write, that if any from their nati­uitie were borne vnder the aspect of certaine starres, that they shoulde haue the gyfte of prophecie, and should foretel things to come. And that Iesus Christ the sauiour of al the world, was borne vnder certaine fortunate cōstellations, being y^e cause y^t he was so perfect & wrought so many mi­racles. Here you may see the cruel & horrible blasphemies, which these detestable & infamous Astrologians iudiciall bring forth, which is y^e cause y^t S. Augustin hath banisht thē frō the Citie of God. Basil and S. Ciprian deteste thē. Chriso­stome, Eusebius, Lactantius, and S. Ambrose abhorre them. The councell of Tollete reiecte them. the ciuill lawes pu­nishe them by death. And the Ethniques also, as Varro, Cornelius Celsus, and many other, defame them. But farre more diuersly amongst Princes than any other, hath Picus [Page 59] Mirandula shewed him selfe, who hath so very well brou­ght to light, and discouered the Labyrinth of their dreames in a Latin worke, which he made against them, that they scarcely dare once lift vp their hornes. Wherefore lette vs now returne to our purpose and shewe so neare as we can, whether these straunge figures and Comets whiche we sée from heauen, be foretellers of things whiche shall happen, or that they be naturall: wherein as Aristotle in his first boke of Metheores, treating very learnedly of the nature of Cometes, and of these other impressions, Cha­racters, and figures which be made from heuen, sayth, that they be made onely by nature, without makyng mention that they either foretell or appoynt any thing which shall happen: euen so it is to be presupposed, that if Aristotle, who is the first and most excellent of all those which haue written at any time in this Arte, had founde neuer so lit­tle coniecture or reason in nature, that they were appoin­ters of any thing whiche should come to passe, he woulde haue kepte them no more secrete or hidden, than he hath done the other secretes of philosophie, which he hath lefte to vs by his writings. Wherfore it is then certaine, that these fantasticall flames and other figures, whiche we sée from heauen, be naturall and grow vpon this occasion fo­lowing. There be thrée regions in heauen, one whiche is most high, who receiueth into hir a maruellous heate, for that she is nexte neighbour to the Element of fyre: the o­ther which is lower, receyueth the beames of the Sunne beaten backe of the earth, whereof I haue made mention in my description of the cause of thunders. The third is in the mydst of these two, to the which do come the force of the heate, which commeth from the vppermost part, lyke to the heate of the beames of the Sunne, beaten backe when it commeth from the lowest or inferior region. For as Plinie witnesseth, the starres be continually nourished of the humor procedyng of the groūd, which be the chiefest [Page] causes of these celestiall flames: for the earthe as Aristo­tle sheweth in his fyrst booke of Metheores, being chafed of the Sunne, rendreth double ayrely substaunce, the one vapour which we may proprely name exhalation hote and drye, the other is hote and moyste: and bicause the firste vapour is most light, she is suffered to come to the highest region of the ayre, where she is set on fyre: wherof proce­deth these fyres and flames from heauen, which in the for­mes of dyuers straunge shinyngs appeare in the Cloudes in sundry figures, as in the shape of burnyng torches, of shippes, heades, launces, bucklers, swordes, bearded and hairie Comets, with other like things, whereof we haue made mention here before:The cause of the flames of fyre from heauen. the whiche engenders greate terror and astonishement to those, who be ignorant of the causes, wherin as it hapened oftentymes amongst the Ro­mains, in the warres of the Macedons, who being brought into such fear and terror,The Romains fearfull of the Eclipse of the Moone. by the sodain appering of the E­clipse of the Moone, that their hearts began to faile them: Euen so Cneius Sulpitius seing thē continuing in this feare (by a wonderful eloquēce) shewed vnto them by probable reasons, that such mutation in the aire was naturall, and that the Eclipse proceded of no other thing,The cause of the Eclypse of the Moone. than of an in­terposition of the Moone betwixt the Sunne and vs, and of the earth betwixt vs and the Moone, by whiche meanes they were delyuered of their errour, not knowing til that houre, the cause of the sayd Eclipse. The like may be sayd of the raining of blood, the which hath so much frighted the people in the yeres passed, for bicause they were ignorant wherevpon it proceded, as that which fell from heauen, in the yere of health 570. in the tyme that the Lumbards wer vnder the conduct of Albuyn, traueling through Italy. And also ther fel the like yet fresh in memory neare Fribourgh, in the yeare .1555. the whyche stained and made the gar­ments and trées whiche it touched, of the coloure of redde, and notwithstanding although that this séemeth wonder­full, [Page 60] yet oftentymes it is naturall. For like as the earth gyueth diuers colours to many bodies: euen so she colou­reth the water of the rayne, for if the earth be redde, shee rendreth those vapours and exhalations redde, the whiche being conuerted into raine, the heauen in like maner sen­deth them to vs redde, and coloured as they were attired and lifted in height: and falling so vpon certaine habites, she maketh them of the colour and die of redde. Wherfore many Historians, as well Greekes as Latines, amongest their great maruels and rare wonders from heauen, haue made mention of these bloudy shoures. It resteth now to putte to the laste seale this chapiter, and to appoynte the causes of the number of Sunnes and Moones, whych ap­peare oftentimes from heauen, as the thrée Sunnes,iij sunnes sene by Cardanus. the whiche Cardanus reporteth to haue seene in oure tyme, be­ing at Venice. And like as we haue sayd, that these figures whiche appeare from heauen be natural, euen so we must speake of the multitude of Moones and Sunnes, the which appeare, for that oftentymes, and specially when a cer­taine thicke cloude is readie to raine,The causes of the shewes of so many sūnes and moones. being founde on the syde of the Sunne, the same by a lyke reflection on hir beames, imprinteth hir image in the same cloude: by the whiche meanes we iudge to sée diuers sunnes. We maye also sée the lyke in a table wel painted and polished, which when we behold, there appeareth to vs the shape of two or .iij. being but one in dede, and as much we may say of y^e Moone. Thus haue we declared the very true causes wherfore appere so often .ij. or .iij Sunnes & Moones: let vs ther­fore now from henceforth search in nature the cause and beings of these things, and stay no more at these frippe­ries, deceiptes, and dreames of the Astrologians iudici­als, who therby haue so oftentimes deceiued & begiled vs, that they oughte and deserue to be banished & exiled from all cōmon wealths well gouerned: for what trouble, per­plexitie and terrour haue they engendred in the conscien­ces [Page] of a numbre of poore people. As for example, in the yere 1514. when they feared not with obstination to publishe o­penly in all places, that there shoulde be in the moneth of February well nigh an vniuersall floud, for that the con­iunction of all the planets were in the signe of Pisces, and notwithstandyng the day which should haue brought forth these waters, was one of the moste faire and temperate days of the yere: albeit many great personages, fearefull of their prophecies, made prouision of bisket, flower, ships and other like things propre to sayle withall, fearyng to be surprised and drowned wyth the greate abundance of water, whiche they before had tolde of. Lette vs further from henceforth learne with Henry the .vij. king of Eng­lande, who reigned in oure tyme, makyng no accompt of theyr deceytes, but chastised their dreame, who vpon the sodaine beyng made to vnderstande, that one of the moste famous Astrologians of Englande had published in all pla­ces, that he had found amongst the most hidden secretes of Astrologie, that the King shoulde die before the next feast of Christmas, commaunded that he should be brought be­fore hym, who after he had asked hym whether this talke were true, and that the prognosticator had answered him that it was certaine, and that he had founde this infallible in his constellation and natiuitie, I pray thée then sayde the King, tell me where the starres tell thée thou shalte kéepe thy Christmas this yeare? To whom he answered, he shoulde be in hys owne house with hys familie: but I knowe very wel sayd the King, that thy starres be lyers: for thou shalt neither sée Moone, Sunne, Starres, heauen, nor thy familie this Christmasse, putting hym presentely in the moste straight & darke prison, in the great tower of London, where he continued till the feast was past. Here you may sée how this true Astrologian was vsed, remay­ning prisoner in extreme misery, vntil after the feast kept of the natiuitie of Iesus Christe.

IF there were but one onely Authour which had made mention of the Historie fol­lowyng, although the truthe therof be suffi­ciently proued, for whiche cause I haue the rather at this time placed it in these my wō ­ders, as a chiefe argument or coniecture in [Page] nature, whereupon may be founded the cause: notwith­standing, seing so many learned men haue busied themsel­ues to write therof, together with so greate a number of faithfull authors witnessing the same in their works, we ought the rather vpon their credite to beleue that whiche they haue sayd therin. Titus Liuius in his thirde booke and thirde Decade, Cicero in his seconde boke De diuinatione, Valerius the great in his first boke and .vj. chapiter, Fron­tinus in his secōd boke and .x. chapiter, write, that after the Scipions were surprised by their enimies, and ouerthrowē and killed by the Spanyards, and that Lucius Martius, a Ro­maine knight, making an oration to his souldiers, exhor­ting to reuēgement, they became astonished to see a great flame of fire issuing from his heade, without doing to him any hurt, which caused the armed men, being moued with the sight of thys wonderfull flame, to take heart and run so furiously vpon their enimies, that they not onely killed xxvij. thousande, but also had a praie of a great number of captiues, besides an inestimable riches they toke from the Carthaginiens. Neither haue such fantasticall fyres sprong from the bodies of certaine men, or appeared in one only, but in many. Wherof the same author Titus Liuius wri­teth (in his first boke of things worthy of memory sithens the foundation of Rome) the like to happen to Seruius Tul­lius, who succéeded in the imperial seate Tarquinius Priscus from whose heade (being yet but yong) and as he slepte, they sawe issue a flame of fyre: whervpon the Quéene Ta­naquil, wife to the foresayd Priscus, affirmed to hir husbād, that this flame promised to hym greate good, honour and prosperitie, whiche afterwards chaunced: for he maried not onely hir daughter, but after the death of hir husband, hée was Kyng of the Romaines. And Plutarche and others haue written the lyke of Alexander, when he foughte a­gainst the Barbariens, being in the moste heate of the skir­mish, they sawe him all on fyre, whiche caused a maruel­lous [Page 62] feare and terrour to his ennimies. Euen so I knowe a certaine Physition at this day, who writeth of the lyke in diuers of his histories, chauncing in our time to a nere friende of his in Italy, not onely at one time, but at many. Whereof, as Plinius not onely in an other place, maketh mention of the ryuer Trasimenus, whyche was seene all on fyre, but also maketh a certain discourse of these wonder­full flames, whyche be seene aboute the bodies of men. Also Aristotle in hys fyrst boke of Metheores, treateth in lyke maner. But to tell you myne opinion therein, I can not any wayes gather the cause or foundation eyther of the one or other, althoughe I haue promised to shewe the causes and reasons, whervpon these wonders procede and take their beginnyng. For if we wyll saye they be made by Arte: As we haue séene very often in oure tyme cer­taine Ruffians vomite and caste forth of theyr mouthes, certayne flames of burnyng Fyre, whiche Atheneus in the fyrst boke of the Dipnosophistes and fouretenth Chapi­ter doth witnesse, whiche coulde not happen (as I thinke) to the Histories before mentioned, for that it hath chanced to greate lordes, vpon whome these wonders haue bene moste proued, by which meanes, they being attended vp­on wyth a greate numbre and multitude of persones, the fraude thereof was easlyer discouered. Wherefore it is moste expediente then to beléeue, that they be wonders and deceytes of Sathan, who was so familiar in the worlde passed, that he inuented dayly newe wonders, as is wyt­nessed in Exodus of the Magitiens of Pharao, whiche con­uerted Maydes into Serpentes, and floudes of water in­to bloud, whyche be matters as difficulte, as to make fla­mes of fyre issue or come from the bodies of men.

I Am ashamed and almoste confused in my self, that I must declare the wonderfull loue of thrée of the most renoumed Philoso­phers that euer were at any tyme in the world. Wherof the one of them so wel stu­died in the perfectnesse of the soule,Plato. and of the nature di­uine, [Page 63] with a wonderfull diligence in giuing wholsome lawes for a common welth, that S. Augustin dare write & affirme of him, sauing in some respectes, to be a per­fect Christian. The second so well seene in the Element,Aristotl [...]. treating also very learnedly of the secretes of Nature, and other sensible things, that he shone amongest the reste of the Philosophers, as the sunne amongest the starres. The thirde as he was nothing inferiour in learning to the other twoo, so had he besides such a kinde of holinesse,Socrates. and other ornaments of Ciuilitie, that he was nūbred amongst the seuen fages of Grece, which notwithstanding although they had curiously searched the secrets of the heauens, of Nature, the being and resorte of all things cōtained with­in the compasse of the earth, yet were they not so finely studied nor so well armed in the secretes of their sciences, as eyther they vnderstand the Nature of so faire and deli­cate a creature, as a woman is, or other wayes be able to defende them selues from their cruell assaultes. All the greate Masse of Philosophie, wherin Aristotle was so déep­ly plunged and greatly studied from his birth to his sepul­ture, was not of sufficient force to subdue in him the mo­tions of the fleshe, for he became in loue with a cōmon wo­man named Hermie, the loue of whome had so muche en­flamed hym, that he not onely consumed in the sight of all men, but that which more was, he became not only a strā ­ger for hir sake to Philosophie, which deserues to be noted amongest these wonders, but also worshipped hir & made to hir sacrifices, as Origene writeth, whereof being accu­s [...]d by Demophilus, he was cōstrained to abandon Athens, where he had remained and written xxx. yeares, and saued him selfe by flighte. Plato (who onely amongest the Phi­losophers merited the name of diuine) was not so super­sticious, but he would aswel knowe what was humanitie, as he had bene diligent to searche the secretes of the hea­uens, that he would often times behold and remaine with [Page] humaine bodies, as is wel notified of him by kéeping cōpa­nie with A [...]chenasse, who although she had gyuen hir selfe ouer to a number in hir youth, notwithstanding when she was abādoned of others, Plato receyued hir, being so much assotted in hir, that he not only loued hir, but made certain verses in hir praise, lamenting that he should so muche in the sight of al men embrace the loue of so many olde wrin­kels, as Atheneus y^e Greeke authour writeth in his .xiij. booke de ses Dipnosophistes. Socrates whose maiestie and grauitie was so much renoumed & celebrated by y^e Aunciēts, y^t they write this wonder of him, that he was alwayes one man, in sorte that for any Eclips of fortune, prosperitie or ad­uersitie, they neuer at any time founde mutation in hym, notwithstanding he was not so sterne or seuere in his ac­tions, but the loue of his Aspasie did at all times mollifie the same, as Clearchus maketh report vnto vs by wri­ting, in the firste booke of his Amours. And like as I haue broughte these thrée to lighte, so could I rehearse a greate number of others, as Demosthenes, Isocrates, Pericles & ma­ny others, whose amorous and lasciuious loues the Greeke Historians haue sufficiently discouered, that in reading of them, I haue muche maruell that the greatnesse of their studie, science & wisedome, could not moderate suche mo­tions & flames, but that the smoke of their wantō dealings remaineth to their posteritie. Wherefore Lays, so muche renowmed amongest the loste women, was one daye in a greate coller against diuers which praised very earnestly the life & maners of all the learned & wise Philosophers of Athenes, & saide vnto some of them, I knowe not (saith she) what is their knowledge, neither what is their science, neither what bookes your Philosophers studie, whome you so much cōmende, but I knowe this very well, y^t I being but a womā, & besides y^t I neuer red in y^e schooles at Athe­nes, yet haue I séene very often the wise men come here to my schoole, where, of graue Philosophers they became fo­lishe [Page 64] louers. Let vs therefore leaue these Philosophers at reste, and search out others: for whosoeuer would make a Callender of al those, who haue made them selues subiecte to loue, should rather make a whole booke thereof, than a chapter. Menetor (as Atheneus reciteth) maketh mention of an amorous historie, worthie to be noted in our won­ders, for that there is nothing more rare in Nature, than to sée hir which loueth well, willing to make partition to an other of that, which was so deare vnto hir, the whiche some times chaunced in a notable historie that we haue to write of. Atheneus maketh mention of a cōmon woman, greatly renoumed for hir beautie, whose name was Plan­gon Milesienne, & as she was beautiful, so was she desired of many great Lordes: But amongest others, she had a yong man called Colophomen, a man exquisite in beautie, whome she cōmonly plaid withall, & who aboue all others enioyed the best part in hir. Notwithstāding, as these las­ciuious loues be for the most part grounded on tickle & vncertaine foundatiōs, y^t all the building cōmeth in y^e ende to vtter decaye & ruine: euen so there hapned such a Ielousie betwixte Plāgon & hir friend, for y^t she vnderstoode he loued an other called Bachide Samienne, one nothing inferiour to hir for beautie & other douries of Nature. Wherin being assailed w^t this new Ielousie, she determined to make truce w^t hir loue, & to giue y^e farewel to this yōg gētlemā. Wher­vpō this yong mā, who wished rather to die thā to become a strāger to hir, in whom cōsisted y^e cōfort & solace of his life began to embrace & cherish hir as he was wonte to do, but she as cold as y^e yse of y^e mountaigne, made no accōpte of al his plaints, sighes & lamētatiōs, requesting y^t he wold shun al places of hir repaire, without making him further to vn­derstāde the cause of hir displeasure: y^e yong man touched more neare y^e quicke with hir new refusal, prostrated him selfe at hir féete all bedewed with teares, exclaming that if she deferred to giue him remedie, or otherwise relieue him by the influence of some gracious beame of pitie, he should [Page] presentely perishe. Plangon moued with rage, pitie, and loue, sayde vnto hym, lette me not fynde thee duryng thy life in my presence, vnlesse thou present me with the chain of golde, so muche celebrated of Bacchide Samienne: wher­fore the yong man without other replie went to Bacchide, to whome hauyng made vnderstande from point to poynt the furie of the flames and ardent amitie which he bare to Plangon, vāquished of pitie & loue, gaue vnto him hir chain, with charge that he should forthwith present it vnto hir, who had so greuously tormented hym: wherin she shewed hir selfe very liberall and bountifull, seing that the Histo­rians write, that all the treasures which she had gathered by little and little duryng all hir life of those whiche loued hir, was melted and put into that Chaine, whiche was of monstrous greatnesse, and also kept of hir with great care for the only relief of hir in hir old age, if fortune suffred hir to be pinched with pouertie. The yong man hauyng thus caught the praie he moste desired, went to fynde out Plan­gon, to whome he offered the chaine, making hir to vnder­stande the liberalitie of his aūcient friend, betwéene whō neither time nor distance of place, nor other sinister acci­dent coulde extinguishe their friendship: wherewith Plan­gon, maruelling of the loue and liberalitie of hir compani­on, hauyng a noble heart, and not willing to giue place to Bacchide, neither in good wil nor bountie, sent to hir again hir chaine, louyng then more feruently the yong man, thā she had done at any tyme before: and that which is moste wonderfull, imparted hir loue to Bacchide, being contente the yong man shoulde be common to them bothe. Whiche made the Greekes with great admiration to name hir after Pasiphyle. Wherin being now so ancred in maters of wō ­derfull loues, we must search the most rare & maruellous histories, amongst whome I do not remember, there haue bene any dames in all the worlde, whiche haue demeaned their loue with more greate wonder, neither which haue [Page 65] [...]te a more eternall witnesse to their posteritie of their wanton and lasciuious liues, than Lamie, Flora and Lays, of whome I will write the life according as Pausanias the Greeke, and Manilius the Latin, haue writen in their bookes entreating of noble louing women. But aboue all others I will folow Anthonius of Gueuare, Bishop of Mon [...]demo, in a learned treatise which he hath made of this matter. These three Dames haue bene thrée of y^e most faire & most famous women of the worlde, whiche at any time were either borne in Asia or nourished in Europe, and of whome the Historiographers haue moste talked, and by whome moste Princes haue come to ruine and perdition. It is written of them for a wonder, that they so well charmed those which loued them, that they were neuer lefte of any Prince whiche loued them, nor denied at any time, anye thing they required: & further it is written that these .iij. women as they neuer mocked any man, so they were not mocked of any. The Historians write that these .iij. Cour­tizans during their life, were .iij. of the moste riche Cour­tizans of the worlde, & after their decease lefte most great memorie of them, for euery of them where they dyed, did erecte a great pillour of stones, to continue a remembrāce of them: and besides that euery one of them were by Na­ture beautiful, yet had they a further particular gyfte to allure & entice their louers to loue thē. The engin where­with Lamie entrapped hir louers, procéeded of regarde, for by the drawing of hir eyes she enflamed the beholders. Flora wanne hirs by hir wonderful eloquence. And Lays allured by hir swéete & pleasant hermonie. Wherefore the King Demetrius, sodainely receiuing y^e glaunce of the eye of Lamie, was taken in the net, and that newe fire in processe of time gained so much ouer him, y^t he liued not but in hir, & not only gaue hir all he had, but also abandoned his wife Euxonie to followe his Lamie. Wherefore Plutarke reci­teth in the life of Demetrius, that the Athenians hauing [Page] gyuen vnto him .xj. talents of siluer to ayde and paye his great armie, he made a present of all the saide sūme to his Lamie, wherat y^e Athenians wer maruellously greued, to sée their mony so euil imployed. This miserable King Deme­trius doated so extremely in the loue of his Lamie, that he honored hir as a God, swering by hir, as he accustomed to do by his Gods, till death & fortune which cuts asunder the fillet of those delites, & sends ende to all such enterprises, suffred Lamie to die, whereupon that poore King, felt him­self so griped, that as some write of him, he kissed hir, and embraced hir after hir death: and not content with this Idolatrie, he made hir be buried before one of y^e windowes of his house, and when any of his friends asked the occasion wherefore he buried hir in that place, he aunswered them, sighing dipely: the law of friendship of Lamie is so strōgly graffed in my heart, that I knowe not wherein to satisfie the loue she bare me, & the bonde which I owe to hir for y^e same, if not to put hir in such a place, that by viewe therof my poore eyes may bewaile dayly the death of hir, and my sorowful harte continually thinke thereof. Whereby the dolor & sorow that Demetrius had for y^e death of Lamie, was so great and extreme, that all the Philosophers of Athens were to dispute thereof, whether of these twoo things were most to be estéemed, either the teares & sorow which he suffred for hir, or the riches which he spent in the obse­quies & pomps of hir burial. Within a yere & .ij. monethes after the death of Lamie, died King Demetrius. The second amorous Dame, named Lays, spoken of before, was the daughter of a great Sacrificatour of the Tēple of Apollo, a mā so expert in the arte Magicall, that he prophecied the perdition of his daughter incontinent after hir natiuitie. This Lays (as hir companion) had a King for hir friende, who was the renoumed Pirrhus, with whome she went in­to Italie, in the expedition and warres he made against the Romains, remaining there a long time in his campe, & after returned with him from the warres: notwithstanding it [Page 66] is written of hir, that she neuer gaue hir selfe to one man alone. This Lays was so sufficiently furnished with al per­fections of beautie, and ornaments of Nature, that if she would haue bene continent, and not common in hir loue, there had not bene so constant a Prince in y^e world, which woulde not haue desired hyr, and not denied to perfourme what she had demaunded of him. Being returned from I­talie into Grece ▪ she remained at Corinthe as Aulus Gelius writeth, and there was soughte vnto of many Kings and noble men, whome she courted and dandled with such dis­simuled sleightes in loue, that if hir louers were vnfai­nedly passioned and burned extremely in the desire of hir beautie, she tooke a singular pleasure to smile and ieste at their simplicitie and folly, being besides, noted for one of the women of the worlde, who excéeded the reste in ma­king gayne & proffit of hir loue I haue red one wonder of hyr, whiche I neuer hearde of in any but in hir, that is, that she neuer shewed affection to any man, neither was she in loue with anye man, whiche coulde be knowen. This Lays died in y^e Citie of Corinthe, being of the age of lxxij. yeares: the death of whome, as it was muche desi­red of manye honeste Matrones, so was it asmuche la­mented of many wanton louers. The third Dame of the world, was named Flora, which was an Italian, farre sur­mounting the twoo others in generositie & noble discēt: for she was issued of a certaine Romain Knight, greatly renou­med in the feates of warre, who deceassed with his wife, leauing this yong mayde of the age of xv. yeares, no lesse charged with riches than endewed with greate beautie, & the only doughter of hir parents: In such sorte that as the yong Damsel was yong, riche, beautifull, & enioying a li­bertie without controlement, which be the greatest bau­des of the worlde, and chiefe meanes to make a woman glide in suche slippery pathes [...] séeing all these meanes, she did determine to goe vnto the warres of Affrique, [Page] where she made sale both of hir person and honour: and so florished in the time of the firste warres of Punique, when the Consull Manileus was sente to Carthage, who spente more monie in making loue to Flora, than in the conqueste of his enimies. And like as this Damsell was issued of a more gentle and noble race, than the other twoo before re­cited: euen so she shewed hir greatnesse in the choise of hir louers, for I neuer red that she gaue hir selfe ouer to meane and pettie Companions, as Lays or Lamie did, but caused to be set vp a [...]scrol ouer hir gate, which said: King, Prince Dictatour, Consul, Censour, Bishop and Questour may knock and enter, not speaking of Emperour or Cesar, for these twoo famous names, were not of long time af­ter created by the Romaines, in suche sorte, that she neuer committed hir selfe, but to men of high degrée, dignitie and greate richesse, saying alwayes that a woman of greate beautie shoulde be asmuch estemed, as she values and ac­comptes of hir selfe: Albeit Lays and Flora were contra­ry in doings, for Lays woulde be payde hir hire be­fore she had perfourmed hir worke. But Flora, without making accompte either of golde or siluer, would be go­uerned of hir louer. And being one daye asked the cause of that, she aunswered. I committe my person to Princes and noble men, to the ende they maye deale with me, as noble men oughte to do, for I sweare by all oure Gods, that there was neuer man gaue me so litle, but that I had more than I looked for, & double to that I demaūded: saying that a sage woman ought not to make price of hir loue, for the amorous pleasure she doth to any man, but rather for the loue she beareth to him, for that al things in the world be priced at a certaine rate, except Loue, which can not be payed but wyth loue. Wherfore all the Embassadours of the worlde whiche came into Italy, caried back as greate and seueral reports of the beautie and noblenesse of Flora, as of the Publike weale of Rome, for that it séemed as mō ­strous [Page 67] a thing to sée the riches of hir house, hir beautie, the princes & noble men who dayly required hir, as also to be­hold the great presents they made vnto hir: for looke what day she passed on horsebacke in Rome, the viewe of hir & hir attire, gaue sufficient occasion to all the Citizens to talke thereof one moneth after. She dyed at the age of .lx. yeres, leauing hir wealth and riches to the people of Rome, as hir onely heires, whiche was esteemed not onely sufficient to haue edified the walles of Rome, if they had bene vtterly in ruine and decaye, but also to haue redeemed the common wealth. Wherwith giuing ende to the discourses of these Women, there resteth to searche oute some other cause more straunge and rare in oure wonderfull loues. Corne­lius and Suetonius write, that the abhominable tyrant Ne­ro, did not only offend grieuously in the abuse of a number of honest and chaste virgins, but also causing to be gelded a faire yong boy, whome he named Sporus, with intent to transforme hym into the vse of a woman, he maried hym with open solemnitie, vsing him in the place of his wyfe, touching the exercise of mariage, and assigned dowrie and portion accordyng to the order. And whether may we terme it an act of wonderfull loue or effect of doating foly? Herodotus reporteth of the daughter of Cheopes Kyng of Egypte, who hauyng consumed his treasure and reuenue in the supplie of a hundred thousande workmen, labou­ring vpon a moste sumptuous Pile whiche he made, and being as destitute of money, as voyde of meanes to get it, commaunded his daughter to commit hir selfe to sensuall prostitution, and that with charge, that she should not on­ly racke hir honoure to a high price, but also refuse none, whose companie broughte commoditie, which she perfor­med accordingly, demaunding of euery one that delt with hir, a stone, by whose gaine was raised so much as builded the Pyramides, or hyll whiche carieth in the front a hun­dreth and fiftie foote. Ludouicus Vartomanus writeth, that [Page] there is an other maner of makyng of loue at this day in vse in a certaine prouince of Indie, named Tarnasseri, which is no lesse wonderful thā the precedent before recited, if y^e experience wer to be seene: he declareth, that when a yong mā is enamored of any dame, desiring to make hir vnder­stand the flames of his loue, he taketh a piece of woullen cloth dipped in oyle, and putting therto fire, coucheth the same vpon his naked arme, enduring that flame vntill the cloth be cleane consumed, without shewyng any kinde of dolour, testifying by this, that he is so strongly embraced with the loue of his lady, that there is no kind of torment or martirdome vnder the heauens, whiche he woulde not taste or be partaker of for hir sake. But to the ende we should not tast too much of these filthy and stinking loues, I wil shewe you, that there is to be founde as great won­ders in chaste and vertuous loue, whiche is sufficientely proued by sundry examples, of late written by my brother G. Fenton, in his boke of Tragical Discourses. For what is more strange in Nature than to sée a man sacrifice him selfe to accompanie to death the person whom he loueth? And notwithstāding they haue found a numbre of exāples of womē, which be more tender & feareful thā men. The chast Porcia, daughter of Cato, loued so entierly hir husbād Brutus, y^t after she vnderstode he was slain in Thessaly, in y^e fields Phillipiques, V [...]serius Max. lib. 4. for y^t she could not presently get a knife to kil hir self, she deuoured burning coales. Cleopatra, late quéene of Egipt, nothing inferior in frendship to y^e partie a­foresayd, hauing heard of y^e death of hir husband Anthonie, although she was warely garded by Octauius Cesar, who would not she should kil hir self, yet notwithstāding their great care to preuent such a mischief, as Apianus Alexādri­nus writeth, she was destroyed by a cruel kinde of tormēt, for she made hir self to be deuoured of serpentes. Neither let vs forget Arthemise quéene of Carie in Greece, who after she knew y^e king Mausolꝰ hir husbād was dead, she dreyned wel nigh al y^e watrishe powers of hir body by teares: & af­ter [Page 68] she had sufficiētly lamēted, she caused to be made so ex­cellēt a sepulchre, y^t it was put amōgst the maruels of the world: & not cōtent with this, esteming y^e body of him that had ben y^e organ of hir life, not sufficiently honored with so sūptuous a tōbe, vnlesse she serued him as a sepulchre hir self, caused al y^e bones of hir husband to be subtilly beatē to pouder, which she ordinarily vsed in hir meat & drinke till they wer cōsumed. We should not maruel of these wōder­ful flames of loue, which enchaūt & charm so wel y^e humain sense, y^t they do not only walk incurable by al y^e most sensi­ble parts of our friends, but y^e more is, they make vs very oftē to become mad, frātike, & without reason, as appered by a yong gentleman, issued of y^e best house of Athens, who of extreme sorow died, for that they wold not suffer him to cherish & loue an image of Venus, of which he was greatly enamored. And bisides, it is most strange, y^t the cōtagious tickling of this amorous venim, doth not only touch y^e hu­main creatures reasonable, but also y^e infection therof cor­rupt's brute beasts. Which Plutarch witnesseth in an expe­riēce of an elephāt, who with Aristophanes of Alexādrie, [...]o­ued a maide, to whome y^e beast did as liberally and frankly impart his amorous desire and zeale by secrete and simple signes, as Aristophanes by all the eloquēce he could deuise: neither is it so straunge altogether, that brute beastes do loue creatures resonable, seing they ar oftenti [...] so pres­sed and pricked forwarde with their amorous [...], that they are seene in diuers sorts & kindes to vse force against women. Wherof Edouart in his histories of beasts, giueth an example of a certain kinde of rough or shaghaired apes in some countreys of India, against whome, the people vse a special defence to kepe them from their townes and hou­ses, for that when they feele any motion of nature, or ra­ther prouoked with desire of filthy lust, they neither spare mayde, widow nor wife, nor regarde estate, condition, or degree of women. Wherof haue ben founde diuers proues [Page] in sundry vnhappie women that stand not vpon their gar [...] against the furie of such beasts. Saxonius in his tenth boke of the historie of the Danes, writeth (as of most credit and truthe) that a Beare in Swetya, serching his pray vpon the Mountaines, met by chaunce a Shephierds wife, whome he caried to his denne, where in place to deuoure hir, hée conuerted his hunger into pleasure and vse of hir body. And it is more maruellous, that the furie and violence of Loue is so great, that the wilde, brutall and cruel beastes do not onely féele the same: but (which more is) the Trées and liuely Plantes of the earth, the whiche we sée, shewe a certaine likenesse and affinitie of loue: in such sort that as Theophrastus and Plinie haue written, there be diuers Trées and Plants, which if you take away the males, and place them farre from the females, they presently wither, and continue in perpetuall barennesse. As we may sée of the Uine, who imbraceth the Elme, ioying and reioycing much at his presence. In like sorte the Iuie, whiche is so great a louer of certain Trées, that it accompanieth them after their death: Which gaue occasion to the Auncients, that when they tooke vpon them to depaint perfect friend­ship, they expressed the same by the trunke of a deade trée, enuironed about with Iuie. Wherfore to put end to these moste wonderfull thyngs, the secretaries of nature do ac­knowledge, that ther is also a secret amitie amongst met­tals & stones: for proofe of y^e Adamāt louing yron draweth it to him, & hauing caught it, holdeth it insuche sort, that it séemeth to be grieued and touched with a certain ielousy, when they offer to take it from him. There is also shewed maruellous puissance of frendship in mettals, whiche dis­couered, shew wonderfull effects of amitie, the whiche is sufficiently experimented in golde whiche we sée so mani­festly affected to quicksiluer, that being plunged therein, séemeth incontinent rauished & captiue thervnto, by force of some furious flame of Loue.

