THE FIRST SCENE. Certaine Fashions of the Head, affe­cted and contrived, by the Pragma­ticall invention and Artificiall en­deavours of many Nations.

HIppocrates observes,Hippocrates lib. de Aere, Aquis & Locis. that the Naturall mould or figure of the Head hath bin tampered with, and altered by Art.Sennertus de morbis Figurae. Sen­nertus also, where he writes, De morbis Figurae, reckons a­mongst other causes of the ill Conformation of Mens Heads, that they are now and then induced af­ter [Page 2] the Birth,Sugar-Loafe-like Heads. whilest the tender Heads of In­fants, are by Midwives and Nurses formed af­ter a divers manner, while they are involved in Head-bands, and moulded with their hands ac­cording to their irregular and varying Phansies.

The first Ce­phalique Fashion­mongers we read of, who offered this affront unto Nature,Plin. lib. 7 & 6 Cap. 4 Mela. lib. 1. Cap. 21. Arist. lib. 1. Polit. Sui. das ex lib. 7. Hist. rerum Trojanarum. Caelius Rhod lib. 17.6.3. Lem­nius de miracul. Huart. Exam. de ingeniis. Schenck Obser­vat. de capite, obs. 26. were the Macrones of Pon­tus, so called, be­cause there were found many Ma­crocephali, that is, such Long Heads, as no other Nation had the like: A­mong whom (of old) it grew into a Custome, that they were e­steemed for the best Gentlemen, who had the lon­gest Heads; Wherefore as soon as their New­borne Infants were entred into the World, they had a speciall care, presently, while their Heads were yet tender and soft, to presse them together with their hands, and fitting them to their minds, enforce them to increase in length: and lest that shoud not doe the feat, they bound them up with Head-bands and other apt Instruments; which by connecting and gathering in their ten­der Heads, prohibited the roundnesse of their [Page 3] Heads, and was a means to constraine them to grow and increase in length; whence, when they were come to mans Estate, they had all very Long Heads, so that at length it grew Naturall unto them: For, Nature finding her selfe justly agrieved at the Fantasticall restraint they impo­sed on her, began to conspire with Custome, and so left them to their own vain invention, that there was no need of any Artificiall compulsion. But let us heare what Hippocrates recounteth of these sort of Men which he cals [...].Hippocrates lib. de A [...]re, A­quis, & Locis. The Scy­thians (saith he) who inhabit Phasis, to be diffe­rent from the vulgar, chose for a token of their Nobility to have a Head like a sugar loaf. And to shape this Figure by Art, when the Child was Borne, the Midwives tooke care to bind their Heads with Swath-bands untill they were Fa­shioned unto that forme; and this Artificialnesse grew to such force, as it was converted into Na­ture: For, in processe of time all the Children that were Borne of Nobilitie, had their Head sharpe from their Mothers Wombe; so from thenceforth, the Art and diligence of the Mid­wives therein became superfluous: but so soon as they left Nature to her Liberty and her own ordering, without oppressing her any longer with Art, she turned by little and little to reco­ver againe the Figure which shee had before: So true is that, Naturam expellas furca, licet us (que) recurret.

The Cilician, Atticke, Athenaeneus. and Argive Women were noted of old, as the Phoxi were to have high turbinated Heads. The Women in Peru, Strabo Geo­graph. lib. al­though [Page 4] they are gracious by th [...]r [...]aire Faces,Maginus 2 Ge­ograph. Americae yet for the most part the tops of their Heads are ab­surdly acuminated, and run into an acute Cus­pi [...]. Strabo makes mention of some Indians, who he cals [...], Capita cunei formia habentes, that is, having such Piked and Wedg­like Heads. This Figure of the Head is in Fashion and Request at this day with some Na­tions, being indeavoured with as much Art, as it was of old by the Macrones of Pontus. For, the Genuensians (for the most part) have high and copp-crown'd Heads, Pine-Apple forme, after the condition of a sharp upright Pillar, in such manner that the neather part is bigg and round, but the upper part sharp.Claramont de conject. cujus (que) mor. l. 6. And indeed, it is con­cluded, that the Midwives with their Head-bands and other devises, are the cause of their Sugar-loafe-like Heads. This affected forme of the Head being common, and Nationall unto them, is re­puted so Fashionable, that it is held a Note of Gentility and a Gallant Spirit among them.

Hippoc. 6 Ep. 1.Hippocrates notes, that an acute Head is alwaies naught, and verily, this compulsive force of Art is many times very Injurious to Nature and her opera­tions, but not alwaies: for the Genuensians who delight much in this Figure of the Head, and are noted for the most part to have acuminated Heads, have at least such an acumen of Wit, as makes them excellent for an Active Life; and in the opinion of Claramontius, the form of the thing gives a suffrage unto it; for, such a kind of turbinated Figure repre­sents a certaine parvity, and therefore the Heat of the Heart is lesse broken by it, whereupon Man is [Page 5] rendered more Active. Hofman Instit. And therefore in this place we must admit what Hofman gives us to know: That so long as the Actions of the Braine are not hurt, it is only a Naturall or Artificiall fault or imperfection, no disease, but when they are hurt, then it is a dis­ease as it was in Thersites, who was [...],Homer Iliad. and withall a Foole, and so sick of this Fashion.

For the truth is, as to the signes Diagnostick, a vitious Figure of the Head is known by sight, which although it doe chiefly declare the Conformation of the skull, yet it is likely and agreeable, that the Braine which is concluded in the skull, should Participate of the same Figure, but the discovery of it is made also by certaine effects; and it is easie to know the innate folly bred in some Men, Scaliger Comm. ad lib 5. Theo­phrast. de causis Plant. pag. 287. by the vitious Figure of the Head. Yet Scaliger gives another Character of these Genuensians, which Imports that they pay for their Affectation: The Genuensians saith he, ha­ving received from the Mauritanians their Proge­nitors this Custome, to compresse the Temples of their Infants as soon as they are Borne, now, without that Compression, are Borne with a Thersiticall Head and Heart.

We read in the Chronicles of the Prodigious Ostents, that Nature hath many times mocked Art in produ­cing this Figure of the Head. For, Lycosthenes chr. de prodig. & ostent. Licosthenes writes that in Ploa a Towne of Voitland, there was a Monstrous Infant Borne, with such an acumina­ted Head, like a Cap that the Kings of Persia, and the Priests in the old Law used, or like a Tiara or Tur­kish Tuffe: and in Saxonie in the Month of Febru­ary 1545, there was another Infant borne with a Long Head, notably marked as it were with a Tur­kish [Page 6] Cap. The Samaritans also (as I am Informed by a Learned and Observing Traveller) have such Sugar-Loafe-like Heads; There being a Colledge of Samaritan Secular Priests in Rome founded by Pope Gregory the thirteenth, who have all such Heads, and this Figure of the Head, it seems, is so Gentilitiall to a Samaritan, that they are apt there to suspect those Collegiates not to be true Samaritans, whose Heads are not so exactly moulded to this Figure: Nor is this as a private and particular Observation, bounded with in the Wals of this Colledge; For I have had great discourse with some Merchants that have been great Travellers, who told me, they have a kind of Physiognomy to discerne of all Nations by the figure of their Heads, which Observation is raised upon this ground; that whereas every Nation have diffe­rences of manners by which they are easily discerned one from another, insomuch as you may know of what discent from any Nation any one is, either by his Voice, Speech, Discourse, Policy, Conversation, Diet, Affaires, Love, Hatred, Anger, and man­ner of Warfare and such like Exercises: so every Na­tion, whether Civill or Barbarian, hath not only Peculiar Customes and Rites, but also Peculiar Affecta­tions of Forme or Shape of their Bodies, which will be Abundantly discovered by a world of strange Artifices and Pragmaticall endeavours Practised in this History, even from the Head to Foot, all tending to Accomodate their Affectations with the Pride and Vanity of such unnaturall distinctions.

[Page]The Women of

Siginnus a City of Egypt, Long-Heads Bruson. Facet. lib. 4. are reported to have great care that they may seeme to have most Long Heads,

The Low-Coun­try-Men or Dutch of Belgia, Schenekii obser­vat. de capite obs. 26. ex vesa­lio. have some what Long Heads; which with them is the most Fashiona­ble Figure, this their Mothers cause, being carefull to bring them to it, laying them when they are Infants, and wrapt in swadling Cloaths in their Cradles, suffering them to sleep most upon their sides and Tem­ples.Baptist. Port. Hum. Physiogn. lib. 2. Pinaeus opusc. Phys. & Anat. lib. 1.

The Portugals have generally long Heads, which happen by the same Artifice of the Mid­wives; for as God makes, so the Midwife shapes; and shee is directed by the Mother and Women present at her Labour and lying in, who all will be sure to put the Midwife in mind of moulding the Childes Head to the Fashion most in request. Some also by an affected or an enforced thin Di­et have attained unto the same badg of Gentility; For, that will doe it as Hippocrates affirmes, for thereby the Temporall Muscles being dryed up, the Temples become thereupon hollow; And so their Heads seem longer, the proportionate [Page 8] Latitude of the Head being thereby diminished.Short-Heads

This affectation of Nurses in divers Regions and Families, practised upon a supposition of conferring Beauty upon Children, Fabric. Hild. Cent. 2. obser­vat. 99. Sen­nertus Inflitè lib. 2. pars. 2. cap. 13. and their streight binding their Heads to force them to the Formis; Sennertus and Hildanus both take Notice of and condemne. For by the compression of the Skull, and that thus exten­ding of it in length, the Braine, together with its Ventricles are compressed, whence, the Spirits not sufficiently prepared and well wrought, the Head is weakened, and made obnoxious unto Cathars; and if such Children grow up to Adolescency (which yet happens very rarely) they prove to be of a slower and duller Wit, that old saying being manifestly verified in them, Malas artes Inventoribus malè cedere.

Audraeas Vesae­lius, lib. 1. cap. 5 de Corp. Hum. Fabr.

The Germans have short Heads for the most part, such Heads being in repute among them; which they attaine unto by their Mothers or Nurses care, who lay them in their Cradles when they are Infants, so that they alwayes sleep upon their Backs, their Hands for the most part left out unswathed, being tied on both sides on the Cradle.

Purchas Pilg. 4. lib. 6.The Men of Brasil have flat Heads, the hinder part not round but flat, which may very well [Page 9] be imagined to proceed from some Affectation or Fancie, that they have of such a forme of the Head.

The inconveniences that many times attend this affected Fashion of the Head, when the Nape with a little bunchines remaineth not, but the Nodock is made flat are, that the Brain is not so Figured as is requisite for Wit and Hability; For, the depression of this posterior prominency of the Head, weakens the Habilitie to Action, as Galen shewes; the reason is, because Voluntary motion depends upon the Nerves, whose princi­ple the Cerebellum is: Since therefore the Origi­nall and chiefe Instrument of Voluntary motion, resides in the hinder part of the Head, Men are by this depraving the Figure of their Heads, made more cold and indisposed unto motion, and so likewise unto recordation, the After-Braine, the seat of Memory being thus perverted. Benivenius de abditis Which effect was observed (as Benivenius reports) in the dissection of one James a Famous Thiefe, the hinder part of whose Head, where the seat of Memory is, was found so short, that it contained but a very little portion of Braine; for which cause, when he could least of all remember the Bani­shments, Imprisonments and Torments he had suf­fered for his former Villanies, falling like an im­pudent Dog to his Vomit, was at last Hanged, which put an end to his Life and Theft to­gether.

[Page 10] Round Heads Baptist Port. Hum Physiogn. lib. 2.

The Greeks of old were noted to Love and affect a round Head, as sutable and best agreeing with those that spake ore rotundo; and it was so Fashionable a Fi­gure with them of old, and so nouri­shed by Art, that Pericles the Atheni­an (who as Plu­tarch writes) had a long Head in Fashion of a Mallet,Plutarch in the Life of Pe­ricles. Galen 6▪ Epid Com. 1 Aph 37. which is the most exact and Naturall forme, was de­rided for it by the Comedians of his Time, and the Attick Poets call'd him Cynocephalum, that is, Dogs-head. The Attick Poets call him Schinocephalos, as much as to say, as Hea­ded like an Onyon; for those of Attica doe sometimes name that which is called in the Vulgar Tongue Scilla, that is to say, an Oni­on of Barbarie, or the Sea Onion, Schinos. Phylocles the Comick Poet cals him Oxycepha­lum, Suidas. scoffing at his coppid crown'd Head, which appeared like the head of a Lapwing. Among the rest of the Attick Poets, Cratinus hath never done playing upon Pericles for this deformity, Comically jesting, at his Monstrous joulting Pate, sir-naming him joult-Head, and Onions-Head, or as we would say, Squil-Head, and it was held so great a reproach unto him, [Page 11] that the Statuaries that made his Statute, to hide this supposed deformitie, or rather want of con­formitie, alwaies made him with a Helmet upon his Head: Whereby you may see how ridiculous a thing it is to have a Head out of Fashion.

At this Day the Grecians and Turks have round Heads much resembling a Globe, which they af­fect and nourish by Art in their Children, as holding it the most commodious forme to fit their Turbants and Shashes which they weare on their Heads.

The Antuerpiensians have also round Heads, which is a Comely Fashion as they think, and in good repute among them.

The Virgins of Bruxels, likewise for the most part are round-Heads, but only that they have a sharper Chin.Caelius Rhod. variar. lect. lib. 18. The French are observed to have their Heads somewhat Orbicular, to which their disposition and Naturall temper is Analogicall. And the unnaturalnesse of the Figure leads us to suspect the Artifice of the Nurses hand to con­curr to their conformation, therefore the French Haberdashers being furnished onely with Hats proportionable for such Heads, have much adoe to fit an English Mans Head with a Hat, inso­much as when they fall upon this difficulty, they are wont to tell him, that his Head is not A-la-mode.

All that they gaine, who thus Trespasse against the Justice of Nature, enforcing their Heads to a Sphericall form, or, through roundnesse, is, a quick moving, unstablenesse, forgetfullnesse, small discre­tion and little Wit. For the Motion of the Spirit [Page 12] never ceaseth nor resteth, Broad-Heads as in many French Men and Spaniards,Hilly Phisiog- and the like in certaine Germans, hath been observed and noted. For when the forme of the Head is through round, then is the middle Ventricle large, and the Spirits working in the same so large, untill these finde a large place, which in the meane time are not sufficiently united: and in such wise is the vertue Estimative weakened, by that the Spirits are carried round about the bounds of the same; insomuch that such Men having the like for­med Heads are ill reported of for their proper qua­lities and conditions in Physiognomie. Albertus magn. de secret Mulier. Albertus Magnus (indeed) commends a round-Head, and would have Boyes loved that have round Heads, be­cause that is the most Noble Figure: Therefore, Nur­ses saith he are wont to compresse and endeavour to make Boyes Heads round, which hence seems to have been accustomed either in Padua or Ratisbone.

Spigel. da Hum. Corp. Fabr. lib. 1.

The Muscovites, who are for the most part of a square proportion, broad, short and thick, have broad Heads, which is in Fashion with them at this Day. And when they are young Infants, and in their tender Age apt to be drawn and bent to any shape, their Faces are explained and flatted by Art, and [Page 13] so directed to grow into this Gentilitian forme.Thin narrow Heads.

The Apichiqui, Pichunsti, Sava, Purchas Pilgr. 4. lib. 7. People of the Indies, affect the same mad Gallantry of a broad Head and platter Face; to bring their Children to which Affected deformity, they lay one board on the Forehead and another on the Neck, so keeping them in press from Day to Day untill they be foure or five Yeares old.

The Women of

Cumana affect a ve­ry long Head and Face, as accoun­ting it the most comely and Beau­tifull Figure of the Head. A long Face and thin Cheekes being their chiefe Beauty. To attain unto which desi­red Deformity, they gently com­presse the Heads of their Infants between two lit­tle Pillowes to extend them. Such contradicti­ons there is in the Phantasies and opinions of Men and clashings in point of Elegancy in the Figure of the Head, that we may well cry out with Pliny, Plin. Nat. Hist. that there is no thing so vaine and so Proud as Man.

[Page 14] Square-Head Ca [...]dan. de re­ram var [...]e. lib. 8 cap. 42.

In the Province of Old Port in the West-Indies there are men that have a square-Head, so made by Art. For they to bring their Childrens Heads to this Fashion (no doubt) in great re­quest with them, put them between Boards when they are new Borne, which being tender & yong, are enforced to grow after the Forme of that square wooden Box that encloseth them on every side. And this Art passeth at length into a kind of Nature, by long succession.

The Geometricall pates of our Square-headed and Platter-faced Gallants, is a new Contrivance: For, these Fashions of the Head were not knowne and discovered in the time of Galen, nor the violation of this Artifice practised; Galen reckoning up the foure unnaturall Figures of the Head, the first, where the Anterior eminency is lost, the Posterior remai­ning in good case; the second, when the hinder Emi­nency or out-shoot is wanting, the Frontall Jettie safe; the third, when both of them are missing; the Fourth when the Temples are Eminent, the Occiput and Sinciput depressed, saies for this last Figure, it may be imagined, but not possibly be found, against which Vesalius opposeth himselfe, Vesalius, cap. 5. lib. 1. alledging both Autho­rity and Experience; the Authority is of Hippocrates, [Page 15] who (as he saies) writes, that the Head sometimes doth more remarkably protuberat at the Eares then either forward or backward. His Experience is taken from Three, Whereof the First he saies he saw at Venice, another at Bononia, a Third at Genua; Against him againe Fallopius opposeth him­selfe, and as for Hippocrates he saith, that for this cause he had read Hippocrates through twice, and could never finde any such thing, and for the Expe­rience, he had seen the Venetian Boy, who had not this Fourth Figure. To Hofman it seems that this ought not to be accounted among the unnaturall or unvaletudinarie Figures; For, Pet. Aponensis Different. 79. Conciliator. not insisting upon these Occidentall Indian square-Heads, above pre­sented, he findes Conciliator to write, that he had seen two, nay measured their Heads, and to have found a greater distance from one Temple to the other, then from the Occiput to the Sinciput. Hugo Senensis also had seen this Figure, as Th. Veiga testifies: Th. Veiga Com­ment. in cap. 11. Art. Medicinal. Gal. and Petrus Martyr saies, he saw such a Boy at Mi­lane. At last, Hofman agrees with Galen, that such are Monstrous, rare and invitall.

And verily these square-Headed Gallants must needs suffer some dammage in their intellectuals by this affectation; for Physiognomers affirme, that a Head that hath Angles argues an impediment of Judgment and ratiocination. For even as an Eccho is lesse op­positely formed in Angular Buildings, then in an Arch or winding Rounds; So the Vigour of Judg­ment is more flourishing in a Skull, Naturally round, then in Heads knotty and Angular. And therefore Man Naturally hath a great Advantage over o­ther Creatures in the roundnesse of his Head; for al­though [Page 16] in the Fabrick, all Creatures seem to an­swer one generall Rule, although they are of divers species and use, yet by the wonderfull Device or In­vention of God (as Lactantius speaks) there is one Similitude of frame in all, for, one disposition and one Habit produceth an innumerable varietie of Li­ving Creatures; For in all Creatures, that Breath, for the most part, there is the same Series and order of Members, nor do the members onely observe and keep their Tenor and Scituation, but also the parts of the Members; for in one and the same Head, the Eares, the Eies, the nostrils, the Mouth also, and in the Mouth, the Teeth and Tongue, possesse a certain place, which being the same in all living Creatures, yet there is Infinite and Manifold diversity of Figures, for that they are either more produced or contracted, or compri­sed in lineaments variously differing. As for Ex­ample; the Head in other Creatures is formed after a Triangular manner, and whereas it ought to be round in Man, these Nations distending the orbicularity of their Heads, change it into an Angular Body, thereby, to the great affront of Nature and abasement of the Humane Forme, maintaining a greater Analo­gie between them and bruits then ever she intended. If any accidentall depravation of the Head resem­bling this affected Irregularity, threaten prejudice to the operation of the intellect, the mischiefe may be prevented in Infants, by the Physicall Corrector or Cosmetique Chirurgion, whose Office it is to preserve what is according to Nature, and in case of misprision to reduce unto the Naturall state, the endeavour of which, Art hath succceeded happily to many. Dr. Ga­renciers told me he knew a Child that through the [Page 17] difficulty of Birth and the usuall accidents of hard Labour, Dogs-Heads his Head was so compressed and driven into a kinde of Angularity, that they much suspected some detriment would thereby accrew unto his understan­ding; yet by the Midwives and Nurses care, who indeed have the onely opportunity to officiate in this businesse (I would they had as much judgment and a­bility for the place) the Childes Head recovered the Naturall shape, and it proved to have a very good Wit and understanding.

Many have held

Opinion, that Me­gasthenes, Pliny and Aulus Gellius were loud liars, when they wrote and published that there lived a certaine kinde of People in Scythia which had Doggs Heads; and, verily although Pliny hath been by some in­credulous and Igno­rant Men Pater Mendaciorum, and an impudent lyar; yet I have somewhat of his to shew not onely for his truth but also for his Modesty: for when he comes to write of the strange and wondrous Shapes of sundry Nations, he doth advertise the Readers of his History, that he will not Pawne his credit for many things that he therin delivers, nor binde them to believe all he writes as touch­ing strange & Forrain Nations, refer them rather [Page 18] he doth to his Authors, whom in all points (more doubtfull then the rest) he cites and alledges, whom they may believe if they list, onely he would not have them think much to follow the Greek writers, who from time to time in this be­halfe have been more diligent in penning, and more curious in searching after Antiquities.

And although the Author of the Treasurie of Times, indeed holds this for a Fable, because all those Countries have been discovered, and doe declare no deformity on the Peoples Bodies: yet the relation is confirmed by some of the or­der of Predicants sent as Legats from the Apo­stolique State unto the Tartars, De rebus Tar­tar. c. 9. who assure us that there are a certaine Nation in Tartary who have a Dogs-Face;Vinc. Hist. lib. 31. cap. 11, & Johannes de plano minorita. the same Authors adding withall, that although the Men have such a re­semblance of a Dogs-Head as beforesaid, yet the Women have a Humane Visage as other Women in the World have. Therefore there is such a Nation, the Authors being many and considerable who affirme it, and Kornmannus assents thereto, conceiving the relation to be true, insomuch as it were a shame for any Man to be refractorie in point of beliefe, and not to afford Credit to so Evident a truth. For although this Nation of Men hath been accounted by ma­ny among the Types and Fabulous Narrations of the Ancients, yet in these latter Times we have received credible Intelligence of such kind of Nations newly found. Johannes de Plancarpio and Ʋincentius Burgundius make relations of Nations lately discovered having such Dog-like-Heads. [Page 19] Odericus Poster affirmes, that in Nicoverra a City of India there are men that have Dogs-Heads,Mandevils Travels cap. 61. in the Isle called Macumeran, which is a great Isle and a faire, the Men and Women, who are rea­sonable, have Heads like Hounds.

Marcus Paulus the Venetian assures us, that there is an Island named Daganian, (Kornmannus cals it Anganian) the Inhabitants whereof have Heads like unto Dogs, and live by feeding on Humane Flesh; and Pausanias delivers unto us a relation of one Euphemus by descent a Carian, who saw such People in the Islands of the Oceans, when he was driven thither by a Tempest as he was sailing into Italy.

That testification also that Aristotle gives of Pig­mies, is much reverenced by Johannes Camers, Hector Pintus, and (of the Ancients) by Isidore, as affording good ground of probabilitie, of the being of a Nation of Cynocephali, or Men with Dogs-Heads, and they are reported to be Negroes inhabiting a Mountaine neere the River Indus, and so numerous, that there are an hundred and Twenty Thousand of them, being called by the Indians Calistrios, which the Greeks would call Cynocephalos, id est, Canioipites. Indeed the Histo­ricall truth is much embased by many vain ap­pendices, as that they bark and howl like Dogs, and so understand one another, having no other Lan­guage, that they have Teeth greater then Dogs Clawes, but longer and rounder; that although they cannot speake, they make signes with their Hands and Fingers, as Deaf and Dumb men use to doe, that both the Men and Women have [Page 20] Tailes at their Rumps like to Dogs;Headlesse Nations but that they are greater and thicker of haires, that they en­gender with Women more Canine, accounting any other way of Copulation shamefull; all which Additaments are more advantagiously read then believed.

By what meanes these Natives might come to be thus monstrously deformed, and the shape of their Heads to degenerate into the similitude of a Dogs-Head, shall be sufficiently declared in our succeeding Face-moulders Scene, where wee shall present the Cynopro­sopi or Men having a Dogs Face. The Artifice used being as I probably conjecture, the same in both.

Ancient Writers have spoken of Ace­phali, Mela. lib. i. cap. 4. or a headlesse Nation. Mela writes that the Blemii are Headlesse, and have all the parts of their countenance in their Breast.Solinus. cap. 153. Solinus deli­vers the same thing: there are saith he who want their Necks, and have their Eyes in the Shoulders. And before these Authors, many have written the very same thing;Aul. Gell. Att. lib. 9. cap. 4. Plin. lib. 5. cap. 8. Plin. lib. 7. cap. 2. whom Aulus Gellius reckons up. Pliny in open words doth frequently assert the same, for he delivers that their Heads are wanting, their Mouth and their Eyes affixed in their Breasts, and not far from the Troglodytes [Page 21] there are certaine Men that have no Neck,Petr. Apian. 2. pars. Cosmo­graph, cap. 3. Mandevil in his Travels. c. 62. &. cap. 68. having their Eyes in their Shoulders.

Sr. John Mandevil reports, that in one of the Iles belonging to the great and mighty King of the Iland Dodyn, there are Men that have no Heads, and their Eyes are in their Shoulders, and their Mouth is on their Breast. He gives their originall, Cham (saith he) took the best part East­ward that is called Asia, being the mightiest and Richest of his Brethren, and of him are come the Pannim folke, and divers manners of Men of those Iles, some headlesse, and the other Men disfi­gured. And because some things spoken by him might seem strange and scarce Credible, there­fore he thought good to make known to all that will see more proofe hereof in his Book called Mappa Mundi, there they shall finde the most part of the same ratified and confirmed.

St. Augustine makes commemoration of such a Nation,August. de civ. D [...]i. li. 6. cap. 8. and although he there doth not im­pose a necessity of believing the Relations that are made of such kinds of Men; so he seems to grant that it is not incredible; Nay, he testifies, that he had seen them himselfe, for he assures us in these words: I was now Bishop of Hippo, August. Serm. 37. ad fraires in Eremo. and with certain servants of Christ, I Travelled to Aethiopia to preach the Gospell of Christ unto them, and we saw there many Men and Women, having no Heads, but grosse Eyes fixed in their Breast, their other Members like unto ours;Fulgos. lib. 1. de mirac. Sr. Walter Rawleigh Histor. of Gui. ana. which place of August. Fulgosus cites to the same purpose.

But let us heare, Sr. Walter Rawleigh his rela­tion of this kind of transformed Nation; the Ewai­panomi [Page 22] saith he are a strange headlesse Nation, for on the Banks of the River Caora are a Nation of People, whose Heads appeare not above their Shoulders, which though it may be thought a meere Fable, yet for my own part I am resolved it is true; because every Child in the Province of Arromaia and Comurs affirme all the same: they are call'd Ewaipanomi, & are reported to have their Eyes in their Shoulders, and their Mouths in the Middle of their Breasts, and that a long traine of haire groweth backward between the Shoulders. The Son of Tomawari, which I brought with me into England, told me, that they were the most mighty Men of all the Land, and use Bowes, Arrowes, and Clubs, thrice as bigg as any of Guiana, or of the Oronoqueponi, and that one of the Iwarawakeri, tooke a Prisoner of them the Yeare before our arrivall there, and brought him into the Borders of Aromaia his Fathers Coun­try. And further when I seemed to doubt of it, he told me that it was no wonder among them, but that they were as great a Nation, and as common as any other in all the Provinces, and had of late Years slain many hundreds of his Fathers People, and of other Nations their Neighbours; but it was not my chance to heare of them, till I was come away, and if I had but spoken one word of it while I was there, I might have brought one of them with me, to put the matter out of doubt. Such a Nation was written of by Mandevill, whose reports were held for Fables many Years; and yet since the East-Indies were discovered, we find his relation true of such things as heretofore [Page 23] wee held incredible; whether it be true or no, the matter is not great, neither can there be any profit in the imagination; for my own part, I saw them not, but I am resolved that so many People did not all combine, or fore-think to make the report. The Translator of the History of Congo written by Pigafetta hopes, that in time, some good Guianean will make good proofe to our Eng­land, that there are this day headlesse Men. And if any make Conscience to joyne Faith to these things upon these relations, yet they ought not to think this wonder impossible, especially being certified by such Authors as are here alledged.

For these strange Histories of Monstrous Na­tions, which in Pliny and other Ancient Authors I have heretofore counted vain, do now require and deserve some Credit: since in these times there is a new Nature revealed, new miracles, a new World, full of strange varieties and sin­cere novelties. Dr. Franasus Hernandus, who by the Command of Philip the second, sailed to the new World to discover the condition thereof, whose manuscripts are kept in the Kings Libra­ry of St. Laurence in the Escuriall, and other Ma­nuscripts sent to the King of Spaine about the af­faires of India; by the Advantage of which, Euse­bius Neirembergensis was inabled to write his new History of Nature, doe justifie these and stranger relations of divers kind of men among the Indi­ans, in stature, disposition, forme, and deformity, as Monstrous as these Acephali or headlesse Nati­on. Avicen was so bold to affirme, that after the immense inundations of the World, not only [Page 24] mankind, but all other Creatures were produced from the tabid Carcasses by the Celestiall influx without seed; which is a thing no wise man can be brought to believe, that so Noble a Crea­ture should arise out of a putrid matter, about whose Creation the whole Godhead was em­ployed, wherefore so great and Beautifull a worke that was worthy of the Divine Labour, could not spontaneously proceed, it being most unlikely that Man being Compos mentis, which is a particle of Divinitie, should result from so vile an originall.Sanct. Augustin in lib. de Civi­tate Dei. St. Augustin, where he speaks of these Acephali and other Monstrous Nations, somwhat better resolves the doubt of their Ori­ginall; It is demanded (saith he) whether Noahs sonnes, or rather Adams (of whom all Mankind came) begot any of those Monstrous Men; and he concludes, that whatsoever he begot that is Man, that is, a Mortall reasonable Creature, be his forme, Voyce, or whatever, never so different from any ordinarie mans, no Faithfull Person ought to doubt that he is of Adams Progeny: yet is the Power of Nature shewn and strangely shewn in such. God made all, and when or how he would forme this or that he knowes best, ha­ving the perfect skill how to Beautifie the Uni­verse by opposition and diversity of parts; but he that cannot contemplate the Beauty of the whole, stumbles at the deformity of the part, and not knowing the Congruence that it hath with the whole. Yet God forbid that any one should be so besotted, as to think the Maker erred in these Mens Fabrick, though we know not why he [Page 25] made them thus, be the diversity never so great, he knowes what he doth and none must repre­hend him; therefore what Nations so e're have shapes differing from that which is in most Men, and seem to be exorbitant from the Common forme, if they be definable to be reasonable Creatures and Mortall, they must bee ac­knowleged for Adams Issue. But St. Austin here speaks more like a Divine then a Philoso­pher; for although the supreame efficient and supernaturall cause of Monsters is God, and that when Nature seems to deflect from the common Law established, shee is rapt by a Divine force, and there is aliquid Divini in the peculiar cause of these transfigurations of the Humane forme, and that the finall cause of these prodigious appa­ritions may be the anger of God, who is no way bound to the Law of Nature, and who in revenge for some crime committed, may transforme a Man as he did Nebuchadnezzar, or give over a self-deformed Nation, to the vanitie of their own inventions; yet it sounds very harsh to the princi­ples of our Philosophie, that the God of Nature should be so glorified by such strange apparances, that evill and imperfect Creatures should con­curre to the perfection of the universe, since they have no reference to the Beauty of the World: because the Beauty of the universe consists in things perfect and permanent, and Monsters, (qua­tenus Monsters) being nothing but defects and pri­vations, can contribute no perfection, and so consequently appertaine not to the Beauty of the [Page 26] universe; if they did conferr any ornament, they should for the most part be produced, because the great decorum of the World is sustained by frequent effects, but Monsters happen rarely, and therefore they ought to be segregated from the Ornaments of the World; and if they had come to light to adorne the World, they had from the beginning of the World appeared, which we read of no where.

How this Monstrous alienation from the Hu­mane Form was first introduced and continued is not so easie to conjecture. St Augustine de civit. Dei. St Augustine thinks that the same reason may be given for these deformed Nations, as there is for those Monstrous productions of Men which sometimes happen among us, of which kind of prodigious productions there are many records where­in Nature seems to have upbraided Mans invention, and to retaliate his affectations.

Anno Dom. 1525, at Wittenberg an Infant was borne without a Head.

Anno 1554, In Misnia an Infant was born with­out a Head,Fincelius de mirac. nostri temporis. the Effigies of Eyes expressed in his Breast.

Anno Domini 1562, in the Calends of Novem­ber at Villafranc in Vasconia a Monster was borne, a Female Acephalon; the Pourtraiture of which headlesse Monster, Fontanus who religiously affirmed that he had seen it, having communica­ted to Johannes Altinus the Physitian,Schenchius de monst. capit. he pre­sented it to Paraeus when he was writing his Commentarie of Monsters.Paraeus lib. 24. cap. 6.

And reason may perswade us that it is not im­possible, [Page 27] for it may happen by the constitution of the Climate, that the Neck may not be allowed to be eminently advanced above the Shoulders, and yet the instruments of Nature may performe their Office in a nearer approach of the Neck unto the Body,Kornmannus lib. 1. de vivo­rum miraculis which is the opinion of Kornman­nus. But for my own part I much suspect some villanous Artifice and affectation to have been concurrent causes of this non-appearance of the Head, and some fantasticall dislike of the Natu­rall distance between the Head and the Body by the interposition of the Neck, which hath been the humour of some other Nations, who have in a manner no Neck, as appears in this Scene, and in the fifteen and sixteenth of this our practicall Me­tamorphosis, where you shall find this very Na­tion described as if they affected to have their Shoulders higher then their Heads; And Sr Wal­ter Rawleigh saith, their Heads appeare not above their Shoulders. And I conceive that they are not so much headlesse, as that their Heads by some Violent and constant Artifice are pressed down between their Shoulders, and affecting to have their Shoulders higher then their Heads, the Scapula's by the constant endeavour of their Le­vators grown to a habit, hath drowned the Head in the Breast, the Head being crowded too close to the Shoulders, and as it were growing to them, the Neck is quite lost and the Eies seem planted as upon the Shoulders, and the Mouth in the Breast, a shadow of which resemblance we may sometimes see in very croked short neck'd Men. And consequently all the uses of the Neck in point of [Page 28] circumspection are quite lost by this Artifice, and the Donation of Nature therein is made void, for they cannot with ease turne their Head about to and fro, every way to looke about them, the Spondyles or tur­ning round Bones tied and fastened one unto another by joynts and knots, cannot possible in this posture accomplish their Motions.

But this charge and evidence I give in only against them by way of presumption: you Gen­tlemen Readers of the Jury may give up your Verdict according to your judgments, and either find Billa Vera, or returne Ignoramus.

Sr. John Mandevils Travels cap. 83.Beyond the Land of Cathay there is a Wilder­nesse, wherein are many wild Men with Hornes on their Heads very hideous, and speake not, but rout as Swine.

That men should be so cornuted, or have horns grow on their Heads, is a thing neither impossible nor incredible, for many have been Borne cor­nuted.

Amat. Lusit. cent. cur. 51. Amatus Lusitanus speaks of a Boy Borne with a little horne on his Head.

Lycost. Chron: de prod. & stent.Ann. 1233, In Rathstade a Town in the Norican Alpes, which the Inhabitants call Taurus, there was an Infant Borne cornuted.

Jacobus Fin­celius de mira­culis.Anno 1551, in a Village of Marchias call'd Dammenuvald neer Whitstock, a Country Mans Wife brought forth a Monster with such a hor­ned Head.

Among the Subalpians in Quierus, a little Town ten Miles distant from Taurin (Teurin) Anno Dom. 1578,Amb. Paraeus lib. 24. cap. 2. the seventeenth of January about 8 of the clock at Night, an honest Matron brought [Page 29] forth a Child having five hornes one against ano­ther on his Head like unto Rams hornes.

Lanfraneus saw a man who came unto him for his advice,Lanfraneus tract. 3. Doct. 2. cap. 3. Chi­rur. Major. who had seven Eminencies in his Head, one greater then another, and in divers pla­ces, whereof one was so great and acute like the horne of a young Goat, or an Inch long.

Ingrassias saith,Ingrassias that together with that prudent Chirurgian Iacobus à Sorius, he saw at Panhorn a certaine Noble Virgin, who had many crooked hornes, sharpe at the end, representing the Effi­gies of the hornes of a young Steere, which ren­dred her so deformed, that she rather look'd like a Devill then a Woman.

One Margaret, about sixty years, the Widow of David Owen a Welsh Man, had growing in her Forehead a horn much like unto the horns of a Lamb, as I finde in a private marginall note to Schenckius observations, written by some Physi­cian or Chirurgion that owned the Book.

It is reported of a certaine Sect of the Bannian Priests,Aloisius Epist. Meaco Iaponis ad Indias & Sinas missa. that they have as it were a little horne standing out upon their Heads.

I remember I have read in Camerarius or some other, a Story of a certaine King, who being jealous of his Queen, and supposing himselfe to be a Cuckold, dreamt one night that he was cor­nuted indeed, and that he had reall hornes bud­ding out of his Forehead, and he found his dream true when he waked; which the Author there descanting upon, conceives to be possible, by Vertue of Imagination, transferring matter thither fit for such a production.

[Page 30] Horned NationsThat hornes may be engrafted upon the Head appeares possible by the report too we have read of some Nations, who are wont to cut off the spurs from the heeles of Cocks new gelt, and to ensert them so cut off into their own Foreheads, which afterwards encrease there and grow in a wonderfull manner.

Now whether this cornuted Nation was the offspring of any horned Monsters, sufferd to propogate themselves, and so to become nationall, or whether they at first affecting such a badge of Beastiall strength, engrafted them and so it be­came Naturall unto them, I leave to my Masters of the Jury to find out upon a Melius inquiren­dum.

Among other contrivances of Mans cruell in­vention I shall annex a strange Histoy out of Fabricius Hildanus.

In the Yeare 1593, at Paris there was an Infant about 15 or 18 Months old, who had the skin of its Head so extended that it exceeded the mag­nitude of the Head of any Infant Hydrocephalos that was ever seen. This Childs Parents did carry it about from Town to Town to shew, and thereby exceedingly enriched themselves.

At length there being a great concourse of Peo­ple, and the Parisian Magistrate being a very discreet Man, suspecting it to be some base de­ceit, did cast the Parents into Prison; And ha­ving examined, they confessed their Barbarous and impious crime, saying that they had cut the skin of the Infants Head by making a little hole about the Crown to the very Muscles, and by [Page 31] that very hole (put­ting

in a Reed be­tween the skin and the Muscles) had blowne into it,Hydrocepha­lon. and by degrees, with­in some moneths, (by continuall puf­fing into it) the skin of the Infants Head was exten­ded to that alti­tude, and that they did expose it to all here and about France to get money thereby. They had made the hole so neatly, that drawing out the reed, with wax or some such ma­teriall they could easily close the same; When they had fully found out this horrid savage in­humanity for certaine, they put both the Parents to death.Fabr. Hild. ob­servat. chir. cent. 3. obs. 18. This History Hildanus affirmes to have received from Ocular witnesses and persons of Credit.

Among other Monstrous formes and prodigi­ous apparitions of the Head, we shall here pre­sent Bicipites or Men with two Heads. I saw (saith Hali) a Man that was Borne having two Heads, one seperated from the other.

Coelius Rhodiginus is reported to have seen two Monsters in Italy, one a man the other a Woman,Paraeus lib. 24. oper. suor. cap. 2. their Bodies in all parts well and neately compo­sed, but that they had two Heads, of which the Woman lived five and Twentie Yeares.

[Page 32] Bicipites.Anno 1538 there was one Borne who grew up to the perfect Stature of a Man, with his Head and Shoulders only double, so that one Head was backwardly opposite unto the other wonder­full like one another, their Beards and Eyes ve­ry much resembling each the other, they had both the same appetite to meat, both sensible of one hunger,Ru [...]ff. lib. 5. cap. 3. de concap. & generat. hom. their voyce alike, the same desire of one Wife, which they had, and of enjoying her was to both Heads, he was above 30 Yeares of age when my Author chanced to see him. The like Monster Lycosthenes saw in Bavaria Anno 1541,Lycost. Prodig. & ostent. Chron. shee was a Woman of about Twenty six Yeares old with two Heads, whereof one was sufficiently deformed.

I confesse I have not in all my inquisition dis­covered a Nation of such Men, although there may possibly be such a Nation in the World, since there have been such of both Sexes, and wee by these relations, see they may live to the Age of generation, although it be against the com­mon condition of Monsters, who for the most part are very short lived: for as they are borne against Nature so they live, moreover they are very irksome to themselves because they are moc­king-stocks to other Mortals, therefore they judge their life displeasing to them, but the number of those that have been Borne with two Heads are very many.

Lycost. Anno mundi, 3791. Ruff. lib. 5. cap. 3 de generat. Homi.In Vientum there was a Boy Borne with two Heads.

At Frusinon, a maid brought forth a Son with two Heads.

[Page 33]Anno Domini 601 there was a Boy Borne that was double Headed.Men with two Heads: Lycost. lib pro­dig. An. 3838. uter (que) ut Schen­chius videtur ex Julio obse­quente. Lycost. lib. prod.

Anno 1552 in Hassia three dayes after the Feast of the three Kings or Twelfth-Tide there was a Masculine Infant borne with two Heads, a dou­ble Neck, and with a Body very well compact and agreeing with the other members.

Anno 554 in the Village of Senas, there was a Monstrous Boy Borne with two Heads, which Valeriola reports from the Testimonie of Men of Credit who were Spectators and Eye witnesses of this Prodigie.Valeriola loc. com. lib. 1. cap. 18

Cicero speaks of a Girle Borne with two Heads.Cicero de divi­nat. Aventimus Annal. Bojorum lib. 7. About the Yeare of our Lord 1413. On the 9^th of the Calends of Aprill, there was a Girle Borne in Sanders-Droff with two Heads.

Anno 1544 in the Month of January there was a Female Childe Borne with two Heads,Cardan de va­riet. lib. 14. cap. 77. in all other things representing one Body.

Anno 1487 at Patavia there was an Infant Borne,Licosth. lib. prodig. in whom besides this Capitall luxurie there was nothing uncomely to behold.

Anno 1536 at Lovane there was an Infant Borne with two Heads.Gemma lib. 1. c. 6. Cosmocrit.

And in the memory of Peucerus there was a Child seen in Hassia, Peucerus Tera­toscop. 440. Facie aversa. the fift of the Ides of January Anno 440 with two Heads re­flected towards the Back, whose Faces be­ing obverse beheld one another with a frow­ning countenance.

Anno 1553 in a certaine village of Misnia, Lycosth. prodi. called Zichest, not far from Pirnauu, there was an Infant Borne with two Heads, being abso­lute [Page 34] in all the other Members.Bicipites.

The apparition of these Monstrous Men was ever held prodigious: Porphirius saith that over the Land of Sicilie there happened a great E­clipse,Rabbi Moses partic. 24 A­phorism. and that Yeare the VVomen of that Region brought forth deformed Sonns having two Heads.

Lycost. lib. prodig.Anno Domini 1104 there were monstrous Births brought forth, Cattell and Men Borne with two Heads.Aventinus lib. 5 Annal. Bojo­rum. After Clement the third was driven out of the City, among other prodi­gies there were also Monstrous Births, Men Borne with two Heads.

But wee must know above all things, that these apparitions that be contrarie to Nature, happen not without the providence of Almighty God, but for the punishing and admonishing of Men, these things by his just judgment are often permitted, not but that Man hath a great hand in these mon­strosities: for, inordinate Lust is drawn in as a Cause of these Events, whereby the seed of Man is made weak and unperfect, whence the productions there­of must necessarily prove weake and imperfect; for from a precedent defect in the seed, it is a conseqence that the issue must be defective, and on the contrarie, if the seed be superfluous, out of a superfluous a su­perfluous is begot, as any one may easily collect.

Now to vindicate the regular beauty and ho­nesty of Nature from the depravations of Art, we say that the Head, when free from any irregu­larity of Nature or mischievous endeavours of Art, it obtaines its Naturall Figure; by the testi­mony of Galen it resembles a Spheare, but ob­long, [Page 35]

the parts a­bout the Temples a little depressed on both sides;The Heads true Figure. and when it observ's its ligitimate magni­tude, it answers with its length, which is from the end of the Chin to the Crowne of the Head, the sixth part of the whole Body: That the parts also should agree among themselves, it requires foure equall lines; the first is that which they call the line of the Face, and reacheth from the bottom of the Chin to the top of the Fore­head; the other is that which wee call the occi­pitiall line, and it is drawn from the top of the Head to the first Vertebre of the Neck; the third is of the Forehead, running out from one Temple to the other; Lastly, the fourth led on from the bottom of the Eare (in which place the mammillary processe is) to the highest part of the Synciput: These foure lines if they be re­ciprocally equall, the Head is called proportio­nate; but if they have declined to any inequa­lity, they are said to recede so much from their just and naturall constitution, as they draw nearer to that. For of these lines, if that of the Face be longer, the Head is called long, but if shor­ter it shall be called short, If the line of the [Page 36] Forehead exceed the rest in length, it makes a broad Head; if that of the Occipitium transgresse its bounds, the Head is acuminate; if all be e­quall; the Head proves round and Naturall, If they be all unequall, or some or more, from thence ariseth that forme of the Head, which with Hippocrates and Galen is called [...]; So that there are some Heads long, some broad, some acuminate,Spigel. Annat. and some round, and others [...]. So Spigelius. All commonly fashioned by the pragmaticall endeavours of the Midwives and Nurses in every Region: but because many Phy­sitians and Anatomists have questioned the pro­prietie that our Sugar-loafe-like headed Gal­lants have in the word [...], wee will doe them that just favour as to set forth their Title. Aristo­tle cals such who have Capita acuta, [...], quasi pro­acuminata capita habentes, vel ex fastigiatione quam vocant [...], or from the form of fire, w^ch is cal­led [...]. But Anatomists are of opinion that [...] signifies onely a deformed or depraved Head and not this acute,Gal. lib. de usu part. 17. since Galen reckons an exact round and Sphericall Head amongst the species of [...], and therefore they think that Siculus and Regius have done ill to render it acutum. Siculus de ossi­bus apud Gal. & Regius 9. de usu part. 17.

Amongst the rest (Sennertus) speaking of the vitious Figures of the Head, thinks that all Heads which recede from the Naturall Figure are by Galen generally called [...], and so they are not onely [...] which have capita fastigiata, copt-crown'd, or acuminate Heads; but also those in whom either the fore, or hinder, or both the emminencies are wanting, or jet out more then [Page 37] is meet: so that Heads onely backward,Phoxi. or for­ward, or upward, may appeare sharp towards the top. For, either the Synciput or anterior part of the skull is more emminent then it should be, the hinder part of the Head on the other side, as it were vanishing away and not extuberant, or else the hinder part of the Head is prominent and neither the Anterior nor Posterior emi­nency protuberates; and if it be not depressed on the sides, it exhibits as it were a perfect Spheare; and if it be depressed in the Temples, the Head may run out in the top or crown and be acumi­nate.

Hofman saith,Hofman Inst. med. lib. 3. that [...] with the Greeks are those who want the fore and hinder eminency of the Head, called in Dutch Spitzkoepf, the same also are [...], & [...], he knows not how to call them in Latine, yet he will des­cribe them, Qui acuminato sunt capite. And there­fore though Fallopius will have all those who have a preternaturall Figure of the Head to be called [...] of Galen, and that therefore it ought not to be rendered acutum or acuminatum, but depravatum, that it might be rightly opposed unto the Natu­rall. Yet Hofmannus is for the first version;Hofman com­ment. de usu part. for since [...] by the confession of Fallopius himself is opposed to [...], (the word which Galen u­seth to expresse the very Naturall Figure of the Head) who sees not (saith he) that the Head ceaseth to be [...] oblongum, and thereby to be made acute or acuminate when either or both the Eminencies perish? and if Galen extend the word more largely to those who have the Emi­nencies [Page 38] protuberating beyond the Naturall pro­portion,The Heads true Figure. that ought not to evert the proper sig­nification received of all Authors; therefore [...] is properly he who hath an acuminate Head, such a one as he thinks the Latines call Chilo­nem, Bauhin. Anat. lib. 3. and which Bauhinus accounts for a fifth Fi­gure of the Head contrived by Art.

But it appears plainly, that [...], to wit, sphera oblonga, not prolonga, as some interpret it, (which Galen seems to point to as it were with the Finger, where he cals it spheram quasi compressam) which you must conceive about the Eares and the Temples) is the onely Naturall Figure of the Head, which when Columbus denies, affirming all Figures of the Head to be equally Naturall, he doth nothing; for, this is Naturall which is for the most part; which also is most commodious to the Actions of Nature; But such is the Fi­gure which Galen, out of Hippocrates, sayes does constitute the Naturall Figure, a spheare not every where equall, but such a one as hath ca­vities and Eminencies. For, the best Figure of the Head which is Naturall is assimilated to a spheare gently compressed on each side, and which is in the Temples after a manner plaine, but in the fore-part and hinder part is more pro­minent then in a Spheare; yet it more protute­rates in this, then that, in the Crown it observes the convexity of a Spheare: they therefore who chance to have such a Head with a decent mag­nitude, they enjoy a vigorous alacritie of senses, and are endowed with a good strength of Body. But why this laterall compression should be the [Page 39] most proper and Naturall Figure of the Head, that the fore-part and hinder parts thereby are made more gibbous, and the finall cause thereof ought to be enquired.

Avicens opinion is,Avicen. that although the skull be round, yet it is oblong made in length, because the originall of the Nerves are disposed from the Brain in longitude, and therefore it was fit they should not be streightned, and it hath two Emi­nencies, one before and another behinde, that the Nerves might descend, which descend to the front and the Nucha.

Zonardus well notes that the Head hath such a Globous roundnesse,Zonardus which on both sides is som­what plaine, in the Anterior part it is somewhat acute and elevated, and that to retaine the Ven­tricle of the Braine in the fore-deck of the Head, out of which the Nerves which cause the five Senses proceed, and after the same manner, it is a little elevated in the hinder part for the reception of the Ventricle in the sterne or hinder deck, from whence the spondible Marrow and the Nerves which procure voluntary motion arise.

Hugo Senensis saith,Hugo Senen­sis. this manner of compression was contrived for the better distinguishing of the places from whence it was opportune the Nerves should arise, which would not have been well distinguished if the Head had been exactly round. Secondly, because the former and hinder Ventri­cle ought to have a greater cavity then the mid­dle, and because the middle Ventricle ought to be a way from one to the rest; therefore it was necessary, that the Anterior and Posterior parts [Page 40] should have an Eminency. Archangelus Picholo­menus thinks,Pichol. praelect. Anat. lib. 5. the Braine is lightly depressed on each side, and a little exporrected in length for the foremost Ventricles sake, made hollow in it, which appeares to be oblong, to whose hinder part the third Ventricle adheares, and to the third the fourth: wherefore a Brain not perfectly Glo­bous, but gently compressed on each side and lightly protended in length, was convenient for the Ventricles.

Antonius Ul­mus, defin. Bar­bae, Hum. s. 2 Antonius Ʋlmus to these true opinions of the Ancients hath thought of another end of this Fi­gure of the Head, which is confirmed by the testimony of sence, who is of opinion that the Head was laterally compressed for the Eies-sake, to wit, the better to promote the action of the Eie, whose action is then better when it exists more free. Now the Head compressed, the Eie is enlarged to the seeing of things backward to the right and left hand; and although not simply to the universall space of a circular vision, yet at least to some portion of the same. Men may know the truth of this if they first try it in the Cephalicall compression, standing with a stiff Neck, and turning one Eie to the outward Angle, let them endeavour untill they perceive where the visory Rayes doe come, in which experiment they had need have the place marked with some note; Afterwards, remaining fixt in the same place, and standing just as in the same experiment, he would have them by some device to have their Heads rotunded or rounded, that they may ob­tain a perfect sphericity, then let them turne the [Page 41] same Eie to the outward Angle, and try to finde whereabout or how farr the Visory Rayes reach the place formerly seen, and marking it with some note; that done, let them consult with Sence, what portion of the place is hid from the very Eye by rotunditie of the Head; for, Sence will apparently teach, that in this Cephalicall compression to the sides, the Eyes more freely expatiate to the back parts; the gaining of which advantage he thinks to be the cause of such com­pression.

Having thus presented the artificiall contrivan­ces of Mans Invention, practised on the Head, upon imaginary conceits of Beauty and genero­sity, and discovered the inconveniences of such foolish and phantasticall devices, how deroga­torie they are to the honour and Majestie of Na­ture and prejudiciall to her operations; and ha­ving set down the Canon of Nature, for the true and proper Figure of the Head, with the uses and finall cause of such a shape, which is the on­ly true and naturall forme of the Head; and ha­ving condemned them of the crime Laesa Majesta­tis, who have forced Art (the usuall Imitator of Nature) to turne Praevaricator in humanity, wee cannot but commend those Nations who have been tender in this point of offering violence to Nature, namely the Lacedemonians, whose Nur­ses had a certain manner of bringing up their Children without having any Crosse-cloaths,Plutarch in the life of Ly­curgus. or any thing to left the Naturall growth of the Head, but left nature free to her own course, which made their Heads better shap'd. The like [Page 42] modest acquiescence in the wisdome of Nature,Block-heads & Logger-heads I suppose to be the reason why the Switzers Heads for the most part are so conformable to the Canon and intention of Nature.

I knew a Gentleman had divers sonns, and the Midwives and Nurses had with head-bands and strokings so altered the Naturall mould of their Heads, that they proved Children of a very weak understanding; his last Sonn only, upon ad­vice given him, had no restraint imposed upon the Naturall growth of his Head, but was left free from the coercive power of head-bands and other Artificiall violence, whose Head although it were bigger, yet he had more Wit and under­standing then them all.

Hitherto of those Nations who have tampered with the Figure of their Heads, and have labou­red to introduce a change and alteration in the most Noble part of the Humane Fabrick. There be other Nations fit to be brought on this Stage, who use Art to alter the substance and temper of their Heads; For Blockheads and Logger-heads are in request in Brasil, Purchas pilgr. 4. lib. 1. and Helmets are of little use, every one having an Artificialized Naturall Morian of his Head: for, the Brasilians Heads, some of them, are as hard as the wood that growes in their Country, for they cannot be bro­ken, and they have them so hard, that ours in comparison of theirs are like a Pompion, and when they will injure any white Man, they call him soft Head, so that hard-head and block­head, termes of reproach with us, attributed to them, would be taken for termes of Honour and [Page 43] Gentleman-like qualifications. This property they purchased by Art, with-going bare headed, which is a certaine way to attaine unto the qua­lity of a Brasilian Chevalier, and to harden the tender Head of any Priscian, beyond the feare of breaking or needing the impertinent plaister of predantick Mountebanks.

The Indians of Hispaniola, De Bry in Hist. occid. Ind. Car­dan. lib. 5. de subtil. the skuls of their Heads are so hard and thick, that the Spaniards agreed, that the Head of an Indian, although bare, was not to be struck for feare of breaking their Swords, which I suppose to happen through the same Artifice.

The Aegyptians also are hard Heads; for, their Heads are so hard, that a Stone can hardly break the skin; which they attaine unto by having their haire shaved from their childhood; so that the sutures of their skuls grow firme and hard with the heat.

Hence wee read, that in the Battailes that passed between the Aegyptians and Persians, Herodotus and divers others tooke speciall notice, that of such as lay slaine on the ground, the Aegyptians skuls were without comparison much harder then the Persians, by reason these goe covered with Coyfes and Turbants, and those from their Infancy ever shaved and bare-headed. King Massinissa, the Emperour Severus, Caesar, and Hanniball, in all weathers were wont to goe bare-headed; and Plato for the better health and preservation of the Body, doth earnestly perswade, that no Man should ever give the Head other cover then Nature had allotted it; And Varro is of opi­nion, that when we were appointed to stand bare-head [Page 44] before the gods, or in the presence of the Ma­gistrates, it was rather done for our health, and to in­ure and harden us against the injuries of the wea­ther, then in respect of reverence.

And I suppose wee in this Kingdome incurr some inconveniences by keeping our Heads so warme as generally we doe, neither (I believe) doe the Brasili­ans or Aegyptians escape the affliction of Head-aches; for by this their Artifice, the sutures grow together and be obliterated in them, as they are found to be many times in those who have suffered incurable Head-aches, strangling Cathars, Apoplexes and other Maladies, for no other cause then that their sutures began to close, and their skuls to grow solid, the skull growing dry many times in young Men, even as it is wont to doe by reason of Age. A thing usuall in hot Countries, as Celsus notes, and Paraeus affirmes, that the Ethiopians, and Moores, and those that in­habit the hot Regions, about the Meridian and E­quinoctiall, have their skuls harder, and parted with none or few sutures; by which temper of their cli­mates and their concurring Artifice, they obtaine in­deed a notable defence against outward injuries, more then the ordinary provision of Nature doth affoord, but thereby they become more obnoxious to in­ternall injuries, to wit, to those diseases, which arise from the retention of fuliginous vapours, and their thick skuls may render them more indocile and oblivious, as the Indians of Hispancola are noted to be. Celsus therefore is mistaken, where he affirmes their Heads to become thereby more firme and safe from pain; but he more derogates from the justice and Wisdome of Nature, when he affirmes that the fewer [Page 45] sutures there be, the health of the Head is more there­by accommodated, both which opinions of Celsus, Fallopius very moderately expounds by way of distin­ction, saying, Gabr. Fallopius comment. in lib. Gal. de Offibus. that his opinion is partly true and part­ly false; for if you understand him of those affections that have pain from an internall cause, then it is so farr that their Heads should not ake, that they ra­ther ake, since there are found many affections which arise from vapours and smoak retained: but if we un­derstand it of those griefs which may arise from long abode under the Sun, or from the coldnesse of the ambient Aire, his opinion is most true, because since there are no sutures, there can be no transpiration of externall aire hot or cold; therefore he must be un­derstood of paines which proceed from an extrinsique cause. But the other part of his opinion is not to be endured of those, who tender the reputation and ho­nour of Nature; For, Reald. Columb. Anat. lib. 1. cap. 5. Columbus from many most certaine arguments drawn from experience, and dis­sections made upon the skuls of many men, (and which is more strange and scarce credible) some Women who have died of incurable Head-aches, have been assu­red (finding in their skuls small sutures, and those conjoyned close together) that their paines have been occasioned from that too close composition of bones; and hath hence tooke a just occasion to right Nature by this honourable conclusion, That the sutures of the Head doe not only conferre to the defence of the Bodies health, but do conferr more unto it by how much the greater and looser they shall be.

Wherefore (saith he) I could never approve of the opinion of Cornelius Celsus, asserting that Heads without sutures are not only most strong and firme, [Page 46] but also free from all manner of griefs, such as are to be found in hot and scorching Regions; for he only takes notice of causes hurting the Head from without; sure if the saying of Celsus were true, those Heads should be weaker and more apt to suffer, which had remarkable sutures, then those which had small or no sutures at all. But since it is otherwise, and the Braine is more apt to be damnified by internall suliginous re­crements, then outward injuries, we must conclude that those Heads which have more ample sutures, are far safer from paine, then those that are desti­tute of them, or are intersected with small and very close ones.

SCENE II. Bald pates. Certaine Fashions of Haire affected by divers Nations, and their opinions and practise about Haire-rites, most derogatory to the Honour of Nature.

THe Arymphaei who dwell near the Ryphaean Mountaines,Ravisius ex Herodoto. esteem Haire upon the Head to be a very great shame and reproach, and therefore they affect bald­nesse, and are so from their nativity, both men & women.

The Arnupheae (as Pliny reports) be all shorne and shaven,Pliny, lib. 6. for both Men and Women count it a shame to have haire on their Heads.

The Argippaei, Jo: Bohemus de ritibus gent. lib. 2. that live under the roots of the high mountains in Scythia, are bald from their Nativity both Men and Women.

The Miconii also are borne without Haire,Strabo lib. 10. and baldnesse is lovely and Nationall to them, where­fore [Page 49]

they are wont to call bald Men Myconians. And it is likely that this which now is na­turall unto them, proceeded at first from some affecta­tion & endevour of Art, which in time, through the indig­nation of Nature, made the Heads of their off-springs Naturally barren of Haire, which is not very im­probable, considering the strange conclusions that have been tried, to crosse and turne the ordinary course of Nature into the channell of Mens fantasticall inventions.

Lindschoten. lib, 1. cap. 26.The Japonians account it for a great Beauty to have no Haire, wh^ch wi^th great care they do pluck out, only have a bunch of Haire on the Crown of their Heads, which they tye together.

Grimstone of their manners.Another saith, some of them pull away their Haire before, and others behind, and the pea­sants and meaner sort of People, have halfe the Head bald: the Nobility and Gentry have few Haires behind; and if any one touch them that are left, they hold it for a great offence.

Sr. John Man­devils Travels cap. 54.In the Land of Lombe wher groweth good Wine, and Women drinke Wine, and Men none, the Women shave their Heads, and not Men.

Montaignes Essaies.Not only in the Province of Baske, but in other [Page 48] places,Bald-pated Women. Women

are accounted fai­rest, when their Heads are shaven, & which is strange in some of the nor­therly frozen coun­tries,Plin. Nat. Hist. as Plinie affir­meth,

That the Haire should be, as these Nations conceive, a most abject excre­ment, an unprofita­ble burthen, and a most unnecessary and uncomely co­vering, and that Nature did never intend that ex­crement for an Ornament, is a piece of Ignorance, or rather malicious impiety against Nature.

How great an Ornament the Haire is to the Head, appears by the deformity is introduced by baldnesse: If the Haire were an excrement, it should be shut quite out of the Body, but this remaines in, and they have many different accidents, of which they ought to give a finall cause, and not to tie them to the ne­cessity of matter, which is supposed one end of their production. Neither doe they proceed from the fuligi­nous excrements of the Braine, as some are pleased to think, but rather as Spigelius well notes, of Blood attracted by the root of the Haire unto the rest of the Plant and Trunck, which may be procured from those things, which in other Creatures hold analogy with the Haires of Man. And therefore when the Braine is consumed, baldnesse ensues; the allowed [Page 50] plenty of blood exhausted, The Naturall use of Haire. to wit, that from whence Haires, and wherewith the Braine and the circum­stant parts are nourished. The prime end therefore of the Haire of the Head is to defend the skin, the second use is to defend the Braine from injuries from without, or from within. From without there may happen to fall upon it Aire, Raine, Haile; from within, Va­pours, exhaling from the inferior parts, may prove troublesome. The Aire may hurt the Head many waies, by coldnesse constipating the Pores of the skin, whence the regresse of Vapours is exhibited; by heat, whence the Spirits are dissipated and the Braine as it were sod; by moistnesse, relaxing the internall parts; by drinesse, astringing all, and consuming the innate hu­miditie: against all these inconveniences (which the foolish malice of these Men bring upon their Heads) the Haire by covering the Head doth very aptly bring reliefe. Raine moistens, Haile smites on it; the density of the Haire keeps off one, the other the ductus or course of the Haire turns away; for the thicknesse of the Haire admits not easily of Raine, and the turnings of the Haire doe straightway cast off the Haile that fals upon the Head. In like manner they abate the force of internall Contingencies, for they affoord a passage to Va­pours, elevated from the inferior parts, and ascending to the top of the Head, granting a free and open way unto them. And since the Braine is severed so farr from the Fountaine of heat, and confining so neer the Bones, and under them fenced with no fat, these Haires protect and warme it. They therefore that cut them wholly away, doe not only bring a deformitie up­on Nature, but affoord an occasion to defluxions. Wee must avert (then) from Nature these calumnies of [Page 51] the opinions and practices of Men: That no Haire is ne­cessary or comely in Man; That Haires are a purga­ment of the Body altogether unprofitable, growing on­ly that they may be shaved, being made by Nature to doe nothing: and recommend those Cosmetiques as laudable, which preserve Haire for the use and inten­tion of Nature, condemning all those wayes of decal­vation practised by the Ancients to the prejudice of Nature, nothing but the rigid law of inexorable ne­cessity, in case of diseases, being able to excuse Man for introducing upon himselfe a voluntary baldnesse, sha­ving (generally speaking) being servile, ridiculous, and proper to Fooles and Knaves, an infamous blot of effeminacy, an index of ignominy, calamitie and dam­mage, uncomely, because allied unto depiled baldnesse, being in sooth a voluntary, spontaneous, and wilfull bald­nesse; shaving off the Head unto the quick, being from all antiquity appropriated unto Fooles, being proper in them to signifie the utter deprivation of Wit and un­derstanding, and at first began in mockery and to move laughter; not to mention how repugnant it is to divine writ, it is apparently a shame and a disgrace put upon Nature, and the reproach, as an indeleble Character of infamy, cleaves unto the memory of him who beares the Name of Corses, for being the first who suffered the Haire of his Head to be shaved. His wit (therefore) was affected with a shamefull and impious Itch, who scratcht his Head for such a Paradox as praised bald­nesse; Sinesius by Name, who therein shewed more Wit then Honesty; for because Dion had justly commended a bush of Haire, he forsooth on the contrary, would take upon him to commend baldnesse. That the Haire is a Naturall Ornament, all Allegoricall Authors [Page 53] have significantly maintained, The Naturall Dign: of Hair. and that the depra­vation and voluntary absence thereof is a blemish and introduceth an aspect of humiliation: most Nations have by their practice asserted, and therein given their suffrage to the Naturall comelinesse thereof. Amongst the Indians the King causeth the Haire of the greatest Malefactors to be cut, thinking that to be the greatest reproach and punishment.

