CHAP. I. Of such Infants as have been heard to cry while they were in the Womb of their Mothers.

THat which Mr. Beaumont wrote in his Elegy upon the Lady Rutland may very well be pronounc'd upon every of the Sons and Daughters of Men.

So true is that of the sacred Oracle: Man is born to trouble. It seems trouble is his proper Inheritance, and that as soon as he enters into Life, he is of Age sufficient to enter upon the troubles of it also. Yet as if this were somewhat with the latest, there are some who seem even to anti­cipate their birth-right: and as if the World was not wide enough to afford them their full measure of sorrow: they begin their lamentati­ons in the Womb. Or whether it is that provi­dent Nature would have them to practise there in the dark, what they shall afterwards seldome want occasion for so long as they enjoy the light. The Histories of such little Prisoners as have been heard to cry in their close Apartments, take as followeth.

1. A poor Woman in Holland being great with child and near unto the time of her delivery:Hist. of the Netherlands pag. 91. the child in her Womb (for the space of fifteen days before that of her Travail) was heard al­most continually to cry and lament;Clark's mir. cap. 104. p. 497. many worthy persons went daily to hear so great a novelty, and have testified upon their own knowledge the un­questionable verity of it.

[Page 2] Barthol. Hist. Anato­mic. Cent. 1. Hist. 1. page 1.2.2. When I was of late at Argentina with my Brother, saith Leonardus Doldius, it was credibly reported that the Wife of a Taylor in that Neigh­bour-hood together with divers others, did hear the child cry in her Womb, some days before the time of her Travail. He adds to this the Histo­ry of another in Rotenburgh.

Sennert. pract. Med. lib. 4. part. 2 § 5. cap. 8. p. 359.3. In our Town saith he Anno 1596. November 12. which was the forty second day before the Birth, the Parents heard the cry of their Daugh­ter in the Womb once, and the day following twice; the Mother died in Travail, the Daughter is yet alive.

Barthol. Hist. Anat. Cent. 1. Hist. 1. p. 2. Sennert. prax. l. 4. par. 2. § 5. c. 8. p. 359.360. Barth. Hist. Anat. Cent. 1. Hist. 1. p. 3. Salmas. re­spon [...]. ad Be­verov. de calculo p. 198.4. Anno 1632. In the Town of Wittenberg, on the Calends of March there was a Woman who had been big with child more then eleven Months: This Woman together with her Husband have sometimes heard the child cry, before she was de­liver'd of it; which she was afterwards very hap­pily.

5. I my self together with the Learned Salma­sius will be witnesses of such like cryings in the Womb: I liv'd 1640. in Belgia, when it was com­monly affirmed of a Woman near Vessalia, who then had gone three years entire, big with a child, that that child of hers was heard so to cry, by ma­ny persons worthy of credit.

6. A noble Person at Leyden used to tell of her Brother's Wife,Barth. Hist. Anat. Cent. 1. Hist. 1. p. 3. that lying in Bed with her Hus­band near her time; she heard the child cry in her Womb, amaz'd with which she awakened her Husband; who put his head within the cloaths and listening, did also hear the same: the Woman was so affrighted, that few days after she fell in Travail.

7. Anno 1648. Th [...]re was a Woman, the Wife of a Seaman near to the Church of Holmiana, Barth. Hist. Anat. Cent. 1. Hist. 1. p. 4.5. who had been big for eight Months, she was of a good habit of body, and not old: this Woman upon the Eve of Christmas-day; upon the Calends of the year following, and in Epiphany, all those several times heard the child that was in her Womb, who cry'd with that noise that it was heard by the Neighbours. They throng'd together in great numbers to hear so unusual a crying, both such as knew the Woman, and such as knew her not. The Magistrates in the mean time caused the Wo­man to be carefully watch'd, that afterwards the birth of that cryer might be the more certain. Divers spent their judgement before hand of what shap'd Monster she should be delivered: but at last the Woman was safely brought to bed of a perfect Female child: who with her Mother are both alive at this day. Let no Man question the truth of this History; for I who am not wont to rely upon rumour; can for certain affirm that I have heard this relation from the Mother her self.

8. Dr. Walter Needham an eminent and learned Physician;N [...]edh. dis­quisit. Anat. cap. 3. p. 84. discoursing about the Air that is con­tain'd in the membranes of the Womb: as a proof thereof relates the story of a child that was heard to cry while as yet in the belly of its Mother. A long time saith he, I could scarce believe, that there were any such kind of cryings: till I was in­form'd of that which I now set down, by a noble Lady in Cheshire: As this Honourable person sat after Meat in the dining room, with her Husband, their Domestick Chaplain, and divers others: she was sensible of an extraordinary stirring in her belly: which so lift up her clothes, that it was easi­ly discernible to those that were present (she was then with child; and it was the seventh Month from the time wherein she had conceived) upon the sudden there was a voice heard; but whence it should come, they were not able to conjecture; not suspecting any thing of the Embryo in her Womb. Soon after they perceiv'd the belly and garments of the Lady, to have a second and notable commotion; and withal heard a cry, as if it had proceeded from thence. While they were amaz'd at what had pass'd; and were discoursing together of this prodigy: All that had before happened, did a third time so manifestly appear, that (being now become the more attentive) they doubted not, but that the cry came from her Womb: the Girl that was so loquacious in the Womb of her Mother, doth yet live, and is likely enough so to continue. I cannot doubt of the truth of so eminent a story, receiving the confirmation of it, from so credible persons; nor was I willing longer to conceal the thing it self; seeing it is of such moment in the controversie aforesaid.

9. Anno 1233.Schenck. ob­servat. l. 1. p. 13. obs. 1. Weinrich. de Monstris c. 26. p. 62. Sennert. pract. Med. l. 4. part 2. § 5. cap. 8. p. 359. In Rathstadt a Town in the No­ric Alpes, was born a child whose crying was heard fourteen days before the birth of it.

10. Martinus Weinrichius writes thus: even in our times saith he, and in this our City of Bressa, an Infant was heard to cry, three days before it came into the light: and he observes that the Man so born, was miserable in respect of his fortune and Diseases he was seiz'd with; even to the day of his death.

CHAP. II. Of such as have carried their dead Children in their Womb for some years.

SO unwilling are Parents (for the most part) to survive the funerals of their Children: that some have thought it a very desireable thing to have their dying eyes clos'd by the hands of such as have issued from them. It was the wish of Penelope that the performance of this last Office for her self and her Vlysses, might be reserv'd to their dear Telemachus, according to that of Ovid.

We cannot then but pity those unhappy Mo­thers, whose Children have not only died before them, but within them: in whom the punishment of Mezentius may seem to have been reviv'd in such a coupling of the living with the dead: and who (with a fatal disappointment of their hopes) are sensible their expired Infants have found their untimely Coffins in the midst of their own Bow­els. The transcribed Histories of some such disconsolate Creatures you have here under­written.

1. Catherine the Wife of Michael de Menne, Schenck. ob­serv. lib. 4. p. 575. obs. 8. Donat. Hist. Med. Mir. lib. 2. c. 22. p. 240. a poor Countrey-man; for twelve years together carried a dead Child, or rather the Skeleton of one in her Womb. A monstrous and miraculous thing, and which yet is manifest to the touch, saith [Page 3] Aegidius de Horthoge. I my self saith he, and many other, both Men and Illustrious Women are witnesses hereof; it is enough to name the excel­lent Henricus Cornelius Mathisius; who heretofore was domestick Physician to the Emperour Charles the Fifth, he when he had handled the Woman beforesaid both standing and lying, and by touch had easily distinguished all the bones of the dead Infant, in a great amazement cry'd out, nothing is impossible to God and Nature. She conceiv'd of this child in March, Anno 1549. who desires to see this History more at large may have it from Schenckius in the place forecited.

Schenck. ob­serv. lib. 4. p. 577. obs. 9.2. In the Town of Sindelfingen, there lives a Woman of thirty years or thereabouts, who six or seven weeks before her expected delivery, by rea­son of a slip upon the Ice, hit her back against a wall; and from that time never afterwards felt her child she went with to stir. The bigness of her belly was the same; only a little after her fall it did somewhat encrease and after fell again; but she brought not forth her dead child; nor from that time forth was she sensible of the ordinary purgation of Women. She had her fall, Anno 1590. After which notwithstanding she conceived twice or thrice, and was as often delivered of li­ving Children: But after her delivery; her usual bigness continueth: so that she verily believes the dead child is yet in her Womb.

3. Anno Dom. 1545. at Vienna in Austria, Margarita Carlinia, Zuing. The­atr. vol. 2. lib. 4. p. 357 col. 2. Donat. Hist. Med. Mir. lib. 2. c. 22. p. 239. the Wife of Georgius Volzerus, being big with child, and in Travail; in her la­bour pains, was sensible that somewhat seem'd to crack within her, and from thenceforward never felt her child to stir: but for the intire space of four year afterwards, she was afflicted with vehe­ment pains; so that at the last she was given over by the Physicians: After which Nature endea­vouring an evacuation: caused an Ulcer about her Navel, which discharg'd it self of an abundance of matter, and so closed it self again; till at length, Anno 1549. upon the collection of new matter, there appeared the bone of the childs elbow in the very orifice of the Ulcer, together with a mar­vellous weakness of the Woman: In this despe­rate Disease there was recourse had to a despe­rate remedy, which was incision; her belly was opened by the advice of Mathias Cornax the Em­perour's Physician, and by the operation of the chief Chirurgions there, a masculine child half putrid was drawn out thence piece-meal: the wound was afterwards so happily cured; that the Woman attained to so entire health; as that it was hoped she might conceive again: Alexander Benedictus saith she did, and dy'd in Travail of her next child.

Zacut. Lu­sit, praxis Medic. ad­mirand. lib. 2. obs. 157. p. 276.4. Zacutus Lusitanus hath set down the History of a Woman of mean fortune, and sixteen years of Age, who being with child, and the time of her Travail come, could not be delivered by reason of the narrowness of her Womb, the Chirurgions advised section, which they said was ordinary in such cases, but she refused it; the dead child there­fore putrefied in her Womb: after three years the smaller bones of it came from her; and so by little and little for ten years together, there came forth pieces of corrupted flesh, and fragments of the skull: at last in the twelfth year there issued out piece-meal the greater bones: her belly fell; and after some years she conceived again, and was hap­pily delivered of a living boy.

Donat. Hist. Med. Mir. lib. 2. c. 22. p. 241.5. Marcellus Donatus relates a History, for the truth of which he cites the testimony of Hippolitus Genifortus a Chirurgion, and Iosephus Araneus a Physician, and it was thus: Paula the Wife of Mr. Naso an Inn-keeper in the street of Pont Merlane in Mantua, having carried a dead child of five Months Age, much longer in her Womb: by a continued collection of san [...]ous matter in her Womb, not without a Fever, she at last was ex­ceedingly wasted and consumed. At which time, by way of siege, she voided certain little bones which gave her a great deal of pain: these she gather'd, cleansed and shew'd them to Gemfortus, who soon discover'd them to be the bones of a young child; when this was related to me I could not believe till such time as I asked the Woman her self, who confirm'd the truth of it by an Oath, and s [...]ew'd me divers of the bones, which she kept amongst Rose leaves: nor did she cease voiding them in this manner for months and years, till she was this way quit of very many of them: cer­tainly a most wonderful operation of Nature this was, and that she sometimes works in this manner is easily prov'd by other Histories.

CHAP. III. Of such Women whose Children have been petrified and turn'd to Stone in their Wombs, and the like found in dead bodies, or some parts of them.

WHen Cato had seen Caesar victorious, though at that time the Invader of the Common-wealth: and the great Pompey overcome and overwhelm'd, who as the Guardian of his endanger'd Countrey had under­taken her protection: when he saw on the one side successful villany, and on the other afflicted virtue: he is said to have cry'd out in a deep asto­nishment: well, there is much of obscurity in di­vine L [...]ps. de constant. lib▪ 2. c. 1 [...]. p. 172. matters. As God Almighty hath the ways of his providence in the deep; so Nature his hand-maid hath many of her paths in the dark; and by secret ways of operation brings to pass things so strange and uncouth to humane reason and expectation: that even such as have been long of her Privy Counsel have stood at gaze at, and made open confession of their ignorance by their admiration. I take that for a Fable which Ovid tells befel Niobe through excess of grief for the Death of her Children.

And yet there have been some Women, who in themselves have experienced but too much of the verity of this last Verse: such was

1. Columba Chatry, Sennert. prax. Med. lib. 4. par. 2. § 4. c. 7. p. 311. a Woman of Sens in Bur­gundy; she was Wife to Ludovicus Chatry, this [Page 4] Woman by the report of Monsieur Iohn Alibaux an eminent Physician (and who also was present at the disse [...]tion of her) went twenty eight years with a dead child in her Womb:Sch [...]k. obs. lib. 4. obs. 21. p. 537. Barth. Cent. 2. Hist. 100. p. 76. Rosse. Arcan. Micrososm. lib. 3. cap. 3. p. 76. Addit. ad Do [...]at. per Greg. H [...]rit. lib. 7. cap. 2. p. 659. Iohns. Nat. Hist. Cent. 16. cap. 5. p. 334. Konaman. de Mir. Mort. par. 3. c. 34. p. 117. when she was dead and her belly opened, there was found a Stone; ha­ving all the limbs and exact proportion of a child of nine months old. The slimy matter of the childs body (saith one upon this occasion) having an aptitude by the extraordinary heat of the ma­trix to be hardned, might retain the same linea­ments which it had before. This child was thus found Anno Dom. 1582. Sennertus confesses this accident so rare, that it was the only instance in its kind that he ever met with (at least to his remembrance) in the whole History of Physick.

2. Because I foresee I am not like to meet with ma­ny more such instances as that I but now menti­on'd; I shall therefore set down under this head a History which is very near unto it: It was com­municated by Claudius a Sancto Mauritio in one of his Letters and thus related by Gregorius Horstius. Addit. ad Donat. per Greg. H [...]r [...]i. lib. 7. cap. 2. p. 663.

On the 25. of Ianuary in this present year; there fell out a marvellous thing to us. In the dissection of a Woman of about thirty seven years of Age, we found her Womb all turn'd to stone of the weight of seven pound: her Liver upon the one lobe of it had a cartilaginous Coat or Tu­nicle about it: her Spleen was globular; her Blad­der stony: and she had a Peritonaeum so very hard that scarce could it be cut with a knife: the view of all which occasioned our wonder, which way the Spirits should be convey'd throughout the whole Body; and by what means it came to pass that this Woman liv'd so long, and that too, without any manifest sign of sickness all her life time, as far as could be observ'd.