OCellus Lucianus, a Greeke Philosopher, in a certain little worke whiche he made, trea­ting as well of the nature of all things, as of generation, shewyng vnto vs, that we ought not to goe to the holy state of matri­monie [Page] for voluptuousnesse & plesure (which oftentimes is not absent) but y^t our principal intent ought only to be for procreation, which is not ordeined of y^e Almightie for ple­sure only, but for y^e perpetual conseruatiō & permanēcy of humain society: wherfore being impossible, y^t a mortal mā shold liue always, God supplied that default by continual and perpetuall generation, to the ende y^t the earth mighte be multiplied, the cōmon weales peopled, & the humain so­cieties cōserued. In cōsideration wherof, we must cut of al these generatiōs, which be made against y^e ordināce of na­ture: for by y^e meanes it often hapneth, that y^e frute sprin­ging therby is vnclean, miserable, monstrous, vicious, odi­ous & detestable, aswel to spirites & deuils, as to men & fa­milies. And of these vnlauful copulatiōs & licentious dea­ling, oftentimes were borne mōstrous infantes: As we may sée in beholding this before figured, out of whose bely issued an other man, wel formed in al proportions & mem­bres, reseruing the head. Like as this man was of the age of .xl. yeres when he was séene in Fraunce, in the yere 1530. Euē so he bare y^e body betwixt his armes with great mar­uel to al y^e worlde, which assembled in great troupes to sée him. Wherupon they sayd, he was begottē of some cōmon woman, who had giuen hir self indifferently to al cōmers. Min [...] author séemeth to haue séene him at Valēce, in y^e very same form you sée him here pictured, at such time as mōsier de Coras red y^e Ciuil lawes there: afterwards they saw him nigh Paris, in a town called Montlehery, as many haue wit­nessed: besides y^t the good mā Iohn Longis, printer in that v­niuersitie, assured me, y^t hauing with others takē the sayd person at y^e sayd Montlehery, deuoyde of the sayd monster, [...]nquired of him what was become of y^e deformed creature which they had sene in times past spring out of his body.

IF there be any thing worthy to be considered of in all the principall parts of phy­sike, certainly it is that which brings vs to the knowledge and searchyng forth of the nature and propretie of Plants: for bisides the cōmon vtilitie which they bring to mankind, yet shall we discouer therin an antiquitie so greate, as we can not lerne or attain vnto, without extreme admiratiō: for lyke [Page] as euery arte was inuēted almost as soon as God had crea­ted man, & afterward augmented by the industrie of man: Euen so the herbs & plants immediatly after the creation of the elements at such tyme as ther liued no mā vpon the earth, sprong (folowing the cōmaundement of the Lorde) from the caues and entrailes of the earth, garnished with their propre and diuine vertues. Which besides that Mo­ses the great Lawyer of God, sufficiently proueth in Exo­dus, we may also alleage the opinion and witnesse of the auncient Greeke poetes, as Orpheus Museus, and Hesiodus, who haue treated of the praise of Penyroyal, as also hath done Homerus of Alisier, and others, as in like maner Pi­thagoras, hath cōmended the Eschallottus, Crisippus, Chou, and Zeno the Caprier: besides it is a thyng most straunge, that Salomon king of the Iewes, Euax, king of the Arabi­ans, Iuba king of the Mauritans, were so curious, not on­ly to know the names and propreties of plantes, but also the moste part of them haue diligently written therof. O­thers haue entertained great philosophers, and A [...]borists in diuers deserts of Asia, Europe, and Affrike, for to disco­uer the secrets of herbes and plants. Further it is a thing moste maruellous, that a great number of plantes muche renoumed, haue taken their names of many kings, as Gen­tiane toke the name of Gentius king of the Illyrians, Lyma­chie of Lyzimachus king of the Macedonians, Teucriū was inuented by Teucer, Achilea of Achilles, Arthemisia, of Ar­themise quéene of Carie. But nowe it resteth for vs as me séemeth, hauing searched very narrowely the Antiquitie and prayses of Plantes, to be as diligent, following oure custome, in séeking forth if we can fynd amongst hearbes, any thyng monstrous, wonderful or straunge, as we haue [...]one in the moste parte of other thyngs contayned vnder the concauitie of Heauen. The Auncients haue reknow­leged, I know not by what meanes, y^e maruelous efficaci [...] of a plant, which they called Agnus castus, whose leaues are [Page 71] like vnto the Oliues: for all those, who haue written of the Nature and propertie of this plante, saye that it resisteth the sinne of the fleshe, and that those which either carie the same about them, or drinke the iuice thereof, be neuer tempted at any time to incontinencie: for whiche occasion the maides in olde time, bare the braunches and bowes of that hearbe in their hande, and made garlandes therof to weare vpō their heads, thinking therby to make die & estinguish the heates of the flesh. Wherefore Discori­des in the .xv. chapter of his first booke, treating of y^e Nature of plants, sayeth that the Greeks named this tree Agnos, that is to saie chaste, for by that the Ladies sometime in the Citie of Athens, garded their chastitie, by making their beads thereof, and doing sacrifice therewith to Ceres. Euen as we haue described the singularitie of Agnus Ca­stus which defends the chastetie of such persons as vse the same: so are we nowe to make mentiō of an other hearbe altogether contrarie to the Nature of Agnus Castus, and as who would saye his mortall enimie, for it makes suche as vse the same, lasciuious, prompte and readie to the Ue­nerian actes: The Auncients haue named this hearbe Sa­tirium, for that the Satires and sauage Gods, were the in­uentours of this plante, for the better satisfying of theyr lusts and concupiscence when they wente to playe by the forrests & caues with the Nimphes. Albeit the Greeks cal it Orchis or Cmo [...]orchis, for that, that this roote is like the twoo genitories of a dogge, in such sorte that it séemes that Nature woulde haue lefte some marke and token in this roote, for to shewe the maruellous effects or works na­tural. Wherefore those then, sayeth Discorides in his third booke and .xxij. chapter which he writeth of plantes, which desire to haue the companie of women, ought to vse this roote, for that it makes men prompte & readie to the ex­ercise and worke of Venus, and as they saye, this roote being holden in the hande, prouoketh a man to desire the [Page] pleasure of a woman. Bisides, there is one thing worthi [...] to be considered of in this roote, & as who would saye won­derful, that is, that as one of these twoo rootes, which resē ­bleth (as we haue said before) the genitories of a dogge, ex­cites & stirres a man vnmeasurablie to the wanton actes of Venus, so the other roote which is a little lesser, extingui­sheth & hindreth the desire of the flesh, in such sorte, that as one of these rootes prouoketh the euill, so the other giueth remedie. Plinius, Dioscorides and Galen be authours of this, and Dioscorides writeth, that the women in Thessalie, gaue to men to drinke of that moste fleshly roote, the ra­ther to prouoke and stirre them to the lusts & abhominable desires of the flesh. Wherefore reader, I will not forget to declare that thou shalt not néede to doubte of me in all this treatise of the wonders of plants, the descriptions, facul­ties, temperaments and diuisions of them, for that this worke woulde be excessiue & excede the limits of my mea­ning: Wherein Dioscorides, Theophrastus, Galen, Plinie, Matheolus Fuscheus, Ruel and many others haue so well spoken in that, that there is nothing to be desired more than they haue written thereof, whiche I woulde gladly haue tolde before vnto those which thinke that I had here confounded the diuerse kinds of Satirium, like this that the Greekes haue called Orchis Serapias, wherof Paulus Aegine­ta, and Aetius haue made mention, which others saye to haue receyued that name of Serapius, God of the Alexan­drians, by reason of the greate & impudent lasciuitie, for which cause they worshipped him in a place called Canope, there where he had his Temple of greate reuerence, & Re­ligiō, as Strabo reciteth in his .xvij. booke of his Geographies. Wherefore it suffiseth me in this chapter to write sim­plie, that there is more cause of maruell and wonder in some particular plant, than in euery plant. The Auncients as Chrisippus, haue founde cause of wonder, I can not tell by what meanes, in the plante whiche we commonly call [Page 72] Basill, who were of opinion that it makes a man, senslesse and madde: the goats refuse to eate thereof, which giues iuste occasion to man to flye the rather from it. They adde further, that brusing it and putting the same vnder a stone, it engendreth a Scorpion, or if they chawe it and set it in the Sunne, it brings forth wormes. Further­more, some saye, that if a man be stoung of Scorpion the daye that he eateth of Basill, he shall neuer be hoale, ly­kewise some assure, that brusing a handefull of Basill with Cancres marins, or of the Riuer, that all the Scor­pions farre or neare will come vnto him.

Wherfore I am not ignorant, that those whiche came af­ter Crysippus, did so abhorre Basill, that they neuer vsed the same. The herbe called of the Latins, Herbae pulicaris, hathe such a colde vertue, that being cast into hot boiling water, it will kill the heate therof. In like maner, as Chameleon albus, serueth vnto men in stede of Treacle against poy­son and all venims: Euen so notwithstandyng it killeth and destroyeth Ratts and dogs eating therof. It is in lyke maner a little Thistle growing by the grounde, without any stalke, putting vp pricks like an Hedgehogge, hauing in the middle a knap ful of pricks, in which do appere pur­ple floures, that growe into plumes, fléeing away with the winde, like as of other thistels, hauing a white roote & swéete, groweth on olde landes and bare hilles. Also Dios­corides, Plinie, and Pithagoras write, that the herbe called Scylla, and of the Apothecaries Squillae, being hanged in a house, deliuereth men from charmes, sorceries, and en­chauntments, the roote wherof is like a onyon. Wherfore the good searchers out of the secrets of plants haue founde by experience that our Persley, whiche the Latins call A­pium [...]ortense, and the Greekes Selinon, by a certaine se­ [...]ret propretie engendreth in vs the falling sicknesse, in suche sorte that Simeon Sethy writeth that it is neces­sarie for suche as be subiecte to that euill, to take héede [Page] they vse not y^e same, for it often hapneth that those whiche he deliuered from that disease, by vsing of Persley, fall a fresh into the same againe. In like maner Plinie writeth, that nurses oughte not to eate therof, for y^e infant (sayeth he) by sucking the milke of hir breast which eateth therof, very often is persecuted with that disease. Furthermore the Consyre, whiche the Apoticaries (commending with so many barbarous wordes) do call Consolida maior, hath so greate a vertue to knit, and make to growe and ioine together freshe hurts, for as Plinie and Discorides witnesse, being put in a pot with sundrie pieces of flesh, it will knit and ioyne them together: for which cause the Greeks called it Symphiton for the gret vertue it hath in knitting & ioy­ning togethers. Euen so the Greeks and Romains celebra­ted alwayes amongest their excellent plantes, that which is called in Greeke Peristereon, in Latin Verbenaca, and in Frenche Veruaine, it hath bene named aunciently Hiera­botane, and Sacra herba, that is to saye, a holye hearbe, for that at Rome in times paste, it serued them not only to pu­rifie their houses, but also their familye was dressed with it, and for a more supersticious estimation of this hearbe, they hong the altar of Iupiter with it afore they perfour­med their sacrifice. Their embassadours that wente vpon holy messages were crowned with it, bycause as Discorides writeth, it was very proper to withstande wicked spirits, and purge the houses, hong or garnished with it. Dioscori­des and Plinie be of opinion that the house sprinkled with the water of Veruaine makes the people ioyfull, and those which assiste the bāquet where is eyther d [...]awe or mentiō of this water, shalbe replenished with mirth and gla [...]nesse. The plante which the Apoticaries call Ne [...]uphar, and the Greeks and Latins Nymphea growing moste commonly in Pooles and riuers, bearing a greate gréene leafe, hath so greate vertue againste the hote and wanton motions of youth, that being taken in broth once a day by the space of [Page 73] xl. dayes, it mortifieth altogether the appetite of sensuali­tie, and eating it fasting among other meate, it defend [...]s you from vnchaste thoughtes and dreames of Uenery: prouided alwayes that this must be wrought of the firste kinde of Neniu [...]r whiche hath a yelowe flower like to a Flowerdelice, wherof besides the authoritie of Plinie and Dioscorides (first authours hereof) experience makes it of faith and credit. For in the olde time it was applied to Monkes and Nunnes, and other people of deuotion in Re­ligious houses, to pull downe and mortifie their flesh. The Ancients named it Nimphea, bicause the virgin Nympha being ielouse of Hercules, became leane, pale and so full of mortall passions, that death gaue ende to hir sorowes, and afterwarde (as they beleued) she was chaunged into this marrishe and waterie hearbe to delaye hir heates: It is common in euery place and of .ij. sortes, the one hath a whyte flower, and the other carieth a yealowe floure. Iuye called in Latine Hedera, and in Greeke Cysses, is a com­mon herbe, yet it containes in it many things worthy of commendation, firste it troubleth the minde if a man take too muche of it: it brings forth an humour or gumme, whiche as Galen saith, burnes secretly as a hoate plaster, without being perceyued: besides it serueth for a depila­tour to make fall the haire in euery place about man and woman: the little graines or séedes of Iuye taken in broth make men become barreine. Plinie addes besydes to the vertue of this hearbe, that men that be melancholike and subiect to diseases of the Splene, are easely healed if they do but drinke in cups or goblets made of the wood of this Iuye. The Mandrake hath moued greate cause of wonder to suche as haue written of his properties and power, Pithagoras calleth it Antropomorphen, by reason it hath a roote whiche resembles the forme of a man, others haue named it Ciroea ▪ as of Circes, persuading that the roote was good to make men loue, and that there was in it a cer­taine [Page] amorous charme. I sawe in a faire at Saincte Ger­mains in Paris, a roote of a Mandrake, so well counter­faited by arte, with rootes and braunches one linked with­in another, that it resembled properly the fourme and shape of a man, whiche broughte suche value and esti­mation to his practise of deceite, that he solde of them for twenty crounes a piece, by which vnreasonable gaine, his abuse was discouered, and he constrained in the ende to carie his roote into Italy, from whence he sayde it firste came, whiche maye suffise for the deceits in this roote, and nowe let vs returne to his singularities and vertues. Dioscorides writes that it is of force to mollifie the Iuorye and make it apte to plye and turne, and fashion in any worke or forme that a man wil, boiling it with the Iuorye the space of sixe houres. It is moste certaine that it is of a maruellous vertue to caste men on sléepe, and so to en­traunce suche as are to be opened or cut in any member, that they shall not féele the paine, if firste they taste of the iuice of this Mandrake: some do vse it in parfume for the same purpose. There be .ij. kindes of Mandrake, whiche growe in manye places on the mountaines in Ita­lie, but speciallye in Powylla. Whereof diuerse grafters and setters of plantes haue broughte awaye both Ap­ples and rootes. It is as strange, which the Philosophers attribute vnto the plant whiche the Latins call Nerion, the Greekes Rhododendros, the Frenchemen Bosage, and we Roselaurel, it hath the floures of a Rose, and leaues of a Laurell: but that whiche is most wonderful, those leaues kill Dogges, Asses, Moyles, and many other foure footed beastes: and to men or women, if it be taken in br [...]ath with wine, it serueth as a counterpoyson or soueraine Medicine againste the bytings of all venomous beastes: and yet if goates, shéepe, and suche lyke weake bea­stes doe drinke of the water wherein those leaues haue [Page 74] bene dipped, they doe swell and dye forthwith. Lentile the whiche of the Latins is called Lens or Lenticula, pro­cures fearefull dreames, specially vpon his firste decoc­tion as Plinie and Dioscorides affirme: & those whiche haue not meane to eate of this meate, become Leepers, as Ga­len and Plinie say.

This may suffise (in mine opinion) for the curious sear­ching of the straunge properties of Plantes. There res­teth now to discouer vnto you the wonderfull vertues of suche as haue power to confounde and kill man, for the vse of whome, not onely all plants and hearbes, but all o­ther things contained within the pourprise & compasse of of this visible world are and haue bene created, and yet to kéepe him vnder, and that he lifte not vp his horne too high nor swell with pride and ambition, the Lorde hath caused to appeare out of the earth, certaine little rootes & plants with power not onely to be maister ouer his pride, but also euery moment of the daye, to threaten hym wyth death and perfourme it. The Hemlocke called Cycuta of the Latins, sufficiently knowen to moste men, is of a propertye to smother and kill suche as do drinke it in any broath, whereof the Athenians made a pruofe in So­crates at suche tyme as he was falsly accused by Auytus and Meluycus for speakyng blasphemie against the Gods, vsing this hearbe (as a common punishement) and made hymselfe perfourme the office of executioner. Dioscori­des in his treatise of poysons and their remedies, doth ex­aggerate wonderfully the accidents and Symptomes of him that hath eaten of this herbe. For (sayth he) suche as haue eyther dronke or eaten of it, haue a visible vertue in their eyes, althoughe they be blinde and haue their mindes so troubled that they are notable to discerne any thing, and blood continually, and suffer all extreme colds of the body. And lastly, the poyson of this Plant doth so restraine the [Page] breath and blaste in the réede of the lightes that the pa­tientes do die as thoughe they were strangled: and there­fore (saith he) this poyson oughte at the firste to be drawne out of the bodye by vomitte, and then by glisters, to the ende that, that whiche is discended to the bowels, do also come out. That whiche some cal Thymeo, and the Latins Tapo, being receyued at the mouth, is venomous, dri­uing the whole bodie into suche a colde, that it stops the breath in a short time. The hearbe of Sardania eaten, maketh a man become incensed, and bréedes a certaine wannesse in the lips, in sorte that who hath eaten of it see­mes alwayes to laughe, from whence moues the wicked prouerbe, the laughter of Sardanya, which appeares at large in Solyn, Dioscorides and specially in Erasmus Chy­lyads: in like sorte the plant which the Latins call Hios [...]ia­mus, the Greekes, Hiosciamos, and the Frenchemen Iusquiane, but chiefly that whiche hath the graine blacke, makes a man sléepie, and to loase his sense according to Plinie and Galen, and as Dioscorides saith, it stirres vp suche vaine [...]llyes as commonlye we sée in a dronken man. Aelian writeth in his Historie, that the wilde Beares féeding of this hearbe are readie to soune, and that not with­oute daunger of death if they washe them not present­ly in water. And nowe there is a kinde of plant called in Latin Aconitum, in Frenche Aconit, and in Englishe a Libardbaine or Wolfbaine, whiche as laste shall seale vp our description of venomous herbes, bicause it is of a more readie and sodain nature of death, than any other, and specially that which they cal Pardylyanches, which killeth y^e Libarde and beareth, a leafe like to a wylde Coucumber, but it is somwhat lesse and more sharp: an other kinde of Aconite is called Lycothonon, bicause that wolues hauing eaten of it die immediatly: the first kinde growth in euery place, but the seconde is founde (& that but seldom) in déepe valleies betwene moūtaines. Al kinds of Aconit performe [Page 75] their poison most by gnawing the intrails, & putrifactiō of good humours: The first kinde killeth wilde Bores and o­ther sauage beasts: and those which hunt wolues do often vse it to make them die. It is moste certain (accordyng to Plinie) that as Aconyt is the most sodaine poison that is, so the females of any beast whatsoeuer, touchyng it in any sorte with their secrete parts, doe die presently. He sayth again, that Aconyt giuen to a man in hot wine, is present poyson and killeth, if he finde not some thyng in the body of man, which can kill it: for hauing encoūtred any thing of like substaunce to himselfe, he stirreth and quarelleth as if he mette with an other poyson in the intrailes of the man: but that whiche maketh it of more maruell is, that two mortall poisons méeting in the body of one man together, the one killeth the other, and saueth the man on liue. Wherwith we will now knit vp our Discourse of veno­mous herbes, and bring in those that be more familiar and friendly to man: amōgest the which the auncientes had in moste estimation the Balme, as most wonderful in his ver­tues. Some write that this excellent hearbe of the Balme hath heretofore growne only in the towne of Ferico, from whence he fetched his name, for Ferico in the Hebrue signi­fieth good smell. Plinie preferreth it afore all the other o­ders, and sayth there is none of it now but in Iuda: it gro­weth spéedily, and muste be vnderpropped and tied as you stay a vine, or else it will fall to the earth: the leafe of a Balme is alwayes gréene, and resembleth most the Herbe Grace, it can not brooke that one cut or hurt it with any in­strument of yron. Wherof Cornelius Tacitus writeth an experience and sayth: that if one offer to touche it with y­ron, it séemeth to shrinke for feare, and therfore it muste be handled with instruments of bone, or some other lyke substance: for if you touche it with yron to haue eyther li­quour or oyle, it dieth forthwith: but cutting it wyth in­struments agréeing with his nature, it yeldeth a sucke or [Page] sappe whiche they call Opobals [...]mum, whiche is wonderfull sweete, although it bring but a little taste. The principal vertue of this Plant consisteth in the humour, the second in the seede, the third in the barke, and the last of all in the wéede After Titus the Romaine prince had destroyed Ierusa­lem, reuenging the death of Iesus Christ, the herbe & plant of the balme were transported into Egypt. Petrus Bolonus, a diligent sercher of rare things writeth, that in the tyme of his pilgrimage from Leuant, he went to see the garden where grewe the Balmes, being a good league from Caire, where he sayd, he sawe not aboue nine or ten plants, and the same very curiously garded and inclosed wyth greate and high walles. The last precious vertue of this plant is, to preserue (a long time) from corruption, any flesh that is either rubbed or perfumed with it. There is an other herb which hath ben heretofore very rare, albeit now somwhat familiar, called Lyons foote, which groweth in mountaines, and hath leaues like vnto the leafe of a Mallowe, sauing that they be more hard ful of sinews, and crispie: it springs in May, and floures in Iune: it is moste soueraine to con­solidate all kind of hurts, and much employed that way by the surgeōs of Almayn. The physitiōs of late put it among the rare and wonderful plants, bicause of his wonderfull power to consolidate all hurtes: they write that if eyther maides or wiues that be corrupted or haue forfaited their virginitie do vse of it, it maketh them séeme maides as at the first, specially if it continue any time in his decoction: as if ther be pieces of canuas or linnen cloth dipped or ba­thed within the water of it, and applied or layed vpō their dugs, it maketh them shrinke and retire, and becom round and hard: it begins now to be cōmonly knowne in Italy, and of special delite with certain womē that stand in nede of it. The Corall whiche is called Lythodendron, that is to say, a Tréestone, is no lesse meritorious for estimation thā the rest, seing it is a plant that groweth in y^e sea, which as Dioscorides writeth, being drawen out of the botom of the [Page 76] sea, becomes hard with the aire, & so is made a stone. This little trée or plant of Coraile is gréene, & softe, being in the sea, and beareth a frute like vnto hor [...]es, aswel in bignesse as in figure: this plant when it is drawen out of the water is all ful of mosse, and is not red, but cōming after into the hands of workmen, they polishe it artificially either vpon the tornell by force of the file, and so smoothe him with the pouder of trypoly, to giue him his glée and beautie. Al kinds of Coral be very cōmon in Italy, bicause that y^e people there do fishe for them in the sea Tyrenum. The Corralls haue an hiddē vertue against the Epilepsia, or foule euil, being an in­fection in the head, they defend houses from harme by lightning, they restraine the flux menstruall, they are good for gnawing in the gummes, for blaines and biles in y^e mouth and for the flux of seede. Auicen holdeth them moste soue­raine to glad and comforte the heart. Dioscorides maketh mention but of two kindes of Corall, that is red & black, and yet we read, that in diuerse seas in Europe, are founde of them that be very white, and they be sponging & light. Dioscorides Schylyen in his .xvii. boke telleth a wonderfull historie of a plant y^t was shewed to Alexander in a vision, wherwith he healed his people y^t wer hurt with venomous weapons, which me think not much impertinent to put in this place by reson of his wōderful effect. After Alexander (sayth he) had victorie against y^e Brachmans, wherof y^e most part were either killed or taken prisoners, he foūd sundry of his Macedonians sore hu [...]te and in daunger of deathe, by reason that the ende of the Darts and Arrows of their enimies were poysoned, the same mouing corage in them to attempt the battail against him. The venom was made of certaine serpents, which they killed, and layed them to drie against the Sunne, the heate wherof made issue out a sweate, with the which sweate also distilled the poyson of the serpente, the whiche was of suche violence, that who was hurte with any weapon dipped in it, lost incontinent his f [...]elyng, and by and by turned into wonderfull tormēt [Page] by the retraction of sinews, and tremblyng of all his bo­die, his fleshe became blacke lyke leade, and by continual vomite, caste vp a maruellous deale of choler, bisides the which came out of the hurte a blacke scumme, wherof en­gendred a putrifaction, which as it was fermed and iellied gained forthwith the noble partes, and made the paciente die in great martyrdom. The King was not so sorowfull for all the rest of his people, as it grieued him in the payne of Ptolomeus, at that time one of the kings minious, and after his death supplied his place, with no lesse loue & awe of his people than he. And as there was thoroughout the whole armie generall sorow for the martirdom of Ptolo­meus, there chaunced a straunge case, and the same of more meruaile, bicause (as Diodorus sayeth) many referre it to an expresse prouidence of the Gods. The King sleping in his tent, not without great care for the griefe of his Ptolomey, a great dragon séemed to houer afore him as in a vi­sion, holding an herbe in his thr [...]ts, wherof he taught him both the vertue and the place where it grewe. Alexander awaking vpon this vision, wente immediatly to séeke the herbe, and hauing founde it, he ordered it in sort of a plai­ster, and applying it to the body of Ptolomeus, gaue him also to drinke of the iuyce, wherupon he with others were restored and made hole in fewe dayes. Diodorus, although he recite the Historie, yet he feareth to tel the name of the herbe: but Plinie treating of a like accident, declareth the name of a certaine herbe, which was good to cure the hur­tes of souldiers, speaking in this maner: Sometime (sayth he) the vse and experience of herbes are founde by chaūce, or rather to speake the truthe, by a certaine Oracle of the gods, as hath ben written of the plant called Cynorthom­bi, which is a kinde of a wilde Rose, very good to heale the biting of madde Dogges, his vertue and operation was founde by chaunce: For a woman ha [...]ing hir sonne in the warres of Spayne, and so bitten with a madde Dogge, that [Page 75] he was in greate perill of life, the whiche they iudged bi­cause he beganne to feare water, or any thyng that was moyste. Thys woman dreaming by nighte on the disease of hir sonne, dyd imagine in hir sléepe, that she sente hym thys hearbe Cynorthondon, whyche she hadde séene the day before, vnder a woodde side, to drynke in Mylke (con­ceyuing some hope in the effecte of hir dreame) wrote vn­to hir sonne the nexte day what hadde happened hir in hir vysion. Hir sonne obeying the contentes of hir Letter, was healed by the meane of thys Hearbe, whereupon af­ter it grewe to be a common remedie against the like dis­ease. A thyng truely of more wonder in that we came to the knowledge of it by suche meanes, approuing also the vnspeakable goodnesse, who in sleeping dothe reuele vnto vs remedies to preserue oure health. Theophrastes ma­keth mention of a certaine hearbe of India, whiche so stir­reth and moueth in the bodie of a man, that it drayneth all the seede of nature: Wherevpon some haue taken oc­casion to write, that Heracles defloured in one nyghte a great number of virgins by the only helpe of thys herbe. The Scythians in lyke sorte haue an hearbe very common in their countrey which they do call by none other name than by the hearbe of Scythia, whiche beyng kepte in the mouth, represseth hunger and thirst for ten or .xij. dayes.

Aelyan, a Greeke Historian maketh mention of an hearbe whiche discouereth treasures that be hydden: And Plinie of an other whiche openeth the conduictes that be closed.