Herodot. Pur­chas Pilgr. 2. lib. 10.The Persians and the Canaryns Women, cut their Haire at the Funerall of their Friends.

The People of Brasil and Southerne parts of A­merica, Idem pilgr. 2. lib. 7. although when they are angry they let their Haire grow long, when they mourne they cut it.

Idem Pilgr: 2. lib. 7.In Pegu, Men and Women that be neer akin, shave their Heads in signe of mourning.

Jeremiah 48. cap. 37. And baldnesse, and a shaved Head, were practicall tokens of mourning among the Jews.

Munster Cos­mograph. lib. 6. cap. 38.The Aegyptians onely who have many strange customs contrary to Nature, whereas most mor­tals in Funerals shave their Heads and let their Beards grow long, they on the contrary let their Haire grow long and shave their Beards.

[Page 52]The Abantes or

Euboensians (as the Brasilians do now to the Crown) were wont to shave the forepart of their Heads,Phantasticall Tonsures. Bruson. facet. lib. 7. and were the first that used this kind of barbing; which was also used by the off-spring of Theseus; the Cure­tes (that is to say, clipped) of the Greek word Cou­ra, which signifies clipping, and the Aetolians did the like; they of the Region Quicuri, and other West-Indians do the like. The ancient Gauls, saith Sydon. Apol. weare their Haire long before, and all the hinder part of the Head shaven.Montaigne Essay 49. A Fashion which our wanton Youths, and effeminate Gal­lants (saith Montaigne) have lately renewed, and in this new fangled fond doting age brought up againe,Petr. Martyr decad. 7. with wearing of long dangling Locks before. Eare-locks being also a pestilent cu­some, [Page 54] as Petrus Martyr observes,Mad Shavers in the Province of Duharo in the West-Indies.

Bruson. Facet. lib. 7.

The Maxies weare their Haire long on the right side of their Head, and shave the left side.

Herberts Travels.They of the Cape of Good Hope, some shave one side of their Heads, and leave the other curled and long.

Grimstone of their manners.The inhabitants of S. Croix of the Mount, their Heads are shaven bare on either side, having a tuft of Haire in the midst: some shave but one halfe, ei­ther on the right side or on the left, and most of them round about, suf­fering the Haire to grow in the midst, they say they received this custome from one Pai­cume.

Capt. Smiths Hist. of Virginia.The Sasquesahanoughs, a Giant-like People of Virginia, weare their Haire on the one side long, [Page 55] the other short and close, with a ridge over their Crownes like a Cocks combe.

The Tartarians commonly shave the back part of their Heads, and let the other grow long,Grimstone of their manners. which they tie be­hinde

their Eares: not onely the Tar­tarians are shaven after this manner, but also such as goe to remaine in their Coun-try.Bruson. Facet. lib. 7.

The Dacians shave the crowne of their Head, suffering the Haire to grow in the middle, clipping it here and there in orbe.

Although these Men deprive themselves in a man­ner of halfe the benefit intended them by Nature, yet some of them did it not out of any malice to Nature: for whereas they had before-time much Haire upon their Fore-heads, and the Enemy taking occasion thereby to lay hold on them the more easily, they shaved themselves before, and kept their Haire long behind. But the ancient Gaules had no such colourable ex­cuse, but they remained as they use to paint oppor­tunity.

Fronte capillata, post est occasio calva.

And if the Maxies and the inhabitants of the Cape of Good Hope offer no affront to Nature in shaving one halfe of their Heads, and letting the [Page 56] other grow, M [...]ns Haire fillited. David was very impertinently angry with Hanun for serving his Ambassadors after that manner, and they needed not to have staid at Jeri­cho untill their Haire was grown. And Demosthe­nes might have walked abroad without reproach, when he had thus shaved his Head, that for shame of being seen in so deforming a Garb of Haire, he might keep the closer unto his study. Neither are your Catch-Poles thus shaved at the Inns of Court, any way ill intreated.

Pet. Mart de­cad. 3.They of the Region Quicuri, in the West Indies; the Women use to cut their Haire, but the Men let it grow behinde, which they binde up with fillets and winde it in sundry rols, as our Maides are accustomed to doe.

Cap Smiths Hist. of Vir­ginia.The Women the Naturall Inhabitants of Vir­ginia are cut in many Fashions agreeable to their Yeares, but ever some part remaineth long.

Capt. Smiths descrip. of New England.In New England among the Native Inhabi­tants, when a Maid is Married, shee cutteth her Haire and keeps her Head covered, untill it be growne again.

Pet. Mart. de­cad. 7. Hieron Giravae Cosmograph.The Chicoranes nourish their black Haire down to their Girdles, and the Women in longer trace round about them, both Sexes tie up their Hair.

Magin. Indor.In China the Men as well as the Women do [...] weare long Haire, rolling it up upon the top o [...] their Heads, which they fasten with a silver pin.

Magin. Ame­rica.In Peru the Men weare long Haire which the [...] binde up with fillets.

Lindschoten.The Bramenes never cut their Haire, but weare it long, and turned up as the Women doe.

Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 9.The Quieteves Haire-Fashion is in hornes, moc­king [Page 57] them, that want them as Women;Long-haired Men. for as the Males have hornes, which the Female Beasts want, so these salvage Beasts also. The Quieteves have a Fashion none may imitate, four hornes, one of a span long on the mould of the Head like a Unicorne, and three of halfe a span, one on the Neck, at each Eare another, all upright to the top.

The Cyguanians

have their long Haire wreathed and rolled after a Thousand Fashi­ons.Pet. Mart. de­cad. 1

In Savoy, Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 11. Dau­phine, and Langue­dock, about the Alpes, both Men and Women wear long Haire; where­upon a part of France was called Comata.

D. Junius the reverend Pastor of Delph, Revius de usu Capillitii. doth witnesse, that in an Island called the Beautifull I­sland, the Men wore their Haire as long as Wo­men, which they had much adoe to make them leave off. Whereby you may see it is true what Plinie affirmes, that Men by the Donation of Na­ture, have as long Haire on their Head as Wo­men, if they let it grow and ne're cut it.

The Haire in a more speciall manner was given Woman for a covering. In all kind of Creatures, and [Page 58] in every sexe Nature hath placed some note of diffe­rence, Haire Regu­lated. and the judgment of Nature is no way ambi­guous, where she hath granted by a peculiar indulgence, as an Ornament and beauty, the increase of long Haire, even down unto the Feet: Nature having allowed them in recompence of their smoothnesse and want of a Beard, prolixe Haire, which use hath rol­led up, a custome some seeme too strictly to urge, who will not allow Women to have Haire hanging downe by their Cheeks, but all to be bound up and hid. Certainely such a dependant part by it selfe, of its own Nature, is not contrary to the Law of Nature, or unlawfull, neither is it intrinsically evill, so that it can never be honest; for, positis ponendis, it may stand with the honesty of Nature, and the modesty of a Christian Woman. But for a Woman to be shorne, is cleerly against the intention of Nature: in suf­frage to which truth, the Germans and ancient Gaules thought there could no greater punishment be inflicted upon a Woman for adultery, then to cut her Haire, and to turne her so disgracefully out of doors (deprived of the peculiar Ornament of her sex.) It is noted also, that that Consult of the Senate of Athens, upon occasion of their Army which perished in Aegi­na, was against the Law of Nature; which comman­ded Men to nourish their Haire, and the Women to cut theirs. And no lesse despight against Nature, shewed Aristodemus the Tyrant of Cumana, when he commanded all the Virgins to be trimm'd round.

For Men to nourish long Haire is quite contrary to the intention of Nature, even by the judgment of St. Paul. Doth not Nature (saith he) teach you, that long Haire in a Man is a shame? 'Tis true, our [Page 59] common parent nature hath planted the Head, the tow­er of Reason and the Senses, and the principle Sanctu­ary of the faculty of the Soul, with a fruitfull grove of Haire, partly that they should imbibe the afflux of subrepent humours, partly that this covering might be usefull against the injuries of Aire, and the stings of insects; yet she would not as it were by an irrefragable Edict, establish a sempiternall and unrestrained per­mission, to the luxurie of Haire, but made it lawfull for us to cut it according to our arbitrement, and to revoke that superfluous and recrementitious off­spring of Haire to a just moderation: and as we prune luxurious Vines, so wee may take away and freely coerce that improficuous matter of Haire; nourishing of extraordinarie long Haire, having been ever infamous to Men in all ages, and Tonsure comely, necessary to the trimming of the Body, pro­per, healthfull, and honorifique, an argument of virility to a free and politique Creature as Man is; for to what use or purpose should that superfluous crop of Haire serve? or what emolument it can bring none can see, unlesse it be to breed Lice and Dandro, after the manner of your Irish; who as they are a Nation estran­ged from any humane excellency, scarce acknowledge any other use of their Haire then to wipe their hands, from the fat and dirt of their meales, and any other filth, for which cause they nourish long fealt locks, hanging down to their Shoulders, which they are wont to use in stead of Napkins to wipe their grensie Fingers. The Getae also and Barb'rous Indians, are condemned for never cutting nor regulating their Haire, as suffering themselves to enter into a nearer alliance with Beasts then ever Nature intended, who [Page 60] hath made Man more smooth and nothing so hairy as they are. The Haire Regulated. For Man therefore to weare Haire so long as it may serve for a covering, as Womans Haire is, was never intended to be allowed by Nature: since such Haire may somewhat hinder the actions of com­mon life, which the Nazarites, who cut not their Haire, seeing and knowing by sense, they not only converted their Haire unto the sides, but turned them behind their Ears, and to the hinder parts of the Head, by that meanes sparing their Haire, and mee­ting with the inconvenience which may happen to the action of the Eye and Organ of the Eare, if they be covered with Haire. Which parting of the Haire occasioned that discerning Organ, seam or Middle way, which appears so commonly in Women, being not a Naturall, but an artificiall line of distinction, because made by Art, although for a Naturall end, such as are the Actions of the said Eyes and Eares. And in troth, if wee examine the matter more fully, to what end, should wee either mingle or change the custome, or the sequestring variance of virile Nature with Feminine, that one Sex cannot be known or distinguished from another? for, wee that wee may be no lesse differing in our trimming and Ornament, then we are in Sex, doe cut our Haire, neither is there any more Reason that we should counterfeit Women then they Men; None can deny but that both have been accounted a shame­full reproach. Diogenes, to one with curled long Haire, asking a question, denied to answer, untill he was ascertained whether he was a Man or a Wo­man; But the maine Quaere is, what long Haire it is that is repugnant to Nature, against her Law, and against, above, or beside the Naturall use, and [Page 61] against the order of Nature, Tonsure Re­gulated. which very Beasts ob­serve, and which turnes to the Dammage of the user, which is nothing else, then to be strange from the end for which Haire was given to Man; whether the Haire of Man ought to be any longer, then barely to cover the skul, or whether they should be allowed, which touch not the Cranium and are not in the Head, but notably descend below the skul, and can bring no reliefe to the Head, and whether such Haire can be ei­ther honest, comely, or full of Majesty? Some think that God hath delineated the bounds of the Haire about the Forehead, and that since the bounds are so Graphi­cally struck out as it were with a paire of Compasses, therefore it is not lawfull to transgresse these bounds: Which doth not follow; for by the same rule, Women are to be shorne, since they have (originally) those de­termined bounds of the Haire, which are called by our Barbers the Normal Angles; Because the Bones are delineated where they arise, therfore should they run out no further? Nature hath determined the place whence the Nerves arise, ought they not therefore to spread over the Body, but be cut off there where they arise? It is no good argument from the bound of a things ri­sing, to the bound of its progresse. And the Haire was not only intended to cover and warm the skul, for it may cover the Temples and the Neck, because there are most thin Bones; This is the principle of the Nerves which spread themselves over the whole Body, and are cold by Nature, therefore by the Counsell of the best Physitians, these parts are to be covered with the Haire; They therefore who would have us believe that the Haire should descend no lower then the Eares, and which transcend those limits, should contumeliously de­spight [Page 62] Nature, The decency of Hair stated. as having so much intrinsique malice in it as cannot stand with innocencie, had need prove that Adam had scissers, and cut his Haire in Para­dise. They are yet more severe, who would have it against the Law of Nature, to weare Haire below the skul; for there is some difference between Nature and the law of Nature: The Law of Nature is that, which by reason of Rationall Nature is common to all Men among themselves, which is written in the Hearts of all Men, according to which they accuse or excuse themselves. They are not of the Law of Nature which many Nations never had, nor have, notice of, it must be known to all Men; Some think this Law is writ­ten in all Mens Hearts, explicitely as to some things, implicitely as to others, and we shall not charge all Nations of Malice or wilfull transgression against the law of Nature, who nourish Haire besides the in­tention of Nature, since there are many conclusions which are of the law of Nature, which are not known to all Men. To conclude, Haire long or short, thick or thin, more or lesse, is a matter of indifferency; wherein there is a variety incident according to the diversity of complexions, ages, seasons of the Yeare, Climates or places of habitation, diseases or health: the prolixity or brevity whereof wee cannot positively determine. Upon pretence of their hot Climate, the Turks call such as weare long Haire on their Heads, slovens, and account them Salvage Beasts, for they themselves weare no Haire at all upon their Heads. We in colder climates are bound by a principle of Na­turall practise and conveniency, to reduce our Tonsure to a just moderation and decency; wherein some re­gard must be had to custome, which is the rule of de­corum [Page 63] for he doth that which is ridiculous, Black Haire affected. and lesse honest and convenient, who offends against Custome, which is the Rule of Decency, who being singular, is Poled and closely cut among those who weare a bush, or bushie among those who are Poled.

The Maldives, esteem black Haire a great Beauty, and make it come so by Art, by conti­nuall shaving, keeping their Heads shaven untill eight or nine years, they shave them from 8 dayes to 8 dayes, which makes the Haire very black.

The Turks have a black powder made of a Mi­nerall called Alcohole, with which tincture they use to colour the Haire of their Heads and Beards black;Lord Bacon Nat. Hist. cen. 8. vici. And divers with us that are grown gray, and yet would appeare young, finde meanes to make their Haires black by combing it (as they say) with a leaden combe, or the like.

Verily the Art Cosmetique refuseth to ac­commodate any in this businesse, it being not to be attempted by Art, since Naturall white­nesse of aged Haires is rather an Ornament then a shame unto the Head; and therefore since gray­nesse, as it cannot be amended, so it ought not to be palliated with any Fucus, and he that assaies to doe it is justly derided, of whom Martial.

[Page 64] Artificiall black Haire. Sandys Tra­vels lib. 1The Turkish Women also practise this Art, of blacking their Haire, as a foyle that maketh the white seem whiter, and more becomming their other perfections.

Peter Mart. Decad 3.The Ciguanians (if Nature deny it them) make their Haire black by Art.

Plinie Nat. Hist. lib. 3.The Water of the River Busentus, would serve these People for a curious Cosmetique, which is reported to have a propertie to die the Haire black. The like would another River (as that in Booetia) which makes the fleeces black of those Sheep that are dipt in it.

Linschoten lib. 1. cap. 26.In Japan, contrarie to the opinion of most Na­tions, who think it a goodly sight to see Men with white and yellow Haire, esteeme it the filthiest thing in the World, and they seek by all meanes they can, to make the Haire black, for that the white causeth their griefe,Trigaut. lib. Iapon. and the black maketh them glad; And therefore they mourn in white.

In Germanie the Noble Virgins, that they may seeme to have somewhat exotique and peregrine Haire, or that they may differ from the Plebean Maides, to whom the yellow or Golden colour is gratefull, affect to have their Haire black.

Sic suum cuique pulchrum, be it their own by tra­duction or artificiall purchase. These Virgins seeme to themselves to doe as that Aethiope, who lived in the Court of a certaine Germane Prince, who often when he saw in the nursery a faire Virgin, and withall a little black whelp, he said unto the Virgin, you are not faire, but this Dog is faire and beautifull; Gaudet sic concolor atro, as Julius Scaliger saith: And I [Page 65] have known some Women among us, Yellow Haire affected. who rejecting their own Haire for its Naturall rednesse, have worn black curled locks; which although it falsified their complexions, and therein was a trespasse against Na­ture, yet they seem to agree with their cleer skins, as the Naturall doe, with the black Women that are cleere skin'd.

This tincture of Haire, is but a foolish and ridicu­lous affectation, and many times proves a sinfull vani­ty: Galen therefore, a Famous Mr. in Cosmetiques, would never communicate to any loose and wanton Wo­man, any medicament to make their Haire black, because he knew they would abuse it: Hier. Morc. lib. de decoratione. but to Matrons who lived honestly, he willingly afforded this accommodation.

The Women of old time, did most love yellow Haire, and it is found that they introduced this colour by Safron, and by long sitting daily in the Sun, who instead of Safron sometimes used medicated Sulphur. This Art of changing their Haire with Safron, was called Crocuphantea. Tertullian observing this artifice, tels them that they are ashamed of their country, and would be Gaulise Women, or Germanie Women, so much did they dis­guise themselves, whereby is known how much red Haires were esteemed in the old time, which to seeke out by Art, St. Cyprian and St. Jerome with Tertullian, doe say, that the same doe prasage the fire of Hel.

Galen affirmes that in his time most Women were dead with the Head-ache, Galen. lib. 1 de vestimentis localibus cap. 19 neither could there be any remedie applied to this Evill, Matenesius de luxu & abusu vestium. because they stood a long while bare-headed in the Sun, to render their Haires yellow, and he reports that for the same cause, some of [Page 66] them lost their Haire and became bald, Artificiall yellow Haire. and were re­duced to Ovids remedy, for that defect, either to bor­row other Womens Haire, or to ransack the Graves of the Dead, for a dishonest supply.

Tertullian. lib. de ornatu foe­minarum.Tertullian speaking of this thing, saith, that Wo­men were punished for this their lasciviousnesse, for that by reason of their daily long abode in the Sun, their Heads were often most grievously hurt with the Head­ache, Lucian in Epigram. and it seems when this folly was grown habituall unto them, it degenerated into Dotage; for Lucian very lepidly derides an old Woman, who notwithstan­ding shee was seventy Yeares of age, yet shee would have her Haire of a yellow tincture, and exhorts the old Mother to desist from her folly; for although shee could colour her silver Haires, yet shee could not recall her age. The Venetian Women at this day, and the Paduan, and those of Verona, and other parts of Ita­ly, practise the same vanitie, and receive the same re­compence for their affectation, there being in all these Cities, open and manifest examples, of those who have undergone a kinde of Martyrdome, to render their Haire yellow. Schenckius observat. lib. Schenckius relates unto us the History of a certaine Noble Gentlewoman, about sixteen or seven­teen yeares of age, that would expose her bare Head to the fervent heat of the Sun daily for some houres, that shee might purchase yellow and long Haire, by anoin­ting them with a certaine unguent; and although she obtained the effect of her desires, yet withall, shee pro­cured to her selfe a violent Head ach, and bled almost every day abundantly through the Nose: and on a time being desirous to stop the Blood by the pressing of her Nostrils, not farr from her right Eye toward her Temple, through a pore, as it were by a hole made with a [Page 67] needles point, the Blood burst out abundantly, Mad affectat: of yell: Haire. and ta­king away her fingers, againe caused it to run through her Nose; and at that very time shee was diseased by the obstruction of her courses.

Another Maid also by using this same Art, Johannes Francus, med. Camicensis. be­came almost blind with sore Eyes.

Had these Women known the secrets of the art Cos­metique invented to this effect, especially that harme­lesse and unknown rarity of Lusitanus,Lusitanus cent. 3. curat. 59. they might have gone a better way to worke, or had they known the tincture which the Aegyptian Women use to colour their Hands and Feet into a Golden hue, they (as Prosper. Alpinus speaks) could have nothing which they might more securely use to guild their Haire, Prosper. Alpi­nus. lib de plantis Aegypt. cap 13. nei­ther should they need to burne themselves in the Sun beams, and diverse wayes offend their Heads; nei­ther by reason of this depraved tincture of their Haires, would they, as some Virgins have been, affected with such perilous and wonderfull symptomes; Vpon observa­tion of which exemplary punishments, Johannes Fran­cus the Physitian thus speakes: So they who are studious to augment their Beauty, oftentimes deforme themselves.

What a curious accommodation to these People had some Fountaine been, Plinie lib. 3. Nat. Hist. cap. 106. that had a harmelesse property to colour their Haire according to their mindes, such a one as the River Crathis mentioned by Plinie,Ovid Meta­morphosis. whose Nature was to make Haire yellow, which efficacy O­vid attributes to another.

Crathis & hinc Sybaris, nostris conterminus oris, ‘Electro similes faciunt Auroque Capillos.’

Montanus taking notice of this erroneous practise [Page 79] of Women in his time in Verona,Mad affecters of yell: Haire. and other parts of Italy, very rationally and Learnedly observes, that this endeavour for Ornament, cast them into a greater mischiefe, for although they obtained their end in colouring their haires, yet afterwards thereupon they become shorter, hard and harsh, whereas commonly Women have long and soft Haire. But these Women, choosing ever that which is worst, use strong Waters which are dryers; for although they think their Haire is coloured by them, yet they rather burne them and make them short, they destroy moreover their sub­stance, and which is worse, they destroy life it selfe. A caution to be considered of by our Gallants.

Io: Bohem. de moribus gen­tium lib. 3.The European Galatians although they have yellow Haire by Nature, yet they use great di­ligence to increase the Native colour, making their Haires thicker by Art, that they differ no­thing from Horse maines.

In the low Countryes, the Iewish Women who are all black Hair'd by Nature, wear great yellow Periwigs, which, I suppose, is either out of foolish dislike of their owne complexions, or else a desire to conforme themselves, to the generall hue of their Hair among whom they live; or both.

Description of Nova FranciaThe Savages of Nova Francia, although their vanity stretch not so far as to the curling of Haire, yet it doth to the colouring of them; for as much as when they are merry, and paint their Faces be it with blew or with redd, they paint also their Haires with the same colours. And indeed painting the Haire of the Head, hath been anci­ently noted in the Indians by many Poets, who tooke occasion to describe them.

[Page 68]His coma, liventes imitatur crine hyacinthos,Tincture of Hair condem: Ruffus Festus. Dyonisius Afer Lucan. At (que) gerunt similes Hyacintho fronte capillos, Et qui tingentes croceo medicamine crines.

Tincture of Haire is most shamefull and detestable in Men; so in that impotent creature and untamed Animal, Woman (to the more honourable sort of whom Ornamentall dresses of Haire are permitted) the indulgency is to be moderated, and their licence herein granted them by Nature to be restrained with­in certaine bounds, that it neither extend to too much curiosity or any fucus, since all fucusses in the very endeavour of Beauty are ugly and dishonoura­ble to Nature.

One thing (saith Kornmannus) is strange and most singularly remarkable out of Gulielmus Pari­siensis, upon the saying of St. Paul 1 Corinth. 11. A Woman ought to have her Head covered, because of the the Angels. This some have understood of the evill Angels, whose lust they thought was vehemently provoked and inflamed by the Beauty of Womens Hair: and hence the Incubi are more troublesome and prone to vex Women, who have a faire head of Haire; which happens throug [...]h the just permission of God, for the vanity, pomp, and idle complacency of such Women, who spend too much time in trimming, and colouring their Haire, insolently glorying in that improved Orna­ment, and oftentimes by their Beauty, inflaming others to lust: and so perchance for terrour, the pro­vidence of Divine goodnesse, permits them to suffer this tentation from evill spirits, that they might de­sist from such vaine care, fearing to ensnare Men with their Hair, to lust after them, since they seem to in­stigate and provoke to lust the very Divels themselves. [Page 70] Which may serve for a caveat to the frizeled and over powdered Gallants of our times, Haire-Anointers. lest they pro­voke some succubus, to give them an unlookt for vi­sitation.

Purchas pilgr. 2. lib. 7.The Abassines let their Haire grow, which serves them for an hat and Head tire, and for finer bravery they curle and anoint their Haire with butter, which shewes in the Sun like grasse in the morning dew; lest their locks and curles should be disordered, when they goe to Bed, each one pitcheth a forke or cratch, a foot high in the ground, betwixt the hornes whereof he reposeth his Neck, and sleepeth with his Head hanging. The Jessamine Butter with which our Gallants anoint their Haire, is a pretious inven­tion belonging to the same vanitie.Helyn Terra Nigrit. The Mani­congo Nobilitie for the greater Gallantrie anoint their Haire with the fat of Fishes which makes them stink most abominably.

Heres Glorious Cosmetiques for our tender Gal­lants, which would prove as pleasing to their hoste­ricall Mistresses, as the sweet Atomes, which make such a Cirque of Olimpique dust upon their hoarie Shoulders. And to make a little bold with the hand­some expression of a Gentleman, who, as I understand, could have been content my Booke by comming a little sooner to his hand, had afforded him the same oppor­tunity. Our Gallants wittie noddles are put into such a pure modified trim, the dislocations of every Haire so exactly set, the whole bush so curiously can­died, (and which is most prodigious) the naturall jet of some of them, so exalted into a perfect azure, that their familiar Friends have much adoe to own their [Page 71] Faces. For by their powdered Heads, Powdered Haire. you would take them to be Meal-men. 'Tis a great benefit of Nature to to have the liberty of a free transpiration, whereby through the curious emunctions of the pores, she doth constantly emitt and disburden herselfe of superfluous evaporations, which otherwise we may well think, those sewers being blockt and choakt up with that sweet ar­tificiall dust, conglomerated into dirt, by the furious acting of their fiery Braines, may in time dissolve in distillations, and (if not obfuscate their inventions, when they have a disposition to court their Mistresses, with some rare Piece of Posie) find a passage to their Lungs, and cacexicate their pretty Corpusculums, if not in time make way for a Consumption. And besides the oppilation of those invisible perforations, through which Nature is wont to wire-draw spare humours into a fine excrescency for a supplementall handsome Ornament, it is to be doubted the old stock too, by vici­nity after a while, grow putrid and fall away, and then they will either looke like pill'd Ewes, or else must put on a beastly thing call'd a Perriwigg, and make their Friends put a worse interpretation upon the matter, then there may be cause; indeed one ad­vantage they may happily have by this artifice, that by often sweating and new dredging their Heads, for recruit, in short time their Heads may grow so well stockt in six footed Cattell, that they need not be to seek at any time of a medicine for the Jaundies.

Frizling and curling of Haire with hot Irons, which was lately much in fashion with us, an artificial affectation in imitation of a naturall bush of Haire, was in practise among the Romans.

In proem ad lib. 1 controvers. Seneca well observed and censured this vanity: It is now held the accomplished Gallantry of our Youth, to frizle their Haire like Women, to speake with an effeminate smalnesse of voice, and in tendernesse of Body to match them, and to bedeck themselves with most undecent trimming. But their extreame curiosity, in platting and fol­ding their Haire, he in another place most lively describes, and as sharply, but justly reproves: how doe they chafe if the barber be never so little neg­ligent, as if he were trimming a Woman? how do they take on if any thing be lopped off their feaks or foretops, if any thing lie out of order, if eve­ry thing fall not even into their rings or curles; which of these would not rather choose, that the state whereof he is a member, should be in com­bustion, then his Haire should be displatted? who is not much more solicitous of the grace of his Head, then of his health? who maketh not more account to be fine, then honest?

Periwigs also have been an ancient vanity, and assumed by them, who were not well pleased with Natures donative, for the Romans (as many Gallants among us) wore Haire which they bought instead of their own.

And this without any shame they openly bought.

Little Fore­heads affected SCENE III. Frontall Fashions affected by divers Nations.

Ferrand. Ero­tomania. Montaigne in his Essaies. THe Mexicans judge those the most beautifull that have little Foreheads, and where­as they shave their Haire over all their Bodies besides, by Artificiall meanes, they labour to nourish and make it grow only in their Fore­heads; and it is to be suspected that the Matrons of Secota in Florida by some such artifice have a short Forehead. De Bry. Hist. Ind.

The late Fashion generally used amongst us both by Men and Women, of bringing down the Haire to cover the Forehead, and almost to meet the Eye-brows, savour'd somewhat of this affectation.

Nature hath circumscribed the whole space, wee call the Forehead, which beginning from the Eie-brows, ascends even to the forepart of the Head to­wards [Page 75] the coronall

suture:Low Fore­heads affected which is the latitude of the Fore­head, the longitude is from one of the Temples unto the o­ther, towards the su­ture, which extends to the stony bones, to which place the Hairs also come, so that three parts of the front are boun­ded out with the Haire of the Head, the Eie-brows enclosing the fourth: all which place Nature intended to be moveable, and void of Haire, (none Naturally growing therin) because the use of the Hair is to cover, whereas the Forehead is so much covered with Haire as we please: to what end had Haires grown in the Forehead? which could not have been suffered without prejudice to the Eies, whom they will have shadowed: to remove which obstacle, we should have stood in need of continuall tonsure, which Nature provident­ly prevented, lest our Body should have perpetually made worke for us. 'Tis true, that part in Bruits, which answers to the Forehead, is hairy, yet is thought no way to hinder the action of their Eyes: but that may be in regard their Eyes are placed more to the sides then mens are, and their prone aspect makes it not so inconvenient, and therfore we may with Hofman aske whether the erect Figure of Man did not require such a smoothnesse and bare Forehead: the growing of Haire in such an insolitary place, [Page 76] is accounted and reckoned by Platerus for a deformity, since a large smooth Forehead is thought to add some­what to the beauty of the part. They therefore who thus labour to remove the bound and Haire-marke of Nature, to cloud the throne of Love and Honour, and the Imperiall seat and mansion place of Wisdome, placed in the front of Man, offer a grosse indignity and despight unto Nature, and seeme to claime kindred of Cats, and Sowes, who among other hairy fronted A­nimals, have little and narrow Foreheads: And if Nature should justly answer them in their folly of forcing their Haire to a preternaturall descent, and streightning their Foreheads more then is convenient, (as shee sometimes doth) shee should send much crasse and excrementitious humours about the forepart of the Bra [...]ne, which should make their Faces more inelabo­ratei and confused: that in their little Foreheads, by reason of tegument of Haire, and the humours in the forepart being lesse perfrigerated then is fit, and heat agitating the humours, there should ensue such a mo­veable disposition, as should intercept and abate the purity of judication, which are the common accidents of such Foreheads; for, little Foreheads containe but smal ventricles of the brain, whence the spirits streight­ned and reflected, rise againe, causing a mobility of cogitation. Now it seemes to me (who am a little ena­bled by plodding on this argument, to smell out the a­busive suggestions of the grand Enemy of Mankinde, who labours all he can, to alter and deprave that part of the Image of God, which remaines in the Fabrick of man) that in the conformation of their Foreheads, they prevaricated two waies, either by making their Fore­heads more angust then is Naturall, according to [Page 77] longitude or according to latitude,High Fore­heads affected either by so compres­sing the skul and Temples equally on each side, the Head was elongated from the forepart into the hinder part, and so the Forehead streightned more then was necessary, and the decent longitude in the bone failed: the other way was by laying the Hand above their In­fants Foreheads, so, that the end of the Vola or Palme fell about the roots of the Haire, and their fingers a­bove the suture Coronalis; so strongly compressing the Bone, untill they streightned the Forehead and made it longer: in both which they offered great violence to Nature, in thus perverting the Naturall forme of the Forehead.

The Spanish Wo­men

seem to be so extreamly affected with a high Fore­head, and to account it so transcendent a beauty, that they ex­tend the borders of the Forehead, beyond the naturall confines of the Haire, making the Synciput or fore­part of the Head all Forehead; for by a wonderfull invention and artifice, they take off the Haire of the Synciput, and lay it bare, so that it lies open in a larger extent, then the Forehead it selfe.Oswaldus Gabelhover.

Which art of making a faire Forehead, Oswaldus Gabelhover seems either to have learned of them, or they of him.

[Page 78] High Fore­heads and Foretops:

The English commonly love a high Forehead, and the Midwives and Nurses use much art and en­deavour by stroa­king up their Foreheads and binding them hard with fillets to make the Fore­heads of Children to be faire and high, and we are now very lately returned from the practise of clow­ding the Fore­head, with a praeci­pies of Haire, and to nourish a fore­top which tends most to the ad­vancement of the Forehead, and the glory of the coun­tenance.

Spigelius. The Russians love a broad Forehead, and use art to have theirs so; Their Faces being explai­ned and drawn out in their infancy, thereby to direct their Foreheads to grow in this forme.

All endeavour to pervert and alter the Naturall [Page 79] form of the Forehead, is a disparagement of Nature,Broad Fore­heads. and any mutation wrought therein by Art implies a fault, imperfection; and privation, and the further the altered figure recedes from the Naturall, the greater the affected transgression of the Phancie is. But to speake the truth, a broad square Forehead, so it be proportionate, is not a figure much different from the Naturall; And indeed to the Russians, who are of a square proportion, for the most part, broad, short, and thick, a broad Forehead which in a manner resembles a quadrangle, may be somewhat suitable. I call that a quadrangle broad Forehead, which is lon­ger in one part, and hath two opposite sides equall, having right upper angles in the front, produced unto the Bones of the Temples, and ending in that part wherin the Anterior implantation of Temporall Muscles ariseth: which quadrangular figure since it hath two equall sides opposite one unto the other, one of these greater sides of the quadrangle is above nigh to the Haire, the other opposite unto it, is described in a right line, stretched about both the Eye-brows, and protracted even unto the extreame parts of them: The lesser sides are those which are noted by a line descending by both the Temples, and knitting in both the greater sides together, which figure is Platonick; for from such a broad Face and Forehead, Plato had his name, as Plutarch and Nearchus report.

The People of Syginnus, a City of Aegypt, use great care to have exporrected Foreheads.

The Italians, for the most part, doe much re­joyce in a prominent Forehead, especially in the upper part of the Forehead, which is perpendi­cularly opposite unto the Nose, wherein a cer­taine [Page 80]

part of their Haire jets out so, Prominent Fore-heads. that it seems to re­present a certaine hillock, which they most affect, thin­king it to be a sign of a valiant Man: insomuch that they who would seeme to be Valiant and Military Men, nou­rish that part of the Haire, procu­ring it to encline upon their Foreheads, that it may shew (being convex in the middle) a certaine gibbosite, as it were the lesser part of a little stoole-ball, which fashion seems lately to be re­vived by some of our Ladies.

However this politick Nation may delude them­selves with the opinion and practise of this errour; yet there is nothing in this affected Fashion that is very manly, a round prominent Forehead with such a convexity, being rather feminine: nay, hath some­what in it of the Forehead of an Asse. Baldus would call such a Forehead elevated in the middle, seeming to represent the lesser halfe of a Spheare, a ridiculous monster, being a preternaturall figure, which cannot afford a good Wit, which is a passion following the Naturall state of the Head; and if I should not charge them with tampering with the mould of their Fore­heads, (as I think I justly might,) since what ever any Nation affects as fashionable, that they account [Page 81] most amiable and decent, and the Gallants will have (if Nature denie it them) by the provocations of Art, (as that will doe it:) yet we must accuse them of a high Trespasse committed against the Majestie of Nature, in that by that laboured prominence of their Forehead, they apparently damnifie Nature, in one of the most considerable and important actions of the Eye, which is the sublime and contemplating aspect thereof to Heaven. To vindicate the regular beauty and honesty of Nature, from these Plastique Impostors, we say, that a Forehead that keeps its Naturall magnitude, is one of the unisons of the Face, whose longitude (which we must conceive of a right line descending perpendicularly) is the third part of the Face, and ought to answer the length of the Nose; so that if wee compare it to the rest of the Face, it ought to have the proportion of a halfe part to a duple: its longitude also naturally is such, that the front is likewise in a duple proportion of one to two; you may conferre it with the gyre of the hinder part of the Head, after this manner, let the occiput of a man well proportioned, be measured with a thread, beginning at the part of the Temples, wherein the Haires terminate the Forehead, and lea­ding it round in orb by the occiput, untill you end in the other part of the Temples, this thread will prove halfe the length, which is from both the Temples by the front and Synciput; this is the length of the Fore­head, and is to the circumference of the Occiput, under which the last venter of the braine is, and the begin­ning of the After-braine, as one to two: and its altitude to the rest in like manner, and to the whole Face, that it is its third, not otherwise also then it is the third part of the whole circumference of the Head. This [Page 82] Forehead is also called a great Forehead,Cloudy Fore­heads affected. if it be com­pared with a feminile Forehead; and it appeares so much the greater, the more it approacheth to a plain­nesse, being neither globous nor tuberous, as the Forehead of Women, Boyes, or those which transposed beyond Nature by the violence of Art are.

The reason why the Forehead should rather draw nigh to a certaine plainnesse, then a concavity or a convexity, is this; for, that plainnesse is a certaine meane between a convex and a concave figure. Now a front that is disposed according to Nature, comes into a Naturall mediocrity, because that conduceth most to the advantage of Man, that he might be vigo­rous in sence and memory, which he cannot well exercise, unlesse he have an out-jetty of the occiput, which could not be done unlesse the part of the Spheare opposite unto it should be pressed together; therefore it is so framed that a plaine Forehead is adjoyned to a tuberous occiput.

Porta Physi­ogn, lib. 2.

The Scythyans (contrary to the Bononians, who for the most part have very smooth Fore­heads) have all cloudy Foreheads, made on purpose so by art, and he that hath not such an one, doth not Scythicè intueri.

A contrivance cleane crossing the [Page 83] intention of Nature,Stigmatiz'd Fore-heads. who never meant the Forehead should be alwaies cloudy, nor ever cleere, but to change scenes occasionally, according to the severall affections of the mind.

The Samians were wont of old to burn letters in their Foreheads, and in a brave­ry to stigmatise themselvs; whence Aristophanes cals them populum lite­ratum: and it was a proverb, Samiis nominem esse litera­tiorem.

The ingenious Women are marked with certaine notes in the Forehead, Johan. Bohem. de moribus, lib. 3. which is accounted a kind of genero­sity, they esteeming it an argument of ignoble­nesse to be without them.

Among the Thracians (also) these frontall cha­racters were most familiar, Pancerol tit. 2. de porcell. and esteemed a great ensigne of Honour and Nobility. Cicero lib. 2. de offic. Cicero's phrase is, that they were notis compuncti, and hence such marks were called Threiciae notae: and ma­ny of the Indians are at this day of the same opi­nion and practise. I remember to have seen in London, a well favoured Blackmore Boy, who had the mark of a barbed Arrow standing in the midst of his Forehead.

The penall lawes of some states, have indeed in­flicted [Page 84] upon runnegate slaves and Malefactors,Spotted Fore­heads. as notes of slavery and infamy, branded markes on the Forehead; but for Men ingenious and free, to affect such stigmaticall characters, as notes of bravery, and Ensignes of Honour and Nobility, is a very strange phantasticall prevarication; for, Nature never in­tended the Forehead to be; Tanquam rasa Tabula, a faire blanke table of the affections, and a plaine Index of the mind, not to be charged with our artificiall cha­racters, but the Naturall impression of motion on­ly.

Purchas pilgr. 2. lib. 10. The Bramines of Agra marke themselves in the Forehead, Eares and throat, with a kind of yellow geare which they grinde, and every morning they doe it, and so doe the Women.

Idem eod. lib. 9. The Gentiles of Indostan, Men and Women both, paint on their Foreheads, and other parts of their Faces, red or yellow spots.

The Gusaretes and Banianes of Cambaia, they weare a Starr upon their Forehead, which they rubb every morning with a litle white saunders tempered with Water, and three or four grains of Rice.

Lindschot. l. 1. The Malabars and Mestichos have also some such Frontall custome.

Pet. Mart. dec. 1. The Cyguanians are of a horrid aspect, much like the People called Agathyrsis, of whom the Poet Virgill speaketh; for they were all painted and spotted with sundry colours, and especially with black and red, which they make of certain fruits nourished in their Gardens for the same purpose, with the juice whereof they paint themselves from the Forehead even unto the [Page 85] knees, Painted Fore­heads. which painting the Spaniard used as a stratagem to take their King.

The Relator saith, that a Man would think them to be incarnate Divels, broke out of Hell, they are so like Hell-hounds. I am sure they violate and impudently affront Nature, thus to obscure the Naturall seat of shame and modest bashfulnesse with their painting; so that the flushings of the Purple blood, which Na­ture sends up to releive the Front in the passion of shame, cannot significantly appeare in their Na­tive hue.

Beetle-browes affected. SCENE IV. Eye-brow Rites, or the Eye-brows abus'd contrary to Nature.

Ex relatione amici ingeniosi. THe Russian Ladies tie up their Foreheads so strict with fillets, which they are used to from their Infancy, that they cannot move their Eye-brows, or use any mo­tion; the meaner sort also affect it: the skin is so strei­ned, that one would wonder how they could en­dure it, but they being used unto it from their infancy, it is easie. What a plot have these Women upon Nature, thus to bind their Eye-brows to the ob­servation of so strict and unnaturall a silence, to hin­der her in one of her most significant operations, and to exclude that part of the mind which useth to be ex­hibited by the Eye-brows.

Montaigne in his Essaies. Among some Nations, Beetle-brows are in fashion: which is not only quite against Zeno's Phi­losophy, but against the ordinance of Nature, thus [Page 87] perversely to joyn

whom she hath sepa­rated.Stiff strein'd Foreheads and Beetle-brows affected. For this in­tercilar space was intended by Nature to distinguish and divide the hairy ar­ches of the Eye, and to make good that laudable duplicity or Naturall fraternitie of the parts of the Face.

In the Indies,Purchas his Pilgr. the Cumanans pluck off all the Haire of their Eye-brows, taking great pride, and using much su­perstition in that unnaturall depila­tion.

In Nombre de Di­os,Lindschot. li. 2. the Women with a certaine Hearb, make the Haire of their Eye-brows fall off.

In Peru they use offerings in pulling off the Haire of their Eye-brows, to offer unto the Sun. Purchas his Pilgrimage. The Brasilians (also) eradicate the Haire of their Eye-brows. Idem. eodem.

These hairy extremities of the Forehead, the Eye-brows, [Page 88]

whose circum­scription and fi­gures, shew that they were made for the Eyes sake,Haters of Haire upon the Eye brows and in­deed they doe con­ferr much to the ho­nesty of the Eyes were borne with us, the skin thereof be­ing harder, that the Haires might be of equall number, and not increase to too great a bulke; which although they be equall in length, number, and thicknesse, yet lie not streight, but are produced oblique, in manner of a bended Bow or Triumphant Arch, according to the round­nesse of the Eye, that they might the better cast off any thing that comes against the Eye, which if they were shorter, fewer, or thinner, they could not so well defend the Eye: if on the contrary, they were longer and thicker, they would hinder the sight; And therefore when they prove overgrown in old Men, by reason of the relaxation of the couching toge­ther of the bone wherein they are planted, so suffering a transmission of the humours, they stand in need of clipping. Moreover, the Brows doe help the Eye-lids, and make faire the Face: For he that hath not his Browes hairy, is not comely. Behold here, what incon­veniences the despightfull prevarication of some Na­tions have brought upon them, who wilfully deprive themselves of these usefull and comely Ornaments of [Page 89] the Face. For,Eye-brow ma­kers and great Eyebrows. robbing the Eyes of their Naturall Pent-house or water table, they expose them bare to imbrications.

From the perpetuall magnitude of these Haires,Gal. 10. de usu partium. and those of the Eyelids: Galen takes an occasion to de­ride Moses and Epicurus, from which calumnie Rabbie Moses defends him,Rabi Moses in Aphorism. Montanus Mod. pars. 2. and that very excel­lently; which place is worth the reading, by those who are curious, which argument they may finde dila­ted in Montanus and Hofmanus. Hofmanus comment in Gal. de usu partium. 11.

Of old time, the Women when their Eye-brows were long and broad, they made them nar­row, subtile, and arched, either with pincers or scissers, which artifice would not be approved of in Java Major, where to their little Eyes, they have great Eye-brows: and therefore no doubt nourished as in request. The wickednesse and mad­ness of the Greeks

and Romans, in this effeminate plucking and pul­ling of their bodies; and abusing it with depilatories, we wil­lingly passe over, lest I should abuse good Paper with so foul narrations; who lists to heare of these unmanly prac­tises, may find more then enough in Franciscus Junius. Fran. Junius de coma cap. 7.

This wee may say with Galen, that such effeminate [Page 90] Men are to be pittied,Eye-brow painters. who are so averse to the truth, that they know not they have a Mind that they owe Culture to, rather then to the Bodie.

The Women of old time, when the Haire of their Eye-brows were yellow or white, they black them with soot, as you may read in Tertul­lian, Plautus, Athenaeus, Clemens Alexandrinus, and others.

And there Women did not blush to have it known, that usually they painted not their Faces onely, but their very Eye-brows.

Martiall speaks of one whose Face did not sleep with her, but shee did innuere with an Eye-brow, put on every morning. What this Fuligo or soot was, is not well explained by Authors; Mercurialis thinkes it was that Fucus which by Plinie is said to have been called Callipleuron;Mercurialis. lib. de decorat. the like Fucus made with coledust, the Women of these times use for the same purpose.

Grimstone of their manners. The Arabian Women have a certain black painting made of the smoak of Gals and Saffron, with the which they paint their Eye-brows of a Triangular forme.

The American Women doe with a certaine Fucus paint their Eye-brows, which they lay [Page 91] on with a pencill;Triangular and High ar­ched Eye­brows affe­cted.

a thing also usuall with French Wo­men who have lit­tle modesty.

They of Candou Island put a cer­taine blacknesse upon their Eye-brows. Purchas Pilg. 2. lib. 9.

The Tartarian Women anoint their Eye-brows with a black oint­ment. Idem Pilg. 3. lib. 1. L. Bacon Nat. Hist. cent. 8.

The Turks have a black powder made of a Mine­rall called Alchole, with which they colour the Haire of their Eye-brows which they draw into embow­ed Arches.

The Women affect very much black Eye-brows, Sandys Tra­vels lib. 10. and likely they are naturally so, if they be not, they die them into this hue by Art, made high and halfe Circular, and to meet if naturally they doe not.

The regulating of the Haires of the Eye-brows [Page 92] when they chance to grow out of order,Eye-brow d [...]yers. and the re­ducing them with Pinsers or scissers to conformity, is but a Cosmetique elegancie. But this generall conspi­ration of all Nations to black them, when Nature hath produced them of another colour, is somewhat de­structive to the true knowledge of complexions, and pre­judiciall to the cautionary Art of Physiognomy, which Nature hath so favourably founded in the Face to an observers notable advantage; and even now, when this sheet was going into the presse, an understanding and discreet Lady, falling into discourse of this vanity, told mee, shee knew a Gentlewoman, who being displeased with the native colour of the Haire of her Head which was yellow, procured a water of a Physitian a­bout this Towne, to die her Haire Black. And be­ing advertised of the incongruitie of the Haire of her Eye-brows which were white, with that new tincture of the Haire of her Head, shee applied this water to her Eye-brows to black them also, which soone fetcht off all the Haire, and thereby introduced a very ri­diculous aspect, being, without all recovery, deprived of the Native Ornament of this part.

To draw them into embowed Arches, is but an i­mitation of Nature: but to make them meet, is more then shee ever intended; but (as the Arabians doe) to paint them in a Triangular forme, is a piece of Ge­ometry, which we cannot allow to be exercised in the Eye-brows.

SCENE V. Eye-lids tur­ned backward towards the Forehead. Eye-lid Fashions affected as Notes of Gallantry and Beauty by divers Nations.

The Giachas or Agagi of the Ethiopian Countreys beyond Congo,Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 7. Lindschoten lib. 1. have a custome to turne their Eye-lids back­wards towards the Forehead and round about; Pigafetta's re­port of the Kingdome of Congo. so that their skin being all black, and in that blacknesse shewing the white of their Eyes, it is a very dreadfull, and divilish sight to behold; for they thereby cast upon the beholders a most dreadfull astoni­shing aspect.

What strange and prodigious Cosmetiques hath the great Enemy of Mankind instructed these Infidels in, perswading them to defraud themselves of a Naturall convenience, for a Diabolicall fashion, exposing the most tender part, to all the injuries incident to so o­dious [Page 94]

an apparition,Eye-lids turn'd up­wards toward the Forehead. and withall infer­ring not a little da­mage to the impor­tant operations of the Eye; for, the ex­ternall conformati­on of the Eye, con­sists not onely in the Ball or Apple of the Eye, but of the cir­cumstantiall parts of the Eye-lids, haires, and Eye-brows; any of which in the leastwise changed, it will ne­cessarily follow, the Eye cannot rightly performe its Office, Vision being a most sumptuous thing, consisting in so accurate a proportion, that it stands in need of many things to its accomplished perfection; and actions are hurt, not onely when the principall part is hurt or perverted, but any other thing that is usefull and assistant unto the principle, as the Eye-lids are to the Eye; for these Coates of sight or shutting windowes of the Eyes, are called Cilia à Celando O­culos: their Naturall office, being first to cover the Eyes, lest with variety of Objects, they should di­stract the mind or ocupy it superfluously; the second imployment, is by a meet interception of the Aire, to subtillize it: and so to keep and preserve the sight se­reen,Arist: lib. 40. de Annimal. they according to Isidore being called Palpe­brae, quia palpitando moventur, ut assiduo mo­tu obtusum oculum reficiant, there motion being intended to refresh the Eye, when the sight thereof [Page 95] grew obtuse,The use of the Eye-lids. and their Nature consists in a Nervous thin substance to facilitate their motion; which being almost continuall, they thereby correct the Aire, and so keep the Eyes from the injuries thereof: another use of them is to adorne the Eyes, and to comfort them; whence Aristotle saith,Arist. lib. 4. de Animal. that Creatures that want Eye-lids are weak-sighted, as Fishes and Haires; And Quadrupedes, close their Eyes by the upper Eye-lids, and Birds by their lower Eye-lids; all which are rather to be called Coopertoria, and Tela than Palpebrae, which are proper to Man. Moreover, the Eyelids doe not only much conduce to the quietness of the sight, but of all the other Senses, it being probable that the Eye of all the Senses, was encompassed with this defence for the agilitie of the Sense of sight, and a communion with the other Senses: whence we may observe, that so long as we hold our Eyes open, or are necessitated to hold them so, wee cannot sleeep; nay, they who have their Eye-lids cut off, as Marcus Attilius Regulus had, they are easily kill'd with watching, unlesse their de­fect be recompenced by the substitution of some other thing, which may helpe to recreate the Eyes with sleep, which is the naturall use and office of the Eye-lids: much more is their use in Nictation, when we are awake. One use of the Eye-lds is, that by their opacitie they might hinder light from insinuating it selfe too much in the Pupill; for, such a thing would have been an obstacle to vision, an argument whereof we have, that when we would see a thing more acutely, and distinctly, we draw together our Eye-lids, that they almost meet, sometimes wee hold our hand over our Eyes, that the pupill might be more shadowed;Averroes de sensu & sensili. and for this reason it is that Averroes affirmes those Creatures to see farther who [Page 96] have thicker Eye-lids;Eradicators of Haire on the Eye-lids. and for this reason it is, that Fishes and Insects see more obtusely, for they want Eyelids. Now all these intended benefits of Nature, by this divilish devise, are frustrated and lost.

Johan. Bohem. de moribus Gentium, lib. 2. The Tartars, under the great Cham, have the cleane contrary appearance, for they have grosse prominent Eyes, very much covered with their Eye-lids, insomuch that the opening in them is very small: whether they use any Artifice to cause this extraordinarie expansion of the Eye-lids, I have not as yet discovered, but cer­tainly they hold it no imperfection. For although of all men, they are most deformed in Body; yet this Nation contemnes all other Men, thin­king themselves to excell in prudence and good­nesse, that they disdaine and explode all others from them.

Munster Cos­mograph. lib. 6. cap. 55. The Inhabitants of the Cape of Good Hope, which Pomponius cals the Head of Aphrica, pull off the Haire of their Eye-lids, and therein they paint divers things in a manifold colour, as white, black, skie colour, and red.

Purchas Pilgr. 1. lib. 4. The Brasilians also, and those of Sierra Leona in the East-Indies, pull off and eradicate the Haire growing on their Eye-lids, Lindsc. lib. 2. which makes them shew for the most part fearefull and ugly.

Med. pars 2. Montanus it seems was not aware of this unnatu­rall kinde of depilation, practised by these Nations, where he saith, that none ever desired to destroy these Congenite and naturall Hairs, either Male or Female, but all as well as they can, endeavour to preserve them, although in the Postgeniti they discent; for [Page 97] there are some who desire to have them,The use of the Haire of the Eye-lids. and some af­fect them them not, as Women and effeminate Men, to whom he hath afforded a learned, although some­what too officious an accommodation.

Man is then perfect when he wants none of those things which he ought to have, for that is his perfecti­on. Every Essence hath its perfection; the Eye of a Man is then Humane, when it obtaines haires on the Eye-lids and Eye-brows. It may be objected, that Man lives without these, and sees: who denies it? but that man who is deprived of these, doth not live nor see humanely, ac­cording to the order and lawes of kinde constituted by Nature. Whatever is in the Body of Man according to Nature, that is simply necessary, you may measure the necessity by the essence; for both are convertible: for if they prove defective, or any thing be wanting, that Bo­dy is no longer perfect and absolute, but lame and im­perfect. Whatever Haire is in the Body, whatever it be, (so nothing happen besides Nature) it is necessary, which we ought to be perswaded of, and that by a reason, no way contemptible, taken from the dignity of Nature, who alwaies whatsoever she doth, shee doth for some end; for 'tis absurd, as Plotine saith, to say that there is something constituted in the order of things, and to have nothing that it can; for an Ens is such naturally, that it should Act or suffer something, which sentence is not onely true of the species of Essen­ces in generall, but of all parts that Naturally exist in any specifique Body, as those haires doe: and if we ex­amine the uses of the Haire in these parts, we shall soon perceive the folly and madness of these nations, who to their owne shame and prejudice, have rejected the naturall benefits intended them by the wisdome and [Page 98] providence of God, manifested in the Fabrique of the Eye-lids: for first, the great builder of our Body, hath imposed a necessity upon them, of observing an equall proportionate magnitude, longitude, number, and in­tervall; so that they need no clipping, making withall an exact provision for their inoffensive positure from casting any shadow upon the Eye, to intercept the conti­nuity of objects, or hindering the Eye from looking up­wards, which otherwise perchance might have been pretended and pleaded in excuse of their impious depi­lation, and robbing the Eye-lids of their defensive Palisado, not onely made (as some would have them) for an Ornament unto the Eye, but for perspection, and to direct the sight of the Visory spirits, and the Rayes which flow from the Interior parts. And this by Kypler, Kypler. is accounted one reason of the contrivance of the Eye-lids, that these teguments of the Eyes, by their convenient contraction, might infer a due shadow from the innate Haires of the Eye-lids; whence it is, that when wee would perfectly view a thing, wee bring our Eye-lids as neer as we can to the pupill of the Eye, that by conniving onely we might better behold a thing. Since these fallen or retorted, which never happens but in the great affections of the part, Man cannot see (as before) right forward, or far off. And it is observed, that the Tovopinambaultians, who likewise practise this unnaturall dipilation, become thereby dim-sighted, and of a torve or crooked aspect: And when they rest in sleep, they preserve the Eye from being hurt. The frequent Nictations also in Men awake, is to recreate the sight, and to prevent the violent falling of any thing into the open Eyes, which is insnared in them as in a Net; They therefore that want these preservers of sight (as [Page 99] experience hath shewed us) are offended with the least dust, and of all things almost that occurre,Eye-lid pain­ters. though never so small.

Plinie noteth,Plin. Lib. 11. Nat. Hist. that the Women of Rome did colour the Haire of their Eye-lids every day with an ordina­rie painting that they had: so curious are our Dames saith he, and would so faine be Faire and Beautifull, that forsooth they must die their Eyes also. Nature ywis gave them these hairie Eye-lids for another end.

The People of

Candou Island put a certaine blacknesse upon their Eye-lids. Purchas Pilgr: 2. lib. 9. Lord Bacon Nat. Hist. cent. 8.

The Turks have a black powder made of a Mine­ral called Alchole,Sandys Travels lib. 1. which with a fine pencill they lay under their Eye-lids, which doth color them black, whereby the white of the Eye is set off more white: with the same powder also they colour the haires of their Eye-lids, which is practised al­so by the Women. And you shall finde in Xeno­phon, that the Medes used to paint their Eyes.

All endeavour of Art pretending to advance the Eye above its naturall Beauty, is vaine and impious, as much derogating from the wisdome of Nature. Art indeed, where Nature sometimes failes, and proves de­fective, may helpe to further her perfection: but [Page 100] where shee appeares absolute,Eye-lid haires painted. there to add or detract is instead of mending to marr all. Yet perchance the Turks in painting the haire of their Eye-lids, might be excused, if they did it to a Naturall end, (which I doubt they doe not, but in a Phantasticall bravery) for some think that the haire of the Eye-lids doe cast a shadow upon the Eye, helping thereby the blacknesse of the thin membrane Chorion, the first that covereth the Optique sinew, and prohibits the diffusion of the splendor of the Christalline:Philippus Montalto. 4. Opt. 8. Johnstoni Thaumato gra­phia. Hfoman de u­su paraium lib. 10. cap. 7. which as Montalto saies, is better done when they are black; which he sheweth by the example of one, who having gray Eyes, and somewhat white haires on his Eye-lids, as often as he blackt them with Ink, he saw better. Of this Man he reports, that in his Childhood and Youth, he saw bet­ter in the Night then in the Day, but when he was a Man, the case was altered with him. And he adds, that the Moores having taken him, blackt the Haire of his Eyebrows with ink, whereupon he saw better, but his old defect returned if he had wiped off the Ink. The cause whereof being omitted by Montalto, the most learned Plempeius throughly understood, to wit, that the white Haire of the Eye-lids did too much diminish those things which were painted in the Net-like Coate, called Retiformis. And Kypler would not have this notion neglected, that the Haires of the Eye-lids, do chiefly conduce by their umbrosity, to a more expresse Picture of speciesses, to which end for the most part, they happen to be black, and they who have them white, see not so perfectly.

SCENE VI. One Ey'd Nations. Monstrous conformations, properties, colours, proportions, and Fashionable affectations of Eyes, amongst certain Nations.

NAture solicitous about so excel­lent an Action of the Eyes, be­stowed on living creatures, not one, but to every one two. That Cognition might be perfect, and that when one failes, we should not presently be altogether depri­ved of so great a gift.

Yet there are found in the Indies (as Cosmo­graphers testifie) Men who have but one Eye; and that planted in their Foreheads; Authors of no contemptible authority, avouch that there are such One-Ey'd Nations. Aulus Gellius witnesseth,Aul. Gel. Noct. Att. lib. 9. cap 4. that he had learn'd from very Ancient writers, that in Scythia, there are a certaine Nation who have but one Eye in the middle of their Fore­heads, who are called Arimaspi, and Appian [Page 102] placeth them in Asia. Pet. Appian Cosmogr. de Asia cap. 3. Solinus cap. 19. Idem cap. 32. Solinus saith, that about Besglithra (placed not farr from the Caspian Sea) there is an one-Ey'd Nation; and in ano­ther place he saith, that towards the Occidentall part of Aethiopia, the Agriophagi inhabit, who feed upon the flesh of Panthers and Lions onely,Idem cap. 53. having a King that hath but one Eye, and that in his Forehead. In another part of his Booke, wee read saith he, of Men among the Indians, who are Monoculists, Plinius Nat. Hist. li. 7. cap. 2. or borne with one Eye. Plinie reports also of the Arimaspi, to be a Unocu­lar Nation, having one Eye in the middle of their Front, and he places them neere unto those Scy­thians, that inhabit toward the Pole Articke, and not farr from that Climate, which is under the very rising of the North-East Wind, and about that Famous Cave or hole, out of which that Wind is said to Issue, which place they call Ges­clithron, that is the Cloisture or Key of the Earth. These maintaine Warr ordinarily about the Metall Mines of Gold, especially with Griffons, a kind of wild beasts that fly, and use to fetch gold out of the Veines of those Mines (as commonly it is received) which Savage Beasts, (as many Au­thors have re-corded, as namely Herodotus and A­risteas the Proconnesian, two writers of greatest name) strive as eagerlie to keep and hold those golden mines, as the Arimaspians to disseise them thereof,Step. Ritterus Grunburgen­sis Cosmograph. prosometrica. and to get away the Gold from them. Rit­terus saith they obtained the name of Arimaspi from their defective singlenesse of Eye; for Ari with the Scythians signifies one, & Maspos an Eye; according to Herodotus cited by Caelius Rhodiginus, [Page 103] lib. 16. cap. 22.Nationall pro­perties. Isidor. lib. 11.3. Arima signifies one and Spu an Eye. Isidor likewise affirmes, that the Cyclops are Monocular Indians. Sr. John Mandevill, Sr. Iohn Man­devils Travels cap. 62. whose relations since the late discoveries of the new World, are held very credible, reports that in an Isle under the government of the King of Dodyn, are Men that have but one Eye, and that is in the midst of their Front. And although the wonders related of Polyphemus in Virgil, Servius Com. in Virgil Ae­neid. lib. 3. as Servius his Commentator conceives, are but Poeticall fictions; yet it is no Fable, that there are Men Monocular; Seeing that when Fulvius Torquatus was Consul against the Volscians, there was brought out of Mauritania to Rome, such a sin­gle-Ey'd Man, intercepted in the vast deserts of Aegypt, who was carried through the City to be looked upon as a wonder, whereupon there happened a thing memorable; For Macrina the Wife of Torquatus, Narravit. M. Aurelius Fau­stinae llxoris fa­miliaribus Col­loquiis quae ha­bentur apud Mundognetum, in ejus vitae lib. 2. cap. 22. a Woman of singular chasti­tie, during the absence of her Husband, no where presented her self to be seen, or went out of dores. Now when this Monocular was carried about, he was by chance brought before the doores of Ma­crina, her Maid relating the passing wonder, in­vites her Mistris to behold it; shee (although de­sirous to see this one-Ey'd Monster) had rather die through curiosity of Minde, then shew her selfe at her doore. In the Island Taprobana, Lycost. Ap­pend. Chron. prodig. there are Humane Creatures, who among other prae­varications from the lawfull forme, have one onely Eye in their Forehead.Aug. de civit. lib. 6. cap 8. Neither is it incre­dible that a one Ey'd Nation may be found, and that even in the judgment of St. Augustine, nay he af­firmes [Page 102] [...] [Page 103] [...] [Page 104] in expresse words, Nations with­out Eyes. that he saw such a Nation with his owne Eyes. Sermo 37. ad Fratres in Ere­mo. I was now, saith he, Bishop of Hippo, and I travelled with certaine servants of Christ, unto Aethiopia, to Preach the Holy Gospell of Christ unto them, and we saw in the lower parts of Aethiopia, Men having onely on Eye in their Fore­heads, Fulgosus lib. 1. de Miraculis. &c. And the same reason may be afforded for the possibility of such Nations, as is for the producti­ons of such Monocular Monsters, Lycost. Chron. de prod. & ost. anno mundi, 3772. Zonarus in Michaele ducis filie. as wee sometimes meet with in the Chronicles of prodigious ostents; And Zonarus reports that in Constantinople, there was a Monocular Child borne: for as it happens for Men to be borne without both Eyes, so nothing hinders but Men may be borne without Eye onely. And there are Historicall Records of Men borne without Eyes.

Livie decad. 4. lib. 8. Livie witnesseth, that at Ariminum there were ingenious Boyes borne without Eyes, and with­out a Nose;Zonarus in Mauritie. Zonarus testifies, that in Thrace there was one borne without Eyes and Eye-lids.

Lycost. lib. prodig. Anno Domini 1503.In Hassia, there was an Infant borne with all his Members well distinguished, saving that wholly he wanted Eyes, Eares, and Nostrils, ha­ving onely a Mouth in his Face.

Sr. John Man. Travels cap. 62.Sr. John Mandevill reports of Nations without eyes; for he saith, that in an Iland belonging to the King of Dodyn, there are Men without Eyes, but they have two round holes instead of Eyes. And in another Island, are Men that have no Head nor Eyes, and their Mouth is in their Shoulders.

Such Monstrous constitutions of Eyes, have al­so been seen in certaine Men, that have had foure Eyes. Anno Domini 308 at Daphnes, that most pleasant and ambitious Suburbe of Antiochia (A [Page 105] horrid thing to relate or see,Nations with Eies misplaced) there was borne in the times of Constantine the Emperour, a Monster, to wit, an Infant with two Mouths, two Teeth, a Beard, foure Eyes, and two very short Auricles. An Anconitanian Woman, brought forth a cer­taine Monster: for in the third or fourth Month of her impregnation, she sent forth a certaine mishapen fleshie little Body, which was all rough and hairie, having foure Eyes.

Wee read of some Nations whose Eyes are misplaced, and planted in other strange and hid parts of the Body.

Sr. John Mandevill reports,Sr. John Man. Travels. that in one of the Islands under the Government of the King of Dodyn, there are men that have Eyes in their Shoulders, and their Mouths on their Breasts.

In Aegypt it pleased them to nourish a Por­tent, a Man with two Eyes,Plinie lib. 11. cap. 52. in the hinder part of his Head, but seeing not at all with them: but this being a single Monster, is not so admirable as if there were some such Nation found: and why not a Nation as well as single Monsters, which in Chronicles wee meet with?