3. I can for certain affirm thus much, saith Heurnius, Ad. Donat. lib. 7. p [...] H [...]st. cap. 2. p. 664. that I have seen at Padua the breast of a Woman which was also turn'd into stone: and that was done by this means: as she lay dead, that breast of hers, lay cover'd in the Water of a cer­tain Spring there.

Z [...]ch. qu. Medico-le­gal. lib. 4. tit. 1. qu. 10. p. 235.4. Pompilius Placentinus gives us the History of a Venetian Woman, who being done to death by a poison'd Apple, when dead she grew so stiff and congealed, that she seem'd to be transform'd into a Statue of Stone, nor could they cut open her belly by knife or Sword.

Karnman de Mir. Mort. par. 3. cap. 36. p. 18.5. Not far from Tybar which is a City of the Sabines, runs the River Anien, on the Sands of which are found Almonds, the seeds of Fennel, and Anise, and divers other things that are turned into Stone; whereof I my self was an eye-witness, when some years agone I travel'd that way. A while since there was found the body of a Man that was kill'd and cast into this River Anien; he lay close at the root of a Tree that grew upon the Bank-side, and the Carkass having there rested a considerable time unputrefied, when it was found and taken up it was turned into stone. Titus Celsus a Patritian of Rome, told this unto Iacobus Boissardus affirming that he himself had seen it. This River arises from cold Sulphureous veins, derived from Subter­ranean metals, and by a kind of natural virtue, it consolidates, and agglutinates all kind of bodies, such as sticks and leaves; and passing over more solid bodies, it by degrees wraps them about with a stony bark.

CHAP. IV. Of such persons as have made their entrance into the World in a diffe­rent manner from the rest of man­kind.

MIlle modis morimur, uno tantum nascimur (saith Tully) we die a thousand ways but we are born but one. But certainly as there is a marvellous diversity of accidents through which Man arrives to his last end: So also curious Nature hath in a various manner sported her self in the birth of some. And howsoever she brings most of us into the World as it were in a common Road: yet hath she also her by-paths; and ever and anon singles out some whom she will have to be her Heteroclites and so many exceptions from the general rule.

1. Zoroastres was the only Man that ever we could hear of that laughed the same day wherein he was born;Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 7. c. 16. p. 164. Solin. cap. 4. p. 181. his brain also did so evidently pant and beat, that it would bear up their hands that laid them upon his head. An evident presage (saith Pliny) of the great Learning which he afterwards attained unto.

2. M. Tullius Cicero, Zuing. The­atr. Vol. 2. lib. 5. pag. 414. col. 1. Plut. parel. p. in Cice­rone. Solin. c. 4. p. 180. Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 7. c. 8. p. 160. Zuing. The­atr. vol. 2. l. 1. p. 270. col. 2. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 7. c. 16. p. 164. Solin. c. 4. p. 181. is said to have been brought into the World by his Mother Helvia (upon the third of the Nones of Ianuary) without any of those pains that are usual in child-bearing.

3. Such as were born into the World with their feet forward, the Latines were wont to call Agrip­pae, and Agripina (saith Pliny) hath left in writing, that her Son Nero the late Emperour (who all the time of his Reign was a very enemy to mankind) was born with his feet forwards.

4. Some children are born into the World with Teeth, as M. Curius, who thereupon was sirnamed Dentatus; and Cn. Papyrius Carbo: both of them great Men, and right honourable Personages. In Women it was look'd upon as of ill presage; especi­ally in the days of the Kings of Rome; for when Valeria was born toothed; the Soothsayers (being consulted) answered, that look into what City she was carried to Nurse; she should be the cause of the ruine and subversion of it. Whereupon she was conveyed to Suessa Pomeria, a City at that time most flourishing in Wealth and Riches; and it proved most true in the end, for that City was ut­terly destroyed.

5. Some are cut out of their Mothers Womb;Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 7. c. 9. p. 160. Schenck. obs. Med. lib. 4. obs. 15. p. 580. H [...]yl. Cosm. p. 336. Baker. chr. p. such was Scipio Affricanus the former; so also the first of those who had the sirname of Caesar: thus (saith Schenckius) was that Manilius born, who en­tred Carthage with an Army; and so (saith Heylen) was that Mackduffe Earl of Fife, who slew Mack­beth the usurping King of Scotla [...]d: and so Edward the Sixth of England.

6. Anno 959. Buchardus Earl of Lintzgow, Bu­chorn, and Monfort, Schenck. obs. Med. lib. 4. obs. 15. pag. 580. Zuin. Theat. vol. 2. lib. 1. p. 270. col. 2. a person of great bounty to the Poor; chosen Abbot of Sangal; and confirmed therein by Otho the Great was vulgarly call'd un­born; because he was cut out of his Mothers Womb.

7. Gebhardus the Son of Otho Earl of Bregentz; was cut out of his Mothers Womb,Schenck. obs. p. 580. Zuin. Theat. vol. 2. l. 1. p. 270. col. 2. and was conse­crated Bishop of Conslantia, Anno 1001.

8. I saw, saith Horatius Augenius, a poor Wo­man of a [...]leshy and good habit of body, who for [Page 5] nine months had an exulceration of the Ventricle;Schenck obs. p. 580. Sennert. prax. Med. l. 4. part. 2. § 6. cap. 8. p. 419. and for twenty days space; vomited up again, all that she eat or drank, as soon as she had taken it, of this Disease she died; and dissecting her womb, we took out thence a living boy; who by my di­rection had the name of Fortunatus given him at his Baptism, and he is yet alive.

Schenck. obs. Med. p. 580.9. I my self saith Cornelius Gemma, have cut out of the Womb six living Children from six se­veral persons.

Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 7. c. 3. p. 158. Zuin. Theat. vol. 2. l. 1. p. 270. col. 1.10. Amongst many strange examples appearing upon record in Chronicles; we read of a Child in Saguntum (that very year wherein it was forced and razed by Hanibal) which so soon as it was come forth of the Mothers Womb, presently returned into it again.

Camerar. ho­rae subcisiv. Cen. 1. c. 55. p. 241. Schenck. obs. Med. lib. 5. obs. 1. pag. 674. Zuin. Theat. vol. 2. l. 1. p.. 270. col. 1.11. Iohannes Dubravius hath observ'd of Lewis the Second, King of Hungary and Bohemia, that there were four things wherein he was over hasty: That he became great in a very small time, that he had a beard too soon; that he had white hairs be­fore he was past seventeen years of age, and that he was over forward in his birth; for he came into the World without any of that skin which is call'd Epidermis; which yet he soon after got: the Physi [...]ians lending their assistance to that which Nature had not time to finish, he died in the 21. of his Age, Anno 1526. August the 29.

12. When Spinola besieg'd the City of Bergop­soma; a Woman who was near her count, going out to draw water,Barth. Hist. Anat. Cen. 2. Hist. 8. p. 159. was taken off in the middle by a Cannon-bullet, so that the lower part of her fe [...]l into the water; such as were by, and beheld that misfortune, ran to her, and saw there a child, mo­ving it self in the bowels of the Mother: they drew it forth, and carried it into the Tents of Don Cordua, kept it with all care; being afterwards brought thence to Antwerp, the Infanta Isabella cau­sed it to be baptiz'd, and gave it the name of Al­bertu [...] Ambrosius, one of her Father's Captains.

13. Anno 1647. Iacobus Egh in the City of Sarda in B [...]lgia, had a Bull which he fed, tying him in a Close near his house;Barth. Ibid. Cent. 2. Hist. 8. p. 157. but provok'd by the boys, he brake his bonds and ran to the Cows, the Herdsman endeavoured with his staff to return him to his former place; the bull being incens'd with his blows ran upon him, and with his horns bore him to the ground; his Wife being now in the last month of her count, seeing the danger of her Husband, ran in to his assistance; the bull with his horns hoisted her up into the Air, the height of one story, and tore the belly of the wo­man: from the wound in her belly forthwith came the birth with its secundine; and was thrown at some distance upon a soft place; was carried home, diligently look'd after by a Midwife; and upon the first of September baptiz'd, had his Fathers name given him, and is yet alive; the Man liv'd 36. hours, the woman but 4. the bull was slain the day after by the command of the Magistrates.

Val. Max. l. 1. c. 8. p. 30. Zuin. The [...]t. vol. 2. l. 1. p. 270. col. 1.14. Gorgias a gallant Man of Epirus, slipt from the Womb in the Funerals of his Mother: and by his unexpected crying caused them to stand who carried the Bier, affording thereby a new specta [...]le to his Country, having his birth and cradle in the Cossin of his Parent: In one and the same moment a dead woman was deliver'd, and the other was carried to the Grave before he was born.

Zuing. Ibid. p. 270. Senn pra [...]. Med. l. 4. par. 2. § 6. c. 8. p. 419.15. Fn [...]cho Arista the first King of Navarr be­ing dead, Garsias his Son succeeded▪ who being one day in the Village of Larumbe; was surprized [...]y some Moorish Robbers, assaulted, and slain; they wounded Vrracha his Queen, in the Belly with a Lance: the Thieves put to flight; the Queen at the wound was deliver'd of a Son and died, the child to all Mens wonder was safe, and was nam'd Sancius Garsia; he was well educated by a noble person; prov'd a gallant Man; and suc­ceeded his Father in the Kingdom, Anno Domi­ni, 918.

16. The Wife of Simon Kn [...]uter of Weissenburgh, Barth. Hist. Anat. Cent. 1. Hist. 1. p. 6.7. went with child to the ninth month, and then fal­ling into Travail, her pains were such, as that they occasioned her death, and when the assistants doubted not but that the child was dead also in the Womb, they dispos'd of the Mother as is u­sual in the like occasion; but after some hours they heard a cry, they ran and found the Mother indeed dead,Id. Cent. [...]. Hist. 99. p. 307. but deliver'd of a little Daughter that was in good health, and lay at her feet. Salmuth saith, he hath seen three several women, who being dead in Travail, were yet after death delivered of the Children they went with.

CHAP. V. Of what Monsters some Women have been delivered, and of praeterna­tural births.

IT is the constant design of provident Nature to produce that which is perfect and complete in it's kind: But though Man is the noblest part of her operation; and that she is busied a­bout the framing of him, with singular curiosity and industry: yet are there sundry variations in her mintage, and some even humane medals, come out thence with different Errata's in their Impressions. The best of Archers do not always bore the white; the working brains of the ablest Politicians, have sometimes suffered an abortion, nor are we willing to bury their accidental misses, in the memory of their former skilful perform­ances. If therefore Nature (through a penury, or supersluity of materials, or other causes) hath been so unfortunate as at sometimes to miscarry: her dexterity and Artifice, in the composition of many, ought to procure her a pardon for such o­versights as she hath committed in a few. Besides there is oftentimes so much of ingenuity in her very disorders, and they are dispos'd with such a kind of happy unhappiness, that if her more per­fect works beget in us much of delight; the o­ther may affect us with equal wonder.

1. That is strange which is related by Buchanan;Rosse Arcan. Microcosm. l. 3. c. 7. § 7. p. 89. Camerar. Hor. Subcis. Cen. 2. c. 67. p. 275. Ioh [...]st. Nat. Hist. Cent. 10. c. 5. p. 334. It had saith he beneath the Navel one body; but above it two distinct ones; when hurt beneath the Navel both bodies felt the pain; if above, that body only felt, that was hurt. These two would sometimes differ in opinions and quarrel; the one dying before the other, the surviving pin'd away by degrees. It liv'd 28. years, could speak divers Languages, and was by the King's command taught Musick. Sandy's on Ovid Metam. lib. 9. p. 173.

2. Anno 1538.Schenck. obs. Med. l. 1. obs. 1. p. 7. There was one born who grew up to the stature of a Man, he was double as to the Head and Shoulders, in such manner as that one face stood opposit [...] to the other; both were of a likeness, and resemb [...], each other in the beard and eyes, both had the [...]ame appetite, and [Page 6] both hungred alike, the voice of both was almost the same, and both loved the same Wife.

3. I saw (saith Bartholinus) Lazarus Colloredo the Genoan, first at Hafnia, after at Basil, when he was then 28. years of Age;Barth. Hist. A [...]at. Cent. 1. Hist. 66. p. 103. but in both places with amazement. This Lazarus had a little Brother growing out at his breast, who was in that posture born with him. If I mistake not, the bone called Xyphoides in both of them grew together, his left foot alone hung downwards, he had two arms, only three fingers upon each hand: some appear­ance there was of the secret parts; he moved his hands, ears, and lips, and had a little beating in the breast. This little Brother voided no excre­ments, but by the mouth, nose, and ears, and is nourish'd by that which the greater takes: he has distinct animal and vital parts from the greater; since he sleeps, sweats, and moves, when the other wakes, rests, and sweats not. Both receiv'd their Names at the Font, the greater that of Lazarus, and the other that of Iohannes Baptista. The natural Bowels, as the Liver, Spleen, &c. are the same in both. Iohannes Baptista, hath his eyes for the most part shut; his breath small, so that holding a Feather at his mouth, it scarce moves; but holding the hand there, we find a small and warm breath; his mouth is usually open, and al­ways wet with spittle; his head is bigger then that of Lazarus, but deform'd; his hair hanging down while his face is in an upward posture. Both have beards, Baptista's neglected, but that of La­zarus very neat. Lazarus is of a just stature, a decent body, courteous deportment, and gallantly attir'd; he covers the body of his Brother with his Cloak; nor could you think a Monster lay within, at your first discourse with him. He seemed always of a constant mind, unless that now and then he was solicitous as to his end, for he feared the death of his Brother; as presaging that when that came to pass he should also expire, with the stink and putrefaction of his body; and thereupon he took greater care of his Brother then of himself.

Lemnius de Natur. Mir. lib. 1. cap. 8. p. 38. Camer. hor. subcis. Cent. 1. cap. 54. p. 240.4. Lemnius tells of a Monster, that a certain Woman was deliver'd of (to which Woman he himself was Physician, and present at the sight) which at the appearing of the day fill'd all the Chamber with roaring and crying, running all about, to find some hole to creep into: but the Women at the length sti [...]led and smother'd it with pillows.

Barth. Hist. Anat. Cent. 1. Hist. 10. p. 20.5. Iohannes Naborowsky a noble Polonian, and my great friend, told me at Basil, that he had seen in his Countrey, two little Fishes without scales, which were brought forth by a Woman, and as soon as they came out of her Womb, did swim in the Water as other Fish.