And nowe as we haue largely dilated vpon the vertues and propreties of many wonderfull herbes and plantes, so it is not necessary to omitte the noble and wonderfull dignitie of the roote of Baara, so muche celebrated by Io­sephus the Hebrue, who bycause hée is of more faith than the moste of the rest, and of lesse suspition than they all, being a recorder of the Ecclesiasticall histories, I thynk [...] hym as worthie of this place as any other. In tymes past, [Page] sayth Iosephus there grewe a Roote in Iuda, called Baara, hauyng a colour and bryghtenesse of a flame▪ of fyre, and gaue lyght in the nyght lyke a Lampe, and that in suche a wonderfull and straunge order, that who so went about to touche or gather it before that it were sprinkled with either the bloud or vrine of a woman, dyed presently, and yet was not that a sufficient defence or suretie. Where­vpon after suche experience of the poyson of this Hearbe, they were constrayned (for their owne safetie) to tye a Dogge to some parte of the Plante, who offeryng to fol­lowe hys Mayster, plucked it vp by the rootes. Suche a­gayne was the wonderfull propretie of thys Plante, that beyng once plucked vp, a man myghte handle it wyth­out peryll: And beyng hanged at the necke of suche as were infected wyth the Fallyng syckenesse, or possessed wyth an euyll spirite, it dyd delyuer them presentely. Hieronymus Cardanus a Physition of Millane, fyndeth it not straunge, that it kylled such as dydde gather it, en­forcyng hys opinion by reasons of Philosophie, but in thys sorte: Baaran, whereof thys roote of Baara hath ta­ken hys name, is a Ualey in Iudea, a countrey very hote and haboundyng wyth Pytche, of whyche the portion or liquour being very subtile, and too muche boyled, dyd distill from the Mountaine: whereof (as it is moste lyke) thys Roote was engendred, and bycause that it did growe in continuall shadowe and darkenesse, the poyson was the more violent, beyng of a substaunce exceedyng the fyre in heate, the whyche beyng styrred in the pluckyng vp, and fumyng vp wyth an ardente and corrupte vapour, to the brayne of hym that gathered it, smoothered hym pre­sentely. But touchyng hys reasons for the vryne and Mylke of a Woman, the whyche séemed to haue some po­wer ouer the furie of thys Plante, althoughe they bée strong, and carrie wyth them a greate lykelyhode of cre­dite [Page 78] and truthe: yet I thynke that it is neyther in hym nor in all the Philosophers of the Worlde, yf all theyr learnyngs were sette in iudgement of the matter, to gyue other reason, than wyth the Prophete, saying: The Lorde is maruellous in all hys woorkes, who hathe knowne hys secretes, or who hathe bene hys Counseller? The portraict of this Plante is in the begynnyng of thys Chapiter, where the Dogge is tyed to the Herbe.

IF I haue not sufficiently treated in my first booke of the Theatre of the worlde, of the infirmities and maledictiōs thundred vpon vs wretches, by that wicked and in­fortunate vice of glutonie, I haue nowe a larger fielde to walke in, and a matter more ample, to di­late vpon, to the fulnesse of my pen: but without singing so often one sōg, it shal suffise me for the present, to describe in this place not onely the prodigalities, but also the won­drous [Page 77] & monstrous féeding of the throte, wherof the Aun­cients and gluttons of late time, haue vsed in their feasts and bankets. The Persians and Greekes (as Herodotus wit­nesseth) haue ben so dissolute in their feasts, that they cau­sed them to be proclaimed in publike by the crie of an Ha­rolde, and reserued a speciall price to such as could inuent newe delites, or drinke or eate with moste excesse: bisides they forbad one an other by the way of mockerie and bra­uerie, that they should not depart at any tyme from theyr feastes, hungrie: And their reason was, for that that they should so well stuffe their bodies of all kindes of meates and drinkes, that they were constrained to render accōpt to nature, and make an inuentorie of that which they had receiued afore they parted from the table: and so hauyng discharged their stomacks, became hungrie againe. Athe­neus makyng mention of the excessiue prodigalitie of Xer­xes, kyng of the Persians, assureth, that after he had remai­ned one day in a Citie, and that he had dined and supped, the common poore people smelte therof a yeare or two af­ter: As if that they had had a certain famine or barennesse of goodes in their prouinces. And after continuing his pur­pose, he made mention of the superfluitie and sumptuous expences of Darius king of the Persians, who (sayth he) had many times to accompanie him at supper fiftene thousand men: of whome if you will make diuision, you shall fynde euery one of those guests spent at his supper .xvj. crounes. Wherin that great cormorant Alexander was nothing at all inferiour to Darius or Xerxes, in banketting or exces­siue [...]harge [...]: for after he had pierced the Indes ▪ he beganne to giue himselfe in praie to delites, and proclaimed open battaile to good drinke, with rewarde to hym that got the price or victorie of that combat, the same amounting ma­ny times to the value of thirtie Mines, being three hun­dreth crownes: or of one talent,A drooken combat. the which is six hundreth crounes. And although the danger of that bataile consisted [Page] moste in the blowes of cuppes or glasses▪ yet he founde it in the ende so tragicall and bloudie, that for that tyme there died to the number of thirtie & sixe, who ended their liues moste miserably by the excessiue drinking and gur­ling in of wine, as Charles Mitileneus writeth in the gestes of Alexander. Althoughe Esope was not equall to thes [...] before rehearsed, neither in goodes nor in dignitie, yet Plinie reciteth in the tenth of his bookes, that amongeste the moste renoumed delicacies and prodigalitie, the dishe of Esope hath bene in greatest admiration. That dishe was of a straunge and wonderfull inuention: for he sear­ched with greate curiositie, for the furnishing of one ban­quet whiche he made in Rome, all the little birdes en­closed in cages, whiche were to be founde in all the Ci­tie, as Linettes, Larkes, Estourneaux, Merles, Calen­dres, and other like, who were solde more dearer than golde, bycause of their pleasaunt and armonious singing, together with the pleasure whiche men receiued in the hearing of them, who knowe very well how to imitate the voice of man: whiche byrdes (if we will beleue Pli­nie) did coste sixe thousande Sesterces the piece, which were prised (acccording to Budee) at fyftene thousand [...] crounes. Whiche maye séeme straunge, or not true, to them whiche haue readde those authours, that not onely that tragicall Esope was so riche, but also after so great [...] expences and charges, he lefte his sonne so welthi [...] ▪ that he was nothyng inferiour in prodigall allowance to his father.

These things be maruellous: but there is nothing read of, so monstrous in Nature, as the riches and nobleness [...] of Pithius, who neither was King, Prince, nor had any [...] title of dignitie: and notwithstanding he receiued and en­tertained by the space of a whole day the hoste of Xerxes, sonne of the greate King Darius, who were in number .vij. hundreth, foure score and eighte thousande [...] the same [Page 80] being no lesse strange vnto that which Herodotus, Plinie and Budee write of him, when he offred to Xerxes (parting from his house) to relieue and furnishe his campe fifty mo­neths with Corne. But least we should excede y^e bondes or forsake the path of our first intention, let vs retire where we lefte, to our pompes and banquets, amongest whome, for a firste, it behoueth vs to place in rancke Cleopatra, Quene of Egipte, who (as Plutarch sayth) had so pleasante & delectable a phrase in talking, that when she would dis­pose hir tong to entertaine any great Lorde, she framed hir reason so tunably, as though it had bene an armonious instrument of many strings: whiche was the first gin or snare, wherein th [...] Pigeon Marcus Antonius was taken: for after he was infected with the swetenesse of hir diuine eloquence, mixed or seasoned with a rare and wonderfull beautie, together with an incredible magnificence in fea­sting and banqueting, determined in place to pursue his causes of importance, to make court vnto hir, and so be­ing captiue to hir good behauiour, stoode more neede to be pitied, than of other helpe: & althoughe he was at the first maister and Lorde, yet in the ende he became vanquished and ouerthrowne. But nowe to commende the noblenesse of Cleopatra, you muste vnderstande, what Plutarch wri­teth, that Antonie going againste the Perthes, he sente to summon hir to appeare personallie before him, at suche time as he was in Cilicie, to aunswere to the faultes and charges whereof she was accused, knowing that she had giuen ayde and comforte to his enimies againste him: but [...]he being of a noble minde, & nothing fearefull or abashed of his threates, put not on the ap [...]ell of a person accused (as was the custome of the Auncients) but decked hir selfe with y^e most sumptuous habits she had: & to [...] nothing vnperfourmed, y^• appertained vnto the settin [...] forth of so great a Princesse, she caused to be trimmed a galey, wher­in she sayled to him by y^e floud Cydius, y^e powpe wherof was [Page] of golde, the ores of siluer, and the saile of purple, being shrowded vnder a tente trimmed with golde, enuironed with singers and other heauenly instruments of musick, besides all other things which might moue pleasure or cō ­tentement to a man. Whereupon Antonius knowing of hir comming, sente to desire hir to supper, but she being of hautie minde, féeling-hir selfe tickled with such request, sente him worde that if it pleased him to come to hir, he shoulde be most welcome, so much was hir cōfidence in hir beautie, eloquence and good behauiour: for besides hir gli­stering beautie, Nature had so endued hir with the perfect vnderstanding of diuers languages, y^t she was able to an­swere the Arabians, the Syrians, the He [...]rues, the Medes, the Partheans, the Ethiopians, and the Troglodites, withoute in­terpretour or construer: which was the cause that Anto­nius (séeing suche stoare of perfections in this wonderfull creature) was incontinent surprised: whereof we haue lefte hereunto to speake, bycause the magnificence of the banquet made afterwardes by Cleopatra to Antonius hangeth thereupon. Which with the sodaine encountre of of this newe beautie of Cleopatra, made Antonius to com­mit to obliuion Octauia sister to Octauus Caesar, his lawful wife, the remembraunce and regarde of whome he séemed forthwith to exchaunge, for a wanton delite in the braue­ries & flatteries of his newe friend, who by treate of time gouerned so well his amourous dispositeon with allure­mentes of contentation, that if I woulde describe particu­larly hir liberall beautie which she vsed in the entertaine­ment of Antonius (according to the authoritie of Arthene­us a Greeke writer) I feare the nobilitie of it would take a­waye the credit, suche was hir pompe in hir selfe, and such hir prodigalitie in expences. Albeit what I prefer ther­in: I appeale to the testimonie of the whole troupe of writers, that haue dealte in the doings of Antonius & Cleo­patra: who hauing employed all his sleightes & pollicies, [Page 79] in the deuice of newe delites, for the more honour of hir Antonio: she became extreme in one thing, which was, as they were in argumēt of the bountie of the feaste, she said, it was not equal and much lesse excede that which she was able to do vpon far lesse warning than this: for (saith she) you cannot take me so vnprouided, but that I shalbe able to entertaine you at the charges of a hundreth Sesterces in one banquet.Two hūdreth and .l. crownes and some value them at .ij.C.xxx. and iiij.M.iij.C.lx. and v. Duca [...]s. Antonius whiche was a very patron of prodigalitie, prouoking an experience of hir saying, ar­gued against hir: wherupon were iudges chosen on both sides, and pawnes put in for the proufe of the contention. Not long time after, Antonius obseruing his aduantage of time, with intent to visit hir without warning, came vpō a sodain to sup with hir, when albeit he founde his table furnished with sundrie choices of exquisite meates, yet was he of opinion, that it was far vnder the value & esti­mation of hir promise, vntill he perceiued hir to take from hir eares twoo great and Orient pearles, whereof she dis­solued immediatly one, & dronke it in his presence, and of­fring to perfourme the like of the other, she was staied by the iudges, who assured hir the victorie. This pearle was of suche monstrous greatnesse (that as Plinie affirmeth) it waighed halfe an vnce, whiche contained 80. quarettes,A pearle way­ing halfe an vnce. the same being so massiue, that it exceeded in weight the hug [...]st at this day by a quarter of an ounce: which is the cause that Plinie (commending the excellencie of that pearle) calleth it y^e only chief & principal worke of Nature in that kinde, and not without reason, séeing the moste part of them which haue valued it, do giue it an estimati­on of 2500. crounes. And yet was this prodigalitie little or nothing in respect of the magnificall pompe whiche the Emperour Gecta vsed in his publike banquettes: for he caused himselfe to be serued at the b [...]rd [...], with diuersitie of meates, as fishe and fleshe in order of the Alphabet, for all fowle and fishe that he could recouer▪ that began with [Page] A, he caused to be set on his table as a firste seruice, as Austriges and suche others, practising the like in the se­conde course with B, as Bustarde, Bitter and suche lyke, the same not fayling to come immediatly after y^e first ser­uice was taken awaye, and so consequently euery letter was honored with a seruice till the whole Alphabet was perfourmed, hauing in deede, Cookes and cators appointed for that purpose onely. But what stande we so long in the searche of foraine prodigalities in banquets, seeing (amon­gest a nūber of others) our time hath stirred vp a mōstrous example that waye, in Auignon, at such a time as mine authour studied the lawe vnder Emilius Farretus, in whose time there was a Prelate straunger, whose name I will concele,A wonderfull prodigalitie in an Italian Pre­late. aswell for the honour of his profession, as to much superstition in him selfe, who one daye inuited to a ban­quet, the nobilitie of Auignon, aswell men as women, where for a firste beginning of his pompe, at the very en­trie into the hall where the banquet was appointed, laye spread vpon a curious borde a greate beefe with his heade pulled of, and purged in his intrailes, hauing in his bellie a whole Harte or deare of the like dressing, stufte full of little birdes, as Quailes, Partriches, larkes, Feasants and other lyke, the same being so conningly inclosed in the bellie of the seconde beaste, and they so artificially con­ioined y^e one within the other, that it séemed some excellēt Mathematitian had bene the workeman thereof: But that whiche made the matter both straunge and wonder­full, was, that all the birdes so assembled, did roste and turne all alone vpon a broche, by certaine compasse and conduites withoute the ayde of any man: For the firste course and order of the table, his gestes were presented with store of curious pastrie, wherein were wroughte and inclosed manye little birdes quicke, who assone as the cruste was taken of, began to flie aboute the hall: [Page 80] there were besides, sundrie sortes of siluer plate, full of Iellie, so subtillie conueighed, that a man might haue seen in the bottome a number of little fishes quicke, swim­ming and leaping in swéete water and muske, to the greate delite and pleasure of the assistaunts: neither is it lesse straunge, in that all the foules which were serued vpon the table, were larded wyth Lampraye, albeit it was in a season when they coste halfe a croune a piece: but that whiche seales vp the superstitious pompe of this proude Prelate, was, that there was reserued as many quicke birdes, as he was serued with deade foules at his table, the same contayning suche indifferente number, that if there were a Fesant sente dreassed to the borde, there were Gentlemen (appointed for the purpose) which presented an other aliue, and al to shewe the magnificence of the prieste, to whome, what remaines for the consum­mation of his prodigall delites, but that the Gentlemen which serued him had their faces couered with a vaile, leaste their breath should offende either him or his meate, all whiche I haue preferred in this place (as moste prodi­gious and monstrous,) not for immitation sake, but ra­ther that all good Christians shoulde deteste him and his example, séeing it mighte be, that whilest his Shippe went with full saile, and he in the middeste of his Epi­cures delites, the poore Lazarus perished at his dore, for wante of foode and fyre. But alas what coulde the faith­full Sainct Iohn, and Peter thinke of this, who had not one Deniere to giue in almes to the poore lame man that did demaunde it at the Temple gate? or what woulde the other Apostles (constrained with extremitie of hun­ger to eate the eares and awnes of Corne) if they had séen their successour in so hote a kitchen so diuersly garnished with delicate meates. This had bene a time and place and fitte occasion for the wicked Iudas, if he had bene there, [Page] to haue cried againste them, Vt quid perditio haec? potuisse [...] hoc multum vendi & dar [...] pauperibus. Who liste to be priuie to the pompe of other Prelates, let him reade Platinus in his treatise De honesta voluptate. There was besides, a Car­dinall no lesse famous this waye, than our Italian Prelate, who in the time of Sixtus the Pope, consumed into twoo yeares in banquets, ionquets and suche other bellye va­nities 3000. crownes: wherewith manye poore members of Christe, and sundrie néedie scholers and students might haue bene relieued and kepte long time at their bookes. Let vs leaue to reporte of these disorders in our time, and returne to our auncestours: who the more manifest their vices were, the greater was their slaunder, and the tra­gedie of their life lesse honorable. Wherefore all that is spoken of before, is but as a shadowe or figure of magni­ficence, in respecte of those monstrous and diabolicall feastes of that greate glutton and deuourer of meates, Heliogabalus Emperour of the Romains, who was so disor­dred in his delites, that s [...]arce the life of an excellent Hi­storiographer woulde suffice to dilate therof at large. That wicked and vnhappy minister of Sathan, drowned as it were in the [...]nke of vnsatiable eating, neuer made dinner after he was created Emperour, wherin he spen [...] lesse than .60. markes of golde, whiche (according to our computation) amounteth to the summe of 2500 Ducats: besides he was so fantastical and vnrulie in his appetites, that he vsed no common meates at his meales, but was [...]edde with the combes of cockes, the toungs of peahens: & also being made to vnderstande that there was but one thing rare in the worlde (whiche they declared to be the Phenix) he sente for hir to eate, promising I kn [...]w not how many thousand markes of golde, to him who coulde fur­nishe him thereof, and sayde in a common prouerbe, that there was no sauce but dearth. Wherin not suffising him self to féed [...] of these rare & exquisite meats, he feasted like [Page 81] wise with as great abundance his gentlemen and champi­ons, causing also his Dogs and Lions to be nourished with the fleshe of Phesants, Pehens, and birdes: not ceassing to vse only this prodigalitie in daintinesse of his mouth, but (which more is) he was as lasciuious and extreme in all o­ther furnitures of his seruice: for he caused to serue him at his table foure maides naked, who wer oftentimes caried in that sorte through the citie of Rome: he neither dranke nor eate at any time aboue once in one vessell or dishe, al­though the same, and all the rest of the implements of his house were of pure gold or siluer, the stoole wherin he did his excrements not excepted. And in the place of wax can­dels to giue him light, he caused to be put into his lampes an excellent balme, which he caused to brought from Iuda and Arabia. That vnhappie Emperoure was so frantike and madde in all his actions, that he inuented things which diuels themselues coulde neuer deuise before: for he made to be counterfaited artificially meates of marble, wood, and other things, causing not onely the people to be kepte hungrie, but also to sitte at the table, beholding these mea­tes in pitifull sorte. He made many bankets to the which he inuited .viij. balde men .viij. crooked men .viij. lame men viij. deafe men .viij. dumbe men .viij. black men .viij. white men .viij leane men, and viij. fatte men, to the ende that those which did assist the bāket might haue cause to laugh: sometymes he made his guests dronke, and then shutting the dores and gates of the place where they were a sleepe, put in vnto them Beares and Lyons withoute nailes or teeth, to the ende that when they awaked, they myght die for feare, to sée them within the danger of suche rauenous beastes: some others he woulde make drinke tyll they burst: and of some againe when they had wel dronke, he woulde tie their legs and their hands, and al the conduits of their vrine, and so let them die. And being reprehended of these folies, and warned to auoyde such extraordinarie [Page] expense, least hereafter it were reuenged vpon him with pouertie. His answere was, that he was not subiect to a­ny thing he had,Some writers haue referred this to the Emperour Tybe­rius. neither woulde he haue other heire than himselfe and his wife, not caryng for children, least they should conspire against him. These were the charities and deedes of deuotion, wherin this reuerend Emperor consu­med the reuenue of his state, whiche by reason of their monstrous order, if they séeme incredible to any, lette hym reade Aelyus Lampridius, Sextus Aurelius, Victor, Eu­tropius, Iulius Capitolinus, and Spartian in the lyfe of Septimus Seuerus, by whome albeit the matter is plenty­fully aduouched, yet haue they not broughte to memo­rie the moytie or one halfe. There resteth nowe to disco­uer the ende of these delites, and what bytter gall at­tended the pleasant taste of such sugred vanities.Xerxes killed by his prouost And Darius poisoned after by Alexander. What o­ther ende had Darius and Xerxes, (whereof we haue first spoken) than after so many duties and gluttonous delites done to their filthy bellies, they were miserebly confoun­ded, the like happening rightly to Alexander, whome one droppe of poyson made digest in one cup, that which he had excessiuely deuoured all the days of his life.Mar. Anto. killed him selfe. And did it hap­pen better to that prodigall Marcus Antonius, or his licco­rishe Cleopatra? What mirrour, what spectacle, what ex­ample to such as liue in this worlde as in an eternall Pa­radyse of delites? but what more shamefull punishmente and iust hire coulde he receiue of his Epicures life, than to be the bloudy butcher of himselfe, the like ende attending his Companion in wantonnesse:Cleopatra was stong to death whiche according to hir dissolute lyfe, was at last deuoured of an Aspick, the moste venomous of all other creatures. And that sinke or gulfe of gluttonie Heliogabalus, Helioga. slayn and cast into Tyber. did he escape the furie or iustice of God? no no: for as he had deuoured an infinite numbre of sundry sortes of creatures, he was in the end [...] torne in pieces of them, seing his owne people after many hard ex­periences of his tyrannies, conspired against him, and kil­led him, and trailyng him as a dead dog along the stretes [Page] [Page]

[Page 82] of Rome, threw him at last into Tyber, where his body was a praie to fishes, wherof his throate (whilest he liued) had murdered an infinite number. The Emperor Iouian and Septimus Seuerus, (as Baptista Ignatius witnesseth) died of the disease of dronkennesse. There be also other kindes of banketters, which albeit haue not died vpon any surfete of eating or drinking, yet they became so monstrous fat, that they were little better in ef [...]ect, amongest whom the Emperoure Maximyn, may chalenge first place, as their chief patriarch, whome they affirme to haue suche store of grease & kitchen stuffe within his paunche, that the breath that came from hym, séemed of force to turne aboute a Windmill, hauyng continually two men to beare vp hys belly, his hands, and other membres by succession of time, being so greate, and charged with fatnesse, that his wiues bracelettes scarcely serued his fyngers for Ryngs, as the Histories affirme. In lyke maner Denys Heracleot gaue hym selfe so ouer to the desire of meate and drinke, and o­ther fleshly delites, that he became so monstrous huge and fat, that he durst not shewe himself to the people, for feare of contempt. By which meanes and continuall kéepyng in his close house, he became so grosse and swelled thorow all the parts of his body, that he was forced to applie continually to certaine partes of his body bothe day and night, a great quantitie of Horslea­ches to drawe the humour that fedde hys fatnesse: for otherwyse he hadde died, as may appeare in this Portraict adioynyng.

I Accompt it to small purpose to argue in this place whether the shadowes of deade men do returne, or if the spirits hauing pas­sed the wracke of this mortall life doe visite vs sometimes or no: Wherin notwithstan­ding, as it is most credible, that the two most famous pil­lers of the churche Saint Augustine and Sainte Hierome, and almost the whole route of the Ecclesiasticall writers haue stande vpon the dissolution of the doubt of Samuel, I [Page 83] meane whether it were the true spirite of the Prophete that appeareth by the inuocation of the enchauntresse, or some sleightes of Sathan, to abuse their iudgementes. For my part, I meane to giue out myne opinion touching such doubtes in order and termes of a philosopher, and with the authoritie of the most auncient and learned writers now a dayes, who (for the first) haue made of great estimation by their Histories, the discourse of the two Arcadians, wherunto they giue no lesse faith than if it were an Ora­cle of truth. As also Pope Pius the seconde of that name a­uoucheth the same with probable argumēts and reasons. Amongst the auncients, Valerius and many other that re­corded the affaires of Grece and Rome, affirme, that there were two Arcadians which loued so dearely one an other, with such an affinitie of actions and humoures, that it see­med they had but one heart diuided betwéene them both: They came one day to Megare, a citie in Grece, to performe certaine businesse there, where they repaired to seuerall places of abode, the one to a friends house of his, the other (according to his custome) toke harbor in an Inne: he that went to the place of his acquaintance, after supper féeling a vehement motion or desire of sléepe (the same moued by the wearinesse of the way) went to bedde, where he fell forthwith into a profounde sléepe of two houres continu­ance, which notwithstanding was not so quiet, as it esca­ped without a terrible and feareful dreame: for he séemed to sée standing afore hym, his Companion, pale and of a hi­deous regard, crying with teares to giue him aide against the distresse and daunger of his hoast: wherewith he awa­ked, and gyuing faith to the vision, and solicited bisides with the vehemencie of mutual loue betwene them, arose and put him on the way to sée his companion, albeit argu­ing wythin himselfe the vanitie in dreames, he chaunged his purpose, and went to bed again, where he had not long lien ere he was assailed with a seconde remembraunce of [Page] his first apprehension, but in a more straunge order: for he séemed to cary the shape or figure of a deade man, all to be bathed in the bloudy flouds of horrible murder, prefer­ring this lamentable request:A dead man speaketh to his companion in a dreame. seing thou hast vsed so smal care to succour my lyfe, at the least discharge the office of a friende in reuengyng of my death: for this body whiche thou seest so murdered and dismembred afore thée, is at the gate of the Citie in a charyot couered wyth dong by the crueltie of myne hoste. Thys seconde summonce or rather importunitie was of suche force in the troubled mynde of the other Arcadian that he arose in greate sor­rowe, and wyth no lesse compassion, requested dyuerse friends to accompanie him to the gate of the Citie, where as they founde the deade body of his friend, hydden in the dong, in suche sorte as he appeared to him in his dreame. Wherevpon the Hoast being taken and examined, auou­ched the murder, and receyued hys hyre by the losse of his head. The like is affirmed by Alexander ab Alexandro, in the ninth chapter of his second boke De ses iours geniaux, which he vnderstode of a familiar and deare friend of his, a man whose learnyng and vertue acquite hym from iust imputation of vntruthe in any sorte whatsoeuer. Thys man being at Rome, was required by one of hys verye friendes, to accompanie hym to the bathes of Cumes, the intente of whyche iourney, as it was to séeke remedy for a disease whyche hadde troubled hym many yeares afore: So the other agréed to hys request in sort to his owne ex­pectation. Neyther hadde they trauailed many yeares to­gether, but thys disease grewe to suche extreme debilitie thorough all hys body, that what wyth the anguishe of it, and weakenesse in hym to endure the paine, he died, and gaue vp the goast in an Inne. To whome after the other had performed such funeralls as agréed with the time and place, seing no cause of nede to passe further to the bathes, retourned to Rome, and being ouertaken with extreme [Page 84] wearinesse of the firste dayes trauaile, tooke vp hys lod­ging in an Inne by the waye,An other visiō appearing to a man that was not a slepe. where he was no sooner in bedde (and afore he hadde desire to sleepe) than the image of his friende, whome he hadde put into the earth the day afore, presented hym selfe afore hys eyes, beholdyng him wyth moste earneste and pitifull regarde, and that in the same leane and defourmed estate he was in, duryng the extremitie of hys sicknesse. The same strikyng such mor­tall dreade into the other, that he was readie to dye for feare, and yet was not voide of courage and remembrance to aske hym what he was: who without making him any aunswere, put off hys ghoastly apparaile and roabes of a ghoast, and wente to bedde to hym, offeryng to embrace hym with greate familiaritie: which forced the poore man halfe deade wyth feare, to leape sodainely oute of the bed, and saue hym selfe by flyght, without that the vision ap­peared to hym afterwarde. Whyche notwithstandyng coulde not so well assure hym, but the remembraunce of that feare, made hym fall into a mortall disease, whiche albeit brought hym to the extreme hazarde of death, yet the worst being preuented by special remedies, and he re­turned [...] health, amōgst the wonderful reports of this vi­sion, he [...]yd, he neuer felt yce more colde than the feete of that dead body, touching him in his bed. The same author in the .xj. chapter of his first boke confirmeth this discourse with a like example which he hath neither red nor learned by report, but séene the experience hym self in one of hys trusty seruantes, a man bothe vertuous and of vpright ly­uing, who layed in his bed & fast a slepe, began vpō a sodain to sigh, lament & complain in such sort, that he awaked all those in the house. His master in the morning asked him y^e cause of his trouble, to whom he answered, that these com­plaintes were not vaine, seing that he séemed to sée afore his eyes to be buried the dead body of his mother. Wher­vpon as his maister obserued y^e very daye and houre to the [Page] ende he myght know whether it didde prognosticate any harme to his man: so within certaine dayes after, there came a seruant of his mother (the messanger of hir death) who discoursing hir disease with the order of hir dying, & conferryng the times together, it appered that the houre of hir death agréed wyth the very instaunt of the vysion, whych (sayth Alexander) néede not séeme eyther vaine or doubtfull to suche as knowe certaine houses in Rome, at this day of great hate and horrour,Certaine hou­ses at Rome haunted wyth spirites. by reason they are haū ­ted wyth spirites. Whereof Plurarch maketh mention of Damon, in the beginning of the life of Cymon: The same also being confirmed with like example written of Pausa­nias, Cleonices, and Bizantia the maide, bisides the authority of Plinie in his .vij. boke of his Epistles, touchyng a vision appearing in a house in Athens, and that which Suetonius writeth, when Caligula was killed, whose house was trou­bled with prodigeous monsters and visions many yeares after vntil it was burned. And lastly, suche like is appro­ued by Marcus Paulus Venitian, who writeth, that at thys day, the Tartarians be very strong by enchantments of spi­rits, being able to chaunge the day into darkenesse, & bring either light or darkenesse when and into what [...]ace they list: wherwith whosoeuer hath ben at any time circumuē ­ted, escapeth hardly without mortal danger. Wherof Hay­ronus is a sufficient witnesse in his historie of the Sarma­res, wherein he sheweth how the Tartarians being almoste ouerthrowne, were restored, and became victorious by the enchauntment of the Ensigne bearer, who made suche a darknesse ouerwhelm the army of the aduerse part, that it dimmed their sights, and mortified their corages. But here me thinketh we stande too long vpon prophane examples, séeing we haue sufficient confirmation by Ecclesiasticall authoritie,S. Augustin approueth en­chaunting by example. as Sainct Augustine in hys twelfth Boke and seuententh Chapiter vppon Genesis, in the Historie of a frantike man, prophecying vpon the death of a Woman, [Page 87] who as he was banquetting in his owne house among [...] certaine his familiar friends, falling into question of a wo­man knowen to them all, willed them to ende their talke of that woman, bycause she was alreadie dead, which as it moued them, the rather bicause some of them sawe hir not long afore, so being asked how he coulde assure it, sayd he sawe hir passe before him caried by such as put hir in the grounde, which happened accordingly within .ij. dayes af­ter, for that the dead corps of the same woman passed a­fore his gate to be buried, without that she felte any mo­tiō of sicknesse at the houre of the prediction. In like sorte the said S. Augustin in the same place treateth so strange­ly of prodigeous visions, that were not the holinesse and authoritie of him y^t wrote them, they deserued smal credit. There was saith he in our Citie a yong man so vexed with a paine in his coddes, that by the furie of his griefe, he sée­med to endure a maruelous torment, hauing notwith­standing his memorie perfecte and sounde, and yet some­time with the mortall assaultes of his passions he became immouable as a tronke or blocke, hauing his eyes open, with perfect knowledge of all the assistaunts, his féeling albeit so far withdrawen that he would not stirre or moue what pricking or pinching so euer was offred him, but the pange being retired and his bodie retourned to his former state of health & quiet, he would tell of many wonders in that qualme, but most of al of .ij. men appearing afore him as in a [...]ision, whereof the one bare the figure of a childe, & the other séemed to haue a more perfect age, who also in the beginning of Lent appeared eftesoones vnto him, with these wordes in order of speciall charge, that if he woulde cause to be cut the prepuce he shoulde not féele any paine for .xl. dayes, which he did, and accordingly was deliuered of griefe for that time, in the iust ende whereof his sorows began to returne, in sorte as they did before, and likewise the same .ij. men presented themselues afore him inuisi­ble [Page] sauing to himselfe, counsailyng him to caste hymselfe into the Sea vnto the nauell, where tarying a certaine time, his griefe shoulde ceasse, and onely shoulde remaine a certaine slymie humour whiche woulde passe awaye, whiche he did, and founde an effecte of their aduise: what wonderfull Philosophie is this of Sainct Augustine, and what straunge apparaunce in visions. But what more cause of wounder can be, than to sée them priuie to the secretes of Phisicke, all whiche sure as they bréede