In Millane, Anno 1542,Pet. Lampagn. lib. 2. prodigior. suor. a certaine Plebeian Woman, called Faustina, brought forth an In­fant, with Eyes seated in his shoulders, such an one was Borne in Vasconia, and in Misnia an Infant was borne which had his Eyes in his Breast, which you shall finde spoken of before, in our relation of headlesse Men.

It is not without a miracle of transformation,Aulus Gellius lib. 9. cap. 4. what Aulus Gellius reports, that there are Men, who have two Pupils in each Eye, both Men and [Page 106] women,Eye-painters. and that they kill them whom they long behold when they are angry, and that these are in Illyria, but Plinie saith, that they are not onely in Illyria, but in Triballio and Scythia, which is cal­led Bythinia: and also he reports of such men inha­biting Pontus, and that have sometimes in their Eyes the Effigies of a horse.

Plinie lib. 7. cap. 2.But Plinie was deceived by the ambiguitie of the word, as Voscius and Dalecampius observe for the word in Philarchus wasHorse-Eye. Hippos, which signi­fies a perpetuall shaeling of the Eyes, which Pli­nie hath falsly rendred the Effigies of a Horse.

Sr. John Man­devils Travels cap 92.Beyond the valley, on the left side the River Pison, in an Isle Northward, there are many e­vill and foule women, who have pretious stones in their Eyes, and they have such a force, that if they behold any Man with wroth, they slay them with beholding as the Basilisk doth.

Purchas Pilgr. 1. lib. 1.In the 49 degree of the South Pole, there are Gyants, who have red circles painted about their Eies, among other notes of their fearfull bravery.

Idem. Pilgr. 2. lib. 7.They of Cape Lopos Gonsalves, both Men and Women, use sometimes to make one of their Eyes white, the other red or yellow.

Lindschoten lib. 1.The Guineans, use to paint one Eye red ma­ny times, the other white or yellow.

Fox North-west passage.The women in the Northern Islands, about Greenland, have blew stroaks about their Eyes.

Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 9.The subjects of a certaine King, farre from the River Gambra, for a distinction have three streaks under their Eyes.

Idem Pilgr. 2. lilb. 7.The Negro slaves of Barnagasso Kingdome, and [Page 107] Colo Brava, have

certaine markes between their Eyes made onely for a Bravery with a cold iron.

The Turks have an Invention whereby they af­fect to beautifie their Eyes; for they put between their Eyelids and their Eye a cer­taine black pow­der, with a fine long pencill, made of a Minerall brought out of the kingdom of Feze, Sandys Tra­vels lib. 1. & called Alchole, which by the not disgracefully stai­ning of the lids, doth better set forth the white­ness of the Eye, and though it trouble for a time, yet it comforteth the sight, and repelleth ill humours: they are of elegant beauties, for the most part ruddy, cleer and smooth, as the polished Ivory, being never ruffled by the weather, and daily frequenting the Bannias, but with all by the selfe same means they suddenly wither.

[Page 108] Sundry kinds of Eyes. Pigafetta Rela­von of Congo. Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 7. Idem Pilgr. 3.The People of Congo, a region of Aphrica, the Apples of their Eyes are of diverse colours, black, and of the colour of the Sea.

In China they have narrow Eyes, generally egg-form'd,Helin Geogra. Johan. Bohem. de moribus gen­tium. Maffaeus, li. 6. Magin. Geo­graphia descrip. novae Franc. Purchas Pilg. lib. 10 Idem eodem lib. 9. black, and standing out: and there­fore when they would pourtract out a deformed Man, they paint him with broad Eyes.

The Cathaians have little Eyes, and sharp sight.

The Chinoyse have very little Eyes.

The ancient Scythians have small Eyes, so have the Women of Cosmin neere Ganges.

The Inhabitants of Candou Iland, for the most part have little Eyes, and when the Sun is set they can­not see at all, no, though forty Torches were ligh­ted: which is a kind Nyctalops or Nocturnall Coe­citude that befals them. There are some that can-see when the Sun shines:Eusebius Nie­remberg. Hist. Nat. lib. 8. ca. 2. for there is a very black Nation of Moors, among whom (as it is reported) there are some born no less white & red then those that are born in these northern parts of the world; these are presently strook blind at the presence of the Sun, although they behold it not, it is enough if the Sun shine on them, the most beautifull Eye of Nature doth so fascinate these Nations; The Spaniards call these Albinos, Pet. Appian. Cosmograph. 2. pars. that is, Whites, as they cal the others Blacks. These are surely allyed to them of Albania, neer the Caspian Sea, who see better by night then by day.Munster. Cos­mograph. lib. 5. cap. 149. Paulus Venet. lib. 3. Polinus Car­dan. de rerum vari­et. lib. 18.

In Zanziber they have horrible Eyes, and the Women are deformed by reason of their pro­minent and gogle Eyes.

The Tartars have grosse prominent Eyes, yet for the most part, they have squint hollow Eyes.

[Page 109]The Jewish Women for the most part,Great Eyes affected Sandys Tra­vels lib. 3. are gog­gle-ey'd.

The Cymbrians had horrible great Eyes.Steph. Ritter. Cosmograph. prosomet. lib. 3.

The Azanaghi of Aethiopia, have prominent black Eyes and of a torve aspect.

The Turkish Women (who are small in stature,Helin Geogra. which they amend with Choppines) are accoun­ted most beautifull and amiable, which have greatest Eyes, and are of the blackest hue; And because great Eyes in Turky are esteemed such an excellency, therefore Mahomet well knowing their desire, promiseth them in his Paradise, wenches with great Eyes, or Eyes like Saucers. Great Eyes also are in principall repute, and af­fected by the Greeks.

The Peruvians judge those the most beautifull that have great rolling Eyes.Ferrand Ero­tomania.

The absolute magnitude of the Eye cannot be de­fined, yet this is generally to be noted, that the grea­test Eyes are not ever the best: for as in looking glasses, or other little optique pipes, the Images of things are perfectly exhibited, so it fals out in little Eyes, yet the naturall magnitude of the Eye, proportionate with that Face wherein it is lodged, ought to be such, that so much as the semi-circle of the mouth is, so much should be the semi-circle of the Eye: and the intervall from the middle of the Eyebrows, to the end of the externall angle of the Eyes, should be so much as is from thence to the roots of the prominency, which sub­sides the Apple of the Eye, although Sense cannot ve­ry well judge of it, by any other way of ratiocination.

Now the Eye of Man is round, and it is naturally ob­served, that the diameter of the Orb or Sphere of the Eie [Page 110] is to answer the length of the Nose. One-Ey'd Na­tions. Now Eies that ex­ceed the natural mediocrity, being less or greater then the same measure, are not to be commended; because they become not a Face, those Eyes being truly laudable which are neither too great nor too little, but of a mean proportion, which consists in the abnegation of both the extreams: Physiognomists therefore preferre the mid­ling state of the Eye, which hath so wel framed and cor­rected a mediocrity of greatnesse as cannot be bettered or reprehended. This affectation then of great Sawcer-like Eyes, is a fancy against the rule of Nature; For, an Eye greater then the proportion of the Face and Body requires, cannot be really beautifull in a Natu­ral acceptation, although it should have a gallant feat­nesse and elegancie of apparance annexed unto it.

Purchas Pilgr. 4. lib. 8.Some of the Inhabitants of Malheda, are blind and squint Ey'd People.

Idem eodem. Petr. Appian descript. Ind. Occid.The Brasilians, a few of them, have but one Eye.

In the Mountaines of Peruana, which are al­waies covered with Snow, the Inhabitants are all purblind or blind.

Lud. Rom. Pa­tr. navigat. lib. 6. Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 7.In Sumatra, they have Eyes, obrotund. of green colour.

The Guineans have white Eyes, of a sharp sight, and see further then we.

Steph. Ritte­rus Grunbur­gensis Cosmo­graph. Prosome­trica, lib. 3.The Sarmatians had Eyes like Lizzards, and were called Sauromatae, ab Oculis lacertarum. [...] enim est lacerta, sicut [...], oculus.

The Gaules were blew-Ey'd, which was noted es­pecially in the Women,Ammian, Mar­cel. when they were in chol­ler, being notable shrews and too hard for their husbands.

[Page 111]The People of Taprobane, as Plinie reports,Ocular pro­perties Plin. Nat. Hist. have blew Eyes. Of which there may some doubt be made considering the climate, which is in the 8, 9, and 10 degrees onely.Lindschot. Tra­vels lib. 2.

The Cumanans have alwaies spots in their Eyes, and are dim-sighted.Solinus Drau­dii.

The Budini, a great and Populous Nation in­habiting the European Scythia, neer the River Borosthenes, were all grey Eyes like a Cat.Plinie Nat. Hist. lib. 7. out of Isogonus the Nicean.

In Albanie there be a sort of People borne with Eyes like Owles, whereof the sight is fire red, and can see better by night then by day.

Man onely hath his Eyes enamel'd round with di­vers colours, the Eyes of all other creatures vary not, but keep the constant colour of their kind, this vari­ation happening to men and Nations, according to the divers tempers of their Braine and Eyes, but in respect Nations are much mingled, we know not what rarenesse to choose for the beauty of Eyes, for many love blew Eyes, and some the grey Eye, that seems to be all Christalline; some love black Eyes, estee­ming them most amiable: and others love them green, which were also in ancient time much praised: for among the Sonnets of Monseiur de Covei (which was in old time so great a Clerk in Love matters, Songs were made of it; Green Eyes were praised. He that would make a new comment upon Hippocrates his Book, De Aere, Aquis & Locis to supply the want of that much desired Comment of Galen, upon that Book, might perchance among these Ocular distin­guishing properties of divers Nations, finde mat­ter to furnish his conceptions with.

Nose-mang­lers. SCENE VII. Certaine formes and strange shapes of the Nose much affected, and Arti­ficially contrived, as matters of sin­gular beauty and Ornament, in the esteem of some Nations.

Purchas Pilgr. 3. lib. 1. Helin Geograp. THe Tartarian Women, cut and pare their Noses between their Eyes, that they may seem more flat and saddle-nosed, leaving themselves no Nose at all in that place, an­nointing the very same place with a black oyntment; which sight seemed most ugly in the Eyes of Fry­ar William de Rubraquis a French Man, and his companions, who observed the same in the wife of Scatai, when they came to his Court. And this [Page 113]

shape of the Nose, Nose-parers. is in great request, as you may easily imagine, when the Kings wife at the time of publique audience appea­red in that fashion. And indeed they are an ill favoured Nation, all flat nosed, the women being suitable to the Men.

It is impossible the adulterate wit of women should commit a fouler trespasse against beauty, and the ma­jesty of Nature, or introduce a more odious alteration in the Face, then is done by the contrivance of this fashion; for, whence the Nose should excite so great a comlinesse and beauty in the Face, cannot well be imagined, but from its Discrimination it makes of the parts thereof, for this discretion of the Nose is so true and necessary to the whole Face,Severinus. that Severinus should think, that this was the cause, for which it was made, that from this one part very much grace and ho­nour should accrew unto the Face, and that the Nose either cut off, or vitiously depressed, there fol­loweth thereupon so great a deformity. Certainly the Face among all the parts, is therefore most honoura­ble, and most goodly to behold: for that it is variously insculpt and distinguished. But what doth discrimi­nate and disterminate the two Eyes, the two Sun­shine Apples, the Cheeks, and the two sides of the [Page 114] Face,Men with their Nostrils cut off. but the Nose alone which as a banck, or equall ridge of hils, is extended along the Face, to maintain their Elegant separations.

For, the Nose is placed in the very middle of the Face, as the most worthy and honourable scituation, and necessarily placed between the Eyes: since not onely a great beauty accrews unto the Face thereby, but as some will have it, it serves to distinguish the Eyes one from another, and is the cause that the visory spi­rits are not confounded and mixt together, and in the interim, being annexed on both sides, to the bones of the Genae, it covers and fils up that horrid den, which otherwise would appeare so abominable unto the sight, as it doth in their practise, who break down the partition wall that Nature had interposed between the Eyes, and against the law of Nature, remove her bounds and mangle that goodly promontory that runs along to divide the Pasifique Sea of beauty in the Face, thereby endeavouring to their owne confusion, to joyn those together, whom God and Nature had so wisely separated. By all which it is too too evident, what reall beauties these Nations deprive themselves of, for an imaginary and supposed elegancie, or ra­ther an affected deformity; whereby to the great in­jurie of Nature, not onely the beautifull proportion of the Nose is lost, but the officiall elegancy thereof very much impaired. For although notwithstanding these fashionable maimes of the Nose, they may see, and breath, and speake, and in some sort enjoy the other uses spoken of, yet not so well as they otherwise might, nor in so absolute a manner as they ought, by the constitution of humane Nature.

The Citizens of Rhinoculaura or Rhinocorura, [Page 115] (which Plinie placeth in Idumea,Men deprived of Nostrils. Plinie lib. 1. Coelius Rhod. St. August. de civit. Dei lib. 16. cap. 24. and Strabo in Phoenicia, but according to Lodovicus vives, stan­deth in the confines of Aegypt and Arabia) had

no Nostrils to their Noses: from which mutilation of their Noses their City had its name. Lodovicus Comment. in Aug. de civit. Dei. Lodovicus vives saith, that without all questi­on, the Jews and Aegyptians claim'd it to themselves, and peopled it with the Aethiopi­ans, whom they conquered and cut off their Noses. Diodorus li. 2. Yet Diodorus Siculus, makes a contrary relation, Actisanes (saith he) King of Aethiopia, having conquered all Aegypt, partly by force, and partly by con­dition, set up a new law for Theeves, neither acquitting them, nor punishing them with death, but getting them altogether, he punished them thus; first he cut off their Noses, and then for­ced them to goe into the farthermost parts of the Desarts, and there he built a City for them, cal­led Rhinocorura, of their want of Noses. I confesse my Evidence is not so cleer and Authentique, as to charge these Rhinocorurites, with a voluntary conti­nuation of this first imposed deformity, yet we have pre­sidents where a deformity intended for a national punishment, hath afterwards bin received & continued [Page 116] as a fashion.Nose-wanting Citizens. But since historians speak not up directly to the point,Plinius Nat. Hist. lib. 6. cap. 30. Lycost. Chr. 16. Ex Plinio lib. 7. cap. 2. Scenckius ob­servat. Kornmannus de Mirac. viro. rum. Sr. Iohn Man­devils Travels. we shall wave our accusation. Yet you shall read of Nations that have no Nostrils, there being an equall plainnesse throughout their whole Face; that Face must needs be plain that wants a Nose.

Megasthenes reports, that there is a Nation among the Indian Nomades, having holes onely in the place of the Nostrils, and that they are called Syrictae: Sr. John Mandevill speakes of some Nations, that have no Nose, but two small holes, whereof one serveth them to breath, the other serveth instead of a Mouth.

Great is the Ornament, that the Face receiveth by the Nose; that part of the Face which the Nose ta­keth up, being stiled by the ancients, the imperiall seat of Majestique beauty; that admirall variety of Faces, and individuall distinctions being chiefly oc­casioned by the Nose, the very least alteration where­of, causing a manifest change in the ayre of the Face. If but a little part of the Nose were cut off, it were a hard matter to say, how deformed the whole Face would prove,Virgil. Aeneid. 6. a maim in the Nose, therefore being just­ly called by Virgil, a dishonest wound, ‘Truncas in Honesto vulnere Nares.’

The protuberating or strutting part of the Face, carrieth with it, saith Laurentius, a kind of beau­ty, yea of Majesty. The beauty that is added to the Face of Man, by the Organ of smelling (I meane the Nose) Dr. Crooke gives us a pregnant instant thereof,Dr. Crooke e­micro Cosmo­graph. in an example worth our remembrance; a young Man being adjudged to be hanged, and the executioner at hand, a certaine Maid suborned by his friends, and quaintly dressed and set out, goes [Page 117] unto the judges, and makes supplication for his life,The Honour of the Nose maintained. requiring him for her husband; well, shee overcame the Iudges: this done, the guilty young Man being set at liberty, and comming from the Gallowes unto the maid, attired and dressed in such costly Ornaments, he presently cast his Eye upon her Nose, which indeed was very deformed, and instantly cries out, that he had rather have been hanged, then freed upon con­dition of undergoing so deformed a choise in his Matrimony; to this is that of Horace answerable.Horat. in Arte Poetica.

Treason and adultery, therefore, hath not met with a more shamefull or disgracefull punishment then the losse of the Nose;Lindschoten. for the Bengalian law de­prives them of their Noses, who are taken in the act of Adultery,Io. Bohemus de ritibus gentium lib. 1. and the Aegyptian Law cut off the Womans Nose, who was taken in Spontaneous Adultery, with which disgrace, the countenance was deformed, suf­fering the shamefull losse of that part, which most a­dornes the Face. In some parts of Muscovia, the se­cond act of Theeverie, is punished with this disgrace­full Nasall mulct. Heracleonas, the Sonne of Hera­clius and Martina, as the greatest blemish their malice could inflict, was by the Senate and People of Constantinople, deprived of his Nose: the like losse Leontius Caesar suffered by Assinarius, and 3000 Coreans to their ignominy, had their Noses cut off in Meacco a Town of Japan.

That admirable stratagem of Zopyrus, who cut off his owne Nose, and the Abbas Ebba, and those [Page 118] Chast Virgins,The beauty, action and Utilitie of the Nose. which were in our Kingdome at the time of the Incursion of the Danes, who cut off their own Noses to preserve their Chastity, were both built upon this concession, that the Nose any way mangled or cut off, gives the greatest blemish to the Face, and proves most destructive to the enchanting beauty thereof, which doth much advance the Art of Talia­cotius, and the new inarching of Noses; and when wee slit the Noses of Malefactors, wee doe it to brand them with the most deforming note of infamy, and the reason and Sence holds good; But the beauty of the Nose is to be counted as nothing, because the utility thereof is so admirable, the beauty of whose use doth much exceed and surpasse the pleasure of beholding it; Beauty being not intended as the first scope of Na­ture, but as an additament and parergon of the main work: but what shee is most incumbent upon, and which she alwaies beholds, are those things which ap­pertaine to Action and utility. Now Action differs from utility, because in construction and generation, the action of the part hath precedency, but utility is before it in point of dignity, true beauty is referred to the successe and goodnesse of utility, since utility is the first in the construction of all parts.Ulmus de Fine Barbae Hum. Ulmus tea­cheth us what is the true beauty of a part, which is that they are used to call the Physicall or officiall pul­chritude, for it proceeds from the Office, use, and U­tility, no otherwise but as a River floweth from a Fountaine. Now if we enquire for the Elegancy of the Scapula of the Nose, and the flesh of the Nostrils, and that beauty which so manifestly appears in the wings of the Nose, you shall finde them, if you joyn them with the action of them, and weigh their con­struction [Page 119] together,Men with slit Noses. for that will afford you the true standart, rule, or measure of judgment, and discer­ning true beauty, which is Pulchritudo officii, vel officialis, the beauty of office, or officiall elegancy. The Face hath no peculiar action, neither rightly or pro­perly is it called a dissimilar part, but is rather a congeries or heap of dissimilar parts, whereof every one hath its proper action, or else are servient to the Agents. The Eye sees, the Front is destinated to its service, and so are the Nose and Eares. The Nostrils serve for expiration and inspiration, and a more plentifull exufflation, and for a significant indication of the affections of the mind.

The Indians Di­vers

have their Noses slit like broken winded Horses. It is an ill Trade, that cannot be exercised with­out deforming the Body, that being a badg of their pro­fession, which is a penall marke of a Malefactor a­mong us. We read (as if Nature therein had mocked art) that in Brasill, about the Feast of Easter Anno 1556, Lycost. de prodig. & ostent. there was an Infant borne with his Nostrils so slit and open, that his braine was easily discer­nable through his Nose.

[Page 120] Nose-squezers Paul. Venet. lib. 10.

In the City Cin­gui, between Ca­thai and the King­dome Cergath, they have a little Nose. Purchas Pilgr. 3. lib. 10. The Chinoyse doe hold them for the finest women who have small Noses, wherefore from their Child-hood, they use all the art they can possible, to prohibit the en­crease of the No­ses of their female Children. And in­deed, generally their Noses are ve­ry little, and scarce standing forth. The People being, Heiyn Geogra. as another noteth, in the compositi­on of their Body short nosed, when they make the portraiture of a deformed Man, they paint him with a long Nose.

Certainly the naturall sagacitie of these people must somewhat abate; for as they that want the Nose smell not, so a short Nose smels not so well as a long.

With us, and with most of Europe, a long [Page 121] Nose is held more beautifull, especially in Men;Long Noses affected.for, the Midwives as soon as children are born, use with their fingers to extend the Nose, that it may be more faire and longer, Perchance.

Now the Nose according to the justice of Nature, should be no longer then the Lip and Eare; and the third part of the Face in length, and the thirtieth part of the length of the whole body, it should not ex­ceed in length halfe that distance which interposeth between the externall Angle of both the Eyes; therefore the length of the Nose should answer in a Sesquialtera proportion, the length of the Eye, and the Diduction of the Mouth; nor should it extend in length, beyond the measure of its circumference at the bottom. A long Nose (indeed) may be some advantage to the Sence of smelling, as appears in the Noses of Blood­hounds: yet for the sent of Man, that length is suf­ficient, which consists with beauty, and may be re­conciled with the proportions of Natures symetrie, beyond which who endeavours to extend the Nose, renders himselfe guilty of a great Transgression: as on the contrary they also doe, who labour to prohibit the Naturall extendure of the Nose, upon any pretence of beauty whatsoever.

In Cassena a Region of Aphrica,Cardon de sub­til lib. 11. Leo Hist. of A­frica lib. 7. Hip. lib. de acre aquis & lo [...]is. Maginus Geo­graph. Africae. neere the Ae­thiopians, there are Men who are valde Nasuti, or endued with very thick Noses: One that is igno­rant of the Nature of things (saith Cardan) per­chance will laugh at this relation, especially if he [Page 122]

have not seen the History of Hippo­crates,Great Noses affected wherein he treateth of Macro­cephali, or those with Sugar-loafe like Heads, the cause whereof he there declares, to have been at first a Panthasticall af­fectation of Art, as it was likely also in these of Cassena.

In Perviana also, a great Nose is in request and nationall.

Munster lib. 5. cap. 149. The Inhabitants of the Island Zanzibar, have nostrils turned broad upwards, and the women are deformed by reason of their great nostrils, & al it may be upon the same score of invention.

Paulus Venet. lib. 3.And if they use an artificiall endeavour there­by, they introduce a disease upon the instrument of Nature; for, the Nose is depraved as to its matter, and therefore because of vitiated matter, the instru­ment it selfe is perverted, and it is a disease by reason of magnitude, that is of quantity, for that quantitie it selfe is greater then is convenient for that instru­ment; for, quantitie followes immediately matter, and is adherent unto it, that it can scarce be sepa­rated. I confesse ingenious men have doubted, an detur aegritudo in magnitudine; but if this great­nesse of Nose doe (as it probably may) hurt or hinder the operation of the Nose, it must be acknowleged a [Page 123] disease of the fashions,Flat Noses and saddle Noses affected and if this affectation amount not to a nasall disease, yet it is very probable it may prove an obstacle to vision, and somewhat prejudice the Eye in point of Prospect: and so consequently trespasse against the naturall prorogative of that Sence.

The Huns, a most cruell Nation, Munster Cos­mograh. lib. 3. cap. 3. were wont to flat downe the Noses of their Boyes, least it should be a hinderance to the putting on their Helmets.

The Country People of the Northern Islands be like the Tartars, flat Nosed. Fox of the North-west Passage. Lyndschoten lib. 1. cap. 41.

They of Caffaria in the lower Aethiopia and Mosambique, have their Noses broad, flat, and thick at the end.

The Matrons of Secota in Florida who are of forme elegant enough, have plain broad Noses. De Bry Hist. Indian.

The Aethiopians are Camoise nosed, Steph. Ritter. Cosmogr. pros [...] ­metrica. the Epi­thite of Simi being by the ancient Poets bestow­ed upon them.

In Sumatra,Lodovic. Rom. Patr. Navigat. 4. cap. 2. they have a most broad saddle Nose, which is especially noted in the City Malacha.

In the East-Indies, and the Kingdome of China,Hist. Chinae pars 2. lib. 2. cap. 6. Magin. Geographia. the Inhabitants have all Camoyse or saddle Noses.

They of Guinea, their Noses are flat, Bohemus de Rit. Gentium. Purchas Pilgr. which they make so when they are young; for they esteem a flat Nose a great Ornament unto them, and it seems it doth not amisse with them, as they order their Bodies; for according to the proportion of Body, they beautifie their Faces. Another saith, Helyn Geogra. they account the principall part [Page 124] of beauty to consist in a flat, Shooing horn Noses affected Nose. I am informed of the truth of this relation by a Traveller that hath seen the practise.

Solinus & Comment Drau­gius Purchas Pilgr. 4. lib. 6. The Argyppaei are Camoise nosed, with a great Chin.

In America (contrarie to us, who desire streight Noses) the Husband who performeth the office of a Midwife to his wife, Lindschoten lib. 2. when he hath re­ceived the child, and cut the Navill string asun­der with his teeth, he presseth down the Nose with his thumbe; for they esteeme the beauty of children to consist in the flatnesse of the Nose, even as they use to doe in France, with certaine foisting Hounds, which are there in great request for the flatnesse of their Noses.

Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 9. Reeve in his Seraglio of the Grand Signiour In the great Turks Court, flat Noses are in re­quest, but it is for the foile of their deformity, this fashion appearing most deformed among them, who affect and have the contrary appea­rance: For there Negro Girles are esteemed most for their uglines by the Sultanaes; therefore the Bashaw of Cairo (who for the most part sends them all) is alwaies diligent to get the most ill­favoured, cole black, flat nosed girles that can be had in Aegypt, or the bordering Countries, to send them for a present to the grand Signior, who bestowes them upon his women, who make the same use of them, as our Ladies doe of ill­favoured waiting women, that is to serve as a foile to set off the splendour of their beauties. Plinie lib. 11. Nat. Hist. Pli­nie notes, that the sirname of Simones came from the first of the familie that had flat Noses, and they were called Silones, who were hooked and [Page 125] Camoise nosed upwards. Little Noses affected.

The Brasilians, who are borne as faire as the common sort of Men, but comming out of the wombe, they are made deformed in squeezing of their Nose, which is the chiefest part wherein consisteth the beauty of Man; That as in certaine countries (as you may reape in this Scene) they praise the long Noses, and in others the Hawkes Noses, so among those (as the Moores of Aphri­ca, who are all of the same sort) it is a faire thing to be flat nosed, and to have large expanded nostrils and a short Nose; In the descrip­tion of Nova Francid. lib. 2 cap. 10. And that you may see that I am not the onely Descanter upon such prevatications, take what the Relator makes his introduction to the Narra­tive of this artifice: among all the formes of living and bodily creatures, (saith he) that of man is the fairest and most perfect, which was very decent, both for the creature and Creator, seeing that man is placed in the world, to command all that is here beneath; but although that Nature endeavoureth herein al­waies to doe good, notwithstanding shee is sometimes short and enforced in her actions, and therefore it commeth that wee have so many monsters, and ugly things, contrarie to the ordinarie rule of others, yea, even after that Nature hath done her office, wee help by our arts, to render that which shee hath made, ridiculous and mishapen. And verily who can suffi­ciently admire how this affected deformitie of a depres­sed saddle Nose, came first in fashion with these Na­tions, and like a contagion infected so great a part of mankind; or how so villanous an absurdity should in despight of Nature, be continued to this day: surely the Grand Deformer the better to ride the abused Fan­tasies [Page 126] of these people,The Nason of the prominen­cie of the Nose hath clapt his saddle upon their Faces, and made this a shooing-horne to draw them on to other corporall vanities.

By a most remarkable providence, it was ordered by Nature, that the Nose should be more prominent in one part, to be more apt thereby to give way a little to any thing falling upon it, which so easily slides off: so eminent, that it hides the Eyes as in a Cave and val­ley, as it were, because they abhorr the contract of all things; therefore to defend the Eye, being after a man­ner like a shield, yet no way impedites vision: for if about the ridge, spine, or back of the Nose, it had been broad, it would have remain'd as an obstacle to vision, besides, that the breadth would have disfigu­red the Face, all which inconveniences these Nose-le­vellers must needs in some sort incurre: nay, by this spreading their Noses contrary to the Majesticall inten­tion of Nature, they must somewhat prejudice the Nose, not onely in those actions wherein it is profitable for the bettering of our life, but to those wherein it is ne­cessary to life it selfe. For these Nations who by their Apish affectation become Simi or Simones, they purchase onely a disease; for, the Figure of the Nose is perverted; Yet this simitie it selfe is not the disease, but the disease wants a name, and is afterwards called by the name of a Symptome. But this disease hath a lesion of operations, otherwise it were not a disease, but rather a certaine deformity, therefore the disease is, because the Nose is obstructed to the hinderance of respiration, and that obstruction is a disease upon which there followes a lesion of operations; for, all these Na­tions certainly for want of a free respiration, so speake, that they can scarce be understood, and they are said to [Page 127] speake in the Nose,The inconve­niences of sad­dle Noses. yet it seems it doth not (as I suppose it might) somewhat hinder their smelling, for it is said of the Brasilians and them of Peru, that they have the smelling so good, that in smelling of the hand, they know if a man be a Spaniard or a Frenchman. But because the disease wants a name, it ought according to Mon­tanus, to be nominated, from the cause, which is the Si­mitie it selfe. Simity therefore is the cause, not the dis­ease, and the disease is in the evill figure, because that which ought not to be depressed, is made depressed, and so makes it to be Morbus in figura or re figurata. And now who can deny these Nations to be sick of the fashions? and if their designe be to gain beauty thereby, they are much out of the way, since the Nose is thereby hurt in its form, because it is hurt in its adorning and beauty, which is thereby blemished; and when its orna­ment and beauty is blemished, the very forme of it is hurt, and so consequently the instrument; Yet we ought to know, that the imbellishment and beauty, doth not consist in the softnesse and whitenesse of flesh (as fond Women rashly have entertained an opinion: But they consist in a due conformation of parts and fit scituati­on, to the end they may commodiously and aptly bring forth their operations, because Ornament and beauty tend to the operation of the parts, as Galen affirmes. Since therefore the very figure of the Nose is in beauty & ornament, which consists in a conformation of parts, and a convenient scituation; the beauty and Orna­ment hurt, the forme it selfe is hurt, and the instru­ment it selfe in respect of its forme is said to be hurt: when we speak of the figure of the Nose, wee meane the conformation it selfe, not the substantiall forme, but the conformation of parts, which in latine is, aptly [Page 128] called Plasmatio, An Ape-like Nose con­demned. having respect to the nature of the thing, which conformation consists in its proper in­strumentall Member, in a due manner, with the fi­gure it selfe, when the Receptacles, passages, and superficies are not also depraved; nor doe we under­stand (as advertized before) the substantiall forme, which is in the very matter forming it and giving it to be in act.Dr. Brown Pseudoxia epidem. I know the beauty of the Nose is gene­rally determined by opinion, and seems (as one ingeni­ously speakes in this case of flat Noses, and other affected figures thereof) to have no essence, that holds one notion with all, that seeming beauteous unto one, which hath no favour with another, and that unto every one according as Custome hath made it naturall, or Sympathy and conformitie of minds, shall make it seeme agreable; Which various apprehensions of Men and Nations, hath made him think that no deviations can be expounded so high to an undeniable deformitie, without a manifest and confessed degree of monstrosi­tie; Yet it is granted, that in the naturall body of Man, the perfections of every part receive their exactnesse from the first Idea of the Creator: but, herein, is a contrivance which seems to oppose against it, the Phancy of an Artificer over-ruling the intention of Nature, which must consequently evidence some de­formity. To speak the truth, this Nose being genti­litious and native to an Ape, can never become a Mans face: the Native beauty of the Nose consisting rather in the elevation, then depression of it; That Physique Axiome being firme, as stablished upon the truth of Natures intention, Nasus homini altior ad decorem. Levit. 21.18: A flat Nose being therefore ex­cepted against in the Leviticall law, and excluded any [Page 129] priestly approach unto the Altar,Whether a flat Nose can con­ferr any beau­ty to a Face. as accounted an un­naturall blemish and deformity; One of the uncleane signes of the Leprosie being a dilatation and augmen­tation of the wings of the Nose, and a Simitie of the nostrils, whereby the Face, whose beauty doth not a little consist in the Decent figure of the Nose, appeares very filthy and dishonest. And therefore we most justly abhorre the Nose that is sunk into this Figure by the Venerian rot, as the greatest blemish and mis­chiefe that spightfull, disgracefull and disfiguring ma­lady can inflict. Now that these Nose-moulders many times prejudice nature in her operations, and blemish her perfections, is too apparent. But let us see yet farther, whether they obtaine their ends, which is to advance the beauty of their Faces, the rather, since one Historian imagineth that some of them doe. The figure of the Face generally seems to be distingui­shed in these differences, either it is oblong, round, or broad; for, a narrow face which is opposite unto a broad, is reduced to an oblong. So hence these diffe­rences are reduced, either the Face is extended e­qually according to its altitude and latitude, and so is an oblong Face: or is more exporrected according to latitude then longitude, and is called a broad Face; it is easie to imagine that the longitude, which we also call the altitude, is to be taken from the Forehead to the Chin, the latitude on the contrary, from cheek to cheek. Some bring in another rotunditie of Face, which is when it doth swell, and is prominent into the anterior part, to which roundnesse they oppose a hollow, to wit, which is depressed. In a varied expression, wee may say, a Face this way round is that which is Convex in the forepart, a Hollow-face [Page 130] is that which in the same part is Concave.Wherein the beauty of the Nose consists. Now be­sides that which is commonly called the figure of the Face: there is another which is compounded of the fi­gure of the severall parts of the Face, and of their de­pendance and respect they have among themselves, which Critiques in beauty call the Forme. And the front alone (as is observed) may be varied above 576 waies, and therefore the Nose infinitely more, but many parts may be varied in severall wayes and de­grees and various complications among themselves, from whence ariseth that infinite (almost) variety of humane Formes. Now beauty resides in the Forme; for if every part be rightly formed, and rightly cor­respondent one unto another, the Face will be beauti­full, if it have withall a pleasing colour. But the parts may all be beautifull, and yet not well answer one another; as for example: A short, long, strait, crook't or Aquiline Nose, little or great, if they be Graphically constituted, may be beautifull; but the question will be, what figure of other parts is requi­red to make up the perfect harmony of a Face. A faire high Hawks Nose, rather agrees with a faire plump Cheek, then with a faire thin Cheek: and on the contrary, a beautifull Cheeke but leane, doth rather love a strait Nose, then an Aquiline. The Persians therefore to make good the beauty, as well as the transcendent dignity of their Noses, had need have convex or full extant Faces, as indeed for the most part they have. As for the Tartars and Chy­noise, who affected a flat Nose, it must needs be con­fessed, it is not unsuitable unto their broad Faces; but how can the same Nose beautifie a round Face, such as the Guineans and they of Cassara, in the lower [Page 131] Aethiopia are said to have,The Naturall perfection of the Nose in man and Woman. unlesse wee will imagine such a rotundity, as makes a Concave or hollow Face, with which a Camoise Nose may have some indiffe­rent correspondency. Now since both sexes are guil­ty of this violence offered unto nature, the better to convince them of their errour, we shall not thinke much to exhibite the absolute forme, both of a Man and Womans Face, the naturall perfection of a Mans Face requires these conditions: A square Forehead, upon which those forelocks of the Haire abide mode­rately elevated, his Eyebrows hard, great and long, a good amiable charope Eye, not very concave nor prominent, somewhat Lion-like, that little cloud that is said to appeare above the Nose, being no­thing else but a certaine rugged or scarce apparent Tumor, which declares a kind of light contraction of the Forehead: A Nose thick, not acute, but rather great then small, a Face great and not bony, a great Mouth, firme teeth, not thin, of an indifferent size, and white, 32 in number, his upper jawes are equall to the lower jawes, and neither exceede, nor are ex­ceeded or put forth beyond each other; for so Man would be deformed, but nature makes the Masculine perfect, and what is perfect according to the naturall state, all that is very beautifull; such therefore ought to be the exact Symetry of the jawes, his Eares not too big nor too little, well engraved, dearticulate, a Head of a moderate magnitude, drawing nearer, yet to a greater then a lesse, and venerable withall. To the absolute forme of a Womans Face, there goes a faire white Forehead, marked with no wrinkles or lines, longer then that of Mans is, and drawing to a roundnesse about the Temples, that it seems to repre­sent [Page 132] a Turkish bow inverted,The absolute perfections of a womans face wherein there appears not any tumour or gibbosity, or any cloud, no severity or sadnesse, but a pleasant and modest cheerefulnesse, a Face round, pleasant and elegant to behold. A little Mouth, somewhat but scarce opening, small white teeth, somewhat short, even, in number just 28, not thin, nor too hard closed together, somewhat full lips, Corall, imitating Vermilion, a little disjoyned, yet so as the teeth are scarce discovered, whilest shee holds her peace or laughs not, unmoved; that is such a woman that doth not rest, nor bite, nor suck her lips; these lips thus described add a wonderfull grace and dignity to a womans visage: neither is the Nose to be omitted, the honour and Ornament of the countenance, which re­presents the outward part of a Rose: of a meane size, strait, cleane, with a certaine obtusenesse acute, but the holes of their nostrils small. A round white pill'd or smooth Chin, the Candor whereof seems to introduce into the beholders mind, a certaine suspition of a Rosie colour, but no tract at all, nor any perception of haires is to be seen either in the lips or Chin: A small short Purple Tongue, most certainly doth best become a wo­man, which yet is scarce or never seen, the tip scarce ap­pearing whiles shee speakes: the Eye-brows ought to be black, subtile, disjoyned, soft, and sweetly arched. Somewhat black Eyes, declining to smallnesse, concave, rolling, laughing, pleasant and shining. The Bals of the Cheeks round, altogether void of haires, fleshie, rosie, and resembling the red Sun-shine Apples of Autumne. Above these remaine the Temples, which ought to be no lesse white then the Forehead, and without suspition of any bones, yet not swoln nor depressed, but in a manner a little and scarce concave. Eares graven [Page 133] somewhat short, soft and delicate,The too offi­cious art of stroaking up the Nose of In­fants noted. aspersed with the dilucid colour of Roses. The whole Head rather little then great, more round then a mans, comely, erect, and elevated

These are the Naturall beauties of the parts, belon­ging both to a Man and Womans Face: yet no Man may hereupon conclude that Face to be beautifull and perfect in all its number, that hath all these conditions, for it doth not truly follow. But as a Lute or Harp, is not therefore said to be Harmonically and fitly made ready and prepared, because it hath faire and good strings, or because it is guilded, but because they con­cord with one another in Harmonicall numbers, therefore it sounds well and is praised: so a Man or wo­mans Face, unlesse the aforesaid parts thereof agree and concord aptly with one another, is neither beautifull nor comely.

We in this Island are of an opinion, and practise somewhat contrary to these Face-levellers, and doe no way like of a shooing-horn-like Nose, neither do wee esteem such to be gratiosos. And therefore our Midwives and Nurses are a little too forward to stretch out their hands to help Nature in this case. For although all children are a little Camo [...]sed about the Nose, before the bridge riseth, being not properly but equivocally called saddle-Nosed, because they have a power, and are to receive a Nose more perfect, appea­ring onely Camoise; because the naturall heat which is the instrument of the vertue Formatrix, hath not yet perfected their Noses, nor elevated that Cartilage to its naturall and appointed magnitude, according to whose figure all appellations of the Nose are referred. Not that nature alwaies needes the officious and o­ver [Page 134] diligent help and art of Midwives and Nurses,An Aquiline or high hawks Nose where affected. to to pinch up our Noses as they doe,Jacob. Fonta­nus in Phi­siogn. Arist. as if nature were not able to perfect her owne worke. Iacob: Fontanus in his comment upon the Physiognomy of Arist. ta­king notice of this pragmaticall devise of Midwives, sayes, that because children by reason of their tender bones, which are easily deprest, appeare saddle-no­sed; they laying hold of them with their Thumbe and fore-finger, are wont to compresse the laterall parts of the Nose, that this Simity of Children may be the soo­ner abolished: more for beauty then for any commodi­ty it bringeth to life, for they are sometimes so com­pressed by them, that they become lesse commodious for the purging out of the mucous excrements of the Braine. It is true, it belongs to the corrective part of medicine, to looke a little to this businesse, and to correct the lapse of Nature, where a just occasion is, but not by over diligence to bring the Nose into a worse condition then it would have been in, had they trusted the ordinarie providence of nature.

The Persians of old, very much esteemed a high aquiline or hawks Nose, as a note of honour and mag­nanimitie, which they affected in me­mory of Cyrus, who had such a nose, and they would suffer none to raigne over them [Page 135] but Princes that had such imperiall Noses;The manner of making Hawke-Noses.nay, it is a custome at this day, to except against such that are not thus nosed; wherefore those that have the nursery and education of the King of Persia's children, and the Princes of the Royall Blood, use all the art they can to make them Gryphos, or crooked-nosed like a Hawks bill; and they had no other Nurses lesse honorifique then Eunuchs, whose chiefe command and office, as foster-fa­thers; was to make the Nose as beautifull as might bee, composing and directing their mem­bers, from which imployment they were all ac­counted Grandees. These Nutritiall Eunuchs did conforme the Nose, Mercurialis lib. de Decorat. as Mercurialis doth proba­bly conjecture, with leaden plates kept on by some fastening contrived without, and for their intrinsicall operation, they used little hollow pipes, thrust into the Caverns of their nostrils, by which their tender Noses streitned and bound in such a mould, in processe of time, were for­med according to their desire. Not farr from this artifice, is that libertie which is granted to the corrective part of Medicine, in correcting the ill conformation of the nostrils, when in children they are either too large or streight, the way of which correction, is to wrest the member to the opposite part; that is, if they be too wide, to con­tract them gently with the finger, and in case they be too close, often dilate them, or by put­ting some such hollow pipes into the nostrils as Mercurialis thinks the Persian Nutritii used in the affected arching of Persian Nose. This figure of the Nose, is now become gentilitiall, and native [Page 136] to the Persians,A high Promi­nent Nose where affected who to their high foreheads, have generally high hooked Noses: so truly is that verified in the practise of Men.

For if once the Grandees begin a corporall fashion, the contagion soone spreads, and the meaner sort will imitate them in the same practi­call Metamorphosis, although they pay for it. So, ‘Quicquid delirant Reges, Plectuntur Achivi.’

The Romans of old loved a large & prominent nose, which was with them in fashion as most imperiall: and wee use to call such an high and eminent Nose a Roman Nose: and the Austrian Nose beares sway at this day in Germany.

Purchas Pilgr. 3. lib. 2. The Indian wo­men bore their Nostrils full of holes on both sides, wherein they weare Jewels, which hang down unto their lips.

Idem Pilgr. 1. lib. 2. The People of the Island Arucetto, have holes in their Noses on each side, wherein they weare Rings strange to behold.

[Page 137] The Nation called Curenda,Nose-Borers. Purchas Pilgr. 4. lib. 6. up the River Pa­rana, have little stones, which hang dangling in their Noses.

The Chiribichenses bore holes in their nostrils for an elegancy, and the richer sort, Pet. Mart. de­cad. 8. deck them with jewels of Gold, the common people, with diverse shels of cockles and Sea Snailes. Purchas Pilgr.

A little from Gambra in Africa, Men and wo­men, as an ensigne of Nobilitie and greatnesse, weare one great Ring, in a hole bored through the Nose, which

they put in and take out at plea­sure. Idem Pilgr. 3. lib. 5.

It was a cust­ome in Mexico to pierce the nostrils of their elected King: for when Ticois the King of Mexico was chosen, they pierced his nost­rils, and for an Ornament, put an Emerald therein; and for this reason in the Mexican Picture-Chronicles, this King is noted by his nostrils pierced.

The great Gaga Calando King of Gagas,Idem Pilgr. 2. lib. 7. weareth a piece of copper crosse his Nose, two inches long, which is the least part of his cruell bravery.

The Kings Wife of Cumana,De Bry. Hist. Ind. hath her nostrils bored, and a Ring hung therein, which in their [Page 138] language they call Caricari.Nose-Jewels Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 9.

The Inhabitants of the Cape of Lopo Gonsalves, weare rings in the middle parts of their Noses; some thrust small hornes of teeth through them, and weare them so, which they think to be a great Ornament unto them. Lindschoten lib. 2.

The Guineans hold themselves faire with their Nasall Ornaments, some thrust small hornes or teeth through their Noses, and so weare them, all (as they think) to beautifie themselves. Hier. Giravae Cosmograph.

The Inhabitants of Florida, for the same pur­pose, bore their Nostrils.

Purchas Pilgr. 4. lib. 6. The Cueremagba's, (the Men) have a little hole in their Nose, into which, for an Ornament they put a Parrots feather.

Idem eodem. The People of Tiembus, weare on either nost­rill, a blew starr, artificially made of a blew and white stone.

Idem Pilgr. 2. lib. 7. They of Barnagasso Kingdome, and Colo Brava, the Negro-slaves, have certaine marks on their Noses, made onely for a bravery with a cold I­ron, and they say these marks are very beauti­full unto them; my Author shewes how they make them.

Idem eod. li. 10. The women of Ormus, weare on their bored Noses, many jewels, and a long barr of Gold upon one side of their Noses.

Isa. 3.21. The Jewish women of old, had also Nose-jewels in request, as an ancient Ornament, rec­kon'd up by the prophet Isaiah, among other impliments of their abominable pride.

They of St. Christophers, stick pins on their Noses, making their Noses serve for pin-pillowes. [Page 139] The inhabitants of the province Quillacenca about Peru, weare Iron rings in their Noses, This Nose [...] ­very taxed Purchas. Pilgr. 4. lib. 7. and jew­els thereat, whence the province had its name, being hence called Quillacenca; that is, the Iron-Nose Province.

The better sort of Aegyptian women weare rings of Gold or Silver, Lithgowes Travels. through the hollow of their Noses, hanging rich Pearles and precious stones at them, wherein the common People imitate their betters.

It is a strange thing to consider the various phan­tasies of Nations, touching matters adorning the Body; for some think it more ornamentall to weare their bracelets on their wrists, others say it is better to have them about their ancles: some think it most comely to weare Rings and Jewels in the Eare, some will have them about their privities, and others will not think they are compleat, unlesse they hang them upon their lips, Cheeks, or Noses, as those Nations doe, who are well ringed for rooting, and in­joy the statute beautie of our swine. Surely their in­vention was much put to it, when they suffered their Noses to be bored, to bring up this fashion, the pa­tience of that Man was something allied to their folly, who walking by a marke, at which some ill Ar­chers shot, and being shot through the Nose, told them plainly, that if they shot there againe, he would break their Arrow. The beauty of the Nose, consists in the equalitie and polish't smoothnesse thereof, which is the Naturall Ornament of the part. Hence wee see how uncomely it is, when enriched with Rubies and the Pustels of compotation, which exposeth such rich-faced and carbuncle-nosed tospots to the mockery of all [Page 140] Men.Nose-Borers. taxed. Nor lesse ridiculous is the golden Rings and precious Jewels, in the snout of such swine; for, the extant bulk of those Nose-rings, and pendants wherewith they overlaid their Noses; must some way hinder the sight; and divelish pride, who hath thus bored them through the Nose, and made more vents in Natures conduit-pipe then she intended, shee sure paies them wages, in rendering the Nose lesse apt for the right forming of the voice, which must needs be lesse articulate and explained, and the words somewhat tun'd in the Nose. In the curious Machini of speech, the Nose is added as a Recorder, to advance the melodious eccho of the sound, which these women think that Nature hath not made compleat enough; therefore they will bore them full of Recorder stops as it were, as if they should speake onely in the recording tone of their Nose, which invention is to the blemish and prejudice of Natures nasall operation, and must needs rather marre, then any way improve the in­strument.

SCENE VIII. Long Ear'd Nations. Auricular fashions, or certaine strange Inventions of People in new-moul­ding their Eares.

ANcient writers speake of some Indians, whose Eares did reach unto the ground. Pomponius speaking of these or some like them, sayes they call them Fanesios or Satmalos: Strabo Geogra­phia. lib. 15. the Greeks as Stra­bo writes, call them [...], because they use their Eares for a couch to sleep on.

Megasthenes an ancient Author,Solinus cap. 21. and Solinus say, there are Islands, and a Nation called Fane­sii, (I reade it some where Panotii) whose Eares are dilated to so effuse a magnitude, that they cover the rest of their bodies with them, and have no other cloathing, then as they cloth their mem­bers [Page 142]

w^th the mem­branes of their Eares.Men with Ears down their Feet. Plinie also makes report of such nations about Pontus (saith he) there are Scythian Ilands,Plinie. lib. 4. cap. 13. where there is a Nation of Fa­nesii, Munster Cos­mograph. lib. 5. cap. 126. who being o­therwise naked, have Eares so larg, that they invelope their whole bodies with them;Plin. lib. 7. cap. 2. And in his seventh book he proves, that in the borders of In­dia, not farr from Taprobana, there are men who co­ver themselves all over with their Eares.Isidor. lib. 11. cap. 3. Isidor affirms as much of them. The testimo­nies of these men are very ancient, but there are not wanting store of later witnesses.

Euseb. Nie­remberg. Hist. Naturae Petrus Simon, and Antonius Daca, as Eusebius Nierembergensis imformes us; report of men that were lately found, whom they call Tulanuch [...] (which name signifies an Eare) such as the old world called Onotocitos, whose Ears are so prolix that they hang down even unto the ground, and six Men may be hid under one of them: these Men [Page 143] were discovered towards Califurnia. Great Ear'd Men.

Maximilianus Transilvanus reports,Maximil. Transil. apud Ramus, Tom. 1. that there is an Island neere the Molucca's, where the peo­ple have such vast Eares. And Pigafetta assures us, that in Arucetto, which is an Island reckoned among the Molucca's, there are such People as before mentioned, whose Eares have so spatious and prodigious dimensions. Purchas saith,Purchas Pilgr. that in this Island Arucetto, are men and women, not past a cubite in height, having Eares of such big­nesse, that they lie upon one, and cover them with the other; so that although these things have been reported in fables, yet you may finde Authors whom it would not displease one to fol­low: Strabo indeed accounts these relations fabu­lous, and he scoffs at Megasthenes, for writing of such kind of Eares; Yet Mela saith he had Authors for it, that were not to be contemned. And as Kornmannus thinkes,Kornmannus lib. de virorum mirac. it is not disagreea­ble to truth, if you weigh the number and autho­rity of those writers; which will appeare more credible by the modern relations of some ocular witnesses, mentioned in this present Scene: that there should be whole Nations that have Eares of so prodigious a magnitude, is a relation I doubt will scarce credibly sink into the Eares of men;Thom Tho­mauis in hort [...] mundi. Gilber­tus Chron. Skenckius lib. 1. observat. yet we may safely afford the same Faith unto it, as to the records of monstrous births, which have appeared with such Eares. Gilbertus in his Chronicle attests, that a woman in a cer­tain castle of Lumbardie call'd Canossus, in the time of Pope Gregory, brought forth a little Infant, with such great and large Eares, that they co­vered [Page 144] the little body of it.Large-Ear'd Nations. Plinie Nat. Hist. lib. 11. Plinie reports that the sirnames of Flacci, (families, and houses in Rome) came first from their flaggie, long, and han­ging Eares.

Purchas Pilgr. 4. lib. 6.In Guinea, upon the borders of Wiapoco, there is a Nation of Carabes, having great Eares, of an extraordinarie bignesse, hard to be beleeved; they call the people Marashewaccas, supposed to be made so by Art, and affected by them, as an extraordinarie garbe of devised gallantry.

Sr. John Man­devils Travels cap. 62.In an Island neer the Island Dodyn, there are Men with Eares hanging unto their shoulders. And in another Isle, are wild Men, with hanging Eares.

Hier. Giravae Cosmograph.In the Province Cusco, in the land of Pervana, are those Auriti or great Ear'd Men, vulgarly called Oriones, who are the richest and most Po­tent Men of the whole Region, who alwaies goe poled, using all the Art possible to enlarge their Eares.

Munster Cos­mograph. lib. 5. cap. 149.The Inhabitants of the Island Zanzibar have also great Eares.

Maximil. Transil. apud Ramus Tom. 1.In the Island Gilon, numbred among the Molu­ca's there is a certaine Nation, whose Auricles are so great, that they hang down to their shoul­ders.Munster Cos­mograph. lib. 5. cap. 164. When the Spaniards came to this Island, and found men with such long Eares, wondring at them, they understood by the Inhabitants, that there was another Island not farr from thence, where Men had not onely hanging Eares, but broad and large Auricles, that when they saw it was usefull to them, they could cover their whole Heads with one of them: I could not here [Page 145] conceale that which the Cosmographer was unwilling to omit,Great Eares the greatest beauty. seeing it is witnessed by good Authors, and hath nothing incredible therein, but onely with such who thinke it a note of wis­dome, to seem very incredulous.Pigafetta apud Ramus Tom. 1.

In certaine Isl­ands,

not far re­mote from the Isl­and of Theeves, their Eares are so long that they co­ver their armes.

They of Botan­ter of the Moun­taines,Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 10. have Eares of a span long, and it is held such a note of gallantry among them, that those that have not their Eares long, they call them Apes.

In West-India, on the River Mariwini, Idem Pilgr. 4. lib. 6. are People having great Eares, which they make so large by Art, with hanging weights thereat, insomuch that they hang downe to their shoul­ders; yet are reported to be good natured Peo­ple.

In Peru, the greatest Eares, are ever esteemed the fairest, which with all art and industry, they are continually stretching out,Montaignes Essaies. and a man (who yet liveth) sweareth to have seen in a province of the East-Indies, the people so carefull to make them great, and so to load them with heavy [Page 146] Jewels,Great Eares a signe of Nobi­tie. that at great ease he could have thrust his arme through one of their Eareholes.

Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 10.The Nairi and their wives have huge Eares; for they use for a bravery to make great holes in their Eares, and so big and wide, that it is incredible: holding this opinion, that the grea­ter the holes be, the more Noble they esteem themselves. Mr. Caesar Frederick a Traveller into those parts, had leave of one of them to measure the circumference of one of them with a thread, and within that circumference he put his arme up to the shoulders, cloathed as it was, so that in effect they are monstrous great: Thus they doe make them when they are little, for then they open the Eare, and hang a piece of leade or golden thread, and within the opening in the hole, they put a certaine leafe that they have for that purpose, which maketh the hole so great.

Idem Pilgr. 2. lib. 10. De Bry. Hist. Ind. Herberts Tra­vels lib. 3.The Malabars, both men and women, the lappets of their Eares are open, and fo broad and long, that they hang down to the shoul­ders, and the longer and wider that they be, the more they are esteemed among them, and it is thought to be a beauty in them, as that which makes them more notable, and honourable, and of more goodly favour and personage, insomuch, as shee is not accounted brave or courtly, who cannot teare nor dilacerate her Eares wide e­nough for this fashion, which they effect by han­ging ponderous things in them.

Idem li. Ibidem.They of the race of the Ghingalayes, which they say are the best kinde of all the Malabars, [Page 147] and are the guard of the King of Ceylon, Long Ear'd Gallants. their Eares are very large, for the greater they are, the more honourable they are accounted, some of them are a span long.

Some Nations of Farrupini, Idem. towards the high land, called Craweanna, Pawmeeanna, Quikeanna, Peewattere, Arameeso, Acawreanno, Acooreo, Ta­reepeeanno, Corecorickada, Peeauneado, Coeeanno, Itsura and Waremisso; have holes through their Eares, of whom the Indians report much of the greatnesse of their Eares.

The Surucusis weare their Eares with wide holes,Idem Pilgr. 4. lib. 7. caused by art to grow into an incredible widenesse, whereupon the Spaniards call them Oreiones, or Men with great Eares, the Men had a round piece of wood hanging at their Eares like a Calicut Die, a great favour and signe of Nobilitie, and the first ensigne of dignity and Knighthood, with some neighbouring Nations to them.

Wee read of the Tartars,Sebast. Franc. & Hornduffii exemplum quin­ti praecepti. Munster Cos­mograph. lib. 4. cap. 11. in that dishonest victo­ry they obtained against the Christians, by that base stratagem of their poysoned Standards which waved in the Aire, infected the Christian Army, that they might be ascertained of the true number of the slaine, after they had pillaged the dead bodies, they cut off an Eare from every one of them, with which they filled nine sacks or bushels full; had these Men dealt so with as many slaine of any of these large Ear'd Nations, they would have doubled or trebled their measures.

The King of Calecut, Idem lib. eodem De Bry. des­cript. Indiae O­rient. pars 9. when the Hollanders came to see him, they observed his Eares so [Page 148]

stretched with the weight of gold and Jewels,Large Ear'd shee gallants. Idem ibidem De Bry. descript Ind. orient. pars 9. and drawn out, that they rea­ched down to the shoulders and armepits, for they charge them with Gold and a sawcer set in the midst. The wo­men, the richer and more Noble and excellent they are, they have the longer Eares, adorned with Rings. It is more familiar to the women then the Men, for the Hollanders obser­ved in men about an hundred Rings, such as ours are; but in the women above two hundred, which with their weight, draw their Eares below their shoulders.

Grimstone of their mannersThe women there (as one observes) are not given to doe any thing, but deck themselves to seem more pleasing: so as when they goe abroad, although they be naked, yet they are laden with Gold and pretious stones, hanging at their Eares, Necks, Leggs, Armes, and upon their Brests.

Pigafetta apud Ramus Tom. 1.In the City Cocchi, the Women think it a great comeliness to have their Eares most shame­fully bored; for in the lap which we pierce, they make a cleft putting lead into it, which with its weight so extends it, that it hangs down to the shoulders; the hole so big, that you may put [Page 149] your arme through it,Horrid great Eares. which deformation is so pleasing to their Eyes, that Men also are com­monly seen with their Eares so arraied.

The black Peo­ple

of the Cape Co­mori, Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 10. have horri­ble great Eares, with many Rings set with Pearles & stones in them.

The Macûas not farr from Mo­cambique weare their Eares bo­red round with many holes,Idem eodem lib. 9. in which they have pegs of wood, slender like knit­ting needles, a finger long, which makes them looke like hedge-hogs; this is part of their gallantry, for if they are sad or crossed with any disaster, they leave all those holes open.

They of Madagascar, De Bry. pars 9. have Eares bored through with large holes, so that you may put a finger through them, in which they weare round pieces of wood.

[Page 150] Eares full of gilded nailes. Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 9.The Gentiles of Indostan, their women have the flaps or neither part of their Eares bored when they are young,See the like fi­gure fol. 148. which daily stretched and made wider by things kept in for that purpose, at last becomes so large, that it will hold a ring as bigg as a little saucer, made on the sides for the flesh to rest in; besides, round about their Eares are holes made for Pendants, that when they please, they may weare rings in them also.

Idem eodem lib. 9.In Candou Islands one of the Islands accounted to Asia, they weare in their Eares very rich Pen­dants according to their Wealth, but they weare them not after the same fashion, as wee doe here; for, the mothers pierce the Eares of their daugh­ters when they are young, not onely in the lap or fat of the Eare, but all along the gristle, in many places, and put their threads of cotton to encrease and keep the holes, that they may put when they are greater, little gilded nailes, to the number of 24 in both Eares, the head of the naile is commonly adorned with a pretious stone or Pearle, also in the lap of the Eare they have an Eare-ring, fashioned after their man­ner.

Idem eodem lib. 9.Many of the Men and Women in the Cape of Lopo Gonsalves, weare Rings in their Eares, whereof some weigh at least a pound, some have sticks thrust through them of five or six fingers long.

Lindschoten lib. 2.The Brasilean women, bore their Eares with so wide holes, that a man may thrust his finger through, in them they hang certaine long things, which reach unto their Breasts, or shoulders like [Page 151] blood-hounds, or water spaniels Eares.Auricular bra­very.

The naturall Inhabitants of Virginia, Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 9. Capt. Jo. Smiths Hist. of Virginia. in their Eares, have three great holes, that is in each three, wherein the women commonly hang chaines, bracelets, or copper; the Men, some of them, weare in these holes, a small green or yellow coloured Snake, neer halfe a yard in length, which crawling and lapping it selfe about their Necks, oftentimes will familiarly kisse their lips, some a rat tyed by the taile, and some the hand of their enemy dried.

The inferior sort of Priests among them, can hardly be known from the common People, but that they have not so many holes in their Eares to hang their Jewels at.

In the countrie of Wingandacoa, Capt. Jo. Smyths Hist. of Virginia. upon the con­tinent of Virginia, the Queen and principall wo­men in their Eares, weare bracelets of Pearle hanging down to their middle, of the bignesse of great pease, the rest of the women have pendants of copper, and the Noble Men five or six in an Eare.

The women of Cochin, Purchas. Pilgr. 2. lib. 7. have horrible great Eares, with many Rings set with Pearle and stones in them.

A little from Gambra in Africa, Idem in his Pilgrimage. there are found Men, who use it as a great bravery, to bore their Eares full of holes, wearing therein, Rings of Gold, in rowes or ranks.

In a certaine Island in eight degrees,Idem. Pilgr. 1. lib. 2. as Sr. Francis Drake sailed to Nova Albion, the People have the nether part of their Eares cut into a round circle, hanging down very low upon their [Page 152]

cheeks, wherein they hang things of a reasonable weight.Idem Pilgr. 2. lib. 7.

The People on the southward of Tinda and Gam­bra, are reported to weare Iron rings through their Eares.

Leo lib. 3. Hist. Africae.The women of mount Beni Jesse­ten, doe use to weare Iron rings upon their fingers and Eares, for a great barvery.

Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 10.The women of Ormus weare in their Eares, many Rings of Gold set with Jewels, and locks of Silver and Gold, insomuch, that the Eares with the weight of their Jewels, be easily worne so wide, that a Man may thrust three of his fingers into them.

De Bry descript. Ind.In the City Cancer, not farr from Goa, most of the Noble and great persons, have their Eares bored with great holes, and weare in them 14 or 15 Rings, such as wee weare on our finger ador­ned with pretious stones.

Lindschoten. lib. 1.The Bramanes have most commonly round rings of Gold hanging at their Eares, as the o­ther Indians have.

Jo. Bohemus de ritibus gentium lib. 2.The priests of the Panchaians, weare Eare­rings, besides their other womanish golden Or­naments.

[Page 153]In Zeland they inrich their Eares with Gold and precious stones,Magin Geogr. Hier Girava Cosmograph. and the same auricular bra­very is affected by those of Florida.

In Pegu they loade their Eares with all sorts of Jewels, insomuch,Lodovic. Rom. Patr. lib. 6. cap. 16. as their Eares with the weight of their Earerings, hang down a span long.

The King of Joga's subjects,Idem Navigat. 4. cap. 2. all weare Eare­rings, and all manner of pretious things in their Eares.

In Russia it is the custome of the Countrey,Johan. Bohem. de. ritibus gen­tium. lib. 3. for women to weare Pearles and Jewels in their Eares, it is held a beauty also to males, while they are yet boyes; this is also a vanitie used a­mong the more amorous and effeminate sort of our gallants.

The Spanish women use to perforate the lap­pet of their Eare with a Gold or Silver wire,Munster Cos­mogr. lib. 2. at which most commonly they hang some Jewell, which by the French is censured as a barbarous thing.

The Aegyptians used to bore their Eares to make them capable of such Ornaments, and the two most pretious Pearles which Cleopatra dissol­ved and drunk as a luxurious expression of love to Marke Antonie, were pendants taken from her Eares.

The Greeks bore holes in the Eares of their slaves, holding it for a badg of bondage,Montaigne Essay lib. 2. which was practised also by the Jews.

The Roman Dames were much delighted with auricular bravery; for Plinie writes,Plinie Nat. Hist. lib. 12. that they sought for Pearles from the bottom of the Red [Page 154] Sea,Auricular Luxurie and Emeralds from the bowels of the Earth; and then he adds, ad hoc excogitata sunt Aurium vulnera, as if it had been nothing to weare them about their necks, and in their Haire, unlesse they were also let into their bodies.

Cyprian dehorting the Xtian women from it, non inferantur Auribus vulnera.

Seneca de vi­ta beata cap. 17. Saith Sceneca, why doth thy wife weare in her Eares the revenews of a rich family? And in another place.

Idem de benef. 7. 6. I see their Pearles not fitted single to their Eares, which are now inured to the bearing of weight, they are coupled together, and others are added to the two first, the madnesse of our women had not sufficiently brought Men into subjection, did not they hang two or three patrimonies at each Eare. And with him Pli­nie accords. Plinie Nat. Hist. lib. 9. Binos ac ternos auribus suspendere, foeminarum gloria est, to hang these by couples or more in each Eare, is the pride of our women, and their luxury (saith he) hath found out a name for this, Cymbals. calling it Crotalia, as if they gloried in the sound and strike of the Pearles one against another. Nay he goes further, affectantes jam & pauperes, Lictorem faeminae in publico u­nionem esse dictantes, it is come to that passe, that even the poor sort affect the same fashion, this being a common saying, that a pearle is the womans Sarjeant to wait upon her, when shee shewes her selfe abroad. But their extreame folly herein, hath Tertullian af­ter his African manner wittily expressed, Graciles aurium cutes Kalendarium expendunt. The tender Libbets of their Eares, consume their Kalenders, that is, saith the learned Junius in his notes on that passage, universum domus censum, &c.

[Page 155] Indeed these are parts where jewels are easily seen, The Naturall beautie of the Eare which Ladies have learn'd very well to observe, yet certainly the conceit worked very strong in their head, who first pierced the skin to introduce a fa­shion.