Barth. Hist. Anat. Cen. 1. Hist. 10. p. 19.6. Not many years agoe, there liv'd a Woman of good quality at Elsingorn, who being satisfied in her count, prepared all things for child-birth; hired a Mid-wife, bought a Cradle, &c. but her big belly in the last month seemed to be much fallen, which yet (not to lessen the report that went of her) she kept up to the former height by the advantage of cloaths which she wore upon it. Her time of Travail being come, and the usual pains of labour going before; she was deliver'd of a creature, very like unto a dormouse of the greater size, which (to the amazement of the Women who were present) with marvellous cele­rity sought out, and found a hole in the Chamber into which it crept▪ and was never seen after. I will not render the credit of these Women su­spected, seeing divers persons have made us Rela­tions of very strange and monstrous births, from their own experience.

7. Anno Dom. 1639. our Norway afforded us, an unheard of example of a Woman,Barth. Hist. Anat. Cent. 1. Hist. 4. p. 10, 11, 12. who having often before been deliver'd of humane births: and again big: after strong labour was delivered of two Eggs; one of them was broken, the o­ther was sent to that excellent person Dr. Olaus Wormius, the ornament of the University: in whose study it is reserv'd to be seen of as many as please. I am not ignorant that many will give no credit to this story; who either have not seen the Egg, or were not present when the Woman was deliver'd of it. In witness therefore of the truth of this matter: I shall cite the testimonies of Religious persons: and such as are worthy of credit: who by their Letters under their seals, have confirmed the truth of that which we have now related: I have thought fit to transcribe the Original it self: which in our own Tongue is preserved by the foresaid Wormius.

We whose Names are here under written, E­ricus Westergard, Rotalph Rakestad, and Thor Venes, coadjutors of the Pastor in the Parish of Niaess: do certifie to all men. That Anno 1639. upon the 20th. day of May (by the command of the Lord President in Remerige, the Lord Paulus Tra­nius Pastor in Niaess) we went to receive an ac­count of the monstrous birth in Sundby; brought forth by an honest Woman, Anna the Daughter of Amundus; the Wife of Gudbrandas Erlandso­nius, who already had been the Mother of eleven Children, the last of which she was delivered of upon March the 4th. 1638. This Anna in the year 1639. upon the 7th of April, began to grow ill: and being in great pains in her belly, she cau­sed her Neighbours to be call'd in to her assistance; the same day about the Evening, in the presence of her Neighbours, she brought forth an Egg, in all respects like to that of an Hen, which being bro­ken by the Women then present; Anna Grim, Elen Rudstad, Gyro Rudstad, and Catharina Sundby; they found that in the yolk and white it answer'd directly to a common Egg. Upon the eighteenth day of April about Noon in the presence of the same persons, she was deliver'd of another Egg; which in figure was nothing different from the former. The Mother reported this to us; the Women that assisted at her delivery confirmed the truth of it: as also that the pains of this birth had been more sharp to her than all the rest of her former. That this was the confession as well of the Mother as of them that were present: we do attest by our Seals in the presence of the Lord President, in the Parish of Niaess the day and year above said. The great Wormius looks upon this as a diabolical work; since by the artifice of the Devil, many other things are convey'd into, and formed in the bodies of Men and Women.

8. Anne Tromperin the Wife of a certain Por­ter in our Hospital,S [...]nnert. pract. Med. l. 4. par. 2. § 4. cap. 10. p. 326. being about thirty years of Age was delivered of a Boy and two Serpents up­on St. Iohn's day, Anno 1576. She told me upon her faith, that in the Summer before in an extreme hot day, she had drunk of a Spring, in the Grove call'd Brudetholk, a place within a quarter of a mile from Basil; where she suspected that she had drank of the sperm of Serpents: she afterwards grew so big, that she was fain to carry her belly in a swathing band: the child was so lean, as that he was scarce any thing but bones: the Serpents [Page 7] were each of them an ell in length, and thick as the Arm of an Infant: both which alive as they were, were buried by the Midwife in the Church­yard of St. Elizabeth. This History is from the Relation of Caspar Bauhinus, in his Appendix to the book of Franc. Rossetus de partu Caesareo.

Camer. hor▪ subcis [...]v. Cen.9. The Concubine of Pope Nicholas the third was deliver'd of a Monster, which resembled a Bear; Martin the fourth in the first year of his Popedom entertain'd this Lady, and fearing lest she should bring forth other Bear-whelps, he cau­sed all the Bears, which were painted or carv'd in the Pope's Palace, whilst the Lords of the Family of the Vrsini bore sway in Rome, Schenck. obs. Med. l. 4. obs. 1. p. 543. to be blotted out and remov'd; For this Pope was not ignorant how the shapes and pictures which are conceiv'd in a Womans imagination at the time of her conce­ption, do remain imprinted for the most part in the body of that which is conceived.

Camer. hor. subcis. Cent.10. Margaret Daughter to the Emperour Max­imilian the first, told the Ambassadour of Ferdinand King of Hungary; that at Tsertoghenbosch a City in Brabant, in a procession upon a solemn Festival; some of the Citizens went disguised according to the custom of the place: (some in the habit of An­gels, and others in the shape of Devils as they are painted) one of these Devils having play'd his gambols a great while;Schenck. obs. Med. l. 4. obs. 1. p. [...]54. ran home to his House in his Devils attire, took his Wife, threw her upon a bed, saying that he would get a young Devil upon her. He was not much deceiv'd, for of that co­pulation, there was born a child, such as the wicked Spirit is painted, which at his coming into the World, began to run and skip up and down all o­ver the Chamber.

11. Anno Dom. 1578. upon the 17. day of Ia­nuary at eight a clock in the afternoon, there was (at the little Town of Quiero amongst the Subalpines) an honest Matron who was then deliver'd of a child,Zuin. Theat. Vol. 2. l. 2. p. 305. col. 2. which had upon its head five horns, oppo­site each to other, and like unto those of a Ram. Also from the upper part of his forehead there hung backward a very long piece of flesh that co­ver'd most part of his back, in form like a Wo­man's head-tire: about his neck there was a dou­ble row of flesh, like the Collar of an Horse:Paraeus de Monstris. l. 24. at the ends of his finger were claws like to those Tal­lons we see in Birds of prey: his knees were in the hinder part of the Leg. His right Leg and Foot were of a shining red colour: the rest of his body all swarthy. He is said to come into the World with a great cry, which so frighted the Midwife and the rest of the Women then present, that they ran immediately out of the house. When the Prince of the Subalpines was inform'd of this Monster: he commanded it should be brought to him, which accordingly was done, and 'tis strange to think what various judgements were then pass'd upon it by the Courtiers.

12. Lesina is the biggest Isle in all the Adriatick Sea, the Governour of which was a Venetian, who inviting me to dine with him,Lithgow's Travels par. 2. p. 52.53. told at his Table the story of a marvellous mishapen monster born in the Island, asking if I would go thither to see it; proffering me the honour of his company: we went and the unnatural child being brought out to us, I was amaz'd to behold the deformity of Nature; for below the middle part there was but one body, and above the middle there were two living souls: each one separated from each other with several members, their heads being both of one bigness, but different in Phy [...]iogno­my; the belly of the one joyn'd with the poste­riour part of the other, and their faces looked both one way, as if the one had carried the other on his back, and often (in our presence) he that was behind would lay his hands about the neck of the foremost. Their eyes were exceeding big, and their hands greater then an Infant of three times their Age, the excrements of both creatures issued forth at one place, and their Thighs and Legs were of a great growth not a­greeable to their Age which was but six and thirty days. Their feet were proportionably made like to the foot of a Camel, round and cloven in the midst. They receiv'd their food with an in­satiable desire, and continually mourn'd with a pi­tiful noise, when one slept the other waked, which was a strange disagreement in Nature, the Mo­ther of them bought dearly that birth with the loss of her life, and as I was afterwards inform'd, these liv'd but a small time after we had seen them.

13. Ser. Fulvius Flaccus, P. Orosii Hist. l. 5. c. 6. p. 190. and Q. Calphurnius Pi­so, being Consuls, there was then in Rome a Maid Servant delivered of a child that had four feet, and as many hands, four eyes, four ears, and two members of virility.

14. At Prague (this Summer) upon the 18. day of Iuly, Fabrit. obs. Chirurg. Cen. 3. obs. 55. p. 239. there was born a boy, whose Liver, In­testines, Stomach and Spleen, with the greatest part of the Mesentery, hung out beyond the Na­vel, who liv'd but a few hours, the Mother being ask'd by Gregorius Horstius and Dr. Major, if she knew any thing that might occasion such a birth? answer'd with tears, that three months before her delivery she was compelled to hold a Calf while he was kill'd, and that standing by while he was opened, at the falling of the bowels she felt a commotion within her, unto which she imputed this accident.

15. At Cracovia there was born of noble Pa­rents a child that was terrible to behold,Lycosth. de prodigiis. p. 582. Iohnst. Nat. Hist. Class. 10. c. 5. p. 334. with fla­ming and shining eyes, the mouth and Nostrils were like to those of an Oxe; it had long horns, and a back hairy like a dogs. It had the Faces of Apes in the brest where the Teats should stand▪ It had Cats eyes under the Navel, fastned to the Hypogastrium, and they looked hideously and frightfully. It had the heads of Dogs upon both Elbows, and at the whirl-bones of each knee, looking forwards; it was splay footed, and splay handed, the Feet were like Swans feet, and it had a Tail turned upwards, that was crooked back­wards, about half an ell long; It lived four hours from the birth of it; and near its death it spake thus; Watch, for the Lord your God comes: this was saith Lycosthenes in Anno Dom. 1543.

16. In the year 1573. there was a Monster born at St. Lawrence in the West Indies, the narrati­on whereof was brought to the Duke of Medina Sidonia;Dr. Henry More's Im­mort. of th [...] Soul. l. 3. c. 7. p. 173. from very faithful hands. How that there was a child born there at that time, that be­sides the horrible deformity of its mouth, ears and nose; had two horns on the head, like those of young goats, long hair on the body, a fleshy girdle about his middle, double, from whence hung a piece of flesh like a purse, and a bell of flesh in his left hand, like those the Indians use when they dance; white boots of flesh on his legs, doubled down. In brief, the whole shape was horrid and diabolical; and conceived to proceed from some fright the Mother had taken, from the Antick Dances of the Indians, amongst whom the Devil himself does not fail to appear sometimes.Clark's Mir. c. 63. p. 249.

At Boston in New England, October 17. 1637. [Page 8] Mrs. Dyer was delivered of a Monster which had no head, the face was on the brest, the ears like Apes grew upon the shoulders, the eyes and mouth stood far out, the nose hooking upward, the brest and back full of prickles, the Navel and belly where the hips should have been, instead of toes, it had on each foot three claws; upon the back it had two great holes like mouths, above the eyes it had four horns, and was of the Female Sex. The Father and Mother of it were great Familists.

CHAP. VI. Of the Birth-day, and what hath be­fallen some Men thereon, also of such other days as were observ'd fortunate or otherwise to several persons.

THe Ancients us'd to celebrate the annual re­turns of their birth-day with feasting,Aul. Gell. Noct. Attic. l. 19. c. 9. p. 511. Tibul. l. 1. Eleg. 8. Horat. l. 4. [...]d [...]. 11. mu­sick, sports, mutual presents, and whatsoever else might serve to witness how desirous they were, to entertain with highest solemnity the revisits of that light wherein they had first beheld the World: And yet notwithstanding all their court­ships, it seems the Tragedian had truth on his side, when he said,

Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 7. c. 51. p. 184. Schenck. obs. Med. l. 6. ob. 1. p. 721. Valer. Max. l. 1. c. 8. p. 32 Schenck. ob­serv. lib. 6. obs. 1. p. 721 Epiph. Ferd. casus Med. casus 81. p. 259.1. For Antipater Sidonius the Poet, throughout the whole space of his life, every year for one only day; that is to say, the day whereon he was born, was seized with a Fever; and when he had liv'd to a great Age; by the certain return of his wonted Disease; he dy'd upon his birth-day.

2. Iohannes Architectus, every year, at a set time, that is upon his birth-day, was taken with a Fever; which proceeding of putrid choler, keeping it's circle, never exceeded the fourteenth day, at last being spent with Age, and his wonted Fever assailing him, he was overcome by it, and yielded to Nature upon his birth-day.

Bak. Chron. p. 360.3. Elizabeth eldest Daughter of King Edward the Fourth, and eighteen years the Wife of King Henry the Seventh; dy'd in child-bed, in the Tower of London, the eleventh of February, the very day upon which she was born.

4. I know a Man saith Amatus Lusitanus, who every year upon that day in which he first entred the World,Schenck. obs. Med l. 6. obs. 1. p. 721. is seiz'd with an evident fit of a Fe­ver: all the rest of the year, he enjoys very good health. Thomas a Veiga witnesses that he hath observ'd the same in another; and also that he hath known a Man, who every year had a Fever for three days and no longer.

5. Alexander the Great is said to have been born upon the sixth day of the Month Targelion, Alex. l. 4. c. 20. fol. 233. and also to have dy'd on the same,Zuin. Theat. vol. 2. l. 7. p. 561. Plut. in Ca­mil. p. 135. that is to say, on the sixth of February.

6. Attalus the King of Pergamum, and Cn. Pom­peius the Great, both died upon their birth-days.

7. Caius Iulius Caesar was born in the Ides of March, Sabel. l. 9. c. 4. Zuin. Theat. vol. 2. l. 7. p. 561. and by a conspiracy of the Nobles was slain in the Senate-house, upon the same; al­though he was fore-warned to take heed of them.

8. Antonius Caracalla the Emperour▪ Zuin. Theat. vol. 2. l. 7. p. 561. was slain by Macrinus the Praetorian praefect at Carris near to Edessa in Mesopotamia, upon his birth-day, which was the sixth of the Ides of April, the twenty ninth year of his Age, and the sixth of his Empire.

9. Pope Gregory the Great,Zuin. Theat. Ibid. was born and died upon the same day, to wit, upon the fourth of the Ides of March.

10. Garsias the Great Grandfather by the Fa­ther's side to Petrarch, Zuin. Theat. Ibid. having liv'd one hundred and four years, died (as also did Plato) in the very day of his Nativity; and in the same Chamber wherein he was born.

11. The Emperour Charles the Great,Crantz. l. 2. Saxon. c. 20. Zuin. Theat. vol. 2. l. 7. was buried at Aquisgrave upon the same day where­in he was born, in the year of our Lord, Anno Dom. 810.

12. Philip Melancthon died Anno Dom. 1560. in the sixty third year of his Age,Zuin. Theat. Ibid. and upon the day of his Nativity, which was the 13th. of the Ca­lends of May.