[Page 88] indifferent doubte and feare in suche as reade or heare of them, and yet for my parte I haue not hearde nor redde eyther in prophane or sacred reporte anye thing more maruellous that waye than the vision of Cataldo, Bishop of Tarento, the same appearing in our time, not without infecting many mens consciences with greate scrupule and doubte, séeing that that vision hath lefte sufficient matter to trouble the most Theologians and Philosophers of the worlde. This Cataldo, a man holy in life, being buried a thousande yeares past within the Bishoprike of Taronto, appeared notwithstanding after▪ the ende of such time, in a nighte to a yong infante giuen altogether to God, with expresse charge to vncouer a certaine vaulte in a place in the earth whiche he assigned hym, where­in he had hidden (whilest he was in the worlde) a booke written with his owne hande, whiche assoone as he had taken oute of the grounde, he shoulde offer it immediat­ly to Ferdinando, firste Kyng of Aragon and Naples raig­ning at that tyme. This childe (for the small faith he gaue to the vision) perfourmed not the charge giue him. Whereunto albeit he was eftesones sollicited at sun­dry times, yet he neuer vsed regarde to the persuas [...]n, vntill one morning afore daye as he was in his prayers in the Churche, he behelde Cataldo in his Byshoppes wéede and countenaunce of threatning seueritie, who ap­peared & sayd vnto him: as thou haste gyuen slender cre­dit to my wordes, with lesse regarde to searche the booke and deliuer it to Ferdinando, so assure thy selfe (this time for all) if thou refuse to perfourme the charge, or once staie to attende an other sommonce, thy pu­nishement wil be to greate for thée to endure: whiche laste threate stirred suche feare in the childe, that the nexte morning he imparted the vision to the multitude, who according to the strayte and too straunge tearmes [Page] of the same, assembled very curiously to accompanie the childe to the place of charge, where being arriued, and vncouering the earth, they founde a little coffer of leade so close and curiouslye wrought, that the ayre or sounde had no place to enter, in the bottome whereof they tooke vp a booke, wherein were writen in forme of a prophecie, the miseries, plages and curses, whiche should happen to the kingdome of Naples, to the King Ferdinando and his children, the same hauing so directly happened and succe­ded since, as it may séeme the byshop did not erre or write false in one syllable: For such was y^e infortune of this mi­serable King Ferdinando, to fall so déepe and desperatly in­to the ire of God, that he was killed in the firste conflicte, the like happening not long after to his eldest sonne Al­fonsus, The effects of the bishops prophecie. who afore he coulde settle himselfe within the state Royall, was put to flight by his enimies, and dyed in mise­rable exile. Suche was also the chaunce of Ferdinando his yonger sonne, to whome as the kingdome was due by in­heritaunce, so death preuented his vse and possession of it, and that in the floure of his age, being so enuironed with warres, that he had skarce leasure to take breath. What ot [...]r good was reserued to Federike, sonnes sonne to the said Ferdinando, than that he sawe sacked and burned afore his eyes, his countrey, his people bathing in the suddes of their owne bloud, and his owne lyfe in the ende commit­ted to the mercy of his mortall enimies. And lastly if we well consider what fortune hath gouerned this kingdome of Naples, & withall giue faith to the authoritie of suche as haue written truly of it, we shall finde that of al the king­doms of the earth, only this state of Naples hath excéeded in reuolution, mutation, persecution and losse of bloud, the same making it séeme in déed, and as it is and may be most properly termed, the very but and marke whereat for­tune hath delited to vnloase hir cursed and sharpe arrowe a very gulphe and sinke out of the whiche were drawne [Page 89] all the miseries whiche infected the whole bodie of Italy: this was in effect the Prophecie and vision of the Prelate Cataldo, according to the witnesse of Alexander ab Alexan­dro in his booke of the generall dayes, which with the other afore recited, as me thinke, may suffise for the examples of our visions appearing to men, both by day and nighte, slée­ping and waking, aswell in sicknesse as health. So there restes nowe (according to our general intent touching all other matters in this booke) to searche oute the cause of the [...] fantasticall illusions, and of what substaunce they are founded or do procéede, whiche bycause it doth not in­clude an indifferent or equall respect to all men, I thinke it most sure and best to follow and marche vnder the en­seigne of S. Augustine, who (aboue any other) hath vsed a more learned diligence to discouer this matter, and yet is it necessary afore we passe further herein, (for y^e better ex­position of the circumstaunce) to make an vniuersall par­tition, in the deduction wherof we wil followe that which he hath written against Adamantum, where he procéedeth in this sorte. There be (saith he) diuerse kindes of visions auouched by the holye Histories, whereof some do make themselues appeare afore the eyes of the bodye, as the thrée men whiche appeared to Abrahā, that whiche Moyses sawe burning in the bushe, and lastly that of Moyses and Elyas to the Apostles at suche time as Christe was trans­figured vpon the mountaine. The seconde kinde of visi­ons consiste in imagination, as when we imagine those things which we féele by the body: séeing that our thought being rauished and lifte vp to Heauen, and that the beames and reflection of diuinitie do pierce into the soule, many straunge things are manifeste to hir, and that not by the eyes of the bodye, eares or other members of the fleshe, but séeme in déede to be reuealed by a diuine influence and celestiall inspiration: according to that which Sainct Pe­ter sawe in a vision, the greate Uessell descending from [Page] Heauen in a shéete, wherein were contained all sortes of beastes,Act. 11. and immediatly he heard a voice whiche said vn­to him, Peter, rise, kill and eate, & so according to the texte. The third sorte of visions maye be called intellectuall, by­cause it consistes also in the thoughte, as where the King Balthazar sawe a hande writing vpon the wall, and ma­ny other like visions of Nabuchodonosor, whiche [...] large set forth in Daniel: wherewith hauing layd thus the first foundation of these fantastical apprehension [...] resteth now to declare by order what hath ben the aduise [...] [...]u­gustine touching the same, whiche he doth aboue all [...] places most amplie dilate in [...] [...]iij. chapter of his booke intituled De cura pro mortuis agenda, there are (sayth he) so many and straunge opinions of visions of the nighte, that the disputation maye séeme tollerable, séeing the que­stion is doubtfull: for some saye that dead ghoastes haue appeared to men on lyue, shewing the place where their bodyes laye shrined, to the ende they mighte prouide their owne Sepulcher: whiche things if we holde to be eyther false or vayne, we resiste impudently the authoritie of a number of faythfuil writers, whereof albeit some haue heard, and some assisted suche matters with their owne eyes, yet oughte they not to persuade a beliefe that suche visions participate with either sense féeling or motion: for do we not sée sundry times, men on lyue appeare to other in sléeping or wakyng? and yet being asked whe­ther they haue so done or not, they aunswere that they are vtterly ignoraunte of suche matter, neither knowe they what it meaneth. Then it muste followe as Sainct Augustine saith, that those visions come by the operati­on of Aungels, to whome it is suffred by the Lorde to vse suche power, whiche is the effecte of the Latin texte as neare as I can construe it, and yet am I not ignoraunt for all that, that sometimes these illusions moue no o­ther waye, althoughe Sainct Augustine leaue it oute in [Page 96] that place, the same notwithstanding being a matter proper to the Ecclesiasticals to whome I referre my selfe for these things wyth the iudgement of the catholike Churche, wherein I praye to the almightie to persiste immouable so long as Nature lendes me one breath of lyfe in this worlde. [...] also we are deceiued by [...]he illusions of euill and wicked spirittes, as Sainct Augustine teacheth in his thirde booke de Trinitate, shew­ing b [...] a [...] arte,Cap. 11. the power of Sathan and his complices with these [...]. It is an easie thing (saith he) for the wicked [...] their bodies of ayre, to do many maruellous [...] things, whiche excéede the compasse of oure vnderstanding, being wrapped and buried in bodies of death. And if sometime (saith he) we be drawne into admiration with the viewe of straunge things presented vpon theatres or stages, whiche also we woulde not beleue thoughe they were tolde vs by o­thers, bycause they are so farre withoute the compasse of our vnderstanding, why oughte we to finde it straunge if Diuels and their Aungels (with their bodyes of the Elemente) do abuse oure fragilitie in shewing vs vi­sions, Idols, and figures, aswell sléeping as wakyng, to make vs fall: their functions saith he be diuerse, séeing that some of them do trouble oure thoughtes, some of­fende oure bodies, others infecte oure bloud, some assaile and attempte oure harte, suggesting infinite follyes and conceites, and lastly by some we are pressed with diseases according to the texte of S. Luke, Luke. 11. where the woman that Christ healed, was so persecuted with paine & griefe, that for the space of .xviij. yeares, she was so courbed y^t she was not able to lifte vp hir heade and beholde the Elemente aboue, adding besides in the antiquitie of the Diuels,In his booke of the Diuina­tion of Diuels. the noblenesse of their creation, seeing they be Aungels of Na­ture, their long experience gotten since their creation, the [Page] continuall conflict whiche they haue with Aungels, which makes them able to the warres, the agilitie of their bodies of ayre by the which they passe all other beasts and birdes in lightnesse, the sharpnesse of their wittes, their know­ledge in all disciplines, aswell diuine as humaine, a per­fecte and exquisite skill in the propertie of plantes, stones, mettals, and many other like things, all which as they be [...]eir instruments wherewith they forge and fashion their illusions and engins whiche they bende euery houre a­gainst vs, so they be also snares and baytes whiche they ceasse not to laye euery moment and minute of a day to entangle our poore soules. And by the same meane (saith he) they do prognosticate sometimes things to come, and perfourme certaine holy miracles by whiche they deceiue such as giue faith to their dreames, as it happened to those poore women, who seduced with the illusions of Sathan, persuade them selues that they go all night on horsacke when thed worship Diuels, transfigured into Aungels of lighte, the better to play their parte, and sometimes they shewe themselues in diuerse other shapes and figures, presenting vnto them sometime pleasante and goodlye things, & sometimes sorowful things, sometimes they pre­ferre to their eyes personnes knowen, & sometimes shapes vnknowen. All which sure, albeit they are very strange and are founde of hard digestion to suche as measure the worke of God according to the capacitie of their grosse and rude vnderstanding, yet the discourse of Sainct Augustin in his Citie of God is no lesse maruelous to my iudgemēt, whereof (plunged in a profounde contemplation of the power of wicked sprits) he brings in certain women in­structed in the arte Magicall, raigning in Italy in his tyme, who giuing to eate such as passed by them, a certain fishe mingled with chéese, the passengers immediatly wer turned into mares, and caried their necessaries vntil they had performed their voyage, and discharged their burdens, [Page 91] when they returned to their former shape. The like hap­pening to the father of Prestantius, who being turned in­to a horse, carried corne wyth other victualls of certaine knights. All which notwithstandyng (sayth S. Augustine) ought not persuade, that either the body or thought of the man, coulde (by any Diabolicall illusion) be conuerted in­to a beast, or take th̄eir shape or membres, but rather that their fansie did abuse them in making them séeme like vn­to beastes. And touchyng the burdens which they caried, it myght be (sayth he) that the Diuels themselues caryed them, to entertaine the rather the errour of those misera­ble creatures. But now to preuent such opinions as may importe that there were no euill spirits: but in S. Augu­stines time, or other Auncientes, I will inferre thyngs of no lesse wonder, whereof the experience hath happened in our owne tyme. Gasperus Pucerus in his commentaries de Diuinatione, after he hath long argued the resons touching the Artificiall deceyte in Diuels, brings in an authoritie no lesse maruellous than of terrour: There was (sayeth he) a certaine maide at Bolonia, who by the excellencie of hir arte, caried a greate name thorough all Italy, and yet coulde not so preuent infirmities in hir selfe, but being o­uertaken with a mortal disease she died: An other Magi­tian hir cōpaniō, knowing what profit moued by hir art in hir life time, with intent to make the same cōmon to hir selfe, by the helpe of certaine euill spirites, she conueyed a certaine charme vnder the dugs of the dead woman, the which made hir séeme to be on liue in euery respect: for in common assemblies she was séene playe vpon the harpe, sing and daunce as she was wont to do, with other actions and gestures differyng in nothyng from one bearing lyfe, sauing that hir colour was wonderful pale. There happe­ned certaine dayes after to come to Bologna an other Ma­gitian, who desiring to sée whether the excellencie and skil of this Woman, agréed with the fame she hadde in euery [Page] place, went amongst other to heare hir sing and play. But after he had some small tyme assisted hir doings, he cried sodainly to the people: What madnesse is this? what abuse to youre simplicitie? what do you heare? or why doe you wonder at such deceipt? she that féedeth your fonde eyes wyth these pastimes, is no better than a stinking and vile dead carion. Wherwith afore he had fully ended his excla­mation, she fell dead to the ground. Whervpon the sophi­strie of the diuel and the inchauntresse were discouered.

[Page 92] There was also in Pauia, an other woman enchauntresse in the time of Leouicenus, of no lesse maruel in hir art than this, but somwhat more cunning, bicause no euill coulde be so secretely committed in Pauia, which by hir meanes were not forthwith reueled, the same making the Philo­sophers come from farre to visite hir: and yet was there in the same vniuersitie a publike professer of Philosophie, a man of very holy conuersation, who refusing continual­ly of hym self to visite or heare this woman, was won at last by the importunitie of his deare friends to sée hir: and being afore, with intent to sounde hir to the deapth, desi­red amongest other thyngs, which was the best verse that euer the Poete Virgile made? She aunswered hym with small leysure, that Discite iustitiam moniti, & non sperne­re Diuos, was the best and moste excellent verse that euer he writte. The same so amazyng the Philosopher and his companie, that they returned without other replie, mar­uellyng not a little howe she coulde fourme so precise an answer, hauyng neuer learned so muche as to write or reade. Such a like Histarie is verified by Hieronymus Car­danus, and the experience to be iustified at thys day by all the Citizens of Myllan, where (sayth he) is at this day ly­uing, a woman called Margareta, the wife of a Paynter, who is not ashamed to publishe openly, that she hathe a Diuell or Familiar, whiche followeth hir continually, sauyng that he is absent for two or thrée monethes in the yeare. Thys Woman lyueth of no other reuenue, nor feedeth of no other gayne than of the experience and plea­sure, the whyche thys Spirite gyueth to the people, who for the straungenesse of thys syght, will call oftentymes this Woman into theyr houses. And she when she calleth thys Spirite, either putteth downe hir heade into hir bo­some, or lappeth it in some cloath: and so begynneth to adiure hir familiar after hir Italian order, neither doth he refuse to appeare and aunswere vnto hir euocation [Page] only his voice carieth not a sound as though it were neare hir, but seemeth drawne from farre very hollowe, as if it were spoken out of a creuise in the wall: and if any man drawe neare the place, from whence this sound commeth, he may maruel to heare and vnderstande it more plainely in the vttermost corner of the house, than fast by the place which is thought to yelde it: Such is the propretie of the voice, that it is not articulated, nor otherwise formed, but it may be vnderstāded, albeit it is very soft and weake, in sort that it may more proprely be called a murmure and sounde than a voice: she becommeth an interpreter to his sayings, impartyng the same in playne language to the people: wherof be some women dwellyng in the house with hir, who obseruing hir vse and dealing with it, saye, that sometime she encloseth it in a shéete, and that custo­mably it biteth or sucketh hir mouth, the same confirmed chiefly in that she hath moste commonly sore lippes. This Historie maketh me remembre that which the aun­cientes haue noted of the spirite of Socrates, whiche impor­teth some vanitie in them, bicause Socrates caried always suche regarde to the truthe, that for any thing he woulde neither suggest nor supporte a lie: and yet it is confessed by himselfe, that he had one, as graunted hym to folowe him from his infancie, the same being a voyce (as he con­fesseth) that is already to dissuade hym against any thing that is contrary to him, and yet neuer moue him to do the thing whiche he ought to doe: he affirmeth further of hys spirite, whereof he chalengeth the witnesse of Thymar­cus to kill Nyceas, (notwithstandyng he had warning by the spirite of the inconuenience that fell of it) in hys con­demnation confessed, that if he had beleued the counsell of Socrates, he had bothe auoyded the facte and daunger of the déede. Franciscus Picus Mirandolanus, an excellente Philo­sopher of oure time, affirmeth, that there was a Priest of the age of .lxxij. yeares, the whiche for .xl. yeares together [Page 93] had alwayes a Famyliar in hys companie, who dronke with hym, lay with him, spake to him, and so directed him in all his actions and doings, that the people (not able to conceyue the mysterie of those thyngs) gaue theyr iudge­ment that he was a foole. This Priest called his spirite by the name of Hermelina. Cardan also auoucheth no lesse of hys father Facius Cardanus, who for the space of .xxviij. yea­res, vsed the conference of a Familiar in moste of his bu­sinesse. Plutarch in the lyfe of Cymon writeth, that after Damon was slayne by treason within the Bathes or hote house, there appeared long after spirites with such lamen­table voices and sighes, that notwithstāding the gate and entrie were rammed vp to barre accesse, yet it is affirmed at thys daye, that fearefull visions be séene, and dolefull cries hearde. There appeare at this day many strange vi­sions and wicked spirites in the metal Mines of the great Turke in Sydero Capsa, who sometime present themselues in the fourme of great Goates, to the terrour of [...] suche as draw mettall out of the Mynes: They are of diuerse kin­des, and euen so they differ in disposition, for some of them will appeare and do no harme to the workmen: but some haue so offended their worke, and tormented themselues, that they haue abandoned the place, and so lose the reue­nue of their Mynes. The lyke auouched by Georgius Agri­cola, a notable Philosopher, and by whome passed the con­uey of the Emperours Mynes in Almayne, who amongst other places writeth, that in the Myne at Anneberg was a mettall spirite which killed .xij. workmen, the same cau­sing the rest to forsake the myne, albeit it was very riche. There were also such like wicked Spirites, at such tyme as our Sauiour Christe was on earth, who kéeping moste commonly in the graues of dead men, became so terrible▪ that fewe durst passe that way. This is most certain, that Porphyrius, Psellus, Plotinus, Proclus, Iamblicus, and certain other of late dayes, assure, that the vppermoste region of [Page] the ayre swarmeth as full of spirites, whiche we call in Greke Daemones, as oure ayre is full of birdes, foundyng their opinion, I thinke, in that the ayre and skies where­by the Quindecines be as great, and the regions so delite­full and full of pleasure, as we sée the earth replenished with liuely substance, mettals, stones, & plants. The wa­ter hath hir fishes, and the weake ayre here below, brin­geth forth creatures that breath and liue. Whereupon may be persuaded, that the greate masse of the superiour ayre is full of those spirites, whose excellencie farre exce­deth the inferiour creatures, bicause their region is more cleare and pure, which bicause they seeme things vnwor­thie of our christian Philosophie, we will ceasse to argue so farre as the matter requireth. And bicause none maye iustly thinke that we giue suche scoape to diuels, as they haue power to abuse the creatures of God (bought so dere­ly (by the precious bloud of his sonne) it is needefull so to tempre and direct the reason of those things, that we giue them not such authoritie ouer vs as the Cat hath ouer the Mouse, or the foole is fearefull of the whip: for if it were y^t their power were not gouerned by y^e mighty hand of God (hating so mortally the kinde of man in whō is grauē the very image of God) their tirānies & cruelties had long ere this extirped both stocke & roote of suche generation: for if they could not of thēselues enter within y^e bellies of hogs, without asking leaue according to y^e scripture: how much more ought we to be assured, y^t without the permission of God, they cānot offend vs, who are y^e paunes of his redēp­tion, his house wherin he hath taken harbor, and carie his marke, figure, and affinitie: besides, what greater witnesse can we haue of the debilitie & small power of the Dyuell, than that whiche he dothe acknowleage in Iob, where de­maunding leaue to persecute that Prophet, he sayde not Suffer me to hurt him: but crauing of god to stretch forth his hand & touch his flesh, sayd: Mitte manū et tange carnem [Page 94] eius, as though he were not but the organe to execute the wil of God, calling his permission his hande: whereof also we haue a like testimonie in S. Luke, where our Sauiour, comforting Symon, Cap. 22. tolde him that Sathan had asked leaue to torment hym and to syfte him as they fanne corne, but he prayed for him, to the ende his faith shoulde not fayle. Whiche may sufficiently persuade, that the Dyuell can not offende vs without leaue, seing he durste not addresse hym to the Apostle, without he obtained hys saufconduict of God, wherein that greate Oracle of God. S. Augustine who oftentymes had endured many and furious assaultes of Sathan, giueth vs one speciall consolation, saying:Gen. lib. 1 [...]. cap. 14. Let the Diuell forge and stirre vp bothe day and night so ma­ny illusions as he will, and presente thée with visions of bodies, which be none in déede, what doth all that hurt thy soule, seyng thou dost not consent to the vision? liue then assured, for thou art not within his danger without leaue, and yet the permission which is gyuen hym, is not to con­demne thée, but rather to rebuke thy synnes, and make a proufe of thy faith. S. Paule also in his second Epistle to the Corinthians and .xij. chapter affirmeth, that God suffred Sa­than to buffet him, for feare he shoulde be lifted vp aboue measure, doing yet more as himself witnesseth in his first Epistle to Timothe, where he giueth Timothe to vnder­stande, that he hath gyuen Hymeneus and Alexander to Sa­than, to the ende they learne to blaspheme no more. Whereby we may sée howe the Lorde doth vse somety­mes wycked spirites as good for oure health, whyche are oftentymes transfigured in dyuerse fourmes and fygu­res of daye and nyghte to resiste vs, and drawe vs to the Combate: But none shall weare the Crowne, that dothe not manfully fyght. Lette vs then learne from hensforth of y^e apostle to put on the armour of God, seyng wée haue not to make warre onely (as it is written in the Ephesi­ans, against fleshe and bloude, but agaynst principalities [Page] and powers, and such as gouerne the world and the dark­nesse of the same. Let vs then stande vpon our gard, least we be circumuented and abused by that false enchaunter, who is nowe more shamelesse and of greater rage and fu­rie than euer he was▪ Whereof what greater witnesse can we haue than that whiche is written in the Prophete Mi­cheas, 3. Reg. 22. where he séeth him afore▪ God, crying and houlyng: I shall go forth, and become a lyer afore the face of all the prophets of Achab? And in Zacharie, who is alwayes vpon the right hand of the Priest to let that there discend no be­nediction vpon Ierusalē, which being very liuely apprehen­ded by that great bishop of Hipponenses. S. Augustine crying after the Lorde, saying: Deliuer vs (O Lord) of our com­mon enimie, who whether it be in riches or in pouertie, ioy or sadnesse, speaking, or in silence, sleeping or waking, drinking or eating, or in any other our humain actions, dothe watch vs, folow vs, prompe and prick vs, lay his netts to entrap vs, discharge his arrowes to hurt vs, and dresse his engins and snares to entangle our poore soules. And then with the Psalme he concludeth and crieth againe: Deliuer vs good Lorde from the snares of the hunters. But nowe seing (contrary to our hope and expectation) we be so depe­ly anckred in the profound depth or Labyrinth of visions, it is also conuenient afore we hoyse saile to bring in the last member that they depende vpon. There is yet an other sort of visions,Visions of the imagination. which do not procéede of any diabolicall il­lusion, nor by any other secret mysterie of the Angels, but they engender of the corruption of humors, or by some in­disposition of the imagination, or some other infirmitie of nature, as when we séeme to sée those things which be not in déede: and such kindes of imaginatiōs do torment most commonly the melancolike men, as Galene wri [...]eth of him that thought him transformed into a Cocke, séeming to be amongst them, song when he heard them crow, & beat him self with his armes, as they do with their wings: As also [Page 95] some other that persuaded them to be transfigured into a vessel of earth, who kéeping cōtinually vpon the plaines & champaines, dare not come neare houses or trees, for feare to bruse or breake them in pieces. There was a cer­taine Damsel▪ whereof Alexander Trallianus writeth this history, that by a corruption of the imagination,Lib. 1. cap. 20. she per­suaded hir selfe to haue deuoured a Serpente sleeping, neither coulde she be deliuered from the disease of suche thought, vntill, being prouoked to an extreme vomite, there was secretly conueyed into the basin, a quicke Ser­pent: immediatly after the which, she was deliuered of hir disease, persuading that she had vomited the Serpent that stirred in the basyn. There be yet visions, whiche pro­céede by eating certaine poisons, as Plinie and Edwardus witnesse of him, of those whiche did eate the braines of a Beare, whiche being deuoured, they imagined that they were turned into a Beare. The like happening in oure time to a Spanishe Gentleman, who hauing eaten of a Beare, wente wandring by the desertes and mountaines, thinking to be trāsformed into a Beare. Yet ther be other sortes of visions which (according to y^e opiniōs of certaine Phisitions,) proceede vpon certaine Naturall causes, as when any man is killed and buried not very deepe in the earth,Visions by na­turall cause. there come (as they saye) from the dead bodye cer­taine exhalations and vapours, whiche ascende into the ayre, & do séeme to represente the figure or fourme of hym that was put in the earth. Wee haue also many other things, whiche vnder the coloure of illusions, abuse oure vnderstanding, as when the ayre is troubled with con­trary winds, by whose agitations is engendred a bruite or murmure, resembling properly the lowing or noise of beastes, or not much vnlike to the complaintes of women and little children: sometimes also the ayre pierceth within the creuisses and vaultes of rocks and olde walls, and being sent backe againe by his owne violence, giueth [Page] out so distincte a sounde, that it séemes a precise or set voice, as we proue oftentimes in that whiche we call Eccho, the same pronouncing for the most parte v. or .vj. wordes with so greate maruell, that it easely persuades suche as knowe not the cause, but specially in the nighte, that they be some spirites or Diuels, the like hapning in our time to a counseller & secretary of a certaine Prince, the which by reason of his ignoraunce in the cause of his Eccho, was in daunger to be drowned according to Carda­nus,

[Page 96] in his booke of maruellous inuentions, who writeth of one Augustinus Lauisarius, Counseller to a certain Prince, who being in the countrey and out of his waye,In his boke of maruelous in­uentions. and last­ly ouertaken with night, founde himselfe greatly passio­ned, and riding all along a Riuer side, began to lamente his distresse, and after the Italian maner, cried Oh, the Ec­cho which came from a certaine rocke thereby, replyed vnto him incontinent with Oh, Lauisarius somewhat com­forted with the voice, thinking it was some man whiche spake, demaūded in his language, vnde debo passa? the Eccho aunswered Passa, then the poore secretary being in greater paine than before, demaunded, Chi, which asmuch to say as heare: the Eccho replied chi: but being yet not well as­sured, he asked him again, debo passa chi? passa chi? saith the Eccho: whiche wordes fedde him with suche comfort of his waye, that he tooke the riuer, being astonied notwith­standing that his horse at his firste entry lost the bottome and begā to swimme, and had it not bene the goodnesse of his horse, and mercye of the waues that séemed to take compassion vpon his distresse, he had taken a moyste lod­ging in the bottome of the riuer, from the whiche albeit he escaped so hardely, yet being broughte with muche ado to the other side, he passed the reste of the night in colde and prayers, withoute comforte, sauinge for the plea­sure he tooke in the remembrance of his peril past: wher­of certaine dayes after, (being come to Millan,) he made discourse to his deare frende Cardanus, in sorte as if it had bene the malice of an euill sprite that wente aboute to drowne him: & telling the place & euery circunstance in or­der, Cardanus smelled forthwith the ignorance and sim­plicity of the secretary, knowing that in that place was a wonderfull Eccho, whiche yelded suche a plaine and per­fect voice, that it séemed to be formed oute of the mouth of some creature: for a more assuraunce and proofe whereof, he led him eftesones to the same place, where they founde [Page] that his Passa that guided hym was none other thing than a reuerberation of the Eccho: wherein séeing we are nowe so déeply fallen, I will not forget to inferre the authori­tie of mine authour in an example, whilest he write this booke at Paris: I haue saith he, heard a sound in the borough of Chalenton neare Paris, Of .vij. voyces or soundes. whiche yeldes and returnes, the wordes that are spoken, whole, entier, distinctly and plain­ly, and that .vij. times one after an other, like to the Eccho septuplex of the Auncients, and specially commended of Plinie. I haue also oftē marueled y^t those which haue writ­ten the Antiquities, and things worthie of memorie in Paris, haue lefte suche a straunge thing without remem­braunce in their writings, seeing I haue neither heard nor séene so rare a thing in all the voyages I haue made ouer the highe Alpes of Italye and Germanie. But now there re­steth (to put a laste seale to our difference and diffinition of visions) to make some discourse of artificiall illusions,Artificiall vi­sions. the which being wroughte by sundry secret and Sophisti­call sleightes of men, moue no small terror to suche as be­holde them, as that, whereof Hector Boetius in his Histo­ries of Scotlande, maketh mention, wherein as there was a helpe and furtheraunce by art, so the effecte was no lesse maruellous and straunge, and at laste the onely cause of conseruation of a whole Kingdome in sorte as foloweth. The Pictes (according to the Histories) haue alwayes borne a mortall hate to the Scots, killing after sundry bat­tails and skirmishes) the first King of that countrey, with the ouerthrowe of most of the nobilitie of that countrey. Cenethus second King of the Scots, and sonne to him whome the Pictes had murdered, desirous to reuenge the death of his father, vsed many persuasions to incense the nobilitie to fall into armes againste them: who in respecte of their late infortune in the warre, and their lacke of power to maintaine the quarell, would not agrée to the persuasions of the King, in whome as there remained a more grudge [Page 97] againste the death of his father, than in the reste, so fin­ding him insufficient to worke it by wordes or incitation, he reposed a laste helpe and refuge in arte: and to giue a beginning to his deuise, he fained a cause of conscience and consultation, for the which the nobilitie were sente for to assiste the counsell, where being lodged all together with­in a castell, and himselfe also, he gat to fauor and further his cōspiracy, some .iiij. or .v. men (whom according to the truste he put in them) he made to be hidden in certaine se­cret corners of the chambers appointed for the noble men, hauing firste attired them in horrible order with skinnes of seawolues (whereof is greate stoare in that countrey by reason of the Sea) with euery one a staffe in his ryghte hand of a kinde of olde and dry wood which shyneth in the night, and in their left hand a great horne of an Ore pier­ced hollow: these, according to their commaundemente, kept very close & secrete vntill the Princes were in theyr first and fast sléepe, when they began to appeare and disco­uer, w^t their staues glimering like the glaunces or flames of torches, braying out of their hollowe hornes a hydeous voyce, conteining that they were sent of God to sommon them to the warre of the Pictes, against whom the sentence of victory was already pronounced, and agréed by the hea­uens. And so these artificiall sprites assisted with the bene­fite of the night, which is the mother nurse to all illusions, vsed so fine a conuey in the dispatch of their businesse, that they escaped without being disclosed, leauing the poore Princes so passioned with feare, that they passed the rest of the night in prayers, vntill the morning when euerye of them with great solemnitie imparted his vision to y^e king, who also for his parte to aggrauate the matter with fur­ther credite, notwithstanding he was the first founder and forger of the mistery, approued their sayings with the like appearing to himself, albeit he was curious to reueale the secretes of God, vntill he had more sure aduertisement [Page] thereof: wherewith some other persuasions on his parte to enforce their forwardnes, they became as eger and ear­nest to begin the warre, as if Christ himself had bene their captaine, and so assailed their enimies that they did not on­ly ouerthrow them in battell, but also made suche mortall extermination, that the memory of the day euer since hath bene vtterly extinct. There be some now a dayes, that put lighted candels within the heades of dead men, to feare the people, and others that haue tied little waxe candels ligh­ted vpon cockles, tortures & snailes, which they put in that order within the church yards by night, to the end that the simple people séeing these beastes moue a far of with their flames, might beleue that it were some dead sprite retur­ned for some speciall cause into the world: by which villa­nous meanes as they haue gotten money of the common and ignorāt sort, so let them be assured to render accompt of their doings to the soueraign iudge for abu [...]ng the pore flocke of his deare sonne vnder y^e coloure of visions. There hath bene yet of late time in Italy, an other practise of Dia­bolical visions performed by certaine candels made of the grease or tallow of a man, which so lōg as they were light and did burne in the night, the pore people seemed so ouer­whelmed with enchauntments and charmes, that a man might haue taken any thing out of their house, w^tout that they were able to stirre out of their beds to reskue it: but our God who according to his iustice doeth leaue nothyng vnpunished, hath suffred that the authors and executors of such vanities, haue bene taken as the thefe wyth the man­ner, and being condemned, haue yelded tribute to suche of­fences, with the price of their life. And lastly there is an o­ther sort of artificial visions, which are made with an oyle or licoure, which cometh of certaine wormes we sée shine in the night, which bicause they be things not worthie to be handled in argument amōgst no christians▪ I will make [Page 98] silence of them for this time, maruelling notwithstanding that sundry learned men heretofore haue vsed so large a libertye in discouering suche vanities, the ra­ther for that our natures for the most part are more credulous of such shadowed things, than apt to beleue a truthe.