The first Men that have had piety in them, have made conscience of offering any violence to Nature, and to pierce and dilacerate their Eares, for to hang any pretious things at it, for none is Lord of his own members to abuse them, so saith the Civilian Ulpian; but Men have taken more licence then they ought, and have defaced the workemanship of God in them, Ulpian. to please their own fancies, and wee need not so much wonder at Barbarous Nations, but at civili­zed People, which have called other Nations barba­rous, and more especially of the Christians of this age. Although (indeed) there are some Ladies among us, who more out of tendernesse of Sence then Conscience, save themselves this labour and paines, and instead of letting their Jewels into their flesh, they make them more easie pendants by hanging them in a string a­bout their Eare as upon a pin.

Gallen, where he speakes of the beauty Nature invented in the outer Eare, although he expresseth such a scope of Nature, which was second in her in­tention; yet he expounds not what that is in the Eare, which appertaines to that scope.

Hofman should think it is the lower particle of the Eare, which they call the tip of the Eare; For, since this part is not Cartilagineous, as the rest of the Helix or circumference, it cannot also performe that intention, so that it had been in vaine, unlesse it had been made for the other. And hence it may [Page 156] be to encrease the beauty, The use of the outward Eare. Woman began to weare Jewels in it, as if they had taken their hint from Nature, who seems (as Sr. Phillip Sydney saith) to have made the tip, the Jewell of the Eare, from whose softnesse came the adage, ima mollior auricula, and to have taken a hint of perforation from the superior part of the tip, which seems in a manner to be per­sorated as it were with an invisible hole, which is called Cicada, or the Grasse-hopper, wherein the Athenians who were natives of that country were wont to hang their golden Grasse-hoppers.

Many Anatomists (indeed) doe doubt of the use of this lobe and of the office of it, wherein the Essence of Instruments consists. Kyplerus Medic. con­tract. lib. 1. Kyplerus thinkes it doth nei­ther help to the extension of the Auricle, or to its better conjunction to the other parts, since the Carti­lage can keep the expansion of the Auricle firme e­nough, and withall it is on both sides connexed well enough to the other parts; But it is not, saith he, im­probable that it helpes to a more direct and easie in­gresse of sound into the Auricle, not verily on both sides, but chiefly from the lower part. Admit what Natures exquisite observer seems to imitate, that as curious artificers, when they have made some rare instrument, are wont to adde some by-worke for plea­sure and Ornament; so Nature both pleased to doe in finishing up the admirable devise of the Eare: Yet this is no warrant for the monstrous practises of these men, who upon pretence of augmenting the beauty of the Eare, so shamefully loade it with Jewels and other ma­terials, and use such force of Art to teare and dilace­rate the most tender particle thereof, stretching itto so prodigious a magnitude, that Criticks might hence [Page 157] derive [...],The [...] proportion of the Eare. quod deturpare vel ab­scindere diceres. That whereas the Eares of Man are not so great as Horses or Asses Eares, and that for beauty and Ornament they were made lesse, and be­cause his Head was to be covered with a hat, he erect figure of man also supplying the magnitude of his Eares; these Men in the contumelious despight of Na­ture, and the exact justice of her proportions and Sy­mitry, that allowes not the height of the Eare to exceed the length of the Nose, and latitude of the mouth, and the largest circumference of the Eare and mouth; but to duplicate the Analogy, will have Eares larger then hounds, or any other Animall, inso­much, as that of Lucretius might be applyed unto them; ‘Humanum genus est avidum nimis auricularum.’

Nay by this artifice they seem to introduce the forme or signe of the Leprosie upon themselves, and to looke somewhat like Elephants, in this frantique Elephan­tick bravery: For in the disease called Elephantiasis, according to some, the name is borrowed from the defe­dation of the Eare, representing that of an Elephants, and which demonstrates this affectation, wherein the Fins of the Eares in their circumference, and the Auricle or lappet also grow to an unusuall thicknesse, or otherwise swell and grow broad, representing by that appearance, as was beforesaid, an elephant.

Verily when I consider what a packe of large-Ear'd Hell-hounds wee have discovered, who although Heathens, yet most of them having good Naturall parts, I cannot think but there must be more then the ordinary vanity incident to mankind involv'd in [Page 158] this horrid affectation of great Eares, Small Eares where affected and that the grand Deformer hath not onely tempted these Na­tions to scoffe at the naturall proportion of their Eares, as being too Ape-like, and so under pretence to en­large the beauty of the Eare, to destroy the Native elegancy thereof; but hath had a secret envy at this part, as being the portall to the Sence of discipline, and the port of salvation.

Wee of this Nation, and some of our neigh­bours affect a small Eare, standing close to the Head. Which springs from the conceit of our Mo­thers, who because they have overheard from the dis­course of some Phylosophers, that great Eares are a note of loquacy and folly, they presently apply them­selves to prevent this signification in all their chil­dren, not a little to the prejudice of the action of the Eare. For, our Eares are naturally extant and looke forward, because wee heare better when we turne our Faces to the sound, our Eares so better encountring with the sound; and the prominency of our Eares serve also for a defence to cast off the sweat and filth, and the furfuracerous excrements of the Temples and the upper part of the Eare, least they should slide into the auditory passage; all which commodities our mic­kle-wise Mothers defraud us of by their nice dislike of Lugs, and as they call them in reproach, Prickeares. For, our Eares, were it not for the fillets and ligatures, that with their assent Midwives and Nurses use to bind them flat unto the Head, and flat lying upon our sides, whereby they are depressed, would stand out better, receive sounds, and our hearing would be more exact; for let any one with his finger, drive his Eare off more outward from his Head, as by the testi­mony [Page 159] of Galen; Hadrian the Emp'ror, The inconve­nience of smal Eares. & Arrian to The Consul. their advantage were wont to do, he shall hear far better then if his Eare had remain'd depressed, and for this cause, the Eares were made Cartilagineous and consistent, that they might exist and remaine prominent; Varolius Ana­tomi. lib. 1. whereby as Varolius the famous Anato­mist observes, the vanity of Man appeares, who of­ten for Ornament and beauty occasions no small hurt and dammage to Nature, and her operations; as in this device, where the beauty supposed to be hereby acquired, proves very injurous to Nature; For, the Eare the bigger it is, by so much Audition is made better: therefore our Mothers err, who so fondly dislike Asses Eares as they call them: and the same reason there is of their scituation; for they which stand fur­ther off the Head are more commodious; therefore they erre, saith Hofman,Hofman Instit. lib. 4. when they bind them with fillets so hard, that they seem as it were glued to the Head. And this among others, may serve to shame and disprove them who quarrell with Nature for her little respect and care to Man: For Nature hath been no way wanting to man, but Man on the con­trary hath been wanting to Nature, and either igno­rantly or wilfully hath deprived himselfe of many be­nefits which shee intended him.

The Portugals lately discovered an Island in the midway as they sailed to Calecut, where the figure of Stars called Cynosura, cannot be seen, wherein they found Men who had Asses Eares. Their women are like them, but that they have lesser Eares.

Columbus sayes,Columb. Anac. lib. 13. he had observed in Men Eares like unto Bruits, and Chronicles have recorded [Page 160] such monstrous productions of Eares,Auricular monstrosities differing from the humane forme of that Organ.

Lycost. Chron. de prodig. ostent.A woman of Cracovia in a village neer the the suburbs called Niger, in the twelfth of the Calends of November Anno 1494,Scenckius observat. lib. 1. brought forth a monster, all other parts resembling the humane figure,Lycost. in Ap­pend. ostent. prodig. Scenckius ob­servat. de Au­ribus. Purchas Pilgr. 1. lib. 1. Idem Pilgr. but with a Hares Eares and Neck.

In certain places of Arabia, there are mon­sters, who among other monstrosities have very large double and round Eares.

The Inhabitants of the Island Jamuli, the holes of their Eares are much wider then ours.

Wee read of Nations who have no Eares at all (& yet which is strange) they heare most exactly.

Lycost. Chron. de prodig. & ostent. Scenckius ob­servat. lib. 1.That Infants have been born thus maimed, chro­nicles report. For, the 4 of December, anno 1556 at Basile, there was a male Infant born without Eares, having only two holes, which yet were so closed that he could not heare with them.

In Hassia there was an Infant born without Ears.

Whether the malice of the enemy of mankinde, working upon the vaine imagination of man, hath blown into the heads of these or any other Nations, not yet heard of, a conceit of the uncomelinesse of the outer Eare, and to purchase a false beauty by their de­privation; Lest I should be counted too great an Accu­ser, and to prosecute an over-driven information, shall remaine with me as a doubt Dormant: I shall onely bemoane their sad condition, who are deprived of these Fins of the Eare, which nature intended for an Ornament, dilating them like vans or wings on each side of the Head, the mutilation of which part was ever accounted a great deformitie, and hath there­fore [Page 161] been inflicted as a punishment upon malefactors. [...]a great mis­chiefe. Hence wee reade that Amonius the Monke under Gra­tian and Valentinean, by cutting off his owne Eare, obtained by that deformitie, not to be made a Bishop against his will, whereupon he was sirnamed [...]. And therefore that Art is commendable which under­takes to repaire the losse, and conceale the deformitie, which hath befell those, who either originally want these Auricles, or by some mischance have been depri­ved of them, a remedy whereof by a counterfaith ap­pearance, you may find in Paraeus.Paraeus in Chi­rurg. lib. 22. cap. 7. Not to mention what a defence the Auricles are to the other parts of the Eare; for although the outer Eare was not framed by God, to defend the braine from outward injuries, yet the anfractuous cavity and prominency thereof is of great advantage to the repercussion of sounds. Hence those men whose Eares are cut away, doe receive sounds and articulate voyces, after an obtuse, dull, or confu­sed manner, like the fall of water, or chirping of Grassehoppers, insomuch that the other Eare which is not vitiated, is notwithstanding impaired, unlesse that which is wounded be quite stopt up. The Scythi­ans therefore and those who live in cold Northerly countries, who have often their ears rotted off with cold, whereby their hearing is much impaired: to amend that default, they fasten about the hole some hollow shell, imagine it to be of a great Cockle or Scallop, wherein the Aire is concluded, gathered, and directed unto the Head. Yet it is not to be passed over in silence what Cardan interpreting some passage of Ptolomie about Hermaphrodites, saies, Ptolom. de Astroorū judie. lib. 3. that the Nativities of mon­strous men, are like to those who are not nourished, for monsters are very seldome nourished, but if they be [Page 162] nourished (because they have not the form of man) they very seldome live, Monsters why short liv'd. yet some of them live, which are but a little changed from the humane Nature, as Haly saies, that he had seen some to doe, who were born without Eares, and others likewise who were born without hands or feet: but the more they receed from the humane Idea, the more difficult it is for them to live and be nourished; for they which onely fall short or redound in number, little differing from the humane forme, daily experience teacheth us, that they live many years.

SCENE IX. Cruell cheek-gallantry. Artificiall Scars accounted marks of Gallantry, imprinted on the Cheeks of diverse Nations.

THe Cafres on the River Loran­ga, and those of Mosambique,Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 9. bore holes in their Cheeks for a gallantry.

Some Nations of Marri­wini,Purchas Pilgr. 4. lib. 8. towards the highland of India, have holes bored through their Cheeks as a prime piece of bravery.

They of Macûas not far from Mozambique,Idem Pilgr. 2. lib. 9. bore holes in both their Cheeks, from the tips of their Eares, almost to their mouth, with three or four holes on each side, each big enough to hold a finger, through which their gums are [Page 164]

seen with their teeth,Cheek borers.their spit­tle slabbering forth, for which and the more gallantry, they weare a bung of wood one in each hole, and he which can have them of lead, is a com­pleat Gallant, for that metall is much estee­med.

In Peru they make holes in their Cheeks in which they put Turquoises and Emeralds, Grimston of their manners. this is also part of the Brasile­ans cruell bra­very. Lindschoten. lib. 2.

Leo description of Africa. Those who are called by the people of Congo Giachi,Pigafetta in his Relation of Congo. but by themselves Agag, have more terrible and presumptuous countenances, making lines above the lips upon their Cheeks, with cer­taine Iron instruments.

[Page 165]The Roman

dames of old were wont to teare and scratch their cheeks in griefe (which in some part of Ame­rica, Cheek-mar­kers condem­ned. Hieron. Bez. Hist. Novi. orb. Plin. Nat. Hist. they doe in sign of joy) inso­much, as the Se­nate taking notice thereof, made an edict against it, commanding that no woman should in time to come, rent or scratch their Cheeks, in griefe and sorrow, because the Cheeks are the seat of modesty and shame. What would those grave fathers have done, if such a fashion had been taken up amongst them, as had made a shamefull inrode or thorough passage in the seat of mirth and modesty? surely in their zeale to naturall modesty, they would not have thought them worthy to live: It seems these men would have more mouth, if they could, and rather then faile, they would spoile one to make many, which in despight of Natures continen­cy so to doe, disfiguring the Face, which is the picture of the Face divine, is an injury no reason can ever ex­cuse, no charity pardon; Verily these Nations oppose the purpose of God, of dignifying the body of man, who by those fond waies of transgression, put Gods Or­gan out of tune, that discompose, wound, teare and brand their bodies, with such a phantasticall violence. No man ever hated his own bodie, and yet no outward E­nemie is able to abuse their bodies, as their own phan­tasticalnesse. [Page 166] They pretend indeed (all of them) to studie most of all bodily handsomenesse,Incissions on the cheek of old forbidden. to be gallant, comely, gratious and acceptable; and yet they most shamefully deforme and destroy it and make that loathsome, which all their care was to make amiable. Now as for these bodily inscisions, such as anciently the Picts did make, and these savages doe yet make at this day, they have been anciently very expressely for­bidden in the Law of God given by Moses. For it is not lawfull for us, to disfigure the Image and the forme that God hath given unto us, by making so many idle-holes to the solution of the naturall continuitie of the whole skin. Vpon consideration of this and other horrid abuses of the parts, I have sometimes thought how Ga­len would have look't if (during the composure of that Divine Hymne de usu partium, which he made to the honour of mans Creatour, and to the setting forth his ineffable wisdome in the admirall contrivance of so stupendious a structure) he had had a Corallary of these practicall abuses of the parts presented unto him; Cer­tainly the Noble Pergamite would have swoln big with indignation, and out of Zeale to Nature, have thun­dred loud against these her wretched antagonists, which would have proved a passion very well becomming his Pen.

SCENE X. Wide Mouths affected. Mouth Fashions and Orall Monstro­sities.

THe Canibals of Port-Famine in the Country of Africa, Purchas Pilgrimage. have wide Mouths from Eare to Eare, which is somewhat proportionable to them, who are men degenerated into the nature of ravening Woolves.

The People of the Province of Zanzibar have a great Mouth.Mericus Ves­patius Navig.

The Matrons of Secota in Florida have wide Mouths,Purchas Pilgrimage. which is the qualification also (as I take it) of the Persian dames.

In Cumana, Idem. a wide Mouth is most in fashion at Court, the beauty of the petty Queens much con­sisting therein

[Page 168] Wide Mouths were in fashion. Idem.

In Turkey, the women are ac­counted most beautifull, that have widest Mouthes. And you may be sure they use art to have them so; for, things in fashion women will be sure to have, this being a maxim in our practical me­tamorphosis, that what ever irregularity of beau­ty growes once fashionable, Art is called in to assist affectation, and to force Nature into it.

The magnitude of the Mouth, alwaies answers the strength of the teeth: For, those creatures that have great opening of the Mouth, as the Lion and the Woolfe, have robust teeth, among which for the most part the Acute excell; but who have little mouths, as man, they have teeth lesse strong, amongst which the broad teeth or Grinders, for the most part are more valid. For, as all they greedily devour, & with great gobbets, because they have a hot stomack, and are alwaies in perpetuall mo­tion; so man, with care and small morsels, which he also diligently chaweth with his grinders, by reason of the debility of his stomack. Those Physiognomers there­fore are in an errour, who from a large Mouth, great robust and thick teeth, teach us to pronounce of the for­titude of a man: For, the mouth was not given to man to fight with, as to a dog and Lion, that from the like [Page 169] mouth they should inferr the like disposition. The naturall proportion of the Mouth. Man had a mouth given him for the better preparing his meat for his stomack, for breathing, and for speech; for which a little mouth was held sufficient. For women then (in whom a little Mouth was ever held most com­mendable, and that by reason of, I know not what Analogy is wont to be deduced thence) to affect com­mendation of beauty from a wide Mouth, is very strange, and much derogating from the honesty of Nature, and her ordinary justice: for, the deduction or longitude of the Mouth, should but equall the lon­gitude of the Eye, which extends from the outward angle to the Lachrymall; so that the longitude of the Mouth is duple to the ninth part of the longitude of the Face, and the Nose should beare a sesquialtera proportion unto it, and the wid'th of the Mouth should be but as much againe as the bottom of the Nose near the Mouth, the circumference of it double, and the deduction of it treble, to the longitude of the Nose: so that the whole longitude of the Face, should beare a sesquialtera proportion to the compasse of the Mouth, or to the space contained between the corners of the Eye, for this space should equall the compasse (also) of the Mouth, and the circumference of the Eare ought to be unison; The first joynt (likewise) towards the hand in the middle finger, should be as much as the Mouth, if you measure the bow of the lip with a thread; for if you measure it right in the longitude of the empty Mouth, that part of the finger would ex­ceed it. But for women to affect to be sparrow mou­thed, is as great a Solaecisme, as the reason of that impotent sexe can well be guilty of: For whereas they make account to gain beauty thereby, they rather suffer [Page 170] dammage by a Mouth so heavenly wide; Monstrous conformations of Mouths. for the la­titude and amplitude of the Mouth appertaines to the inspiration of greater quantitie of aire, and if with that amplitude of Mouth there be conjoyn'd the signes of a coldish heart (which for the most part is the feminine temper) it will necessarily follow, that the heart-strings of these women must be very much perfrigerated, by reason of the inward defect of heat, and the advenient perfrigeration of inspired aire.

Mela lib. 4. cap. 3.Beyond Aegypt, and the desarts of the Macrobi­ans, there are monstrous Men, that have mon­strous Mouths, and some with concreate lips.

Solinus. cap. 32. Solinus saith, that some of the Aethiopians have Labia Concreta, or conjoyned lips, with a hole on­ly in the middle.

Plinie lib. 6 cap. 30. Plinie speaks of some Nations that have but one hole in their Face.

Petr. Apian. Cosmograph 2. pars cap. 3.In Asia, where there are found Men of mani­fold shapes, and wonderfull Effigies, and mon­strous kind of Men; about the head of the River Ganges in India, there are a Nation called Astomi, that have no Mouth, living onely by breathing and Odours.

Mandevil [...] Travels, cap, 6 [...].They of the Island called Dodyn in the Indies and the adjacent Isles, have flat Mouths without lips, and there are dwarfes that have no Mouth, but a round little hole, through which they eat their meat with a pipe, have no tongue, nor speake, but they blow and whistle, and so make signes unto one another.

Simonides. Simonides reports, that the Attique and Argive women, had Labia fastigiata, high copped lips, form whence they were called Phoxichili, the [Page 171] Latines (I think) call such Chilones. Lips hanging down a cubit. Aloisius Ca­damust. Kornmannus de vivorum mirac.

There is a Na­tion

in Aethio­pia, named Aza­naghi, who have their lower lip hanging down very low, who are fain to season it with salt, lest it should putrify with the infecti­on of the aire, salt being there a great commodi­ty, because of the necessity of its use upon this occasion, their perpendent lips hang down above a cubite low, and therefore that Nation is repor­ted to be dumb, and this Nation wanting a beard, doe nourish such a pendent lip.

The People of Gambra, not farr from Jay, Munster Cos­mograph. lib. 6. cap. 50. are deformed, their neither lip hanging down to their Brest: and therefore their teeth appeare, which are greater then ours, and they have two here and there more eminent then the rest, and is apt inwardly to putrify, of which deformity being conscious, they trade with their neighbours the Arabicks, without sight or conference, leaving their commodities in a certaine place, for which they have Gold in exchange, their upper lip being little as ours.

This History is so remarkable, that it deserves to have all the circumstances annexed unto it: [Page 172] take therefore what Mr. Jobson in the the dis­course of his golden trade sets downe con­cerning this Nation,Monstrous great lips. Mr Jobson. dis­covery of the River Gambra. and the trade of the Barbary Moore with them; It is certaine (saith he) that when they come up into the Country, where they have their chiefest trade, they doe observe one set time and day, to be at a certaine place, whereas houses are appointed for them, wherein they finde no body, nor have the sight of any persons. At this place they doe unlade their commodities, and laying their salt in severall heapes, and likewise setting their beades, brace­lets, and any other commodities in parcels toge­ther, they depart, and remain away for a whole day, in which day, comes the people they trade withall, and to each severall, laies down a pro­portion of gold, as he values it, and leaving both the gold and the commodities, goes his waies: the Merchant returning againe, as he ac­cepts of the bargaine, takes away the gold and lets the commodity remaine, or if he findes there is too little left, divides his commodity into ano­ther part; for which he will have more at the unknowne peoples return, they take to them­selves where they see the gold is gone, and either lay more gold, or take away what was laid be­fore, and remaines in suspence: So that at the Merchants third time, his bargaine is finished; for either he findes more gold, or the first taken away, and his commoditie left, and thus it is said, they have a just manner of trading and never see one another, to which is added, that the reason why these people will not be seen, is, for that [Page 173] they are naturally born with their lower lip of that greatnesse, it turnes againe and covers the great part of their bosome, and remaines with that rawnesse on the side that hangs down, that through occasion of the Suns extreame heat, it is still subject to putrifaction; so as they have no meanes to preserve themselves, but by continuall casting salt upon it, and this is the reason salt is so pretious amongst them, their Country being so farr up in the Land, naturally yields none.

In an Island belonging to the great King of Do­dyn, are foule men,Sr John Man­devils Travels cap. 62. that have their lips about their mouth so great, that when they sleep in the Sun, they cover all their faces with their lips.Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 6. cap. 30. Schenkius ob­servat. de labi­is.

They report that in the Inland parts of the East, there are Nations that have no upper lip. Schen­kius speaks of an honest matron, who had from her nativitie, her upper lip so curt and short, that it scarce sufficed to cover her upper teeth, not without a deformed aspect.

It is observed that all of the house of Austria, have a sweet fulnesse of the lower lip. The Au­strian Lip being at this day, therefore by good right, in high esteem.Lod. Rom. Patr. Navig 4. cap. 2.

The Sultan of Cambaia, hath his upper lip so large and prominent, that he can binde his head with them, as well as women doe with their haire.

The Island Mozambique, Lod. Rom Pa. Navigat. lib. 7. the men and women have lips two fingers thick.

In Casena a Region of Africk neer Aethiopia, there are men who have prominent Lips of a monstrous shape and thicknesse,Cardan de subtil. lib. 11. which Cardan [Page 174]

seems to impute to the prevari­cation of art;Prodigious Lips. and a fashion re­ceived as comely among them;Leo Hist. Afri­cae. lib. 7. for he reckons four causes of these seeming won­ders,Magin. Geogr: Africae. or prodigi­ous shapes of men, Religion, Propagation, Di­et and Art; the latter whereof wee have just cause to accuse of a ridiculous activity, which must needs redound to the prejudice of Nature in her operations, yet they have more partners in this folly; for the Tartars are all illfavoured and thick Lipp'd. They of Caffara black as pitch: the Aegyptian Moores and the Aethiopians have all thick lips, and the Indians love those who have such lips.

A certaine namelesse Poet speaking of the Ae­thiopians, thus writes,

Have not these men hands to take their meat with, that they should thus labour, as if they meant to gather it up with their Lips as the Beasts? unlesse it were to sweep a manger, they can have no use of such Lips; for it must necessarily be a meanes to hinder their [Page 175] speech by thickning their lips, Deformed misplaced mouths. as experience teacheth in those who either by Nature or by accident have thick, swoln, blabber lips, causing them to speak in their mouth, uttering their words very baldly and indistinctly, and assuredly the same or worse must be­fall these artificiall Labions, for their Lips must needs hang in their light, and their words stick in the birth, when such unwealdy Pourers out of speech occasion a hinderance to their delivery. Trincavellus lib. 5. cap. 11. de cur. human. Corp. Morb.

It hath been the infelicity of many Men and women among us, and in other countries, to have the upper Lip, not whole and entire, but cloven and parted in the midst, such as we call hare-Lips,Mizaldus Me­morabib. Cent. 3. Aphoris. 77. Olaus Mag­nus Epit. Hist. de Gent septen­trion. lib. 18. cap. 8. which happens when women great with child unexpectedly spy a hare, or are crossed by one, long for such meat, eat of it, or a hare suddenly leaps on their head; for then usually they bring forth Infants, with their upper lips bifid and clo­ven in two parts, perpetually detaining this Lip divided between their Mouth and nostrils, which daily experience doth confirme, unlesse forthwith from the beginning they use that meanes, which the Phisicall Corrector hath prescribed for the re­ducing of this deformity,Paraeus de Ge­nae vulneribus. Schenkius ob­servat de labiis See our Hist. of the Acephalor. Scen. 1. the manner of whose o­peration, you may finde in Paraeus, Schenckius, and Moccius the Physitian.

Wee reade of monstrous Nations, whereof some have their mouths in their shoulders, and some that have them in their breast.

Lip-gallantry. SCENE XI. Lip-gallantry, or certaine Labiall fashions invented by divers Na­tions.

THe Giachi, their Ornament, is to have their Lips branded with red hot Irons, especially their up­per Lips, and so make streakes and lines in them.Lindschoten.

Montaignes Essaies.

The Indians have their nea­ther Lips in great circlets, beset with pre­cious stones, which cover all their chins, deeming it an essentiall grace to shew their teeth to the roots.Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 9.

The Macuas not farr from Macambique, [Page 177] among other notes of their gallantry, have holes in their Lips, in the upper of which they

put little pegs of wood, as big as a hens quill; of a finger long, stic­king right out like a naile, in the lower Lip they weare a lea­den bung, so close and heavy that the Lip fals to the beard, shew­ing their gums and filed teeth, that they seem divils: this is their gallantry, or ra­ther loathsome bravery; for when they are sad they leave these holes open, and many others of their owne making.

The effigies of the King of Quo­niambec, Aldrovandus menstr. Hist. fol. 108. which Aldrovandus exhibits, hath some alliance to this affectation.

In that town which was governed by Quital­bitor under Muteczuma, Peter Mart. Decad. 4. King of that Province of [Page 178] the West-Indies, the men bore whatsoever space remaineth between the uppermost part of the neather Lip and the roots of the teeth of the lower chap; and as we set Pretious stones in Gold to weare upon our fingers, so in the hole of the Lip, they weare a broad plate within, fastned to another on the outside of the Lip, and the Jewell they hang thereat, is as great as a silver Caroline Dollar, and as thick as a mans finger; The Relator saith, he doth not remem­ber, that ever he saw so filthy and ugly a sight, yet they think nothing more fine and comely un­der the circle of the Moone.

Purchas Pilgr. 4. lib. 6.

Those Canibals who are called Pories, have three great holes in their Face, one in the under Lip, and one on ei­ther side of the mouth, and in e­very hole stands a fair green stone.

Idam Pilgr. 4. lib. 6.In Dominica the Women have their lips bored as an especiall note of bravery.

Purchas Pil. 4. lib. 6.The women of Surucusis, have Chrystall of a skie colour hanging at their Lips.

Idem Pilgr. 4. lib. 7.The Inhabitants of Malhada, have the neather Lip bored, and within the same they carry a [Page 179] piece of a thin cane, about halfe a finger thick.

The Farrupi Marriwini, Idem eodem. lib. 8. towards the high­land of India, have also holes through their nea­ther Lips.

The people on the southward of Tinda and Gambra, Idem eodem lib. 8. are reported to weare iron rings through their Lips.

The ancient

Aethiopian Wo­men who practi­sed Armes and went to warrs,Grimstone of their manners. Strabo Geogr. lib. 17. Jo. Bohem. de rit. gent. made holes in their lips, where­into they put hoopes of brasse.Lythgoughs Travels.

The better sort of Aegiptian wo­men weare rings of gold or silver throgh both ends of their mouths, and in their under Lip, hanging rich Pearles and pretious stones to them; They thinke themselves not worthy to live, unlesse they weare their badges: wherein the baser sort coun­terfeit these betters.

The Inhabitants of St. Croix of the Mount,Leo Aph. Hist. pierce their neather Lip, at which they hang something which they thinke is very handsome.

In Pegu, the men make holes in their Lips,Grimstone of their manners. in which they put Turquoises and Emeralds.

The Mosambiques and the Caffares, Lindschoten lib. 1. some have [Page 180] holes both above and under their Lips, some­times besides their mouth through the cheeks, wherein they thrust small bones, which they esteeme a beautifying.

Munster Cos­mograph lib. 6. cap. 55.The Inhabitants of the Cape of Good-Hope, have their lower lip bored, and in the hole they put little stones, that their Lip seems beset with gems.

In Perviana also they weare jewels in their Lips.

A little from Gambra in Africa, as an ensigne of Nobilitie and greatnesse, the men and women weare rings in their Lips, which when they eat their meat, they take away, putting them in and out at pleasure.

Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 7.The men and women at the Cape of Lopo Gon­salves, weare rings in their Lips; some thrust small hornes or teeth through the holes and weare them so, which they think to be a great Ornament unto them. Others bore a hole in their neather Lip, and play with their tongues in the hole, so that they seeme to have two mouths, and this is the least part of their cruell bravery.

Purchas in his Pilgrimage.The Brasilians have their Lips bored, wherein they weare stones so big and long, that they reach to their breast, which makes them shew filthy fine, which yet as another notes, is not practised by the women. They bore holes in their boies under-Lips, wherein they stick sharp bone, as white as Ivory, which they take out and put in as often as they will,Lindschoten lib. 2. and being older they take away the bones, and instead thereof weare great Jasper stones, being a kind of bast­ard [Page 181] Emraulds,

inwardly flat with a thick end, because they shall not fall out when they take out the stones; they play with their tongue in the hole, which is most ugly to behold, for that they seem to have two mouths one over the other.

Maginus saith,Maginus Geo­graph. Ameriae. that the Brasileans as a pleasant phantasie, wherein they take singular delight, have from their tender age, long stones of no va­lue inserted in their lower lip onely, some in their whole face, a cruell sight to behold.

The selfe-same fashion is in request among the Margajates of Brasil, Lind. lib. 2. yet not practised by the wo­men.

These Nations have generally richer faces then our Drunkards, although (it may be) they cost as much the setting on, and it is generall almost with these Barbarians, that they had rather weare stones then cloaths upon their bodies. The Lips were ordained for the cover of the mouth, given us to defend the teeth, and cavity of the mouth, while they shut it from cold and externall injuries, for their office is first to have the custody of the teeth. For since the [Page 182] teeth and their nerves are cold, The inconve­nience of Lip-gallantry they would be much hurt, if they were exposed to the cold aire, and not defended by the counterskarfe of the lips, a benefit of Nature, which these Nations seeme to reject. Their second use is by their softnesse to temper the hardnesse of the teeth, for they are thin and flexible, that they might be rendred more apt for motion, and more ha­bile for the letting out and intercision of aire, and they distinguish the refracted voice between the teeth, and purgeth aire that is to be drawn into the inward parts, and insomuch as they cover the mouth: they also add much Ornament unto the face, whence they who have lost their Lips, that the gums are seen, prove deformed; and for a Nation to affect such a de­formity, is a strange solicisme, committed against the honesty and justice of Nature. They helpe to retaine spittle in the mouth, lest it should continually flow out, as it happens in decrepit men and children, whose Lips are soft and resolved: as also they help the re­jection of spittle; both which actions are frustrated and destroyed by the defacing fashion of the bored Lips, so shamefully worne by some of the recited Nations. They were given for the pouring out of speech, and forming of the voyce, which must needs be hindred by their practise, which with rings and Jewels play at such losing loadum with their Lips: they are given to all creatures, for the commoditie of eating and drinking, which these by their filthy fine­nesse somewhat impeach; and therefore some of them are so well advised, as to yield to the necessitie of Na­ture, and to unloade their Lips when they eat.

[Page 183]These naturall uses of the mouth,Absurd opini­ons about the Mouth. some other Nations seem not to understand, or else are wil­fully ignorant of that freedome,Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 6. Leo in his de­scription of Africa. which the law of Nature affords in the use of it. For the Nu­midians, of the better sort, cover their heads with a piece of black cloath, part whereof like a visard or maske, reacheth down over their fa­ces, covering all their countenance except their eyes; so oft as they put meat into their mouths they remove the said maske; which being done, they forthwith cover the mouth againe, allead­ging this fond reason: For (say they) as it is un­seemly for a man after he hath received meat in­to his stomack, to vomit it out of his mouth againe and cast it upon the earth; so it is as undecent a part, to eat meat with a mans mouth uncovered: with whom it seems the covering of the mouth is ob­served with equall modesty, as the covering of the feet by the Jews: had Nature expected any such com­plement, shee would have made a flap or cover for the mouth, which the fondnesse of these men seems to have desired, neither would shee have seated the mouth in so eminent, open, and conspicuous a place.

But this is nothing so derogating from the honestie of Nature, as the fond conceit of the Azanegi,Munster Cos­mograph lib. 6. cap. 50, who cover their mouths, being as much ashamed to discover them, as their privities: Aloys Cada­must. Navigat. lib. 1. cap. 10 therefore they carry about their mouth, right as a shamefull part, because forsooth the mouth, as a sinke, alwaies sends forth some evill savour, neither doe they uncover it, unlesse when they eat.

The Guineans take their meat torne in pieces with the three midmost fingers; and gaping,Purchas Pilg. 2. lib. 6. cast it [Page 184] so right into their mouths,The Mouth mis-fed. that they never faile, or cast it besides: a thing much wondred at by some Travellers that observed them.

Had Nature made the hands too short to reach their mouths, they might have pleaded necessity for this pitch-cat-like feeding: but the hands, as Ana­tomists well observe, were so placed, and endowed with such a length, that they might equally reach the mouth on either side. Answerable to which absurdity is the custome of the people of Cando [...] Island,Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 9. who use finger-spoones, using no other for any liquid thing, nor rice, nor honie, but take them with their fingers, which they doe so neatly and nimbly, without losing any thing; for they account it the greatest incivilitie in the world, to let any thing fall in eating.

Idem Pilgr. 2. lib. 6.In Fesse also and Barbary, finger-spoons are in fashion.

Grimstone of their man­ners.They of Goa also, eate their pottage with their hands, mocking at the use of spoons, as if they were uncivill.

Indeed the people of Numidia, eat out of their fist, and the hand the naturall dish out of which they drink their milke, as a most fit instrument framed by nature for that end. Whence Dioge­nes of old, perceiving one to drink water out of his hand, threw away his dish; a good honest frugall invention, no way contradictorie to the intention of Nature, for they advance it up to the Lips. But although Nature may seem to have intended the hand for a dish; yet there is more doubt to be made, whether she intended the fingers for spoons to that dish, and to have [Page 185] allotted five spoons to every dish.Where the Lip and Cup never meet. But it is plain by the full length and position of the hand, (con­trarie to the Grobian law) that Nature never in­tended the hand to be as a forke to pitch meat as unchopt hay into the mouth.

They of Goa, and other of the Malabars, Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 10. drinke out of a copper Can with a spout, whereby they let the water fall down into their mouths, and ne­ver touch the pot with their Lips, for that they abhorre.

They of Goa use for their drinking,Grimstone of their manners. certaine thin vessels made of black earth, the which are pierced in the neck, they call them Gargoleites; Lindschoten lib. 1. cap. 31. for that he that drinketh lifteth up the vessell, and not touching it with his Lips, receives the water by those little holes, the which doth gozle and make a pleasing noise. They hold this manner of drinking more civill, to the end they defile not the cup with their mouths, which are sometimes uncleane. They that come newly out of Portu­gall, and will drinke after this manner, spill much water upon their cloaths, for that they know not how to use the cup: they call such men Reynolze in mockage, You may finde this plea­sant relation very largely and handsomely re­presented in Lindschotens Travels.

I remember I saw a porter (whom I had imployed) drink up a flagon of beere with his hand held very high from his lips, without ever so much as gulping for the matter. Which I taking notice of, he told me he had been among the Malabars, where if he should have gulped or have drunk any otherwise he might have had his throat cut.

[Page 186]Cardan remembers, The affaires of the Mouth mistaken. that when he was a boy, he saw a certaine German (a Colonell) who was wont to drinke downe wine with an unmoved throat; Cardan de va­riet. l. 8. c. 11. But he rangeth it among other very admirable properties of some men. But it seems our Malabars thinke that Nature gave us not lips to drink with, as Anatomists informe us, neither would our proverbe, many things happen between the cup and Lip, be ever endeni­zed among them, who never let the cup and Lip meet.

The Tovopinambaultians, when they drink they never eat, and when they eat they never drink, and they wonder at our custome who eat and drinke toge­ther by turnes: And if any should compare them in this to horses, the answer was made by a witty fel­low, that there is a difference; for the Barbarians need not to be led to water, since there was no feare, that they should be constrained to break their halters. Frenchmen, who never drinke, but they eat, would make an excellent medly with these men at a Banquet or Potation. Surely these Tovopinambaultians ad­here to the old assertion, a popular tenent in our daies, exploded by the learned Enquirer into com­mon errors; that there are different passages for meat and drink, the meat or dry aliment descending by one the drink, or moistning vehicle by the other: which contradicteth experience, and the Theorie of Anatomie and the use of parts; for at the throat there are two cavities or conducting parts, the one the Oeso­phagus gullet, or feeding channell, seated next the spine, a part officiall unto nutrition, the other (by which is conceived the drink doth passe) is the wea­zon rough arterie or windpipe, a part inservient to the voice, and respiration; for thereby the aire de­scendeth [Page 187] into the lungs, The use of the Wind-pipe. and is communicated unto the heart. Againe, besides these parts destined to divers offices, there is a peculiar provision for the windpipe, that is a Cartilagineous flap upon the opening of the Larinx or throate, which hath an open cavitie for the admission of the aire; but least thereby either meat or drink should descend, providence hath placed the Epiglottis, Ligula, or flap, like an Ivie leafe, which alwaies closeth when we swallow, or when the meat and drinke passeth over it into the gullet, lest any should slide into the rough arterie, or some crumb (as we use to say) should goe awry. And the contrivance of Natures artifice in this flap is very remarkable; which being rigid and erect by Nature, by reason of its firmer and stricter connexion in the hollow of the bone Hyoides, it is alwaies deteined erect by the inter­vening of a thicker ligament, by reason of the necessi­ty of respiration, wherein our life consists, whereby the pipe of the rough arterie remaines open, lest the heart should be suffocated, notwithstanding being flex­ible, that it might perfectly shut the chinks upon which it is recalled, when wee swallow our meat and drink, by whose weight it is depressed, lest any thing during the time of eating and drinking should fall into the wea­zon, having swallowed them, presently like a spring it is lifted up, and returnes to its posture: so that if we speake in the very act of eating or drinking, that will be enforced to open, to let out the matter of speech, which is the breath, and so exposed; If any meat or drink imprudently fall into the Arterie, it straightwaies strangles or excites a cough, untill by the force of the breath it be ejected, because that thing de­scending, hinders respiration, and so consequently [Page 188] speech; The inconve­niences of ea­ting without dtinking. wherefore Nature necessarily riseth up to the expulsion of it. And this is the reason why a man cannot drinke and breathe at the same time, and that if we laugh while we drinke, the drink flies out at the nostrils, and why; when the water enters the weazon, men are suddenly drowned. Verily these men answer not the intention of Nature, neither cherish their bodie so well as otherwise they might. And they had need feed very warily and silently (as they doe) for meat being in its own Nature corpulent, compact and grosse, and sometimes devoured in greater gobbets then is ex­pedient, sometimes being harder as not well chawed, sometimes gluttinous and clammy, and therefore apt to stick in the gullet; for many times the meat when it is not well shread is deteined in its passage: And to remove downward this deteined Bolus, we stand in need of drink; and therefore drink may not be only esteemed the Vehicle of aliment through the most narrow regions of the veines, but its Vehiculum in all places; and not onely through the whole gullet, but also where the meat descends from the gullet into the stomack, by the benefit of this liquid vehicle it is carried through the whole bottom of the ventricle, and runs out also to the right side. On the other side the gullet is soft and not open, as the rough artery is, but easily fals upon it selfe, and staies the descent of meat, which otherwise, it was convenient should descend as soone as may be, as well for the compression of the adjacent parts, as the sto­mack, lest it should delay the concoction of the meat. And although Nature not thinking fit to commit this necessary action, to the weight onely of the meat, whereby it is moved of it selfe, would have it mo­ved of another: and notwithstanding that the gullet [Page 189] moveth the meat into the stomack by naturall instru­ments, that is by streight Fibres not only attracting it, How Degluti­tion is perfor­med. but thrusting & pressing it down by transverse Fibres; yet shee hath ordained withall a muscle (to wit an in­strument of the soule, which by a voluntary motion drives and thrusts down the meat into the stomack) and this muscule is seated at the beginning of the gul­let, having a transverse or orbicular position and laid over the gullet, it comprehends it and drawes it together; and by constringing, thrusts the meat forcibly into the stomack, pressing it downe and dri­ving it forward. Therefore when the meat, thrust from the mouth to the beginning of the gullet, and streightned in and compressed by the transverse mus­cule, and being constrained to passe by the gullet, and forthwith attracted by the right Fibres, and by a conveniency of qualitie of the ventricle, and driven forward, and in a manner compress'd or altogether compress'd by the transverse Fibres, comes streight in­to the stomack; the action of the gullet, that is de­glutition, is performed and consummated, the action being animall and partly Naturall. And that this stronger motion is required in the top of the gullet, the Larinx is the cause, which being of a thick body cartilagineous and rigid, and placed at the be­ginning of the gullet, it had altogether hindred the ingresse of meat into the gullet, unlesse Nature had here constituted a muscule, the opifex of deglutition; neither would this muscule suffice, by reason of the thick and hard body of the Larinx, opposed unto the gate of the gullet, unlesse the Larinx at the instant of deglutition should recurve it selfe upward, and un­locke the compressed mouth of the stomack; for it ap­peares, [Page 190] that when the meat doth recurve the La­rinx side-way to the Epiglottis, Drinking without gul­ping. and shuts the chink, prohibiting the breath to issue out, then that the chink may be opened, and respiration made, the La­rinx as it were compelled, ascends upwards, and so the gullet gapes: neither doth it ascend only up­wards, but it is moved and deduced outward and for­ward, and drawes together with it the gullet forward and outward, therby to draw back and free it from the compressure of the spine, and open it in its orifice, and so the meat easily enters into it, and in the ingresse the transverse muscule riseth up to its work. Yet as Brasavola notes, Brasav. com. ad lib. Hip. de rat. vict. in morb. acut. there are many that drink without the moving of Transglutition; but that which they drink descends as if it were poured into a tankard, as the nurse of his eldest son Renatus was wont to doe. In this case they need no mandent member. But he saies this is rare and besides Nature; as it is besides Nature to have any action vitiated, for that happens but rarely to men.

These are the only men who seem able to deny that the gullet or inner pipe of the Neck, the meat-pipe or viand-pipe hath any publike action, and that it is the way and passage onely, and doth nothing but as it is pervious and hallowed along, therein it affordeth a way and passage to the meat. But action is a motive action, which is brought forth of it selfe, and it is not an action, or to doe, to be a way, but only a use, which is in all that doe nothing. If the gullet should act, its action would altogether consist about meat and drink; but if it carry the unconfected meat, it works nothing upon the meat, and therefore there is no action of the throat: Yet in the judgment of the best [Page 191] Anatomists, it hath a publick action, Words and meat not to be mixed. which altoge­ther respects meat and drinke: and it is a way, inas­much as it is hollowed, but unlesse it should act that way (in sooth) would be unprofitable and vaine: Yet we must confesse, that drinke perchance by reason of its thin and fluxile substance, would flow down­wards; although it is well knowne, that matter is not traduced thorough the body, as it were by stone-gutters, but it dispenced and moved by faculties. Now al­though these men cherish not Nature so well as o­therwise they might, yet the silence which they observe in eating, is very admirable and suitable to the cautio­nary provision of Nature; for they deferre their conference untill some other time: We (saith the Relator) who violate their custome by mixing words with our meat, were laughed at by them; and in­deed by their Symposiack silence they better secure themselves in this point then we doe: For although eating and speaking be both common actions of the mouth, yet Nature cannot mind all things together, but would have us hoc agere; and therefore the method of the diverb is good: First stridor Dentium, then altum Silentium, and last rumor Gentium; Which in Festivals adjournes discourse, untill the belly be full, at what time men are at better leasure, and may more securely venture upon table talke. The observation of which Naturall rule, might have saved Anacreons life, who endangering himselfe this way, died by the seed of a Grape.

In Candou Island, the people have a fashion,Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 9. that while they eat, none dare spit or co [...] but they must rise and goe forth, contrary [...] practicall rule of the Grobians, and indeed [...] [Page 192] what against the freedome and libertie of Na­ture, although indeed these actions are some­what importune and unwelcome guests at Feasts.

SCENE XII. Beard-haters. Beard-haters, or the opinion and pra­ctise of diverse Nations, concerning the naturall Ensigne of Manhood appearing about the mouth.

THe Maldives shave their up­per and lower lip,Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 9. and all parts about the mouth, be­cause they would not for any thing in the world, be­ing eating and drinking, to touch a hair, being the grea­test nastinesse and filthinesse in the world; for, finding one haire in a platter of meat, they will not touch it, but remaine ra­ther without eating, giving it to the birds and other creatures. So strict are they in their neat superstition.

These Men by their practise seem to be angry, that Nature hath planted haire about the Mouth, a thing very derogatorie to the honour of Nature, with whom Scaliger (when his memory failed him) seems to assent, supposing that by reason of their posi­tion and corporiety besetting the upper Lip, and cloa­thing the mouth, they lye between the mouth and [Page 194] holes of the Nostrils, Cavils against the Beard. and prove troublesome to the Nose and Mouth; too nicely, withall, observing that the encrease of these haires placed about the mouth, hanging down very long, (being as a hedge about the mouth) did hinder the ingresse, and egresse of those things for whose sake Nature had formed the mouth, whose Office was commestion, or assumption of solid aliment, the potation of the same aliment, but liquid, expuition, and locution, and sometimes respira­tion; to the which Offices the Lips could not be prompt and ready, besieged with such long and propendent Mustachoes, as the Senses teach us; for although we endeavour to prevent these Mustacho-haires while we eat, yet they descend, and entring together with the meat into the mouth are bitten with the teeth, whose peeces we are compelled, either to spit out, or sometimes imprudently to devour: and if we drink, these haires swim in our drinke, moystened with whose sprink­ling dew they drop down upon the beard of the Chin, and Cloaths, which is an unseemly sight; wherefore to prevent these inconveniences, we are faine to wipe them: in spetting, they interrupt the excrement; for, that which is ejected bespatters and spaules them, which is an odious sight not to be endured. How they hinder and disturbe elocution every man cannot so readily perceive, they only are able to judge, who can distinguish the least difference of voices. Their gra­vity and weight may also offend the upper Lip, and ren­der it unfit for a more easie motion.

These are the waies which some have conceived they might possibly be offensive & noxious to the uses of com­mon life, which is acomplaint & cavilation analogicall to that of Plinies of the nakednesse of man, and as vain [Page 195] as his. They are no more offensive than other haires, Cavils against the Beard an­swered. which if not regulated by our practique Intellect, their increase may chance to prove somewhat troublesome; neither were they without reason placed about the mouth, and therefore to cut all away, is as unseemely as to shave the Crest of a Lyon, being placed there for cer­taine uses and ends. And as for their offensive and unprofitable length, Nature would have these particles (for so haire may be called) their fashion and more ample quantity to be regulated at ones pleasure and ar­bitrement. Wherefore she called mans understanding or the humane Intellect as a companion to trim and keep this Fabrique for her service; by this necessity promoting his care and regard of himselfe. But that he should shave or pull up the quick-set hedge, Na­ture never meant he should, and it were but an ill-favoured piece of husbandry so to do: prune it he may for the majesty and honesty af Nature, which doth not only shine bright in the Organicall parts, but in all the accidents of the body.

The Tartars

shave their upper Lips,Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 1. and warre with the Persians for not doing so.

These men offer a great indignity and despight to Nature, to deprive the upper Lip of its naturall Orna­ment, which among all the parts which [Page 196] constitute the beard is justly thought to be of greatest dignity; The honour of the Beard maintained. Superiour even according to that regular proposition of Nature or Physicall Axiome, which is, that they are most according to Nature, which if not alwaies, yet at least do often happen; and if we con­sult with Sense, and will not be refractory to its infor­mation and judgement, we shall find, that if men have any Beard they have some on the upper lip, there be­ing rarely, if any, to be found that do not sprout, al­though the other barball parts be bare, and ample te­stimonies hereof we have from the common sence of men, which is not to be neglected when it seconds the truth of Nature; such men being looked upon as mon­sters who are destitute by Nature of the Beard in the upper Lip and Chin, and have some under their Chin, and upon their Cheeks. These are rare in mankind, and with the tyranny of no Rasor can you ever extort or fright out of the mind of men that ingrafted admi­ration wherewith they prosecute such men who are ut­terly void of haire upon the Region of their upper Lip. All other Nations who shave the other Barball parts of the face refraine from this, because reason it selfe seems to perswade this verity, that this renowned part is not to be violated, neither doth that Edict of the Ephori any whit contradict this, who upon the entrance into their Office forbad the Lacedemonians to nourish their Mustachoes; for they had a respect to a Symbolicall intent. Indeed some there are, (so prone alas are men to run into Errours) that dare to make this criminous pro­position against very Nature, that the haires which grow on the upper Lip, which the Greeks call Musta­choes, are so unprofitable that they hinder the use of life, a calumny pronounced against the majesty of Nature, [Page 197] which not to retort, [...]Mustachoes. were by an execrable impiety to de­sert the Divine Providence, and foulely to apostate from his ineffable wisdome, whereas we ought not to cavill at prudent Nature, which is the ordinary power of God, but should rather deplore and bewaile our condition, and accuse our own sloath, which is so unfit to find out and investigate her counsels. He that will allow this scandall and slander of Nature to be true, must confesse that evill is quid postivum; for the haires of the Mustachoes are existent. More thankfull to Nature is the ingenious Montaigne in his Essaies in his private acknowledg­ment, Montaignes Essaies. where speaking of one who was wont to find fault with Nature, that she had not made provision for a sweet bag to hang under our Noses; he explodes the Cavill, alleadging that his Mustachoes served him to that pur­pose, in retaining the sent of his perfumed Gloves, or any other sweet wherewith he had touched them, which ve­rily is a considerable use that may be made of this part. I knew a Gentleman of good worth, who being almost Edentulus, and his

cheeks sinking in by reason of the de­cay of his Teeth, wore his Mustachoes thick and standing up, to conceale that Lapse of his Visage.

The ancient Britons shaved all their beard away save that growing on the upper Lip,Junius de Com. which was ever attributed to their Barbarisme.

[Page 198] Shaving the Chin condem­ned.The Persians allow no part of the body haire, the upper Lip excepted,Herberts Tra­vels. which grows very long and thick, they turne it downwards, the oyle Dowac but thrice applyed annihilates the excre­ment ever after.

Grimstone of their manners.

The Hungari­ans shave their Beards and leave nothing but the Mustachoes, the which are some­times very long.

The Turks weare only great Whiskers on the upper Lip, which is the Milita­ry cut, shaving away all the hair off their chins, which they do, as I suppose, by the same Artifice the Persians use.

Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 6 Tom. 1.The Arabians shave their Beards, save only on the upper Lip, which they let grow still: and yet some there be of them that suffer their Beards to grow long and never cut them.

Shaving the Chin is justly to be accounted a note of Effeminacy, flagitious, as appeares by Eunuchs, who are not so effeminate in anything, then that they are smooth and produce not a Beard, the signe of virility, and there­in not men; to whom they may be likened who expose themselves to be shaved, not without cause are such called, in reproach, women. For what greater evidence can be given of Effeminacy than to [...] transformed into [Page 199] the appearance of a woman, Shaving con­demned. and to be seen with a smooth skin like a woman, a shamefull metamorphosis! Our Ancestors reputed it piacular and monstrous in habit, only to resemble women, how much more igno­minious is it, in smoothnesse of Face to resemble that impotent Sex? A ridiculous fashion to be look'd upon with scoffs, and noted with infamy, for which prank Clisthenes is branded in the Proverbe, Clisthenis rasura; who to seeme young ridiculously suffered him­selfe every day to be shaved. A thing first thought on in the time of Alexander when he was effeminated with the Persian luxury. Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 7. It was a long time ere the world began to entertaine Barbers, but it was late first ere they were in any request at Rome. The first that entred into Italy came out of Cicily, and it was in the 454 yeare after the Foundation of Rome; Brought in they were by P. Ticinius Mena, as Varro doth report, for before-time they never cut their haire. The first that was shaven every day was Scipio Afri­canus: and after him commeth Augustus the Empe­rour, who evermore used the Rasor. And verily the Turkes, who shave their slaves, do justly scoffe at such Christians, who cut, or naturally want a beard, as suf­fering themselves to be abused against Nature. The Inne-keepers of Fez are justly therefore detested a­mong the honester part of the Citizens, Johannes Leo Hist. of Africa. who go appa­relled like women, and shave their Beards, and are so delighted to imitate women, that they will not only counterfeit their speech, but will also sit down and spin. With a Rasor then to go so deep as to leave no impression of haire upon the Chin, as if we would with the same Iron invade the roots, but that we feare wounds and deforming skars of the skin, is to turne Rebell, and to [Page 200] shew a willingnesse to evert the Law of Nature. Shaving the Chin a disho­nour to Na­ture. Hence Diogenes very knowingly, seeing one with a smooth shaved Chin, hast thou whereof to accuse Nature for making thee a man and not a woman? the Beard is a singular gift of God, which who shaves away, he aimes at nothing than to become lesse man. An Act not only of indecency, but of injustice, and ingratitude against God and Nature, repugnant to Scripture, wherein we are forbidden not to corrupt the upper and lower honour of the Beard, Levit. 19.27. Rabbi Mo­ses cum notis Dionis. voso. or shave it; upon which place Rabbi Moyses Maimonides hath made very subtile and pre­cise glosses. But we, not only leaping in the Face of Na­ture, but resisting God (in manner of the Gyants) are bold to establish a practicall Law against the first De­cree; insomuch as we may be likened unto the Rhodi­ans and Bizantines, and put in the same forme with them, who when they were forbidden by a Law that no man should be shaved, all of them began against the Law to shave their Chins, and a Mulct moreover impo­sed upon all Barbers that had Razors, yet that deter'd them not, but they all used Razors. So we against the Edicts of God, the Oracles of the Prophets, the Placits of Counsels, and the judgement of Learned men, hold fast the foolish Custome of shaving, and will sooner forbid our selves fire and water than execute Commands contrary to our Custome, like wicked Out-laws, despi­sing the fulmination of Divine anger. More conforma­ble to the Law of Nature were they of old, when in Greece to shave the Beard was held for a great punish­ment. In many places the punishment of Fornication was, that the Fornicator should have his Beard chopt off openly with a keene Axe, and so to be sent away, which to him was a marke of infamy. Thenet. Cosmo­graph. Thenet in his Cosmo­graphy [Page 201] saith, Cutting off Beards where a punishment. at this day in the Isle of Candy it is a kind of punishment to cut a mans Beard. Paradin. hist. of Savoy, lib. 2. cap. 155. Paradine writeth, that certaine young Gentlemen who followed the Earle of Savoy, were so served for forcing a Damosell, and the Father made Declaration that he was well sa­tisfied. The Beglerbegs and Bassas of the Sultan wore very long Beards: If the Sultan were displeased with any man he caused his beard to be cut for a punishment and shame; as Emyr Seleyman served Chassan Cap­taine of the Janizaries, which Chassan esteemed so great a shame unto him, that he handled the matter so, that Emyr Seleyman was entrapped and strangled. To which we may add the merry History mentioned by Nicephorus in his Chronicle, Niceph. in his Chronicle. of Baldwin Prince of Edessa, pawning of his Beard for a great Sum of money, and his Father Gabriel, Prince of Mitilene, redeeming the extreme ignominy his Son was like to receive by the losse of his Beard, furnishing him with money.

The Naturall

Inhabitants of Virginia, Capt. Smiths Hist. of Virgi­nia. whose haire is generally black, the men weare halfe their Beards shaven, the other halfe long, for Barbers they use their women, who with two shels will grate away the haire of any fashion they please.

[Page 202] Eradicaters of Beards. Jormand. in li. cer. GetticarumThe Huns have their Cheekes, to wit, all the parts where the haire breaks out cut with an Iron by their Mothers while they yet suck, on pur­pose to make them grow old without a Beard, which is a naturall ornament that they, it seemes, abhor; and hence they were made to live with­out a Beard, because their Faces, plowed with Irons, did consume the timely grace of haires in skars.

Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 10.The Bramas, not far from Pegu, if they see a man with a Beard they wonder at him, for they with Pinsors pull out their haire as soone as it appeares.

Herberts Tra­vels, lib. 3.In Pegu (also) they weare no Beards, and they cut and pluck their flesh to become braver than other Nations.

The Tovopinambaultians use also to eradicate the haire of their Beards.

De Bry Lind­schoten lib. 1. Cap. 20.They of Java have most thin Beards by pluck­ing

out most of the haires as fast as they grow out, so that there you shall see no man, although old and ancient, to have a Beard. The like do the Celebes in an Island of E­thiopia, pulling out their Beards even unto the neck, where they [Page 203] nourish two prominent tufts hanging down like Goates.Beard-rooters,

The Chiribichenses are Beardlesse,Pet. Martyr, Decad. 8. and if a haire come forth they pluck it out one from another with certaine little Pinsers; they call our men wild Beasts, for that they endeavour to preserve their Beards.

The Inhabitants of the Cape of good Hope era­dicate their Beards,Munster Cos­mograph lib. 6. cap. 55. painting their Chins with di­vers colours, white, black, red, and skie-coloured.

The Brasilians, In the descrip­tion of Nova Francia, lib. 2. cap. 10. and the naturall Inhabitants of Caneda, or New France, the Beard of the Chin, which is generally black, and the producing cause cause thereof they take away; and the Sagamos, for the most part have but little Memmerton, hath more than all the others, and notwithstand­ing it is not thick as it is commonly with French­men. And although these people weare no beards on their Chins, (at the least for the most part) yet for the inferiour parts they hinder not the grow­ing, and encreasing haires there. It is said, the wo­men have some there also, according as they be curious; the Frenchmen made them beleeve that the French women have Beards on their Chins, and have left them in that good opinion, so that they were very desirous to see some of them.

In Florida the men pull out their Beards,Hier. Giravae. Cosmograph. that they may appeare more beautifull.

In the Province of Mexico the men are Beard­less,Idem eadem. not that Nature hath denied them the growth of a Beard, but because they have a Conceit, that they are more comly when the haire of their Beards are eradicated.

[Page 204] Thin Beards affected. Idem eadem.In some of the other Provinces of New Spaine, although by Nature they have thick long black haire, yet they pluck out their Beard, anointing their Chin with a certaine Liquor, which prohi­bits the re-encrease of the Beard.

Peter Mart. Decad. 7.The Chiroranes are beardlesse, whether by Nature, or by Art, applying some kind of Medi­cine, or whether they pluck off the haire, like the People of Tenustitan, it remaineth doubtfull; However it be, they are delightfull to shew them­selves smooth, which affectation smels of the Art of Salvius Otho, who herein was allied unto them, who because he would never have a Beard used depilatories.

Helyn China.The Chinoyse also have very thin Beards, consi­sting not of above twenty or thirty haires, a thing wonderfull to behold, and when they would de­scribe a deformed man, they paint him with a thick Beard.Grimstone of their manners. It is true, that there are some that have the Beard well fashioned, and a pleasing aspect or countenance, but the number of these is small in regard of the rest; and some thinke that these men came from some strange Country in old time, and did mingle with the Chinois, when it was lawfull for them to go out of the Realme.

Pet. Martyr, Decad. 6.The Barbarians about the Haven of St Vincent are Beardlesse, and in great feare of Bearded men, upon which occasion Gonsalves used a pretty po­licy of twenty five beardlesse youths, by reason of their tender yeares, he made bearded men, by the poling of their heads, the haire being orderly composed, to the end that the number of bearded might appeare the more to terrifie them if they [Page 205] should be assailed by war,Beardlesse Nations. as afterwards it fell out.

The Cathaians and the Cumanans, Lindschotens Travels. lib. 2. most of them are by Nature beardlesse.

The People of Carthai Tartano weare their Beards also thin.

Some of the Broad-faced Tartars are Beard­lesse, except that in the upper Lip,Munst. Cosmog Jo. Bohem. de rit. gent. lib. 2. and on the Chin they have a few volatile haires.

In Sumatra, the men,Diario nautico Ba [...]tavorum. although they have great Eyebrows, have but little Beard, insomuch that the haires under their mouth may be numbred.

In the King­dome

of Mancy in great India, Sr Jo. Mande­vils Travels Cap. 63. there men have Beards as it were Cats.

In Elizabeths Island,Capt. Smiths Hist. of Virgi­nia. toward the North of Vir­ginia, the men have no Beards, but counterfeits, as they did think our mens also were, for which they would have changed with some of our men that had great Beards.

What a Generation of scoffers of Nature have we here, who with their Pincers fight against her! sit Companions for the Apostate Iulian, who stiled him­selfe Mysogopon, as much as to say, as the hater of a Beard. Sure the Beard was form'd and given to [Page 206] man for some end, [...] of the Beard maintained. the place, and dignity of the place, the time it appeares, and the species of it shews an or­nament. For the place, no man can deny the face to be one of the outward parts of the body which hath an honest appearance; if the Face have dignity, and a degree superlative as it were of dignity, and there are some Orders, This may justly be accounted the most honest of the honest parts, and worthiest, since there are the chiefest Organs of the Senses, the Instruments of the reasonable soule; and that in the face, as in a Glasse, the ineffable majesty of the whole man doth shine. In which the Beard hath the chiefest place, be­ing planted in the part thereof, which the Ancients stiled the Temple of Goodnesse and Honesty. The time of its appearance, denotes its use, it is inchoate, and begins to come forth at a certaine definite and speci­fique time, (for man is not at once an Individuum and a specifique Individuum) the libration of which mo­ments of time is chiefly conspicuous to God, and con­firmed by his Counsell, which dispensation of time is not without a mystery, to which all things created are subjected. I would we could understand the fulnesse thereof; but certainly for some specifiqe end. From the species, or the kind of haire, may another Argument be taken of their reall worth: All other haires, we see, have their use and end, and can Nature be so forgetful of her own institutions as to faile in this particular? Superficiall Philosophers do much please themselves with this Division, saying, that of those which are in the body, some are the true parts of it, and others are not, to wit, such as proceed from the necessity of matter, of which kind are the haires, an excrement and not a part, and if a part altogether an excrementitious [Page 207] materiarie, and of no use: The use of the Beard. to which account the Beard must be reduced which is all haire, a Doctrine popular and altogether erronious; for, the Beard is an existent part of the body and most necessary, and its necessity is from its use and office it hath in the body, not from the matter, or as they say, necessity. Nature, which is the ordinary power of God, and the lively image of his wisdome, workes alwaies for an end; more especially; and most nobly doth she do it in the bo­dy of man, the most noble of all Creatures. Some say, the Beard was intended for a manly ornament; for, man shews more venerable, especially if by age his haires be every where fairely and super abundantly cir­cumfused, which Nature usually doth, leaving no part unpolished, or unlaboured, or without Rythme, and ele­gancy, as worke enchased in the hil [...]s of Swords, which sometimes appeares, but is sometimes obscured by the very splendor of utility; Which conceit doth not well please Platerus; for, saith he, Plat. in quaest. Phys. quaest. 8. if it was produced for an Elegancy, why do women then want it, in adorning whom. Nature seemes to have been most studious, and yet she would have them beardlesse, which if it some­times but lightly manifest it selfe in them, makes them most ugly; others conceive one use of the Beard was for a muniment, and to cover the Barball parts on which they grow; but why the mans Chin rather than the womans should be covered, Hofman confesseth he seeth not. Yet Zonardus is of opinion, that the Beard was not only intended for an ornament, but for an ope­riment and Adjutor to the Maxillae, because with their villosity they defend the Maxillary Nerves from being hurt by the too great frigidity of the aire, which granted, would much aggravate their Crime who shave [Page 208] these parts. The Beard the sign of a man. But Ulmus, who hath sufficiently vindi­cated the honesty of Nature in this matter, in his lear­ned book, intituled, De fine Barbae Humanae, (I would he had gone through the worke!) or that I had seene his Tract, De recta Hominis figura, (if he liv'd to write it) He, I say, is of opinion, that the proper end of the Beard is differing from those above­named, and that it serves not for ornament, nor age, nor Sex, nor for a covering, nor for purgament, but for another end, to wit, serve to the Office of the Humane soule. And that Nature gave to mankind a Beard, that it might remaine as an Index in the Face, of the Mas­culine generative faculty; and of that either crumpent and progredient, or consumed, at least, next to consump­tion. Plater. in quaest. Phys. quaest. 8. Of the same judgement is Platerus, who hath a little dilated his thoughts upon this Subject. For men then to labour to extirpate so honest and necessary a work as the Beard is, is a practicall blasphemy most inexpiable against Nature, and God the Author of Nature, whose worke the Beard is: The Beard being the signe of a man, by which he appeares a man, for it is more ancient than Eve, and the sign of a better Nature; to violate then that which is a sign of virile Nature, is an impiety against the Law of Nature. And since it is confessed that man is the Image of God, and the Beard the forme of a man, certain­ly, so many of us as acknowledge, and profess to represent this Image of the Protoplastes God, without the high crime of impiety cannot leave off, or eradicate our Beard, or with Depilatories burn up and depopulate the Genitall matter thereof, but we must renounce that, and account it for a sport so fondly to evirate our selves: An act not only done against the reclamation of the Law of Nature, but repugnant to the consent of the Learned of all Na­tions, [Page 209] who with one mouth pronounce a Beard com­ly, for a grave, constant, just, and honest man. Nay, Lovers of a Beard. even the Turkes, (whom we account even but Barba­rians) herein do more homage to Nature, who if a man have a faire long Beard they reverence him, and only he is a wise man, and an honourable Personage: but if they have no Beard at all, if they be young, they call them Bardasses, that is, Sodomiticall Boyes; Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 8. but if they be men grown and have no Beards, they call them Fooles, and men of no credit, and some of them refuse to buy and sell with such and say they have no wit, and that they will not beleeve them: And therefore they weare their Beard at full length, Idem eadem. the marke of their affected gravity and token of freedome. Therefore the Aghas of the Great Turke, who are most commonly, Graves de­scription of the Grand Sign. Court. five and thirty, or forty yeares of age before they are sent abroad, because they come out of the Seraglio with their Beards shaven, they are fain to stay within doores for some daies to let them grow, that they may be fit to come amongst other great men, and as soon as their Beards are grown they go abroad and begin their visits.