13. The Emperour Charles the Fifth was born on the day of Matthias the Apostle,Treasury of Ancient & modern times. l. 4. c. 12. p. 330. Heyl. Cosm. p. 734. on which day also (in the course of his Life) was King Francis taken by him in battel, and the Victory likewise won at Biccoque, he was also Elected and Crowned Emperour on the same day, and many other great Fortunes befel him still on that day.

14. M. Ofilius Hilarus an Actor of Comedies (after he had highly pleas'd the people upon his birth-day) kept a Feast at home in his own house,Plin. l. 7. c. 53. p. 186. and when Supper was set forth upon the Table, he call'd for a mess of hot broth to sup off; and withal casting his eye upon the Visor he had worn that day in the play, he fitted it again to his face, and taking off the Garland which he wore upon his bare head, he set it thereupon, in this posture disguized as he sat, he was stark dead and cold too, before any person in the company perceived any such thing.

15. Augustus Caesar had certain Anniversary sicknesses,Suet. p. 105. & p. 55. in August [...]. and such as did return at a stated and certain time, he commonly languished about the time of his birth-day, which was the ninth of the Calends of October, a little before Sun-rise, M. Tullius Cicero, and Antonius being Consuls.

16. On the contrary the birth-days of some Men have been very fortunate to them,Alex. ab A­lex. dies Gen. l. 4. c. 20. fol. 233. as was that of the great Captain Timoleon general of the Sy­racusans, who obtained for them the chiefest of his Victories upon the day of his birth, which there­upon was annually and Universally celebrated by the Syracusans, as a day of good and happy for­tune to them.

17. It is said of Iulius Caesar, that he had often found the Ides of Iuly to be very happy and au­spicious to him,Idem Ibid. fol. 233. at which time he was also born.

18. King Philip of Macedon us'd to celebrate the day of his birth,Idem, ut sup. fol. 233. with extraordinary joy, as the most favourable and fortunate to him of all other: for once upon that day, he had a triplicity of good tydings, that he was Victor in the Chariot [Page 9] race in the Olympicks, that Parmenio his General had gain'd a most important victory, and that the Queen Olympias was delivered of his Son A­lexander.

Cael. Rhod. Sect. Antiq. l. 11. c. 13. p. 498.499.19. Ophioneus was one amongst the Messenians had the gift of Prophecy, and Pausanias says of him, that immediately after his birth-day, he was annually stricken with blindness; nor is that less wonderful in the same person, that after a vehe­ment fit of the Head-ach, he would begin to see, and then presently fall from thence into his former blindness.

Stow's An­nal. p. 812.20. It is a note worthy to be remembred, that Thursday was observ'd to be a day fatal to King Henry the Eight, and to all his Posterity, for he himself died on Thursday the 28th. of Ianuary: King Edward the Sixth, on Thursday the sixth of Iuly; Queen Mary, on Thursday the seventeenth of November; and Queen Elizabeth, on Thursday the four and twentyeth of March.

Kornm. de Mir. Mort. l. 8. c. 12. p. 8.21. Franciscus Baudinus an Abbot, a Citizen of Florence, and well known in the Court of Rome, died upon the Anniversary return of his birth-day, which was upon the 19th. day of December, he was buried in the Church of St. Silvester in Rome, and it was the observation of him that made his Funeral Elegy; that the number nine did four times happen remarkably in his affairs, he was born on the 19th. day, and died on the same, being aged twenty nine, and the year of our Lord being at that time, 1579.

Heyl. Geog. p. 734.22. Wednesday is said to have been fortunate to Pope Sixtus the Fifth, for on that day he was born, on the same day made a Monk, on that day created General of his Order, on the same made Cardinal, then chosen Pope, and finally on the same inaugu­rated.

Heyl. Cosm. p. 734.23. Friday was observ'd to be very lucky to the great Captain Gensalvo, on that day having gi­ven the French many notable overthrows, Saturday was as fortunate to Henry the Seventh, King of England.

CHAP. VII. Of the Signatures, and natural marks upon the bodies of some Men.

Hak [...]w. Apol.IN Sicily there have been often digg'd up bones of a monstrous and prodigious bigness, in all appearance resembling those of a humane body: but whether they were the Skeletons of deceased Gyants; whether bred and form'd in the Earth, by some peculiar influx of the Stars, and secret propriety of the Mould? whether made by the Artifice of Man, and there buried to beget won­der in after times; or by the Devils to promote some of their malicious ends: is yet variously disputed. So concerning the causes of those impressions, which some bodies bring upon them from the Womb, and carry with them to their Graves, there is not so great a clearness, as not to leave us in some doubts. For if the most of them are occasion'd through the strength of the Mothers imagination: there have been others of so peculiar a Form; so remote from being thought to leave such lively touches upon a Wo­mans fancy, so continued to the Descendants of the same Family; and so agreeable with the after fortunes of the person so signed: as may possibly encline unto farther enquiries.

Marinus Barletius, reports of Scanderbeg Prince of Epirus;Mar. Barlet, l. 1. Camer. hor. subcis. l. 1. [...] c. 69. p. 308 (that most terrible enemy of the Turks) that from his Mothers Womb he brought with him into the World a notable mark of War­like Glory: for he had upon his right Arm, a Sword so well set on, as if it had been drawn with the pencil of the most curious and skilful Painter in the World.

2. Among the people called the Dakes, Plin. Na [...]. Hist. l. 7. c. 11. p. 161. the Children usually have the Moles and Marks of them from whom they are descended, imprinted upon them even to the fourth generation.

3. Laodice the Wife of Antiochus, Schenck. obs. Med. l. 4. obs. 1. p. 543. Fulgos. l. 1. c. 6. p. 151. Usserii. An­nal. p. 475. Iust. l. 15. p. 176. dream'd that she received a Ring from Apollo; with an Anchor engraven upon it: Seleucus the Child that she then went with (who afterwards was remarkable for his famous exploits) was born with an Anchor impress'd upon his Thigh; and so also his Sons and Grand-children, carry'd the same mark upon the same place from the time of their birth.

4. In the Race and Family of the Lepidi, it is said there were three of them,Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 7. c. 12. p. 161. not successively one after another, but out of order, and after some intermission; who had each of them when th [...] were born, a little pannicle, or thin skin growing over the eye.

5. It is observ'd by Plutarch, Plut. de se­ra numinis vind. Zuin. Vol. 2. l. 2. p. 180. Fitz. o [...] Rel. and policy par. 1. c. 27. p. 283. that the resem­blance of the Natural properties, or corporal marks of some Parents, are continued in their Families for many Descents: yea, and sometimes not appearing in the second or third generation, do nevertheless shew themselves in the fourth or fifth, or others, ensuing some Ages after; whereof he brings an example of one in his time, call'd Py­thon, who being descended of the Spartiatae, the Founders of Thebes, and being the last of that Race was born with the figure of a Lance upon his bo­dy; which had been in former Ages a natural mark of those of that Family; and discontinued in them for many years.

6. I have heard saith Camerarius when I was young,Camer. hor. subcis. l. 3. c. 42. p. 145. Iohnst. Nat. Hist. Cl. 10. c. 5. p. p. 340. and it is at this day the common report and publick Fame, (although I have not met with it in any Authour) that the Counts of Habspurg: have each of them (from the Womb) a golden Cross upon the back, that is to say, certain white hairs after a wonderful manner formed into the figure of a Cross.

7. Marcus Venetus who for forty five years tra­vell'd up and down in the Countries of Asia re­ports in his Itinerary;Camer. hor. subcis. l. 3. c. 42. p. 145. Iohnst. Nat. Hist. Cl. 10. c. 5. p. 340. that he came into the King­dom of the Corzani: the Kings of which place (though subject to the Tartarian) boast themselves of a Nobility beyond that of all other Kings of of the Earth; and upon this account, they are born into the World with the impress of a black Eagle upon their Shoulder, which continues with them to the last day of their lives.

8. I have received it from the Relations of Persons worthy to be believed,Camer. Ibid. p. 145. Iohnst. Nat. Hist. Cl. 10. c. 5. p. 340. that the most po­tent King of Great Britain now reigning (that was King Iames) brought with him from his Mothers Womb, certain Royal, and those not obscure sig­natures: for as soon as he was born, there was beheld imprinted upon his body, a Lyon and Crown, and some also add a Sword, which im­pressions do undoubtedly portend great things; and would require a further explication.

9. That is a memorable thing and worthy of observation,Camer. Ibid. p. 146. which is set down by Abrahamus Bu­choltzerus. [Page 10] Iohn Frederick (saith he) Elector of Saxony, Iohnst. Nat. Hist. Cent. 10 c. 5. p. 340. the Son of Iohn, was born the 30th. of Iune, Anno 1503. and brought with him from his Mothers Womb, an omen of his future fate. For (as I had it from persons of unquestionable credit) he was born with a Cross of a splendid and golden colour upon his back, upon the sight of which a pious and very ancient Priest was sent for by the Ladies of the Court, who thereupon said; This Child, shall carry a Cross Conspicuous to all the World; the Emblem of which is thus apparent in his birth. The truth is his Mother Sophia dy'd upon the twelfth day after his birth: I have noted this the rather (saith the fore-cited Authour) be­cause no Man hath done it before; though wor­thy to be transcribed to Posterity, and withal be­cause the event did declare and confirm the truth of the presage.

Gaffarel. curiosities. c. 5. p. 143.10. A Sister of mine (saith Gaffarel) had the fi­gure of a Fish upon her left Leg, caus'd by the de­sire my Mother had to eat fish when she was great, and it is represented with so much perfection and rarity, that you would take it to be drawn by some excellent Master; and the wonder is, that when ever the Girl eat any Fish, that upon her Leg puts her to a sensible pain.

Gaffar. c. 5. p. 144.11. That which I now relate to the same pur­pose is very well known to all Paris, that are curi­ous enquirers into these things. The Hostess of the Inn in the Suburbs of St. Michael at Bois de Vincenne; (who dy'd about two years since) had a Mulberry growing upon her nether Lip, which was smooth and plain all the year long till the time that Mulberries began to ripen, at which time hers also began to be red, and began to swell more and more, observing exactly the season, and nature of other Mulberries, and coming at length to the just bigness, and redness of other ripe Mul­berries.

Za [...]ut. Lus. prax. admir. l. 2. obs. 133. p. 251.12. A Woman in the seventh Month of her be­ing with Child, long'd to eat Rose-buds in a time when they were di [...]ficultly to be procur'd: She had passed two days thus, when after much search, there was a bough of them found in a private Garden; she greedily devour'd the green buds of two Roses, and kept the rest in her bo­som: In the ninth month she was happily deliver'd of a fair babe; upon the Ribs of which there appear'd the representations of three Roses very red; upon his Forehead and on either Cheek; he had also depainted three other exact resem­blances of a Red Rose, so that he was commonly call'd the Rosie boy.

Sutton. ine­jus vita. l. [...]. c. 80. p. 104.13. Octavius Augustus the Emperour, was all spotted on his body, his Moles being dispers'd upon his Brest and Belly, in the manner, order, and number with the Stars of the Celestial Bear.

CHAP. VIII. Of the strange Constitution, and mar­vellous properties of some hu­mane Bodies.

THat the original of Man's body is nothing else besides the dust of the ground is a certain and unquestionable truth. Yet as out of that dust there springs such variety of Trees, Plants, Flowers, with different Forms, Colours, Vertues, as may reasonably solicite a considering mind to a just veneration of the Wisdom and Bounty of the Creator: so though all humane bodies are fram'd of the same course materials; yet some of them are endow'd with such peculiar proprieties, and qualities so remov'd from the Constitution of others; that Man need travel no further then himself, for a sufficient theme, wherein he may at once inlarge his thoughts to the praises of his Ma­ker, and admiration of his own wonderful com­posure.

Every Man is a moving miracle: but there are some that may justly move the wonder of all the rest. For,De civ. Dei l. 14. c. 23. Zuin. Theat. Vol. 2. l. 5. p. 419.

1. Saint Austin saith, he knew a Man, who could sweat of his own accord as often as he pleas'd.

2. Avicenna writes of one, that when he pleas'd could put himself into a Palsie;Cal. Rhod. Ant. lect. l. 20. c. 16. Schenck obs. Med. l. 1. obs. 3. p. 85. nor was he hurt by any venemous creature, but when he forc'd and provok'd them to it; of which notwithstand­ing, themselves would die, so poysonous was his body.

3. I knew one saith Maranta, who was of that strange constitution of body;Schenck. obs. Med. lib. 3. obs. 3. p. 384. that he was made loose by asbringent simples, and on the contrary bound up by those that were of a loosening Na­ture.

4. There are some Families of that marvellous constitution,Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 28. c. 3. p. 298.299. Pasch. Leg. c. 8. p. 43. Solin. c. 8. p. 207. Plut. in Ca­tonem mi­nore p. 787. that no Serpent will hurt them, but instead of that they fly their presence, the spittle of these Men, or their sucking the place is Medi­cinable to such as have been bitten or stung with them, of this kind are the Psylli and Marsi, those also in the Island of Cyprus, whom they call Ophio­genes, and of this Race and house, there came one Exagon Embassadour from that Island, who by the commandment of the Roman Consul was put into a great Tun or Pipe, wherein were many Ser­pents, on purpose to make experiment and tryal of the truth. The issue was, the Serpents lick'd his body, in all parts, gently, with their Tongues, as if they had been little dogs, and he remain'd unhurt, to the great wonder of them who beheld the manner of it.

5. Those Men that are bred in Tentyrus, Plin. Ibid. l. 28. c. 3. p. 299. an Island lying within the River Nilus, are so terrible to the Crocodiles, that they will not abide so much as their voice, but fly from them as soon as they hear it.

6. When Pyrrhus King of Epirus was dead,Plut. paral. in vita Pyr­rhi. p. 384. Fulg. Mi [...]. l. 1. c. 6. p. 151. Delrio disq. Magic. l. 1. c. 3. Quaest. 4. § 19. p. 36. Donat. Hist. Med. l. 6. c. 3. p. 306. Henric. ab Heers. obs. Med. l. 1. obs. 29. p. 244. and all the rest of his body consum'd in the Fune­ral Fire, the great Toe of his right Foot was found entire, having receiv'd no damage at all by the flames, this Toe that was so able to preserve it self, after his death, had also in his life time, a healing kind of vertue in it, against Diseases of the Spleen, which us'd to retreat at the powerful touch of it. Kornman de Mirac. Mortuor. lib. 3. cap. 8. pag. 8.