TO the ende we shoulde taste of these wonderfell visions (which may be thought very strange to the Reader) me séemes good to shew here the pourtrait of twoo maruel­lous monsters, the one a man, & the other a woman, séen in diuers prouinces by twoo as excellēt Phi­losophers, as haue raigned in our age. The first being the man, was séen by Ludouicus Celius Rhodiginus, as he wri­teth in the iij. chapter of his .xxiiij. booke of auncient lessons, [Page 99] folowing in this maner: There was (sayth he) broughte forth a monster at Zarzara in Italy, in the yeare of grace, 1540. and the .xix. day of Marche, worthie to be considered off for many causes: One, for that it was brought into the worlde at such time as Italy was afflicted wyth the plague and scourge of ciuile warres. And that thys monstrous childe was a certaine forerunner or messanger, which she­wed vnto them the miseries of those domesticall quarels: the other causes for the which it deserued to be diligently noted, were for the straunge and maruellous effectes that nature exhibited in this little subiect: for in the first place the mother of this infant broughte it forth within .iij. mo­neths wel formed, which is a thing monstrous in nature: Secondarily, he had two faire heades well proportioned, and two faces ioyned one to an other, and tyed vpon the top of the neck with a proportion maruellous in euery of those partes: he had his haire a little long and blacke: and betwene these two heades, he had a thirde heade, whiche excéeded not the length of an eare. And for the rest of his body, it was so wel made and proporcioned in all thyngs requisite, that it séemed that Nature delited to frame and make him so faire. Who after he had soiorned a certaine tyme in this miserable worlde, died: wherein, as he was made a present to one of the kyng of Spaynes lieutenants, gouerning in that countrey, so he thoughte it good to haue him ripped and his bellie opened, and intrailes séen, which being done, he represented vnto the sightes of the lookers on, things no lesse maruellous than the presidents writ­ten of before: that is to say, he had two liuers, two milts, and but one heart. Wherwith endeth the description that Celius hath made of that monster. The second monster is a woman, hauing two heads, whose figure is before to be séene with the other, and more to be wondered at than the fyrst in one thing, for that she liued many yeres, whiche is contrary to the nature of monsters, who ordinarily lyue [Page] not long, for the abundance of melancolike humor, which abundeth in them, to see them selues so opprobrious to the worlde, are therby so dried and consumed, that their liues be shorte. Whiche happened not to this maide, which thou seest here portraicted: for at suche tyme as Conradus Li­costenes, came into the Duchie of Bauiere, whiche was in the yere 1541. she was of the age of .xxvj. yeres. That lear­ned Philosopher Licostenes writeth one maruellous thing of that monster, for reseruing the duplication of the head, nature otherwyse had left nothing in hir vnperfect. These two heades (as he writeth) had desire in like to drinke, to eate, to slepe, and to talke together, as also dyd all hir o­ther affections. Wherefore thys mayde wente from dore to dore searchyng hir liuyng, to whome they gaue more willingly for the noueltie of so strange a creature, & so newe a spectacle: Albeit she was chased tho­rough the Duchie of Bauiere, to the ende she myght marre the frute of wo­men with childe, for the ap­prehension whiche remayneth in the imagination of the fi­gure of this monstrous Woman.

IN the tyme that Seruius Galba, and Marcus Scaurus were Consules, a noble and famous woman in Nursiue, brought forthe a son on liue, which had the vppermost part of his bely so open, that men might sée hys intrails naked and vncouered, and it was so harde and entier in the nethermost part, that I beleue if you haue red al the Authors Grekes and Latins, which haue written of the wonders of nature, you shal scarcely fynde [Page] his like. And although the Romains were alway supersti­tious in those things, yet was this monster a certain Au­gure and soothsayer of the victorie whiche they obtained a­gainst Iugurth, as Iules Obsequent writeth in the hundreth Chapter of his book of the wonders of the Romains Wher­fore if the Grekes and Arabes, (whiche were so fine in ser­ching out the secretes within the shop of mans body, that they demaunded of the king the bodies of the condemned, to open them aliue) had had that litle monster at their cō ­maundement, they néede not haue exercised such butchery, tirānie and crueltie on the behalfe on liuing creatures as they did: for casting their eyes only vpon that little mon­ster, without makyng further openyng or incision, they myght haue séene and discerned the substance, the great­nesse, number, figure, situation, commoditie and action of all the principall partes of mans bodie, the liuely spirites being within: the which is not of small consideration in nature, seing that by the ignorance of those things, if that a sinew or muscle be cut, for the most parte the féelyng is lost, sometimes the mouing, and sometimes bothe the one and the other, and very oftentimes death therby foloweth. Wherfore the ancient kings and princes, as Marcus An­thonius, Flauius, and Boetius, (as Galene witnesseth) tooke so great pleasure in Anotomies and cuttyng of bodies, that they themselues vsed that arte, who as they obserued not the same carefully, so they made erre the most renoumed Philosophers in the time past, as Aristotle in his first and thirde boke of Histories, treatyng of Creatures, the .vij. chapter, where he writeth that the seames of the head, by the which the moyst matters of the braine doe euapour, be not like, but differ in men and women, notwithstandyng we sée by common experience the contrary: whereby the same author is also deceiued, in that he writeth, that the heades of Dogs haue no sinews, although in anotomysing of them, wée fynde they haue seames so well as in the [Page 101] heade of man: In lyke maner Cornelius Celsus one of the most excellent, which hath written of physike in Latin, is beguyled in the same matter of seames, in hys eyghte boke and fyrst chapter, where he writeth, that those heads which haue no seames, be the moste sounde, and least sub­iect to sicknesse, though the same be vtterly false, as wyt­nesseth Hipocrates, in his first boke of men, where he wri­teth, that the heads which haue the gretest number of sea­mes be the most healthfull: wherin as I haue shewed the mistakyng of the two matters of the cutting of the body: Euen so coulde I discouer vnto you a numbre of other errours, whiche be founde in Mundinus Carpus, and others, who in their writyngs haue ben often beguiled in the opening of the shoppe of mans bodie. But for that we are to en­treate of won­ders, we will therfore make an ende of that matter, without settyng before you the falts gathered in the Haruest of Physike.

LIke as mine Author in the beginning of thys Chapter séemeth to preferre in sort of a Frenche flourishe or commendation to hym selfe, hys being in Englande, wyth sun­dry honours that were done to hym by the Quéenes Maiestie, and certaine nobilitie, at what tyme he was brought to the viewe of thys Dogge, so (for cer­tayne respects, I accompt it as necessarie to leaue it oute, as to fyll or cloye the Reader with suche vaine follie.) In [Page 102] Englande then (accordyng to mine Authour) was bredde thys monstrous Dogge, whose figure séemeth to resem­ble indifferently a Dog and a Beare, whiche argueth him to participate bothe of the one and the others nature: the same not séemyng very straunge to suche as haue obser­ued theyr conditions at London, Paris Garden. where the Dogges and the Beares doe lie in little Cabinets or vaultes of wood, one fast by an other: and being in theyr heates, those that do gouerne them, wyll not stycke oftentymes to putte a Beare and a Dogge in one house together, when beyng prycked wyth theyr naturall impressyons, they con­uerte theyr crueltie into loue: of whyche coniunctions are engendred oftentymes creatures lyke vnto thys, al­though very seldome: amongst which myne Author hath obserued two: Whiche as they were gyuen to the Mar­quesse of Trans, so he made a present of the one of them to the Countie of Alphestan, the Emperors Embassador, and the other he made to be caried wyth hym into Fraunce, where myne Author caused thys portraict to be drawen, o­mitting nothing that was necessary to be séene: In whom albeit maye appeare some cause of wonder by the strange effecte of Nature: yet the attestation of sundry famous authors maketh it neyther rare nor newe. Lyke as Ari­stotle, who is of opinyon, that diuerse beastes may haue Coitum, and ioyne togyther, so that theyr natures do not muche differ, as doe the Dogge, the Woulfe, and the Foxe. He wryteth in an other place, that the Indian dogs be ingendred of a Dogge and a Tyger, whiche is also ap­proued by Polux, and Plinie. Patritius and Senes in theyr thirde boke of theyr common Wealthe, haue affirmed, that the Indians haue not onely made couer their bitches wyth beastes of an other kynde, but also the auncient Frenchemen vsed to haue them engender with Woulues, to the ende that the fruite of suche fierce commixture and séede, myghte bée of the more strengthe and fu­rie, [Page] the same being also confirmed by Augustus Nyphus, in a Historie, assisted with his owne eyes, and not gathered by any reporte. On a time (sayth he) that the Lorde Fede­rike of Montforce and I returned from hūting, we lost one of our dogges, which we coulde not recouer by any sound of horne or hallow of the hunters, and yet after we had long sought hym, we found him ioyned▪ with a shee Wolfe in a corner of the wood, his fiercenesse beeing vanquished with the delite he had in hir companie. Hierom Cardan as­sureth to haue séene a Foxe gotten of a Bitche and a Fox. But to returne now to the description of our beast, whose figure as it resembleth a cutted Beare, so had he the ge­stures and other disposit [...]ons, more participating wyth a a Beare than a Dogge, and exceeded (as mine Author af­firmeth) all other beastes in furie: For there is neyther Lyon, Beare, Bull, nor other beast, howe cruell so euer, which he dare not assault, vsing withall such a fiercenesse in his fight, that after he hath fastened his téeth vpon him, he wil be rather dismembred and torne in pieces by piece-meale, than suffer himselfe to be taken off. Wherof myne Author preferreth an experience at London, in a battaile betweene him and a Beare, the same also makyng me re­member that which the Auncients haue written of a Dog that was giuen to Alexander, in the Indies, which (as some say) was engendred of a Tyger and a Bitch: but bicause there is diuersitie of opinion touching this Historie amon­gest many Authors, as Aelyan, Diodorus Siculus, Strabo, Plutarke, Patritius, wyth others, I will bring in onely that whiche moste resembleth a truth.

In the iourney that Alexander hadde in the Indies, hée was presented by one of the noble men of the Countrey, wyth a greate Dogge, engendred of a Tyger, who as he didde séeme of a huge and fierce regarde, lykewise Alexander, desiring to proue hys doughtinesse and dispo­sition of heart, presented him a Bear tied at a stake, where [Page 103] at the dogge being couched on the grounde, neither moued nor angry, vouchsaued not once to rise from the earth: the king commaunded eftsones to offer him the Bul, and then the wilde Bore, which seemed to moue the dogge no more than the rest, what prouocation so euer was made the assi­stantes: Alexander, enuyin▪ (as it were) that nature had planted so fearefull a heart in suche a huge and massy peece of flesh, commaunded to kill him: Whereupon the Lorde that first ought him and gaue him to the king (bieng more priuy than they, to his valiant disposition), desired Alexan­der that afore the dogge were killed, he should be offred the Lyon or Elephant, which being done forthwith, the dogge began with a wonderfull fury to assaile the Lyon, and so claw him in his cruel kinde, that where he once imprinted his téeth, the caracters remayned and could not be defaced, being also so fierce vpon the Lyon, that he could not be ta­ken off by any meanes, whereat the king séeming to mar­uell, and the Indian Lord desirous to encrease the pleasure he toke in his pastime, commaunded to cut of his taile, and his foure legges one after an other, tearing in effecte one legge from an other, notwithstanding which horrible tor­ments he endured, he gaue not ouer the battaile, but conti­nued as constant as in the beginning, wherwith to preuēt a displeasure in Alexander, who seemed to gréeue to sée so valiant a dogge so lothsomely dismembred, the Lord tolde him he had two other of the same litter, wherof he made at the same time offer to y^e King, with charge, that according to their natures, he must proue them against either Lions or Elephants, seeing customably they contemne all other beasts, yelding no glory to y^e victory which is got of others of baser condition. The Auncients haue gyuen speciall cō ­mendation to these creatures touching their faith and fide­litye to their maister, whom they doe not onely knowe by view, but vnderstande their whistle, they [...]latter them, fawne vpon them, are ielous of them, follow them tho­rowe [Page] out all the world, and be suche sure kéepers of theyr goods, that they wil die rather than suffer them to be taken away. Which is verye well verified in a dialogue wherin Plutarch séemes to dispute whether beastes haue reason or not, confirming it by an example of the faith of a straunge dogge, the same being of harde beléefe, were it not the au­thoritie of him that writ it. The Athenians (saith he) had a Temple called the Temple of Aesculapius, garnished with great treasure and riches, for the gard whereof, they kéepe only an excellent dogge called Caparus, notwythstanding whose barking and other meanes of defence vsed by him, certaine théeues brake in one night, and toke away y^e most precious iewels that were in the temple: the dogge séeing the Sexteus with other Wardens of the church, were not moued with his barking at the théeues, runneth out of the Temple as enraged or madde, and pursueth the théefe that fled afore him, not leauing to follow hym, notwithstāding his threats and stones which he cast at him. The day being come, the dogge stayed alwayes where the theefe rested, without comming neare him for feare of harme: which be­ing well considered of the fellone, who to preuent y^t which would not be auoided, offred bread to the dogge, which he did not onely refuse to touche, but also did not forbeare to barke without ceassing: which being heard of certaine pas­sengers that way, the reporte came to Athens, by which meanes hue and cry was sent forth, and the thefe taken at Cromion: but the sporte was to sée the dogge skip and leape afore the fellon, reioysing as thoughe the théefe were hys praie, and taken by hys meanes: for which cause the Athe­niens ordained him to be nourished at the charges of the Ci­tye, and gaue him in custody to the Priests of their Tem­ple. There is also spoken of in diuers Historyes, a like dis­course of the fidelitie of a dogge, found by the king Pirrhus as he passed with his army, garding the dead bodye of his maister slaine by the high way side, being not so muche a­stonished [Page 104] at the view of the mortified ghost of him that lay deade, as double amased when he vnderstoode by certaine paisantes of the Countrey, that the dogge had not stirred out of that place for thrée dayes, without desiring either to drinke or eat. The king for compassion of the dead carkas commaunded it to be buryed, and the dogge for his faith to his master, to be nourished in some conuenient place. And as no inquisition or pollicie could trie out the murder, what diligence so euer was vsed: so it chaunced that cer­taine dayes after, the King taking a view or muster of his people, assisting it in his owne person, the dogge attended the King, and lay very stil and quiet at his foote, til it came to their turnes that had killed his maister, to passe along by the king: when the dogge vpon a sodaine (venting as it were the murderers) assailed them with such furie, as if strength had agréed with his good will) he wold haue torne them in péeces: but being not able to performe the effect of his meaning, he loked here and there, giuing out suche ar­guments of pity, according to his dumme kind, as if he had demaunded iustice of the murder at the kings handes. The same mouing in him and the rest of the assistants such sus­pition of the facte in them whome the dogge assailed, that what with torment and other examination, they confessed the matter, & were punished accordingly. A thing very wō ­derful, & wherin our God sheweth himself most iust in hys iudgements, hauing in such horrour such as doe spoyle and spil mans bloud, that he stirreth vp sometime little beasts to be his ministers of reuenge of their iniquities. Plu­tarch, Aelyan, and also Tretzes, in the thirde Chiliade and a hundred thirtye and one Chapter, wryte, that after Dari­us the laste king of the Persians was vanquished by Alex­ander, and hurte in many places by Bessus and Nabarzenes, he was forsaken of all the world, and void of humaine suc­ [...]ors, except a dogge, which he had norished and brought vp, [Page] who neuer forsoke the body of his maister, but became no lesse faithful to him being dead, thā he was whilst he liued.

The Romane histories giue also great commendation to the fidelitie of the dogge of Titus Fabius, who being condē ­ned by the iustice of the Senate, and his body laid dead vp­on the ground, the dogge did not only accompany the dead carkasse, but made such a pitifull howling and crying, that he stirred the assistāts to compassion, who (to appease him) if they offred him bread, he tooke it, and in the presence of them all by such meanes as he could, he opened the mortifi­ed mouth of his master, and put in the bread, thinking that as he sawe his distresse, so he would relieue it by meanes as he best might: but that which is more wonderfull tou­ching the faith of this dogge, was, in that the bodye of hys master being cast into Tyber (according to their custome at that time to bury dead men) the dogge leaped also into the riuer, not ceasing to contēd with the waues, till he had got holde of his maister, whom by maine strength he did not only support and kepe frō sinking, but also drewe him out to the shore, thinking he had thē deliuered him from peril. By this and such other may we discerne in some respects a more great faith and amitie in these brute beastes, than in reasonable creatures, who for the most parte now a dayes obserue the order of the swallow, shunning (as they doe the roofe in the winter) their frends touched with any aduersi­tie or sinister fortune: for whych cause also Masinissa the great king of Numidia, would neuer commit the garde of his body by night to the faith of men, but vsed for hys saue­tie that way the company of .viij. or .x▪ great dogges, whom he brought vp for the nonce, and made them be shut in hys chāber by night, to the ende that by their barking he might be warned of any peril: which remaineth in practise at this [...]ay in S. Maloes in Britaine, a town of defense enuironed with the Sea, wherein only a great number of dogges of England do kepe watch, and that so truely that the whole [Page 105] gard and protection of that city consists no lesse in the fide­lity of those dogges, than in their strong bands of their old souldiours of Piemont, neither moueth any charge by them, for either armour or weapon, seeing they cōtent thēselues only with their liues, which are reserued by cōmon order, & they nourished continually in certaine dark caues, where they are barde to see any light, to the end to giue encrease to their fiercenesse: the same in déede giuing them suche a woodnesse, that they neither know, nor vse regarde to any, but such as are appointed to nourish and féede them, in such sort y^t at night when they are drawne out of their dennes, they are driuen to soūd drummes and trumpets as a war­ning to euery body to retire, which hath bred suche a cu­stome in those dogges, that after the last retrait be soūded, there is none so hardy to be found afore them, which esca­peth not their iawes, without great hazard and daunger of his life. There is also mention made in the Eccles [...]asticall histories, how the Emperor Aurelian, forcing Benignus the Martyr to worship Idols, made to be kepte fasting for .iiij. or v. dayes, certaine great mastiues, whom he reserued on­ly to fede vpon christian mennes flesh, afore whom he cau­sed the body of the sayd Martir to be brought forth bound: but the dogges refusing to become the mynisters of the sinne of such a tyrant, in place to deuoure or teare hym in péeces, they licked his hands, and smelled to his body, with­out either offer or effect of other harme. Which makes me remember an History commēded by Appius the Gréeke, & Aulus Gelius y^e Latine, Iouianus Pontanus lib. 1 amorū, and lastly Anthonio de Gueuuare bishop of Monodemo. Al which albeit they treate of an other beast than a dogge, yet bi­cause the discourse is no lesse prodigious, than confirmable to our former arguments, I thinke it no time euil imploy­ed to describe it in sorte, as they haue left it behinde them.

Titus the Emperor, sonne to Vespasian, vpon his ret [...]rn from the warres of Germanye, determined according to an [Page] auncient custome of the Nobilitie there, to solemnise at Rome with great pompe the day of his natiuity. For a first entry or beginning wherof, he caused royall triumphes to be made to the Senate, with a bountifull distribution of treasure amōgst the Romaines: He enioyned withal by spe­ciall charge, to make prouision of Lions, Beares, Hartes, Bulles, wilde Bores, Wolues, Camels, Elephāts, wyth a number of other sauage and fierce beasts, found most com­monly in the deserts of Egipt, and valley of the mount Cau­case. In like sort it was decréed sometime afore by the ma­iestie imperiall, that to all théeues, felons, murderers, per­iurers, traitors, and rebels, theyr liues should be reserued, to be punished and torn in péeces y^• day by those beastes: by whō should not onely be thundred vpon them due reuenge of their wicked life past, but also in the combate should ap­peare equall pleasures and delite to the lokers on: where­in this was the order that was obserued. One of those miserable men was let out after an other, and commit­ted all alone to a place, which is at this day being at Rome called the Collisea: after the which in the viewe of all the assistantes, was let loose in the same place one of these cru­ell beastes, who if by chaunce he tare the man in péeces, the same was the sentence and punishment of his offence: but if the man subdued the crueltye of the beast, and killed him, it serued as an absolution or dispence from further punishment. And as they kept hungrye of purpose (long time before) these cruell beastes, to the ende to adde a more fiercenesse to their woodde nature, so amongst the [...]est that were brought to the combate, the Emperoure séemed chiefly to sée fight a Lion brought out of the deserts of Egipt, who was of a huge body, horrible in regarde, fear­full in his cries and yelling, and most desperate and cruell in fight, hauing already committed to morsels .v. or .vj. mē, wythout deuouring them, least withall he should lose his [Page 106] appetite and delite to fight: albeit the Emperoure not ly­king to kepe him any longer without meate, commaun­ded to let loose vnto him one of the Captiues, whom if the Lyon ouercame, he should also deuoure him: whereupon was committed into the place a poore slaue, so leane and mortified with imprisonment, that he séemed to delight in no other felicitie than sodaine deathe: This fierce Lyon setting vp his brussels, & making two or thre turnes about the Coll [...]sea, seemed to whet his teeth and stomacke, to praie vpon y^e miserable man: but y^t which is no lesse straunge to heare, than wonderfull to see, this cruell beast approching neare his prisoner, séemed at a sodaine to gase in beholding his face with greate iudgement, which hauing performed and viewed with such leisure as he thought good, he did not only refuse to doe him any harme, but also with great hu­militie, he smelled to his handes, and licked hys fingers, and falling prostrate afore him, he séemed not onely to know him, but acknowledge most thankefully in his kinde an aūcient debt and good turne done vnto him. This brou­ght suche indifferent comforte and courage to the pore man, that he conuerted his former feare into present as­suraunce of safetie. The same mouing him in token to be thankefull of his parte, to stroke and cherish the Lyon, as if there had bene an auncient familiaritie betwene them, which bredde such cause of amaze in the Emperoure and the assistantes, (as neuer hauing séene nor heard of the lyke) that they imagined him to be some Nycromancien, or by some Arte to haue enchaunted the disposition of the Lyon. And forthwith called the slaue vnto hym, and asked what he was, of what Countrey, and hys name, what was his offence, and for what cause he was there deliuered to such distresse of the wilde beastes: what (saith he) hast y^u nourished this Lion or hast thou heretofore stād his life in stead, or deliuered him from any mortal danger? [Page] Or if then be some enchaunter, I enioyne thée vpon paine to be here disinembred quicke, to yeld vs a truthe, séeing it is now happened to thée, which neuer hath bene séene to chaunce in Rome since the first foundation. Wherwith the wretched prisoner, hauing yet the Lion couched at his fete aunswered the Emperour with an assured and stayed coū ­tenance in this sort: Albeit sir, I beare here a miserable bo­dy of the malice of my time and fortune, the same wyth o­ther mortall distresses in prison, making me rather resem­ble the ghoast to a dead man, than séeme of state as I haue bene, yet (sir) the extremitie of my case doth not take away the estimation of the house y^t bred me, being not long since a knight of the countrey of Eselauonia, and of the line of the Androniques, of no lesse honor in that coūtrey, than the fa­mous Quintus Fabius and Marcus Marcellus throughe your prouince and part of Rome: the city whereof I am. is called Mantuca, who as she reuolted against the obedience of the Romaines, so all such as remained of that miserable calami­tie, became seruile to your city, wherof my fortune (as you sée) made me a miserable partaker: but touching your de­maund to be priuy to the discourse of my tragical life, It is now .xxvj. yeres since I was first prisoner in my countrey, and as lōg since I was brought in that order to this city, & sold in y^e field of Mars, to a sawyer of wood, who finding me vnapt to supply y^t trade, sold me to the Consull [...] Dacus liuing at this day, whose cōmendation as it cōsisted chiefly in wis­dome, & profound experience, so had he for a counterpoise of his vertues a vice most familiar to him, y^• same eclipsing al the rest, as the clouds doe the clearenesse of the Sunne: for his couetousnesse was so great, that I was at a point to sterue with hunger in his seruice, & my toyle & trauel both day & night so painfull & extreme, that during the space of a xj. yeres (which was the time & scope of my miserable life) I neuer ioyed in other thyng than in the desire of death, which being withstanded by my destenie, I thought to a­bridge [Page 107] my desolation by meanes as I best might: where­vpon I tendred a request to my maister, eyther to sell me to an other, or by some other way to giue ende to my my­serie. Wherin if I preuailed, it was in increase of further rigour on his part, seeming rather to aggrauate his villa­nie, than diminish any part of his crueltie: and for my self, féelyng the threats of age, and fall of my former strength, I resolued desperately to burie my selfe and sorrowes in the solitarie desertes of Egypt: wherein fortune fauoured me with a most conuenient occasion, for that the Consule my maister, leauyng Rome, to visite a countrey called Ta­mutha, situated betwene the confines of Egipt and Affrica, from whence as he rested one night, and was in the depth of his sléepe, I departed without other leaue, than that I came with as slender noyse as I coulde, and so taking on­ly with me some reasons dry, and a bottle of water, I cō ­mitted me (in that state) to the mercy of the nighte and guide of fortune: But at the dawning of the day, fearing some search to pursue me, and being pressed withall with a wonderfull desyre of sléepe, I layde me downe in a caue which I founde by chaunce in that desert place, wherein I had not rested many houres, but I saw enter into my lod­ging a huge and cruell Lyon, hauing his throate and féete embrued wyth bloud, the same addyng further dreade to my former, the rather bicause I saw me as voyde of mea­nes to flée his furie, as vnprouided of force to resist his fu­rie, which made me pronounce secrete sentence of myne owne death, with contentment that the bowells of y^e Lion to become the sepulchre of my brused bones. Wherin as I was in the depth of these mortall cogitations, beholde the Lyon, which had a little paused at the entrie of the caue, began to draw neare the place where I was, drawing one of his leggs after hym with great griefe as it séemed: and houering ouer the place where I laye vpon the earth for feare, he layde his hurt legge vpon my handes, in sorte as [Page] the wisest man would that sought to discouer his grief i [...] an other: which made me take heart, the rather for that y^e feare which I had of this proude beast, was turned into a desire in him self to demaūd succors at my hand. His grief was in his foot, by reason of a great thorn which lay with­in the flesh, the same making it swell, that it was at point to yeld matter, to the which I gaue a vent by breaking th [...] impostume, and tooke out the pricke with the point of my knife, and lapt vp his wound with a band or shread of my sheart. And hauing performed this worke of charitie vpon the poore beast, he lay with an extreme pacience by me all that day & next nght, til the morning folowing: when I vnfolded eftsoones the sore, and pressed out the corpuption with no lesse suffrāce in him thā before, who after .ij. or .iij. houres in the morning, seeming to be pinched with hunger he left me and the caue, & went to the desert. When I se­ing the honest departure of my guest, preuēted y^e like peril & saued my self by flight: wherin (sir) I coulde not be so pre­cise as to escape the hāds of such as pursued me, by whom I was presented to my maister: & frō him (amōgst others no lesse infortunate than my self) I was passed prisoner to Rome, where if my good fortune haue brought me into the danger of this Lyon, and he to returne the benefit of my good turn with a compassion & safetie of my life, I humbly beséech thy maiestie royal to cōsent to the same, and suffer not thy decrées giuen out by thine own mouth to be viola­ted with any respect of crueltie. Which moued such indifferent pitie & cōmpassion to y^e assistants, y^t there was not [...] amongst them al, which with great intercession were not suters to y^e Emperor for his libertie & safetie of the Lyon. Wherunto he did not onely agrée, but also enioyned from that houre, that Andronique and the Lion should vse their libertie to passe at all tymes thorow the stréetes of Rome: whom the people beheld, not without a singular pleasure, the rather to see the Lion contented to carie great wallets [Page 108] full of bread, and other reliefe giuen them in almes. And somtime to get money to his keepers, he would suffer chil­dren to leape vpon his back: The same mouing such cause of maruel to the strangers y^t came to Rome, that there was question touching the meaning. Wherupon, to satisfie thē and al men, was written a little bille, and fastened to the brest of the Lion with this inscription: Hic Leo est hospes huius hominis. And vpon the brest of the man were written these words, Hic est medicus huius leonis, wherof the one sig­nifieth: This Lion is the guest of the man, and the other: This man is the physition of the Lion. This is sure a wō ­derful exāple of charitie in a beast without vnderstanding: wherin is also approued the opinion of an Indian Philoso­pher named Dephilus, who was wont to say, That y^e great workman dame nature had graued certaine lawes in bea­stes, which might be applied to men, as exāples to direct y^e estate of their life: for if we consider and view with discre­tion the order of doing of diuerse beasts, we shal find them to excéede men in many things, and haue (as it were) a na­tural vertue in euery affection of corage, wisedome, force, cowardise, clemencie, discipline & erudition. They knowe one an other, & are able to decerne amōgst thēselues: desire things that be profitable, and eschue such as be hurtful, for­see what will fall, and make prouision of such things as be necessarie for their relief. Al which being considered by the auncient Philosophers, they haue not ben ashamed to dis­pute and make a doubte whether brute beasts did partici­pate with reason or not: which made Salomon sende some of them to the schooles of the Philosophers. Lyke as also Esay reprochyng the vnthankefulnesse of the Israelites to­wardes GOD, layeth afore them an example of the Oxe and Asse, which acknowledge their maister, but Israel hath mystaken and not knowen hir Lorde.