Such Beard-haters as are before spoken of,Barclay's ship of Fooles. are by Barclay clapt aboard the Ship of Fooles.

There are some Nations that are mad in nouri­shing their Beards;Bocat. de Flu. Gargaro. for in the Islands in the River Gargarus, which the Itchnophagi inhabit, they wear their beards down unto their knees.

Spigel. Hum. Annat. lib. 8.

A little too in­dulgent of a Beard are the Germans, who af­fect a prolix Beard, insomuch as some of them have been seen to have had their Beards so long, that they would reach unto their feet, which they have worne trus­sed up in their Bosomes.

Steph. Ritter. Cosmogr. pros.These seem to be descended of the Long O Bards, a people of Germany, which were so called à lon­gis bardis, that is, their Bipennine and long Beards; and your European Galatians seeme to have the same extraction;Jo. Bohem. de rit. gent. lib. 3. for the Noblemen among them, although they shave their Cheeks, yet they so nourish the Beard that they cover their bodies, [Page 211] whereby it happens, that when any one eates,Formal Beards affected. his Beard is replinished with food, and when they drinke, the drinke seems to be carried down as by a Channell.

Strange affectations of old had the Graecians in the formality of a Beard, it being reputed the solemne signe of a Philosopher, and some have been, and are so affected with the cut of their Beards, that there have been Cases invented to preserve their formality. Guz­man (I remember) plaies upon a formall Doctor for such a practicall absurdity, girding at the cut of his Beard; for he saith, that the fashion of his Beard was just for all the world like those upon your Flemmish Jugs, and that a nights he puts it in a presse, made of two thin Trenchers, scrued wonderfully close, that no Gitterne can be closer shut up in its Case, that it may come forth the next morning with even corners, bea­ring in grosse the forme of a broome, narrow above, and broad beneath, his Mustachoes Ruler-wise, straight and levell as a line, and all the other haires as just and as even as a privet hedge newly cut, answering each other in a uniforme manner, having the point thereof in forme of a Quadrant drawn neatly out, that it might make the fairer and larger show. For such a goodly Beard, accompanied with a Roman Bonnet, (like your Breifs and your Larg's in a singing mans book,) doth grace his lesser and grosser notes. As if this were suf­ficient to make him be held a great Scholler, as if this faire outside were a qualification for him.

In the Province of Heez, Grimstone of their manners. Mag. Cosmogr. which is under the Dominion of the the Emperour of Morocco, they that are not married dare not weare a Beard, but when they are married they suffer it to grow; [Page 212] and as Leo in his description of the people of Hea, Beard-Diers. Leo Hist. Africa. saith, there you may easily discerne which of them is married, and who is not, for an unmar­ried must alwaies keep his Beard shaven, which after he be once married he suffereth to grow in length. A conceited restraint, yet grounded it may be upon this concession, that the Beard is the ensigne of manhood, and reverend gravity, and therefore best became the honourable estate of marriage.

Strabo Geogr. l. 15. ex O [...]es.In Cathea the men for an ornament die their Beards with many and divers colours, and many of the Indians do it, for the Region beares admi­rable colours for the tincture of their haires and garments, and these people being frugall in other things, are given too much to adorning them­selves.

Nor is the Art of falsifying the naturall hue of the beard wholly unknown to this more civilized part of the world; especially to old Leachers, who knowing grey haires in the Beard to be a manifest signe of a de­cay of the generative faculty, and an approaching impotency incident to Age, vainely endeavour to obliterate the naturall signification thereof. For, there are some grown so foolish, (and indeed are accounted no better) who being now grown old, decrepid, and unable for any kind of use or exercise, and this their weaknesse being notorious, and well known to all the world, and this their rotten building ready to fall; yet are they willing to deceive themselves, and every body else, (if they could) contrary to all truth and rea­son, by dying the haires of their beards and heads, as if any man were so ignorant, and did not know, that [Page 213] there are none of these changeable coloured beards, but at every motion of the Sun, The vanity of Died Beards. and every cast of the eye they present a different colour, and never a one perfect, much like unto those in the necks of your Doves and Pigeons: for in every haire of these old Coxcombs you shall meet with three divers and sundry colours; white at the roots, yellow in the middle, and black at the point, like unto one of your Parrats feathers. Thus man according to the story of Guzman (as man) lives but his own 30 yeares, and then he inherits the Asses 20 yeares, from 50 to 70 living like a dog, and from 70 to 90 plaies the Ape, counterfeiting the defects of Nature, and using of tricks and toyes and I know not what foolish and phantasticall devices. And hence it is that we often see in those that come to this age (for all they be so old) they would faine seeme young, tricking themselves up so neatly, and so sprucely, [...]etting it (like young Gallants) up and down the streets in gay cloaths, visiting this Lady, making love to that Mi­stris, and undertake I know not what impossibilities, that they may be accounted jolly stout Gentlemen, re­presenting that which indeed they are not, even just for all the world as the Ape doth, who is never quiet, nor thinks himselfe well pleased but when in his acti­ons he is imitating man, though he can never come to be a man. It is a terrible thing, and not to be endured, that men will, in despight, as it were, of time, (which discovers all deceits) and ought likewise to put them out of this their errour, will apply themselves to run a course contrary to the truth, and that with their tin­ctures, play strings, lees, and slibber-slabbers, should play, as it were, with a Juglers boxe, to cozen others, and discredit themselves.

[Page 214] Old Fooles that would seem young. As if by these Artifices, they could eate the more, sleep the sounder, live the longer, or be troubled with the fewer infirmities and diseases, or by this course they take, the teeth which they have shed should come againe, or could keep those from falling from them which are yet remaining; or as if by this meanes they could repaire their feeble limbs, recover their naturall heat, quicken anew their old and frozen bloud; or as if thereby they did thinke they had the power in their own hands to make themselves what they list, and as lusty as they list. In a word, as if they were ignorant what the world talkes of them, when as they themselves talke of nothing else, then which is the better lye, and which the better dye, which either this or that other man makes. O thou un­fortunate, miserable, and wretched old age, thou sacred Temple, thou sanctuary of safety, thou stop to the de­sperate carreere of this life, thou Inne of rest to our weary bones; How is it that thou art so much abhor­red in this life, being that thou art the Haven which all men desire to attaine unto? How is it that they who re­spect thee afar off, when they come neerer unto thee stick not to profane thee? How is it that thou being the ves­sel of prudence, thou art derided as foolish? How is it that thou that art honour it selfe, respect and reverence, art by those that are thy best friends reputed infamous? How is it that thou being the treasury of knowledge, art despised and contemned? Either there is some great de­fect in thee, or some evill disposition in them, whereof the latter is most certaine. They came unto thee want­ing the ballast of grave counsell, and sound advise, like a Ship without sand or gravell in the keele of her to keep her steady, through lack whereof the Barke goes rouling and tottering to and fro, because their shallow braines [Page 215] want that due weight and counterpoise that should bal­lace their understanding, Bearded wo­men. and keep it straight and upright.

Woman by Nature is smooth and delicate;Epictetus ca. 1. lib. 3. and if she have many haires she is a Monster, as Epicte­tus saith, and the Proverbe abominates her, ‘Mulier barbata lapidibus eminus salutanda.’ yet such Monsters have appeared in the World.

Schenckius saw such a one at Paris, Schenkius lib. observat. Barbae. with a black Mustacho of a just magnitude, whose Chin was also indifferent hairy.

It is reported,Wolfius. that in the Nurcery of Albert Duke of Bavaria, there is a woman with a large black beard.

There was a Bearded Virgin,Kornman. lib. de mirac vivo­rum. whose name was Antonia Helena, borne in the Archbishoprick of Leige about eighteene yeares of age, brought up by the Arch-Dutchess Marie the widdow, whose Image, cut in Brasse, Kornmannus had, and he had heard it affirmed for a truth by honest friends who had seen her.Aldr. Monst. Hist. And that Effigies of a German woman which Aldrovandus saies, is shown in the publique Library of Bononia, of one who here­tofore, passing through Bononia, had a Beard two Palmes long, may possibly be the same Monster. And that women through discontinuance of the Company of men, and defect of their Courses, have grown Bearded, and passed into a virile ap­parance, not without danger of their health and life. Hippocrates hath two remarkable stories.Hip. par. 8. l. 6. Epid. aphor. 45, & 46. Alex. Bene­dict. li. 26. c. 4. de curand. mor. And Alexander Benedict saw an Example of the same accident when he was in Greece. But what is more wonderfull, there is a Mountaine of [Page 216] Ethiopia, neare the Red sea, where women live with prolix beards.Kornman. li. de Mirac. vivo­rum. In Brasile, Caneda, and Nova Francia, the women are said to have some kind of Beard under their Chins.

SCENE XIII. Red Teeth affected. Dentall Fashions, or Tooth Rites.

THe people of Molalia in the East-Indies account red Teeth a great beauty,Purchas Pilgr. 1. lib. 4. and therefore they colour their Teeth red with Beetle, and other things which they continually chew in their Mouth.

They of the Isle of Can­dou, accounted Asiatiques, Idem Pilgr. 2. lib. 9. hold red Teeth a great bravery, which they colour so with chewing of Beetle and Arecka.

They of the Island Ciphanghu and Sumbdit, Idem Pilgr. 1. lib. 2. which from their Nature are called Latronum, or the Island of Theeves, colour their Teeth red and black, which they esteeme a comely thing.

The men in Cumana make great means to make their Teeth black,Lindscot. l. 2. and such as have them white they esteeme women, because they take no paines to make them black, which they do with Hay or Gay, and the principall women take a pride in black Teeth.

[Page 218] Black Teeth affected.

In the Island La Trinidade, Lindscot. li. 2. they use a kind of salve to make their teeth black, like those of Cu­mana, which is made in this manner. They take shels wher­in Pearles are found, with the leaves of the Tree called Ax­is, which they burne together, and being burnt they put a little water into it, wherewith the white looketh like Chalke, with the which salve they make their Teeth as black as Coales, and therewith preserve them from ach.

Purch. Pilgr. 1. lib. 2.In a certaine Island which Sir Francis Drake discovered as he sailed in eight Degrees from No­va Albion, the people affect black Teeth as a singular beauty; and their Teeth are as black as pitch, they renew them often by eating of an herb, with a kind of powder, which they carry about them in a Cane for that purpose.

De Bry hist. Ind. Orient. part. 9.In the Kingdome of Goer their Teeth are as black as Pitch, which they so extremely affect, that the blacker they are the more beautifull they are accounted.

Idem.The King of Calecut hath black teeth, as all the Nations his Subjects have by the perpetuall chaw­ing of Beta: and the blacker ones teeth is they [Page 219] esteeme him worthy of greater honour.White Teeth where a re­proach.

They of Java, men and women,Idem part 3. use to champe Arecka mixt with Chalke, which renders their mouth of a purple colour, and their teeth grow black, which they now and then polish with the affriction of a certaine herb, which must needs make them shew like polisht Ebony.

In Sumatra they (also) perpetually champe in their mouth Beetle mixt with Chalke.Diario Nautico Batavorum.

The Cherebichenses, Pet. Mart. Decad. 8. the Inhabitants of Chiribi­chi, the neighbouring Countrey to the Province of Paria, which are Caribes, from the tenth or twelfth yeare of their age, when now they begin to be troubled with the tickling provocations of Venery, they carry leaves of Trees, to the quan­tity of Nuts, all the day in either Cheeke, and take them not out but when they receive meat or drink: the teeth grow black with that Medicine, even to the foulenesse of a quenched or dead Coale; they call our men, women, or children in reproach, because they delight in white Teeth; their Teeth continue to the end of their lives, and they are never pained with the Tooth-ach, nor do they ever rot; ('Tis well they have some benefit by their affectation, which very seldome happens unto any of our Artificiall Changelings.) They take great care of these Trees, which they call Hay, by rea­son that for the leaves thereof they get whatever wares or Commodities they like, so fashionable a thing is black Teeth, and in such request.

The Portugall and Mesticho women who live at Goa, Grimston of their manners. do continually eat the leaves of Beetle with Garlick, and an herb called Areque; the women [Page 220] do continually chaw of these three things like un­to beasts,Nations ha­ting white Teeth. and do swallow down the juyce and spit out the rest, which is the cause that their Teeth grow black and red, which amaze them that have not been accustomed to see them. These fashions come from the Indians, and these women are per­swaded that they are thereby preserved from a stinking breath, and from the tooth-ache, and the paine in the stomack, so that they would ra­ther lose their lives than these herbs; insomuch, that like oxen or kine, they are so used to chew the Cud, that wheresoever they go or stand, they must alwaies have of these leaves carried with them,Lindscot. li. 1. cap. 31. and the women-slaves do go alwaies chaw­ing, and are so used thereunto, that they verily thinke that without it they cannot live, for their common worke is to sit all day when their Hus­bands are out of doores behind a Mat, alway chawing the herbe Beetle, and they go in their houses with a dish of it in their hand, being their daily chawing worke.

Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 10.They in Pegu, and in all the Countries of Ava, Longiamnes, Siam, and the Bramas, have their Teeth black, both men and women, for they say, a Dog hath his Teeth white, therfore they will black theirs, as scorning to imitate a Canine Candor.

Helyn Geogr.The women of Ʋlna, the chiefe City of Ori­stom, or Orissa in India (if Helyn remember aright) in a foolish pride black their Teeth, because Dogs teeth (forsooth) are white.

Lindscot. li. 1. cap. 26.In Japan (as among all Nations it is a good sight to see men with white Teeth) it is esteemed there the filthiest thing in the world, who seek by all [Page 221] meanes they may to make their Teeth black,White Teeth vindicated. for that the white causeth their griefe, and the black maketh them glad,

In Cariajan, the chiefe City of Cathai, Helyn Geogr. the wo­men use to gild their Teeth.

The externall uperficies of the Teeth, by Nature, is white, terse, and polished; and this their native can­dor proves them to be bones. This hue they alwaies re­taine, unlesse by neglect, age, or diseases, they become red, black, and rotten; white Teeth being so justly accoun­ted a precious and naturall beauty, that they are hence called the sale-piece. For men then to affect the blemish of age, and the colour of decaying sicknesse, and rot­tenesse in their Teeth for a fashion, is a very strange way of prevarication.

More carefull of preserving the beauty of the Teeth are the women of Sumatra, who have Teeth so white that India affords none more beautifull.

And they of Guinea, De Bry Hist. Ind. Orient. who have Teeth white and shining like precious Ivory, which they pre­serve from all foulenesse, by rubbing and cleansing them now and then with certaine woods, which they have peculiarly for this very purpose, by which friction they retaine a lustre like unto the most beautifull polished Ivory.

In Curiana likewise the women make their Teeth white with an herbe,Lindscot. li. 2. that all the day they chew in their mouths, which having chewed they spit out againe, and wash their mouths.

Had Nature afforded these Nations any such wa­ter as that Martiall speakes of, which would make the Teeth of men white in like manner as it whitens [Page 222] Ivory, Nations that file their Teeth as sharp as nee­dles. they would acknowledge themselves extraordina­rily beholding unto her. However commendable as ser­viceable to the ends of Nature are Dentifrices, which the Art Cosmetique affords for preserving the Native whitenesse and integrity of the Teeth.

Purch. Pilgr. 1. lib. 4.

They of Sier­ra-Leona in the East-Indies, file their Teeth very sharpe.

Idem Pilgr. 2. lib. 9.The Macûas also file their Teeth above and below as sharp as Needles.

Idem eodem.The black peo­ple of Caffares, of the Land of Mo­sombique, and all the Coast of Ethiopia, and within the Land, to the Cape of Bona Speranza, (some among them) file their Teeth as sharpe as needles.

Alex. Bene­dict. in proem. li. 6. de curand. morb: Alexander Benedictus refused to buy an Ethio­pian slave, because, as it were with an unhappy Omen, he had all his Teeth saw-like as Dogs have.

The Teeth are in men of three kinds, sharpe, as the Fore Teeth, broad, as the Back Teeth, which we call the Molar Teeth, or Grinders, and pointed Teeth, or Canine. These men, contrary to the Law of Nature, seeme to affect to have all their Teeth pointed or Ca­nine; and the saw-like Teeth of devouring Fishes, Serpents, and Dogs, or would appeare as dangerous [Page 223] with their Teeth as those Creatures who have them framed like saws, and closing one betweene another, Pretended ends fot filing of Teeth. to the no little danger of the Tongue if it should chance to fall betweene them, breaking off the continuity of the range of Teeth; Ʋnlesse we can imagine in excuse of this their unnaturall boldnesse, that their Language should require such a use off the File; for there are those who have caused their Teeth to be filed or shaved after a certaine manner, that they might be more apt to the pronunciation of certaine Tongues, which Hofman remembers to have been reported of M. John Hammers, in times past, professor of the Hebrew Tongue in the Academy of Ieina, whence it appeares, that the hard and strong substance of the Teeth is not such as some have imagined, that it is impossible to subdue it by the force of Iron.

But Cardan acquaints us with another naturall end that they pretend unto in this businesse; for, Cardan lib. de subtil. 12. the equall structure of the Teeth, as it is most profitable to speech, so it is lesse commodious for cutting; for, Dogs and Wolves have their Teeth unequall, and disposed in manner of a Saw, and these adhere and close better with one another, and they retaine not so much the re­liques of meat: Therefore, saith he, certaine people of India, who have not so much regard to the handsome explication of their minds by speech, that they may more commodiously make use of their Teeth, they file them sharp, to make them indented one within another saw-like, for they stick faster in the root when they joyne not together at the top. Scaliger exer­citas. Cardan. Scaliger in his exercitation upon this part of Cardan, saith, that in the Island Ten­daia, the young men cause their teeth to be cut even to the roots; for by this meanes they say their Teeth be­come [Page 224] firmer and thicker; Where they pull out Teeth in a bravery. the same thing happens also to Plants; for, trees grow thicker whose tops are cut off. These Nations degenerate from the principles of Huma­nity into ravening Wolves. Who would have more dog-teeth than Nature allows, endeavouring by this fond Ar­tifice to have Teeth stronger than Nature intended man, upon a just account lose more than they can gaine by the Device; for, having perverted the curious Machin of Speech, by altering of the Instruments thereof, they must surely speake in the Teeth, and have but a lisping, or snarling Elocution, which is an improvement with a mischiefe.

Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 7.

The women of Gagas pull out foure of their Teeth, two above, and two below, for a bra­very; and those that have not their Teeth out are loathsome to them, and shall neither eat nor drinke with them.

Hieron. Bez. Hist. nov. orb.In Guanchavalichia, a Region of the new World, they are wont to pull five or sixe Teeth out of their jaw; and being asked the reason why they did so, they replyed, they did it Elegantiae causa, for a bravery and most fashionable elegancy.

Pancerol. de novo orb. tit. 1.The Guancavilcae in Peru are all Edentuli, or with­out Teeth; for they have a custome to pull out all [Page 225] their Teeth, which they offer to their Idols,Teeth, inten­ded for an or­nament. affirm­ing that they ought to offer to them the best things.

One would thinke these Nations accounted teeth to be no parts of the Body, or very impertinent and unnecessa­ry; whereas they are justly enrolled among the num­ber of the parts of a Human Body, since the definition of parts appertaines to them, and likewise their use and office, for they belong to the integrity of the Body, and they attaine a proper office and use in the same; nay, the preternaturall absence of the Teeth is accounted among the Diseases of Number, their naturall number being thirty, at the least twenty eight; So that the Teeth were intended by Nature to serve for an ornament, and a certaine beauty and furniture unto the Mouth; for it would have been a foule deformity in man to have lived without Teeth, as they say Phericrates the Poet did, Valla de Corp. part. who was edentulus, and had no Teeth at all: For, in whom they fall out, or are lost by age, or some disease, it makes the Mouth look like a decayed Harpe that is un­strung, more especially the fore-teeth being lost proves a more apparent blemish and dammage, because they were set in the first and most conspicuous place, since there was more necessity of them for the forming of the voice, whence Infants speake not before their mouths are reple­nished with Teeth. But the fore-teeth more especially serve for the forming of certaine Letters, whence those who are edentuli cannot pronounce C. U. G. T. R. wherein the enlarged tongue must bear against the fore-teeth, the losse of which hinders the explanation of the voice, that speech must necessarily thereupon be the slow­er, and lesse plaine and easie; neither are there wanting examples among us of those whose speech hath been very much impaired by the amission of their Fore-teeth; [Page 226] Hofman thinks, Want of Teeth a blemish that therefore the Romans were wont to bind them fast with gold wire: And our Master Operatours are somtimes usefull to prevent this blemish and inconvenience. Artificiall Teeth hath been an an­cient invention, for we read that the Romans used Ar­tificiall Teeth in defect of Naturall;

And because great account is to be made of the Teeth, both for the necessity of eating and speaking; Hence the Art Cosmetique, although it be a part of Medicine, that makes little to the necessity of life, yet it conduceth to the conveniencies of a better life, deservedly, and by good right, doth now and then engage Physitians, not only to repaire and patch up a decayed and lost beauty, but to preserve that which is enjoyed, and the Obligati­on lies more strong upon them where the party hath at­tained to almost all the degrees of beauty, it being more pitty then, she should have any blemish in the mouth; whereby it too plainely appeares what affront they offer to Nature, who account her usefull ornaments to be loath­some, and what benefits of hers they renounce for the mischiefe of a ridiculous Fashion. Neither is it to be omitted, that it is a high transgression against the Morall Law of Nature, by which the Teeth were ordained to be as a Palisado, or Quickset hedge, to restraine the li­centious liberty of the Tongue. For Tibsheares to ca­shiere the Shearers, for women (who have more need of [Page 227] such a monumentall restraint, [...] and inconve­nience. in contumelious despight of Natures Law to breake the hedge, and make so foule a gap in it,) argues not only malice and folly, but a wil­full resolution to assume to themselves more than a natu­rall liberty of speech, and to let loose the reines to all ex­travagant excursions of the Tongue. But this is not the least prejudice that these foolish Nations occasion to Na­ture and her operations; for, the order of Nature is in­verted, and her Method broken hereby; for, the fore-teeth or shredders were placed first, because more acute, and for the necessity there is of them for dividing the meat, called therefore Dentes, quasi edentes, their first and primary use being for eating, the Incisorii or fore-teeth, and the Canine or Eye-teeth being placed before the Grinders, cause those things that are to be ground very small, ought first to be divided into small particles, which is done by them, that afterwards these lesser par­ticles may be ground into the smallest by the Grinders; which thing is so much the more admirable that Nature hath observed this in all Creatures.

And that it might be the better done, Nature hath set the upper and lower teeth exactly right one against ano­ther, which is so much the more admirable by how much the difference is considerable between the upper and lower Iaw, whence it comes to pass that the meat comming betweene them is most commodiously prepared, that the Chylus is thereupon better transmitted from the Sto­mack; for, the mincing of the meat into lesse particles is profitable unto this end, that the heat of the stomack doth the better concoct it; hence they who chaw not well, or through too much hast passe over the triple order of manducation are ill nourished, as it happens in old men, and those who are edentuli. Hither tends the Proverbe, [Page 228] Senibus mandibulam Scipionis loco esse.Some wiler than others in Tooth-Rites. In refe­rence unto which, Physiognomers pronounce such to be short lived who have few Teeth, for, such prepare ill; whence the first concoction hurt, the second is necessarily impaired. Behold here the folly and madnesse of these Nations, who impoverish their mouths to enrich their fancies, and discard so good servants out of the Mill of life, which should grinde the Grist for the better maintenance and nourishment of the Body; entertaining a defect for a fashion, and that which some have decreed for a punishment, and justly accounted a great Ble­mish. For,

Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 9.The Kings of Queteve were wont anciently to drinke poyson at the losse of their fore-teeth, say­ing that a King ought to have no defect: Yet a late King proclaimed it through his Kingdome, that he had lost one of his fore-teeth which was fallen out, that they might not be ignorant when they see him want it; and would not do so, but wait his naturall death, holding his life necessary for to conserve his estate against his enemies, and so left that patterne to Posterity.

Idem Pilgr. 4. lib. 7.The people of the Province of Huancavilca, who had killed those Masters which his Father Tupac Inca Yunangiu had sent to instruct them, the Inca using his naturall clemency, and to make good his Title, Huacchacuijac the Benefactor of the poore, he so far remitted this fault-deserving death, that each Captaine and Chiefe should lose two teeth in the upper Jaw, and as many in the lower, both they and their descendents, in me­mory of not satisfying their promise made to his Father; whereupon the whole Nation would [Page 229] needs participate, both men and women,Artificiall Teeth prefer'd before the na­turall. in that Tooth-losse, and did likewise use this Tooth-rite to their Sons and Daughters, as if it had been a favour. So that what was intended for punish­ment, grew thereupon to be a fashion.

And this I suppose to be the originall of the Cu­stome or Tooth-rite, mentioned before in this Scene of the Guancavilcae in Peru, although it be vari­ously reported, and it may be, a little mistaken.

In Java Island there are few to be found that have their native Teeth: For the most of them,Schenckius li. observat. de Dentibus. both men and women, either cause them to be pulled out, or filed down with a File, and others to be set in their place, of Gold, or Silver, Steele, or Iron, made to succeed in their rooms.

Had these men such a fountaine as there is in Per­sia, which makes their Teeth fall out that drinke of it, they would be well contented, which since they have not, Tooth-drawers, and Tooth-setting Chirurgions would have a good Trade there, where men and women are so ungratefull and villanously bent against the goodnesse of Nature, as to prefer Artificiall Teeth before the Naturall; Aesculapius was the first who in case of necessity and paine, invented the drawing out of aking Teeth, and therefore had a leaden Daviser consecra­ted unto him. But these people, out of wantonnesse and a foolish bravery, put themselves to losse and paine; the Teeth, especially the Eye-Teeth, being bred with paine, and not pulled out without paine and danger. And if they cut or file them down, they expose them­selves to as great a mischiefe, by reason of that hollow part of the Teeth which is sensible, into which the soft Nerves enter, as it fared with a certaine Monke at [Page 230] Patavia,Renovation of Teeth. who when he came to have a tooth (which was longer than the rest) cut, to cure the deformity it brought, fell straight way into a convulsion, and Epi­lepticall fits, and in the part of the Tooth cut off there appeared the footsteps of a Nerve: more thankfull to Nature, and more retentive of her benefits are they of Fez; where when a Child begins to have his Teeth grow his Parents make a feast for other Children, and they terme this feast Dentilla, which is a proper Latin word. And when rotten Teeth are drawn out, it is con­venient to thinke of some way of artificiall repara­tion.

Paraeus heard it reported by a credible person, that he saw a Lady of the prime Nobility, who instead of a rotten Tooth she drew, made a sound Tooth, drawn from one her waiting maid at the same time, to be substituted and inserted, which Tooth in processe of time, as it were taking root, grew so firme, as that she could chaw upon it as upon any of the rest, but he had this but upon heresay. And the Teeth are so necessary to the welfare of the body of man, that Nature to some especiall Fa­vorites, hath afforded a renovation of Teeth in their old age, nay even of their very Grinders, very many examples of which indulgency you may find in Schenc­kius,Lord Bacon. and Aldrovandus, and of the Countess of Des­mond, it is reported, that she did dentire twice or thrice, casting her old Teeth and others comming in their place, which is one instance that gives some like­lihood of that great designe of restoring Teeth in age, which yet hath not been known to have been provoked by Art; Lord Bacons Nat. Hist. Cent. 8. yet my Lord Bacon makes a Quere, whe­ther children may not have some wash or something to make their Teeth better and stronger; Corall is in [Page 231] use as an help to the Teeth of Children. Golden Teeth

In the Province of Cardandam, under the great Can Tarters Jurisdiction, the men and women co­ver their Teeth with thin Plates of Gold, which they so fit unto them, that the Teeth themselves seeme as it were to be set in Plate.

Had Nature furnished these Nations with a set of such golden Teeth as the Silesian Boy had, which an­swered the Touch, and so exercised the wits of the Phy­sicians of that Age, she had fitted their Fancies to a haire, and had prevented this artificiall endeavour; though (indeed) that proved but a trick of Art.

To be born with Teeth, or in extreame old age to have Teeth renew againe, (of both which there are many examples) are rather miracles in Na­ture than Monstrosities, but the redundant force of Nature is more remarkable in those who have had a double row of Teeth,Val. Max. lib. 1. cap. 6. Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 11. cap. 38. Colsius lib. 4. cap. 3. G. Bau­hin. de observ. propriis. Colum. lib. 1. Anat. cap. 10. Plin li. 7. c. 16. Val. Max li. 1. de mirac. ca. 8. Solin. cap. 9. Fulg lib. 1. c. 6. Plut. in Pyrrho. as Direpsima the Daughter of Mithridates had, Timarchus the Son of Mestor, Cyprius, and a boy of Lutesia, who had all a double course of Teeth. Jon Chius attributes to Hercules a trebble set of Teeth, which is not so wonderfull, since Columbus reports of a Boy of his, called Phoebus, whose mouth was so stored. Some also have had one intire whole bone, that tooke up all the Gumbe instead of a row of di­stinct Teeth, as a Son of Prusias King of Bythini­ans, who had such a bone in his upper Iaw; Pyr­rhus King of the Epirotans had such a continued bone, marked, as it were, with certain lines, wher­by the interpunction of Teeth were designed out. Many more examples might be added, but these may suffice.

Double-ton­gued Nations. SCENE XIV. Devices of certaine Nations practised upon their Tongues.

Purchas Pilgr. 1. lib. 2. Geor. Graudi­us Comment. in Solinum. Joh. Bohem. de moribus, Gent. lib. 3. Kornman. lib. de mirac. viv. Schenckius observat. lib. 1. Gemma lib. 1. cap. 7. Cosmogr. IN the Island of Jambuli, the Inhabi­tants who exceed us foure Cubits in stature; their Tongue hath some­what peculiar by Nature or Art; for they have a cloven Tongue, and

which is divided in the bottom, so that it seemes double from the root: so they use divers speeches, and do not only speake with the voice of men, but imitate the singing of Birds. But that which seemes most no­table, they speak at one time perfectly to two men, both answering [Page 233] and discoursing; The Tongue double by Nature. for with one part of their tongue they speake to one, and with the other part to the other.

The Tongue of man is not (indeed) double, tri­sulke, or bisulke, as in some Creatures, but simple, and one only, and that verily according to a morall inten­tion of Nature: Yet some may wonder how since all the Organs of the Senses are framed double by Nature, in the Taste she should order but one only, and a simple Instrument, and that to good purpose; but although to sence it seeme one, and a simple Instrument, yet to a di­ligent Anatomist it will appear to be double: Galen said the Tongue is double, which he proves by this Argu­ment, that it hath double Vessels; for, neither the Veins, nor Arteries, nor Nerves of the right side go into the left side of it, and so è contrario. And we see that one side of the Tongue is struck with the Palsie sometimes, the other side being unhurt. The same disposition also there is of the Muscles, to which we may add the white Median or middle line of separation, which intersects the Tongue throughout, or if you had rather, scores it out; so that the Tongue as all other Senses is double. The cause why it was better for men that the Tongue should be such, he saith to be, for that by this means it proves more commodious for mastication and speech. Which if it be true (as Hofman thinks it to be most true) without all peradventure (saith he) we must encourage those Fables which Diodorus Siculus makes Narration of,Diod. Siculus lib. 3. that there are men somewhere who have really a double Tongue, with which they better performe the linguall offices than we do with one, which is the lesse incredi­ble,Jo. Franci Hil­desii Med, Ca­menicen [...] obser. since we read of the Infant of a certaine Nobleman which had a double tongue, divided according to lati­tude; [Page 234] and of another who had eleven tongues,One with ele­ven Tongues. Albert. Mag. Comment. ad li. 2. Phys. 1. Arist. eleven mouths, and two and twenty incompleat lips. Whether this Duplicity of Tongue be in them Lusus Naturae, or a meere device of Art, you may see my Authors doubts. They that shall seriously ponder the strange In­ventions mentioned in this Booke, may perchance in­cline to the latter as most probable, at leastwise if Ana­tomists will allow of the possibility of the thing, and then it may passe for an audacious improvement of the Body. Such a stratagem of improvement the pragma­ticall invention of man hath proved effectuall in the Tongues of other Creatures, it being a common pra­ctice to slit the Tongues of Pies, Stares, Jayes, and Daws, whom we would teach to speake, to inable them the better to imitate the articulation of our speech. Yet for the honour of Nature, we must questi­on whether this device be not somewhat destructive to the numericall perfection of the Body, since that prae­supposition in Philosophy is most true, That Nature neither abounds in superfluous things, nor is defective in necessaries; for she doth nothing in vaine, nor cre­ates any thing diminished, unlesse she be hindred by matter. Now since this device pretends to double the provision of Nature by addition of a supernumerary particle, although it be quid naturale, the Instru­ment is probably hurt in its operations, the number of parts requisite to the composition of the Instrument is depraved, either (as wee speake) by minoration or majoration. And if this multiplication of Tongues out of the substance of the Body there should be added to the number of the parts, it must prove superfluous; and how shall such an attempt be answered to Him who made all things in number, measure, and in weight.

[Page 235]Hofman, saith he, The cutting of the Bridle of childrens Tongues con­demned. hath heard of Dr Aquapen­dent, that in certaine places of Italy the Midwives were perswaded that the bridle of the Tongue had need of cutting in all Infants, therefore they wore the Naile of their right Thumbe long, but conform'd into the rising edge of a pen-knife, wherewith suddenly as soone as the Infants are borne they breake that ligament or bond.

Most of them all, so served, have become Stutte­rers, and many have dyed, inflamation arising from that Action.Kypler. Kyplerus condemns this tearing of it thus with the fingers, as certaine rash women are wont to do, since through the paine there follows a flux of humours, inflamation, and other mischiefes, and when it is necessary to be cut, he would have it done by Chi­rurgicall operation with a paire of Sizers. Casseri­us also takes notice of this custome of unskilfull Mid­wives, foolishly beleeving, that unlesse they should do so, the Infant would remaine mute. Bauhinus in­veighs against this pernicious custome of ignorant Midwives, that they indifferently cut that which they call the bridle-string of the Tongue, to wit, that strong and membranous Ligament which was ordained for the strength and stability of the Tongue, and the insertion of its proper Muscles. Camerarius saith, this opinion is pernicious, and not to bee endu­red. And Fabricius Hildanus, Columbus, and others cry out against it. There is indeed a most strong Ligament, membranous and broad, placed under the middle of the body of the lower part of the Tongue, by whose aide the softnesse of the Tongue under-propped it is more easily rolled about and produced; to the end of this about the tip of the Tongue there is a little cord [Page 236] or Ligament groweth,The use of the Tongues bri­dle. which they call the Bridle of the Tongue; and the Tongue hath a Ligament for two causes: First, for the firmament of its Basis; for if it had been without this, the Muscles in their action (or their contraction to their principle) had had nothing to rely upon; and so it would have come to passe, that the Tongue would be convolved, as it were, into a Globe; secondly, that the tip of it might be easily moved every way; for, unlesse that were, there would be much of the voice lost in dearticulation; and as Casserius notes, it restraines the Tongue from being drawn backe beyond measure by the over-streining of the anterior Muscles, to which it is a helper; and it hinders the Tongue from being put forth too monstrously and inde­cently, and from being too exorbitantly led to any one side. But that it should alwaies need the Midwives naile, or groat, or the Chirurgeons Pen-knife, lest it should prove an impediment to sucking, or to future speech, and without which enlargement it could not be freely roll'd or mov'd every way, is a most dangerous conceit. Cer­tainly these Midwives (as women are great friends to loquacity, joine in opinion with these Authors, who therein playing the Rhetoricians) opine that Nature im­posed this bridle upon man; lest he should prove too tal­kative, which morall use holds not; for there are some (as Kypler notes) that are too talkative, who have this Bridle short enough, and there are some not so full of prattle, although this bond be loose enough to give them scope; for, Loquacity or Taciturnity depends upon a higher principle, and therefore their blind zeale in this businesse is the more reprovable.

Camerarius thinks, that this never-enough con­demned custome grounded hereupon, might possibly be [Page 237] introduced into the Midwives practice,A Caution for cutting. from the sugge­stion of some Physitians, who pretended this bond in all Infants doth so strictly tye the Tongue to its root, inso­much as without resection of the same, speech would become lame and imperfect; and thereupon without any necessity, the Midwives in many Nations began to dila­cerate and breake it indifferently in all Infants. But since neither Parrots nor Pies stand in need of any dis­ruption of this Bond to utter their voice such as it is, it would seeme a wonder if Sagacious Nature should faulter only in the forming of that part which was or­dained to serve speech proper to Mankind. Neither without reason did Galen, even in this particular, ad­mire the providence of Nature, that had in such exact Symetry ordered the Tongue, that it was neither too short, nor too long for the Offices it was to performe.

But let us distinguish, and grant, that it sometimes so fals out, that even as in other parts of the Body, so also in this little Bond, Nature failes and offends, as it were, in excesse, upon which occasion section is not unprofita­ble, but it is to be esteemed necessary: But that Nature, the tender mother of all things, doth alwaies in all Children commit this errour, the best of the Learned constantly deny, some of them witnessing (as before) that by omitting that Ruption, or rather more truly Corruption, according to their advice, the Children have notwithstanding spoke very perfectly: and on the contrary, by the same foolish institution of Midwives others to have died, inflamation being raised by the rude hand of unskilfull women, which hath caused pain and hindred their sucking; therefore when we suspect either a slownesse, or depravation of the Tongue, we ought to defer the dissection untill the appointed time [Page 238] of speech,Chirurgions, not Midwives worke. for then this may more commodiously be done by a skilfull Chirurgion, who may do it with Caution, lest when he cut this little Cord, he do not also cut the hard Nerves of motion, to wit, the seventh Conju­gation, placed in the lower part of the Tongue.

SCENE XV. Platter Faces where affected Face-moulders, Face-takers, Stigma­tizers, and Painters.

THe Chiribichensian women use to boulster the Necks of their Infants with two pillowes, the one before,Pet. Martyr. Decad. 8. the other behind, and bind them hard, even untill their Eyes start: for, a smooth plaine Face pleaseth them, Platter-faces being there in great request.

There is lately found out in Pervacus, Korn. de mirat. vivorum ex Petr. Hisp. in Sylva p. 5. c. 35. Jonst. Thauma­tographia ex eodem. a certain Province of the new World, named Caraqui, men that want an

Occiput and Sin­ciput, with a most broad face; for as soone as their children are born, they shut in their heads, behind and before, in boards, so that the whole Face may become plaine and dila­ted, as also the Occiput it selfe, [Page 240] with the whole head,Broad flat Faces. is made broad and thin.

Lindscot. lib. 1. cap. 20.In Java Major they have flat Faces, and broad thick Cheekes.

Scaliger de subtil. ad Car­dan exerc. 167. Leo hist. de Africa. l. 7. Scaliger saith, that in the Island Java they have very broad Faces, as likewise the Circassians.

In the Region of Zanfara they have extreame black broad visages.

Discovery of Norembega.The Inhabitants of Norembega are disfigured in nothing, saving that they have somewhat broad Visages, and yet not all of them.

Sir John Man­devils Travels.In an Island neare the great Island Dodyn, there are men that have flat Faces without Noses, and without Eyes, but they have two small round holes instead of Eyes, and they have flat mouths without Lips. And in that Isle are men also that have their Faces all flat without Eyes, without Mouth, and without Nose, but they have their Eyes and their Mouth behind on their shoulders.

These Faces cannot be commensurate, because the Members thereof are forced out of their naturall pro­portion, and so necessarily exclude that naturall beau­ty, which is wont chiefly to be found in the Face. For, so much as it is from the middle of the brows to the end of the Nose, so much it ought to be from the end of the Nose to the Chin, and the same space should fall from the middle of the Brows to the exterior angle of the Eye, as fals from the aforesaid Angle to the beginning of the Eare. The latitude of the Forehead, the length of the Nose, and the magnitude of the Mouth, should be the same; also the semicircle of the Eye, and of the Cheekes the same, as the altitude of the extremity of the Nose ought to be halfe as much as the Longitude of it, which proportion is most notoriously demolished in [Page 241] these Platter-Faces.Platter faces condemned.Insomuch as considering these strange attempts made upon the naturall endowments of the Face, one would thinke that some men felt within themselves an instinct of opposing Nature, and that they tooke more delight to overcome than to follow her, the delight would be lesse, the profit greater, if they did it for profit rather than pleasure: they cannot but know that their happinesse doth consist in the overcom­ing of these unreasonable and phantasticall affectati­ons; but equivocating therein, and either for want of understanding, or through a wilfull misunderstand­ing, whereas they should strive against their own in­ward, they oppose their outward, Nature. Thus man transported with vaine imaginations, where he finds Hils, he sets himselfe to make Plaines; where Plaines, he raiseth Hils; in pleasant places he seekes horrid ones, and brings pleasantnesse into places of horrour and shamefull obscurity; he seconds that which he ought to withstand, and that which he should fol­low he opposes; and when he thinkes he triumphs over his subdued and depraved body, his own corrupt Na­ture triumphs over him. This is a stratagem of the Enemy of our Nature, to set us at odds with our naturall endowments: and that he may remaine quiet within, he causeth us to strive abroad, like to a cunning poli­tique Tyrant, who having a valiant and fierce Sub­ject within his City, by whom he feares to have vio­lence or opposition offered him, if he can find no other remedy, he sends him into the field to fight with the Enemy, to the end that venting his violence and phantasticalnesse abroad, he may have plenary power to Tyrannize at home at his pleasure. God is angry with us, that we should at the same time reforme that [Page 242] which he himselfe had framed, A long thin Face where affected. and conforme our selves to that which we had deformed. The beauty of the Face of man is much advanced and heightned by the Cavities and Eminencies thereof; that as the greater world is called Cosmus, from the beauty thereof, the inequality of the Centre thereof contributing much to the beauty and delightsomenesse of it: so in this Map or little world of beauty in the face, the inequality affords the prospect and delight. These Face-moulders then, who affect a platter-Face, not only in their en­deavour, overthrow the lawfull proportion of the Face, but demolish the most apparant eminency and extant majesty thereof.

Joan. de Laet descript. India, occident. lib. 18. cap. 4.

The women of Cumana, who are easily delive­red, and who di­ligently bring up their Children, because they ac­count it a comly & beautiful thing to have a long Face, and thin Cheeks, they gently compresse the Heads of their Infants between two little Pillows, to extend them.

Purch. Pilgr. 3.In some of the Provinces of China they have square faces.

In the Province of Old-Port, mentioned in the first Scene of this Metamorphosis, fol. 14. you shall [Page 243] find a Generati­on

of men affect­ing a square head,Square Fcces where affected which they purchased to themselves by Art. Now the Face follows the proportion of the Head, and we ha­ving discovered the endeavours of some, for a square head, may justly subject that these Chinoise owe their square Face more to Art than Nature.

The naturall and comely face of man, agreeable to proportion, and according to Humane Nature, is, that the longitude thereof, in a youthfull and faire bo­dy, should be the tenth part of the whole body accor­ding to longitude; to this longitude there must a con­venient latitude answer: For, so much as is from the middle of the Eye-brow to the end of the exterior An­gle where the eye ends, so much it is thence to the hole of the Eare: wherefore the Latitude of the Face com­pared with the Longitude, which begins from the root of the haire above the Forehead, and is produced even unto the end of the Chin, should be in a sesquitertia proportion, to wit, as foure to three. But if you only contemplate the Diameters of Longitude and Latitude of a mans Face, you shall find a sesquialtera proportion, and the longitude to latitude shall be as three to two, which thus you shall understand; Let there fall a per­pendicular [Page 244] line from the first root of the haire above the Forehead, Men with Dogs Faces. which shall descend to the end of the Chin; afterwards draw another line, which beginning at the end of both Temples, penetrating through the middle of the head, shall cut the former line in right angles; that line which is drawn from the top to the bottom of the Chin, shall be in a sesquialtera proportion to that which is carried from the right hand to the left, cutting it in right angles; so that it is the best and most naturall proportion that the Longitude of the Face should to its Latitude appeare in a sesquialtera proportion. Now it is an observation worth the inserting, that the Chin is correspondent to the Symetry of the other members of the Body; but that which seemes the greater marvell, is, that the formall appearance of the face is generically reposed in the Chin alone; for if that be square, long, or round, so the Face of it selfe answers, insomuch as the Chin is that which makes the finall judgement of the Face of man. Now if these be Face-Moulders, as it is much to be suspected they are, it may be they have some artifice to dilate the Chin, thereby prophaning the Sy­metry of Nature, and striving by Art to force and pervert the Face from its just proportion, bringing the Latitude thereof either to equall, or exceed the Longi­tude, while they, to the great dishonour of Nature, af­fect a square Geometricall Face.

Petrus Simon in his expedition, which Iohannes Alvarez Maldonatus made from Guzco, to discover new Countries, found Giants of five ells high, with a kind of a Dogs Countenance.

In the Island Penguin, there were discovered men with Visards on their Faces, resembling a [Page 245] Dogs Aspect,Cynopros [...]pi. or

else they really had such Dogs Heads. This is certaine, that there are cer­taine Nations pla­ced betweene the Equinoctiall and Tropic [...] of Capri­corne, The Author of the Treasury of Times. on that side which is called A­merica, who have beene discovered within the space of these fourescore yeares, and somewhat more, who are Cynoprosopi, or men having a forme or fi­gure neare in resemblance to the head and shape of a Dogs Face, to wit, of those little pretty flat-nosed Dogs

which Ladies keep for plea­sure in their Chambers; yet not naturally, but Artificially. For these People, from the time of of all antiquity, did alwaies hold it for a singular beauty to them to have their Noses flatted or faln down. And this is the rea­son, [Page 246] that when their Children are newly borne,The Artifice of Dogs Faces condemned. and have their bones very tender, the Fathers and Mothers never faile to quash, or flat down that part of the Face which is betweene the Eyes and the Mouth, as the like hath been done to little Dogs. And to speake truly, being thus dealt withall, they differ very little in their looks from the resemblance of Dogs, but they meddle not with their Eares, to make them pointed, or hang­ing down, as commonly is used to those Crea­tures; yet true it is, that when they are grown to manly stature, they bore, or pierce holes through their Eares, (even as is done here among us) to hang therein fine coloured stones, or else the bones of certaine Fishes. Now that they howle or bark as Dogs do, it is utterly false, for they speake a Language disertly, briefly, and properly accented; which is supposed to be the Greeke Tongue. They are people of goodly stature, and sightly pre­sence, all saving the Face, which much resembleth a flat-nosed Dog, and is done by Artifice, as is al­ready said. They maintain war against a neigh­bouring people, whom they call Margaias, that have the very same manners, behaviour of life, and Dogs-Face, like theirs; The Author of the Treasury of Times reports to have seen a dozen of these Dog-Faced men at Roven, which the Normans brought home with them.Vincent. Spec. Naturae. And Vincen­tius saies, that there was one of these Cynoprosopi brought to Lewis of France in his time.

Certainly these Nations have a great conceit of their inventions, who contemne the ordinary guizes of Nature, making themselves extravagant, and as [Page 247] the Antipodes to mankind; Carbonado'd Faces. They being none of the best who abandon Nature to follow their own unrea­sonable imaginations. We naturally have much aver­sion from persons mishapen and deformed, though it have not befallen them through their own default: How then can we look without detestation upon them, who purchase these defects by a voluntary depravation: These so change the face of the Ʋniverse, that they may passe for monsters, for beasts, but not for men; so that it hereby appeares most true, that there is nothing so changeable in totall Nature, or so hard to be known, as man.

The Mothers

of the Huns cut the Cheekes of their Male-chil­dren while they yet suck,Jormand. in lib. rer. Get. being cruell to them in their Cradles, that they might learne to suffer wounds even in their Infancy, and should wax old without a Beard. They have a black and writhed face, a cruell aspect, and a mouth on purpose made most ugly, that you would take them to be the Aeriall off-spring of Devils.

The Gemogleans, in a bravery,Purch. Pilgr. 2. lib. 10. stick Feathers in their flesh, even in the Face, somewhat neare to their right Eye, and when they have thus by [Page 248]

gathering up the skin of their Temples made holes in them,Cruell Gal­lantry. and thrust Fea­thers into them, they weare them so to their no small trouble, un­till the place pu­trifie; some, when the old breakes out, cutting new holes close to the broken. But the mad and cruell Gallantry of the Turkes is excellently described by Monsieur de Bu­sheque. Monsieur de Busheque in his discovery of his Embassie in­to Turky. Ep. 4 Comming (saith he) unto Buda, the Basha sent some of his houshold servants to meet us, with many Heralds and Officers; but among the rest, a faire Troope of young men on horse-back, re­markable for the Novelty of their Order. They had their heads bare and shaven, upon which they had made a long bloudy flash, and thrust divers feathers of Birds within the wound: But instead of shrinking at it, they went lifting up their heads with a laughing countenance; before me marched some footmen, one of them had his armes naked, and hanging down on his sides; both which armes above the elbow were thrust quite through with a Knife, that stuck fast in them. Another was naked from his head to the Navell, having the skin of his back so jagged up and down in two places athwart, which he [Page 249] had made to passe, an hatched of armes,Hash'd Faces. which he did carry in Scarfe-wise, as we would do a curtle axe. I saw another of them who had fixed upon the crown of his head a horseshooe with many Nailes, and of so long continuance, that the nailes were so fixed and fast in the flesh, that they stirred not. We entred into Buda in this Pompe, and were brought into the Basha's house, with whom I treated of my Affaires. All this youthly company, little caring for their wounds, were in the lower Court of the house; and as I was look­ing on them, the Basha asked of me what I thought of it: All well, said I, except that these men do with the skin of their bodies that which I would not do with my Coat, for I would seeke to keep it whole. The Basha laughed, and we took our leave.

The Moores

of Angola in Afri­ca, Purch. Pilgr. 4. do cut long streakes in their Faces, that reach from the top of their Eye to their Chin.

The Anchicos, Cap. Jo. Smiths Travels. a valiant Nation in Africa, marke their faces with sundry slashes from their In­fancy.

The Jaos marke themselves to be known fromHackcluyt [...] Voyages, vol. 2 [Page 250] other People,Face-Branders with the tooth of a small beast, like a Rat. They race their Faces, some their Bodies after divers formes, as if it were with the scratch of a pin, the print of which rasure can never be done away againe during life.

Sir John Man­devils Travels. cap. 55.In the Isle called Somober, the which is a good Isle, there the men and women that are of the Nobility are marked in the Visage with a hot Iron, that they may be known from others; for, they thinke themselves the worthiest of the world.

Pigafetta his reports of the Kingdome of Congo. Draudius Com­ment. in Solin. Centon.The Anzich have this foolish custome, both men and women, as well of the Nobility as of the Commonalty, even from their childhood, to marke their Faces with sundry slashes made with a knife.

Fox of the Northwest pas­sages.In Groanland, the women herein only differ from the men, that they have blew streakes down the Cheekes, and about the Eyes. Some of them race Cheekes, Chins, and Faces, whereupon they lay a colour like darke azure. In that part of Groanland, which is called, the wo­mens Island, the women are marked in the Face with divers black streakes or lines, the skin ha­ving been raised with some sharpe Instrument when they were young, and black colour put therein, so grown in, that by no meanes it can be got forth.

Purch. Pilgr. 4. lib 6.In Tiembus, the women are deformed with torne faces, and alwaies bloudy, which is their beauty.

Idem Pilgr. 2. lib. 7.The men and women, both, who dwell at the Cape of Lopo Gonsalves, use to make a streake or [Page 251] two in their Fa­ces,Torne Faces where a great beauty.

wherein they put pieces of Elxen bones as thick as a Dollar, with a stalke that shutteth the hole, which being thrust in, comes out at the Nose, and over their mouths; which as it is a note of Gallantry, so it also serveth their turnes well, and to good pur­pose, when they are sick and faln into a swound, and that men cannot open their hands by force, then they take that bone and crush the sap of some greene herb through it, wherewith they come to themselves againe.

The Inhabitants of Tuppanbasse neare Brasil, Idem Pilgr. 6. lib. 4. how many men these Salvages kill, so many holes they will have in their Visage, beginning first in their neather Lip, then in their Cheekes, thirdly, in both their Eyebrows, and lastly, in their Eares, and this is their cruell Gallantry.

The Alexins, or Abexijns, Idem eodem, lib. 10. that are Christi­ans after their manner, for they are of Prester Iohn's Land,Lindscot. lib. 1. cap. 40. have on their Faces foure burnt markes in manner of a Crosse, one over their Nose in the midst of their forehead betweene both their Eyes, one in each of their Cheekes, one betweene their Eyes and their Eares, and one [Page 252]

in their neather Lip downe to their Chin,Baptisme by Fire. and this is their Bap­tisme when they are made Chri­stians, which they use in stead of water.

The Virginian women pounce and rase their Faces and whole Bodies with a sharp iron,Purch. Pilgr. 6. lib. 9. which makes a stampe in curious knots, and drawes the proportions of Fowles, Fishes, or Beasts; then with painting of sun­dry lively colours they rub it into the stamp, which will never be ta­ken away, be­cause it is dried into the flesh.

Idem Pilgr. 2. lib. 7.The Egyptian Moores, both men and women, for love of each other, distaine their Chins into knots, and flowers of blew, made by the pricking of the skin with needles, and rubbing it over with inke and the juyce of an herb.

[Page 253] What strange kind of Butchery do these Nations exercise, Stigmatizers. and what needlesse paine they put themselves unto to maintaine their cruell bravery! Nay, which is yet stranger, they seeme to love this unnaturall and bloudy Gallantry so well, that they hate their own flesh and bloud, whereof they freely sacrifice to their fantasticall imaginations. This, in the Poets stile, is to nullifie a Face. And to speake in the spirit of old BEN;

Thus the more sacred and honest part of the Body is prophaned by their wicked inventions. Can either Gentility or Christianity be forgiven such an errour? surely no. This abominable folly and madnesse was re­proved in the Hebrews, who as these do in pride and bravery, so they did scotch their Faces in time of mourning, which was usuall among them of great antiquity, by reason whereof the same was forbidden them by the Law of God in Leviticus;Jer. 41.2, 3. Lev. 19.5. You shall not cut your flesh for the Dead, nor make any marke of a print upon you, I am the Lord.Deut. 14.1. And againe in Deutrinomy, You are the children of the Lord your God, you shall not cut your selves. Which was also forbidden by the Romans in the Laws of the twelve Tables. Pet. Mart. Decad. 3.

They in the Golden Region of Coiba-Dites are [Page 254] more excusable than these mad and cruell Gal­lants;Painter-stai­ners. for, they spare their own flesh, and marke their slaves in the flesh after a strange manner, making holes in their Faces, and sprinkling a pow­der thereon; they moisten the pounced place with a certaine black, or red juyce, whose substance is of such tenacity and claminesse, that it will never weare away.

Grimston of their manners.The Arabian women before they go unto their husbands, either on the marriage day, or any o­ther time, to lye with them, paint their Faces, Breasts, Armes, and Hands, with a certaine azu­red colour, thinking that they are very hansome after this manner, and they hold this Custome from the Arabians which first entred into Africk, and these learned it from the Africans; yet at this day the town of Barbery, inhabited by them of the Country, do not imitate this custome, but their wives love to maintaine their naturall Com­plexion. It is true, that they have sometimes a certaine black painting, made of the smoake of Galls and Saffron, with the which they make little spots upon their Cheekes, and they paint their Eyebrows of a Triangular forme, and they lay some upon their Chin, which resembles an Olive leafe: And this being commended by the Arabian Poets in their amorous Songs, there is not any African of great note, but will carry it in a great bravery. But you must understand, that these women dare not weare this painting above two or three daies, nor shew themselves before their Kinsmen in this equipage, for that it savours something of a whore: They only give the sight [Page 255] and content thereof unto their husbands to incite them to love,Women-Pain­ters. for that these women desire the sport much, and they think that their beauty receives a great grace by this painting.

In Leo's description of Africa, the Relation runs thus: Their Damsels that are unmarried do usually paint their Faces, Breasts, Armes, Hands, and Fingers, with a kind of counterfeit colour, which is accounted a most decent custome among them. But this Fashion was first brought in by those Arabians, which were called Africans, what time they began first of all to inhabit that Regi­on, for before then, they never used any false or glosing colours.

The women of Barbary use not this fond kind of painting, but contenting themselves only with their naturall hue, they regard not such fained ornaments; howbeit sometimes they will tem­per a certaine colour with Hens dung and Saffron, wherewithall they paint a little round spot in the balls of their Cheekes, about the breadth of a French Crown; likewise between their Eye­brows they make a Triangle, and paint upon their Chins a patch like unto an Olive leafe. Some of them also do paint their Eyebrows, and this Custome is very highly esteemed of by the Ara­bian Poets, and Gentlemen of that Country. Howbeit they will not use these Phantasticall or­naments above two or three daies together, all which time they will not be seen to any of their friends, except it be their Husbands and Chil­dren; for these paintings seeme to be great allure­ments to lust, whereby the said women thinke [Page 256] themselves more trim and beautifull.Men painted.

The Author of the Treasury of Times. Grimston of their manners.In Fez the women use to deck and adorne the Bride, by trimming her hair, rubbing her Cheeks, and painting them red, and her hands and feet black with a certaine tincture, which continueth but a while.

Grimston of the estate of the Turk in Africa.They that live in the Province of Bugia in Africk, have an ancient custome to paint a black Crosse upon their Jaw-bones.

Grimst. of the estate of Chi­na. Magin. Geograph. Lord Bacon Nat. Hist. Cent. 8. Exper. 739.The women in China use painting and oint­ments; And it is practized by the men, for the Chineses, as my Lord Bacon notes, who are of an ill complexion, (being olivaster) paint their Cheeks scarlet, especially their King and Grandees.

Grimston of their manners. Jo. Bohem. l. 2. de rit. gent.The ancient Scythian women rubbed their na­ked bodies against some sharpe and rough stone; having then powred water upon them, and their flesh being swoln by this meanes, they rubbed their bodies with the wood of Cypress, Cedar, and Incense: they did also use certaine ointments for the Face made of the like Drugs, by means whereof they smell sweet, then having the day following taken away these Plaisters, they seemed more beautifull and pleasing.

In Norembega, all of them, as well men as wo­men, paint their Faces.

Grimston of their manners. Magin. Geogra. Americae. Purch. Pilgr. 1. lib. 4. Lindscot, li. 2.The naturall Inhabitants of Jucata paint their Faces and Bodies black.

The Native Socotorans paint their Faces with yellow and black spots, loathsome to behold.

The Brasilean women paint their Faces with all kind of Colours, which their Neighbours [Page 257] and other women do for them.Face-stainers. In the middle of their Cheekes they make a round circle, drawing lines from it of divers colours, untill their Faces be full, not leaving so much undone as their Eye-lids.

The Virginian women adorne themselves with paintings; some have their Face, Breasts, Hands,Capt. Smiths Hist. of Virgi­nia. and Legs, cunningly embroidered with divers workes, as Beasts, Serpents, artificially wrought into their flesh with black spots; their Heads and Shoulders are painted red with the root Pocone, brayed to powder mixed with oyle, which Scar­let-like colour makes an exceeding handsome shew, and is used by the Kings Concubines; this they hold in Summer to preserve them from the heat, and in Winter from the cold: Many other formes of painting they use, but he is the most Gallant that is the most monstrous to behold. Their Children, of whom they are easily delive­red, and yet love them dearely, to make them hardy, in the coldest mornings they make them wash in the Rivers, and by painting and ointments so tann their skins, that after a yeare or two no weather will hurt them, when they enter into battell they paint and disguise themselves in the fiercest manner they can devise. After their ordi­nary burials are ended, the women, having pain­ted all their Faces with black coale and oile, do sit 24 houres in their houses mourning and lamenting by turnes, with such yelling and howling as may expresse their great passions; the Faces of all their Priests are painted as ugly as they can devise. Sometimes the men appeare halfe black, and halfe [Page 258] red,Face-grimers. but all their Eyes painted white, and some red stroakes, like Mustachoes, along their Cheeks. Some of them paint their Eyes red, having white stroakes over their black Faces, so that they look more like devils than men. Captaine Smith about Onawniament encountred with Ambushcadoes of such Savages so strangely painted, grimed, and disguised, shouting, yelling, and crying, as so ma­ny spirits from Hell could not have shewed more terrible.

Johan. Bohem. de moribus gen. lib. 3.Somewhat allyed to this barbarous way of Disguise is the Custome of the Germans, who are said once a yeare to run mad, covering their Faces with Vizards, belying their Sex and Age, some of them willing rather to represent Satyrs or Divels, paint themselves with Vermilion or Inke, deforming themselves with such nefarious habits; others running naked play the Lupercalls: from whom my Author thinks this annuall Cu­stome of raving was first derived, who naked, and with their faces defiled in bloud, wandring through the City, were wont to strike every one they met, with thongs of leather.

The Author of the Description of Nova Fran­cia, lib. 2.The Souriquois do paint their Faces all with black, which maketh them seeme very hideous, but this is their mourning Visage.

Ramutius nar­ration of Nova Francia.The women of New France, about the Port of the holy Crosse, for the death of their Husbands, weare a certaine black weed all the daies of their life, besmearing all their Faces with coale dust and grease mingled together, almost halfe a quar­ter of an Intch thick, and by that they are known to be Widdows.

[Page 259]Painting being Universall,Face-daubers. The Author of the Description of Nova Fran­cia. lib. [...]. and without excep­tion among the West Indians; for if any of them maketh Love, he shall be painted with red, or blue, colour, and his Mistris also. If they be glad at any thing they will do the like generally, which is their expression of jolly bravery. But when they are sad, or plot some Treason, then they overcast all their Face with black, and are hideously deformed.

In Persia the womens pale colour is made san­guine by adulterate complexion,Herberts Tra­vels. and their round cheeks are fat and painted. The common womens cheeks are of a delicate dye, (but Art, not Nature causeth it.)

The Grecian women, for the most part,Sandys Tra­vels, lib. 1. are brown of complexion, but exceedingly well fa­voured; they cover not their Faces, (the Virgins excepted) unlesse it be with painting, using all the supplement of a sophisticated beauty: And not without cause; for when they grow old the most grow contemptible, being put to the drudgery of the house, and many times to wait on their Chil­dren.

The Spanish women when they are married,Howel, Epist. Famil. they have a priviledge to weare high Shooes, and to paint, which is generally practised there; and the Queen useth it her selfe; which brings on a great decay in the naturall Face: For it is obser­ved, that women in England look as youthfull at fifty as some there at twenty five. This, saith Munster, Munst. Cosm. lib. 2. is to be reproved in your Spanish wo­men, that they now and then deforme their face with washes of Vermilion & Ceruse, because they [Page 260] have lesse native colour than your French wo­men; and indeed other nations learnt from them the use of Spanish paper.

The Ladies of Italy (not to speake of the Curtezans) to seeme fairer than the rest, take a pride to besmeare and paint themselves.Artificial Faire Ones.

A Geographer, speaking of Venice, saith, that it is thought no one City againe is able to com­pare with that City for the number of gorgeous Dames: as for their beauty of face, though they be faire indeed, I would not willingly commend them, because there is in a manner none, old or young, unpainted.

It is observed, that the Roman Dames had infi­nite little boxes, filled with loathsome trash of sundry kind of colours and compositions, for the hiding of their deformities, the very sight and smell whereof was able to turne a mans stomack.

And for the face used so much slibber-sauce, such daubing and painting, that a man could not well tell

Johan. Bohem. de moribus gen. lib. 3.The ancient English stained their Faces with Woad, which is of a blew or sky colour, that they might appeare more horrid to their enemies in fight.

Our English Ladies, who seeme to have bor­rowed some of their Cosmeticall conceits from [Page 261] Barbarous Nations,Spotted Faces affected. are seldome known to be con­tented with a Face of Gods making; for they are either adding, detracting, or altering continually, having many Fucusses in readinesse for the same purpose. Sometimes they think they have too much colour, then they use Art to make them look pale and faire. Now they have too little colour, then Spanish paper, Red Leather, or other Cosmeticall Rubriques must be had. Yet for all this, it may be, the skins of their Faces do not please them; off they go with Mercury water, and so they remaine like peeld Ewes, untill their Faces have recovered a new Epidermis.

Our Ladies here have lately entertained a vaine Custome of

spotting their Faces, out of an affectati­on of a Mole to set off their beauty, such as Venus had, and it is well if one black patch will serve to make their Faces remarkable; for some fill their Visa­ges full of them, varied into all manner of shapes and figures.