7. I know a Family at Liege, in which all the Persons of both Sexes, sick and well, Summer and Winter, sleeping and waking, have their Nostrils extreme cold, whence it fell out, that administring Physick to two Brothers, seiz'd with a burning Fever, when upon the eleventh day there was no Crisis, nor any appearance that there would be, finding the Nostrils of both of them colder then Ice, I adjudg'd they would die; and so did three other Physicians with me, yet both escap'd and are yet alive, being the 14th year after their Di­sease.

[Page 11] Henric. ab Hiers. obs. Med. l. 1. obs. 27. p. 236.237.8. A certain Canonical Person who having per­fected his course in Philosophy, had studied Di­vinity for five years space in Lovain; by his over intense study, he arriv'd at last to be a very Fool. Five years since he cam [...] to the Spa, where he was purg'd and drank the Waters, but in vain. With­out my consent he would bleed often in a month, and notwithstanding the clamours of all who were present, he would not suffer the vein to be clos'd, till above thirty and sometimes forty ounces of blood were slow'd out, this he continued for three years and more. When I told him by this means he would incur the danger of a Cachexy and Dropsie, he was not mov'd at all; In the mean time he daily eat divers handfuls of Wheat, raw, and unground. When once he complain'd that his Potions did not work well with him; I at last gave him two grains of our white Elaterium, by which when he had been strongly purg'd, he took them unknown to me, more then twenty times, notwithstanding all which, he is well, nor can we observe or discern that his strength is in the least impair'd, by so many blood-lettings and pur­gations.

Donat. Hist. Med. Mir. l. 6. c. 4. p. 306.9. Demophon the Steward to Alexander the Great, is reported to be of that strange Constitu­tion, that standing in the Sun-shine, or being in a hot Bath, he was ready to freeze for cold, and on the contrary would sweat in the shade.

Donat. ibid. p. 306. Curt. Kornman de Mir. Mort. l. 4. c. 95. p. 38.10. Quintus Curtius tells of Alexander the Great, that as often as he sweat, there issued a fragrant odour from his body, that dispers'd it self amongst all that were near him, the harmony of his Consti­tution was such, as occasion'd that natural Balsom to slow from him.

Donat. ibid. p. 306. Solin. c. 8. p. 206.207.11. Not far from the City of Rome amongst the Falisci, there are some few Families who are call'd Hirpiae, who (in that annual Sacrifice that is made to Apollo at the Foot of the Mountain So­racte) use to walk upon the heaps of the live Coals of the burnt Wood, and yet receive no da­mage by the fire.

Alex. ab A­lexand. Gen. Dier l. 2. c. 21. p. 91. Marcel. Do­nat Med. Hist. Mir. l. 6. c. 3. p. 307. Trea [...] of An [...]i [...]t & M [...]rs t [...]es l. 1. c. 29 p. 75. Sandys on Ovid. M [...]t. l. 13. p. 252.12. That is exceeding wonderful which is related by Iovianus Pentanus, concerning one Co [...]an of Catana in Sicily; sirnamed the Fish, who liv'd longer in the Water then on the Land, he was constrained every day to abide in the Water, and he said that if he was long absent thence, he could scarce breath or live, and that it would be his death to forbear it, he was so excellent in swim­ming that as a Sea-Fish he would cut the S [...]as, in the greatest storms and tempests, and in despight of the resisting Waves swim more then five hun­dred furlongs at once: At last in the Sicilian Sea, at the Haven of M [...]ss [...]na, diving for a piece of Plate which the King had caus'd to be cast in as a prize to him that could fetch it from the bottom, he there lost his Life, for he was never seen after, either devoured by a Fish, or engaged in the Con­caves o [...] the Rock.

13. It is related of the Lord Verulame, that he had one peculiar temper of body,Lloyd's State worthies. p. 837. which was that he fainted always at an Eclipse of the Moon, though he knew not of it, and consider'd it not.

Petr. Serv. in dis [...]rt. de Ung. A [...]mar. p. 29.30.14. Rodericus Fons [...]ca a Physician of great repu­tation in Pisa, bought for his Houshold employ­ment a Negro slave; she as often as she pleas'd took burning Coals into her hands or mouth with­out any hurt at all; this was confirm'd to me by Gabriel Fonseca an excellent Physician in Rome; and by another of deserved credit, who told me he had frequently seen the trial, and red hot Coals held in her hand till they were almost cold, and this without any impression of fire left upon her: and I my self saw the same thing done by a She-Negro, in the Hospital of the Holy Ghost, to which I was Physician.

15. It is [...]amiliarly known all over Pisa, Petr. Serv [...] in diss [...]rt. de Ung. Ar­mar. p. 33. 34. o [...] Martinus Ceccho a Townsman of Montelu [...]o, that he us'd to take hot Coals in his hand, put them in his mouth, bite them in pieces with his Teeth, till he had extinguish'd them; he would thrust them up as a suppository into his Fundament, and tread upon them with his ba [...]e fe [...]t, he would put boil­ing lead into his mouth, and suffer a burning Can­dle to be held under his Tongue, as he put it out of his mouth; and many such other things as may seem incredible: all this was confirm'd to me by divers Capuchins, and my worthy Friend Nicho­laus Accursius of the Order of St. Francis.

16. Andrenicus Comnenus Emperour of Greece, [...]ulier's pro­phane State l. 5. c. 18. p. 501. was of that sound and firm Constitution, vigorous Limbs, &c. that he us'd to say, he could [...]ndure the violence of any Disease for twelve Months together, by his sole natural strength; without being beholding to Art, or any assistance of Physick.

CHAP. IX. Of Natural Antipathies in some Men, to Flowers, Fruits, Flesh, Physick, and divers other things.

WE read in the Poet of one saying—Non amo te Sabidis—&c.

Thus the seeds of our aversion and Antipathy to this or that, are often lodged so deep, that in vain we demand a reason of our selves for what we do or do not. The Enemies of our Nature work upon us (it seems) whether we are aware or not. For the Lady H [...]nnage of the Bed-cham­ber to Queen Elizabeth, Sir K [...]nelme Digby's Treatise of bodies c. 38. p. 336. had her Cheeks blister'd by laying a Rose upon it, while she was a­sleep, saith Sir Kenelm Digby; and worse hath be fallen others, though awake, by the smell of them.

1. Cardinal Don Henrique a Card [...]na would fall into a swound upon the smell of a Rose (saith In­grassia) and Laurentius Bishop of Vratislavia, Schenk. obs. Med. l. 7. p. 891. Donat. Hist. Med. Mir. l. 6. c. 3. p. 305. Sche [...]. obs. Med. l. 7. p. 891. was done to death by the smell of them, saith Cro [...]erus de rebus Polon. lib. 8.

2. The smell of Roses how pleasing soever to most Men, is not only odious but almost deadly to others. Cardinal Oliverius C [...]raffa during the season of Roses, used to inclose himself in a Cham­ber, not permitting any to [...]nter his Palace, or come near him that had a Rose about him.

3. The smell of a Rose or sight of it at a di­stance,Donat. Hist. M [...]d. Mier. l [...] 6. c. 3. p. 305. Amat. Lu [...]. Cont. 2. Cur, 36. would cause a noble Venetian of the Fami­ly of the Barbarigi, to swound and become like a dead Man, who was therefore advis'd by the Physicians to keep at home, and not to hazard his Life by going abroad while Roses con­tinu'd.

[Page 12] Z [...]c [...]. qu. Med. legal. l. 2. tit. 2. p. 61.4. Zacchias tells of himself, that the smell of white Roses was such an enemy to him, that though he lov'd it well enough, yet would it forthwith cause his Head to ake in violent and extraordinary manner.

Schenck. obs..Med. l. 7. p. 891. Donat. Hist. Medel. 6. c. 3. p. 306.5. I know a stout Soldier, saith Donatus, who was never able to bear the smell or sight of the Herb Rue, but would evermore betake himself to slight at his first notice of its presence.

6. Iohannes [...] Querecto a Parisian, and Secretary to Francis the First King of France, Donat. Hist. Mid. Mir. l. 6. c. 3. p. 307. Schenck. obs. Med. l. 7. p. 890. Petr. Servi­us ia dis. s [...]t. de odo­ribus, p. 19. was forc'd to stop his Nostrils with Bread, when there were any Apples at Table, and so offensive was the smell of them to him, that if an Apple had been held near his Noise, he would fall a bleeding: such a peculiar and innate hatred to Apples had the Noble Family of Fysta [...]es in Aquitain, we call them now the Foesii.

7. Vladislaus Iegello, King of Poland, did so abhor Apples,Schenck. ibid. p. 890. that he was not able to endure the smell of them, saith Cromerus.

Schenck. l. 7. p. 890.8. I have seen, saith Brassavolus, the younger Daughter of Frederick King of Naples, that could not eat any kind of Flesh, nor so much as taste of it; and as oft as she put any bit of it into her mouth, she was seis'd with a vehement Syncope, and falling to the Earth, and rouling her self thereupon, would lamentably shriek out: This she would continue to do for the space of half an hour, after she was returned to her self.

Z [...]ch. Q [...]st. Med. [...]l. l. 2. til. 2. p. 73.9. Guainerius tells of himself, that Hogs-flesh was so very great an Enemy to him, that it pro­duced the same accidents in him that Poyson would have done, although he us'd but any part of it in Sawces: as also that when his Mother (who was desirous to accustom her Son to all kinds of Meats) had prepar'd for him (without his knowledge) a dish of that Flesh, minc'd into smallest bits, and offer'd it to him to eat; within an hour after he fell into a palpitation of the Heart, and thence into a Syncope, and thence into a vo­miting, in which he brought up pure blood; so that they look'd [...]or no life of him.

Pl [...]t. obs. l. 1. p. 238.10. Antonius Posrellus, a French Boy that tabled with my Father, would eat nothing that was roasted, boyl'd or fry'd; contenting himself with Bread, Fruits and Milk; nor could he eat the finer sort of Bread, but such only as had course brans in it. In the Winter time he eat dry'd Apples, Pears, Cherries, Nuts, &c. his Milk also must be cold, for he could eat nothing hot or warm. In the mean time he was of good habit of body, fresh and well colour'd: this custom he kept many years, wherein he dycted with my Father; and (as 'tis said) he continu'd it after­wards.

Schenck. obs. Med. l. 7. p. 891.11. I saw a Noble Countess, saith Horstius, who (at the Table of a Count) tasting of an Ud­der of Beef, had her Lips suddenly swell'd thereby; who observing that I took notice of it, told me that she had no dislike to that kind of Dish, but as oft as she did eat of it, she was troubl'd in this manner; the cause of which she was utterly ignorant of.

S [...]k. obs. Ibid.12. A Learned person told me, saith the same Author, that he knew one at Antwerp, that would immediately swoun'd, as o [...]t as a Pigg was set before him, upon any Table where he was present.

[...] 247.13. There lives a person amonst us of prime Quality, who at the light of an E [...]l is presently cast into a swound; yea, though it be brought to the Table i [...]clos'd in Past, after the manner of a Pie; yet falls he down as one that is dead, nor doth he return to himself, till the Eel is taken off from the Table.

14. The most Learned Iohannes Heurnius writes of himself,H [...]ic. ab H [...]rs. obs. M [...]d.l. 1. obs. 29. p. 249. that as oft as he eat of any Pepper or Rhadish, he was sure to be tortur'd with the cruel pains of the Colick.

15. The mildest Medicines create such di­stuarbances to some,Schenck, obs. Med. l. 7. p. 891. as if they were of the most vehement sort. Which Physicians did frequently observe in an illustrious Lady, who was the Light and Ornament of our Age: for while they endeavour'd to purge her but with Manna, she was suddenly taken with torments, loathings, bel­chings, weariness, and involuntary sweats, and other worse and more dangerous symptoms did ever follow; yet with stronger Medicines, she was purg'd without any trouble. Also her Ne­phew (though of a bilious temperament) a man excellently well vers'd in the Art Military, and all other laudable Studies, could never be happi­ly purg'd with Manna; so that it seem'd to be a certain peculiar property of that Fa­mily.

16. A whole Family of our City (saith Donat­us) were never able to bear the Electuary,Donat. Hest. Med. Mir. l. 6. c. 3. p. 308. called Diaphoenicon, though it was never so privately mine'd with other Medicines; but they would streight reject it by vomit, as my self have often seen.

17. There was even in your City (as modern Physicians report) saith Scaliger to Cardan, Scalig. de subtil. ad Card. Ex­ercit. 153. p. 513. a whole Family, that would dye at the taking of a little Cassia Fistula.

18. A Noble Count of Arnstadht had such an antipathy to Oyl Olive,Schenck. obs. l. 7. p. 89 [...]1. that all kind of Sawces that were prepar'd with it, and set in the room where he was, must suddenly be taken thence, or else he would immediately fall into deadly faint­ings.

19. Bernardus Bonius of a Patrician Family in Ragusa, Schenck. obs. Med. lib. 7. [...].891 Amat. Lusit. Cent. 6. Cur. 60. a young man of about twenty years of age, caus'd his water to be brought to me (saith Amatus Lusitanus) with request, that if it portend­ed any evil, I would administer to him. I found he had a weakness in the Reins, and the semina­ry of the French Disease. I therefore prescribe him this and the other Syrrup from the Apo­thecaries: but he desir'd, I would not be so for­ward to prescribe Syrrups to him, for he hated all sweet things; and as I afterwards found, Ho­ney, Sugar, and all things made up with these, are most immediate Poysons to him, he eat not Grape, nor Fig, nor Pear, Quince, Pomgranate, Peach, nor Prunes; of all kind of Fruits, he on­ly eats Nuts, Almonds, and Pine Kernels; he d [...]lights in Vinegar, sowr Sauces, and Water of Tamarind [...], and salt things; his usual drink is Water. These things exactly consider'd, I pre­scrib'd such Medicines as the Disease did require, made up of things, whose taste tended to bitter, by which he was afterwards cur'd.

20. A Student in the University of Hafnia, Barthol. Hist. Ana­tom. Cent. 5. Hist. 64. p. 134. was so overcome with Melancholy, that he had thoughts of laying violent hands upon himself; but before hand consulted Dr. Christianus Osten­f [...]ld, the Kings Professor of Physick, about that Case of Conscience: who with forcible Argu­ments labour'd to reduce him to more Christian resolves, promising that by Physick he would purge away those Melancholy Humours, which occasion'd such black and evil cogitations. In the mean time, he prepares an infusion of An­timony, [Page 13] and delivers it to his Chamber-fellow, to be drank off in the Morning, he upon the sight of the infusion, immediately found such a loathing arise, that he besought him to take away the Me­dicine, and soon after such abundance of humours were voided by him upward and downwards, that in a short time after he was sound and safe, and with a chearful and lively countenance gave thanks to his Physician.