LIke as that greate Philosopher Ari­stotle doth moste firmely assure in hys wri­tings, that a woman can not bring forth at one tyme aboue fiue chyldren, and that very rare. Euen so (sayth he) that happened on a [Page 109] time to a seruante of Augustus Cesar, who at one burden brought forth fiue children, who (besides the mother, liued but a short time after. In remembrance wherof, the Em­peror Augustus caused to be made and erected a monumēt, writing on the out side therof, the numbre of the children which she had born. Wherfore though Aristotle did beleue that a woman could not bring forth at one time aboue the numbre of fiue children, notwithstāding the contrary hath bene proued in many, as is witnessed by many graue au­thors. Amongst whom, that notable learned Prince Picus Mirandulanus in his cōmentaries, vpon the second hymne assureth, y^t one Allemande (called Dorothee) brought forth in Italy at two seuerall times twentie children, that is to say, at one time .xij. & at an other .viij. who during the time y^t she was with childe, hir belly was so great, that she was constrained to payse y^e weight thereof with a towel bound about the same for the succoryng of hir charge. There is none of those which haue read the chronicles and histories of Lombardie, which knoweth not that in the time of the raign of Algemont first kyng of the Lombards, there was a certain common Woman brought forth .vij. boyes at one tyme, who for the horrour of hir sinne, cast them into the water. But God by his almightie power and wonderfull prouidence not willyng to blot out of memorie this wic­ked and detestable act, brought the same to light, who per­mitting the king Algemont to walke by fortune nigh the water where she had cast them, espied one of the children in the water on liue, who with the crooke of a staffe which he helde in his hande, he plucked out, causing the chylde to be nourished and brought vp in learning and vertue: who as he grew in yeares, so he in like maner perseuered in al perfectious and good gifts: and as the historiās make men­tion, succéeded Algemond, and was named Lanytius second kyng of the Lombards. And if thou wouldest reade the Hi­storie of Martinus Cromerus in his sixt boke of the worthy [Page] actes of Poloigne, thou shalt fynde an historie of a woman of the countie of Virboslaus, which surpasseth all the prece­dents before recited for the multitude of children, wherin like as all these histories be wonderfull for the great nū ­bres of children borne at one instant: euen so I haue not red amongst al the Historians which haue written therof, that for the great nūbres of children which they haue had, they haue had cause to open, bruse, and anatomize or put an iron into their bellies to plucke forth their frute, as it was strange and maruellous to behold, that a woman for one onely childe hath ben opened, for that she by the space of .v. yeres caried hir frute in hir body dead, as thou mayst vnderstand by the discourse of this historie folowing wor­thy of remembrance, the which Mathias Cornax, a learned and excellent physition of Vienne, writ in a Latine worke, which he sent for a wonder to Ferdinando, Emperor at that day. And although he haue dilated on this Historie suffici­ently, yet notwithstanding, I will write thereof more at large in that I shal be able. He writeth to the Emperour Ferdinando, that in the yeare .1545. there was at Vienne in Austrice, a certain woman named Margareta, the wife of a Citizen of that towne called George Wolczer, who being quicke with childe from S. Bartholomew day to S. Luce, and then vpon point to be deliuered, she began to féele y^e sharpe and dolorous pangs, which women accustomably tast and suffer in the bringyng forth of their children, caused hir mother and certain other sage women to be called for hir better helpe therin. But when they came to the great con­flict of Nature, and hoped to haue receiued the childe, they perceiued such a brute & noise as it had ben a thunder clap within the belly of that poore martir, y^t which made them to thinke, that the child was dead with the great striuing and battaile that it had with Nature. The noise being at last appaised, they coulde not perceiue or iudge any mo­uing or life in the infant, whiche was cause after they had [Page 110] imployed all their labour and arte in vaine, thynking to draw the child out of the mothers belly, they wer cōstrai­ned in the ende to abandon and leaue hir for a time to the helpe and mercy of almightie God. Albeit after certaine dayes hir dolor & griefe renued, that she was not only for­ced to vse for helpe herein, the aduises of the most excellēt and best experimēted physitions in that prouince, but also all others elswhere, whose fame was most renoumed and celebrated for their excellencie in that arte: who with all their physike resolutiue, attractiue, suppuratiue, were not able to deliuer hir from this misery, or otherwise comfort hir, than with that which the angel sayd to the Prophet [...]: Dispone domus tuae, quia morieris. Whereupon she seing hir self voide of hope to receiue help at mans hands, determi­ned to take truce wich nature, and perseuer constantly in this hir martirdom, the which she continued with extreme dolor the space of foure yer [...], carying this dead caryon in hir belly: which being ex [...]ed she resolued in hir self that it was most expedient to expose some ready death rather than to suffer hir selfe continually to pine by the crueltie of that torment. Wherfore resting vpon this deliberatiō, she made to be called the Surgions & Physitions, at whose handes she requested to be opened. And in the yeare .1550. the .xij. day of Nouēber they opened hir belly, from which they drewe the childe half rotten, which she had caried the space of fiue yeares: And after purging and phisiking hir, they restored hir by the ayde of God to suche perfect health, that she remayneth at this day on liue, and so whole, that she may yet conceiue and bring forth children. As it is more amply decla­red in the Latine worke sente vnto the Emperour Ferdinando.

LIke as those which admeasure the great­nesse of the workes of God according to the ca­pacitie of their vnderstandings, could scarsly be persuaded, that this monster which is here figu­red, [Page 111] shuld be naturall: Euen so in my iudgement as I haue oftentimes protested, that I wil not fil or pester my wry­tings with any fabulous matter or history, wherby I shal not be able to verifie the same by the authoritie, either of some famous author, Greeke or Latin, sacred or prophane: for as Gesnerus in his History, de quadrupedibus viuiparis, wryteth that in the Forest of Saxonie in the coast of Dace, there was taken certain mōstrous beasts, hauing y^e shape of the face of a man, wherof the female in chase by chaūce was killed of hunters, and the male taken by them, was brought aliue, who afterwardes became domesticall and tame, in such sorte as he began to talke a little, albeit hys words were imperfect and hoost, much like vnto a Goate: and touching the rest of his actiōs, they were more brutall than humaine. For at such time as he was moued by y^e ar­dent heates and motions of nature, the women were not in safety with him, for he would endeuor himselfe by force to viola [...]e them openly. And as an other like to this, was taken in the yere .1531. in the Forest de la seigneurie de Sal [...]e­bourge in Almaine, who wold neuer be made tame, nor yet endure the loke of a man: but liuing in such sorte certaine dayes, in the ende died of hunger, refusing to be fed of any liuing creature. Euen so in the time that Iames the fourth king raigned in Scotland, which was in the yere 1409. and y^t he sent Iacobus Egilinus in embassage to the French king, who by tempest of the seas was cast on land in a certaine Isle of Norway, where he saw mōsters like vnto these spo­ken of before, as he witnessed at his return: and enquiring of the people of that coūtrey what kinde of creatures they were, they answered, that they were certaine beastes ha­uing the shape of the face of men, who accustomed very of­ten to come by night to their houses, which being not re­pulsed by dogges, would deuoure as wel their men as chil­dren. And I remember that S. Augustine in his boke of the Citye of God, maketh mention of sundrye monsters of [Page] straungo formes, who were found in deserts or elswhere, whereupon grew a question, whether they were descen­ded of the first man Adam, or that they had a reasonable soule or not, or whether they should rise as others shall at the generall day of resurrection: But for that this matter is a little to long to entreate vpon, by reason of the shortnesse of this Chapi­ter, I will therefore reserue it for a nother place more fit and apte for the disso­lution therof.

I Doe remember that I haue treated in my third booke of the Theatre of the world, howe famine is one of the moste cruell mi­nisters of the iustice of God, as he hymselfe witnesseth very often by his Prophets and Apostels, sometymes threatning to gyue them for their wickednesse a heauen of brasse, and the earth of yrō, that is to say, that it shal bring forth nothing: albeit I will not forget in this place to make mention [Page] of two notable famines, noted in the boke of Ecclesiasticus, to the ende that drawing our Histories out of the liuely springs of the scripture, the same may moue vs y^t rather, and touche vs the more with remorse, euen vpon the ham­mer of our conscience. It is shewed in the .iiij. boke of the kings and .vj. chapter of a famine which happened in Sama­rie, in the time of Elizeus, which was so harde and extreme, that the head of an Asse was solde for .xxiiij. peeces of siluer, and the fourth part of a measure of Doues dunge for .v. pe­ces: but that which is most farre from all humanitie, after that all their victuals were consumed, y^e mothers eat their children: In such sort that a pore woman of the city, se [...]ing the King of Israel vpon the wall, made hir complaint vnto him, that one of hir neighbors wold not performe couenāt and agreement made betwixt them, which was: that they should eat together her child, and hauing so done, that they should also deuoure the childe of hir neighbor, which she tolde the king she had already done, for we haue boiled and eaten my sonne, and now she hides and conceales hirs, for feare she should feede or relieue me. Which when the King had vnderstand, his heart began to die for sorow, and he en­tred into mortal warre with his hair, flesh, and garments: saying: God deale so with me, and so according to the rest of the text. Iosephus an Hebrew writer, in his .vij. boke and iij. chapter of the warres of the Iewes, declareth a history al­most confirmable to this, but performed in a more straūge and bloudy maner. He writeth that there was a noble and riche woman, at suche time as Ierusalem was besieged, who had pacte togither some remainder of hir goodes, which she had in a certaine house of the Citie, and liued husbandlyke of that little which remained: but the souldiours and men at armes spoiled hir of all within an houre, in suche sort that they cōstrained hir to begge: but that which gaue en­crease to hir misery was, when she had any thing growing to hir by the almes and charitie of others, the souldioures [Page 113] toke it from hir with violence, with the extreme oppressiō of hunger, and small hope of meanes to be sustained, forced hir to arme hir selfe against the lawes of nature, in suche sort as beholding with pitifull regard one of hir little chil­dren, whome she embraced betwene hir armes, cryed out with great compassion in this sort: Oh infortunate childe, and me most miserable mother, who haue vnhappely har­bored thée in my flanks? What shall henceforth become of thée, cōsidering the desolation of our state, which so rageth against vs bothe, that albeit I had will to saue thy life, yet would thy desteny make thée subiecte to a continuall thral­dome of the Romains? come then my childe, & serue for foode and nouriture to thy pore mother ouercome with hunger. And after she had pronounced this tragicall sentence of the death of hir childe, she stretched hir cruel hands ouer his tē ­der body and killed him, put him on the broach, rosted him, and at one instant eate y^e one halfe of him, in which meane time came in again the soldiours, and tasting in their nose the smell of rosted meate, began to threaten hir to death, if she did not impart it with thē: but she resolued in hir rage, and as one most desirous to accompanye her dead sonne, without any astonishment or feare of their threates, sayde vnto them: be content soldiours saith she, for I haue reser­ued a more faith and loyaltie than you think, séeing I haue kept you as great a parte as to my selfe, wherewith she brought forth the rest of hir childe, and set it on the table a­fore them, which moued such confusion and remorse of con­science in them all, that they stoode as men enchanted, and had not the heart to aunswere any one word, but she on the contrary side, as a Tigresse ful of amaze & crueltie hauing lost hir yong ones, preferring in hir face both fury and fie­ry lookes, sayde eftsones vnto them. Now maisters: this which you sée is the fruite of my body, it is my childe, my bloud, my flesh, yea and my bones: it is a creature formed of my substance, and a regeneration of my selfe. Why are [Page] you more scrupulous or delicate than his tender mother y^t hath brought him into the world with so many pangs? Do you refuse to eate whereof she hath and will make a tast a­fore you? which strake such pitifull terror into all the soldi­ours, that they ranne away, leauing hir alone with the one halfe of hir rosted childe, which was all in ef [...]ct which their crueltie had left hir touching hir goods and cōfort. And this as it is the proper texte of Iosephus, which I haue as neare as I could, drawne out according to the contents of y^e same, so the view of this makes me remember an other Historye which I haue red in Auenzouar a Phisition of Arabia tou­ching an extreme hunger which so afflicted the place of his natiuitie, that after that miserable people had stuffed their bodies with diuers sortes of filthy and corrupt meates, as dogges, horsses, rattes, mise, and such like as they could find by any deuise or trauell, and yet not being satisfied, nor ha­uing wherewithall to quench the rage of their hunger, did not forbeare to turne vp, and open graues and sepulchres, and féede of the mortified carions of dead men: for assone as any were buried (the porest sort most pinched with hunger) would rise by night and vn­shroud y^e ghoastes, which made y^e magi­strates at last to establish a solemn watch to gard the sepulchres from suche vnnaturall violation.

LIke as this bird, whose figure is here de­painted, is both mōstrous & wonderful: euēso she yeldes sufficient matter to trouble al y^e Philoso­phers in the world: wherfore who so wil cōsider y^e great maruels of nature which be foūd in this little foule, neede not dout to confesse y^t the aire wherein she makes hir continual abode, norisheth nothing at all more straunge or worthy of admiration: For, for y^e first part, ther hath no mā bādled hir aliue, she liues alwais w^t the dew, & hath no fete, which is wholly repugnant against the opinion of Aristo­tle, [Page] who wryteth that there is no bird without féete, but for that I neuer saw it before this present houre, I wil there­fore write simply, that which I haue red in the Latine au­thors at this day, who haue seene, handled & written there­of. Gesnerus in his Latin historie of Birdes (from whence I haue taken this portraicte) writeth that which foloweth: that Bird wherof thou seest here the portraict, is called the Bird of Paradise, or Apis Indica, whose figure was shewed vnto me by the moste Noble and well learned personage Conradus Pentigerus, who affirmeth to haue séene one dead like vnto this. It is not long sithens there was a Chart at Noremberg, wherin was figured the forme of a Birde like to this which is here depainted, the which was sent hither with this inscription: the Birde of Paradise, otherwise cal­led Apis Indica, is of the greatnesse of a Gripe, but of suche wonderfull swiftnesse and light condition, that no shippe how so euer she be assisted with windes or weather, is able to make saile equall with the wing of that Birde, whose wings in déede are long and thin, but of a meruellous re­flection and light, whose fethers (or more properly shagge or long haire) be almost of the hardnesse of a horne: thys Birde hath no féete, she flieth continually without resting in any place, sauing that she stayeth against a trée or bough vpon the which she hangeth and stayeth by a lock of hir lōg hair: she is of great price, by reason of hir straūgen [...]sse and rarietie: the great men of Leuant for a brauery do deck the crests of their armors with the plumes of this Birde: they saw it at Noremberg by Iohn Cromerus. The Almaines call this bird in their lāguage Luffruogel, which signifieth a bird of y^e air, either by reason y^t she liueth in the air, or that they make accōpt she is releued therby, the most be of opinion y^t the female hath one receptacle or retreat vnder hir wings where she layeth and hatcheth hir egges. Wherefore the kings of Marmin in the Iles of Moluques, not long sithens were persuaded & did beleue y^t their soules were immortal, [Page 115] by the consideration of this Birde, being moued by no o­ther argument, if not that they obserued one litle bird of extreme beautie, which at no time touched the earth, but sometimes fell dead from the height of heauen. And as the Mahometists trauailed with them, they shewed them this birde, persuading them that she came from Paradise, which was a delicious place, where the dead soules toke their re­pose: wherby that people grosse and barbarous, beleuing that which the Turkes declared to them, begā very curious­ly to examine of their law, and in the ende became Maho­metists, and folow at this day the Mahomet law: for which cause they name that birde Manucodiata, that is to say, the birde of God, which birde they haue in such reuerence and honour, that the Kings hauing hir aboute them, accompte themselues sufficiently guarded from all perill and daun­ger of warre: wherupon the Kings of the Isles aforesayd, did send to Charles the fift Emperor, fiue of these litle bir­des dead: for as we sayd before, they were neuer taken by any man aliue. Maximilianus Transsiluanus Gesnerus, pursuing the Historie of this birde, addeth yet that whiche foloweth: I haue (saith he) attained to write these things by the letters of Melchior Guillandin Beruce, a man great in science and doctrine, whiche were brought vnto me to Padoue, by the which he writeth hir the birde of Paradyse, as here foloweth: Albeit those which haue left in writing the nauigation of the Spaniards to straunge countreys, as­sure and affirme, that there is a little bird bred and borne in the Isles of Moluques, very pleasaunt and of singular beautie, wherof the body is but litle, notwithstandyng by reason of the hugenesse of hir feathers, she séemeth more great, which be brode and houering, disposed in a rounde, in such sort that they represente the circuite of a circle. That little birde representeth in greatnesse and forme a Quaile, being adorned and decked with feathers of diuers colours most faire and bautifull, contenting very muche [Page] the eyes of those which behelde hir: hir head proportioned to the body, somewhat more great than a swallow, hir fe­thers which decke the height of hir, from the vppermoste part of the bones of the skurfe of hir neck to the mydst of hir beake, be short, great, hard, thick, and of a yealowe co­lour, and shineth like the purest golde, or the beames of the Sunne: the others which couer hir chin be moste deli­cate, tender, and resemble a piercyng coloure like to the gréene, and not much vnlike to those whiche we see vpon the heades of Canardes, being directly against the sunne. That birde hath no féete, and is very like a Hearon, tou­ching the feathers of hir wings, sauing that they be more tender and long, holden of a broune colour, participating with redde and blacke. The male of that birde hath a hole vpon the skurfe of his back, where the female putteth and hatcheth hir egges, and not relieued by other meate, than the dewe of heauen, whiche serueth them for meate and drinke. And who lyst to visite the inwarde parts of thys byrde, shall fynde hir full of fat or grease, whereof I may boldly talk, bicause I haue séene two, without legs, which is contrary to the writing of Aristotle, who affirmeth, that no birde wanteth féete: he dwelleth alwayes in the ayre. I am sure this would amaze you to write wholy the form of this bird by his particulars, as Gesnerus writeth, accor­ding to the witnesse of the foresayd authors. Albeit, who is desirous to sée a more ample description thereof, reade that which the sayd Gesnerus hath written in the chapter, where he treateth of the birde of Paradise, or in the boke of Auium natura. Hieromeus Cardanus in his bokes de subtili­tate, or place where he writeth of perfect beasts, reporteth the like to that which foloweth. In the sayd Isles of Mo­luques, they haue found vpon the lād or in the sea, one dead bird called Manucondiata, which is as much to saye in the Indians toung, as the birde of God, or Birde of Paradise, whiche they haue not séene on liue, for that it hathe no [Page 116] féete. Which for my part I haue séene thrée or .iiij. tymes, and alwayes wanting those membres: she dwelleth con­tinually in the aire, and that very high and farre of. Shée beareth a body and a beake muche like the sea swallowe both in bignesse and other forme, the quilles of hir wings and tayle be full as bigge as those of an Eagle, when she aduaunceth or stretcheth them abroade. Hir feathers bee very small, and moste lyke (reseruing their litlenesse) to the plumes of a Pehenne or a she Peacocke, and differing in that poynt from the Peacocke hym selfe, bycause these feathers haue not suche starres or eyes as we sée in the tayle of a Peacocke. The backe of the male of this birde is holowe: where by moste reason the female dothe laye hir egges, seing hir belly is also hollow, the same arguyng that by the hollownesse of the one and other, she layeth and hatcheth hir eggs: there is in the taile of the male, a thréede of the length of thrée shaftments, blacke in colour, neither rounde nor square, of an ordinarie bignesse, not much vnlyke to a Shoemakers thréede, by the whyche it may be presumed, that the female is tied and ioyned to his backe, whilest she layeth and hatcheth hir egges. It is moste certaine, that as she remayneth continually in the ayre, so lykewise when hir wyngs and tayle be drawne into a roundnesse, she supporteth hir selfe that way, and being wearie, she becommeth as she was afore. She doth lyue by none other foode than by the dewe of Heauen, whiche serueth hir bothe to eate and also to dryncke, the same arguing a wonderfull diligence and maruell of Na­ture, to make suche prouysion for this byrde in the ayre. It séemeth not that she shoulde be nouryshed of pure Aire onely, bicause it is too subtile, and it is not likely that she shoulde be nourished of small Beastes and Flies, by­cause the substaunce wherevppon these Creatures bée fourmed, is not engendred in the aire, neither hath there ben founde any such digestion in the bellie of thys Birde, [Page] as they haue written of hir that haue séene hir deade: she hath not hir relief of the vapour which ascendeth from the earth, bicause she was neuer sene to discend so lowe: besi­des, there is often perill in vapours, and this birde is not consumed but by olde age: all which proue, that she is on­ly fedde and preserued vpon the dewe that falleth in the night. Wherwith ende the opinions of Galene and other late writers touching the properties of this bird. Neither can it much disagrée from our purpose of straunge birdes, to auouche in this place the authoritie of Hector Boetius, and Saxo, who write, that they founde certaine Trées in Scotlande, whose frute being lapped within the leaues, and the same fallyng into the water in some conuenient time take life, and turne into a liuing birde, whiche they call a Trée bird. This trée groweth in the yle of Pomonne, which is not farre from Scotlande, towards the north, the which is verified in some sort by Aeneas Siluius, affirmyng that he hath heard, that in Scotlande is a trée growing for the most part vpon the banke of a ryuer, which brought forth frute of forme & likenesse to a de Caunes réede, which being ripe, fall off themselues, some into the water, and some vpon the lande, and those whiche take the water, are séene to haue life, and swymme vpon the waues: and after certain time to take wings and flie into the aire, which notwithstanding by diligent inquisi­tion hath not ben founde in Scotlande but rather in the Iles of Orchades.

ACcordyng to the testimonie of Conra­dus Licostenes (of whome I haue borowed the portraict of this horrible Serpent with vij. h [...]es) this monster was sente out of Turkey to the Venetiās embalmed, who not long after made a presente of it to Francis de Valoys, the Frenche King, by whome for the rarenesse of it, it was va­lued at six thousande ducates. Wherein like as (for a more certaintie and truth of the matter) I haue ben curious to [Page] searche whether there hath ben any such monstrous thing within the courte or not: so if it be true (as it is to be pre­sumed, in respect of the authoritie of him that wryt it) I think nature hath neuer brought out or formed any thing more maruellous, amongest all the monsters that euer were: for besydes the monstrous and fearefull figure of thys Serpent, there is yet a further consideration and re­garde touchyng the faces, which bothe in view and iudge­ment séeme more humaine than brutal: but touchyng the multitude of hir heades, me thinketh it oughte to argue no great strangenesse, to fynde serpents with two or .iij. heades, seing we haue and meane to make mention of bothe men and women that haue hadde no lesse, the same being also witnessed by certaine of our late writers, who trauailyng into India, haue séene the same. Ludouicus Ver­tomanus in his boke of the peregrinations of the Indians sayth, that he hath séen in Calycut, fourfooted serpents brée­ding within certain marshes, which contain for the height of their body, the bygnesse of a Hog, but of an vgly foule and deformed head: he maketh also mention of an other kinde of serpents which be so venomous, that as soone as they touche or pierce the blood of a man, he falleth forth­with dead to the ground. He sayth, that if the King of that countrey, coulde discouer the place of habitation of these serpents, he woulde buylde them little caues or cabinets to defende them from the violence and inundation of wa­ters when there hapned any such: besides he helde them so deare, that if any of them were oppressed or killed by any of his people, such as cōmitted the fact were sure to passe the same way, the same mouing of a fonde & superstitious opinion of the king & inhabitants there, that these serpēts were certain spirites of God, which if they were not such in dede, they persuaded that their biting or poisoning could not worke such spedy death and destruction to man, which maketh that those venomous beastes walke and passe tho­rowe their townes without perill or hurte: and albeit in [Page 118] some one night there hath perished about nine persons of their venomous biting, yet can they lose no credit or esti­mation wyth the Kyng or hys people: who besides all these vanities, if they meete any of these vgly creatures in the beginnyng of any voyage or enterpryse, they doe accompte it a speciall good speede in theyr busynesse, such is theyr blyndnesse, and such is their mserable superstitiō.

Iambol, a notable Merchant of Greece, affirmeth y^t in his trafike to the Indians, he founde certain flying Serpentes, of the lengthe of two cubites, wyth wyngs in theyr fore­parte, the whiche flie by nyghte, and be of so mortall a poyson, that yf they lette fall or distill but one droppe of theyr vrine, it kylleth forthwyth the creature wherupon it falleth. Certaine late Embassadours of Portingale haue broughte from thence to theyr Prince, one of these Ser­pentes embalmed, the same carying suche a terrour with it, that albeit he were not to be feared, and without cause of feare, yet very fewe durst approche hym. The Aunci­ent Histories enlarge very farre touching the wonders of the monstrous Serpent which appered in Affrica to At­tylius Regulus, whose feare and force of venom was such, that notwithstanding any strength, torment of warre, engine or other policie whiche he or his people coulde de­uise, he coulde not be vanquished tyll he had torne in pie­ces and murdered the moste parte of his armie. They a­grée all, that the skinne of that Serpent contained .xxvj. foote in length, whose iawes were hong vp, and remay­ned there for a miracle vntill the warre of Muancya. Dio­dorus Siculus in his .iij. boke treateth of a serpent y^t was ca­ried on liue into Alexandria to y^e king Ptolomeus Philadel­phus, no lesse wōderful thā true, which I wil describe par­ticularly, according to the text, the rather bicause it cōfir­meth in many respects the circumstāce & effect of our pur­pose: Seing (sayth he) the noble and bountiful cōsideration of the King to suche as broughte to hym any straunge or monstrous Beastes: certaine Hunters determined to [Page] present hym in his owne countrey with a quicke serpent, wherin although the enterprise imported almoste an im­possibilitie, yet fortune so fauored their intēt, that within certain dayes after, by diligence they brought their pur­pose to effect: for they came to the knowledge of a greate Serpent, neare the water, of the length of .vij. toises and an halfe, who being withdrawn into a circle, and as other beastes went to the water, he aduaunced him selfe vpon a sodain, and swallowed certaine of them forthwith, the rest he kept within the circle of his taile to praie vpon after­warde. These hunters beholding at large and with discre­tion the orders and doings of this Serpente, whome they accompted without policie or vnderstandyng, beganne to marche neare him, thinking to take him with their coards and chaynes: but being come within his full view, & that they sawe his eyes flame as fire, his huge and great téeth: and being astonied withal at the hideous noisemade by his hard scales or finnes when he moued on eyther side, and lastly notyng his other fearfull regards of his heade, they began to stande in more awe of the daunger than able to attempt it to the vttermost effect of their meanyng: and yet notwithstanding this feare, thei cast forth their hookes and coardes vpon his taile, which so kindled his fury vpon a sodaine, that he assailed them forthwith with hissing and horrible noyse at his mouth, deuouring at one morsell him that was nexte him, throwing his taile aboute an other of the company, who likewise passed the same way: the same so amazing the rest that they reskued themselues by flight without intēt eftsoones to practise their deuise: albeit not long after the hope of gaine & profit ouercame the present perill and daunger they were in, for that they proued a­gainst him a seconde experience rather by arte and policie than strength, making of great cordes hollowe as a bowe net sufficient byg by their estimation, to contain within it the sayd serpent: and then noting diligentely his place of [Page 119] retire with his times of comming and going, as sone as he was gone abrode to hūt for some pray, they stopped the entrie of his caue with stones and earth, & by and by made a vault or hollow hole in the grounde, neare to the other where they laid their net: the effect and successe answered fully the meaning of their deuise, for after the serpent had fed sufficiently abrode, and repairing towards his place of rest, was amazed when he heard himselfe pursued with a great noise of trumpets, horsses, dogges and men, whose brute made the whole aire sound after him, and thinking lastly to saue himselfe in his denne, was forthwith ouer­throwne in the net, and so ouercharged with blowes (not­withstanding his force) that he yelded vnwillingly to the snares of the hunters, who, to preuent any mischiefe by his mouth, knocked out his téethe, and so wrapped in his nette as he was taken, they caried him into Alexandria, and pre­sented him to the King, who wondring no lesse at y^e strāge­nesse of the beast, than their pollicie in taking him, gaue order from that time forward, to preserue him with a thin diet, to the end to diminishe his strength, which being iust­ly obserued, made this horrible Serpent, by succession of time so tame and familiar, that he made him to be shewed as a thing of great miracle to straungers, that came to vi­site him: it appeareth in a volume or remembraunce of the acts of Alexander, that in the pursute of Porus king of India, (who fled afore his furie) he found among the deserts & bur­ning sandes many Serpents called C [...]rastes, & other whose terrible hissing procured a fearefull brute in the aire, and had eyes sparkling with venim, who charged the soldiours with such fury, that notwithstanding their resistcāe euery way, they killed well nigh .xx. mē of warre & .xxx. seruants: there be also found in hot places an other sort of Serpent, which some call Dipsas, and other Prester, the which is very short, white in coloure, with thrée strokes of blacke in his taile: suche as are bitten of them, become immediately so [Page] oppressed with an extreme drought, that they be neuer af­terward satisfied with drinking, being so distempered that way, that the more he drinkes, y^e more he desireth to drink: the same beeing the cause (as Dioscorides wryteth) that the auncient Phisitians, finding no remedy able to encounter this venomous infection, haue lefte it at large and vncura­ble. There is a kind of Serpent considered of by the Histo­rians, which is called Boza, who féedes most commonly of y^e milke of a Cow: He, if he haue time to assist his inclination, becomes very huge and bigge, which was very wel appro­ued in the time of Claudius Caesar, when one of them was taken and killed, in whose belly was found a whole childe. Plutarche is of opinion, that euen as Honye flies are engen­dred of beasts, waspes of horsses, & hornet of asses, so may it be, y^t of the marrow and carion of men certain kind of Ser­pents are bred: which he iustifieth in that he affirmeth, that many (by reason of this corruption) haue bene bredde in graues and Sepulchres of men. Which (accordyng to mine authour) happened in Auignon, in the time of hys studie there, where a simple Artisian, opening the lidde of a coffer of leade, wherein was a deade man included, was bitten of a Serpent, which was of suche mortall operati­on, that if he had not ben spedely rescued, he had dyed of the infection. Conradus Lychostenes, in his prodigious workes, writeth that in September, the yeare a thousand four hun­dred ninety and foure, there was a woman in Cracouye in a place called the holy Ghost, who was deliuered of a dead childe, hauing tied at his backe a quicke Serpent, which ceassed not to deuoure and gnawe the deade bones of the childe: neyther is that of lesse maruell whereof Baptista Leo makes mention in the time of Pope Martine the fifth, when he sayeth was founde amongste a sorte of rockes or stones, a great Serpent on liue, the same being so en­closed wyth a heauy stone, that there appeared neyther place to discerne him, nor hole from whence he might ey­ther [Page 120] take or yelde breath: the wise men which were there assembled to pronounce a reason of his being there, helde opinion that he was engendred of the moiste substance of the stone, which being putrified, brought forthe such defor­mitie: But when they should resolue touching hys respi­ration or taking of breath, they séemed greatly troubled, bicause the stone being massiue and heauie, had also ney­ther vent nor conduicte whereby he mighte either cast vp, or receiue any breath, no more than that which was found in the Sepulchre, whereof I haue made mention here be­fore, which was so surely closed and stopped with leade on euery side, that the aire could not pierce into it. But now albeit our sundry histories haue here preferred diuers cru­ell and venomous Serpents, yet I thinke nature and the earth haue formed none more maruellous than the Basi­lick, to whom all antiquitie hath alwayes giuen the name of king of the Serpents: this is a kinde of those Serpents, which beare in their head a white marke or stroke, sée­ming vpon them in sort and maner of a crowne: hir head is very sharpe, hir throte red, hir eyes and other coloure drawing somewhat neare a blacke: she chaseth wyth hir hissing (as Plinie sayth) all the other Serpents: she makes trées die with hir breath, scorcheth herbes, breakes stones, and so infecteth the aire where she remaineth, that no birde can vse wing there without perrill: she killeth men wyth hir onely regarde, like as an vncleane woman infecteth and spotteth a glasse. And although she containe not aboue one foote in length, yet is hir poyson so strong & venimous, as she killeth other Serpents wyth the very breathe that commeth from hir fore ende: she is so mortally venomous, that she infecteth and ouerwhelmeth great Cityes with the aire or breath of hir mouth, the same approued not on­ly by the historians prophane, as Dioscorides, Plinie Aelian, Lucian, Isidorus, with many mo, but also confirmed in some sort by the Ecclesiasticals.