This is as odious, and as senselesse an affectation as ever was used by any barbarous Nation in the World; And I doubt our Ladies that use them are not well advised of the effect they worke: for these spots in [Page 262] Faire Faces advantage not beauty as they suppose, Black patches no advantage to Beauty. be­cause contraries compared and placed neare one ano­ther, shew their lustre more plainely; but because it gives envy satisfaction, which takes pleasure in defects, or by reason it takes away that astonishment, which instead of delighting confounds; not that Imperfecti­on can make perfect, or that the defect can encrease beauty, and therewith delight; for these spots in a beautifull Face adde not grace to a Visage, nor encrease delight: they entertaine it because they extinguish and then renew it. Our naturall power is limited to a certaine measure; when the continued presence of the delightfull object doth exceed, the de­light ceases, and to the extreame of what it can con­tribute it delights no longer; he that will renew his pleasure must begin with paine, and go out of the na­turall state to returne into it; Let him looke upon the spots, then returne to behold the beauty of the face. And it may be some of the more subtill Heads, whose heaving phansies fill their Faces full of such artificiall mole-hils, are aware that men desire to find defect in those things that are pleasing to them, and that he re­joyceth that he hath found it, peradventure seeming unto him that he hath gotten command over her that hath it, and that he may reap the delight of pardon­ing, without feeling the dammage of being offended. If Nature then, as the politique Marquesse of Mal­vezzi thinks may be she doth, sets us in the way to seek defects, to bring us, through the knowledge of those who have the defect, to the knowing of him that hath none; The best improvement of this folly is to make these Crea­tures serve for Instruments, to bring us to seeke out the Creator; not only by what is perfect in them, but also [Page 263] by that which naturally wants perfection, Painting in a man odio us. or is charged with artificiall defects arising out of an evill affectati­on, and not as if they were totally perfect, who openly professe to study imperfections, simply fawn upon, and adore them, as if we beleeved they were absolutely perfect. And the like sober use may the discreeter sort of Ladies, who are not guilty of this spotting vanity, make use of, when they behold the like prodigious af­fectation in the Faces of effeminate Gallants, a bare­headed Sect of amorous Idolaters, who of late have be­gun to vye patches and beauty-spots, nay, painting, with the most tender and phantasticall Ladies, and to re­turne by Art their queasie paine upon women, to the great reproach of Nature, and high dishonour and a­basement of the glory of mans perfection. Painting is bad both in a foule and faire woman, but worst of all in a man; for if it be the received opinion of some Physicians, that the using of Complexion, and such like slibber-slabbers, is a weakenesse and infirmity in it selfe, who can say whether such men as use them be sound or no? it being a great dishonesty, and an un­seemely sight to see a man painted, who perchance had a reasonable good naturall complexion of his own, that when he hath by nature those colours proper to him, he should besoot his face with the same paintings, or make such slight reckoning of those faire pledges of Natures goodnesse, and embrace such counterfeit stuffe, to the ill example of others; so that his face, which he thinks doth so much commend him, should be made of ointments, greasie ingredients, and slabber-sawces, or done by cer­taine powders, Oxe-galls, Lees, Latherings, and other such sluttish and beastly confections. For besides that, they are effeminate actions, fitting only wanton wenches, [Page 264] and light huswives, Painting an old Trade. they give occasion to men to mur­mur against them, and breed a suspition of basenesse in the vilest degree, when they shall see them thus daubed over with Clay, and wholly composed of those things that are only permitted unto women, who be­cause they have not sufficient beauty of themselves, bor­row it from paintings and varnishings, to the great cost both of their health and purses. Verily these are they who do something worth the spight of envious and foule diseases, and invite the hand of God to strike them with deformity. But as for painting, it is no mar­vell if the Ladies of our time do paint themselves, for of a long time, and in many places that trade hath had beginning. This generation of Daubers having e­ver sought quarrels with Nature and forced Art, her false servant, into Ballance with her, setting more by their false face than they do by their true; so that these Face-takers seeme to be out of love with them­selves, and to hate their Naturall Face, extermina­ting or out-lawing their own Face to put on another, whose curiosity was handsomely taxed by an Ancient with this Dilemma; If women be naturally faire, Na­ture sufficeth them, and there is no reason that Art should plead against Nature, or painting against the truth: if they be foule by Nature, the painting which they lay upon them bewrayeth their fouleness the more. Plautus askes a foolish woman, wherefore she corrup­ted with Fucusses and artificiall waters so faire a thing as the Face is, assuring her, that she could not possibly exercise those Arts so warily but that they will ap­peare, and continually subminister an occasion of judging; For the Latitant effect is supposed greater than indeed it is, which had not been so much suspe­cted [Page 265] had she not painted her selfe. The Vanity of Painting. Pythagoras therefore, in honour of Nature, forbad women to paint themselves, ordaining that they should be con­tent with their naturall Beauty. Ere long these adulte­rate Colours will moulder, and then the old maple face appears, which is sufficiently laught at by all, besides the harme the paint hath done; for, that Face which was bad enough is hereby made worse, there being a veno­mous quality in the paint which wrinkleth the Face before its time, it dims the Eyes, and blacks the Teeth; with false colours they spoile their Face, and gaine nought but contempt and hatred of their Husbands. Have ye not seen (saith a reverend wit) a compleat beauty made worse by an artificiall addition, Doctor Donne Serm. 70. because they have not thought it well enough before? you see it every day, and every where. If Saint Paul himselfe were here, whom for his Eloquence the Lystrians cal­led Mercury, he could not perswade them to leave their Mercury, it will not easily be left; for how ma­ny of them that take it outwardly at first, come at last to take it inwardly. Solomons caution therefore, Be not over righteous, may be applied to this sense, Be not over Faire. The great advancer of Learning therefore, where he speakes of Cosmetique Medica­ments, or the Art of Decoration, saith, that this a­dulterate decoration by Painting and Ceruse is well worthy the imperfections which attend it, being nei­ther fine enough to deceive, nor handsome enough to please, nor safe and wholsome to use. And this at­tempt is not only inconvenient, but very vaine and ridiculous; for, while by washes, paintings, and such slibber-slabbers, they presume by the Ministry of Art to overcome Nature, they faile in their Designe; for [Page 266] Art, The use of the skin of the Face. as experience teacheth us, cannot surmount Na­ture, nor by the most exquisite and illustrious Pig­ments come neare the native colour. For, the God of Nature will not permit a true and native colour to be surpassed by a false and counterfeit. Nature verily abhors such externall adventitious beauty which flows from Art, which being ab extra, confers nothing to the proper and intrinsique end of her worke; for, be­sides the use and action, you shall find nothing in the body of man and its parts which is quid intrinsicum, to wit, conferring to the end for which those parts were created; and who would grant a beauty of this kind, he must professe that there is somewhat in the bo­dy of man and its parts besides the use or action. It is freely confessed, there is in the body of Man some­what for ornament, which verily must be a Naturall, or Physicall ornament, since in Art ornaments have their end. By which you may understand, that al­though all the parts of the Body are not designed to action, yet they have their use, because Nature hath made nothing in vaine. The Cuticle of the Face hath indeed no action in the body, but it hath use; for it seems (as Paraeus speakes) to be given by the singular indulgence of Nature to be a muniment and ornament to the true skin; which providence of Nature these Artizans (or rather Curtizans) do imitate, who for to seeme more beautifull do smooth and polish it, the baudy trimming of which cheeke-varnish proves but a loathsome nastinesse, and is a complement more than Nature looks for at their hands, which to see is a thou­sand pitties; for, your foule and worst favoured women are not only those that do this, but even your fairest, and those that are most beholding to Nature, who thinke [Page 267] thereby to seeme fairer, Painting Con­demned. and to make Nature appeare more lovely in Arts dressing, begin this worke betimes in the morning in their bed, and finish it at noone when the cloath is laid. So that I say (and not without reason) That a woman the more curious she is about her face, the more carelesse about her house, the repairing of the one being the ruining of the other, which makes even Guzman cry out, O filthinesse above all other filthi­nesses! O affront above all other affronts! that God ha­ving given thee one face thou should'st abuse his Image and make thy selfe another. And it is a wonder (as my Lord Bacon notes) that this corrupt custome of Pain­ting hath so long escaped penall Laws, both of the Church, and of the State, which have been very severe against the excessive vanity of Apparrell, and the effeminate trimming of Haire. And the wonder is the greater how it hath escaped Ecclesiasticall Censure, since all the Fathers of the Church have strongly enveighed against forged and feigned beauty, and this practice of introducing other hewes than the bloud naturally af­fords; A vile thing it is saith one, thus to force and wrong Nature with Birdlime, Chalke, Daubing, and such Trash, plainly marring all the beauty they have of Nature, growing foule with making themselves faire: A gross folly to change the naturall Beauty, and seeke af­ter painting, the crime of Adultery is in a manner more tollerable, for there Chastity is corrupted, and here Nature is forced. Saint Ambrose of such a one: Thou defacest the features of God if thou cover thy Face with painting.

This Palliative Artifice which introduceth an ac­quisite complexion to deceive the Spectatours Eye for a moment is altogether to be rejected by women, especially [Page 268] Christians. Painters ad­monished. Cypr. Tract. 2. de hab. Virg. And Cyprian writes truly, Not only Virgins, saith be, and Widdows, but all married wo­men are to be admonished, that this worke, and facture, and plasme ought to be no manner of way adulterated by yellow tincture, black dust, or red paint, or any other Medicaments which corrupts the native Lineaments. And afterwards he saith, thoy offer violence to God when they strive to deforme and transfigure that which he hath formed, not knowing that every thing that is borne is the worke of God, and what ever is changed is the worke of the Devill. These phantasticall Correcters of their Naturall formes (as another saith) seeme to do nothing else then to reprehend the power of their Ma­ker, who as a most wise Artificer hath so framed and coloured them. A very great rashnesse with such vaine impostures to go about to correct and amend that which he hath made and perfected. Aug. Se [...]m. 240 For as St Augustin saith, his workes should not seeme to be such unto thee as if he transformed Natures, or in the Creation of any thing had ever turned white into black, or black into white, when he said, Let us make man according to out Image and Similitude, and yet thou desirest to change that Face which God hath made, and thou wilt reforme that which God hath formed in thee; If, as a holy Hermit, Petr. Herem. à Theod. in vit is sect. patr. hist. nona citat. some famous Painter, or Limner, a cunning Master of his Art had with great care and diligence painted some curious Picture, and brought it to its full perfection: And another rude Painter should come who should rashly put to his hand and presume to correct and amend it, now adding, now taking away somewhat, now changing the shaddow, and transferring those things which were obscure into cleare and lucid appearance, contrary to the precept of Limbing; He would both di­stort [Page 269] the countenance, and render it void of all Grace. Painting a base invention Would you not think when the Master returned and saw what was done, he would be most justly angry, conside­ring how rude a Painter had put his hand to that Image which he had so elaborately finished? In like manner you may judge that God will be angry with such, who by vaine invention of Modells and adulterate Sophistica­tions should dare to correct and amend that Image which the Divine Majesty hath so absolutely painted in thee. 'Tis to be feared, as St Cyprian notes, that at the last day God will not acknowledge them for his Creatures, but will exclude them from his House and Court as strangers and unknown persons unpleasing unto him; they may justly feare, that when he sees them so defor­med he should say they were not the workes of his hands, nor Creatures made according to his similitude, but to exhibite the Ensignes and markes of the Devill, to discover the workes and impressions of his foule hand. And indeed a good ground for this protestation had these holy men, for this Trade of Painting is reproved in the holy Books, and made a reproach by the mouth of the Prophets, Jer. 4.3. as when Jeremy threatneth the City of Jerusalem, When thou shalt be destroyed (saith he) what wilt thou do, &c. though thou paintest thy Face with Colours, yet shalt thou trim thy selfe in vaine; for thy Lovers will abhor thee, and seek thy life. The Prophet Ezekiel maketh the like reproach to the Cities of Jerusalem and Samaria, which he com­pareth to two lewd Harlots, who having sent to seeke out men comming from far, and being come they have washed themselves, and have painted their Faces, and have put on their faire Ornaments. The Queen Jesa­bel doing the same, 2 Kin. 9.30. was for all that cast down out of a [Page 270] window, Some Fucus allowable. and bare the punishment of her wicked life.

Yet we cannot say, that it is absolutely unlawfull to use any Fucus, especially when any foule blemish doth disgrace the forme of modest Virgins or Matrons, and we know Physitians are sometimes constrained to satisfie the desires of honourable Ladies, and great Persons, whom, as Galen saith, we may not deny. And indeed somewhat is to be allowed to women who are studious of their beauty, and desire a nitor and certaine splen­dour of Countenance, and therefore either to repaire the injuries of aire, or any other losse and dammage that hath happened to the Face, or what is wanting to the emendation of the Elegancy of the Epidermis, or skin of the Visage is no trespasse against Piety, but may be honestly endeavoured by a Physitian, since this induceth no Fucus, but restores the naturall nitor of the Body, upon whatsoever cause it is lost, and therefore it is granted to women especially, who since they were some­what inferiour to men in prudence, strength of Body and fortitude, and other things, instead thereof; as Ana­creon interpreted, sings,

And since Plato in Phaedro cals Beauty the most illu­strious and amiable of all things; and that a faire Face is illustrious with a kind of Divine Forme; it is worthy [Page 271] of preservation, and a faire restitution. [...] their Cosme­tiques. And indeed it belongeth to the corrective part of Medicine to reduce a superficies that is preternaturall; for, an inequa­lity in the superficies belongs to Decoration, as when any spot is in the Face from the Nativity, it belongs to the Corrector to make this superficies beauti­full and to correct it; as women who have native spots in their face, Mont. medic. par. 2. which the Moderns call Stercus Daemo­num, which proceed from a thin and adurent bloud, therefore it is the Office of the Corrector to correct those spots in them that have contracted them. But the pra­ctice of woman in this case is not laudable, nor agreeable to the corrective Art of Medicine; for, your women in your Cosmetique usurpations use only those things which constipate, refrigerate, & repercuss, to remove them from the Superficies to the Center, whereas they should also use those things which are abstersive and mundifying; But because things abstersive and mundifying introduce a scurfe, women will not endure this way of Reduction to the naturall state of perfection. But as the needlesse assumption and affectation of such Artifice is absurd, and no way pleasing to Nature, so too much curiosity in such matters is naught and reprovable. And to take in what a grave and learned Divine hath, Dr Donne Serm. 20. in concurring with the purpose of God in dignifying the Body, we may exceed and go beyond Gods purpose. God would not have the Face mangled and torne, but then he would not have it varnished with forreine Complexi­ons; it is ill when it is not our own bloud that appeares in our Cheeks; it may do some ill offices of bloud, it may tempt; but it gives over when it should do a good office of bloud, it cannot blush. God would not have us disfigure our Face with sad Countenan­ces [Page 272] in fasting and other Disciplines, Painting when sinfull. nor would have us go about to marre his worke, or to do his last work, which he hath reserved to himselfe in Heaven, here upon earth, that is, to glorifie our Bodies with such Ad­ditions here, as though we would need no Glorificati­on there. But concerning this kind of transgression against the honesty and truth of Nature, or rather the sinfulnesse of it, Cajetan is of an opinion, that as a woman may conserve her naturall beauty without sin, so she may also preserve it by Art by adhibiting the vertues of Fucusses, Pigments, and other pain­tings, so it do not intend an evill end, it is a fiction and vanity somewhat excusable; Whereas it is con­cluded a mortall sin for any to sell such disguising trash to those they know will abuse it for an evill end. And in this regard some Divines will not allow so much as palliation of any deformity in the Face which hath proceeded from licentiousnesse and intemperance, or that they should be disguised by unnaturall helps, to the drawing in of others, and the continuation of their former sins. The sin it selfe was the Divels act in thee, but in the Deformity that follows upon the sin God hath a hand; and they that suppresse and smother these by paintings, and unnaturall helps to unlawfull ends, do not deliver themselves of the plague, but they do hide the markes and infect others, and wrastle a­gainst Gods notifications of their former sins. The invention of which Act of Palliation of an ascititious deformity against Gods indigitation of sin, is imagined one reason of the invention of black Patches, wherein the French shewed their witty pride, which could so cunningly turne Botches into Beauty, and make ugli­nesse handsome; yet in point of Phantasticalnesse we [Page 273] may excuse that Nation, Musitians Face Deformers. as having taken up the fa­shion, rather for necessity than novelty, in as much as those French Pimples have need of a French Plaister.

Among those

who corrupt and deforme the Face some account Musi­cians that play upon wind Instruments. It is storied of the Goddesse Pallas, she was some­times delighted in playing on the Cornet, till it hapned, that (one day) playing thereon for her pleasure, by a frantane River, she beheld her selfe in the water, and beholding those new and strange Faces, which she must necessarily make while she played, was ashamed of her selfe, and presently broke the cornet in peeces. And indeed it was well done of her, it not being an Instrument fit­ting for Ladies, nor yet for men, except for those who are willing to deforme themselves for plea­sure or gaine. Omnes Tibicines insaniunt, ubi semel afflant, avolat illico vultus. And therefore Alcibi­ades was angry with Flutes, because playing upon them disfigured the Beauty of the Face; yet that peradventure hapned, as the Marquesse of Mal­vezzi well considers, because he spoiled their harmony, playing lesse than was requisite, and [Page 274] deforming himselfe more than he needed to have done.Vocal Musique deformes not the Visages. Yet he pardons such a conceit concerning Wind-Instruments in a tender and wanton youth, And in a Court Phylosopher, a Politician, a Pe­ripatetick, talking with Senators and Princes.

But vocall Musique performed by Instruments which Nature hath invented for delight, ought not to be set at naught, for the same, or peradventure no reason at all, as it is by the Stoick morall Philosophers; For, the Wind-Musique doth not deforme the Visage, it reformes, yea, conformes it: and the vocall, which is correspondent to the hearing, altereth the proporti­on of the Face, to conforme it to the Eye; the one re­quires setlednesse to be well looked upon, and the other receives its perfections from motion: one unfolds the Beauty of the Visage, the other both laies open, and accompanies the sweetnesse of the voice; where there is a sound, Motion hath necessarily proceeded, and the motion is with measure, if the sound be harmonious. Sometimes also it is voluntary, accompanied with the Head, Eyes, and Mouth; and with delight, though without necessity, if it be with proportion. That moti­on which offends, produces no harmonious sound, or doth not accompany it proportionably.

SCENE XVI. Long-necked Nations. Nationall Monstrosities appearing in the Necke.

PEtrus Damianus, Damianus li­bello de mirac. Arch-Bishop of Ravenna, and Cardinall, relates, that Robert King of France mar­ried a Kinswoman of his, by whom he had a Son with a Gooses neck and head, whereup­on by a common consent of the French Bishops they were excomunicated; the King compelled by these streights takes better Counsell, and re­nouncing his incestuous Bed, entred into lawfull marriage with another.

Beyond the streights, of Magellan, Pigafetta re­ports to have seen men with Necks of a Cubit long, the other parts of their body being pro­portionable thereunto.

In Eripia, as some write, or according to Ly­costhenes, in the extreame part of Siricana, or as it pleaseth others in some of the Valleys of Tarta­ria, there harbours a Nation of so long a Neck, that it wholly resembles the neck of a Crane; [Page 276] afterwards in the top of the Neck there is a fe­rine Face,Long gangrell necks Inconve­nient. with the Eyes and Nostrils of a man, as also with a bill adorned with Gils like a Cock. Aldrovandus (indeed) saies, it will more availe one to read than believe this Relation; yet he de­nies not but there are halfe-men with a long Neck, and a ferine Face, do live in those Regi­ons, their women being not so deformed as the men, and they are said to be very seldome seen. This Nation is carried with great force against their Enemies, and chiefly against the Tartars. Aldrovandus hath exhibited the Effigies of these Gangrell-Neck'd men to be considered of by his Readers;Aldrov. monst. Hist. lib. 1. which puts me in mind of that ridicu­lous wish of Philoxones, that grumbled at Nature for the shortnesse of his Neck, who would have had the Neck of a Crane, that thereby he might have taken more pleasure in his meat, or as some thinke, to obtaine advantage in singing or warb­ling, and dividing the notes in Musick; which Cavill of Philoxones against Nature, for not ha­ving respect unto the Taste, or singing, in the con­trivance of his Neck, is absurd, and in the very foundation of the fancy to be condemned,D. Brown Pseu­dodoxia. Epid. lib. 7. cap. 14. as it is ingeniously observed by the late Enquirer into vulgar errours. And if he had obtained this foo­lish request, yet the justnesse of Nature could not have suffered him to have been a gainer by the bar­gaine; for, a long gangrell neck, which would have made the head look as set upon a pole, would by such an elongation, caused a very in­convenient distance between the braine and the heart; but the Epicure surely had a more reach­ing [Page 277] conceit,Nations that have no Neck knowing that they are more greedy of meat, and have better stomacks, who have a greater space from the mouth to the paunch.

That there are

Nations that have no Neck,Solin. cap. 153. Plin. lib. 7. c. 4. C [...]rdan. de re­rum varietate lib. 8. cap. 42. Solinus affirmes. Pliny saith, that not far from the Troglodites there are certaine men that have no Neck. In the Province of Old Port in the West Indies, there are men that want a Neck, my Author meanes that part of the Neck that is next to the Atlantick Vertebra; not that they are altogether without Neck, but they have but a little and short one; Neither are these Histories so incredible, since many have been borne without Necks. Al­drovandus hath exhibited the figures in severall postures of an Infant borne at Basil without a Neck, according to the relation of Lycosthenes in the month of August 1557. with the other mem­bers very well formed, only the Face was mon­strous, especially it was not eminent above the Neck, for it wanted that part. Aldrovandus hath also exhibited the picture of a monstrifique child, that look'd like Bacchus, which was an Embrion, to wit, an immature fruit of five months, wanting [Page 278] a Neck and Forehead,Nations with­out a Neck. but having a most broad Face. Neither is it impossible, as I have elsewhere said, that men may live without a Neck; for it may happen, either by the constitution of the Climate, or some kind of Artifice, that the Neck may not appeare advanced above the Shoulders, and yet the Instruments of Nature may performe their office in a nearer approach of the Neck unto the Body, which is the opinion of Kornmannus.

They that inhabit those Alpes which divide France from Italy, their throats are encreased to that bulke and largenesse, that both in men and women those gutturall bottles hang down even to their Navels, and they can cast them over their shoulders; and this is not commonly seen in the Allobroges Carinthians, Syrians, and Nations living about the Alpes, but it is also familiar to some places of Spaine. Fabricius ab Aqua pend. Fabricius saith, that such Tumours are frequent among the Bergomensians, where the men and women all, for the most part, have such great pendent bags in the fore-part of their Throats.Joan. Stumpf. lib. Chr. 10. cap. 20. Among the Rucantians, a people of Helvetia, now called Rhaeti, the Inhabitants, especially about the Town Ciceres, are troubled with the same gutturall deformity.M. Pol. lib. 1. cap. 31. Neither doth this happen only in Europe, but also in Asia; for, the men there have such great wallets of flesh af­ter a wonderfull manner hanging at their throats. But in Syria the women have their throats so pro­tended, that they cast it behind their back, as it were a Sack or Wallet,Ortel. in Illy­rico. lest it should hinder their Infants when they suck.

[Page 279]This swelling, or Throat-Dropsie,The cause of swelling throats. is occasioned by the drinking of crude waters of dissolved Snow, as most Authors suppose; which although it be a reason not to be rejected,Platerus. yet Platerus to this Cause addes the Seed, and the Facultie Formatrix in the wombe, where they are familiar to any place, and that they are rather propagated from the Parents in their Children, then that they hap­pen by reason of any meat or drinke, or any other peculiar cause; which Sennertus thinkes doth not seldome fall out so indeed; yet the first cause seemes valid, because it is observed that they that come well into any such places, after they have abode there a while, they contract such a water between the skin and rough Artery, which is called by Physitians Bronchocele, and Bocium à Bocii ventricosi poculi similitudine, from the simili­tude of a great-bellied drinking Cup.

Shoulders higher than the Head. SCENE XVII. Humerall, or Shoulder-Affectati­ons.

Lycost. Append Chron. prodig. IN the Island Taprobana, High huff-Shoulders are in Fashion, and Natu­rall.

The Wywapanami, a people in the West-Indies, Purch. Pilgr. 4. their Shoulders are

higher than their Heads.

Whether these Nations are guilty or not of using Art to this purpose, I shall not conclude, although I halfe suspect some concur­rent affectations. My apprehension of this businesse I have al­ready exprest in the History of the Ace­phali, which appeare to be the same Nation.

In all the parts of Tartaria the men are broad-shouldered, which being Nationall, is held there in good repute: And if it were not at first affected [Page 281] and introduced among them by Art,Broad shoul­ders where af­fected. yet in other Countries, where it is noted to be extremely affe­cted, there hath been some endeavour used to that intent, and where that hath failed, they have had recourse to outward supplements.

Concerning the Italians, Cresol. vacat. Autumn. Cresollius hath infor­med us of their ridiculous affectation in this kind: Behold (saith he) what the improvident curiosity of men hath thought on, who that they might seeme Plato's, that is, broad-shouldred, full, square, and somewhat strong, and mighty men, they bum­bast their Doublets, and after a childish, or rather, womanish manner, adhibent Analectides, use little Bolsters or Pillows for to seeme more fat and comly, bolstring so up their prominent shoul­ders, as little women were wont to do of old, as Ovid describes the Custome;

Well, could these men be Masters of their wish, yet it is a question whether it would please their Mistris­ses: For, the women of other Countries, and among us, are not so well affected to broad shoulders; for it is worth the noting, what women by long use have observed, to wit, that men that have broad shoulders, for the most part, get great Children. Hence the Mother-in-Law of Forestus, a fruitfull woman, would not match her Daughters to Platonique men, by reason she feared least in their Delivery they should be endangered by reason of the greatnesse of the Child, which Forestus had often seene to happen, the broad shoulders dange­rously [Page 282] sticking in the Birth, Narrow shoul­ders affected. the cause whereof Riola­nus thinks to be difficult: whence you may see what worke they make for the women, who endeavour by Art to purchase thick and broad shoulders.

Narrow and contracted shoul­ders were estee­med so proper to women of old, that they affected this composure of the shoulders, and as some thinke, learnt it very diligently in their Palestra's as a great elegan­cy and beauty. Wherefore Terence, in the Description of a han­some slender woman, makes her to have demissos humeros, as it were pinion'd shoulders. Cocles the famous Philosopher reports, that he knew and saw sundry women in his time, which drew by Art, and through their beastiall enduments, the shoulder-points so neare together, that they for­med in a manner the like unto Osventris in the part behind,, and they garnished and beautified these with Cosmeticall waters. This Cocles also noted sundry Italians and fond French men, which he aptly nameth by that by-word Hermaphroditi, that exercised the like practice with their shoul­der-points; A matter which seemeth, in my opi­nion, incredible to be exercised of any faithfull [Page 283] Christian.The Right shoulder high­er than the Left. But the Physiognomer seemeth truly to utter what he saw and knew in Bononia, his own Country, and in sundry other places.

The Maids of

France, especial­ly the more no­ble Virgins, their Right shoulders are higher and bigger than the Left, so that a­mong a hundred Virgins you shall scarce find ten which have their shoulders hand­some; the cause whereof, Riolanus problematically offers at thus:Riol. Anat. Whether it be by reason of the more valid moti­on of the right Arme, whereby the Scapula is di­stracted, and abscedes, and grows prominent with the interjected Muscles which raise it up, whether because the Lungs encline more to the Right side than the Left; or whether it be that Nurses when they begin to teach Children to go, are wont to draw them by the Right Hand:Citatus per Neiremberg Hist, Nat. A thing to be well considered of by them who would not have their Children Crump-shouldered.

Franciscus Hernandus in his Manuscript makes report of certaine Nations in India who are all buncht-backt, crooked and crump-shoul­dered.

[Page 284] Crook'd-backt Nations.

Whether it hap­pen to them by Na­ture or Artificall affectation I shall not here dispute; but verily if this foolish Custome of streight — lacing were a little more Epidemicall, and the ill effects of that Artifice more propagated by Cu­stome and inter­changeable marriages of such gibbous persons, the Cor­porall uprightnesse of our erect stature would in time be converted into crookednesse, and our straight Fi­gure bowed into a nationall Gibbositie. For among the externall Causes of the Transformation of man, and a deformed issue, Physitians justly reckon the Heredita­ry or accidentary diseases of the Parents, since by rea­son of those, there follow many times monstrous produ­ctions: So we see lame Children borne of lame Parents, and crookbackt of the Gibbous, and for this cause, often saddle-nosed men beget saddle-nosed children, Stutterers Stutterers, Dwarfes Dwarfes, and lame men a lame Progeny; for, the Seed proceeding weaker from the maimed part, it is no wonder if they prove lame as the Parents were. Thus the race of the Ma­crocephali were for a while continued. Arist. 1 Generat. Anim. 17. Examples of this truth there might be many produced. Aristotle reports, that in Chalcedon, a Father that had his Arme marked with certaine spots, the Son got by him, [Page 285] represented the same, but with a confused note. Naturall Markes. Among the people called Dakes, the Children usually carry the markes, imprinted in their Armes, of them from whom they are descended, even to the fourth Generation. Bauhinus speakes of one George Hertz a Shoomaker, In libro de Hermoph. who having the great Toe of one of his feet of an ex­traordinary size, his only Daughter had the like great Toe, which was then first observed when he was jea­lous of his Wife, because he had lived many yeares with her, and had no Children by her till then. And I knew one, who having a short little finger, knew all his Chil­dren to be his by that eare-marke. It is also seen, saith Pliny,Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 7. that Infants are at default of such parts as their Parents misse; yet it must (with Pliny) be confessed, that Children are not alwaies answerable to the Pa­rents in every respect; for, of perfect Fathers and Mothers, who have all their Limbs, there are some­times begotten Children unperfect, and wanting some Members: And contrariwise, there are Parents mai­med and defective in some part, who neverthelesse in­gender Children that are sound and entire, and with all that they should have.

Arme-gallan­ry. SCENE XVIII. Strange Inventions of certain Nations in ordering their Armes, Hands and Nailes.

IN the Province of Cardandam, in the great Chan Tartars ju­risdiction,Purch. Pilgr. 3. lib. 1. the men about their Armes make Lists, pricking the places with Needles, and put­ting therein a black indelea­ble

tincture, and these Lists or marks are estee­med with them a great gallan­try.

The Inhabi­tants of the town Alimamu in Mal­hada, Idem Pilgr. 4. lib. 8. have their armes and thighs Oakred and dy­ed with red, black, white and [Page 287] yellow, striped like unto panes,Little Hands where affected so as they shew as if they were in Hose and Doublets.

In little Venice, by the Gulph of Paria, Lindscot. l. 2. the wo­men, who are proud, paint their Armes and Breasts.

The Aegyptian Moores, both men and women,Purch. Pilgr. [...]. lib. 7. brand their Armes for love of each other.

In Portugal lit­tle

long hands are in fashion, and accounted a great beauty in women; where­fore they use Art to have them so, wrap­ping the hands of their Female Children from their Infancy in Cloaths, and binding them straight in with fillets, whereby they constraine them to grow narrow, and to run out in length. An ingenious Gentleman, a Merchant, upon the credit of whose Relation I have presented this affectation, assures me, that Gentlewomen and Ladies of Lisbon have for the most part such small hands, and that this traditi­on of their Artifice is there generally acknow­ledged. The Spanish women are noted to have the least hands of any women in the World, and it seemes probable to me that they have atchieved it by the same Artifice; and whether they began [Page 288] the affectation to the Portugall women,Painted hands affected. or the Portugals, at the second hand of Tradition, imita­ted their practice, I leave to the Inquisitive Rea­ders further inquiry.

Purch. Pilgr. 2. lib. 8.The Abassines colour their hands with the juyce of a Reddish Bark.

Herberts Tra­vels.The Persians paint their hands into a red or tawny colour, which both cooles their Livers, and makes them in War victorious. The com­mon women to shew they are servants to Dame Flora, (in her daies a good one) they illustrate their Armes and Hands, their Legs and Feet with Flowers and Birds.

Prosp. Alpinus lib. de plant. Egypt. c. 13.The Egyptian women love golden Golls, who of the leaves of Cyprus, an orientall tree, which the Egyptians call Elhannae, or Tamarrendi, make a Powder, which they call Archenda: This they use for ornament to colour their hands and feet, tempering it with water, which makes a golden Tincture.

Purch. Pilgr. 2. lib. 9.In Candou Island accounted to Asia, it is the fa­shion to make the Nailes of their Hands red, this is the beauty of their Country; they make it with the juyce of a certaine tree, and it endureth as long as their nailes.

The Turkes paint their long nailes red. Sandys in his Travels saith, the women paint their nailes with a yellowish red.Mag. Geogr. Maginus saith, they infect their Haire, Hands, and Feet, especially their Nailes with a red colour.Georg. Drau­dius Comment. in Solin. memo­rabilia Africae. This Tincture of their Nailes, it seemes, is imposed after their Lent, at the Celebration of their Pascha, which in their Tongue they call Bairam, when with great solem­nity [Page 289] for three daies they dawbe the nailes of their hands and feet with a certaine oile,Long Nailes a sign of Gen­tility. called by them Chua, which makes their nailes ruddy yellow. This colour sticks tenatiously, and can neither be washed or rubbed off; wherefore unlesse their nailes grow out new from the root, they alwaies appeare of that Rutilant colour, but off their hands it may be scoured with frequent ablution; the women imbue not only their nailes, but their hands and feet with the same.

The Persians paint their nailes party-coloured,Herberts Tra­vels. white and vermilion: but why so, my Author cannot say, unlesse in imitation of King Cyrus, who in augmentation of honour caused his He­roes to tincture their nailes and Faces with Ver­milion, sensibly to distinguish them from the Vul­gar sort, as did the ancient Brittaines in fight, to shew more terrible.

In the Kingdome of Goer they paint their nails with yellow;De Bry descrip. Ind. pars 9. and

the nobler any one is, so much the longer is his nails, so that he is the best Gentleman whose nailes ap­peare like Ea­gles claws.

In Calecut the women have the Nails of their fin­gers prominent,Idem. colour'd, cut, and jagged round.

[Page 290] Naile-Pain­ters condem­ned.These Nations who thus paint their Nailes, of­fend against the vertue of ornamentall Decorum, Decency, or reverence, in this unnaturall excess of care, being not contented with the naturall beauty of the naile, and by their foolish brave­ry, they obscure the naturall light and splendor of their nailes, which ariseth from that lucid and pellucid temperament of a more cleare substance, which presents us in a glasse the splendour of the Lucent principle, and inward clarity of the vitall spirits, wherein the ample study of Chyro­mancy is conversant. The Egyptians to advance this splendour were wont of old to gild the nailes of the Dead, as appeares by their Mummies: which Custome the women in latter times in the Orientall parts have taken up, who as an argu­ment of a certaine beauty, gild their Nailes, as if they had heard Hipocrates, Hipoc. progn. lib. that it is, an ill Omen, and a signe of one like to dye, if their Nailes de­cline to a livid or obscure colour.

Purch. Pilgr. 2. lib. 7. De Bry Hist. Ind.The Guineans, who have long fingers and strong hands, suffer their nailes to grow very long, it being held among them the greatest comlinesse, and the more prominent they are, they are estee­med more Noble; these they keep very cleanly with scraping and rubbing, that they look like polished Ivory: Some of them let them grow as long as the joint of a mans finger, which they esteeme for a great ornament, for that cause thinking themselves to be Gentlemen. The Mer­chants that dwell within Land have good use of them; for that sometimes when they have not a spoone by them, and that they unty their Purses [Page 291] to weigh Gold,Very long Nailes affe­cted. and wanting a spoone to take out for haste they use their long nailes, and therewith put their Gold into the Scales, halfe an ounce at a time they will take out of small Gold like sand.

The Nayres, Purch Pilgr. 2. lib. 10. which are Souldiers and people among the Malabars, weare their nailes very long, whereby they shew that they are Gentlemen, that being a sign of idle Gentility, because the longness of nailes doth let or hinder men from working or doing any labour; which had been a better reason if Nature had not fitted the hand for labour. But they have a more tolerable reason, for they say likewise that they do it the better and faster to gripe a thing in their hands, and to hold their Rapiers; which some Portugals and Mesticoes do likewise, and hold the same opinion with the Nay­res, whereof there are many in India that let their Nailes grow for the same cause, as a signe of a Gentleman, and one not used to sordid labours.

In China some

of them weare Nailes of halfe a quarter and a quarter long,Idem Pilgr. 3. lib. 1. Maffaeus hist. Ind. lib. 6. which they keep very cleane; and these Nailes do serve them in­stead of Forkes to eate withall; the use of silver Forkes which our Gallants so [Page 292] much used of late was no doubt an imitation of this.Long Nailes a great No­bility.

Sir Joh. Mand. Travels. c. 106.In the Kingdome of great Cane, it is a great No­bility to have very long nailes on the hands, and they let their nailes grow as long as they can, and some let them grow so long that they come about their hands, and that is a great honour and Gen­tility.Grimston of their manners. In another Historian I find, that they do all suffer the nailes of their left hand to grow ve­ry long, and weare them of their right hand ve­ry short; and this wearing of long nailes is not without superstition, for they say they shall be taken up into heaven by their long haire (of which they are curious) and their great nailes. Yet these are the men who with much babling, brag, saying, that they have two Eyes, and that they of Europe have but one, and all other are blind.

Nearch, in Na­vigat. ad Indos. Nearchus saith, the Inhabitants at the River Thomeras have hard and sharpe nailes, where­with they killed Fish, and cut softer wood, for they had no use of Iron) the harder wood they cut with stones.

Purch: Pilgr. 2. lib. 2.The Abassines suffer their Nailes on their fin­gers to grow as long as they will, like Cock spurs, which also they sometimes cut from Cocks and fit to their fingers.

Idem. Pilgr. 1. lib. 2.In a certaine Island in Eight Degrees, as Sir Francis Drake sailed from Nova Albion, the people have Nailes on their fingers of an inch long.

[Page 293]Among the Ta­puians

the King is distinguished by the most long Nailes upon his Thumbes.Long Nailes affected by women. De Bry hist. Ind. His Kinsmen, and his other Ministers of War have long nailes on all their fingers ex­cept their Thumb, long Nailes a­mong them be­ing accounted a most comely and beautifull wea­ring; but to weare long nailes upon the power­full Master-finger, is a Prerogative Royall, which yet is point of State in Turky, Graves Descr. of his Court. for the Grand Sig­niour hath his Turnackgee Bashaw, whose office it is to pare the Kings Nailes.

They of Java weare long nailes.De Bry Hist. Ind. Caelius l. 18.

The Cedrosti, and Brasileans never pare their Nails, but suffer them to grow as long as they live.

In Cumana it is one of the points of bravery with the principall women to weare long nailes;De Bry Hist. Ind. A dangerous fashion if taken up here with us.

In Florida (also) the women let their nailes grow long,Jacob. de Mayn. de Florida. scraping them on the sides that they become acute, but especially the men; for if they can apprehend any of our men, in fixing their nailes in the Fronts of them, they claw off the skin, and leave them blind and torne.

I am informed by a Friend that hath been in [Page 294] Persia, that observed the Custome,The dignity of the Nailes maintained. that the Persi­ans weare long nailes, and that it is accounted with them a sign of Gentility; these long nailes are painted as you heard before; which naile­rites are so considerable among them, that our Merchants that are resident there, conforme unto their custome, which my Friend observed in one Master Hunnywood an Agent there for the East India Company.

To defend the Dignity and Majesty of Nature in the increase of Nailes, Galen saith, because either with scratchings, or other actions the ends of them weare away, Nature hath allowed these parts only a power of continuall encrease, although the whole body hath left off to be encreased. Not as other parts in all the dimentions of length, breadth, and profundity, but in length only, other new nailes alwaies growing under the old, and driving forward the old. Neither was this institution vain, but in supplement and reparation of the decay of nailes, by which device the construction of the nails was brought up to the highest pitch of Natures Providence, whose will, verily, in commending the providence of Nature is commendable. But Ulmus goes a better way to defend this notable provision of Nature, affirming that her ineffable wisdome had no respect in giving that power to the Nailes, to any thing imperfect, but rather very perfect; for, this argument is referred to warne the naturall soule that it should not be loath or ashamed to descend to conform and take care for the Body (also;) which admonition and descention doth not only elevate the forces of our Soule, but rather very much increase them: for she collects this, admonished by such an ex­ample, (for she is rationall,) If I must descend to the [Page 295] Body, why should I not also ascend to higher things? The growth of nailes profita­ble. This agitation of the mind about corporal parts, and the ever-growing nailes, makes the Soule more boldly and ventrously to reflect upon it selfe, and to investi­gate better things. Wherefore these parts and motions of the soule, to conserve them, may be assimilated to sin, which sometimes becomes profitable to the trans­gressour: So we compare these monsters of time and place to sins, for they teach the utility and commodity of the naturall worke. We tremble to pronounce any thing in Nature to be besides Nature: but this necessa­ry care about the perpetuall increment of nailes we may affirme to bring many commodities to mankind. Hun­ger is the beginning of our contemplation, which hap­pens by reason of the dissipation of those things which constitute our bodies, being occult, and a thing which escapes the reach of our Senses: who ever condemned this Hunger? none ever; because it is the worke of Na­ture, working naturally, and admonishing us of alition, and the worke of the Nutrative faculty. Hunger would not happen unlesse the parts of the Body did decrease, the sence of which decrement when it comes upon us, is called Hunger; the perpetuall increment of the Nailes is correspondent to the decrement of Hunger; for, as Hunger admonisheth us that something is to be ta­ken, that the dissipated substance may be repaired: In like sort this increase of the Nailes puts us in mind that we must detract somewhat that these parts may be com­moderate to the operation of Nature, and no way hin­der or disturbe her; for, when the extravagant nailes grow too long, by that importune accrement, they hinder the tops of the fingers if men be to use them upon im­ployment. These Nations then that are so unpolitick, [Page 296] may justly be called wild men, The reform­ing of the Nailes a no­ble care. of a sordid dispositi­on, from whence perchance the appellation of Secordes is derived; for they carry those parts with themselves, which come to be rejected with for did things and recre­ments. These therefore, who are so Salvage and far estranged from humane life, as not to abhor the sordid toleration of their growth, which very much displea­seth us, when by any neglect they gaine an extravagant and claw-like aspect, have little care or respect of their own bodies. Not but that the increment of the Nailes is very naturall, and the care of these (though small things) is in very Nature; nay, the care of these parts is more noble than the care of our nourishment, since the care of them appertaines to reason, and to the practick Intellect; and by how much the practick Intellect is more noble than the nutrient Soule, so much to a more noble order doth the care of the Nailes in conforming them to the Law of Nature appertaine. And this care is so proper to man, that it hath its vertues and vice, which yet is very difficult to be understood by common wits. For as the Advancer of Learning saith, it hath parts Civill, and parts Effeminate; For, cleannesse and the civill beauty of the body was ever esteemed to proceed from a modesty of behaviour and a due reverence in the first place towards God, whose Creatures we are, then to­wards Society wherein we live, and then towards our selves, whom we ought no lesse, nay much more to revere than we do any others. Now, the Nailes are existent parts which alwaies (almost) grow; and when they in­cur such an excess of an increased quantity, they do but hinder the operations of the humane Soule, and when they decline from their proper Mode of quantity, and increase further, the Deduction and Moderation of their [Page 297] Excrescency to a just extendure, is to the benefit of the Intellect that imployeth them; this is called Cultus:Increase of nailes a pre­rogative. the vice of this denominated vertue is Squalor, the other extreame is Delitium, nomine ficto, non ficti­tio. Although this be accounted in the Roll of Vertues, it is yet distinguished by the calculation of Sex, Age, and perchance institution of life. Now the Organs of the practique Intellect are to rectifie and regulate the excrescent, supercrescent, and ever-crescent parts; for, in all parts there is an appointed end, a certaine commoderation of the quantity of parts to the actions of them, according to the faculties using the Organ in the Body. Neither are Nailes extra hominem, unlesse in carkasses and those buried: And their con­tinuall increase in man is an Argument of a Divine Nature, a prerogative in which beasts cannot partici­pate, and teacheth us charity to our Bodies. The neg­lect of this charity proves not only an inconvenience, but as some thinke, long Nailes is a sin, to avoid which Adam in the estate of innocency in Paradise, before Instruments of Iron were found, perchance bit his Nailes: Yet surely in the state of Innocency his abode in Paradise was so short, that no inconvenience could happen unto him this way, nor any necessity enforce him to cut his nailes; although he had too just a cause to bite his nailes afterwards. Verily it is observed that Nature in the Nailes hath shewed us as a Law of am­putation, whilest in Children, when they grow long, they naturally fall off, untill becomming harder, they cannot be so commodiously separated by Nature alone. And therefore by no worse a Law of Nature do we cut our Nailes than our Haire, lest they should grow into an odious and hooked curvity. Unnaturall stovens [Page 298] therefore are they who never pare them, The use of the Nailes. and very little have they to shew themselves Gentlemen who have no­thing but long nailes as the Crests of idle Gentility. 'Tis true, the nailes do decrease and weare by labour, and idlenesse no way arrests their encrease, according to the doctrine of Galen, which these mens fancies approve. And therfore the observation is not so subtile (as Mer­curialis notes) which Cardan speakes of in his book de subtilitate, to wit, that he saw one who all his life-time had no need to cut his nailes. For, the Rusticks and most of your handicraft-men never pare their nailes, because they weare away of their own accord in their working; yet the end of their perpetuall growth is not to repaire their decay by working, since if men ne­ver worke yet their nailes grow. The Nailes (againe) have that order among the similar parts of the hand, that they are not in the number of them that performe an action, but of those that are subservient, for they were made for the better apprehension; their scituati­on and hardnesse gives them this. And therefore the other reason of the Nayros, Portugals, and Mesti­chos, who were them long for the better griping and holding fast their Rapiers, may better passe, since there is some allowance to be given to men whose profession may be advantaged by a more extravagant extent of the Naile. But for women to nourish long Nailes as a beauty, is a strange Solecisme, and a greater breach of the Law of Nature; especially si dantur ungues sexuales, as some hold in the Affirmative. Nature as Galen observes, allows strong Nailes only to them that have strong Teeth, because strong nailes answer to strong teeth, and so upon the contrary; Plato there­fore writes, that the Nailes were made Notae gratia, [Page 299] for a figurative token; Nailes, no Armes. For since man was among mild Creatures, either because he hath reason, which much conduceth to mansuetude, he ought not to have strong nailes, since he hath not strong Teeth; much lesse hath that impotent Sex any colour of pretence to long and strong nailes, since the nailes were never intended as weapons of offensive scratching, either in man or woman. Alcibiades (as the Marquesse of Malvezzi well observes) contending with another Boy, makes use of his Teeth and Nailes, peradventure to shame him whom he could not hurt, and being not able to strike would marke him; his enemy taxeth him for being womanish, to fight with such instruments as were not given him by Nature for that purpose; He glorieth to be Lion-like. Nailes commonly serve men and beasts to cover the extremity of Veines, Sinews, and Arteries, that the naturall, animall, and vitall spi­rits might not evaporate that way; they also serve ma­ny beasts, in particular for offensive and defensive armes. If Nature doth not purge the humours by convenient waies, it is either too weake, or too much oppressed; if a man vents his wrath with unbeseeming weapons, either his rage swelling too high makes him mad, or his weaknesse casts him down. The shape of the mouth, the scituation of it, the weakenesse of Teeth, are all evident signs that Nature did not place them there for his defence: And who will imagine the nailes to be mans armes, seeing that when he will fight he hides them, and whereas other Creatures strike with an open paw, he only fights with a closed fist? But since they weare them for a beauty, it may be they have some such like conceit as Aristophanes puts upon the Philosophers, who kept their nailes unpared, not for [Page 300] miserablenesse, Monstrosities of Armes. that they would not part with the pa­ring of their nailes, lest with the parings of their nailes they should lose and communicate some portion of Wisdome diffused throughout their Limbs. So these conceited women seeme too loath to part with this dan­gerous piece of affected beauty, lest perchance they should lose so firme and precious a particle of their deli­cate substance, or want too opportune a weapon fitted by Art, to wreake their impotent revenge, upon any provo­cation of their Cat-like valour.

Many Monstrosities and depraved conformati­ons have appeared in the Armes and Hands; and many have been borne without Armes: Neare Es­selinga Nechari there was a Monster borne,Lycost. lib. pro­dig. Anno 1528 to wit, an Infant with one Head, foure Eares, foure Arms, and as many Feet.

Idem lib. eodem. Anno Domini 1389 there was an Infant borne, having foure Armes, and as many Legs, who li­ved untill he was baptized.

Pataeus oper. suor. l. 24. c. 2. Jovianus Pontanus reports, that Anno Domini 1529. the seventh day of January, there was seen in Germany a Male Infant with foure Armes, and as many Legs.

Idem eodem lib. cap. 4.On the same day that the Venetians and Genuen­sians entred into a League, there was borne in Ita­ly a Monster with foure Armes and foure Feet, endowed but with one Head; which being bap­tized lived sometimes after; Jacobus Rueffius the Helvetian Chirurgion declares, that he saw the like, but who had over and above, the Genitals both of the Male and Female.

Jul. obsequens. Tit. Graccus, and M. Juventius Consuls, there were boys born with foure Hands, and foure Feet.

[Page 301] P. Crassus, and Q. Scaevola being Consuls,Monstrous Nations with many armes. there was a Boy borne with three hands,Idem. and as many feet.

M. Marcellus, P. Sulpitius Consuls,Idem. there was a Boy borne with foure hands, and as many Feet.

At Venafrum there was a Boy borne with three hands, and as many Feet.Jac. Rueff. l. 5. de Concept. ex Rom. Hist. Some other Histories of fourefold Armes we passe by.

But these are hardly to be accounted Monsters who have such a Multiplication of Armes, because there are many Nations who appeare with such a Brachiall Redundancy; for,Lycost. in sua Historia. the Portugals sailing in the mid way to Calecut (where the Dog-star cannot be seene) they found in a certaine Island men provided with two Armes, and as many Hands on the right side, with Asses Eares, and a Mans Face, who run like Harts. And we find it recorded in the Acts of Alexander the Great,Idem. King of Macedon, that in India there were men endo­wed with six Armes, and as many Hands, who all their life time incur no sicknesse, which was belie­ved to be another species of men.

C. Valerius, M. Herennius Consuls,Jul. obsequens. a maid brought forth a Boy with one hand.

Salmuthus speakes of a Boy who altogether wanted his Left hand,Salm. obser. Cent. 1. obs. 15. in place whereof he ob­tained the fore-foot of a Cat, a miserable Spe­ctacle.

P. Africanus, and Laelius Consuls,Idem. at Amiternum there was a Boy borne with one hand and three feet.

In Tartaria there is found a Nation that have but one Arme, and one Leg and Foot, of whom [Page 302] you may heare more in the three and twentieth Scene.

Many also have appeared without Armes.Men without Armes.

And even now while this Impression of mans Transformation was working off, there was pub­liquely to be seene a young man borne at Hag­bourne, within foure miles of Abbington, whose name is Iohn Simons, born without Armes, Hands, Thighs, or Knees; who had no joint in his Knees, but one continued bone from his Hip unto his Foot; not in height above three quarters of an Ell from head to foot, and yet from the wast upward as proportionable a body as any ordinary man wanting his Armes, and from the waste down­ward not a full quarter of a yard in the Twist; He is about twenty yeares of Age, he writeth with his mouth, he threads a Needle with his mouth, he tyeth a knot upon thread or haire, though it be never so small, with his mouth, he fee­deth himselfe with spoon-meat, he Shuffels, Cuts, and Dealeth a pack of Cards with his mouth.

An observing Divine, a Traveller, and friend of mine, told me upon occasion of Discourse of this armelesse man, that he saw in Cheapside London, but few daies before, a child that was borne without Armes, and had two little hands, which it could move, standing out of its shoulders, a poore wo­man had the child in her armes, begging with it.

Idem. Lycost. l. prod. & ostent. p. 141 ex Rom. Histor. Com. ad lib. 3. Tech. Galeni. Text. 177. T. Gracchus, M. Iuventius Consuls, at Privenum there was a Girle born without a hand.

In Picenum there was an Infant borne without hands and feet. Haly Rodoham saith, he had seen a [Page 303] man (who was then alive) who had neither hands nor feet. Anno 1591,Feet used for Hands. Incert. Author. February 8th. there was a Fe­male born at Strausburge who wanted all her fin­gers both of her hands and feet, and lived to the ninth of Iuly following. It is not omitted by Dion, Dion. how that among other presents sent from the Indians to Augustus, there was a little youth without Armes, who yet with his feet performed the exploits of hands; for he could bend a Bow, shoot an Arrow, and moreover sound a Trum­pet. We have seen, saith Alexander Benedictus, Alex. Benedict a woman borne without Armes,Sim. Majolus. using her Feet for hands in spinning and sewing. Simon Majolus re­ports to have seen such Creatures often in Italy. The Learned may find a world of such Histories in Skenckius and Aldrovandus; And the recom­pence of this errour (as they call it) of Nature,Tulp. obser. med. l. 3. c. 54. Lotich. obser. lib. 6. cap. 2. obser. 4, & 5. in a Brittish woman, in Tulpius, and in Lotichius, of an English and a Dutch woman strangely recom­penced; in as much as some admiring the won­derfull dexterity of men of distorted, lamed, or dibilitated members, or who are altogether de­prived of them, how they for the most part use other members besides their office they were or­dained for, have thought one might say, consi­dering the force of Custome, which is another Nature, that perfection did not consist in the di­stinction of members, but in their continuall use.

The ordinary Complement with Nature upon such occasions, is, That Her unsearchable in­dustry, as it with great wittinesse appeareth eve­ry where, yet more eminently in those bodies [Page 304] wherein as 'twere unmindfull of her charge or businesse she hath frustrated of this or that mem­ber,Sedigiti. which errour, as it were, with some shame­fac'dnesse she abundantly recompenceth by a mu­nificent liberality.

Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 11. cap. 43. Gel. l. 15. c. 24. Petr. Crin. l. 3. de poetis, c. 65.Some men there be that have six fingers upon one hand; Pliny reports, that M. Curiatius, a No­bleman of Rome, had two Daughters so handed: whereupon they were Surnamed Sedigitae; He speakes also of one Volcatius, who was an excellent Poet, who had six fingers to one hand, where­upon he was Surnamed Sedigitus.

Haly Rhod. Com. ad. lib. 3. Tech. Galen. num. 177. Jac. Rueff. de concept. generat. homin. lib. 5. Haly saies, he had often seen a finger added.

Iacobus Rueffus records of some that are borne with superabundant parts of their members, one having twelve fingers upon his hands.

There was a monstrous Boy, about fifteene yeares of age, seen at Arelat, Anno 1561. in the month of Iuly, Valer. lib. 4. observ. 2. who had six fingers on each hand, but in his Left hand the ring and middle finger were joyned together without any space at all be­tweene them, this Boys hands were broad.

Corvus the Chyromancer, and H. Vuolfius af­firme that they had seen such.

Franc. Joh. Post. ad Schenck. dat is observ.In a certaine Town, called Kittinga, Postthius saies, he saw an honest Matron with six fingers on a hand, who brought forth a Son who had as ma­ny fingers.

Aldr. Monst. Hist. Aldrovandus was informed from men worthy of credit, that lately in the Country of Ferrara, viz. Anno 1579. on the twenty fourth day of Iuly about Evening, there was a monster borne with foure Armes, every of whose hands were bounded with six fingers.

[Page 305] Salmuthus saies,A sixth finger unprofitable. he knew a certaine Counsel­lours Daughters of Leipsick, who obtained six fin­gers on either hand, one was taken off from the right hand, but there remained almost more de­formity than before, this maid also was lesse han­dy about any businesse, on which occasion 'twas doubted, or made a quaery, after what sort there­fore in our Bibles the Giant of Gath was repor­ted to be stronger than others,2 Sam. 21. in respect of his sixe fingers on his hands and feet. Since according to Pliny, Plin. l. 11. c. 52. looke what part is more than ordinary by Nature in any living Creature, the same ser­veth to no use. As for example, the sixth finger in a mans hand is ever superfluous, and therefore fit for nothing. Yet Caelius saies,Coelius Rodig. Antiq. Lec. 17. cap. 12. he saw in Bononia a certaine poore Plebean, who had six fingers in both hands, inserted between the Eare and Ring finger, answerable in greatnesse to the rest, being besides movable, and accomodated as is wont for every use, his hands were of a remarkable breadth, there being nothing besides that was lesse comely. Which he was the willinger to take notice of, that we might know, that it is no judiciall Statute that those parts that are agnatae, or more than ordinary by Nature, are unprofitable, and of no effect. Cer­tainly the hand of man consists of five fingers, and if any thing arise in the body which exceeds the number appointed by Nature, it ought to be re­ferred to a Disease which consists in number of parts, and if that which redounds appeare in the naturall shape, as a sixth finger which hath bones and nailes sometimes doth, it denotes a superabun­dance of profitable matter, although it is very [Page 306] seldome seen that this supernumerary redundancy doth advantage any.Nations with­out Hands.

But what is more wonderfull and worthy of a further enquiry,Odor. Poster. Kornman. de Mirac. vivo­rum. is, That there is a Nation that wants hands; a great many of which un-handed monsters are to be seen in the Pallace of the great Cham. The sad condition that a Nation must needs be in who wants this Instrument of Instru­ments the Hand, makes me reflect upon a rapture of our Chirosophy:

Man naturally both commeth in, and goeth out of the world empty handed; yet I saw in London the other day an Italian, one Francis Bat­talia [Page 307] by name, about thirty yeares of Age,A Stone-Eater who was borne with two stones in one hand, and one in the other; who as soon as he was borne, having the breast offered unto him, refused to suck, and when they would have fed him with Papp, he ut­terly rejected that also, whereupon the Midwife and Nurse entring into consideration of the strangenesse of his birth, and refusall of all kind of nourishment, consulted with some Physicians what they should do in this case: They when they saw the Infant rejected all that they could con­trive for nourishment, told the women, that they thought that the Child brought its meat with it into the world, and that it was to be nourished with stones, whereupon they wish'd the Nurse to give him one stone in a little drinke, which he very readily tooke into his mouth and swallowed down, and when he had swallowed all the three stones, and began to want his hard-meat, the Physi­cians advised the nurse to get some small pebles, as like those which he was borne with as they could, with the which kind of nourishment he was brought up, and now in this stone-devouring-age, lest pebles should be too plentifull and cheape, he subsists here among us with the same kind of ali­ment. His manner is to put three or foure stones into a spoone, and so putting them into his mouth together, swallows them all down one after ano­ther; then (first spitting) he drinks a glasse of beere after them, he devours about halfe a pecke of these stones every day: and when he chinks up­on his stomack, or shakes his body, you may heare the stones rattle as if they were in a sack, all [Page 308] which in twenty foure houres are resolved,Glass-Devou­rers. and once in three weekes he voids a great quantity of sand by seige; after which digestion of them, he hath a fresh appetite to these stones as we have to our victuals, and by these, with a cup of Beere, and a pipe of Tobacco, he hath his whole subsi­stence; He hath attempted to eate meat, and bread, broath, and milke, and such kind of food, upon which other Mortals commonly live; but he could never brooke any, neither would they stay with him to do him any good. He is a black swarthish little fellow, active and strong enough, and hath been a Souldier in Ireland, where he hath made good use of this property; for, having the advantage of this strange way of alimony, he sold his allowance of provant at great rates; for he told me, that at Limbrick in Ireland, he sold a sixpenny Loafe, and two penny worth of Cheese for twelve shillings six pence. It seemes the fellow when he came first over, was suspected for an Im­postor, and was by command of the State shut up for a month with the allowance of two pots of Beere, and halfe an ounce of Tobacco every day, but was afterwards acquitted from all suspition and deceit.

Lust. Schol. [...]ent. 2. curat. 69This stone-devouring Monster, and helluo lapi­dum, may be compared to him whom Lusitanus saw at Ferara, who did eate hides, potsheards, or broken glasses, and concoct and digest them, in so much that all men called him the Ostrich, a bird of a wonderfull nature, to concoct things devou­red without any difference. But most resembles that Begger-boy whom Platerus speakes of,Felix Plat. de obser. prop. 155 living [Page 309] by a miserable and horrid gaine,Stone-Eater [...]. who for foure farthings would suddenly swallow many stones, which he every where met with by chance in any place, though they were as big as a walnut, so filling his belly, that by the collision of them while they were prest, the sound was openly heard; yet nei­ther he, nor the stone-devouring Castillian, which Abraham è Porta Leonis speaks of too,Dialog. de Auro. are any way to be compared with him for his rare faculty of concoction.

Long Breasts affected. SCENE XIX. Pap-Fashions.

Purch. Pilgr. 2. lib. 7. THey of Malve in Ethiopia, have loathsome, lovely, long Brests; for, the young women if they be twenty, or twenty five yeares of Age, they have their Breasts so long that they reach downe upon their Wastes, and this they take for a goodly thing, and they goe naked to shew them for a bra­very.

The Egyptian women have such great Breasts, it being almost incredible what Juvenal writes of them, supposing it to be naturall unto them;

Purch: Pilgr. 4. lib. 6. Helyn Geogr. Americae.The People within the Main of South-Ame­rica, called Camucujara, have Paps that reach un­der their Waste, and neere even down to their Knees, and when they run, or go faster than or­dinary, [Page 311] they bind them about their Waste.Long Dugs affected.

In the King­dom

of Senega, Aloys. Cadam. the women a­bout the seven­teenth yeare of their Age have their Breasts for­cibly drawn out by the men, who tye a rope about them for that ve­ry purpose, so that they sag down to their Belly.

The Azanegi magnifie very fat and grosse wo­men, especially those who have longer Dugs,Munst. Cosm. lib. 6. cap. 50. and which hang pensile from the Breast, and there­fore the men there use the same violence as the Se­negans do to their women,Aloys. Cadam. to stretch them out to the measure of their Fancy, insomuch as when they have once borne Children they grow longer, and more ugly and filthy to behold.

The women of Mexico so love to have great Dugs,Montaign. Essay lib. 2. that they strive to have their Children suck over their shoulders.

In the Island Arnobon, Du Pegr. Hist. Ind. Orient. the Nurses have so long Dugs, that they cast them over their shoulders.

The Women of Guinea, Purch. Pilgr. 2. lib. 7. when their Children cry to suck, they cast one of their Dugs backward over their shoulders, and so the Child sucketh as it hangs.

[Page 312] The proporti­on of the Breasts.

So also do the Irish-women at this day,Lythgough in his Travels. whose Breasts (as one saies) were fit to be made mo­ney bags for East or West-Indian Merchants, being more than halfe a yard long, and as well wrought as any Tanner with the like Charges could ever mollifie such leather.

The Breasts the store houses of milke resemble a halfe Bowle, they rise the breadth of two fingers high, when maids begin to have their Courses, and when they are full ripe and grown marriageable, they swell so that they may be covered with the hand; which Aristo­phanes cals [...], the goodly apples of the Breast. And lest the heavy Breast should flag down too low, because a woman goes alwaies upright, they are knit and tyed by their whole Basis or Bottom to the bonie part of the Chest. A fault therefore it is in the women of Ire­land, and others who never tye up their Breasts: but they sin with a higher hand against the Law of Na­ture who forcibly endeavour to breake these bonds by drawing them out unto a monstrous and ugly greatness; for by this Artifice the convenient figure and decent magnitude of the Breasts, which should concur to their natural constitution as it was, from whence their elegant beauty should arise, and the Breasts become most apt [Page 313] for the generation of milke, The inconveni­ences of great Breasts. as having a moderate heat and excellent conformation. Let them that will extoll great Breasts like udders, because they generate a great deale of milke; yet it is better to have a mediocrity then such a superfluity of milke, which if retained is easily corrupted in the Breasts, and hence great Dugs are more obnoxious to inflamations and Cancers, and being besides loose and moist, they cannot retaine that temperate heat, nay, not only by this perversion or destruction of the naturall and convenient forme and magnitude of the Breasts, and decent figure is this or­ganicall part rendred deformed, and extended beyond its just extuberancy which is accounted beautifull; but this goodly sagging Dugs, a Pap-fashion which they so affect is to no end, unless to make their children more saddle-nosed, which is the usuall inconvenience that attends them who suck Nurses with over-great laxu­riant Breasts, (and which it may be is the intention of this practice) and by spreading over the whole region of the Breasts, and swagging down sometimes lower, there follows one inconvenience not yet reckoned, for by their extravagant expatiation and bulky weight they prove no little hinderance to respiration. Nature (in­deed) sometimes is a little luxuriant and extuberant in the Breasts of some women, a remarkable History whereof Salmuthus hath of a Patient of his, Sal [...]. Medicin. observ. the wife of a noble Secretary, who before marriage was endowed with great Breasts; which notwithstanding at the first time of her impregnation did increase and rise to a greater, nay, even a most horrid bulke: and they al­waies after her conception did so encrease, that they were wont to hang down even unto her knees, at which strange case [...]lmuthus stood amazed when her [Page 314] husband shewed her Breasts unto him to be cured, The chiefe use of the Breasts. won­dring at the matter, which otherwise useth to be col­lected towards the Child in the wombe, making toge­ther the Belly tumid, that so great quantity should ascend upwards, or creepe to the Breasts; whence he observed, that there is not only a consent between the Veines of the Wombe and Breast, but a conflux also.

But although Nature, forced thereto against her will, prevaricates in the shape of the Breasts, and Di­vine Providence hath gone beyond the Rules, to which she hath necessarily constrained us, it is not to give us a dispensation from them; they are blows of his Di­vine hand, which we ought not to imitate, but ad­mire as extraordinary examples, and markes of an expresse and particular avowing of the severall kinds of wonders, which for a testimony of his omnipotency he affordeth us beyond our orders or forces, which it is folly and impiety to go about to represent; and which we ought not to follow, but contemplate with admirati­on, and meditate with astonishment, being Acts of his Personage, and not of ours.