Schenck. obs. Med. l. 3. obs. 3. p. 384.21. Rondeletius saith, he knew a Bishop of France, who when he was by no means able to take any Physick, as oft as he had nee [...], he us'd to have it prepar'd for him in a great quantity; that done, he caus'd it to be pour'd hot into a clean bason, where he us'd to stir it to and fro with a small stick, and to hold his Mouth and Nostrils over the steam of it, by which he was purg'd as plentifully as if he had taken any convenient M [...]di [...]ine for that purpose.

Schenck. obs. Med. Ibid.22. When I was at Pisa saith Fallopius, and was Physician to the Nuns of St. Pauls in the East; I often prescrib'd Pills to the Abbess of that place, who never swallow'd them, but crush'd them [...]lat with her [...]ingers, forming them as it were into little Cakes, then she moistned them on the one side with her Spittle, and so apply'd them outward­ly to the Region of the Ventricle, binding them on with a swathing band; and in the space of four or five hours, she would be as well purg'd, as if she had swallow'd down the Pills themselves, this I observ'd in her for two years together, and it seemed wonderful to me.

Donat. Hist. Med. Mir. l. 6. c. 3. p. 305. Schenck. obs. Med. l. 7. p. 890.23. That is wonderful saith Donatus, which was observ'd in a Boy, the Son of a Count; that if at any time he eat of an Egg, his Lips would swell, in his Face would rise purple and black spots, and he would froth at mo [...]th, after the same manner as if he had swallow'd poyson.

24. Schenckius tells of a Norman Rustick, who had never tasted Bread,Schenck. l. 7. p. 889. Flesh, or Fish, but fed only upon Eggs, by reason of which he was commonly call'd the Weasell; that Creature being so very desirous of that Food.

Schenck. l. 7. p. 890. Zach. Quaest. Med. legal. l. 2. Tit. 2. p. 73.25. I knew (saith Bruyerinus) a Maid born at Chauniacum in Flanders, who being sixteen years of Age or more, had been brought up only with Milk, without any other kind of Food, for she was not able to endure so much as the smell of bread, and if the smallest particle of it was put into her Milk, even at a distance she would disco­ver it by the smell (a wonderful thing) the truth of which notwithstanding, I am able to confirm, as being an eye-witness of it.

26. Iacobus Foroliviensis, the most excellent Physitian of his Age hath left it witnessed of himself,Schenck. l. 7. p. 890. Zach. Quaest. Med. legal. l. 2. Tit. 2. p. 60. that if at any time he eat Garlick, he was no les [...] tormented then if he had drank Poy­son, the very same symptoms appearing in him, as are usual in those that are poyson'd, and was hurt by the smell of it, as if it had been something Pestilential.Schenck. l. 7. p. 890. Amat Lusit. C [...]nt. 2. Cur. 36. Donat. Hist. Med. Mir. l. 6. c. 3. p. 305.

27. I know one (saith Amatus Lusitanus) who had never tasted of any sort of Fish, and when once a Friend of his had invited him to a Supper, and on purpose given him Fish, well prepar'd and wrapt up in Eggs, he immediately f [...]ll into sainting pressures of the heart, accompanied with Vomitings and seige, so that little wanted but that he had dy'd upon it. His Name was Stephanus Surdaster, a Spaniard of Toledo.

Schen [...]k [...] l. 7. p. 890. Z [...]in. Th [...]at. Vol. 1. l. 1. p. 66.28. Germanicus could not endure the sight or voice of a Cock; and the Persian Magi were possess'd with an extream hatred to Mice.

29. There was (saith Weinrichus) a Person of a noble Family,Sch [...]nck. l. 7. p. 339. Kornman de Mir. Mortd. 4. c. 85. p. 34. who was not able to bear that an old Woman should look upon him, and being once drawn out by force from his Supper to look upon one such, that which was only intended for merriment, as to him, cnded in death, for he fell down and dy'd upon it.

30. There is in Hafnia, Barth. Hist. Anat. Cent. 3. Hist. 28. p. 65. a Man, in other re­spects strong, healthful, and of a good courage, who yet as oft as he sees a dog, (though it be never so small a one) is not only af [...]right­ed, but also seiz'd with Convulsions in his left hand.

31. Ten years since,Henric. ab Heers obs. Med. l. 1. obs. 29. p. 253. I was call'd to Namur­cum to the young Daughter of a Noble-man, who as often as she heard the sound of a bell, or any loud voice speaking or singing, so often was she cast into a swound; so, as that she diffe­red not from one that was dead: this Person was cur'd by me by purgation, the Waters of the Spa, and Anti-Epileptical Medicines.

32. I know a Nun in the Monastery of St. Clare yet living,Zach. Quaest. Med. l [...]gal. l. 2. Tit. 2. p. 61. who at the sight of that insect we call a Beetle, is strangely affected. It fell out that some young Girls, knowing this disposition of hers, cast a Beetle into her bosom, betwixt her breasts; which when she perceiv'd, she presently fell into a swound to the Earth, depriv'd of all sense, and remain'd [...]our hours in cold sweats: when she came to her self, and that her Spirits were recreated by degrees; yet she recover'd not her former strength in many days after, but conti­nu'd trembling and pale.

33. Marcellus Donatus speaks of a Noble man of Mantua, Donat. Hist. Med. Mir. l. 6. c. 3. p. 306. Zach. Q [...]ae [...]t. M [...]d. legal. l. 2. Tit. 2. p. 61. that could not endure the sight of a Hedge-hog without falling into a Syncope, and cold sweats immediately upon it.

34. Mathiolus tells of a German, who coming in Winter-time into an Inn to sup, with him and some other of his Friends;Schenck. obs. Med. l. 7. p. 889. the Woman of the House being acquainted with his temper (lest he should depart angry, at the sight of a young Cat, which she kept, to breed up) had before hand hid her kitling in a Chest, in the same room where we sate at Supper. But though he had neither seen nor heard it, yet after some time that he had suck'd in the Air, infected by the Cats breath, that quality of his temperament that had antipa­thy to that creature, being provok'd, he sweat, and a sudden paleness came over his [...]ace, and to the wonder of all us that were present, he cry'd out, that in some corner or other of the room, there was a Cat that lay hid.

35. There liv'd amongst us a young Lady, who as o [...]t as she tasted any Raisins or Sugar,Henric. ab Heers. obs. Med. l. 1. obs. 29. p. 254. or any o­ther sweet thing, was afflicted with intollerable pain in her teeth, nor was she freed from it before she had eaten something that is bitter or sharp, and yet it is the common opinion that we are nourish'd only by sweet things. This very Summer at the Spa, eating Anniseed Comsits in my presence, she was taken both with pain in her Teeth, and a swelling of the Jaws, which the day following was discuss'd by Cathartick Pills administred to her.

CHAP. X. Of the marvelous recompence of Na­ture in some Persons.

IN a Game at Tables, when the cast of the Dice does not answer the desire and hope of him that playes, the discreet Gamester mannages his ill chance to the best advantage; and by his skill in play, many times repairs those injuries, his Per­verse Fortune and the Dice have done him. Pro­vident Nature takes the same course, she ever de­signs well; but if she chance to fail in her good intentions, she yet makes such after provisions to supply her former defects; or else prepares so fair a recompence in some other things, that we often see with admiration, that even her maimed Clients have as little cause to complain of her, as those upon whom she hath seemed more studiously to confer her favours: We have notable instances hereof in the following Examples.

Niphil. in Augusto. p. 55.1. The Indians presented Augustus with a young man without Shoulders or Arms, who yet could perform with his Feet, what others did with their hands: he could bend a Bow, shoot Arrows, and sound a Trumpet; how he did it, I know not, I only write what is in common discourse.

Camerar. hor. subsi­civae Cent. 1. c. 37. 169, 170. Hist. manu­al Arts. c. 4. p. 50. S [...]nart. prax. Med. l. 4. part 2. § 6. c. 7. p. 303. Iohnst. nat. Hist. Class. 10. c. 5. p. 335. K [...]ckerm. i [...] Physic. l. 1. cap. 4. p. 1370.2. My self and others (saith Camerarius) being once at Combourg in the House of Erasmus Neu­stetetur; he sent to a place, not far off, for one Thomas Schiveiker, a young man of one and thir­ty years age, descended of a worshipful House, and born without ever an Arm, who did with his Feet, all that a ready man could do with his Hands. Having seated himself in a place equal with the height of the Table, whereon the Meat was placed; he took a Knife with his Feet, begins to cut Bread and Meat, which he carry'd with his Feet to his Mouth; and likewise the Cup, with as much ease, as another would have done with his Hands. After Dinner he wrote Copies in Latin and German Letters, so fair and so streight, that every one of us, desir'd to have some of them to keep, as a special Monument. Being request­ed, he did with a Penknife make Pens very good to write with, which he gave us. While he was thus doing, I observ'd the make of his Feet, and saw that his Toes were long, fit to lay hold of things. This sight, as it was pleasing to us, so was it, at another time, to the Emperour Maxi­milian the Second; who passing that way, desir'd to see the man; and having observ'd the strange recompence of Nature, dismiss'd him with a Princely gift. Of this man Posthius thus in English:

Car [...]. h [...]r. subsici [...]. C [...]nyt. 1. cap. 37. p. 17 [...]3. Of late there was a man born without Arms, that went about Germany, who had learn'd by Custom, turn'd into Art, to handle a Sword, and flourish it about his Neck; to sling Javelins, and do other things so nimbly, and withal so surely, that he would commonly hit the Mark. All o­ther the duties of the Hands he perform'd with his Feet; he was after broken upon the Wheel, for sundry Robberies and Murthers by him com­mitted.

4. I remember I have seen a woman at Basil, Plat. obs. l. 3. p. 593. spinning artificially with her Feet, sweeping the House, and performing all other the Offices of a good Huswife.

5. I have also (saith the same Platerus) seen a man,Plat. obs. Ibid. who with his Head and Shoulders; would take hold of things, and handle them after vari­ous manners. I have seen him with Instruments and Weapons held in that fashion, to cleave, cut off, dig and strike with a wonderful force; and yet both he and the woman before mention'd were without Arms.

6. A Swedish woman,Barthol. Hist. Ana­tom. Cent. 3. Hist. 26. p. 61. call'd Magdalene Ru­dolph Thuinby, was here of late at Hafnia, she was aged forty two; marry'd to a German Soldier: She was born without Arms; and that there might be no suspicion of fraud, by her consent I saw that she had nothing but Shoulders; yet though she thus was maim'd, she performs all offices with her Feet, with that dexterity and readiness, that she is deservedly the wonder of the Spectators, and may seem to have no want of her Hands. With her Feet she spins, and threds her Needle; she weaves, she charges and discharges a Gun: With Scissars and a Knife she cuts Papers into divers artificial Figures; she plays at Tables and Dice; she drinks, and swathes her little Infant, she knows how to bring her Feet to her Brest and Head; so as to take her Child to her Brest, as if she did it with her Hands. She feeds both her self and her Child, she combs her hair; to conclude, without trouble she doth all, that is sufficient for her own necessity, and to gratifie o­thers curiosity.

7. Mr. Crispe (Brother to Sir Nicholas Crispe) his dexterity in knowing the meaning of men by the motion of their Lips,Clark's Mirror chap. 44. p. 156. is very well known to Merchants upon the Exchange, and is yet fresh in every ones memory. At the time when Sir Alexander Cary was beheaded upon Tower-hill, this Mr. Crispe, having been long deaf before, press'd to stand near the Scaffold; whereupon Mr. Hust, an Officer in the Train-bands, that kept the Guard, spake to him to forbear; he not hear­ing him, continued his labour to get a conveni­ent place; till Mr. Hust being told by some, who he was, suffer'd him to place himself right against the front of the Scaffold: And when Sir Alexander turn'd himself to speak to the people, Mr. Crispe fix'd his eyes upon his Lips, during all the time of his Speech, which he so perfectly understood and carry'd way, that relating it to his Friends, they much wondred at the way of his perception.

8. There was a Nobleman in Spain, the younger Brother of the Constable of Castile, Clark's Mirror. chap. 14. p. 157. Sir Kenelme Digbyes Treatise of Bodies. chap. 28. p. 254, 255. born so deaf, that he could not hear a Gun shot off close by his Ear, and consequently dumb: Yet the lovelyness of his Face, vivacity of his Eye, comeliness of his Person, and the whole composure of his Body were pregnant signs of a well temper'd mind. The Physitians and Chirurgeons had long im­ploy'd their skill to help him, but in vain. At last a certain Priest undertoook to teach him to understand others when they spake, and to speak himself, that others might understand him. This attempt was at first laugh'd at; but after some years, with great pains, he taught this young Lord to speak as distinctly as any man; and to understand so perfectly what others said; that [Page 15] he could understandingly converse all the day with them. Prince Charles, when he was wooing the Infan­ta of Spain saw, and oft made trial of him, not only with English words; but making some Welsh-men of his train to speak words of their language; all which he perfectly repeated: only for want of his hearing, his tone was rather vehement and shrill, than pleasing.

Fullers Worthies, p. 206. in Cornwal.9. Edward Bone of Ladock in Cornwall, was Servant to Mr. Courtney therein; he was deaf from his Cradle, and consequently dumb (Nature cannot give out where she hath not received) yet could learn and express to his Master any news that was stirring in the Country. Especially if there went speech of a Sermon within some miles distance, he would repair to the place, with the soonest; and setting himself directly against the Preaeher, look him stedfastly in the face, while his Sermon lasted. To which religious Zeal his honest life was also answerable. As­sisted with a firm memory, he would not only know any party whom he had once seen for ever after, but also make him known to any other, by some special observation and difference. There was one Kempe, not living far off, defected accord­ingly, on whose meetings there were such em­bracings, such strange often and earnest tokenings; such hearty laughters, and other passionate ge­stures, that their want of a Tongue, seemed ra­ther an hindrance to others conceiving them, than to their conceiving one another.

Plat. obs. l. 1. p. 118.10. There was one that was deaf and dumb from his Birth, who nevertheless could write his own thoughts, and note the Writings of others in a Table-book, which he continually carry'd about him for that purpose. My Father has told me, that when Oecolampadius preach'd, he used to hear him with great zeal, and by the motion of his Lips, and the gesture he used▪ [...] could understand many things, and so also when others preached.