[Page] Hieronimus Cardanus in his bookes of diuers Historyes, treating of the wonders of this beast, brings in a straunge thing hapning in our time which he describes in this sorte.

At such time (saith he) as I made my bookes of diuers Hi­storyes, the .xxiij. of Iuly happened a thing no lesse worthy of admiration, than memory, which I did assist wyth myne eies and presence. Iacques Phillippes Cerunse caused to be made vnder the earth, a valt or caue, which bicause it shuld consolidate the better, he made stoppe very close, and with­in .xviij. or .xx. dayes after, made the same to be opened to draw forthe certaine arches of wo [...]de which sustained it, whereunto as one of his workemen disposed himself to dis­cend by a ladder, and being in the middest of the same, he fel downe dead, the maister séeing no returne of his mā, would proue the experience in himselfe, who likewise being come so lowe as the other, fell also dead, after whom the assistāts (not doubting any mortal peril) sēt a third, a fourth, w^t ma­ny other, which al passed one way: this albeit it gaue great indifferent cause of suspition and feare, yet was it no suche terror to the people without the hoale, as to make them de­sist to send any more, but chose out amongst thē al a strong huge man of no other regard with them all, than as a foole, who discending as low and to the place of the others, fell not, but with a crooke of iron drewe one of them that were dead, which gaue him such courage y^t he would once againe goe downe, and being within the mouth of the vault, he be­gan to sinke and fall, albeit he was preuented by the dili­gence of the assistants, who by speciall remedies recouered him of his traunce, but not of the vse of his speache till the next day, when I perceiuing (sayth Cardan) that he began to speake, I asked him many things, but he séemed not to re­member to haue sayde or done any thing saue only his go­ing downe: there was let fal in a corde, a dogge whom they also plucked vp againe halfe dead, wherby euery man that was not able to comprehende the cause of these wonders, [Page 121] iudged that there was within the caue a Basilicke, which o­therwise is called Serpens Regalis. Wherin as we haue now (as I thinke) treated sufficiently of certaine straunge and monstrous Serpents found in sundry prouinces & partes of the world, it is no lesse necessary (in mine opinion) to search out certain singular things which are foūd in some particular kindes of them: those which haue treated of the nature of Serpents, haue obserued chiefly that their ex­crements smell sweete, which by natural reason may pro­céede of their drinesse: for Serpents of their owne nature be dry, the same arguing that their excrementes be well boiled by reason of the straitnesse of their intrails. Some affirme that Serpents haue so odiferous a breath, that it séemes as swéete as Muske. There be Serpentes which kepe their venome after their death, as the Uipers, for o­therwise their flesh could little profite to the composi­tion of Triacle, if they were altogither without poyson. Besides, wherupon could come the excoriation in the Le­per that hath eaten them, if they did not reserue some poy­son? It hath chaunced in our time that such as haue taken of the hide from a beast, that hath perished of the biting of a Uiper, die also of the like disease. Dioscorides in his sixth booke wher he treateth of poisons and venomes, saith that immediatly after a man is bitten with a Uiper, the biting swelleth and becometh dry, and of a whitish coloure: there appeareth in the beginning of the biting a fiery anguishe, all died with bloud, which doth force out of the flesh round about it, certaine blisters, as if they had bene burnt wyth fire, then foloweth an viceration, then they bléede & swell, touching those partes that be about the liuer, whereupon are procured vomites of choler, heauie sléepe, shaking tho­row the whole body, Passions of the vrine and cold sweat. Certaine late Phisitians are of opinion that the Uiper is no other thing than the Serpent which we call in Fraunce the Aspic. Some do affirme that the Uiper doth abhorre [Page] a naked man, and feareth him more than if he were clad with garments. The Phisitians are of opinion that if a mannes eyes be rubbed euery morning with the skin or flough of a Uiper, his sight shall neuer be dimme nor hurt with suffusion, affirming besides, that if an olde floughe be burned when the Moone is full, and in the first part of the signe of Aries, and that the cenders be sprinkled vpon a mannes head, it stirres vp terrible dreames. Plinie and Dioscorides auouche that the earth neuer receiues within hir entrails, the Serpent that hath once bit a man, seming (as it were in respecte and reuerence of a certaine royall benignitie) to haue in horror him that hathe offended the King, chiefe and Prince of all beastes. Plinie wryteth that the spittle of a man, specially of him that is fasting, is ve­nomous to a Serpent, in so much that if he but taste of it neuer so little, he dieth, and that which more is, if a man but poure it vpon him, it offendes him no lesse than if he had skalding water cast vpon him. All the Phisitians and wryters obserue that the venomous Serpents hide them selues, or abide within the thrée leaued grasse, bi [...]ause that herbe is mortiferous to them. Those that wil handle ser­pents without daunger, let them wash their handes first with the iuise and sappe of Turneps, the same being so great an enimie to their poyson, that they had rather die, than once cease vpon the place that hath bene rubbed with Turneps, whose only smell doth take away both his lyfe and force. Cardanus in his .xviij. booke de subtilitate, and in the Chapiter which [...]reateth of maruellous inuentions, sayth: that the wilde Cowcumber, blacke néesing pouder called Eleborum, and the great Serpentine called Drachontiū mains, be of so great force against serpents, that such as be annointed or rubbed with their iuise, be seldome or neuer offended or hurt with Serpents: for better confirmation wherof I may boldly bring in a History which I haue nei­ther red nor vnderstode, but was priuie to y^e experience of it my self in the time of Pope Iulia that died last.

[Page 122]Such as haue haūted Italy, know (I am sure) that there be certaine charmers which they cal Enchaunters of ser­pents, who vse to cary about their neckes, great boxes ful of quicke Serpents, vnder the pretence wherof, they liue and sel certaine Oyles, which they say are most soueraine against the bitings of mad dogges and serpents: amongst those I noted one chiefly at Rome, who had many of those creatures, amongst which he had one of a foote and a halfe long, whom in the presence of a thousand persons he made bite him by the tongue, which began forthwith to swel as bigge as his fist, and besides the swelling it became blacke and scur [...]fie, in suche sort that euery one iudged it to be in­fected with poison: soone after he began to rubbe his tong with a certaine oyle which he called oile Balsamium, which didde so qualifie the swellyng, that in one instant it appe­red as faire and naturall as before: by whiche miracle he solde his Oile at what price he desired: wherein as I was very curious to trie if he performed that wōder by either Arte or sophistical sleight, and not able to discouer any de­ceite at all, euen so Plaudanus a notable Phisitian in Italy, and from whom we attēd euery day some learned worke of such matters auouched vnto me by othe, an History ve­ry like to this, whereunto I giue as great faith, as if mine owne eyes had assisted it, the rather by the fidelitie of him that tolde it me, who besides he saw the experience, yet his learning demeth him to be abused or deceiued by eyther pollicie or Arte: he said that in the yeare .1533. there was in the famous Citie of Bresse (gouerned at this day by the Ve­netians) two of these Enchanters of Serpentes sellyng their oyles in the very same streat, wherein for more cre­dit and aucthoritie of their trafficke, they shewed to y^e peo­ple sundry quick serpents, whereby their gaine grewe the greater: but one of their companie borne in Verona, ielous belike of the profite of his fellowe, gaue it out to the mul­titude that it was but a deceit, and y^t the oyles which they sold, were a vain substāce, cōfected by sophistical meanes, [Page] which he offred to proue if the Magistrates would assist him with warrant or aucthoritie, whereunto they agreed with small entreatie, aswell for a desire they had to haue the disceit disclosed, as speciall delite in séeing the effect of the deuise. This galland of Verona, at the day appointed, hauing made to be set vp a little Theater, to the ende the assistāts might behold the experience of his promise, moū ­ted with great maiestie vpon the scaffolde, where calling the other of Padua, who was no lesse ready than himselfe, said vnto him: If thou hast of the true Oyle of Balme (as thou haste giuen out to the people, to abuse their simplici­tie, and win their money by deceit) sticke not to shew in this place and presence an vnfained proofe & triall therof, wherewith he drew out of his boxe with his bare hande a great Toade quicke swelled with poison, & holding in hys hand a certaine roote, bad him choose whether of those two things he had rather eat, either the roote or the Toade, for for my part (sayth he) loke as thou dost deuoure the one, I wil eat the other, and then shal it be séene which of vs two escapeth the best cheape, wherewith the Padouan albeit greatly amazed, yet being pressed with compulsion to doe the one, toke the roote and eat it. The Veronian at the same instant, tare the Toade in pieces with his téeth, and swal­lowed hir into his body, retiring immediatly both of them to their drugges, and arming them albeit with their Anti­dotes or counterpoisons, could not so cunningly conuey their sleights, but one remained dead as a pawn, for with­in .2. or .3. houres y^e Padouan began to chaunge colour & lose strength so fast, y^t he was taken in a soūd from the Thea­ter, & (what remedy so euer could be aplied to him) within 24. hours after he died, being swelled as one diseased with the dropsie. The other y^t deuoured the toad, vnderstanding y^e tragedie of his companion, saued himself by flight, being séene notw^tstanding .2. or .3. yeres after, selling his drugs & other confections in diuers places in Italy according to his [Page 123] wont: some also which the Grekes cal Ophirgenes, are woont to heale the bytings of such Serpents with onely laying their hand vpon the hurt body, from whence they drewe the venom, as also do the Psilles and Marciens, a people of Africa, whose Embassador called Exagon, for an experience of the matter, being come to declare his message to the Romains, was put naked into a Toune full of Serpents, Uipers, and other venomous beastes, who being thus a­mongest them, in place to offende or doe hym any hurte, they began to licke and cherish hym. Constantine Caesar in his bookes of Husbandry writeth, that to draw or gather together all the Serpents of a countrye, it is néedefull to make a hole or caue in the earth, and to put therein a potte or vessel, wherein hath bene of those con­fections, which (as the Adamant doth the yron,) is of a vertue to draw all the Serpentes of that Countrey into that place.

THe Indians and Brachmans haue shewed them selues for the most part very ceremo­nious in obseruing the natiuities of theyr children: For two monethes after their birth, they caused thē to be brought in pub­like, beholding them very diligentely whether they were perfect or imperfect, faire, or deformed, mete for warre or peace, after which ceremonies so obserued, knowing that according to their education, they would be mete to serue [Page 124] in the cōmon wealth, caused them to be instructed and no­rished in those artes and sciences whiche best agréed wyth their inclinations: but cōtrary, if they found them mon­strous, deformed or wanting any member, repugnant to nature, they caused them immediatly to be murdred and killed, like as the Spartins in Grece by the lawes of Licur­gus, caused those children whose shape and membres were wel formed to be brought vp & norished: but if nature had not don or performed in them hir dutie, they being therby monstrous or brokē, were immediatly caried into strange regions, or into some Isles and deserts, and so cōmitted to the mercy of their fortune: euen so the Athenians imme­diatly after they found any monstrous childe in theyr Ci­tie, caused him to be cast headlong into the sea, purifiyng not only their citie with a numbre of maydes, who went through the same, singing hymnes and Psalmes, but also making sacrifice to Iuno. The auncient Romains folowing the ordinance of Romulus, vsed to cast suche monsters in­to Tyber, burning their bodies and blowing away the cin­ders: wherin the Emperor Mauritius (although he were a Christian) followed in this the lawes of the Auncients, who forthwith vpon the sighte of any monstrous childe, caused it not onely to be killed, but kissed the knife wher­with he committed the butchery. All whiche I haue pre­ferred to memorie in this place for the respect of these .ij. maide twynnes, whose portraict is here to be séene, for if they had bene brought forth into the worlde▪ in the tyme of the aūcient Indians, Brachmans, Spartins, Lacedemonians, or in the time of the Romains, or in the raign of the Empe­ror Mauritius, their history and figure had bē buryed with their bodies, and had not bē sene in déede of so many thou­sands of people. In the yere of grace .1475. these two mai­des that you sée so knyt together by the raines, euen from theyr shoulders to theyr haunches, were engendred in I­taly, in the famous Citie of Verona. And for that their pa­rents [Page] were poore, they were caried through diuers Cities of Italy to get money of the people, being very desirous to see that newe spectacle and wonder of Nature. Wher­fore some write, that that monster whom you maye here see, was a shewe and prognostication, foretelling sundry maruellous mutations which happened after in those pro­uinces: for in the same yeare that they were engendred, Charles Duke of Burgoyne, occupied and gouerned the coū ­trey of Loraine. Ferdinande the great king of Spayne diui­ded the realme wyth Alphonsus, king of Portingale. Mathi­as and Vladislaus kings, made peace with the Hungarians and Bohemians. Edwarde king of England, was procured by the Duke of Burgoine to come into Fraunce, where was a peace concluded betwixt [...] him and king Lewys. And in the yeare of grace .1453. an other monster like vnto this was brought forth at Rome, wyth greate maruell to all the people, in the time of Pope Alexander the sixte, (who as Polidorus writeth) prognosticated the euils, hurts and miseries whiche shoulde happen and come to passe in the tyme of that Bishoppe.

MAny be astonished to see the great nū ­ber of maruellous examples of Crueltie, which haue raigned not only amongest the Ethniques, but also (the more to be lamen­ted) amongest vs Christians, which be all issued out of one vine, formed of like elements, incorpo­rate in one church, hauing one head & Lord Iesus Christ, being the children of one father celestiall, of one spirite, raunsomed by one bloud, regenerate of one baptisme, no­rished [Page] of like Sacraments, participating of one Chalice, and fightyng vnder the crosse and banner of Iesus Christ, hauing one common enimie Sathan, being called a like to one heritage, and yet notwithstanding we be not ashamed to dismember and teare in pieces one an other, with suche horrour and confusion, that it séemeth we would fighte a­gainst nature, and drenche the earth of humain bloud, lea­uyng it besides as a deserte or place inhabitable. But by­cause you shall not maruell of that y^t the Historians write of the great effusion of bloud, which was shed in the batail which Edwarde the .iiij. king of England made against the Scots, where he killed & murdred thrée score thousand men, I will shew you a more horrible spectacle in nature, wher­of also Sabellicus writeth of Charles Martell king of France, and Abidaran, where in one conflict was killed and mur­dred thrée hundreth and fiftie thousande. But what a but­cherie and slaughter had the poore flocke of Iesus Christ in the battaile which Ladislaus king of Pauonie had against A­murath Emperor of the Turkes? seing that of the partie of the same Turkes being victorers, was founde .iiij. hundred thousand dead carkasses, as Sabellicus witnesseth, There is scarsly to be founde such a wonder or horror in nature, as that wherof Iosephus writeth in y^e warres of the Iewes by that great butcher Alexander, in the bloudy battail which he had against Darius, where was slaine a million of men. In like maner Cyrus king of Perses was so vnfortunate in the battail which he had against the Scythians, that of two hundred thousand men, which he had in his armie, was not found one man to report the newes of the ouerthrow. Al­beit reading nowe amongest the Historians of those that Sylla killed of the Mariens, those that Pompey slew of the souldiors of Mytridates, those that Ptolomeus ouerthrewe of Demetrius, of those that Cesar cut in pieces in ten yeres, when he sent to fight agaynste the Gaules, those that Lu­cullus slewe in the warre whiche he had agaynst the Ar­menians, [Page 126] those that Attilla killed, those that Miltiades slew, those that Marcus Claudius & Cornelius killed, with an in­finite numbre of like slaughters, whiche be founde by the Historians, Greekes and Latins, you shall fynde, that if you coulde see them all put in accompt, there must néedes be inuēted a new Arithmetike to numbre them: and I beleue that if they had made a roll of al the bieues, muttons, vea­les, goates, and other fourefooted beastes which haue bene killed in a thousande yeares within all the butcheries of Europe, their number would not excéede the dead carkases of men slaine & murdered: yet it is not sufficient so to kyll men in battaile by sworde, but that they must search new meanes and inuentions to murder them, as Eusebius doth shewe in hys Ecclesiastical Historie of that infamous but­cher Dioclesian the Emperour, who seing that the Chri­stians whiche raigned in hys tyme, woulde not renounce the name of God, and worshyp hys ydoles, was not con­tente to cut of theyr noses, and their eares, causing spel­les of woode to be put vnder theyr nayles, pouryng hote leade vpon theyr priuie partes: but in like maner he cau­sed to be bowed by great force foure trees, to the which he made to be tyed their féete and handes: who being left in this sort, were by the violence and force of those trées dis­membred & pluckt in peces, as may be séen by the portraict and figure here before, the which torments haue also bene practised & put in vre in our time in Piemont, against a cer­tain souldier, which would haue betrayed a citie, as le seig­neur de Launge writeth in his art of warfare. Astiages that great king of the Medes, hath not only surpassed that presi­dent in crueltie, but hath also executed that, which you wil not only haue in horror to reade, but also in as great dete­station to conceiue in your heart. At what time the greate Patriarch of tirāny, hapning to dreame one night of a cer­tain thing touching one of his litle childrē, which he could hardly digest, & withal fering y^t it shold one day take effect, [Page] determined to preuent his misfortune: and the better to execute his entent, he made to be called Arpalus, one whō he most fauoured, and the best of his realme, to whome he gaue secretly in charge forthwith to kill one of hys owne sonnes, without making any mā priuie therunto, for cer­tain causes which he would make hym to vnderstād more at leisure. Arpalus vnderstanding the sorowful commaū ­dement of the father against his childe, began to feele as it were a furious warre in his mynde: for as the pitie and innocencie of the infant, withdrewe hym on the one side, so the commaundement of his maister tormented him on the other: albeit reason & remorse of conscience in the end so muche preuailed, as pitie obtained the victorie: in such sort that he resolued not onely to saue the life of the childe but also to cause him to be brought vp in som secret place, without the knowledge of his maister: notwithstanding he coulde not so wel play his part, but that within certain days after, the king Astiages did discouer his friende, and that against his will, howe he had saued the life of his son, which he dissembled for a tyme with a good countenance, in such sort, that poore Arpalus thynking hym selfe cleare from suspition, and liuing in that libertie of minde, was astonished, that hys maister caused him to be called to ac­company him at dinner, hauyng besides made to be killed one of the children of Arpalus, which he caused to be so wel seasoned and disguised by hys Cookes, that it was hardly to be discerned what meate it was, causing the same to be serued at the table, without any knowledge to him ther­of: by reason wherof, the poore Arpalus mystrustyng no­thing, did eate therof willingly. But that infectiue tyrant Astiages, neuer glutted in his cruelties, was not content to cause him to eate the fleshe of his owne propre childe, so abundantly dressed with store of delicate frute, but made to be brought in in platters, the head, the féete and handes of that little innocent, to the ende that the father vnder­stāding [Page 127]

that it was his flesh, bloud and bones which he had eaten, after his rage and crueltie a little appeased, he de­maunded pleasantly, and in manner scoffingly, if those meates were not well seasoned and well liked of him: to whom poore Arpalus, troubled of an extreme compassion in his mind, fearing him to be angry, answered him soberly, that all was good at the table of a King. These cruelties he great: but those which Maximilian Emperor of the Ro­mains vsed, wer nothing inferior to the rest, who was not [Page] onely content with the killing of an infinite number of persons, by the furie and force of the foure Elementes, as broyling some, drowning others, burying some quick, and making others to be smothered: but besides, searching out more great and horrible wonder in nature, he caused the dead to kil the liuing, by tying the bodies of liuing men to the bodies of the deade, face to face, and mouth to mouthe, leauing them so, till that those which were dead, by their putrifaction had killed the liuing. Let vs passe vnder silēce that butcher of Sathan, Tiberius the Emperour, who me séemeth hath surpassed in crueltie all those wherof the Hi­storians haue at any time made mention: for he forbad vp­on paine of death, (that which no man hath read of other, but of him, which was) that for the great number of inno­cent men which he caused to die, there should no man la­ment, wéepe, sigh, or make other like dole: and he had of Satrapaes, and ministers expresly deputed to execute these cruelties, who had no other charge than to spie and marke with regard héere & there if any man wept, or sighed from his heart, or gaue any other witnesse of sorow or griefe, to the end he might be brought forthwith to the place of exe­cution, to be punished with the like pain to him, whose in­nocencie he lamented. All these cruelties & tirannies be­fore specified, be extreme, but those which follow be most brutal, and executed of a rare and straunge fashion: for in the first they touched but liuing creatures, but in these that follow, they fight with those that be deade. Cambises King of the Persians, was not satisfied with the cruell murthering of Psamenitus king of Egipt and many others: But besides that being at Caire, be caused the carkas of Damasus to be drawne out of his tombe, causing the same not only most shamefully to be whipped, pricked full of bodkins, as though he had bene aliue, but in the ende broi­led it (as Herodotus witnesseth) which he proued not only on the behalfe of men, but performed the like on women, [Page 128] to whom the lawes of pitie be for the most parte most fa­miliar. For after that Cyrus king of the Persians had killed in battaile the sonne of Thomiris Quéene of Scithia, ha­uing a new supply of souldiers▪ she pursued the king with such furie, that she cut al his rout & armie in pieces, whom she encountred, and king Cyrus himself was also slain: but for all that, hir rage was such, as it was nothing thereby appeased, for she felt yet the death of hir sonnes, for which cause she caused the head of Cyrus to be seperated from his body, putting y^e same forthwith into a vesse [...]lful of humain bloud, and afterwards beholding it with a furious regard, said vnto him: Cyrus, thou hast already drenched the bloud of my sonnes, and hast thyrsted for myne, but now fill thy selfe of bloud. Tullia the daughter of Tarquin, King of the Romains, hath yet surpassed all the rest in crueltie, for she caused hir father to be killed, to the end she might inherite his realme, & please therby hir ruffian or champion: wher­fore seeing the bodie of hir dead father lying on the groūd, being mounted on hir chariot, she passed therewith ouer him, and although that the horses, (fearful of the dead per­son) refused to passe that way, and that y^e Chariter who did guid them, finding in himselfe some pricks of pitie, would haue turned them an other way, to the ende they should not teare the body of the king, yet that infamous tirannesse, surpassing the horsses in cruel­tie, dyd constrayne them by force to marche ouer the body of him which had engendred hir.

THe auncient Ethnikes haue had in so great horror adulterers & fornicators, that there was not amongst them either peo­ple, nation, or Prouince, which were not chastised by some seuere lawe: for lyke as Strabo wryteth in his sixtenth boke, that the Ara­bes punished adulterie by death: euen so also did the Lum­bardes and the Egiptians, causing the whooremonger to bée whipped through the Citie, cutting of the womans nose so [Page 129] taken, to the ende hir face myght by that meanes become the more deformed. Wherefore Iustin witnesseth, that the Parthians amongst other vices, punished most seuerely adulterie: so the [...]ocrenses plucked oute the eyes of those, who were apprehended and taken committing that vice, whiche their king Zeleucus (who was the author of that lawe) approued both iustly and seuerely in his own sonne who being taken for that offēce, had one of his eyes pluckt out. The auncient Almains (as Tacitus writeth) cut of the haire of their adulterous women, causing thē afterwards to be whipped through the streates. In like manner the Romains gaue libertie to the husbande, of his owne proper aucthoritie, to kil the whoremōger and his wife, if he toke them cōmitting of that abhominable vice. Macrin the .xix. Emperour, caused al such as were apprehended in adulte­rie, to be broiled quicke, who being informed, that diuers souldioures had violated their hostesse chamber maide, he caused the bellies of two great Beefes to be opened aliue, and made the souldioures to be sowed and inclosed therin, sauing their heads which appeared out, to the end that all men might see them, & the one talke with the other. And Aurelius the .xxix. Emperour, being made to vnderstand y^t a souldiour of his armie had defloured the wife of his host, inuented for him to make him die by a new kind of cruell punishment: for he caused two great trees by force to be bowed and plied, whereunto the souldioure was tied, to y^e end that the trées returning to their place, might tear and plucke him in pieces. Confer these punishmēts with those written of before, and you shal find no adulterer receiue y^e reward of a better hire: for in y^e sacred historyes▪ by y^e law of Moises they were smoothered, murdered and stoned to death. S. Paule in his .xiij. to the Hebrues, crieth that God wil condemn fornicators and adulterers. After in his first boke to the Corinthians and .vj. Chapiter, he writeth thus: Do not disceiue your selues, for neither fornicator, Ido­latour [Page] or adulterour shal not possesse at all the kingdom of God. Wherfore amongst the most principall causes that moued God to drowne the world, was chiefly this wicked vice of whoredom: fiue famous Cities (as it is written in the booke of Moyses) became ruinous and ouerthrowne for their disordred and wicked liues. In the booke of numbers xij. kings were hanged, and .24000. men killed for comit­ting of whoredom. It is wrytten in Leuiticus xxviij. chapi­ter, how the Chananeans were afflicted & punished for their whordome: wel nigh all the line of Beniamin, (as you may read in the .xxxix. of the Iudges) was afflicted for commit­ting fornication wyth the Leuites wife. Diuers greuous punishments were sent vnto Dauid, for his whoredom, as you may read in the booke of the Kings. Salomon for the same cause and committing Idolatrie, became reprobate: wherefore S. Ieremie the Prophet recompteth very often y^e whoremongers and fornicators, were the chiefest causers of the destruction of the Citie of Ierusalem. Diuers & many Realmes (by thys detestable vice) haue receiued chaunge and alteration, & become subiect to others. Troy the proud became ruinous for the rauishment of Helen. In like man­ner Thebes the populous was afflicted and scourged for y^e abusing of Chrisippe, and the incest committed by Eclipus. The Kings of Rome were extirped & banished for the ra­uishment of Lucrecia. Aristotle in the .v▪ of his politiques, sayth: that adulterers and fornicatours be the principall and chiefest causers of the ruin and mutation of realmes. The King Pausanias so much renoumed in Licaonien, who first defiled a maide at Constantinople, and after killed hir, was aduertised by an Image, of his end and destruction. A thing very straunge, that whoremōgers should be warned of the paines prepared for them by wicked spirits to their owne confusion, which Pausanias proued true, for that the Ephores constrained him to die by famine. Wherfore if the Histories both sacred and prophane be so fully replenished [Page 130] of grieuous paines, cruel punishmēts, irefull cursings sent by God commonly vpon whoremongers, what may then the Sodomites and others loke or hope for, who ioyne them selues in the ignominie of God and nature, with brute beasts, as is most plainly shewed vnto vs by this shameful Historie, whose portraict thou mayst beholde in the begin­ning of this Chapiter, of a childe who was conceiued and engendred betwene a woman and a dogge, hauing from the nauell vpwards, the forme and shape of the mother, so well accomplished, that nature had not forgottē any thing vnperformed, and from the nauell downwards, it had the forme and figure of the beast who was the father, who (as Volateranus wryteth) was sent to the Pope which raig­ned at that time there, to the end it might be purified and purged. Conradus Licostenes writeth a like Historie in hys wonders, of a woman which brought forthe in the time of the Emperor Lothairus, a childe and a dogge, ioyned & knit together, by the nether partes, that is to say, from y^e rains or tippe of the backe to the hāches. And Celius Rhodiginus in his .xxv. boke and .xxxij. chapiter of his auncient lessons, wryteth that there was a Priest called Crathin in Ciba [...]e, hauing had the companie of a Goate, with whom he vsed this brutal desire: and afterwards within a certaine time brought forth a Goat, who had the head and shape of a mā, resembling the Priest which was the father, but the rest of the body was like the Goat. Whereupon S. Paule sayth in the fourth Chapiter to the Ephesians, that the plague ordained for whoremongers, is, that they become blinde and madde, after that they be once forsaken of God, and will not be recon­ciled by good and wholesome councel, but perseuer still in their wicked­nesse, prouoking therby Gods wrath and indignatiō a­gainst them.