Another thing discommendable in some of these Nations, is, that they take these loathsome lovely long Breasts to be a goodly thing, and that they go naked to shew them for a bravery; the chiefe use of the Breasts being the generation of milke; that they may be asha­med who for nicity and delicacy do forfeit this princi­pall use of these excellent parts, and make them only Stales, or Bawds of Lust, as too many Ladies amongst us do, who by opening these common shops of tempta­tion, invite the eyes of easie Chapmen to cheapen that flesh which seemes to lye exposed (as upon an open [Page 315] Stall) to be sould: The Breasts accounted shamefull parts. To whose Udders I could wish some severe Cato could present a good wholesome morall Hedgehog to make them shut up shop, and translate their Masques from their Face to their Breasts.

More innocent are the Maldives in the other harmelesse extreame,Purch: Pilgr. 1. lib. 9. who count the Breasts shamefull parts not to be spoken of; who careful­ly hide them, and to speake of them they account it very lascivious and dishonest: the Maids go naked untill their Breasts begin to beare out and encrease, and then they think it a thing needfull to cover them, holding as great a shame to shew them as their Privities.

The most Noble Virgins of Secota in Florida also are more modest than ours,De Bry Hist. Ind. who for the most part apply their hand to their shoulders, so cove­ring their Breasts in signe of Virgin modesty, being naked in all the rest of their body.

There being good reason in Nature why women should have a modest regard of them, and not so open­ly expose them; because the consent between the Breasts and Wombe is very great, in so much as the only con­trectation of them provoketh Lust.

Another, and that no small aggravation of their offence against Nature, is that these women should so love to have great Dugs, that they strive to have their Children suck over their shoulders: for, this is a de­vice contrary to the intention of Nature, as plainly ap­peares by the scituation of the Breasts, as we have shewed in our Vox Corporis, or Morall Anatomy of the Body.

Sutable to this absurdity is the Custome of the Turkish women,Helyn. who carry not their Chil­dren [Page 316] in their armes as we do,Very little Breasts affe­cted. but astride on their shoulders; But more conceited is the Fashion of the Matrons of Dasamonque in Florida, who have a strange manner of carrying their Children, plainly diverse from ours: For we, as a gesture more conformable to the hint of Nature, carry ours in our armes before our Breast; they taking hold of the right hand of the Child beare them on their back,De Bry Hist. Ind. embracing the Childs left-heele with their left-hand, by a way as wonderfull and forreign as it is averse to Nature.

Purch. Pilgr. 3. lib. 2.More commendable are the women of Uraba, who do mightily affect little Breasts, and use all the Art they can devise to have them so.

Allowable is the use of those Cosmetiques which are contrived by Art to restraine the exuberancy of the over-grown Breasts, and reduce them to their naturall proportion, which in the corrective part of medicine is performed by refrigerating repercussive medica­ments, which drive backward the matter to the pro­fundity, and excellently advancing the naturall heat, compell it to enter into the depth of the Body, and so meeting with the Aliment afar off prevents its passage io the more superficiall parts, and so consequently pro­hibits the undecent augmentation of the Breasts.

Yet the practice of some Indian women, to avoid the deformity of sagging Breasts, is no way allowed, who having Teats that become loose and hanging, use therefore abortions with a cer­taine herb, because they will not have this defor­mity, and when they fall the principall women beare them up with Bars of Gold.

As if the Breasts of women were intended only [Page 317] for ornament. Doe you thinke saith Phaverinus,Men with great Breasts. Phaver, in Aul. Gell. that Nature hath given women their swelling paps as so many more beautifull Warts, not for the nourishing of Children, but for the adorning of the Breast? for so many prodigious women endeavour to dry and dam up that most sacred Fountaine of the body and feeder of mankind; as if it should despoile them of the ensigns of Beauty, of which not the Vulgar, but the Learned complaine, that the greatest part of women (an anci­ent crime) put forth their Children to be Nursed, from whence there follows the frequent infirmities of mens Bodies, together with a shortning of the age, and a diminution in their stature. The same (or not much differing folly) are they guilty of, who use strange counterfeit sleights to abortiate the fruit of their Body, that the smoothnesse of the Belly be not winkled and enfeebled with the weight of the bur­then, and the labour of Child-birth, a thing deser­ving all hate and detestation, that a man in his very originall, whiles he is framed, whiles he is enlived, should be put to death under the very hands, and in the Shop of Nature.

In Aegypt the men have greater Breasts than the biggest of our women; for,Prosp. Alpin. lib. de med. Egypt. c. 9. Prosper Alpinus writes that they grow so fat by their course of Diet, that he never saw in any Country so many extreame fat men, as he observed in Grand Cairo, and he reports, that most of them are so fat that they have Breasts far greater and thicker than the longest Dugs of women. But if I should say that men in some Countries have not only great Breasts, bearing out like unto women which give suck, but that many men have given suck unto [Page 318] their own Children, it would sound very strange,Male Nurses. and somewhat against kind;Purch. Pilgr. 2. lib. 9. Alex. Benedict lib. 3. cap. 4. Anatom. yet upon credible witnesses it appeares to be very true. For, one Pe­ter a Christian Cafar at Sofula, his wife dying after Travell of a Daughter, nourished the same with milke from his own Breast for a whole yeare; Pitty of the motherlesse crying Infant, which his poverty could not otherwise relieve, caused him to seek to still it with laying it to his Breast, and then gave it somewhat to drinke, which having continued two or three dayes his Breast began to yield milke.

Purch. Pilgr. 2. lib. 9.A poore Jew of Ormus nourished his son with his Breast, the Mother dying when it was young in the Cradle.

A poore man in Moura, being sixty yeares old, had as much milke as a woman-Nurse, and gave suck to two Children.

I have not wherewith to accuse these Male Nur­ses of tampering with their Breasts: yet since the bu­sinesse concernes the reputation of Nature, 'tis worth the scanning. Anatomists say, that men have scarce any Glandules, since they (according to Hippocrates) were not to have any milke in their Breasts; yet they deny not that such a kind of humour like unto milke may be ingendred in them, which Aristotle cals milke, but unfit for nourishment. Bauhin. Anat. As Bauhinus observed in two men whose Breasts were replenished with a more copious juice; Idem Ibid. Alex. Buatus. Vesal. lib. 5. Hum. Corp. Fabr. lib. 18. sect. 7. Tra. 1. Sum. 2. ca. 39. J [...]c. Font. Art. med. pars 1 yet a certaine learned man affirmes that there have been seen some who putting an Infant to their Breasts have given suck. Vesalius saith, that more than once he had seen abundance of milke in men, which also Nicolus affirmes. Jacobus Fontanus [Page 319] saith, Women with manlike Breasts. he knew a Butcher of a good habit of body and fat, that had Breasts abounding with milke. And Bauhinus confesseth, Idem Ibid. that they who have viewed the new World, report, that men there generally almost have store of milke in their Breasts. In particular we read of the Cumacaiaro's, a Nation of Brasile,Renuard. Cysa­tus Ins. Japonia & Germanicè. that the men are endued with large Breasts, swelling with milk, which are sufficient for the suckling and nursing up of Infants; their women on the contrary being endo­wed with small and manlike Breasts. Which Femenine property of men, although not so frequently, Card. 4. de hist. Anim. 20. de subtil. 12. hath ap­peared also in this our old world. Cardan affirmes, that he saw at Venice one Antoney Bussey, of thirty yeares of Age, who had such abundance of milke in his Breasts, as was not only sufficient to suckle a Child, but it moreover sprouted out exuberantly. Johan. Conradus Schenckius (the Son) knew one Laurence Wolff, who from his youth to fifty five yeares of Age, being then so old, abounded with such store of milke, that in their meetings (being drunke) he would by way of sport, compressing his Breasts, ejaculate and spurt milk in the face of those that sate right over against him, being known to many by the name of Wolff the milke-spurter, being also desired by them often to shew his ability herein to others, neither yet did he hereupon perceive any paine, heavinesse, or tension.

And Vesalius affirmes, Vesal. l. 5. c. 18. de Corp. Hum. Fabr. sect. 7. tract. Sum. 2. c. 39. cited by M. Donat. med. Hist. admirab. Nic. Font. Art. Med. par. 1. that he hath more than once beheld milke issuing from the Breasts of men; and Nicolus affirmes as much.

Fontanus acknowledgeth, that through the good­nesse and perfection of temperament, milke is found in the Breasts of some men: And Alex. Buatus cited by him conceives it to be possible that men may have such [Page 320] store of milke in their Breasts that they may suckle an Infant. How men come to have milke in their Breasts

Hier. Eugub. lib. de Lacte.Hier. Eugubius saies, that he had seen men who had milke in their Breasts, which by expression sprouted out, and it is well known that milke (in men) is not made of menstruous bloud.

Marc. Donat. ca. 8. de variol. & morbil. Corn. Gemma, lib. 1. Cosm. c. 7.Marcellus Donatus remembers to have seene a man who sent milke forth out of his Breasts in a mani­fest quantity, and it is well known that in Males it can hardly be done out of menstruous bloud.

Yet the observation of Fabricius looks somewhat like an analogicall satisfaction to this point: As (saith he) women have their monthly Courses, so some men have a redundancy of bloud, which can neither be dis­cussed by urine nor sweat, nor insensible transpiration; but it flows to the testicles, and is excerned by the pas­sage of Vrine; hence many effeminate men in Germa­ny and Loraine have milke in their Breasts, and suffer purgations in an orderly vicissitude like women.

Gal. de usu par. And Galen confesseth, that some men have Glan­dules in their Breasts, wherefore these things vary ac­cording to Individuals: but that these Glandules are in all men, you may without forcing the Text collect. For since he assignes a double use of them, how can they sa­tisfie the other, and the common if they were destitute of Glandules? and to what end should that conforma­tion of the Teats be so like, that not a few men have gi­ven suck, (as the Histories above-mentioned witnesse) where if we turne away the calumny from Nature in the Glandules, how shall we at length avert it in the Teats? But yet the question is, whether the Breasts of men generate milke according to Nature? 'Tis true, there wants in the Breasts of man that consent with the [Page 321] womb, Amazons fea­ring off their Right Paps. and there wants that congress of the Mammillaries descendent, with the Epigastricall ascendent; if there­fore for these two causes the Breasts ingender no milke, why are we deluded with a fashood of their glandulous bodies? There is present too the conformation of the Teats that milke may flow out, why should not then the Argument conclude? Hofman answers, that even as they are, yet they are not for milke, and he would not have that which happens to one man of Thousands to be attributed to all men, accounting these Stories of the New World to be little better than Fables; Nature when she would have both Sexes to be like one unto ano­ther, she made Breasts in men; for since matter was present, what use should she make of it unlesse this, she being studious to preserve the Analogy between man and woman. Neither are they in vaine in men, if they fulfill the use common to both Sexes.

Surely the Analogy between the Breasts of man and woman, is somewhat greater than is ordinarily granted, Salmuthus in obs. med. cent. 1. ob. 92. although this be somewhat more than that which Sal­muthus relates of a Maid servant, who having the care of an Infant, laid him in the same bed with her selfe, and as wenches are sometimes prone to be wanton, she often offers him her Breast to suck; her Courses stop, she hath thereupon milke in her Breast and gives suck.

The Ancient Amazones, Porta Human. Physiog. lib. 2. of whom we read so oft in learned Authors, were wont to seare off their right Breasts, which was then the Archers fashion. Porta saies, the Amazons feare off their right Paps, that more nourishment going into the hand next it, might encrease the strength of that which was but weake by Nature. Others say, [Page 322]

that the Amazons much helping themselves in the wars with Bows and Ar­rows,Amazons that feare off their Left Paps. and find­ing that in this and other exer­cises of Armes their Dugs or Breasts were a very great hin­derance to them, they used to burne off the right Pap, both of themselves and their Daughters, and thereupon they were called Amazons, which signifieth in the Greeke Tongue, No Breasts.

Purch, Pilgr. 3. lib. 7.

The chiefe of the Guard of the King of Con­go are left-han­ded Amazons, who seare off their left Paps with a hot Iron, because it should be no hinde­rance to them in their shooting.Pigafetta in his relation of Congo. Pigafetta in his reports of the Kingdome of Congo, makes the like mention of [Page 323] these Amazons, who serve the Emperour Monomo­tapa. The History of Amazons no Fable. Grimston of their manners. Grimston makes mention of these women war­riours serving this Emperour, who after the man­ner of the ancient Scythish or Asiatique Amazons, have their Breasts cut off.

Neare the Land of Chalde is the Land of Ama­zons, Sir Joh. Mand. Travels. c. 50. which is inhabited by women only, who converse with men of neighbouring Countries whom they send for; if they have maid Children they keep them, and if they be of noble bloud they burne the left Pap away for bearing of a Shield, and if they be of a baser degree, they burne the right Pap away for shoo­ting.

There is also report, that there is a Nation of them about Guiana. And although Sir Walter Rawley in his voyage thither when he was neare the River of Amazons, was very inquisitive after them yet could not find them; yet the Translator of the report of the Kingdom of Congo hopeth that some good Guianean may hereafter assure us that there is such a Nation.

For although those relations of Amazons, when they first come from the new World, were by many ac­counted a Fable, Peter Martyr (formerly) esteeming it a semi-fable, yet afterwards in his seventh Decade his beliefe came more up to it, being heightned by the allegations of men of credit, contesting that it was true. And Eusebius Nierembergensis witnesseth, Euseb. Niet. Hist. Nat. that he was assured of the truth herein by a Cassique, or Duke of that Region.

The Breasts by Nature are two, even as the whole body alwaies is bipertite, that like good handmaids [Page 324] they might serve their Dame the Wombe, The Inconve­niencies of the Amazonian convenience. which seeme as it were parted into two; for, the Milke, the Fucus of Nature as Plato cals it, comes not into the Breasts un­till the Infant be throughly perfected; and that if there be two Infants, yet they might both at once have where­with to satisfie and nourish them. But these Amazons discarding the tendernesse of their Sex, and desiring to improve themselves Viragoes, abreviate Natures pro­vision for an unnaturall conveniency; whereby the proportion of the Breast for ornament of the Chest, and the compleat representation of it is lost. This their in­stitution being destructive to another secondary use of the Paps, to wit, of their scituation; for, they were ordai­ned to be a kind of covering and defence for the heart, and that themselves having received heat and cherish­ment from the heart, might againe returne unto its warmth, such as we get by garments we buckle about us: Hence it is that those men who have great breasts, bearing out like a woman that gives suck, as a Casar in the river Quiliame which we read of had, are of a colder temperament, as Nature seemes to intimate by a more than ordinary provision of this covering; especi­ally this use is manifest in woman, in whom these Breasts grow oftentimes into a great masse and weight, so as they being far colder than men, their entralls under the Hypocondria are warmed by them. Hippoc. lib. de Glandulis. Another penalty of their crime against the offended Majesty of Nature they must needs incur, unlesse with their Breasts they put off the very Nature of woman, since another use of the Paps, according to Hippocrates, was, to receive excre­mentitious moisture: For if (saith Hippocrates) any disease, or other event, take away a womans Paps, her voice becomes shriller, she proves a great spitter, and is [Page 325] much troubled with the paine in her head. Men that pierce their Paps.

The Inhabi­tants

of Malha­da, Purch. Pilgr. 4. lib. 7. the men have one of their Paps peirced from the one side unto the other, and there are some that have them both pierced, and in the hole which they make they carry a Cane acrosse, of the length of two spans and an halfe, and two fingers thick; and and this is a singular piece of Gallantry with them.

Before this Scene goes off, I ought to take no­tice of a prophane Cavill of Momus against the Fabrique of the Breast of man, who found fault that Nature had not made a Window in the Breast of man that one might have seen the mo­tions of his heart, and discovered the affections of his mind: And amongst other things which King Don Alonso would (who was Surnamed the Wife) indiscreetly reforme in Nature, this was one among the rest, that he did blame her that she had not made a Window in mans Breast, that he might see that which he was plot­ting in his heart, and whether his manner of pro­ceeding were faire and sincere, or whether his [Page 326] words were feigned,No need of a window in the Breast. or whether (like Janus) he had two faces under one hood?

Alas! the desired Window in the Breast would have been of little or no use, since it stands not with the conveniency of most Nations to go with an open and bare Breast: and say that the Breasts were generally exposed to the Eye; Are not the Eyes two Casements that looke down into the Heart? And hath not the Countenance a sufficient declaration of the Affection? The Eyes being two severall Indexes of the same: Na­ture in recompence, and analogically to answer the cu­riosity of these mens Phantsies, hath established a cer­taine Art of Physiognomy whereby a man may attaine unto a sufficient intelligence of the thoughts and affecti­ons of others.

SCENE XX. What mischief by swathing of Infants. Dangerous Fashions, and desperate Affectations about the Breast and Waste.

THe Pergamits, as it appeares by Galens observation, had a great affectation of old in­streight swathing of their Children. The walls (saith he) of the Breasts, are for the most part, depraved by Nur­ses, while they from the first education do over­strictly bind them about with swathing bands: especially (saith he) is this daily done among us to Virgins, for while their Nurses are carefull to encrease their Hips and sides, that they may exceed the Breast in magnitude, they roll them all over with certaine bands, and more vehemently restraine and compresse all the parts of the Scapula and Thorax; whence it comes to passe sometimes, that when all the parts are not equally compres­sed, the Breast is made to bunch out forward; or else the hinder parts that belong to the Back-bone [Page 328] are made Gibbous, Swathing a cause of croo­kednesse. so that they become crook­backt. Another inconvenience also follows, that the Back becomes as it were quite broken, and brought to one side, insomuch (indeed) as one of the Scapula's is not increased, but appeares small and compressed. We have the judgement of Fra­bicius Hildanus, and Sennertus. both learned men, touching this matter. In certaine Regions (saith Hildanus) and Families, Hild. lib. de morb. puer. it is a custome by invol­ving their little Infants as soone as they are born (for what cause they know not) to pen them up in too streight swathing Bands.

Whence it often happens that their bodies and limbs protuberate with crooked bunches, and other deformi­ties of the Knees, Legs, and other parts; but also by reason of the more strict involution it happens (which no man need to doubt of) that their bones being yet tender, soft, and cartilaginious, are easily wrested and drawn out of their naturall scituation, which after­wards by degrees harden into an excrescence, which he had observed in many. Hereupon becomming crook­backt and lame, the naturall proportion of the body is depraved, and the body made incommensurate; for, whereas a measure taken from the Crown of mans head to the sole of his foot should answer to the distance between the middle finger of his right hand to the middle finger of his left hand when the Armes are stretched out to the full length; this proportion can­not be observed in crook-backt men, and hence they are justly accounted unproportioned.

The providence that is to be used in the swathing of Infants is a thing of high concernment, and there­fore there cannot be too much said thereof. Take there­fore [Page 329] what Mercatus hath of this matter:Cautions in ordering In­fants. This, saith he, ought alwaies to be the care of Nurses,Mercat. de In­fant. Educat. l. 1. that when they swathe their Children, they endeavour to touch and handle every part of their body gently, and carefully to divide that lightly which is to be divided, and to ex­tend that which is to be extended, and depresse that which is to be depressed, and to fashion every part ac­cording to the innate and more comly proportion of each part, yet they must do it with a tender compression, and with the very ends of their fingers too. But swath­bands being provided for that purpose, for the right or­dering of the structure of the body; if there be need, they must gently and softly revoake and rectifie the members, (but if they be formed according to Nature, they ought in no wise inconsiderately to touch them, be­cause oftentimes they fall into worse condition through the carelesnesse of those that handle them;) and for that cause they must not only be very carefull to swathe their Children, but also in laying of them down when they are swathed, lest some part should chance to remain awry, or ill figured. They must also gently squeese the bladder, that they may the more easily make water. Moreover the hands and armes are to be extended to the knees. They must lightly bring the feet on both sides backward to the back, and before to the head, that they may learne to bend every part which ought to be bent; yet they ought not to remaine setled upon the belly, lest they prejudice the Entralls; neither againe ought they to hold them with their face downwards untill they are swathed all over; For it is better, first to compose the swathbands, that being laid they may receive the In­fant upon his back; yet they must observe this caution, lest in swathing them, a leg or an arme, the backe or the [Page 330] neck be by any meanes distorted;Our Custome of swathing children con­demned. they ought to cleane the Nose, and to wipe the eyes with a gentle linnen cloath, and thus after they have suckt sufficiently, to lull them asleep by very gentle motions of the Cradle, for by vio­lent rockings the Epilepsie ariseth: And it is better from the third month, that they should be carried, and in the Nurses armes lull'd asleep; also you must take heed that you bind them not too strictly, for that often­times is the cause of gibbosity and crookednesse, neither therefore ought they to be too loose, because their mem­bers are wont to lose the naturall figure, and acquire that which in the relaxed space can be acquired. Moreover we ought not to permit them forthwith, nor in the Sum­mer time to have their armes at liberty before the space of three months, and in the Winter not before foure; yet the right hand must for some few daies be first taken out, that thereby they may become right-handed; indeed their hands are weakned, and their fingers for the most part are depraved with crookednesse. Also after nine months you may suffer them to put on shooes, about which time they will be able to trample on the ground, and to hold themselves upright, and that they may do twice or thrice in a day, and afterwards compell them by little and little, and by degrees to go by steps, so that by that labour you do not very much enforce them, but gently, untill they attaining more strength desire it of themselves, and may without harme endure it.

We in England are noted to have a most per­verse custome of swathing Children, and streight­ning their Breasts.

Which narrownesse of Breast, occasioned by hard and strict swadling them, is the cause of many inconveni­ences and dangerous consequences. For, all the bones of [Page 331] new-borne Infants,The naturall proportion of the Breasts. especially the Ribs of the Breast, are very tender and flexible, that you may draw them to what figure you please; which when they are too strictly swathed with Bands, reduce the Breast to so narrow a scantling as is apt to endanger, not only the health, but the life of Children. For hence it is, that the greatest part of us are so subject to a Consumption, and distillations, which shorten our daies, and bring us to an untimely Grave: For they who have more streight and narrow Breasts, are necessarily made op­portune to spitting of bloud, distillations and the in­flamations of the parts of the Breast, since the Lungs in such grow very hot; for when the rest of the body retaines its proportion and due magnitude, and the Breast is made narrower, more bloud is collected about the Breast than it can digest or expell from it selfe, whence neasting in those cavities (especially of the Ar­terious veines, or veine-Arterie,) degenerates into the causes of many diseases. Moreover, the Breast it selfe corrected is very much weakned, whereupon the bloud flowing thither hotter, or (sticking there) becoming sharpe, doth easily erode the vessels, neither is Nature now able to defend her selfe any longer. The Breast hath an Ovall figure, in its naturall magnitude, it doth make eight Geometricall inches, to wit, that which begins at the throat-bone, and is terminated in the sword-like cartilage; the Back from the first Vertebra of the Breast to the end of the twelfth, or reaching to the beginning of the first of the Loines, obtaines a Geometricall foot and one inch: So that the Breast is shorter than the Back by five Inches, the sides run out from the Clavicula to the end of the Breast, where the Bastard-Ribs end, and have nine inches and a halfe; [Page 332] the Perepheria of the Breast is two Geometricall foot and two Inches.Swathing a cause of the Rickets. If you render your breadth it is nar­rowed an Inch; If you take it in, it is dilated two Inches, this is the naturall proportion. Now when ei­ther by Nature, or this foolish violence of Art, the Breast by compressing is made narrower and unpropor­tioned, the Scapulae usually appeare prominent, and they become such as Hipocrates calls Alatos, and by that fi­gure obnoxious to a Phtysique, the back-bone not only being hurt, and they made gibbous, but the Lungs thereupon cannot preserve their figure: the best pre­scription therefore for such who are become this way proclive to a Phtysique, is to use such exercises as gently dilate and extend the Breast, as shooting, vociferation, commotion of the Armes, and attraction and compres­sing of much breath, which yet must be done with caution and without violence. Among such, and other the like inconveniences, occasioned by this unhappy custome, it is very remarkable, that the Rickets, a disease frequent with us, but scarce known where they use not to swath their Children, is occasioned, as I am perswa­ded, (and some good Physitians are of the same opini­on) only by this perverse custome of swathing, it be­ing an observation among some Ladies that I have dis­coursed with, that no Children that are kept with a Belly-bands only, and not swathed streight upward, are troubled with the Rickets; A notion worth the taking notice of by those who would not have their Children grow sick of the Fashions. And although Doctor Glis­son, and the other Doctors his Assistants in that lear­ned Tract, which to their great honour they have lately published of this new disease, commonly called the Rickets, or more properly the Rackets; where they [Page 333] speake of the causes of the Curvity of the bones,The cause of the Rickets enquired into. they do not wholly assent to their opinions who ascribe it to the flexibility of Bones, inveighing against Nurses which prematurely commit Infants and Children to their feet, thinking that their bones are bent by the weight of the sustained body, nor to others likewise ac­cusing the unskilfull way of swathing practised by Nurses: yet they partly grant, that in so tender an age the bones may perchance be somewhat bent, yet they would not remaine bent as Lead or Wax, but left to their liberty they would at length returne to the pro­per position of the parts; for they do not consist of a Ductile matter, in so much as they would be broken in the bending, or would certainly endeavour to reco­ver the former site of parts. And as to the unskilfulnesse and carelesnesse of Nurses, they do not wholly excuse them, yet they thinke they cannot justly impute this Curvity unto them; since they see that the Children of poore men are handled with lesse care, and sooner com­mitted to their feet than Gentlemens Children are, and yet their children are more rarely infested with this infirmity than theirs; and they have known Nurses, who having used the uttermost diligence both in swa­thing, and other waies of handling Infants, that they have given suck unto, yet they could not prevent or avoid this Curvity of the bones. But where they come to speake of the Causes, why, in tract of time, the Spine or Rack-bone cannot be raised up according to a straight and naturall line; here verily (say they) we can­not at all excuse the negligence and carelesnesse of nurses, that they do not attentively enough observe unto which part rather, Infants whom they suckle, are prone to encline their body, to the end they may diligently [Page 334] and carefully endeavour to direct it to the opposite part.Where they never swath Children. Likewise also, when Nurses prematurely and without regard commit weaker Infants to their feet, it may fall out, that since the Tonique motion of the Muscles is not sufficient for sustentation of the Body, they may suffer the Knee or Leg of the Child to be ben­ded into one side; whereupon the Ligaments of the joint are extended either on the inner or outward side and by consequence the Ligaments of the adverse sides are contracted, whereby the Ioint must necessarily be bended either outward or inward. Therefore although they had above denied the Curvity of the Bones to de­pend upon this, yet they grant that the distortion of Ioints in weake Infants may happen through such a carelesnesse of Nurses; granting moreover, that by their constant and foolish Fasciation, the bones, which otherwise were streight, may be incurvated, although they do not esteeme it to be the constant and ordinary cause of this organicall infirmity.

Plut. in the Life of Licurgus. The Spartan Nurses used a certaine and better manner to bring up their Children without swadling or binding them up in cloaths and swathing-bands; Grimston of their manners. so as they made them nimbler of their Limbs, better shaped, and goodlier of body: And this was the reason why many stran­gers sought to have Nurses from Sparta, to nurse and bring up their Children.

Purch: Pilgr. 2. lib. 9. In Candou-Island, one of the Islands accounted to Asia, they never swadle their Children, but let them go free, yet never any prove deformed: So do the Irish, and yet none of their Children prove crooked, although the women be not [Page 335] slender. So they do in the North of England,Where they never swaddle Children. where the Rickets hath not much prevailed. As for the swadling of Children, they that dwell in hot Countries and neare the Tropicks, Ramutius Nar­rat. of Nova Francia. have no care of it, but leave them free unbound; but drawing towards the North, the Mothers have an eeven smooth board, like the Covering of a Dra­wer or Cupboard, upon which they lay the Child wrapped in a beaver furre, (unlesse it be too hot,) and tyed thereupon with some swadling-band, whom they carry on their Backs, their Legs hanging downe, then being returned into their Cabins they set them in this manner up straight against a stone, or something else.

In Brasile the Children are never swadled, Lindscot. lib. 2. or lapped in Cloaths, but only laid in a little Cot­ton Bed; we would thinke that if our Children should not be wound or swadled, that they would grow crooked, whereof not any are founda­mong them, but rather go uprighter than any people in the World.

The Canarins and Corumbins of the Indies,Grimston of their manners. who live not far from Goa, the women among them are delivered without a midwife, and then they presently wash their Children, and lay them upon Indian figleaves, and so they go presently about their businesse, as if they had not been new­ly delivered; the Children are nursed naked, and when they are filthy, they use no other mystery than to wash them with water; so as they grow strong, and active, and fit for any thing, for they are not daintily bred. The men of this sort live many times an hundred yeares in perfect health, [Page 336] and never lose tooth, What swath­ing our Cly­mate requires. mocking at our delights, with the which we wrong our lives and na­ture.

Spigelius. An [...]m. The Venetians therefore have an excellent Custome, to involve rather than swathe their In­fants in a light swath-band, desiring to have ra­ther a broad than a narrow Breast, a full than a slender.

Fond opinion (indeed) hath obtained this with us, that Children, unlesse they were diligently involved and constrained in swathing-bands, they would have distorted Legs: Which the Barbarians take least care of, who put their Infants new borne naked and un­swathed into their Hamacchos, whose Children not­withstanding of all Mortals go most streight. 'Tis confessed, the temperature of the aire doth very much availe to that purpose, and therefore we may allow our Children in Winter-time to be diligently involved and bound up with swath-bands in their Cradles, because otherwise they are unfit to endure the Cold of our Cli­mate: but in Summer and temperate seasons of the yeare (especially when there is no frosty weather, with others good leave, saith a learned Physitian) I should thinke (as much as I can attaine by experience) that Infants are to be freed from these bands and set at li­berty; some kind of Couch invented for that purpose, out of which they cannot fall; and verily (saith he) I am of that mind, that the extraordinary heat doth not a little incommodate, wherewith Children in the time of Summer revinct with swath-bands are as it were stew'd.

Yet it is not to be omitted what our Physitians ob­serve in their late learned Tract of the Rickets; That [Page 337] the too early leaving off those swath-bands and blan­kets, wherein Infants are discreetly involved,Enquiry after the Causes of the Rickets. is con­ceived to be one cause why Infants, when they are new borne, are very seldome troubled with the Ric­kets; for, Midwives and Nurses order new-borne Infants with such Art, that their condition may as neare as can be approach unto that which they lately had in the Wombe. For they on every side involve the whole body, except the head, in one continued inclo­sure; whence the outward parts of the body, and the first affected in this disease are defended against the injuries of the externall cold, and the hot exhalati­ons breaking out from any part of the Body, by that swadling-clout perchance doubled or trebled, and rolled about with swath-bands, are evenly retained, and e­qually communicated to all parts of the Body, that they may be cherished as it were in a common stove with an equall heat. Therefore since the chiefe part of the es­sence of this disease consists in an equall cold distem­per, no marvell if these muniments of the body do avert it, at least for a time: But when after some months, if not sooner, the hands of Infants are freed from that common covering, as the Custome is, and perchance before they are six months old, their feet also in the day time, although they are againe swathed at night, all the day at least, their outward members are destitute of this common nourisher of naturall heat: Our Nur­ses also, (as they judiciously note) often erre while they too soone coat feebler Infants; for they unhappily de­fine the time of Coating Children by number of months, whereas they ought rather to make their account out of the activity and strength of motion in their feet and hands: for when the motion and exercise of those [Page 338] parts may more confer to excite and cherish their heat,A strange way of ordering Children. and irritate their pulses, than the nourishment of swath-bands, without doubt then is the mature time for Children to be freed from their primative inrollments, having then no other need of this propulsive cause.

The manner of ordering Infants among the Peruvians, is worth the taking notice of; for there, the Children, both of the Nobles and Plebeians, are first washed in cold water, and in like man­ner every day before they swathe them, neither do they untill the third month let them have their Armes at liberty, supposing that conduceth to their strength; they lay them in woodden Cra­dles upon nets instead of Beds, they never take them into their Armes or their Laps, no not when they give them suck, but stooping down reach the Dug unto them, & that only thrice eve­ry day. And that which may shame our Ladies of Europe, the mothers themselves, although they were Queens, nurse their Children, unlesse they are hin­dered by a Disease, or some other Sontick Cause, and then for the most part they abstaine from the company of their husbands, lest they should be constrained to weane their Children before the time, for they who upon such a Cause are wea­ned before their time, by a propudious name they called Ayusca, as much as to say Bastard.

Joan. de Laet. descript. Novi orb. occident. lib. 11. cap. 21. Another foolish affectation there is in young Virgins, though grown big enough to be wiser, but that they are led blindfold by Custome to a fashion pernicious beyond imagination; who thinking a slender waste a great beauty, strive all that they possibly can by streight-lacing them­selves [Page 339] to attaine

unto a wand-like smalnesse of waste, Small Wastes pernitiously affected. never thinking them­selves fine e­nough untill they can span their Waste.

By which dead­ly Artifice they re­duce their Breasts into such streights, that they soone purchase a stinking breath; and while they ignorant­ly affect an angust or narrow Breast, and to that end by strong compulsion shut up their Wasts in a Whale-bone prison, or little-ease; they open a doore to Consumpti­ons, and a withering rottennesse: Hence such are justly derided by Terence;

So that it seemes this foolish fashion was in request in the time that Terence lived.

Hoechstetterus in his description of Auspurge, the Metropolis of Swevia observes, this foolish [Page 340] custome is at this day entertained generally a­mong the Virgins there. Streight-la­cing a cause of much mischiefe They are, saith he, (de­scribing the Virgins of Auspurge) slender, streight­laced, with demisse shoulders, lest being grosse and well made, they should be thought to have too athletique bodies.

Which among other Causes may contribute much mischiefe to that Epidemicall Disease, the whites and white Feavour, with which they are so frequently an­noyed in these times, whereof the ancient women boast they never heard of.

Paraeus where he propounds Instruments for the mending such deformities, observes, that the Bodies of young Maids or Girles (by reason they are more moist and tender than the bodies of Boyes,) are made crooked in processe of time: Especially by the wrenching aside, and crookednesse of the back bone; the most frequent cause whereof is the unhandsome and undecent scituati­on of their Bodies when they are young and tender, ei­ther in carrying, sitting, or standing (and especially when they are taught to go too soone) saluting, sewing, writing, or in doing any such like thing. In the meane while he omits not the occasion of crookednesse, that happens seldome to the Country people, but is much in­cident to the Inhabitants of great Townes and Cities, which is by reason of the straitnesse and narrownesse of the garments that are worne by them; which is occa­sioned by the folly of Mothers, who while they covet to have their young Daughters bodies so small in the mid­dle as may be possible, pluck and draw their bones awry, and make them crooked. For, the Ligaments of the Back-bone being very tender, soft and moist, at that age, cannot stay it straite, and strongly, but being pliant [Page 341] easily permits the Spondels to slip awry inwards, out­wards, or sidewise, as they are thrust or forced.Causes of Crookednesse And in another place, speaking of dislocations, or luxations, and the causes of Bunch-backs, and saddle-backs, and crooked ness, he saith, that fluid and soft bodies, such as childrens, usually are very subject to generate the internall cause of these mischiefes, Defluxions: But if externall occa­sions shall concur with these internall causes, the Verte­bra will sooner be dislocated. Thus Nurses whilst they too streightly lace the Breasts and sides of Girles, so to make them slender, cause the Breast-bone to cast it selfe forwards or backwards, or else the one shoulder to be bigger or fuller, the other more spare and leane: And if this happen in Infancy, the Rib [...] grow little or nothing in Breadth, but run outwards before, therefore the Chest loseth its naturall Latitude, and stands out with a sharpe point, hence they become Astmatick, the Lungs and Muscles which serve for breathing being pressed toge­ther and streightned; and that they may the easier breathe, they are forced to hold up their heads, whence al­so they seeme to have great Threats, and their bodies use unto grow at the Spine, and the parts belonging to the Breast and Back become more slender; neither is it any wonder, for, seeing the Veines, Arteries, and Nerves are not in their places, the spirits do neither freely, nor the alimentary juyces plenteously flow by these streight­ned passages, whence leannesse must needs ensue. The the same errour is committed if they lay Children more frequently along upon their sides than upon their backs, or if taking them up when they wake, they take them only by the feet or legs, and never put their other hand under their backs, never so much as thinking that Children grow most towards the Heads. And I would to God [Page 342] the vanity and indiscreetnes of Mothers in their Insti­tution,Children un­borne how dis­figured. and precise exercise of their Laws and Customes in this matter, did only take effect when they endeavour it on set purpose after the Birth of their Children, and that their inconsideration and imprudency did not un­wittingly many times deprave their Children, even whilest they embrace them in the wombe. Not to men­tion those impressions of deformity which depend upon Imagination, frights, fals, or blows, and evill Diet, from whence much mischiefe many times proceeds to the disfiguring of the Child yet unborne. To the causes of mans transformation are justly referred the undecent Session, or the ill collocation of the mother in sitting, or lying, or any other posture of her body during the time she goes with child: For hereupon, not only the body of the mother, but of the Child inclosed in the wombe, is perverted and distorted. Wherefore they who all the time of their going with Child either sit idle at home, or with their legs acrosse, or with bodies bowed towards their knees, sew, or spin, or employ themselves in some other action, or more streightly constringe their Bellies with long bellied, and straight-laced Garments, Busks, Rollers, or Breeches, bring forth Children awry, or stiffnecked, bowed, crooked, crump-shouldered, distorted in their hands, feet, and all their Limbs, because the Child can neither move freely, nor commodiously extend his members. What should they do with others? If they had better they would spoile them.

Spigelius. More cautious and better advised are the Ve­netian Dames, who never lace themselves, ac­counting it an excellency in beauty to be round and full bodied; to attaine which comely ful­nesse they use all the Art possible; and if they be [Page 343] not corpulent by Nature, Round and full Bodies affected. nor can be really brought to it by

Art, will yet counterfeit such a Habit of body by the bumba­sticall dissimula­tion of their Garments. Purch. Pilgr. 2. lib. 6.

The Egyptian Moorish wo­men discreetly affect the same liberty of Na­ture, who spread their Armes under their Robes, to make them shew more corpulent, for they thinke it a speci­all excellency to be fat, and most of them are so in frequenting the Baines for certaine daies toge­ther, using such frictions and Diet as daily use con­firmeth for effectuall.

And indeed, as my Lord Bacon noteth,Lord Bacons nat. hist. cent. 9. Frictions make the parts more fleshy and full: as we see both in men, and in the currying of Horses, &c. the cause is, for that they draw greater quantity of spirits and bloud to the parts: And againe, because they draw the Aliment more forcibly from within: And againe, because they relax the Pores, and so make better pas­sage for the spirits, bloud, and aliment: Lastly, because they dissipate and digest an inutile or excrementitious moisture which lyeth in the flesh: all which, help assi­mulation. Frictions also do more fill and impinguate the Body than exercise. The cause is, for that in [Page 344] Frictions the inward parts are at rest,How to make a body fleshy and full. which in exer­cise are beaten many times too much; and for the same reason Galley-slaves are fat and fleshy, because they stir the Limbs more and the inward parts lesse.

SCENE XXI. A modest Apology. Strange inventive Contradictions against Nature, practically maintai­ned by divers Nations in the orde­ring of their Privy-parts.

AFter our Historicall peregrinati­on, to discover the use and abuse of Parts, being arrived at this place, in the Tract of a practicall Metamorphosis, I could not see how I should an­swer it to Nature, if I had si­lently passed by the abuses that have been put upon her in these parts; for had I gi­ven way to such an unseasonable modesty, my designe had proved lame, and a great part of my end and aime frustrated, it being to make a thorough discovery, not only of the pragmaticall vanity of man, but of the raging malice of the enemy of mankind, who labours to deforme and destroy the worke of Nature, while af­ter most wonderfull and strange waies he exerciseth prophane and wicked men by the law of his Tyranny, [Page 346] to which he hath enslaved them, The cause of frequent Trans­formations. who in the first place hath laid snares for the parts of Generation, there be­ing no other part be so deadly hates, not only endea­vouring (as Peucerus rightly notes) to encrease the penalty inflicted by God upon Nature; but to hin­der the propagation of the remaining impression of the Image of the Archetype in man, and debar his re­stitution, which is one reason that is given by the learned Bauhinus of the cause of mans so frequent Transformation. Bauhin. lib. de [...] Hermoph. I, but some may say, this might have been an obstacle; to reveale the veile of Nature, to pro­phane her mysteries for a little curious skill pride, to ensnare mens minds by sensuall expressions seemeth a thing lyable to heavy constructions. But what is this (as one saith, apollogyzing for himselfe in such a busi­nesse) but to arraigne Vertue at the bar of Vice? Hath the Holy Scripture it selfe, the Wisdome of God, as well in the old Law particularly, as also in many passages of the New, balked this Argument? God that created these parts, did he not intend their preservation in the state of Nature, and can they be preserved so, if we know not their naturall perfection? Or if the inju­rious inventions of man have practically depraved these parts, can Nature be vindicated, or her honesty asserted without knowledge and discovery of the Abu­ses that have been, and are committed in these parts? Examples there are of this Concession, not only in La­tine, but in all mother Tongues. And the most of my Histories are in English already, as appeares by the grave Authours quoted, and this hath had an allow­ance in all Ages and Common-wealths, and the opini­on of grave and reverend Divines, is, that such dis­courses upon fit occasions are not to be intermitted. [Page 347] Indeed, Yard-Balls. it were to be wished that all men would come to the knowledge of these secrets with pure eyes and eares, such as they were matched with in their Creati­on. But shall we therefore forfeit our knowledge be­cause some men cannot containe their lewd and in­ordinate affection? Our intention is first and prin­cipally to discover the abuses of the parts; Seconda­rily, to teach those who are sober minded the naturall use honesty and perfection of parts, as well to give glory to him who hath so wonderfully created them, as also to explode and detest the mischieves, prodigious vanity, to which among, and above the rest, these parts have been notoriously subjected. As much as was pos­sible we have endeavoured (not frustrating our lawfull scope) by honest words and circumlocutions to render the Argument more favourable to the eares of those who are wise indeed, and not to discontent any, un­lesse the Negative ignorance of such, who precisely thinke there is no other principle of goodnesse, than not to know evill.

The Inhabitants of Ava in the West-Indies, Purch. Pilgr. 3. lib. 1. weare in their Yards betwixt the skin and flesh, Bels of Gold, Silver, or Brasse, of the bignesse of Nuts; which they put in when they are of age to use women, and in short time cure the place; and the men much please themselves to heare the sound of them as they go, these Venus-Morris-Dancers frisking often to the tune of their own Codpiece-musique.

In Pegu, Langiamnes, Siam, Purch. Pilgr. 3. lib. 10. and the Bramas men weare Bunches, or little round Bals in their privy members, some of them weare two, and some three, for they cut the skin and so put them in, [Page 348]

one into one side,The cause of the invention of Yard-balls. and another in­to the other side; which they do when they are twenty five or thir­ty yeares old, and at their plea­sure they take one or more of these yardballs out as they thinke good. When they marry, the Husband is, for every Child which his wife hath, to put in one untill they come to three, and then no more, for they say the women do desire them.

Magin. Georgr. Ind. orient.One Geographer gives in evidence against the Peguans, that they are very much given to luxurie, and that they in favour of the women weare golden or silver bells, hanging at their virile mem­bers, to the end that they make a sound as they walk through the City.

Grimston of their manners.Another saith, the Peguans are wonderfully gi­ven to the love of women, and for their sakes they weare little bells of Gold and Silver hanging at their members, to the end they may make a noise when as they go in the streets.

Herberts Tra­vels, lib. 3.For Siam another Authour reports, that to de­ter these Catamites, a late Queene Rectrix com­manded that all Male Children should have a bell of Gold (in it an Adders Tongue dried) put through the prepuce, which in short time not only became not contemptible, but in way of ornament, and for Musique, few are now without three or foure; so that when they have a mind to marry, he hath his choice of what maid he likes, but beds her not untill the Midwife presents a sleepy Opiate potion, during the operation whereof, the Bell is loosed from the flesh and fastened to the [Page 349] Foreskin, which hinders not, but titilates;A description of these Yard-balls. the Unguent is applied and the cure is perfected.

I beleeve the report of these Bells of Siam will ring like a loud lye, and the yard, Tennis-Balls, keep a vile racketin mens imaginations, and ere Reason hath plaid out the Game, will be struck into the hazzard of incre­dulity; yet beyond expectation I have met with a kind of ocular assurance in this businesse, which I owe to the courtesie of an ingenious Physitian, who knowing my Designe, freely offered to contribute to the curiosity thereof; (I would all knowing men were of his intelle­ctuall Constitution, and had the right gallant temper of a Platonique Spirit, to communicate and advance Notiall Idea's.) This noble Doctor (I say) procured me one of these Balls which a friend of his brought from Pegu; when he delivered it unto me we both won­dred at the unexpected size and weight thereof, for it was a little bigger than a musket bullet, being about an Inch in Diameter; the metall is of such a temper which we know not, it is two parts Gold and one Brasse, perfectly round, and yielding a very sweet sound, far beyond any of our hand Symbals, which this some­what resembles; and the hissing melody thereof makes me to thinke that it is an Adders dried Tongue that is within it, according as Historians report: but the containing Concave being close and not open, as our little Bels, our curiosity would have spoiled the instru­ment with a forced inspection; the Gentleman that brought it over, informes us that they use there to put three or foure of them in between the Glans and the praeputium, and they remaine fast there without slip­ping out; who can sufficiently admire that any mem­ber should officiate clogged with such weight! or that [Page 350] they should find stable roome for it, A restraint of Sodomy. and yet Travellers have discovered the waies of an artificiall Capacity. Surely the men exceed, not only us, but them of Ginne in the largenesse of this Organ, or else they must needs suffer much by such a dolorous extension of the praepuce, as this fond fashion will necessarily occasion. Whether, O whether, and to what prodigious extremities doth the abused phantasie of man sometimes drive him? Among all the Inventions that he ere found out, this would appeare most mad and filthy if it had been meer­ly for Ornament, Musique, or Delight; but my zeale for the honesty of Nature is somewhat tempered with patience, when I find that the originall of this contri­vance was, because they should not abuse the Male Sex, for, in times past all the Country was so given to that villany, that they were scarce of people; And therefore a Queen Rectrix imposed the wearing of those Balls upon them in way of restraint.

But as for the other part of their Queens ordi­nance, it no way stands with the honesty of Na­ture; who the better to allure men from Sodomy, ordained that the women should weare but three Cubits of cloath in their Smocks, which they weare with three braces, which is therefore so streight that they cannot go but they must shew their secrets as 'twere aloft, and in their going they feigne to hide it with their hand, but cannot, by reason of the straightnesse of the cloath; for they are so covered (as another observes,Herberts Tra­vels.) that (a base device!) 'tis made to open as they go, so as any impure aire gives all to mens immodest eye, denudating those parts which every modest eye most scornes, each honest thought most hates to see and thinke upon.

[Page 351]Which thing it seemes was invented by a Queene to be an occasion that the sight thereof might remove from men that vice against Nature, [...] [...] jects of women to gaine re­gard. which they were greatly given unto, which sight should cause them to regard Women the more. Yet they of the Kingdome of Benni are, it seems,Purch. Pilgr. 2. li [...]b. 7 of another opinion concerning the effect of this Invention; for there men and women are not ashamed to shew themselves one unto another, as they themselves affirme, and by reason prove, saying, that a man more coveteth and desireth a thing that he seeth not, or may not have, then that he seeth and may borrow and have; and for that cause they hide not their privy members.

And all those Spaniards, Portugals, French­men, Flemmings, and English-men, that have been conversant in those parts, have affirmed, that their manner of going naked is neither fightly nor pleasing, and that nothing makes a woman more despised and contemned than to behold her ordinarily naked. Wherefore they are not to be imitated that so freely discover their parts of shame, only thereby to gaine husbands; Nor the Africans, Indians, Caribes, or Brasileans, who go naked, not for ostentation, but by custome, either in regard of the Countries great heat, or by not being acquainted with the use of Garments; but rather we ought to cloathe and conceale those parts which Nature her selfe hath placed so far off, both from the sight of our selves and others. And indeed, although it may seeme to be a bait and provocation to lust and lasciviousnesse, yet experience shews the contrary, for that splendid [Page 352] apparell,The Art of Infibulation of the prep [...]ce counterfeit crisped haire, is more dis­commendable than the nakednesse of these Bar­barians, which might be made good by many reasons. Our first Parents, after their sin, were justly ashamed, seeing their nakednesse; And we detest the Heresie, which violating the Law of Nature (not in this point sufficiently observed by our Adamites) endeavours to bring in this shame­full Custome. Yet we are neverthelesse to be condemned for condemning them for going na­ked, since we offend in the contrary, with too much decking our bodies; And would we could regard more modesty and necessity of habits, and use them rather for honesty than to pride and va­nitie, which is more hurtfull than their naked­nesse.

Among the Ancients, to prevent young effemi­nate Inamorato's, especially Comedians, from un­timely Venery, and cracking their voices, they were wont to fasten a Ring or Buckle on the Foreskin of their Yard, as Celsus reports; and hereto Martiall seemes to allude in that place,Mart. Epigr. where he saies,

Concerning this Art of Infibulation, or butto­ning up the Prepuce with a Brasse or Silver But­ton on both sides of the Glans, a kind of rationall invention, it was borrowed, as I suppose, from [Page 353] the Egyptians or

Arabians; Where they weare Rings in their Yards and trusse up their Genitals within their Body. for as Veslingus notes, among them,Vesling. Synt. Anatom. such who by a serious vow of Chastity would gaine and pre­serve an estima­tion of purity, in that portion of their Foreskin reserved after their Circumci­sion, being bored through, doe wear a huge un­measurable great Ring.

The Patagons, a Race of Giants,Purch. Pilgr. 1. lib. 2. in the fortieth Degree of the South Pole, trusse their Genitall members so, as it is hidden within their body.

Which is a transgression against the morall Law of Nature, established in our members; Nature having excluded these parts from out the Continent of the bo­dy for the better moderating of Concupiscence.

They in the Bay of Soldania have but one stone naturally, or Ceremonially,Idem eodem l. 4. my Author indeed knoweth not; yet I find in another that they trusse up their right stone,Arrianus Ju­riscons. ff. de re militari. Haly Comment. ad lib. 3. techn. Gal. text. 177. lib. 49. Pand. Iuris. Titul. 17. de re militari. Herberts Tra­vels. which I suppose may be nationall unto them, for it is a thing that hap­pens to many, as it did to Silla and Cotta; Haly also speaks of one who was born but with one Testicle [Page 354] only.Semi-Eunuchs and Eunuchs. And the Civil Lawyers allow such for men, & that they may juremilitari make their testament.

Most of the men of the Cape of good-Hope are Semi-Eunuchs, one stone being ever taken away by the Nurse, either to distinguish them from ordinary men, or that Mistris Venus allure them not from Pallas.

D. Mat. cap. 19. D. Hieron. cont. Iovin. There are some who are not borne with any stone at all, who are Eunuchs from their mothers wombe, such a one was Dorothaeus Bishop of An­tioch, a very learned man, and skilful in the Greeke and Hebrew,Euseb. Hist. Eccles. in whom Aurelianus the Emperour tooke great delight, as Eusebius witnesseth. And al­though these Instruments of Generation are cal­led [...], because for the most part every man hath two, yet among other monstrous constitu­tions of these parts, they have been found to be trebled,Caelius Rhod. lib. 24. cap. 4. Jacob. Moccius ex advers. Joh. Drijandri. Scholiograph. ad cap. 62. l. 1. de morb. intern. Holerii. Joh. Pontanus de rebus Coelest. cap. 6. l. 10. Kornman. de vivorum mirac. as it is reported of Agathocles the Tyrant of Cicily, and of Franciscus Philelphus. And Anato­mists have observed in their dissections, such an unnaturall triplicity in some, and this is said to be peculiar to some Families.

Many fantasticall reasons have been framed, and ends propounded to introduce Eunuchisme, and this way of degrading men from their man­hood. Semiramis was the first that caused young Male children to be made Eunuches, therein offe­ring violence to Nature, and turning her from her appointed course, by a tacite Law, as it were stopping the primigeniall Fountaines of Seed, and those ways which Nature had assigned for the propagation of Posterity, that so she might make them have small voices, and to be more womanish, [Page 355] that conjoyned with her,Ends pro­pounded in Eunuchisme. she might the better con­ceale her usurpation and counterfeit manhood.

Ʋpon which there ariseth a Physicall question, whether the Testicles be required to the forming of the Voice? Galen in his book de Semine, saith, Galen lib. de Semine. that they do confer to the formation of the Voice, although they are remote from the other Instruments of the Voice: the cause is placed in their native heat, although it be not the proximate cause, but the Antecedent cause; for, Galen in the same book doth constitute the Testi­cles to be next the Heart, a Fountaine of heat and strength; so that the Testicles cut out, only not the other Fountaine is destroyed, but the heat of the very heart is lessened and debilitated. One Fountaine therefore of heat destroyed, the others strength is decayed, and by con­sequence there is a necessity the voice should be changed. And Castration is so experimentally known to ad­vance the smalnesse and sweetnesse of the voice, that as an ingenious Traveller hath lately observed, Mr Raymond in his voyage into Italy. in Florence they are so given to the musique of the Voice, that there the Great ones keep their Castrati, whose Voices scandalize their breeches. Concerning the reason of this effect of Castration, the Conceit of Ari­stotle is pretty, although it agree not with the common opinion, who thinks the Heart is stretched by the Testicles, and therefore relaxed when they are cut away, and so a common principle affected, because the strength of the Nerves is relaxed or loosened in their originall or beginning. Even as we see it commeth to passe in Instruments which have a more acute or treble sound when the strings are stretched, and a lower and more remisse when they are loosened: Right so is it in Eunuches; the Testicles being taken away, and so the [Page 356] heart affected, The ends of Castration. the Voice and very forme becommeth wo­manish. But according to Anatomicall verity the strength of the heart dependeth not upon the conten­tion or stretching of the Testicles, but upon his own proper temper; neither if the heart needed any such tenter, were the Testicles pins fitting for the same.

The Parthians used this out of Luxury for the retarding of Age, and the prolongation of life, it having been observed, that castrated Ani­mals in any kind, and Spadoes by Art, live longer than they that retaine their virilities, and by this Artifice they retaine a better habit of Body,Oemma Fris. Apend. ad Api­an. Cosmograph. pars 2. Munst. Cosm. lib. 5. up­on which score those Canibals who live neare the Equator, who hunt after men to eate them, when they have taken any Males of the neighbouring Nations, they many times geld them, and so fat them up for slaughter as we do Capons. Some have practised this Artifice to introduce a necessa­ry Chastity and purity of body, that their wai­ters might be more cleane, as Claudius intimates of the Babilonians practicall intent, which the Ro­mans afterwards observed,Coghan the Author of the haven of health as appears by Juvenal, which is the Physique, that Coghan would have prescribed if he had been Physitian to our Anci­ent Abbats and Monkes, who used other lesse ef­fectuall meanes to preserve their Chastity, viz. the same remedy that Mr Smith a Canon of He­reford practiced upon himselfe in the beginning of the Reigne of Queene Elizabeth, Abscissionem Te­sticulorum, for this is the surest remedy (saith he) that can be devised for Cupids Colts.Benivenius de A [...]a [...]tis. Benivenius speakes of a Monke, who through an indiscreet zeale to Chastity, being no way agreeable to [Page 357] that Rationabile obsequium that God requires,Selfe-Castra­tion. plaid the same holy pranks with himselfe. And this course is so effectuall to prevent any just suspition of incontinency, that some have practised it up­on themselves, thereby to introduce a voluntary impotency, as Combalus did, who perceiving him­selfe to be affected by Stratonice the Wife of the King of Assyria, and being to attend upon her in some Progresse she made, secretly castrated him­selfe, and sealing up his virilities in a Box, delive­red it unto the King, to be kept as some Jewels of worth. Suspition afterwards growing of his in­continency with the Queene, he was quitted of the accusation by that pledge of his fidelity he had left in the Custody of the King: And this was the first rise of the reputation of these Semi-virs, or halfe-men. You may read in Schenchius, Schench. obser. lib. 4. Treasury of Time. vol. 1. lib. 2. cap. 7. and the Treasure of Times, of other persons, who on their own private motion, and for some such ends have committed the same cruell Trespasse against Nature. But the maine designe in this businesse originally, was to make them more fit to keep their women; the name Eunuch imposed upon them, being as it were a cloake, wherewith they covered the injury done to Nature; it signifies as it were Chamberlaine and keeper of their Bed, entertained and appointed for the preserving their women,Montaig. lib. 1. Essay 22. yet in some Countries where Eunuches have religious women in keeping, because they shall not be loved, they have also their Noses and Lips cut off.

And as the Genitall parts put a difference be­tween Nation and Nation, so between one Re­ligion [Page 358] and another:Religious Eunuchs. For the Priests of Cybele, (the great mother of the Gods) used to cut off their own members, and so geld themselves without danger of death, which they do with a sheard of Samian earth.

Voscius de orig. & progr. Idolat. lib. 2.I find in Voscius the reason why those Priests of the Goddesse gelded themselves, it was but in respect of the Corne that was reaped, but the fe­minall force is in the harvest; for as the prolifique vertue is from the virile parts, so seed from the Corne: And by their Example, a man of a simple wit, to be revenged of his wife, plaid such a pranke with himselfe, of which Lu­cilius;

Plin. nat. Hist. lib. 11.Thus Religion also hath made Eunuches, as the Priests of the Gaules, who castrated them­selves,Mat. cap. 19. and of Stone-Priests became Galli Castrati, French Capons. And herein appeared most mani­festly the Lapse of Origens judgement, who ha­ving wrested and taken all other places of Scrip­ture in an allegoricall sense, took this —Some have made themselves Eunuchs for the Kingdome of God, in a litterall sense, and to that end castrated himselfe. And there were many in his time, and since, were hardly conceited of him, & (that justly) that he in the flower of his Age, being then about twenty five yeares old, should deprive himselfe of Virga virilis, not having in those parts any [Page 359] disease that might require any such extirpation;Divers waies of Castration. for, to deprive himselfe (however sanctimonious his intentions were) of those parts, contrary to the order of Nature, was an unlawfull mutilati­on, and meere treason committed against her. Two waies there are of this unnaturall dilapida­tion of the body, one is performed by contusion the other by excision, the last being more appro­ved of; for they who have suffered the contusion of their Testicles, may now and then affect to play the man, some part (as it is likely) of the Testi­cles lying hid within, those that had passed this kind of Eunuchisme by contusion, were called Thlibiae, and Thladiae. And because Physitians are now and then by Great ones, against their wills, compelled to castrate also,Paul. Aeginet. lib. 6. cap. 68. Paulus Aegineta delivers the manner of operation: A thing very improper to our Art, which is the chiefest ser­vant of Nature; for whereas the Physitians Art doth reduce bodies from the state which is against Nature into the naturall; the manner of making Eunuches, which the Greekes call Eunuchismum, promiseth the contrary. But the keene jealousie of latter times hath gone a little nearer with Eunuches,Rousset de par­tu Caesar. sect. 6. cap. 6. Hist. 2. Cardan. Com­ment. in Hippo. l. de Aere Aquis & locis. Lect. 62. Text. 19. Scaliger exer­cit. 104. num. 8. ad subtil. Car­dani. and made them taste deeper of the Rasor, even to the totall deprivation of the Ge­nitals: For although at first among the Turkes their Eunuches were only Castrati, gelt, yet since perceiving Eunuchos posse etiam, non velle solum; now they will not trust their Eunuches with any part of their virility, no way confiding in simple Eunuches. But the Eunuches in the Great Turks Seraglio, who are in number about two hundred, [Page 360] they are all of them not only gelt,The time of making Eunuches. but have their Yards also cleane cut off, and are chosen of those Runegago youths which are presented from time to time to the Grand Signiour;Graves descrip. of the Grand Sign. Court. Few or none of them are gelt against their will. For then (as the Master Workmen in that busi­nesse affirme) they would be in great danger of death, wherefore to get their consent they pro­mise them faire, and shew unto them the assu­rance they may have (in time) to become great men. All which must be done when they are very young, at their first comming into the Seraglio: For it is a worke not to be wrought upon men of yeares, which invention, although it abate their courage, yet they generally prove men of the greatest judgement and fidelity, their minds being set on businesse rather than on pleasure.

This kind of Eunuchisme was of old a fashion in Persia, and all parts of the Levant, where it is a Custome to geld their Male Children when they are young, that being Eunuches, they may be capable of places of Trust and preferment in Princes Courts, who indeed are often advanced by that meanes, none being held so trusty as they, especially to looke to their women; who there­fore thinke they have a good bargaine in exchang­ing the naturall Conduit of their Urine for a Quill, which they weare in their hats in a way of jolly ostentation.

Mareus Paulus Thenetus, and Garcias d' Orta a Portugall Physitian, do deliver for a certainty, that in Bengala (a Kingdome most potent at this day, seated on the Islands, and mouth of the Ri­ver [Page 361] Ganges in the East-Indies) the Moores inhabi­ting that place,Where they sell their Chil­dren to be made Eunuchs do travell into other forreigne Lands, and the neighbouring Isles, to buy young Children, whose Parents being poore and cove­tous of money, do sell their Sons, else these vil­laines will rob and steale them thence, and carry them quite away, and not only cut off Virga, but Parastrates also; such as escape death after this cut­ting, they educate them very delicately, and after­wards sell them to the Persians, and other Mahu­matists, who buy them at a very deare rate, to wit, three or foure hundred Ducats a piece, to serve as men of their Chambers, in a foule and unlawfull acquaintance, and also to have the charge of their Wives.

The Turkes that dwell in Europe and Asia do use the very same Castration on such young boies as they can seize on in the Christian Countries, and then make sale of them in manner aforena­med. A practice seene and observed by the Lord Villamont in the City of Damas in Syria, Ld Villamont Hist. l. 3. c. 5. in the yeare 1589. where a beautifull Russian slave of a Bashaw, whom his Master intended to geld (in full manner before recited) and then to present him to his Daughter, as one fit to attend her in her Chamber; which deliberation comming into the Slaves understanding, he concluded to shun his Masters intent, because it was a hazzard of life either in Child or man; and therefore rather than thus to dye, he resolved to kill the Bashaw his Ma­ster before he would endure so notorious an infa­my, and executed his determination.

When other courses could not help, many have [Page 362] been so bold as to Castrate themselves in the Le­prosie,Castration high Treason against Na­ture. and have been better; for, you shall not easily find any Castrati, or women, troubled with that disease. Some more confident Physitians have put to their hand, and those who have esca­ped the danger have proved cured; some in Ma­nia, or melancholly madnesse, have attempted the same, not without successe, although they have remained somewhat melancholly, like Gib'd Cats, some for the prevention of the dangerous consequence of Hernia Intestinalis, have under­gone the same experiment.

And verily a dispensation may be granted in case of these inexorable, and otherwise incurable diseases. But upon any other pretence whatsoever, to adulterate the coine and image of Nature by so grosse an allay as makes them not current for men, or willingly to dege­nerate into the Nature of women, suffering themselves to be transformed from the Masculine to the Femi­nine apparence (a false Coppy) is to offer as great an Injury to Nature as the malice of mans refracto­ry wit can be guilty of: And it is so manifestly against the Law of Nature to tamper with the witnesses of mans virility, that our Laws have made it Felony to geld any man against his will. There is an ancient Fable, that the fish called Remora, did stop the ship of Perianders Embassadors, whom he had sent to geld all the Males that were left of the bloud Royall; as if Nature her selfe held it an unworthy Act that man should be despoiled of these parts that were given him for the preservation of the whole kind. And although this Castration of the Testicles being not done in an apparent part, causeth (of it selfe) no deformity, yet [Page 363] because when both the Testicles are cut out, Castration of women. other mis­chiefes follow, (especially if this be done while they are in the yeares of puberty,) which betray them to be Eunuches, as an effeminate voice, and the want of a beard, by this means it bringeth a deformity upon them. And although man may live without them, yet after a manner they ought to be accounted as principall members, Galen lib. de Semine. for it appeares that Galen preferred the Testicles to the Heart; for, saith he, the Heart in­deed is the Author of life, but the Testicles conduce to well-being, for they communicate a certaine aire to the whole Body, by whose mediation virility is reconciled, the body acquires strength and firme­nesse, is made more lively; at length, the principall members do more perfectly execute their office; which parts being cut away, besides that, men are de­prived of the Generative power, they want all these conveniencies, the venerian moode is extingui­shed, Love grows cold, the Veines fall, the colour and heat grow dead and withered, they are made beard­lesse, and altogether effeminate, therefore the Testicles are of that efficacy, that they corroborate and affect the other bowels with a common benefit.