Camerar. hor. subcis. Cent. 1. c. 37. p. 171. Iohnst. Nat. Hist. Cl. 10. c. 6. p. 336.11. We have at Nuremburg (saith Camerarius) a young Man and a young Maid, born of one Fa­ther and Mother; (of a good House and well known) that are of a s [...]ngular quick conceit: For although they be deaf and dumb by Nature; yet can both of them read very well, Write, Cypher, and cast Account. The young Man conceiveth at first, by signs that are made him, what he is requir'd to do. If his Pen be wanting, by his countenance he sheweth his thoughts, being the quickest and cunningest at all Games, both at Cards and Dice, that one can find amongst the Germans, although there they are very dexte­rous. His Sister passeth all other Maids, for working with her Needle, all kind of Sempstry, Tapestry, Embroydery. But above all this is the most remarkable in them, that for the most part as soon as they see ones lips stir, they under­stand his meaning. They are oftentimes at Ser­mons; and a man would say, that they draw and conceive with their Eyes the words of the Prea­cher, as others do with their Ears. When the Preacher nameth the Name of Jesus; the young man is ready before any of the hearers to take off his Hat, and to bow his Knee.

Plat. obs. l. 1. p. 110.111.12. There was one who was blind from the seventh year of his Age▪ that from his Youth had so accustom'd himself to the making of Organs; that with his own hands he made Organs with Pipes of Wood and Tin, of great price: Frederick Duke of Wirtenburg shew'd me an Or­gan of this blind man's making; and I heard the Artist himself playing on it: looking upon his Eyes, I could not discover any spot therein; but all those who had liv'd with him for many years together, affirmed that he was blind; and prov'd that he could do these things, by a convincing Argument: for that he wrought in the dark, and they said he could discern the several sorts of Wood by the touch only.

13. Didimus of Alexandria, Socrat. l. 4. c. 20. p. 331 Camerar. bor. subcis. Cent. 1. [...]. 37 p. 171. being blind, spent all his time in hearing, in so much, that by his diligent atttention, he attain'd to that, which o­thers obtain by reading, and became so skilful in Divine and Humane Learning, that he excell'd amongst the Divines of his time.

14. Our Ancestors have seen Iohn Ferdinand, Camer. hor. subcis. p. 171. born in Flanders (his Father was a Spaniard) a blind and poor Soul; who yet happily over­came that, which most Learned Men find hard: For he was at once a very learned Poet and Phi­losopher; he was also an excellent Musician, he play'd skilfully upon divers kinds of Instruments, and was a great composer of Song for all parts.

15. Vldaricus Schonbergerus, a Doctor of Phi­sophy,Barthol. Hist. Ano­tom. Cent. 3. Hist. 44. p. 87, 88. in our time, begat the admiration of all men, for though he was blind, yet with his sin­gular Wit and Industry he attain'd to that, that few who had the advantage of their Eyes sur­pass'd him; he was learnedly skill'd in the La­tin, Greek, Hebrew, and Syriack Languages; an excellent Naturalist, an acute Disputant in Phi­losophy; skilful in Musick; studious both in Picture and Sculpture; he would discharge a Gun with that dexterity, that the Bullet should oft hit the Mark; he dy'd of late years at Regio­mont, of which unusual Example, the excellent Si­mon Dachius hath left to Posterity an elegant Elegy.

16. Iames Vsher, Clark's Lives. p. 190, 191. Lord Primate of Ireland, was first taught to read by his two Aunts, who were blind from their Cradles, and so never saw Let­ters; yet were they admirably vers'd in the Scriptures, being able suddenly to have given a good account of any part of the Bible.

17. Nicasius of Werd, Kornman. de mirac. vivor. p. 76. Camer. hor. subcis. Cent. 1. c. 37. p. 172. born at Macklin, falling blind when he was three years old, and not being able to learn one Letter, he so profited in the knowledge of Philosophy, both Humane and Divine, that all men were ravish'd with him. Having proceeded Master of Arts at Lovain, he was afterwards made Principal of Macklin Col­ledge, where he discharged his duty very well: he ascended afterwards to the degree of Licen­tiate in Theology: And though he was blind, he read, and Preach'd openly: Furthermore, being made Doctor of the Laws in the University of Colen: he read there, and expounded the Civil and Canon Law; repeating by heart the Text which he had never read: He dy'd at Cologne. Anno Dom. 1492.

18. I was told (said Antonius de Palermo) by King Alphonsus of a Sicilan, Camer. hor. subcis. Cent. 2. c. 8. p. 28. Ioh [...]st. Nat. Hist. Class [...] 10. c. 6. p. 337. born blind (then living in the City of Gergento, of old call'd Agrigentum) who had followed him osten times on hunting: shewing to the Hunts-men (who had their sight well enough) the retreats of the Wild Beasts: He added further, touching the industry of this blind man; that having by his sparing and scrap­ing, gotten together about 500 Crowns, which put him to a great deal of care; he resolv'd at last to hide them in a ground of his: As he was making a hole in the earth to that end, a Gossip of his, being his Neighbour espy'd him; who so [Page 16] soon as the blind man was gone, search'd, found the Money, and carry'd it away. Two or three days after, the blind man returning to visit his cash, and finding nothing there, like one forlorn he frets and fumes; and after much debating with himself, he concludes none but his Gos­sip could have play'd him this trick. Having therefore found him out, he began thus to say to him: Gossip, I am come to have your opinion; I have 1000 Crowns, and the one half of them I have hid in a safe place, and for the other half, I know not what to do with them, having not my sight, and being very unfit to keep any such things; therefore what think you, might I not hide this other half with the rest in the same place of safety? The Gossip approv'd, and com­mended his resolution; and going speedily to the place, carry'd back the 500 Crowns, he had be­fore taken away, believing he should have the whole 1000 together. A while after the blind man goes to his hole, and finding there his Crowns again, carry'd them home; and returning to his Gossip, with a cheer [...]ul voice, said to him, Gossip, The blind man sees better than he that hath two Eyes.

[...].19. It is reported of Count Mansfield, that though he was blind; yet with the touch alone, he was abl [...] [...]o distinguish white from black.

[...]. [...]. Sc [...]liger tells of one Antonius, who (as him­ [...] said) was born at Naples: This man, al­though he wants Arms, could toss a Pike with his right Foot, mend Clothes, Write, Eat, Drink, and thred a Needle; he could drive a Na [...]l into a piece of Wood, up to the head with a Hammer; and then immediately pull it out a­gain with Pincers: Scaliger saw him in the Pro­vince of the Allobroges; and supposes (as he tells Cardan) that there are fi [...]ty thousand persons a­live, who saw and wondred at him.

Za [...]ch. qu [...]st. Med. legal. l. 5. Tit. 3. p. 325. Schenck. obs. [...]. 1.21. That is next to a miracle, which is record­ed by Schencki [...]s, of a certain blind man, who re­ceived visible species through his Nostrils; al­though it is not so very impossible, but that the species of visibles might pass through his Nose to his Eyes, which were otherwise perfectly Orga­niz'd, and only impeded from without by the closing of the Lids, or the light of the Eyes themselves, might through the conveyance of the Nose be conjoyned to the external Light to per­ceive visible things that way.

No [...]ol. Talpii obs. Med. l. 3. [...]. 54. p. 273.22. There is a woman of Britain, who was born with Arms and Legs, distorted in so strange and unusual manner, that she might well seem unfit (to any man that see her) to do any thing: Yet had she acquired [...]rom officions Nature such a dex­terity, that she could spin with her Tongue, with the same she could thred a Needle of the small­est size, with great expedition: with the flexure of her Tongue only she could readily tye that fast Knot, which we call the Weavers Knot; and with the same Tongue she would write, and that in a fair Character; amongst others, she so wrote the name of my Son Petrus Tulpius, which I yet keep by me.

Sir Ke [...]elme Dig [...]y Trea­tis [...] of Bo­di [...]s, c. 28.2 [...] p. 253, 254.23. I have seen one who was so throughly blind, that his Eyes could not inform him when the Sun shin'd, for all the Crystalline Humour was out in both his Eyes; yet his other senses instructed him so efficaciously in what was their office to have done, as what he wanted in them seem'd to be over-pay'd in other abilities. To say that he would play at Cards and Tables, as well as most men, is rather a commendation of his Memory and Fancy, than of any of his out­ward Senses: but that he should play well at Bowls and Shovel-board, and other Games of aim, which in other men do require clear sight, and an exact level of the hand, according to the qualities of the Earth or Table, and to the Situ­ation and Distance of the Place he was to throw at, seemeth to exceed possibility, and yet he did all this. He would walk in a Chamber, or long alley in a Garden (after he had been a while used to them) as streight, and turn just at the ends, as any seeing man could do: He would at the first abord of a stranger (as soon as he spoke to him) frame a right apprehension of his stature, bulk, and manner of making. And which is more, when he taught his Scholars to declame (for he was a School-master to my Sons, and lived in my House) or to represent some of Seneca's Tragi­dies, or the like; he would by their voice know their gesture, and the situation they put their bo­dies in; so that he would be able, as soon as they spoke, to judge whether they stood or sate, or in what posture they were, which made them de­mean themselves decently before him whiles they spoke, as if he had seen them perfectly; though all this be very strange, yet methinks his dis­cerning of light is beyond it all, he would feel in his body, and chiefly in his brain (as he hath often told me) a certain effect by which he did know when the Sun was up; and would discern exactly a clear from a cloudy day. This I have frequently known him do without missing, when for trials sake he hath been lodg'd in a close Chamber, whereinto the clear Light or Sun, could not arrive to give him notice, by its actual warmth, nor any body could come to him, to give him private warnings of the changes of the weather.

24. Pictorius Villinganus testifies,Keckerm. in Physic. l. 1. c. 4. p. 1370 Iohnst. Nat. Hist. cl. 10. c. 5. p. 337. that he saw a Spaniard born without Arms; so cunning with his Feet, that he could spin, and use the Needle with great curiosity; even to an equality with most Women. He was also so dextrous in the management of his Arms, that few Soldiers were able to vye with him in his agility therein; He shot from a Bow, in such manner, that he seldom did miss the Mark; and would with an Axe give so strong a blow, as to cut in sunder at one stroke a reasonably piece of Wood.

25. Keckerman also speaks of Scholar,Iohnst. Nat. Hist. cl. 10. c. 5. p. 335. that had but one little Finger on each Hand, and his Feet were triangular without any Toes; yet had he more force in one Finger, than others had with five; he wrote curiously and swiftly, and stood so firm, that in very slippery places, he would seldom slip.

CHAP. XI. Of the Head and Skull, and the un­usual structure of them in some Men.

THe Brain of Man is that vigorous and active thing, that insinuates it self into all places and times; reaches the heights, searches the depths, and pries into all those recluded Cabi­nets of Nature, wherein she hath stored up the [Page 17] choicer and abstrusest pieces of all her work-man­ship, and these it contemplates and admires. No wonder then if Nature hath been solicitous to lodge so noble a guest, in Sanctiore hominis parte, as the Philosophers call the Head, the most ho­nourable part of Man, appointing its residence where it may repose with the greatest safety and and advantage, and be defended from casualties by a wall of bone of that thickness and hardness in some Men as is wonderful.

Ia [...]i Nicii pinacothec. prima p. 43.1. Nicolaus Ricardius an Italian, had a Head of an unreasonable bigness, and his skull was of that solidity and hardness, that he oftentimes brake Nuts, or the stone of a Peach with one blow of his head.

Herodot. l. 9. p. 544.2. Some time after the Greeks had overthrown Mardonius, and the Persians at the Battle of Pla­taea, when the bones were freed of the flesh, by lying in the Field, and that the Plataeans had ga­thered them together, to bury them in one place, amongst the bones there was then found a skull, without any future, but fram'd of one solid and intire bone.

Zuin. Theat. Vol. 2. l. 5. p. 385. Milo who was otherwise so famous for his won­derful strength, is said also to have made this Tri­al, he would tie a Lute-string or Bow-string, round about his Head, and then closing his Lips would keep in his breath with all the might he could, and then as soon as the Veins of his Head were swollen with blood, the string would burst asunder.

Barth. Hist. Anat. Cent. 5. Hist. 44. p. 97.4. The diligent Bartholinus, tells of a Religi­ous Person of forty years of Age, who had the hinder part of his skull so firm and compact (though Hippocrates affirm it to be the weakest thereabouts) that he was able to endure a Coach-wheel to pass over it, without any sensible damage to him.

5. Amongst the rarities of Pope Paul the Fourth,Columb. A­nat. l. 15. p. 484. there is to be seen (saith Columbus) the Head of a Gyant (for it is the biggest that I ever beheld) in which the lower Jaw is so connate and conjoyned to the Head, that it utterly wants all motion, and could not but do so when the Person was living; for I saw with these eyes the first joynt of the Neck, so fastned to the hinder part of the Head, that it is impossible it should ever move.

Zacut. Lusit. prax. adm. l. 3. obs. 93. p. 395.6. In the County of Transtagana in Portugal near the Town call'd Villa Amaena; there liv'd a Rich Man, whose Wife was brought to bed of a Man-child, which at his birth had a broad and hard knot upon his Fore-head: his Parents by the ad­vice of the Physicians made little of it, the child being arriv'd [...]o five years of Age, it also was in that time much grown out: so that the Physici­ans betook themselves to frequent purgations, but all in vain, for the knot (without any pain) grew out into a Pyramidical Horn, of the length of a Span broad at the root of it, and at the point the thickness of a Man's thumb end: being grown to Man's estate, he would not suffer it to be cut off, though both Physicians and Surgeons affirm'd it might be done without danger, he ad­dicted himself to his studies, and made singular progress therein.Zacut. Lusi [...]. prax. adm. l. 3. obs. 93. p. 396. Hi [...]d. Cen. 2. obs. 25. p. 104. Administ. o [...] Card. Ximen. c. 15. p. 145.

7. Hildanus reports, he saw a Man who came into the World with a horn in the midst of his Fore-head, it was inverted like to that of a Rams, and turn'd upwards to the coronel [...]uture, or the top of his head.

8. Twenty eight years after the death of Car­dinal Ximenes, the Grave wherein his body lay was digg'd up, his bones taken out, and his Head once the Palace of the greatest Judgement that ever appear'd in Spain, his skull was found to be all of a piece without any [...]uture, the mark of a strong brain, but withal the cause of the continual Head-achs he was so very subject unto in his Life, the vapours that ascended into the head wanting that vent which is so usual in others.