THat great Monarch Marcus Aurelius, who was as well a philosopher as an Emperor, re­tiring himselfe into the fields with a great nū ­ber of wise men, as wel to deceiue certain en­uious [Page 131] times of the yeare, as to moderate the heate & bur­ning of a feuer, whiche had vext and troubled hym many dayes, with intente not to be idle, they began to talke of diuers matters amongest themselues, as of the corrupti­on of princes, the alteration of common weales, and ge­nerally of the vniuersall disorder, whiche was founde a­mongest all the states of the worlde: wherein after euery man had touched particularly that which seemed good vnto hym, it pleased the Emperour to become therein a partie, and continuyng the tal [...]e, he sayd vnto them: My fr [...]end, although eche of you haue very learnedly spoken of the question propouned touchyng the corruption of Princes and publike weales, so it is notwithstanding (as me see­meth) that the originall of that contagious euil procedeth of others, as of flatterers, which serue rather to feede the affections of Princes, and contente their delites, than to make them bolde to vtter vnto them the truthe. They fill their heads with good words, they are ready to claw afore they do itche, they lull them a slepe with the harmonie of their false praises, and fade them fatte with their owne faults, in such sort, that I know them at this day, whose legs and feete can carie no more, neither the force of their bodies hable to sustayne them vprighte, neyther their handes sufficiente to write, their sighte to reade, their teethe to pronounce, their iawes to eate, their eares to heare, nor their memorie vnoccupied: who wante no toungs at any time to require for them selues or theirs at the princes handes, either one good benefite or other: In suche sorte that these miserable creatures are so muche drowned in couetousnesse, that they neither knowe nor perceiue at all, that euen as their greedy desire to heape ri­ches groweth dayly in augmentation: so in like manner, their life shortneth and slippeth away. Whiche is in deede in effect (my friends) the iust cause of the abusing of prin­ces and weales publike. And the better to make you vn­derstand [Page] the difference of the auncient libertie of speking to kings, and of the couetous seruitude and weakenesse, which raigneth at this day amōgst those which assist them, I will recompt vnto you one historie, whiche I learned of no man, neither read in the bokes of the auncients, but I saw the effect in my presence: In the first yeare wherein they did me honour in creating me Consule, there came to Rome a poore villaine of the riuer of Danube, demaunding iustice in the Senate against a Censor, who tormented the people with tirannous subsidies & exactions: who was so hardy and barbarous to frame his complaint, that neyther most assured captain, nor eloquent Oratour in the worlde knew better how to speake. This villain had a little face, great lips, hollow eyes, a dusky colour, his haire staring, his head vncouered, his shoes of the skin of a porpentine, his cote of goates haire, his girdle of bulrushes, his bearde long and thick, his eyebries couering or drawne ouer hys eyes, his stomacke and neck ouergrowne with haire, and a staffe in his hand, who being in this attire, when we saw him enter into the Senate, we iudged him to be some beast hauing the shape of a man: but after we vnderstode y^e ma­iestie of his talke, and the grauenesse of his sentences, we thought him to participate with god. For as his shape was monstrous, so his talke was wonderful. That villain ha­uing paused a little, and turning here and there his gastly lookes, sayd vnto vs: Most noble fathers, and people most happy, I a rusticall and vnfortunate wretch, dwellyng in the cities which be nigh Danube, and you other Senators of Rome, which be here assembled, God saue you, and I pray to the Gods immortall, not only to gyue you grace to go­uerne well the cōmon weal, to the which you are now ap­pointed, but also that they wil so guide my tong at this present as I may say that which is necessary for my country, my sorowful desteny permitting the same, and our angrie gods not forsaking me. Oure countrey of Germanie was [Page 132] subdued by you Romains, wherin as your glorie is now the greater therby, euen so shal your infamie be a [...] extreme in the worlde to come, for the cruelties and tirannies wher­with you haue plagued vs. And if you see not what you know (neither would know it before this houre) that whē we vnhappy wretches were brought before the chariots of your triumph, and cried Viue Rome, bisides an other part of poore and miserable captiues, sheading drops of bloud in their hearts, crying to the Gods, Iustice, Iustice, Romains Romains, your couetousnesse is so great to rauine and take awaye the goodes of your neighboures, and your pride so vnmeasurable in commaundyng the landes of strangers, that neither the seas with their deapths, nor the land with hir largenesse be able to containe the same: but be ye assu­red, that like as you without reason, cast out others from their houses, landes and possessions, and some do sel them: Euen with the same reason in the ende shal you be chased from Rome & Italy: for it is a law infallible, y^t a man which taketh by force y^e goodes of an other, shal lose by right that which is his owne: and bisides, all that the wicked haue heaped togyther by theyr tyrannie in many dayes, the iust goddes shall take it away in one day: and contrarywise, all that the good lose in dyuerse yeres, the goddes will re­store to them in one houre. Wherfore if you thinke to en­riche your children by euill gotten goodes, and leaue the same to theyr vse, you are muche deceyued. For the Aun­cient prouerbe hath bene alwayes true, that by the vn­iuste dealyng and gayne of fathers, dothe come after­ward iust to losse theyr children. Heape then what ye can heape, and lette euery man obey youre commaundemen­tes, and knowe for a certaine, that where you thinke to make them lordes of straunge prouinces, you in the ende shall finde them but slaues of youre owne proper riches, and theues of the sweate and labor of other mens trauail. [Page] Notwithstanding I would demaund (Romains) what acti­on hath moued you, being borne nigh the Riuer of Tiber, to haue desire to plante and enlarge your borders to the riuer of Donnue. Haue we shewed any fauour to your enimies? Haue we conquered your landes? Or haue you found any auncient law, which affirmeth that the Noble coūtrey of Germanie ought of necessitie to be subiect to the proud Citie of Rome? Are we not your neighbors? And if there hath bene any thing amōgst your selues, which hath stird vp this quarrel, truely, you are not therof indifferent iudges: Nor thinke not (Romains) though you be made Lords of Germanie, that it is by any industrie of warre, for you are no better souldiers, neither more couragious, har­dy, or valiant than we: but as we haue offended our gods, so haue they ordained in their secrete iudgements, you to be scourges vnto vs for our disordred liuings. And seeing then we be ouercomed, not in respect we be cowards, fear­ful or weake persons, but only for our wickednesse, & that we trusted not in our Gods, what hope may you haue you Romains, being as we are vicious, and hauing as you haue the Gods angrie with you? And if I be not beguiled, we haue endured sufficient misery, for the apeasing of y^e gods: but your cruelties be so great and terrible, that the liues of you and your children, can not suffice to make recom­pence for your offences. Suffiseth it not (Romains) to take from vs our auncient libertie, & to load vs with insuppor­table impositions & subsedies, heaping vpon vs from time to time all kinde of miseries, but you must also send vnto vs iudges that be so bestiall and ignorant, that I sweare vnto you by the Gods immortal, that they neither know, nor can declare your lawes vnto vs, and much lesse they vnderstand oures: And that which worse is, they take all presented vnto them in publike, and refuse nothing giuen in secrete, and vnder colour they be Romains, they fear not to robbe all the land. What meaneth this (Romains) shall [Page 133] your pride in commaunding haue neuer end? nor your co­uetousnesse he withdrawne from your neighbour? If we be disobedient, and our seruices not content you, cōmaund to take away our liues: for to be plain with you, crueltie to cut our throtes can not so much offende vs, as your ty­rannies do continually grieue vs. If you do it in respect of our children, tie them on your backs, & vse them as youre slaues: and when you haue so done, they can carie no more than they can cary: but of commandements and tributes you haue gyuen vs more than we be able to sustain or suf­fer. Wherefore knowe ye (Romains) to what extremitie your tirannie and crueltie hath broughte vs, that all those of our miserable realme, haue sworne togethers, neuer to inhabite with their wiues, and to kil their children before they suffer them to fall into the handes of so cruel and vn­godly tyrantes as you be: for we rather desire that they may enioy libertie, thā that they should liue in thraldom & bondage: besides, as desperate, we haue determined to en­dure as yet y^e furious motions & assaults of the flesh, by se­questryng our selues fro our wiues, to y^e end they may be­come barren: thinking it muche better for vs to continue so .xx. or .xxx. yeares, than to leaue our children perpetuall slaues, for if they shoulde suffer that whiche theyr poore fa­thers haue endured, it were farre more better and profi­tabler, they were not borne, than liuing to proue so many wickednesse and torments. Wherefore wyll you vnder­stande (Romains) how your officers gouerne here? If the poore come to demaund of them [...]ustice, hauing no money [...]o giue, nor wine to present, neyther oyle to promise, nor Silke to offer, neyther fauour to ayde them, nor reuenue to relieue them, yet they finde the meanes to make them consume that little they haue, nourishyng them by [...] vaine hope or other to obtaine their matters and thus be­ing once brought in, they cause them to consume the best parte of theyr life by dilatorie delay [...] and afterwarde [...] al­together [Page] become ruinous and ouerthrowne: the most [...] parte of them assuring his cause to be right, and at laste pronounce against him a contrarie sentence, in such sorte that the poore miserable man, who commeth to complaine of one, returneth againe into his countrey, crying out of many, not onely cursing his peruerse and vnhappie For­tune, but also exclamyng against the pitifull add iust god­des. I haue not yet made an ende (Romaines) but before I procéede further, I wyll recompt vnto you my lyfe, and make you to vnderstande and knowe what be the delites of those in my countrey: I gather in the Sommer Acor­nes, and sometimes fishe, as well for necessitie, as to passe the tyme, in so much that I spende the miserable course of my lyfe alone in the fieldes or mountaines, and if you de­sire to vnderstande the cause, hearken, and I wil tel you. I haue séen such tirānies amongst your Censours, such wil­ling robberies & spoiles made of the poore miserable peo­ple, so great discentions in our realme: so many hurts and miseries in our cōmon weale, that I am determined (vn­fortunate as I am) to abandon mine owne house and wife to the ende I may not sée with mine eyes such lamentable things, louing farre better to wander alone in the fields, than euery houre to vnderstande and heare the sorowfull complaints, sighs and bloody teares of my vnhappy neigh­bours: for being thus bestowed in the fieldes, the cruell beastes will not offende me, if I offer to them no wrong: but the wicked men in my publike weale, thoughe I serue them, will annoye and torment me. Cruel Romains, Romaines, do you not vnderstande the things I haue spoken of before, seyng that onely in bringing them to memory, mine eyes be blynde, my tongue foltereth, my membres quiuereth, my hearte panteth, my intrailes breake, my fleshe consumeth? yet is it a more griefe vnto me to sée them in my countrey with mine eyes, to heare them with myne eares, to touche them with my fyngers, and to vn­derstande [Page 134] them by proufe. Behold (Romains) the iniquitie of oure Iudges, together with the miserie and desolation of our poore Realme and countrey: the one of these two things oughte to be done, eyther to chastise me if I lye, or to put youre officers from their offices if I haue spoken the truth: and if my tong haue offended, hauyng spit oute the poyson of my hearte, I am ready in this place to loase my head, desiring rather to winne honour by offering my selfe to die, than you should gaine the same otherways in taking away my life. Wherewith the rusticall person en­ded his matter, and incontinent the emperor Marcus Au­relius cried out, and sayd: Howe séemeth it vnto you my friends? What kernel in the nut, what gold in the mine, what seede in the strawe, what rose in the thornes, what marie in the bones, what reasons so high, what wordes so wel framed, what sentences so aptly applied, what allega­tions more like a truthe, and what couert so well discoue­red? I sweare vnto you (sayth Marcus Aurelius) that hys discourse brought such amase to vs all, that there was ne­uer a man so hardy to answere one onely worde, whiche made vs to determine the next day to prouide new iudges for the prouince of Danube, and to do punishment on those which had so corrupted their cōmon wealth: cōmaunding for end, that he giue vs his oration in writing, to the ende it might be recorded in the booke of good sayings of stran­gers, whyche were in the Senate: and the Rustick was en­fraunchised, and made riche of the Common treasure. Be­holde Christians, what holynesse, what oracles vnder the barke of the wordes of an Ethnike. But haue we at thys day of suche rustikes for to refourme oure Christian pub­like weale, and to discouer the deceits, subtilties, fraudes and iniquities of the mercenarie iudges which be found in these prouinces? For who would describe plainly y^e tromperie, sdeceites, enimities and daungerous ende of proces­ses, there shoulde be no one man hable to wryte the same [Page] with blacke inke, but rather with liuely and pure bloud, bicause that if euery man which followeth the lawe, suffred as much for the christian faith, as he endureth in the pur­sute of his processe, there shoulde be as many martires in courtes, Chaunceries, palaices, and Iustices of princesses, as there hath ben at Rome, in the time of the persecutions of the auncient emperors: in such sort that to search or be­gin processes at this day, is no other thing than to giue so­row to his heart, to his eyes occasion to weepe, to his feete and leggs to run, his tong to complain, his hands to be al­ways in his purse, to request & desire his friendes, his men to run, and to al the rest of his body paine and trauaile: be­sides, he that knoweth not what is y^e pursute of a processe, let him learne and vnderstand that the effecte and conditi­ons of it include no other thyng, than of a rich man to be­come poore, from ioy to fall to melancoly sorow, of a free man to become seruile and bonde, in place of courage, to be infected with cowardise, in stede of liberall bountie, to vse ambitious couetousnesse, of one beloued indifferently, to be hated generally, and from an honeste feare to fall in­to a miserable dispaire. In such sort that as we reade that the Egyptians were sometime scourged and afflicted wyth ten plagues at Gods hande: so we may say by good right, that the myserable suters and solicitoures of the lawe, doe partycipate dayely wyth tenne thousandes, where­of there is no difference as touchyng theyr tormen­tes, sauyng y^t the Egiptians plague, was moued (through their owne occasion) by the prouidence of GOD, and this of the Pleaders, is incensed by the malice of men: besides, if the Egiptians were afflicted by the biting of bea­stes, riuers running of bloud, their landes swarming with Grassehoppers, flies and gnatts, and their people annoyde with Leprosie, Botches, and other lothsome diseases, our poore pleaders are persecuted in attendyng the Presi­dentes, paying the Notaryes, brybing the Solicitoures, [Page 135] and annointing their clarkes in the hand with double fée, to vse duetie and reuerence to the iudge, to clap and knele to the dore kepers, and lastly pawne his land and credite to borow money to discharge it. All which, beside the toile and trauaile of their bodies, are incident to the poore plea­der, without y^t he makes any reckening vpō what points he must forme his accusation, what delayes are awarded to his cause, how he must tender his demaund of the one side, and challēge his exceptions on the other, make inqui­sition, examin witnesses, indure reproches, and make per­fect his processe, and after that he must take a copie of it, recorde it, abreuiate it, and lastly bring it to the opinion of the iudge, from whose sentence (for diuers respects) he may appeale and remoue his processe, & bryng it to a high­er Court, with such infinite toile & disquiet of minde, that who cōsiders of them according to their value and merite in déede, ought rather to be contented to lose one parte of his goodes, than to get or buy any other at so deare a price, which is the cause in déede, why this learned bishop of M [...] ­nodemo, Anthonie de Guauara, writ in a certain boke of his, that the pleaders were the only true Saincts and Martirs of the world, séeing that of the .vij. mortall sinnes they are not to be accused but of .iij. only, bicause touching y^e other iiij. although they wold commit them, yet had they neither the meane [...]or leasure. For how is it possible y^t they should be proud, seeing that they go continually with their hattes in their handes, and sometimes with great humilitie soli­cite the iudge, reserue a solemne reuerence to a pelting procurer, & lastly performe a fatte paiment to a scribling Notarie. And how can they be touched wyth the sinne of couetousnesse, séeing their pursses be neuer shut, nor theyr hands come emptie out of them, but making Idols bothe of maister aduocate and his wife, doe neuer cease offring vnto thē, till they haue left their pursse without a liuing? And touching the sinne of slouth & idlenesse, they are voide [Page] of infection that way, séeing that most commonly in place to passe the night in sléepe and naturall rest, they are tor­mented with sorowes, sighes, and other passions of griefe, and the day slippes away in drudging toile, trotting from one place and other, to procure expedition to their cause: And lastly and least of all are they infected with gluttony, seeing they must obserue neither times nor houres, to fede their stomacke, or procure them an appetite, & most com­monly for expedition sake they eat standing wyth great & grose morsels, ill swallowed, and worse disgested, and all to be readie at the pallaice gate to salute hys councellour, pul his aduocate by the sléeue, & make a signe to his clarke to remember his cause: wherwith he concludes lastly, that a processe is so daūgerous and venomous a Serpent, that who would wishe any euill or heauie fortune to his eni­mie, let him not desire to sée hym poore or miserable, hated of others, banished his Countrey, afflicted with diseases, nor threatned with present death. But let him pray to God, to giue him some crooked or intricate processe: for in al the world can not be foūd a more cruell reuenge for a mannes enimie, than to sée him plunged in a troublesom cause in the law.

ALthough that nature (as Galen wit­nesseth in his .xiiij. booke de vtilitate partiū) had an earnest desire that hir work should haue bene immortal, if it might haue bene performed, but for y^t it was not lawful both by the corruptible matter of the elements & sprite of the aire, she made therefore a forge or helpe & supuly for y^e immortalitie: for she foūd out a wōderful mean, y^t in place of y^e creature y^t shuld die, ther shuld be a supply of an other, [Page] and therfore nature hath giuen to all creatures conueniēt instruments aswell to conceiue, as engender. But it is so that these instruments so ordained by nature, although y^t she had a care to make them perfecte, yet there is found in them bothe vice and default, as is afterwardes shewed by the forme of this creature: wherin Hippocrates witnesseth in his booke De genitura, wher he sheweth by the similitude of trees, how these children issue from the bellie of theyr mother mōstrous and deformed, saying thus: that of force those bodies which cannot moue by reason of the straight­nesse of the place, must become the rather mishapen & de­formed: like as trées before they issue out of the earth, if they haue not libertie and scope to spring, but be with hol­den by some let or hinderance, grow crooked, great in one parte, and smal in an other: Euen so it is of the childe, if in the bellie of the mother the parties where he is nourished, be more straight one than the other: and that vice (sayth he) commeth of the narownesse of the place to straight in the wombe. Wherupon arguing a litle before of the same matter, he sheweth other reasons, by the which childrē be made monstrous and deformed, as by the natural diseases of the parents: for if the foure kindes of humors, whereof the séede is made, be not wholly contributorie to y^e secrete partes, there shall be then some partie wanting. Besides this, he addeth further other reasons touching monstrous birthes, as when the mother receiueth some blow or hurt, or that the childe fortunes to be sicke in the bellie of hys mother, either that the nourishment wherewith he ought to be relieued, happen to slippe out of the wombe: al which things be sufficient causes to make them hideous, wāting or deformed. And if we would consider with iudgement, these reasons of Hippocrates, treating vpon the generati­on of monsters, we should without all dout finde, that this whereof thou séest the portraict, is engendred so mishapen by one of these causes which he shewed: that is to say, by [Page 137] the narownesse of the place, wherein nature willing to create two, found the wombe to straight, which is y^e cause that she is found to wante, in suche sorte that the wombe is congealed and gathered in one, whereupon groweth this forme and superfluitie of members, in this little male mōster, whom thou seest héere figured, hauing four armes, four legges, and but one head, with all the rest of his body well proportioned: who was engendred in Italie, the same day that the Venetians and Geneuois (after the sheading of much bloud, both of the one side & the other) cōfirmed their peace, and wer reconciled togither: and which was bapti­sed and liued a certaine time after, as writeth Iacobus Fin­celius in his booke de miraculis post renatum Euangelium. And in the same yeare that Leopolde Duke of Austrich, vanquished of the Swizers di­ed. And Galea was created Ui­count of Millain, after the death of Bar­nabone.

DIogines Laerce writeth that there was a Rhodian iesting one day with the philosoper Eschines, saying to him: I sweare by the im­mortal gods (Eschines) that I haue great pi­tie and compassiō of thy pouertie. To whom he replied sodainly: and by the same gods do I make y^e like othe, that I more bewaile thée, to sée thée so rich, seing that riches once gotten, bréede not onely paine, torment, care with heauinesse to kéepe them, but also a more great dis­pleasure to spend them, perill to preserue them, & occasion [Page 138] of great inconueniences and dangers to defend them. And that which yet séemes to me more grieuous and horrible, is, that where for the most parte thou hidest thy riches, in the same place thou leauest thy heart buried. And lyke as Herodotus writeth, that the inhabitants of the Isles Balea­res, watch and defend wyth great care, that no mā entring into their Countrey, bring or leaue behinde them, either golde, siluer, silke or precious stones: which hapned so wel vnto them, y^t during the space of .400. yeres wherein there was most cruel warres not only amongst the Romains and Carthaginois, but also the French & Spaniards, neuer any of the said nations were once moued to inuade their landes, for that they could not finde either golde, siluer, or other thing of price or value to robbe, pilfer, or take away: euen so there is yet one other thing more straunge, that is, that Phalaris Agringetin, Dionyseus Siracusan, Catilmus Romanꝰ, & Iugurth Numidien, being .iiij. famous tirāts, neuer main­tained their estates & realms by any vertue whych they v­sed, but only by their great gifts & presents which they be­stowed on their adherēts: wherfore I wold wish y^t al such as be fauored of Princes, should note wel this saying, y^t it is impossible for one being in great fauor to continue long therin, being ouerwhelmed & accompanyed w^t the wicked vice of couetousnesse. Neither am I out of my matter, ha­uing touched y^e same in the Historyes before, for y^t in these our dayes, y^e world is so co [...]rupted therwith, as there is no other talke in our cōmon weales of any thing, but only of the burning rage of couetousnesse, whych raigneth in all y^e estates of y^e world, namely amōgst y^e Ecclesiastical persōs, as our high father w^t his Cardinals, a thyng much to be la­mēted, cōsidering that they ought to be rather distributers of the goods of the Lord, thā affectionated & burning as we sée w^t this gréedie desire of riches, y^t it seemes y^t they would drain al the welth of y^e world into theyr gulphs, & in y^e end burie the same w^t their bodies in the graue: wherof I haue [Page] written more largely in my other works, making menti­on of the cardinal Angelot. But now I wil returne to my matter, for sithens that y^e pestilēt venom of couetousnesse hath sprinkled hir poison through y^e world, y^t the most part of the prouinces remain & be so much infected therwith, y^t they by that meanes stick not to make marchādise of mēs bodies to obtaine mony: wherof Celius Rhodiginus in his iij. boke of aūcient lessons & .lvj. chapter is a sufficient witnesse, who declareth y^t in his time diuers wicked persons sold the flesh of men so well seasoned, y^t is séemed to be the flesh of Porke: in which wickednesse as they continued til God by his almighty power discouered the same, by suffe­ring them to finde the finger of a man mingled amongest their meats, which was the cause that they were taken & cruelly punished: euen so this néedes not séeme straunge, or a fable to those which haue red Galenes .xiij. boke of Ele­ments, who sheweth y^e mannes flesh is so like vnto porke, hauing the very tast and sauor of it, that those which haue eaten therof, iudged it to be the flesh of a Porke. Where­fore in the Historie of Caelius Rhodiginus it is not straūge, but most apparant, that couetousnesse hath so blinded mā, and rageth euen to the very tippe of iniquitie, that they cannot adde any thing more thereunto. Albeit Conradus Licostenes recompteth yet one other wonderfull Historie of couetousnesse, which is nothing inferior to this before, who wryteth that in the Dukedome of Wittemberge, there was a wicked hoste, who presented at supper all his gests, lodged in his house, with the fleshe of a Porke, bitten of a madde dogge, which was so greatly infected with the ve­nim of that beast, that all those which eate therof, became not only madde, but also pressed in such sort with the furie and rage of their euill, that they eat and tare in pieces one an other.

REader, this monster which thou seest here depainted, is so brutall and farre diffe­ring from humaine kinde, that I feare I shal not be beleued in that I shal write ther of hereafter: notwithstanding, if thou wilt but conferre this with those hauing faces like Doggs and Apes, wherof I haue written in the Histories before, thou shalt then fynde the other farre more monstrous. Iaques Ruell in his bokes of the conception and generation of mē, [Page] from whēce I haue this figure. Conradus Licostenes in his treatie of wonders, Iohānes Multiuallis, & Gasparus Hedio affirme & write, y^t in the yere 1512. at what time pope Iule y^e second, stirde vp & caused so many bloody tragedies in Ita­ly, & that he had made warre with king Lewis, euen at the iorney of Rauenna, this monster was engendred & borne at Rauenna aforesayd, (a citie most auncient in Italy) hauyng one horne in his head, two wings, and one foote, like to the foote of a ramping bird, with an eye in the knee, it was dou­ble in kind, participating both of the man & womā, hauing in y^e stomack y^t figure of a Greke Y, & y^e form of a crosse, & no armes. And like as this mōster was brought into y^e world in y^e time y^t all Italy was enflamed & molested with warrs, & not without bringing great terror to the people, in such sort y^t al the prouinces of Italy & Greece came to sée & behold this miserable creature: euen so they entred into diuerse iudgements therof, wherupon amongst the rest, ther was found sundry learned and holy men, which began not only to decipher the misery of this infant, but also y^e monstrous shape therof in this sort, saying, y^t by the horne was signi­fied pride & ambition, by the wings lightnesse & inconstan­cie: by default of the armes, want of good workes: by the ramping foot, rauishment, vsury, and couetousnesse: by the eye in y^e knée, too much loue or affection to worldly things: by bothe the kindes, the sinnes of the Sodomites. All whiche vices and sinnes raigned at that time in Italy, which was the cause they wer so afflicted with warres: but by this fi­gure Y, & the crosse, they were two signes of saluation, for Ypsilon signifieth vertue: the Crosse sheweth that al those which wil returne to Iesus Christ, and take vp his crosse, shal not only finde a true remedy against sinne, but a per­fect way to helth and saluation, and a special meane to mi­tigate therby the ire of the Lorde, who is enflamed and re­die to scourge and punish them for their wickednesse and abhominable sinnes.

[Page 140]

THere is founde by sufficient authori­tie in writing, that in the yere .1496. was taken vp out of the riuer of Tyber, a mon­ster, hauing the tronke of the body of a mā, the head of an Asse, one hand and arme like to a man, and the other of the fashion of an Elephantes foote: he had also (according to the portraict you sée) one of his féete like the foote of an Eagle, and the other like the hoofe of an Oxe, his belly like a woman with two duggs [Page] and the rest of his body with skales: he had also growing out behynde him, a head olde and hairie, out of the which came an other head of the forme of a Dragon.

WE reade also, that in the yeare .1548. was borne a childe in Almayne, which had his head deuided from his body, he had one legge onely, with a creuise or chink where his mouth should be, and had no armes at all: The same happening (as we may easily [Page 141] presume) by a want or default in the séede, as well in the qualitie, as in the quantitie of the same.

IN the yeare .1552. was borne in England a childe, whiche had two bodies, two heades and foure hands, and yet had but one belly, and one nauell: On one syde of the bodye came two perfect leggs, and on the other, but one, the same hauing one foote made like two, tyed the one gainst the other with ten toes.

[Page]

THere was borne in the yeare 1554. a monster of this proportion, hauing a greate masse or lump of flesh in place of a head, and where one of his eares should be, came out an arme and a hand, he had vpon his face writhen haires like to the Moostachoes of a cat, the other arme appeared oute of one side: he had no forme of body nor breast, sauing a line al a­long, the ridge of his backe: there coulde not be discerned any figure or likenesse of either sex, nor ioints in his arms [Page 142] or leggs: the endes of his handes and féete were soft and somewhat hanging, as appereth by his portraict.

AMongst the rest we must not forget two monsters which came forth in the yere .1555. the one in Germany and the other in Sauoy, the first was a horse, who (ac­cording to hys portraict had all his skinne checquered and deuided into great panes, after the order of the Dutche­mens hose, his necke and bodye couered wyth a collar of [Page] the same: Thys is affirmed by Iohn Foucet in hys booke which he hath made of the maruels of our time.

THe other Monster of the sayde yeare .1555. had two faces, in sorte as the Poetes fayned the God [...]a­nus hadde. He hadde lyke two greate pocketts hangyng vpon hys backe, wherein were hys bowelles: Hee was Vtriusque generis, and that of the one side a male, and the other a female. Also he was so huge aboue order, that [Page 143] it was impossible to drawe him whole from the bellie of his mother. It is moste likely that this imperfection hap­pened by too great a quantitie of matter sufficiēt to forme two children, which might also haue happened of a right shape, if by some inconuenience the substance had not ben mingled, so that that which shoulde haue serued for two, made but one creature.

THe monster that was brought forth in Germanie .1556. [...] so wonderful as this touching the shape of his [Page] bodie, which maketh it not easie to iudge whether there were default of nature in his generation: It was (as you may sée by the portraicte) a Calfe of perfect forme in euery respect, sauing that he had no legges before: and yet suche was his wonderful lightnesse, that hauing but two legges behinde, he excéeded all other beastes of that kind in swift­nesse. The same arguing that nature had considered and supplied his other wantes wyth a maruellous agilitie of his two legges. I remember I haue sene heretofore a mō ­ster of the same shape, albeit formed by some artificiall sleight, it was a yonge Goate, whose forelegges being broken, was brought by custome and necessitie to marche vpon his hinder legges, wherby the simple sort was more than halfe persuaded that it was a Satyre.

[Page 148]

THere was borne in the same yeare .1556. at Basle, a childe sufficiently formed of his bodye, sauing the head, which was so monstrous, that it séemed rather the head of a dogge or a Catte, than a creature humaine: Besides the which, that yeare was so fertile of prodigi­ous accidentes, that according to the witnette of suche as recorded them, there happened aboue fiftie monsters, as fires in the aire, horrible tempests, burning of townes by fire from Heauen, armed men appearing in the aire; [Page] fearefull Cometes, inundations of waters, threatening voices from heauen, skirmishes in the ayre, as wel with men as beastes, with a monstrous shew of many Sunnes at one time.

THis as you sée (resembling most a Calfe) hath the head of a man, bearing a beard, with a brest like to a man, and two dugges well formed.

[Page 145]

THe yeare wherin mine author writ this booke, séemed no lesse plentifull of monsters corporal, than wonders spirituall: for it is affirmed that the .xxvj. of Ianuarie, there appeared about .ix. of the clocke thrée Sunnes vpon the towne of Caffa, a Citie situated betwéene the Pont Eux­in, and the Sea Zabach [...], otherwise called Pailus Mertis, in the place which the auncients cal Taurica Chersonessus. these iij. sunnes remained by the space of .iij. houres: & had aboue them a white bow, & an other vnderneath the coloured red, gréene, yelow and Azure, and about noone, the two vtter­most of either side vanished and went out of sight, the one towards the East, the other towards the West.

[Page]

IN the same yeare .1567. and .28. of the same month, there appeared in the Element, & ouer the same place at .x. of the clock in the night a shining Crosse, wyth a starre in the toppe, and a Moone at the lower ende, retiring immediatly after it began to be day, without being séene any more at y^e time: but touching these sights and visions in the aire with their causes, which moue in dede by natural meanes as we beholde the figure of our selues in a glasse, or the Rainbow [Page 146] in the Element, I shal not néede to vse large description of them héere, bicause they are auouched by the Astronomers, Philosophers and others of like profession: beside for mine owne selfe I forbeare to wade farre therin, vntil a time & cause more conuenient for such purpose.

THe monsters which are this yeare come to knowledge be two, the one was in Prouence at Arles, and wandred besides thorow Fraunce. It was a childe rough or hairy on all the body, hauing the nauell in the place where the nose should stand, and the eyes where naturally should stād the [Page] mouthe: betwéene the which was a certaine opening: hys eares stode on either side the chinne, and his mouthe at the ende of the same.

THe other monster of this yeare .1567. was séene in Flaū ­ders betweene Anwarpe and Macline, in a village called Vbalen It was a childe which had .ij. heades and .iiij. armes, séeming .ij. maides ioyned together, & yet had but .ij. legges.

LIke as I am greatly in dout whe­ther so infer in the number of wonderful Histories that which we now write, not for the matter, but that it is shorte, and yet worthie of no lesse memorie than ad­miration: Euen so, for that the Historie may seeme of lesse credite and truthe, the same being written in that [Page] time, wherin men would scarsly suffer it to be imprin­ted or taken as a witnesse of antiquitie, albeit it were ayded and assisted by a truthe or other probable argu­ments to the like effect, hauing withall sufficiente co­lour to make men beleue that they speake to be suche as they recite: notwithstanding for that we be able to iustifie the truth of this present Historie by one who as be assureth to haue seene it, so hath he taken paine to write therof hym selfe, which is Othopertus of Saxonie, and after him Vincentius wytnesseth the same in hys xxvj. boke and .x. chap. and besides Antoni. in his fourth chap. his .xvj. titles and seconde tome of hys workes, where as I neede not feare to recite it as it is, or to ag­grauate the opinion or beliefe of any further than a truth: So neuerthelesse I haue to preferre and make mention of one Historie very straunge, and not heard of, yet albeit true. Wherof Othopertus writeth, that the yeare .1012. which was in the tenth yeare of the em­perour Henry the second, in a certain borough or towne of Saxonie, where he himselfe, accompanied with .xvij. other of his friends, whiche by computation wer .xviij. he accompted, dyd sée .xv. men and iij. women dauncing of a rounde in a Churchyarde, and singing of Wanton songs, not meete for the solace of honest Christians. And albeit there passed by at that instant a Priest, who cursed them in such sorte, that they daunced and song there the space of a whole yeare. Yet that which was most maruellous, is, that as it rained not (sayd he) vpon them, neyther were they hotte or desirous of meate or drinke, nor lefte from doing that exercise or labour, so their garmentes and shoes in all their dauncing were not worne or consumed: albeit in the ende they sonke into the earth, first to the knées, and lastely to their middles. The yeare expired, and their daunce ended, [Page 148] and they withall come to a perfecte vnderstandyng in what sporte they had spente the yeare paste, one of the women and two others of that companie dye [...] sodaine­ly, and all the reste slepte continually three dayes and thr [...] nyghtes: Wherevpon some of them immediatly vpon their wakyng, dyed, & the others deferred to the ende to tast more their follie, remay­ned in a continuall tremblyng, thorough all the partes of theyr bodies, during the terme and space of theyr myserable and vnfortunate lyues.