The extravagant invention of man hath run out so far as the Castration of women;Coelius Rhod. li. 4. antiq. lect. in cap. 10. & lib. 20. cap. 14. Athen. Dipn. lib. 12. Xanthus lib. 2. Lydiorum. Alciat in lib. Spado­num. Andra­mistes the King of Lydia, as the report goes, was the first that made women Eunuches, whom he used instead of Male Eunuches, after whose ex­amples the women of Egypt were sometimes spa­ded. Giges is accused of the same trespasse against Nature by Hesychius and Suidas. The end might be the same in spading women as men, both being made thereby impotent, and so consequently apt [Page 364] to envy others,The Danger of spading women. and lesse subject to be corrupted with their passions.Julius Alex. lib. 22. cap. 14. Salubr. & in annot. ad. Gal. pag. 122. Reiner. Rei­neceius Tom. 3. Hist. de Lydo­rum orig. & im­per. p. 82. Athen. Voscius lib. 17. de orig. & progressu Idolat. fol. 1081 And it seemes Iulius Alexan­drinus could never find that this was a received Custome in any Nation; yet he had read in divers Authors of many Castrated to abate their untamed Lust: But that end which the first in­ventors of this shamefull deed propounded to themselves, was (as is supposed) to prolong their youth, and that they might perpetually use and enjoy them in a flourishing condition of body. It is an Anatomicall Question, An mulier Castrati possit, and it appeares de facto, to have been done; but concerning the manner of operation there ariseth a greater difficulty: Whether they ca­strated women by drawing out their wombe, or by avulsion of their Testicles? Both waies it is certaine that women will be brought into great danger of life; for, although Sows may be spa­ded, yet with the like security it cannot be ad­ministred in women, by reason of the seat where­in they are placed, and the society they have with other parts: For he must necessarily cut both the Flankes who would Castrate a woman,Cardan. Dialog. T [...]tim. inscript. a worke full of desperate hazzard; yet it may be done with little or no danger, if it be attempted with an Artfull hand. And a Friend of mine told me he knew a maid in Northampton-shire that was thus spaded by a Sow-gelder, and esca­ping the danger grew thereupon very fat. A Gen­tleman who undertooke since in some company to tell me this Story againe, said that he was pre­sent at the Assizes of Northampton when this Sow-gelder was arraigned for this Fact. I doubt there [Page 365] is some mistake in the Scene,A maid spa­ded a new way. for by another In­formation of a Justice than was there, it was in Lincolne-shire, and the Fact done upon Lincolne Heath, and that was not his first Fact, so that his first attempt might be upon the Northampton maid; this last maids name was Margaret Brig­stock; but the Judges were much confounded how to give Sentence upon an Act against which they had no Law; for, although the Castration of men was Fellony by the Law, yet there was nothing enacted against spading of women; and well might they be ignorant of such a Case, when Platerus, the great Physitian, professeth he remem­breth not that ever he read or heard of such an attempt. This Clearke (for that was his name) was hanged for this last Fact, but not by a Law, but for robbing her of two penniworth of Ap­ples which she had in her Apron. But it is more dangerous to pluck out the Wombe, although this succeeded well to a certaine Sow-gelder, who suspecting his Daughter guilty of Adultery, vio­lently extracting the Wombe, spaded her after the manner of Cattle, that afterwards she might be unfit for bearing of Children,Vuierus lib. 4. de praestig. De­mon. cap. 2. as Vuierus witnes­seth; And we read that this Iohannes ab Essen, Sow-gelder-Generall to the Clivensian Duke, was deservedly punished by the Prince with a pecuniary mulct for that villanous deed. But Rio­lanus supposeth, that as they button up the Na­turals of Mares which they would not have hor­sed, to wit, with Iron rings trajected in order,Dalechamp. in not is ad lib. 12. Athenaei Deip­nosoph. wherewith their Naturals are shut up; so women of old were spaded, for so Dalechampius inter­prets [Page 366] the ancient Castration of women,Circumcision where first practised. after which manner, as he heares, the jealous Italians secure their Wives from the admittance of any Rivall.

Circumcision, a strange and smart inven­tion of man, is a very ancient device practised to the diminution of the naturall comelinesse of this part.

Joh. Bohem. de rit. gent. lib. 1.The Egyptians (as the Greeks are perswaded) were the first that circumcised their virilities, confessing they were Circumcised for cleannesse, because it was better to be cleane than comely or beautifull.Coelius Rhod. Caelius saith, they were wont to Cir­cumcise their New-borne Infants, conceiving it not a little to conduce to the commodities of life, thinking that the filth and corruption of their bodies was thereby taken away.

Grimston of their manners.And it is thought, that perchance the Egyptian Priests, and other Flamines of the naturall Law, used Circumcision as a certaine signe of Piety, as Orus Apollo insinuates, saying, that a Cynocepha­lus was a note of Sacrifice, because he was borne Circumcised; others thinke they used it as a note of religious cleannesse; and that the Egyptian Priests who were bound to shave all their body e­very three daies, to the end they might not carry any filthinesse into the Temple and Sacrifice, so they did cut the Fore-skin to be more neat, and that it was more seemly to be without filthinesse than in any other sort whatsoever.

Veslingus in Synt. Anatom. Veslingus thinks they were necessitated to do this to a naturall end, for the prepuce in the Egyptian and Arabian little Children grows out [Page 367] often so beyond measure, [...] Christians. and by much encrea­sing, is so attenuated, that they are constrained, no lesse for feare of a Phimosis, than by the prescript of Religion, to cut off part thereof; so over-care­full sometimes is Nature in providing for a decent covering of this shamefull part.

That the Egyptians used Circumcision appea­reth by Philo Judaeus, They mocke, saith he, at our Circumcision, which was in great honour with other Nations, especially the Egyptians; Philo Judaeus. and there was some cause why it was a Custome with them, unlesse we would condemne the easinesse of a Noble and most ancient Nation, since it is not likely that they would rashly Circumcise so ma­ny Millions, and ordaine the torment of Mutila­tion of the dearest pledges in their body.

At this day the Copties, Sands Travels. lib. 2. called commonly and corruptly Coftes, who are the true Egyptians, the name signifieth privation, in regard (as some will have it) of their Circumcision, notwithstanding they are Christians they are Circumcised: where­of they now begin to be ashamed, saying, that in the Country they are thereunto compelled by the Moores, in Cities where secure from violence, they use it not, doing it rather in that it is an an­cient Custome of their Nation, mentioned by Herodotus, than out of Religion. The Colchians, Ethiopians, Trogloditians, Syrians, and Phaenicians, were of the same Cut.Grimston of their manners. The Iucatans used Cir­cumcision, but not all in generall. But Circum­cision hath been most remarkable in the Hebrews, Gen. 16. not that they tooke this fashion from the Egypti­ans, but from the Covenant God made with [Page 368] Abraham: Reasons of Circumcision. But the Circumcision of Abraham was no new contrivance, but at length approved of and sanctified by God,Vallesius in sacra Philos. cap. 18. as Vallesius well collects. Strabo who hath a strange History of Moses, con­trary to the received truth, saies, he commanded not Circumcision, but that Circumcision, excisi­on, and if there were any such like thing, were in­troduced by his superstitious and tyrannicall suc­cessours; but there was a plaine command for this Act on the eighth day, according to Moses Law. Philo alleadgeth foure Reasons why the Foreskin was commanded to be cut off: For the better pre­vention of the disease called the Carbuncle, that the whole body might be kept more pure and cleane, and that no soile or filth should be hid in the Fore-skin, that they might be more apt to Ge­neration, and the part circumcised should better expresse the similitude of the Heart.

Moses Egypti­us. Moses Egyptius saith, that Circumcision helpeth to bridle and restraine inordinate lust and concu­piscence of the flesh, but the contrary doth ap­peare; for no Nation is more given to carnall lust than the Egyptians, Saracens, and Turkes that are Circumcised. Some thinke, in greater de­testation of the superstition of the Egyptians, and other Nations that did adore that part, and make an Idoll of it under the name of Priapus, and did carry it about in open shew in their wicked ido­latrous Solemnities.

When the Fore-skin was circumcised it might by Art be drawn over againe, as Epiphanius col­lecteth out of Paul: 1 Cor. 7.18. 1 Machab. 1.16. And such mention is made of some in Maccabes that renounce their Circum­cision, [Page 369] and made themselves uncircumcised;The manner of Circumcisi­on with the mo­dern Jews. This practice of drawing againe the Foreskin that was circumcised, is thought by Epiphanius to have been invented by Esau, to deny his profession, and to raze out his Circumcision. You shall find in Pa­raeus, among his cures of praeternaturall defects, the cure of a prepuce made short by Circumcisi­on, which is used to the Jews, when they having abjured their Religion full of Superstitions, for handsomnesse sake they would cover the Nut of their Yard with a Prepuce, and recover their cut-off skin; The present Jews Circumcise upon the eighth day, and it may not be done before; and in case the Child should be sick, or very weake, it may be deferred longer, till such time as he shall be in health and able to endure it, then they use to make choice of a Circumciser, which they call Mohel, which may be whomsoever they please, so he be but an expert and skilfull man at the businesse, and they account it to be the most me­ritorious thing that can be to be a Circumciser: And if by chance the Father of the Infant be one of these, he then circumciseth his own Child him­selfe. The God-father sitteth upon the seat pro­vided for him, and so taking the Child in his armes, fitly placeth him upon his knees, then comes the Circumciser with a Charger in his hand, wherein are the Instruments, and other necessaries for the present businesse, as namely a Razor, restringent powders, with little clouts dipt in oyle of Roses, and some also use to pro­vide a dish-full of Sand to put the Foreskin into when it is cut off; then the Circumciser un­swathes [Page 370] the Child;Mahometan Circumcision. and some use to have silver pinsers, with which they take up as much as they meane to cut off of the Foreskin, then doth he take his Razor and cut off that thicker skin of the Prepuce, and afterwards with his thumbe naile he rends in pieces that other thinner skin that re­mains. The people that are present forthwith pre­sage unto him that it will be much advantagious to his marriage, in the meane time the Circum­ciser going on in his businesse, with his mouth suc­keth the bloud which abundantly floweth from the wound, doing this two or three times, and so spitting it forth into a bowle of Wine, with which he afterwards in naming the Child be­sprinkleth his Face; Then doth he clap upon the wound some Sanguis Draconis, powder of Co­rall, and other restringent things, wrapping it about with plaisters of oyle of Roses, and so binding it up close, the Child is swathed againe; the Child useth to have his wound healed in a short space, and it is never above twenty foure houres in healing.

Solin. & Com. Draudius.The People of Loango, in the Province of Congo, are Circumcised after the manner of the Hebrews.

Munst. Cosmog. lib. 5. cap. 76.The Mahometans also are circumcised, but it is thought that Mahomet in the Alcoran comman­ded Circumcision, not as any point of Religion, but for meere superstition, or as some say, lest there should remaine some filth under the Pre­puce after his Followers had washed themselves. Munster describes the Turkish Circumcision after this manner,Munst. Cosmog. lib. 4. cap. 78. a precious Banquet being prepared, [Page 371] and their Friends thereunto invited to the Pa­rents house,The difference of the Maho­metans and Jews Circum­cision. afterwards while they are at Ban­quet, and during the Feast, the Boy to be Cir­cumcised is brought in, whose Nut the Physitian doth uncover, laying hold of the replicated skin with a paire of Pincers, then to take away all feare from the Child, he saies he will performe the Circumcision the next day, but in the inte­rim on a sudden he cuts off the Prepuce, apply­ing a little salt to the wound, afterward he is led into the Bath with great Pompe. This is cele­brated at the seventh or eighth yeare of the childs Age, who had before received his name at his Birth. This Circumcision of Turkes is somewhat more favourable, and not so deeply performed as the Judaicall. A reverend ingenious Friend of mine, who had been present and seen the manner of their Circumcision, informes me, that the Cir­cumciser drawes the Prepuce a little over the end of the Nut, and then laying hold of that part which is brought quite over with a paire of Pin­cers, he cutteth it off with a knife, and throws it into a Chafendish of Coales which stands by him, afterwards with a certaine powder he cures the wound. The Jews that dwell in Turky, are for a note of distinction, not only somewhat more largely circumcised, but at their Circumcision the Prepuce in Dorso penis is a little slit up with the Priests naile, and by this marke they use to di­stinguish a dead Jew from a Mahometan, and to afford them differing Burials.

The Mahometans of Africa do excise themselves, because a Prophet named Homer commanded [Page 372] them.The manner of Circumcision at Ginney and Binney. And there are women that have this office of cutting them, but practice it not in the pre­sence of men; which Act is thought well of in the women; and they go crying in the streets of Towns and Villages to make known what they can do, carrying themselves so wisely in the deed, that they cut but little of the superficies, for other­wise there would follow a great flux of bloud.

In Madagascar they are circumcised, but as Mahometans.

About the sixth yeare of their Age.The Circumcision that they use at Ginney and Binney, is, as is conceived, done for a naturall end, the Ceremony being performed in the morning, when the Sun is some two houres high; Mr Job­son in his discovery of these Countries, relateth the ceremony after this manner, there was a Messen­ger came to entreat us to send Samgulley, a Negro Boy of ours, (that was taken from us to be cir­cumcised) a white cloath, and that he would pray us to come and see him. As soone as we came he was brought forth into the open field, betweene the houses and the place where they re­mained, who were cut the day before: he had ta­ken away his cloaths they brought him ashore in; which was a Shirt, Breeches, and a Cap of strip'd stuffe, after the greatest fashion of the Countrey, and only brought him with a white cloath close about him. Whereas we did expect some great ceremony after a religious manner to be performed; He was first set down upon a lit­tle mole-hill, divers people comming forth to see him, amongst the which were most women, who stood directly a little distance off looking on; [Page 373] the Master of the Town was likewise there, [...] Circumcision at Ginney. and three of us, amongst which our Chirurgion was one, to comfort him not to feare; he was very confident, entreating me to lay my hand upon his shoulder; from amongst the Blacks came forth an ordinary man with a short knife in his hand, which he whetted as he came, like one of our Butchers unto a Beast, and causing the Boy to stand up, he tooke off his cloaths giving it to a stander by to hold, so as he was starke naked, and set his hands upon his sides, being neither bound nor held: Howbeit there were some by, who offered to hold his Armes, but because he promised not to move, they let him alone, the Executioner taking hold of his Members, drawing the skin over very far, as we conceived, cut him largely, and had three severall cuts afore he had done, whereat the Boy shrunk very little; in so much as the Master of the Town, who stood by, told us, he had very seldome seen any abide it with so great a courage; to our thinking it was exceeding fearefull and full of terrour, insomuch as I told the Doer in a very angry manner he had utterly spoyled him; when he ask'd wherein, I reply'd, in cutting him so deep: His answer was, it is so much the better for him, and without any curiosity taking up his cloath shewed his own members, that it might appeare he was cut as far; howbeit my distaste was such upon him that I could not yeeld to give him any thing in the way of gratuity to wash his hands withall; and as the manner of the Country is to do by such as are Friends to the party circumcised; the thing per­formed, [Page 374] the Boyes white cloath was cast over him,Privileges affected to Circumcision. and by two men which held his armes he was hur­ried apace to the same quarter where the other that were cut remained: We made first a request that they would let us go along to the place with him, and were going with some of the people; but presently in haste overtooke us foure ancient men, who did not only stay our going, but made shew of much displeasure to such as were going with us, and would by no meanes suffer that we should come amongst them; then we desired we might have the Boy along with us, telling them we had better meanes to cure him, and to make him sooner well than they had, shewing our Chi­rurgion unto them, who they knew had healed wounds and sores amongst them, but we could not prevaile; by the interposing of these ancient men, some of the rest seeming to consent unto us: So as we were there driven to leave our Boy, who amongst the rest of his Consorts had with­out doubt no other Chirurgery to cure his ten­der maladie but only to attend the expectation of time, who by the help of their youth and na­ture might weare is out; which appeares the ra­ther to us, in regard at these times there is unto these youths allowed a certaine licentious liber­ty, whereby they may steale and take away peo­ples hens, or poultry; nay, from the Fulbies a Biefe, or cattle to eat and banquet withall amongst themselves, without any offence to the Laws or Government of the Countrey, which at other times is strict in that behalfe, thereby animating, and encouraging their spirits to more alacrity, [Page 375] and according to the condition of their wanton Age,The Ginnie Circumcision. by these stoln delights to draw the more wil­lingly to the thing, and make the time of their recovery lesse tedious unto themselves, and discou­rageable to others. And if I might be worthy to deliver my opinion, considering this their Cir­cumcision, as I have carefully observed, I should conclude, it were done out of meere necessity, as a Morall Law for the preservation of their lives and healths, and so found out by their precedent Ancestors, and by strict observations laid pe­remptorily upon them, wherein I shall submit my selfe in the account I could give to more able judgements, only this you may please to note, that it is done without any religious Ce­remony, and the word in their Language is ex­pressed unto us by no other signification than cut­ting of pricks; and this is done in certaine bigger Townes of the Countrey whether the smaller Towns and Habitations make their resorts, bring­ing their Youth to be all cut together. Now from the place where they that were cut were kept all together, there proceeded a great noise of Voices, as also drumming, and thumping more clamorously; demanding what it meant, I was answered, in that place remained those Youths that were cut, and they were to continue untill such time as they were recovered of their sore­nesse, and that the greatnesse of the noise did come from those people who kept them compa­ny, which were the younger sort of people above their Age, who had already past and received their Circumcision.

[Page 376] A new way of Circumcision. Alex. Benedict lib. 1. cap. 34. de curand. morb.The Assyrians indeed have a new way, as it were by strangulation, when they would Circum­cise great youths or men, that they may not feele the paines, they lay them upright in a Bath, and comprehend the veines about the throat, where­upon sense and motion are intercepted, and so they cut off their privities as apopecticall parts of the body.

Thus the superstitious and pragmaticall wit of man hath ventured upon many conceited waies of Trans­gression, to introduce an Artificiall deformity upon this part, by an untoward deprivation of an ornamentall portion; yet I confesse, Anatomists are not very well agreed about the Naturall use thereof; Ʋnlesse I be deceived, saith Galen, the Prepuce was only for beauty, yet in another place he adds, for an operiment: because there is no great necessity of it, which appeares out of experience, for your Jews were (as the Maho­hometans are) fruitfull, although they be [...], or Apella. Ulmus thinks the skin of the Prepuce a great beauty, as may be seene by the deformity of the Ape; and they who say it was ordained for ornament, do it not without good reason, because upon the more dishonest part, God and Nature, or rather the God of Nature hath put the more honour, that is, the more covering. Saint Ambrose therefore cannot be un­derstood in a litterall sense, where he saith, that the Fore-skin was cut off, that those which were the more ignoble members should put on, and be surrounded with more comlinesse and honesty. 'Tis true, one may be borne Circumcised by Nature, and they write that Sem was so borne, of which assertion there is no ground; this naturall Circumcision is very rare, but [Page 377] when the Prepuce is drawn back by Nature that it cannot cover the Glans or Nut, The inconve­niences of Circumcision. this affection is cal­led Capistratio. This Fore-skin in the end of it sometimes is so contracted and drawn together, that it cannot be drawn back, or the Nut discovered with­out the help of a Chyrurgion. Yet neither of these misprisions of Nature in this Organicall part are to be endeavoured by Art in a foolish imitation, since Art was rather intended for the reformation of such un­naturall accidents. Againe, this Cutis Epiphisis, as Galen cals it, in Latine preputium, or the Fore-skin, à putando, was devised, that the Glans or Nut of the Yard or virile member might be kept smooth, soft, and glib, it being a covering which ariseth from the skin of the Yard, is brought forward, and againe reflected and returned. But when the Nut is unco­vered, that it might recover its cover againe, this Prepuce is tyed in the lower part with a membranous band or tye, which the Greeks call [...], vinculum caninum, the Latines frenum, in English the Bri­dle. Archangelus cals it a Ligament. This is that which bridleth, or reineth up the Fore-skin on the lower side to the top of the Nut by that naturall signa­ture exhibiting a cautionary prevention, and the dislike of Nature of any of this kind of uncomely bald­nesse. So that these recited conveniences of Nature, and others also, are meerely lost by this Artifice; and that cleannesse (of any) which they acquire by Cir­cumcision, is but a supposed benefit, not worth so shame­full and odious an endeavour.

Pars insuper praeputii prominentior & pro­pendens in coitu nunc sursum, nunc deorsum fer­tur, ut hoc attritu magis incalescat, cum mulie­rum [Page 378] voluptate & tentigine cujus contentationis fruitione per hanc injuriosam inventionem de­fraudantur.The injury of Circumcision. For the shortnesse of the Prepuce is rec­koned among the organicall diseases of the Yard, whe­ther it be originall or assititious, by an Artificiall pro­cision of it: And although neither of these kinds of brevity doth incommodate the action of the Yard, which is extention and e [...]aculation of the seed; or prejudice fruitfulnesse: Tamen Circumcisio ali­quid à voluptate sexus alterius detrahit titilatio­nem diminiendo, hinc Illa in Epigrammate invisa fuit haec inventio, magis rationabile putans addi­disse huic organo quam substraxisse. Hence also it is thought there commonly passeth opinions of in­vitement, that the Jewish women desire copulation with the Christians rather than their own Nation, and affect Christian Carnality before Circumcised Ve­nery, D. Brown Pseu­doxia Epidem. as the ingenious Examiner of Popular errours well notes. And yet it is noted, that the Turkes, Per­sians, and most Orientall Nations, use Opium to ex­timulate them to Venery, and they are thought to speake probably, who affirme their intent and effect of eating Opium is not so much to invigorate themselves in Coition, as to prolong the act, and spin out the mo­tions of Carnality; which Venerian Prolongers were intended to lengthen the titillations of Lust, luxuri­ous Leachers thinking Nature too sudden in her mo­tions. And therefore Mahomet well knowing this their beastly and inordinate affection, promiseth them that the felicity of their Paradise should consist in a Jubile of Conjunction, that is, a coition of one Act prolonged unto fifty yeares. For any Naturall end therefore, except in case of an Epidemicall disease or [Page 379] Gangrene to Circumcise, The end of Judaicall Circumcision. that is, to cut off the top of the uppermost skin of the secret parts, is directly against the honesty of Nature, and an injurious unsufferable trick put upon her. As for Circumcision commanded by God, it was for a morall reason, and had an expresse command; otherwise, Dr Whateley. as a Grave Divine expresseth it in the case of Abraham, as a naturall man, it would have seemed the most foolish thing in the world, a mat­ter of great reproach, which would make him as it made his Posterity after him, to seeme ridiculous to all the world, it carried an apparence of much indecency and shamefulnesse, to cause all his servants to discover themselves unto him. Much more might have been alleadged against this Ordinance; What good could it do? What was any man the better, because he had wounded himselfe, and put his body to torture? And indeed, as Lactantius, Eucherius, Irenaeus, and all the Greeke and Latin Fathers say, unlesse this muti­lation of the flesh in the Iews did signifie the Circum-of the heart, or had some figurative meaning in it, as the taking away of Originall sin, it would have been a most unreasonable thing. For if God would have had only the Fore-skin cut off, he had from the begin­ning made man without a Prepuce. No little dan­ger of life (also) they incurred in this case; for, the Iudaicall Circumcision was performed with a sharpe cutting stone, and not with any knife of iron steeled, a thing which was most dolorous, and whereby the young tender Infants sometimes got a Feaver, whereof they after dyed. Howbeit, they had enough to do with other occasions, as the cutting and fall of the Navel, whereby Hyppocrates giveth assurance that Children do in­cur divers dangers. Thevet, and many others, who [Page 380] have voyaged into the Countries where this Circum­cision is used, Circumcision of women. do say, that they have seen store of young people dye, grown to indifferent stature, and young Chil­dren of eight daies old, only by being Circumcised, which may manifestly be proved by Sacred Histories. The Sons of Jacob, after they had fraudulently Cir­cumcised all the Males of the City of Sichem, scituate in the Land of Canaan, they tooke them the third day after their Circumcision and made them passe the Edge of the Sword, for they well knew, that they were so sore and tormented with paine, as they could not stand upon their own defence.

Cael; Rhod.In Arabia there is a kind of People called Creo­phagi, among whom they were not wont to cir­cumcise (Judaically) the men only, but the wo­men also.

Herb. Travels.The women of the Cape of Good Hope also ex­cise themselves, not from a notion of Religion, but as an Ornament.

Bellonius 3. observ. 28 Jovius lib. 3. Magin. Geogr.In Ethiopia, especially in the Dominions of Prester Iohn, they Circumcise women. These Abassines have added errour upon errour, and sin upon sin, for they cause their Females to be cir­cumcised, whom they call Cophles. A thing which was never practised in Moses Law, neither was there ever found any expresse Commandement to do it; I know not where the Noselesse Moores learned it, for they cut their Females, although they be of marriage estate, taking away a cer­taine Apophosis, or excrescence of musculous skin that descendeth from the superiour part of the Matrix, which some call Nympha, or Hymenea, one growing on either side, even so far as the [Page 381] Orifice of the neck of the Bladder,The way of Circumcising women. which serve the erection to coition. Many women both here and elsewhere have caused themselves to be cut, as being over-great, and exceeding Nature, but not for any matter of Religion. In all which places it is done by cutting that part which answe­reth the Prepuce or Foreskin in a man.

Munster (indeed) shewes the originall of this invention, attributing it to the Queen of Sheba, Munst. in Cosm. lib. 6. cap. 57. whose proper name was Maqueda, who ordained that women should be circumcised, led to it by this reason, that as men have a Prepuce, so wo­men also after the same manner have a glandu­lous flesh in their Genitals, which they call Nym­pha, not unfit to receive the character of Circum­cision, this be­ing

used to the Males and Fe­males upon the eight day.

The Chiribi­chenses use to bind up the Fore-skinne of their Privities with a little Cord,Helyn. Geogr. and untie it not but to make water, or when they use the Act of Ge­neration.

Montaigne in [Page 382] his Essaies,Nations that tye up the end of their Yard. speaking of these late discovered Na­tions, saith, as there were some people found who tooke pleasure to unhood the end of their Yard, and to cut off the Fore-skin, after the manner of the Mahometans and Jews; Some there were found, that made so great a conscience to unhood it, that with little strings they carried their Fore-skin very carefully, out-stretched and fastned a­bove, for feare that end should see the aire. A re­straint, which if Nature had imposed upon them, Momus might have found an occasion to Cavill, and they scape well if they pay not deare for this invention; and that some are not oftner borne with their secrets so contracted and drawn toge­ther, as some have beene among us, for which Fabricius ab aqua pendens hath shewed the way of Chyrurgicall reduction,Fabricius ab Aquapendens in Chirurg. affirming upon his own experience, that such are not barren as some have thought them to be. This phantasticall cohibiti­on against the freedome of Nature in this part,Purch. Pilgr. 2. lib. 7. makes me reflect upon as inconvenient a restraint (deserving but a collaterall insertion) imposed upon the reverse of this, and the benefit we re­ceive from the egestions of Port Esquiline: For the Guineans are very carefull to let a fart, and wondred at the Netherlands rusticity and impu­dence, who used it so commonly, and durst com­mit such a stinke in presence, they esteeming it, not only to be a great shame and contempt done unto them, but they had rather die than perpetrate such an abominable act.

De Bry Hist. Ind. The Irish are much of the same opinion in this point of unnaturall restraint, whereas the Romans [Page 383] by an Edict of Claudius the Emperour, [...] adorne their Genitals with pretious stones. most con­sonant to the Law of Nature, at all times, and in all places, upon a just necessity, freely challen­ged the benefit of Nature; Verily, although it be not held decent before Superiours, as a note of some familiarity and contempt, yet they who have not confidence enough to claime the benefit of the Law of Nature, ratified by Claudius, had not need be subject to the Collick, for they would hardly endure the Criterium of Nature, when, as Hippocrates speakes, Crepitus ventris solvit mor­bum.

Those milder kind of Canibals,Gemma Fris. Apend. ad Ap­pian. Cosmogr. pars 2. who inhabit beyond the Tropick of Capricorne, not only bore their Lips and Eares to receive in ornaments, but in their abominable pride they pierce their Geni­tals, to adorne them outwardly with most eminent precious stones.

In Spaine, Turky, and many other hot Coun­tries, they deprive the secret parts of that which Nature intended to make them more secret, the Hair, which in Turky is done in their Banians by a powder. Which powder (as Bellonius, and Ia­cobus Fontanus informe us, is called by the Turks Rusma, being some fossile, like to the excrement or drosse of Iron, but lighter, blacker, and as it were burnt, which without burning, takes off cleane the Haire, that there remaines no signe of haire behind.

This is done upon pretence of much cleanlinesse, and to avoid some inconvenience which the heat of those Countries might otherwise occasion; and it seemes so rationall a thing in their weekly practice, [Page 384] that they esteeme all Nations nasty that concur not with them herein. Where the Hymen is held unprofitable.

The absence of which modest furniture in women here, would be more rationally suspected as a note of unwholsomnesse; to prevent which deserved suspition, some (as the report goes) have been found to have contrived an artificiall supply, and there are such instruments of accommodation vendible by name. I have been told that an English Lady, who was named unto me, being in Turkie, and out of Curiosity en­tring the Banes, and suffering her selfe to be dealt withall according to this their Custome, her Husband thereupon entertained such a suspition that he forbore her bed for two yeares after.

Vesalius lib. de China. Vesalius saith, that in some places the Midwives were wont to breake that membrane as unpro­fitable, which Anatomists call Hymen, Columnam, and Claustrum virginale, Hymen quasi Limen, the entrance, the pillar, or lock, or flower of Virgini­ty; for, being whole, it is the only sure note of untamed Virginity: And the very Index and Conservatrix of it. This they do, Digitum podici & vulvae immittendo, ut partes istas connatas ape­riant. Even as they are wont with their Nailes to cut the Bridle of the Tongue in them that are tongue-ty'd; so that it may indeed in those pla­ces (where the flower of Virginity is so soone cropt, and Nature defloured) be a question, An Hymen reperiatur? And we may very well in the cause of Nature bring a Writ of Quare clausum fregit, against such fond Emissaries of Lucina.

Indeed many famous Physicians have once concei­ved an opinion, as if Nature had not endued all [Page 385] Virgins with this ornament, The Hymen asserted. or muniment of integri­ty; among whom I most bemoane the errour of Anto­nius Ulmus in this matter; in other things a faith­full Champion of Nature, and zealous of her honour: Whereas Vesalius, Fallopius, Spigelius, and the most ocular Anatomists are strong assertors of this naturall preservative, making it good by an Autopticall demonstration. Among the rest Wierus most positive­ly, and as the truth requires, affirmes, that all kind of maids are from the beginning endowed with the birth-right of Virginity, not one excepted; and that this exists the preserver, keeper, and muniment of corporall purity: Nor is this Hymenean constituti­on universally established by an ordinary Law; but Nature is so solicitous about the safeguard and pro­tection of Virgins, that for the more secure straight­ning of the Virgin Zone, as it were with the expan­sion of a thinner skin, doth sometimes draw over ano­ther membrane, which transversly like a Zone stret­ched out doth cover the chinke of the Hymen; which the most skilfull Dissectors have described in like man­ner for the Hymen, although it be found in few, and being found, by the rashnesse of the Midwives it is for the most part, as an unprofitable covering burst or broke asunder. Veslingus, who hath visibly exhibited the Hymen to chaste minds, as it is observed in mar­riageable Virgins, and Infants, hath described the forme also of this extraordinary membrane. After all which ocular demonstrations, I cannot but wonder at the strange dissention of some other Anatomists, who although they allow a Hymen or Virginall flower, will have it consist of foure Caruncles, placed in the middle of the neck of the Wombe, in manner of a [Page 386] Crown; Hermophra­dites. and in Virgins by the intervention (untill they be forced asunder in devirgination) of little Fi­bres circularly interwoven and wrinkled together, yet proforated as the other. Among whom Lodovicus Gardinius enters his dissent thus; Gardinius Instit. To say that any skin placed overthwart in the midst of the neck of the Wombe, which should make the neck imper­vious, should be the Hymen, is altogether fabulous, or at least is so besides the order of Nature as the string is, which sometimes against Nature, is ingendred un­der the tongue of Infants to be taken away.

Hist. in Floridae.In Florida and Virginia there is a Nation of Her­mophrodites, which have the generative parts of both Sexes. Iacobus de Moyne, whose Sirname is de Morgues, and who followed Laudonerius in that Navigation, makes a description of them in cer­taine figures, reporting that they are hated by the very Indians, yet they imploy them, because they are strong and able bodied, instead of Beasts, to carry burdens, and all other servile offices.

In the time of Innocent the third, there was a Heresie sprung up, which affirmed that Sexes had not been divided if Adam had not sinned, therein making the first man an Hermophradite; and therefore they would not have Hermophradites accounted Monsters, whereas they are the greatest Monsters of all.August. de Civit. Dei lib. 26. cap. 8. St Augustine confesseth, that such Monsters are found, but very seldome. But lest this foule kind of men should arrogate praise to themselves upon that passage of Genesis, where­in the Creation of man is delivered,Idem de Genesi ad literam. l. 3. cap. 22. he answers thus: Let no man thinke that it was so done, that in one man both Sexes were expressed, after that [Page 387] manner,The kinds of Hermophra­dites. as some are borne whom they call An­drogyni: therefore the plurall number is alwaies added, saying, Male and Female created He them, He made them, and blessed them. Bauhin. lib. 1. Herm. cap. 38. Bauhinus where he propounds what kind of Cure there is for Hermophrodites, whose deformity brings a foule shame upon both Sexes, sets forth the differences and severall sorts of Hermophradites in these words. Differentiae quatuor (Leonide Auctore) ex­istunt: tres quidem in viris, unae in mulieribus. In viris siquidem alias juxta regionem inter scrotum & anum: alias in medio scroto, forma muliebris puden­di pilis obsiti apparet. Tertia verò ad haec accedit, in qua nonnulli veluti expudendo quod in scroto est, uri­nam profundunt: In mulieribus supra pudendum jux­ta pubem virile genitale frequenter reperitur, quibus­dam Corporibus extantibus uno tanquam Cole, duobus autem veluti testiculis; Sic mero Isaac Israelita So­lomonis Arabiae regis filius adoptivus. Hoc licet tem­pore sit naturale, in viro tamen turpius: In viro & muliere fit quatuor modis: tribus in viro, uno in foe­mina. Viris fit in pectine & in testiculis, velut vulna vera mulieris pilosa ut in foeminis. Tertius modus est gravior: quia per virgam & vulvam min­gunt. Mulieribus vulva fit in pectine: & sub vulva post veretrum maximi testiculi. Ei licet in his utri­usque sexus genitalia sint, eorum unum tamen altero sit luxuriosius & potentius etsi sunt alii Hermophro­diti qui in utroque sexu omnino impotentes sint. Those who are curious to know more of this ugly representation may find satisfaction in the Chapter of Differences of Hermophradites, writ­ten by the same Author. And what Cure this [Page 388] vile deformity admits,The causes of Hermophia­dites. the same Author affords in this place. There is a Booke written in French, called the Hermophradite,V. de licet lib. 1. Hermoph. cap. 38. which doth notably set forth the effeminacy and prodigious tender­nesse of this Nation. But let us a little examine the Causes of their Generation.De medicin. Com. 1. Dial. 5. Andernacus to Mathetis, enquiring why Nature in Humane Bodies doth so mock and laugh man to scorne; Answers, & saies, he knows no other cause besides the influx of the stars, intempestive copulation, and evill diet, since at this day there is such corruption of life and manners, and so great Lust, that it is no wonder if men altogether degenerate into Beasts: And although Naturall Philosophers, and Physi­cians partly impute this conjunction of Sexes to the material and efficient Cause, and partly to the Cells of the Wombe: Yet those causes sound to me most probable which are alleaged à Decubitu, and the time of Conception. Sunt enim qui ve­lint horum generationem causari à decubituminùs con­venienti vel in congressu, vel post congressum. In congressu quidem, monente Lemnino, indecenti: non nunquam ait, vitiosus hic infamisque conceptus, ex indecoro concubitu conflatur, cùm praeter usum ac comoditatem exercendae veneris,—vir supinus, mulier prona decumbit, magno plerunque valetudinis dispen­dio, ut qui ex inverso illo decubitu herniosi efficiuntur: praesertim cum distento, oppletoque cibis corpore, in­usitata hac inconcessáve venere utuntur. A decubitu supino post congressum: sic enim Dominicus Terelli­us, in muliere posteaquam virile semen receperit in utero, positura corporis observanda: Semper vitan­da est, quae modo supino fit. The reasons are here [Page 389] alleadged;Androgyni. In Bauhin. li. 1. cap. 30. Hermoph. Pierius, Fene­stella Annal. Tertul. advers. Valent. c. 33. which appeares by your Lunensian women, who taking no care to this supine positure after conception, bring forth more Hermophra­dites, many Authors taking notice of store of Hermophradites among the Lunensians. By which discourse you may see what a hand the lust and folly of a man hath in this Hemophraditicall Transformation, or Androginall mixture.

Those who in old time were called by the name of Androgyni were reputed then for prodi­gious wonders. Howbeit as Pliny notes,Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 7. cap. 3. Aul. Gel. l 9. c. 4 Isidor. lib. 11. cap. 3. Jul. Obseq. lib. prodig. in his time men tooke delight and pleasure in them.

M. Messala, C. Livius, Consuls, in Umbria, there was a Semi-man, almost twelve yeares old, by the command of the Aruspices slaine.

L. Meteblus, and Q. Fabius Maximus Consuls, there was an Hermophradite, borne at Luna, Idem. by command of the Southsayers cast into the sea.

P. Africanus, C. Fulvius Consuls,Idem. in the Coun­try of Ferretinnum, there was an Hermophra­dite horne and carried unto the River.

Gn. Domitius, Cajus Fannius Consuls,Idem. in Foro Vessonum, another borne and cast into the Sea.

L. Aurelius, and L. Caecilius Consuls,Idem. about Rome there was another Hermophradite, some eight yeares old, found and carried unto the sea.

L. Caecilius, L. Aurelius Consuls,Idem. there was ano­ther about ten yeares old, found at Saturnia, and drowned in the Sea.

Q. Metellus, Tullius Didius Consuls,Idem. another was carried from Rome and drowned in the Sea.

[Page 390] A course ta­ken to prevent Courses. Cn. Cornelius Lentulus, P. Licinius Consuls, there was an Androgynus found,Idem. and carried to the Sea.

Beyond the Nasamones, and their neighbours confining upon them (the Matchlies) there be found ordinarily Hermophradites, called Andro­gyni, of a double nature, and resembling both Sexes Male and Female, who have carnall know­ledge one of another interchangeably by turnes, as Caliphanes doth report.Cited by Pliny Nat. Hist. lib. 7. Aristotle saith moreo­ver, that on the right side of their breast they have a little teat or nipple like a man, but on the left side they have a full pap or dug like a wo­man.Montuus de Med. Thoresi. lib. 1. cap. 6. I knew, saith Montuus, an Hermophradite who was accounted for a woman, and was mar­ried to a man, to whom she bore some sons and daughters, notwithstanding he was wont to lye with his maids and get them with child. This is remarkable, Anno 1461. in a certaine City of Scotland there was an Hermophrodite maid got her Masters Daughter with child, who lay in the same bed with her,Veinrichius Com. de Monstris pag. 7. facie aversa. being accused of the Fact before the Judges, she dyed, being put into the ground alive.

The Tovopinambaultian women of Brasill in in America, Purch. Pilgr. 4. lib. 7. never have their Flowers, not liking that purgation; it is thought they divert that flux by some meanes unknown to us; for, the Maids of twelve yeares old have their sides cut by their mothers, from the armehole down unto the knee with the very sharpe tuske of a certaine beast, the young Girles gnashing with their Teeth through the extremity of the paine; some [Page 391] conjecture they prevent their monthly flux by this remedy.Women affe­cting streight­nesse.

Concerning the nature of the Menstruall bloud, there hath been, and yet is, hard hold, and many opinions among Physicians. All agree that this bloud is an excrement; for, like a superfluity, it is every month driven forth the Wombe: but many would have it an unprofitable excrement, and of a noxious and hurt­full quality; but I am of the contrary opinion, to wit, that it is naturall and profitable, and that it is in its own nature laudable and pure bloud, and no way offen­sive unto the woman, but only in the quantity thereof, as is by some evicted by the Authority of the Ancients, and by invincible and demonstrative arguments. So that the impurity of the Courses is not so great as some would have it, the menstruall bloud being only abun­dant in women, and hath no other fault at all in sound bodies, and is but abusively call'd an excrement.

Unthankefull therefore are those Tovopinam­baultian women to Nature, who seeme to abhor so signall a benefit of hers, in endeavouring to di­vert the ordinary course of Nature.

More respective to Nature are the women of Iucaia, who when the Menstrua begin to come,Petr. Mart. Decad. 7. as if they were to be brought to a man to be mar­ried, the Parents invite the Neighbours to a ban­quet, and use all signes and tokens of joyfulnesse.

In the Kingdome of Monomotapa the maids are not to be married till their Menstrua or natu­rall purgations testifie their ability for concep­tion.Holyn. Geogr.

The women of Ʋraba have a most streight and narrow neck of their wombe,Consal. Ovied. Hist. Iud. Spigel. Hum. corp. Fabr. l. 1. that they very [Page 392] hardly admit a man:A quaere about womens streightnesse. which Spigelius thinks hap­pens to them by Art, and not by any benefit of Nature, since it is known that they much affect such a streightnesse; the men of that Countrey, as it is likely, delighting in none, but such who have that accommodation.

It may be a Quare, whether these women owe not somewhat of this strictnesse to the indulgent artifice of their Midwives? And whether their Navils were not cut shorter at the birth to make them (forsooth) mo­dester, and their wombes narrower, according to the con­ceit and practice of the European Midwives. I confesse, Spigelius, and all our Modern Writers jeere at this, and he makes himselfe merry with this opinion; for, saith he, if it were in the power of women to make the Privities greater or lesser by cutting off the Navell string; in sober sadnesse all women labouring with child would complaine of Midwives, and that deser­vedly too, because they left not a great part of their Navell string when they were borne, that so their Pri­vities being large, they might be delivered with the more ease. Yet Mizaldus orders it to be cut long in Fe­male children, because the Instruments of Generation follow the proportion of it; and therefore if it be cut too short in a Female, it will be a hinderance to her ha­ving of children. Taisnier the famous Chiromancer and Astrologer affirmes the same thing.

The generall conceit of the Italians in this mat­ter causeth the same industrious affectation of Art in your Italian Dames: It being a familiar and common thing with the Italian Curtezans with astringent Pessaries, by Art to make the neck of their wombe as streight as they list. And [Page 393] honest Matrons,Mischiefes en­suing affected streightnesse. to satisfie the wanton curiosities of their Husbands, use the same Art, who have many times proved very unhappy in the misera­ble and dangerous effect of that Artifice, and have dearly paid for their foolish officiousnesse, with a sad bitternesse of experience, too late re­penting them of trying of such a conclusion as shuts up the gate of birth, themselves, with their dead-borne children thereby perishing together. Nor is this Artifice altogether unknown unto the women of other Countries.Observ. med: Decad. 3. cas. 5. in Schol. Hachstetterus nar­rat Ancillam quandam sponsant, procul dubio ut sponso virgo, quae non erat, appareret, balnco, in quo radices consolidae majoris decortae erant, usam fuisse, in quod cum hera inscia insedisset. Ei ita orificium pudendi coarctatum fuit, ut Maritus uxorem claustrum virgi­nale recepisse miraretur. Et Nicolus Florentinus, re­fert se vidisse mulierem, quae post partum, cùm obste­trices adhibuissent medicamenta valdè astringentia, ita clausa reddita fuit, ut non potuerit coitum exercere. Et cum Sennerto loqui, hoc institutum, ut in scortis cul­pandum, ita in honestis mulieribus non reprehenden­dum, si ipsis hoc vitium post partum accidat, potest enim cervicis uteri amplitudo causa sterilitatis esse, interdum procidentiae uteri, & praeterea vitium hoc mulieres vi­ris ingratas reddit, et hic quastio resolvitur: An Si­nûs muliebris adstrictio & angustia, certum virginitatis signum sit. Quod negandum.

The women of Siam are contrary minded,Herb. Travels. both in their opinions and practice; for, to see a Virgin there at Virgins yeares is as a black Swan, in regard in their green yeares they give the too forward Maids a virulent drinke, whose virtue [Page 394] (vice rather) is by a strange efficacy to distend their Muliebria so capaciously,Where they sew up their Females. that the Bels which the men weare in their Yards, with rope-ring too easily may enter.

Purch. Pilgr. 2. lib. 9.The Maracatos, within the Land of Brava, have a fashion to sew up the Females, especially their Slaves, being young, to make them unable for Conception; which makes these Slaves sell dea­rer for their Chastity, and for better confidence their Mistresses put in them.

Among the Peguans there are some that sew up the privy member of their Female Children as soone as they are borne, leaving them but a little hole to avoid their urine, and when she marrieth the husband cutteth it open, and maketh it as great and as little as he will, which they with a certaine ointment or salve can quickly heale.Lindscot. Tra­vels. lib. 1. c. 17. Lindscoten saw one of these women in Goa, whom the Chirurgion of his Master, in the Arch-Bi­shops house, did cut open; Men would judge saith he all these things to be Fables, yet they are most true; for, I do not only know it by the daily traffique of the Portugals out of India thither, but also by the Peguans themselves, whereof many dwell in India, some of them being Christians, which tell it, and confesse it for a truth, as also the neernesse of place and neigbourhood maketh it sufficiently known.

Helyn. Ethiop. Infer.The people of Quilea, of the Province of Zan­ziber in Ethiopia Inferiour, have among them the same strange fashion, which may be mentioned rather for variety than decency. They use when they have any Female Children born unto them, [Page 395] to sew up the privy passages of Nature,Virginity se­cured. leaving only a small passage for the Urine. Thus sewed, they carefully keep them at home untill they come to marriageable age, then they give them to their neighbours for Wives; And of what ranck or condition she be, which is found by her Husband to want the signe of her perpetuall Vir­ginity, is with all kind of ignominy and digrace sent home unto her Parents, and by them as op­probriously received: And it seemes they con­fide in no evidence but their own ocular Chirur­gery here. Petrus Bembo saies,Pet. Bembo, Lib. Hist. Venet. they give their Daughters in marriage thus sewed: but first that care is left unto, and lies upon the Bridegroome to cut and divide with an Iron Instrument the conglutinated lips of the neck of the wombe.

In so great honour with those Barbarians in marry­ing a wife is the certaine assurance of incorrupt Virgini­ty, who little trusting to the fraile inclosure of Nature, do secure with more strong guards the fortresse of Virgi­nity. Had these people known the famous Liniment of Paracelsus, which but smeared upon the opening of the mouth, in a moment (forsooth) will contract and conglu­tinate that Orifice: they would, it may be, have stood in little need of needle and thread, and such dolorous punctures for sewing up this suspected passage. It should seeme, these people are loath to trust the security of Nature: More cruelly jealous of their Daughters than the Venetians are of their Wives, on whom they hang a padlock: And surely they have a slight opinion of Hymen, and either know it not, or are not willing to confide in it, whereas the Jews were no way doubtfull of it: And Spigelius, and many other [Page 396] Anatomists could by ocular experience satisfie them con­cerning Natures constant provision to preserve virginal integrity. The practice of Irish women for easie Deli­very. Certainly these Nations would have been well pleased if Nature had produced all their Females im­perforated, and the Orifice of their wombs closed and sealed up, or the Hymen so thick and fleshy that it streightned the passages of Nature, that it needed in­cision, an evill which holds proportion in men, when the Prepuce grows unto the Nut.

It is thought that the Irish women are wont to breake the Os pubis, or share-bone of their Female children as soone as they are borne, to make them have more easie labour when they come to child-bearing: And it is well known that your Irish women have very quick and easie deliverance in Child-birth.

I confesse, I could not in a long time by any enquiry receive full satisfaction concerning this practical endea­vour of the Irish, nor discover any thing thereof in Books: Yet I encline to beleeve the Report, because it is an Invention somewhat rationable. Yet since the first im­pression of this Book, I have been assured of this practice by a Gentlewoman who was present at an Irish womans Labour in Ireland: For in the conformation of the share and Hanch-bone, there appears a singular benefit of Na­ture conferr'd upon women, who providing with all Art for the paines of Child bed would have the closing of the Share-bone loosed for the facility of Birth; and there­fore the Cartilagineous coupling of the Share-bone is in women more soft, and in women with Child, a little be­fore their delivery, more thick embued with an unctious humour. Touch also and sight-do manifestly perceive the divulsion of the Share-bone; for, if you lift up one [Page 397] Leg of a woman lately delivered, The practice of Irish women examined. you shall perceive the spine of the Share-bone to rise up in the other. The truth of this thing may be confirmed by Authority, for to omit the well known opinion of Hippocrates,Alex. Benedict lib: 5. Anat. c. 3. Gorraeus Com. in Hippoc: de natura pueri. Aetius Tetra. 4. Serm 4. cap. 22. Jacob. Carpus in sua Anat. Sylvius in Isa­goge Anatom. Aristotle. Riolanus Scho­la Anatomica. and Avicen, many others do witnesse of the bones of the Ili­um and Pecten are opened or seperated, to wit, the joynts relaxed, not exarticulated, but justly said to be loosed, because that great distention seemes to be quaedam species solutae continuitatis, and this is naturally, although at other times they are most strong­ly bound together. But there is little need of witnesses inso manifest a businesse, experience only to whom the best appeale is made in this Anatomicall contro­versie may make it credible, to whom Physitians think they are bound to give more respect than unto Reason; for, Riolanus affirmes, that he thrice in the presence of Physitians and Chirurgions, saw the Cartilage which holds together the bones of the share, loosed, and relaxed a fingers breadth; but that which makes some­what more to this purpose, Fernel. lib. 6. Pathologiae. Aethius Tetra. 4. Serm. 4.6.22. Fernelius among the cau­ses of a difficult birth, reckons the more firme com­paction of the share-bones, when they cannot be dilated in the Birth. Now if upon this account the Irish wo­men obtaine a more than ordinary faculty of dispatch in Child-birth, it is likely the force they use to their Female Infants as soone as they are borne may relax the Ligaments, and move the tender Share-bones to a competent Dilation, that may prove afterwards pro­ductive of such an effect. And it may be the women of the Conarins, Corumbins, and other Provinces of India, who scarce travel at all, they are so soon delivered from the paine and perill of Child-birth (if they do not rather receive the benefit from the temper of the [Page 398] Climates) and the favourable indulgence of the Ge­nius of the Place use some such kind of Artifice con­ducible to this end, Nations with great privy members. although the report of their pra­ctice hath not yet arrived at our eares. As for the mat­ter of Fact (taking it for granted) it pretends to work a mitigation in that pronounced woe, in Dolore pa­ries; but this is not the only way that man hath endea­voured to ease himselfe of those inconveniences his transgression hath entailed upon him.

Purch. Pilgr. 2. lib. 7.They of Guinea have a great privy member, much surpassing our Country-men, whereof they make great account.

Richard Jobs. Golden Trade.I read in Jobsons discovery of the River Gambra, and the Golden Trade of the Aethiopians, of a Town called Cassan, which is the Kings Seat, and by the name of which Towne he holds his Title, King of Cassan, seated upon the Rivers side of Gambra. The Inhabitants of which Towne, and parts thereabout being Subjects to the Great King of Cantare, and of Bursall.

By a conjecturall Geography I take this Cassan to be that which Cardan calls Cassena, a Region in Affrica; and although I read nothing here con­cerning their great Noses, yet I meet with a strange report, touching the magnitude of that part which answers to the Nose: His discourse runs after this manner. Undoubtedly these peo­ple originally sprung from the race of Canaan, the Son of Ham, who discovered his Father Noahs Secrets, for which Noah awaking, cursed Canaan, as our holy Scripture testifieth; the Curse, as by Schoolemen hath been disputed, extended to this ensuing Race, in laying hold upon the same place [Page 399] where the originall cause began,Men with members like Asses. whereof these people are witnesses, who are furnished with such members as are after a sort burthensome unto them, whereby their women being once concei­ved with Child, so soone as it is perfectly discer­ned, accompanies the man no longer, because he shall not destroy what is conceived, to the losse of that, and danger of the Bearer, neither untill she hath brought up the Child to a full and fitting time to be weaned, which every woman doth to her own Child, is she allowed in that Nature the mans society, so that many times it falls he hath not a wife to lye withall, and therefore hath al­lowance of other women for necessities sake, which may seem not over-strange unto us, in that our Holy Writ doth make mention thereof; as you may read in the 23 Chapter of the Prophet Ezekiel, where Ierusalem and Samaria, being called by the name of two Sisters, Ahola, and Aholiba, being charged with Fornication, are in the twen­tieth verse of the same Chapter said to doat upon those people, whose Members were as the mem­bers of Asses, and whose Issue was like the issue of Horses, therein right and amply explaining these people.

The Turks, who (as I heare by a Traveller) are Mentulatiores, and these, would have made brave Companions for Heliogabalus, that extreame luxu­rious Emperour, Lamprid, in vita ejus. who gathered together a number of these well weaponed men, whom he called Nasatos, Va­satos, Onobolos, id est, Mentulatiores, whom he made use of to satisfie his inordinate Lust. As for the virile member, it is of such length and magnitude as [Page 400] the necessity of the kind requireth for procreation, Magnitude membri virilis con­formed according to the Law of Nature: in one of a just age, Quando erigitur obtinet sex uncias lon­gitudine & quatuor in Perepheria. Although it varies much according to the race of Families and course of Life; for, there are certaine Fa­milies, (and as you see) Nations, who have an ill or a good report according to this very thing. And how much frequent coition conferreth to the accession of its augmentation, they daily are advised of; who more often, or with more alacrity descend into vene­rean encounters; and indeed the length and thickness thereof varies in respect of the particular creature, or individuum, because it is formed according to the pro­portion of the members, yet sometimes it is larger in a little man, because of the abundance of the proporti­on of Fathers seed, of which it is framed, for the Seed falleth from every part of a mans body, and carrieth in it power of generating that part from whence it sell. But it may be these Guineans, tamper not with Nature, but have this prerogative from the subtle indulgency of their Midwives. For it is thought it will be longer if the Navel-strings be not close knit by the Midwives when the Child is new-borne, and that because of a Ligament which commeth to the Navill from the bot­tome of the bladder, which they call Urachos; for, the straighter that is tyed to the Navell, the more the bla [...] ­der, and the parts adjoyning are drawn upward. Yet Spigelius saies, he cannot well conceive in his mind how this can be done: But for the matter of practice he reports, that upon this conceit Midwives leaves longer part of the Navell-string of a Male than they do of a Female, because in Males they would have [Page 401] the Instrument of Generation long, Whether the Navell appea­red in our prototype. that so they may not be cowards in the Schooles of Venus. Now if the supposition be true, we are all at the mercy of the Midwives for our sufficiencie. In which operation Authors make much adoe, and Midwives at present can scarce agree about the place. The distance the Na­vell-string should be cut off from the Childs body Aeti­us prescribes to be foure fingers breadth, Aetius lib. 4. c. 3 in his direct. to Midwives. a woodden di­rection saith Mr Culpepper, because Midwives fin­gere differ so much in breadth, he will imagine it to he meant foure inches, and saith, the Ancients jum­ped generally in that opinion. This Tortuosity (then) [...] complicated nodosity, which we usually call the Na­ [...]ill, occasioned by the Colligation of vessels, is a knot contrived by the Midwife, and ensuing upon this action, being a part after parturition of no profit or [...]nament. And therefore, at the Creation or extraor­dinary formation of Adam, who immediately issued from the Artifice of God, nor also that of Eve, who was not solemnly begotten, but suddenly framed and [...]namalously proceeded from Adam, was any such knot (as we now behold in our selves) to be seen; for, it can­not be allowed, Dr Brown. Pseudodoxia Epid. l. 5. c. 5. as the Ingenious Reformer of popular errours demonstrates, except we impute that unto the first cause which we imposed not on the second, or what we deny unto Nature we impute unto Nativity it selfe; that is, that in the first and most accomplished piece, the Creator affected superfluities, or ordained parts with­out all use or office; Therefore this being a part not precedent but subsequent to Generation, Nativity or parturition, it cannot (as he speakes) be well imagi­ned that it appeared in our prototype, as in us his off­ [...]ring, for to imagin so, were to regulate Creation to Ge­neration, [Page 402] the first act of God unto the second of Nature. Pinis Longi inconvenien­tia. This we may however affirme in the honour of Nature, that whatever augmentation in this or any other part is gained by Art, or besides the will and ordinary allowance of Nature, it is com­monly attended with some inconvenience. And there are reasons for it; for, the magnitude grossenesse, and foule, and immoderate longitude of the Organ of Generation is a twofold hinderance to fruitfulnesse, as Hucherus notes: Primùm quidem eo quod mulie­bre pudendum, ut & uteri cervix immaniter dilaceran­tur, unde cicatrix relinquitur, quae maris semen ante effluere for as sinat, quam id ipsum uterus prolectarit (sie foeminam unam urinae incontinentia, alterum perpetua Diarrhoea laborantem videre illi contigit, divulso ab ejusmodi violento concubitu vesicae alvique sphincte­re.) Deinde quia interno uteri osculo graviter impulso percoitum contusoque, ita prae dolore Mulieris voluptas interturbatur, ut neque proprium semen emittat, neque virile admittat, excipiatque. Est & aliud incommodi­um, quod longa mentula secum trahit, cum foeminas uterinae suffocationis obnoxias reddat, quod ligamenta uteri, cervicem nimium in coitu elong ando, admodum laxet, ut apparet ex observatione Spigelii; and you see the inconveniencies after Conception, that followes upon the ample furniture of these Ginnie Asinegoes. Avicen hath taught a way how to magnifie this Part, and indeed when it is lesse than is convenient it is an inequality of figure, which may be corrected, and the Directions conducing thereto are admitted by Monta­nus into the corrective part of Medicine. Moneanus, Med. pars. 1. Hae igitur sunt regula docentes per methodum magnificare per at­tractionem multi alimenti ad locum, calefaciendo & [Page 403] fricando prius locum, sed caute procedendum, Men whose members hang down to their shanks. ne nimis trahant vel nimis calefaciant, qui nutrimentum at­tractum resolveret, & volentes membrum magnificare, minus ipsum efficerent, sicut nimius motus frigidita­tem inducit, moderatus calorem. Eadem res effectos oppositos producit. Nimia ergo attractio, & nimia loci calefactio resolvit, & dum magnificare quaeritis, parvitatem efficietis; moderata autem attractione fa­cietis magnitudinem. Ars etiam est curativa de elon­ganda mentula cum pondere plumbeo.

The Floridians so love the Feminine Sex,The Author of the Descrip. of Nova Francia. lib. 2. that for to please them the more, they busie themselves very much about that which is the primary signe of uncleane desires; and that they may the bet­ter do it, they furnish themselves with Amber­greece, whereof they have great store, which first they melt at the fire, then inject it (with such paine that it maketh them to gnash their Teeth) even so far as to the Os sacrum, and with a whip of Nettles, or such like thing, make that Idoll of Maacha to swell; on the other side, the women use certaine herbs, and endeavour themselves as much as they can to make restrictions for the use of the said Ityphalles, and to give either party their due.

Nescio an revera constat, quod diverbio fertur, Ar­vum Genitale in mulieribus Belgicis, altiorem in pube scituationem obtinere, sed Medicus quidam ex obser­vatione propria mihi communicata, affirmat, Genitalia in viris Hybernicis, al [...]iora in pube apparere.

In the Isle of Hermes the mens members hang down to their shanks,Sr Joh. Mand. Travels, cap. 53. insomuch that the men of that Country, who knew better manners, do bind [Page 404] them streight,Pygmaei mag­no vererro. and annoint them with ointments, made there for to hold them up, wherby they may live more civilly, which is supposed to be by rea­son of the heat of the climate dissolving the body.

Ctesias, Indicus Ionst. Thauma­tograph. Ctesias saith, that the Negro Pigmies who dwell in the midst of India, who are saddle-nosed and deformed, have a veretrum so great and long, that it hangs down even unto their Ankles. Hinc de Nanis & Pygmaeis quaerendum, cur majorem penem habeant? An quia ut scripsit Aristoteles, quemadmo­dum homo non habens caudam, illa materia in nates conversa sit; similiter materia, quae augmentaioni sta­turae Nani non est famulata, in penem transmutata sit.

But concerning these and other strange cor­porall properties of Nations, mentioned in this book,Quaere Card. Comment in Hip. li. de Aere Aquis & locis. I wish some Commentator on Hippocrates Book De Aere, Aquis & locis, would arise, who supplying the losse of the much desired Comment of Galen upon that Booke, might render some account of these matters. What Cardan in his Comment upon that Book hath done I can give no account, having never, after much enquiry, had the hap to meet with it.

That women have been metamorphosed into men is not only confirmed by Pliny, and the credit of other ancient Authors but of later times many examples are to be found very evident in moderne Writers; Skenck. observ. med. lib. 4. Korn. de mirac. vivorum fol. 41 Marc. Donat. med. Hist. mirab Tulp observ. Delrio Inquisi [...] Mag. [...]danus. and for all that I perceive, there are few that are willing to have it accounted a Fable. And the conceit is groun­ded upon the Authorities of Aristotle and Galen, which Anatomists little approve of which is, that Nature alwaies intends the Generation of the Male, but if she erre from her scope, and cannot generate a [Page 405] Male, then bringeth she forth the Female, Women no monster. which is the first and most simple imperfection of a Male, which therefore they call a Creature lame, occasionall, and accessory, as if she were not of the maine, but made by the bye; concluding the Woman or Female to be nothing else but an errour or aberration of Na­ture, which the Peripatetiques call [...], by a Metaphor taken from Travellers which misse of their way, and yet at length attaine their journies end; yea, they proceed further, and say, that the Female is a by-worke or prevarication, yea, the first monster in Na­ture, which is unworthily said of them, for the per­fection of all naturall things is to be esteemed and mea­sured by the end: Now it is necessary that the woman should be so formed, or else Nature must have missed of her scope, because she intended a perfect Generation, which without a woman cannot be accomplished. But now it is to be enquired how in terminis naturalibus it can be done that women should be turned into men, as the infinite examples of such Cases seeme to prove; which since it is monstrous, we must have recourse to the causes of Monsters, which happen by the errour of Nature, occasioned, either through the dis­obedience of matter, or debility of the Agent, and therefore they properly and modestly enough define a Monster to be a certaine oblaesion of Nature. And that it is monstrous for women to be turned into men, is apparent by Aristotles Definition; for that is mon­strous which is besides Nature, to wit, that Nature which for the most part is; for besides that which al­waies and necessary is, nothing is done, therefore Monstrosity happens when any thing besides Nature appeares in those things which for the most part are [Page 406] so done, How women are turned in­to men. but may also be done otherwise: wherefore since it is against the order of Humane Nature, that a wo­man should degenerate into a man, yet notwithstan­ding it being not impossible, that we call monstrous, and it hath the same cause which other Monsters ac­cording to Quality, Number, Magnitude, or Scituati­on of Members, wherefore for this reason the Lear­ned reduce the cause of this Humane Metamorphosis to the errour of the virtue Agent, and the aptitude of superfluous matter. If this happened while every Animall existed in Generation, it would cleare all doubts: But since it is done when the Animall is borne, how the virtue Formatrix can effect it, is not easie to explaine, but seemes a great Difficulty. There­fore Anatomists and Physitians say, that the virile member in such women was from the first, ingenite, the Agent virtue working on superfluous matter that forme upon it, but by such a Law of Nature that it cannot come forth untill such a determinate time, which ought not to seeme impossible to any man, since we see in Embrions, even in the mothers wombe, Teeth formed, and yet lie hid until the appointed time of their extramission; which is very true, and known by ocular Faith from the dissections of Abortives and Infants new-born, Barth. Eusta­chius de den­tibus libello, cap. 15. &. 17, &c. as many Anatomists affirme. Therefore even as all Teeth have their beginning of Generation in the mothers wombe, yet are concealed, nor come out per­fect but in progresse of time, which yet is not definite and the same with all. What then should hinder but that in a woman, a virile member made in the first forma­tion, should in appointed Tract of time come forth per­fect, and be made manifest, but that this change by extrusion of inbred or inverted members should hap­pen [Page 407] after the time of Child-birth, That women cannot be transformed into men. exceeds all possibili­ty of beliefe; Pontan. lib. 10. de reb. Coelest. yet Pontanus beares witnesse of a wo­man who after she had borne a son, attained by a won­derfull change unto the virile Sex, which be confirmes by the testimony of Antonius Colotius Umbrus.

That Men should be transformed into Women is more rare, it having been no where ere found that a Male degenerated into a Female Nature, abhorring such a perverse regresse from more perfect to lesse. Indeed Licinius Mutianus reporteth, Cited by Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 7. that he saw at Smyrna a Boy changed into a Girle, but I thinke Philosophers will no more regard his report than they do the Fictions of Poets who have made descriptions of such a needlesse Metamorphosis. Herodotus in Thalia. As for that which Herodotus deli­vers concerning the men of Scythia, evirated and changed into a Feminine estate, it is not to be under­stood that the Masculine Sex was truly changed into the Feminine, but he speakes of a kind of disease which we elsewhere shall have an occasion to touch at; for men then to lose the appearance of their Virilities, and to have those parts translated into the apparance of the other Sex, is a thing not only rare, but impossible in Na­ture, unlesse we will imagine that the Female Patriarch of Greece, and Pope Joane of Rome, were the Sub­jects of such Metamorphosis. Nero (indeed) whom nothing in the ordinary course of Nature would satisfie, by a most prodigious conceit attempted to make such a Monster by Art, and would needs have a Boy of his, called Sporus, cut and made (forsooth) a woman, to whom he was solemnly married, which occasioned some justly to say, that it had been happy for the Common­wealth if Domitius his Father had had no other but such a wife; and verily none but such a Monster of [Page 408] Men could have endeavoured so absurd a Transfigurati­on of Man. Nero's absurd attempt to make a woman of a man. That the Devill, furnished with naturall Causes, may by Divine permission cause some apparant change of Sexes is not doubted of by the Learned, yet he can no way by the Nature of things convert a Man into a woman; much lesse could Nero do it, who is cal­led by Jordanus, Bipedum nequissimus, the wickedest man that ere went upon two Legs.

SCENE XXII. Tailed Nati­ons. Tailed Nations, Breech-Gallantry, and Abusers of that part.