9. The Aegyptians have skulls generally of that hardness,Iohnst. Nat. Hist. Cl. 10. c. 8. p. 350. Kornman. de Mir. Mort. par. 3. c. 3. p. 4. that hardly can they be broken with a stone that is flung at them; on the contrary the skulls of the Persians are so very weak, that they are broken with a small and inconsiderable force. The cause of this is believed to be, that the Aegyptians from their Boyage, are used to cut their hair, and their skulls are thus hardned by the heat of the Sun, which also is the reason that few of them are bald; on the other side the Persians do not cut their hair from their infancy, and are accustomed to have their heads always co­ver'd with their Shasnes or Turbants.

10. Albertus the Marquess of Brandenburgh, Kornman. de Mir. Mort. l. 4. c. 78. p. 32. who was born the 24th. of November, Anno Dom. 1414. and had the sirname of the German A­chilles, had no junctures or sutures in his Skull, as is yet to be seen at Heilbronna, where it is kept.

11. Nicholo de Conti saith,Purch. Pilg. Tom. 1. l. 5. c. 17. p. 695. that in his time the Sumatrians were all Gentiles, and the Man-eaters amongst them, used the skulls of their eaten ene­mies instead of Money, exchanging the same for their necessaries, and he was accounted the rich­est Man, who had most of those skulls in his house.

12. In Thebet amongst the Tartarians,Purch. Pilg. Tom. 1. l. 4. c. 16. p. 48 [...]. the peo­ple in times past, bestowed on their Parents no o­ther Sepulcher then their own Bowels, and yet in part retain it, making fine cups of their deceased Fathers skulls, that drinking out of them in the midst of their jollity, they may not forget their Progenitors.

13. The Men of the Province of Dariene paint themselves when they go to the Wars,Purch. Pilg. Tom. 1. l. 9. c. 1. § 1. p. 1010. Trenc [...]. hist. improv'd. p. 37. and they stand in need of no Helmet or Head piece, for their skulls have such natural hardness upon them, that they will break a Sword, that is let drive upon them.

14. Iohannes Pfeil liv'd at Lipsia, and while he practis'd Physick there,M [...]lch. A­dam. in. vit. Germ. Med. p. 41. a Citizen was his Patient, who was so vehemently troubled with a daily and intollerable pain in his head, that by reason of it he could take no rest either night nor day, the Physician prescribed to him all things that might seem convenient for him, and procure other Medi­cines at his own charges, but all to no purpose, for the sick Man over-powred with the extremity▪ of his pain, and want of rest gave up the Ghost. Pfeil his Physician (with leave of his Friends) dis­sected the Head of the Deceased; and in the brain found a stone, of the magnitude and figure of a Mulberry, (by eating of which fruit the Patient had said, he had contracted his Disease) this stone was of an Ash colour, and he afterwards shewed it unto many, as matter of singular admi­ration.

15. Pericles the Athenian,Zuin. T [...]eat. Vol. 2. l. 2. p. 291. was of a decent com­posure in respect of the other parts of his body; but his Head was extraordinary great, and very long in the figure and shape of it, no way answer­ing to the other lineaments of his body: Hereup­on it is, that almost all the Statues that remain to be seen of him, have Helmets upon the heads of them. The Artificers taking that course to hide [Page 18] that natural deformity that was in [...] Illustrious a Person.

Z [...]i [...]. Theat. Vol. 2. l. 2. p. 291.20. Philocles a Comical Poet, was Aeschylus his Sisters Son; this Man had a Head that was sharp, raised, and pointed in the Crown of it like a Su­gar-loaf.

Z [...]in. Theat. Vol. 2. l. 2. p. 291.21. Mahomet that great impostor, and the fra­mer of the Alcoran, is said to have a head of an unusual and extraordinary bigness.

CHAP. XII. Of the Hair of the Head, how worn, and other particularities about it.

APuleius thought the hair of the Head to be so great and necessary an Ornament, that saith he, the most beautiful Woman is nothing without it,Cael. Antiq. Le [...]. l. 18. c. 10. p. 838. though she came from Heaven, be born of the Sea, brought up in the Waves, as a­nother Venus, though surrounded with the Graces, and attended with all the Troops of little Cupids, though Venus girdle be about her, and she breath Cinamon and sweet Balsom; yet if she be bald, she cannot please, no not so much as her own Vul­can. As a Beast without Horus, a Tree without Leaves, and a Field without Grass; such (saith Ovid) is one without Hair; It is without doubt a considerable ornament and additional beauty: how some have worn it, and concerning other accidents about it, see the following examples.

[...]. Hist. [...]. C. l. 3. Hi [...]. 33. p. 77.1. Cardanus relates of a Carmel [...]te that as o [...]t as he kemb'd his head, sparks of fire were seen to [...]ly out of his Hai [...], and that thereupon he was in­vited to feasts, that they who were present might see the trial and truth of it.

Scalig. de [...]. c. 174. p. 567.2. Scaliger mentions a noble Lady of C [...]umont, whose Hair while it is kemb'd ('tis his own expres­sion) seems to vomit [...]ire.

3. The very same thing often befel Petrus Io. Faber, [...] Hist. [...] C [...]. 3. Hist. 37. p. 77. an excellent Chymist; as he saith of him­self and he adds, that he saw a noble and beautiful Maid (who kembing her Head in his presence) the sparks [...]ew from her Hair into her Lap, as Stars falling from Heaven; at which she was so much a [...]righted, that the had fallen into a swound, had they not dispell'd her fears by jesting with her about it.

[...]. [...]id. p. 78.79.4. The Illustrious Prince Christian, the Fi [...]th of that name, King of Denmark and Norway; when he kemb'd his head, oft [...]n saw and shew'd to them that were present, sparks of [...]ire flying from his Hair.

5. St. Augustine speaks of some Men, who at their pleasure, [...]. and without moving of their heads, would bring all the Hair of their Head forward to their Fore-head, and then put it all backward to the hinder part of their Head.

6. T [...]mberlan [...] wore the Hair of his Head long an [...] [...]urled, contrary to the manner of the Tar­tar [...], who shave their heads, [...] hist. p. 23 [...]. having the same al­ways covered, whereas he contrariwise was for the most part bare headed, commanding his Son to be brought up so by his Tutors; his Hair was of a dark colour, somewhat drawing towards a Violet▪ right bea [...]tiful to behold, which his Mo­ther coming of the ra [...]e of Sampson (as he gave it out) commanded him to nourish, in token of his descent; this was one cause that made him to be more respected of his Men of War: most part of them believing, that in those hairs were some rare vertue, or rather some fatal destiny; an old practice of many great Commanders of former Ages, to fill the Heads of their Soldiers with some strange opinion conceived of them, as if something was in them extraordinar [...].

7. C [...]odion the Second,Iohn de S [...]res Hist. of France p. 7. Camer. op [...]r. s [...]bcis. Cent. 1. c. 36. p. 166. King of France, was called Le Chevelu or the Hairy, for that he made a Law, that none but Kings, and their Children, and the Princes of the Blood should wear long Hair, in token of command; this custom confirm'd by the Law of Clodion, hath been long time observed in France, so as by this mark Clodamire, the Son of Clovis being slain in a Battle by the Bo [...]rvig [...]o [...]s, was known amongst the d [...]ad. And in token of a degrading or dishonouring, the French shaved such as they degraded from the Royal Dignity, as appears by numerous examples: Amongst which that of Queen Clotilda is memorable, who chose rather to cut off the heads of her young Sons, then to have their Hair poll'd or shaven; that is to say, she prefer'd an honest death, before the di­shonour of her Children, for in cutting off their Hair, they were depriv'd of all hope to enjoy their degree, and were confin'd to a base estate unwor­thy of their greatness.

8. Lucius Martius being about to set upon the Carthaginians under the leading of Asdrubal their General,Liv. l. 25. Val. Mar. l. 1. c. 6. p. 14. while he made a Military Oration to his Soldiers, his whole Head seem'd to be encom­pass'd with a flame; this was beheld by the Sol­diers that stood about him to their great terrour, but himself had no sense of it, nor any damage by it.

9. Herodian saith of the Emperour Comodus, Herodian l. 1. that his Hair was yellow and curl'd, that as oft as he walk'd in the Sun, it seem'd to sparkle with fire, insomuch that some suppos'd, that he pow­der'd it with dust of Gold, others look'd upon it as an Argument of Divinity, and that he brought the early marks of it on his Hair into the World with him.

10. Osyris going from Aegypt upon an expedi­tion into Aethiopia, Diodor. Sic. rer. Antiq. l. 1. c. 2. p. 10. made a vow to nourish his Hair until his return into Aegypt again; where­upon it hath been a custom and is continued unto these times, that whensoever the Aegyptians tra­vel into any other Countrey, they also nourish their Hair till their return.

11. The Caribbians are black hair'd as the Chine­ses are,Hist. of the Caribby Islands l. 2. c. 9. p. 252. their Hair is not curl'd and frizzel'd as that of the Moors, but streight and long as those of the M [...]ldive [...]es, and the Women attribute the highest perfection of beauty to this black colour as to what concerns the Hair. It is reported also that the Indian Women of Peru, are so enamour'd of black Hair [...] that to make their own of that colour by Artifice, when Nature does it not, they are willing to endure incredible pains and torments.

12. In Spain many Ladies to make their Hair seem to be of a golden yellow colour,Hist. of Car. Islands l. 2. c. 9. p. 252. perfume it with Sulphur, steep it in Aqua fortis, and expose it to the Sun, in the hottest time of the day, nay in the very Dog-days, and in Italy the same colour is much affected.

13. C [...]esias saith, there is a race or kindred of the Indians named Pandore inhabiting certain Valleys,Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 7. c. 2. p. 156. who live two hundred years, and have this difference from other Men, that in their youthful time their Hair is white upon their [Page 19] Heads, but as they grow into Age, it groweth into a farther degree of blackness.

Purch. Pilg. Tom. 1. l. 5. c. 15. p. 667.14. They of Iapan pluck o [...]f the Hairs from their Heads; Children before, the common peo­ple half way, the Nobility almost all, leaving but a little growing behind, which grows long, and is ty'd up in knots; to touch which, is by them conceived as great an indignity, as can be offered to a Man.

Camer. oper. subcis. Cent. 1. c. 36. p. 166.15. As Tacitus saith, it is of the Germans, so Boethius writes it was a Custom in France, that if a­ny Man accused his Wife of Adultery, and had lawfully convicted her thereof; he caused the Hair of her Head to be cut short, and her garments to be also cut round in the middle, and then the Woman was to be lead from street to street, in this ignominious posture.

Camer. oper. subcis. Cent. 1. c. 36. p. 168.16. The use of long hair, both in Germany and France, and other places by degrees, and in the memory of our Fathers, hath grown out of reputation, and many are of opinion, that the chief occasion thereof was this: About the year 1460. Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, fell in­to a long and unknown kind of Disease, and a­mongst variety of other remedies made use of for his recovery: his Physicians advised him to cut off his Hair, which in those days the Nobility wore very long. When he had so done, finding that by reason of the novelty of the thing, he was laught at by his Friends, and the Nobility about him▪ he sent forth his Edict, that all his Courti­ers and the Nobility in his Dominions, should have their Hair cut in such manner as he himself had. Five hundred noble Persons were thus shorn at Bruxels in one and the same day, and that all others should do the like, Petrus Vasquem­bacchius, a Noble Person, was appointed to take the charge and care: by this means, both at Bruxels, and in all the Towns and Cities of his Dukedom, the Nobility were deprived of their long hair, and were thereupon su [...]iciently deri­ded by the common sort of people.

CHAP XIII. Of the Beard, and how worn by some Persons and Nations.

WHen Alexander the Great was about to fight with the Persians, his Captains brought him word, that all things were prepared and in readiness for the Battle; and demanded if he would have any thing further? Nothing said he but that the Macedonians cut off their beards. Parmenio wondred at this saying of his: What said Alexander, know you not that there is no better handle to take a Man by then the beard? he meant they were to fight close, and their beards would be some advantage to the enemy, when they should grapple with them. It seems there is little use of a beard in War, less in a Woman, though she had none of the least who is next men­tioned.

Zacut. Lusit. prax. Adm. l. 3. obs. 92. p. 394.1. In a Town called Penheranda, which is 30. Miles distant from M [...]drid, the King of Spain's Court, there was a Countrey Woman called Brizi­da de Penheranda, she was Aged 60. years, she had a beard from her youth, which she suffered to grow, so that in her Age it reached down to the Pit of her Stomach. My Ancestors who were Persons worthy of credit have seen this Wo­man, and I my self have beheld her Picture.

2. Franciscus Alvar [...]z Semedo a Portuguese, Barth. Hist. Anat. Cent. 1. Hist. 43. p. 61. a Fa­ther of the Society of Jesus; Procurator of Iapan and China; upon his return thence to Rome, had a beard of that length that it reached down to his Feet, so that for convenience sake, he used to have it girt about him with a girdle, whoever desires to see his Effigies, may behold it prefix'd to his Learn­ed Book of the History of Coina.

3. When Vrban the Eighth was Pope,Gasp Sc [...]o [...]. Phys. [...]. l. 3. c. 23. p. 518. a Swisse by Nation, coming in pilgrimage to Rome, ob­tain'd of the Captain of the Swissers (who are the Pope's guard) to be admitted to receive the Pope's Benediction, and to kiss his Foot, this Man had a red beard of that length and bredth, that it cover'd his whole brest unto his knees, so that the Pope while he spake to him (as he presented him­self before him upon his knees, and enquir'd of his Countrey, and the state of it) gave him the Title of Father-hood, (which the Italians give to Monks) for at the first sight he thought it not a beard, but such a garment as Monks wear about their shoulders, which so fell from his Neck to his knees, as he afterwards confessed, acknowledging his errour, P. Athanasius Kircherus an eye-wit­ness told me this I have now written.

4. A Person famous throughout the whole World by his Writings,G [...]sp. Sc [...]t. P [...]ys. curios. l. 3. c. 23. p. 517. being at Rome, and re­turning in the Winter at Evening to his house, shut his Windows and doors, and by a Candle-light compos'd himself to study; when he saw a huge Weasel at the door, seeking a way to get out, he snatch'd up a Staff, and laid it so lustily upon the Weasel creeping up the Wall, that the blood spirted upon his Staff, and hand, he opened the Window and threw out the dead Weasel, and betakes himself to his study, sustaining his chin and jaw with his right hand, as 'tis usual with Students; The day following as soon as he came into the sight of his Colleagues, he was receiv'd with great laughter, for he had lost all the Hair on the right side of his face, which himself had not observ'd; he therefore soon left the company and got the other side shav'd, and a Medicine to procure Hair apply'd: but when the Hair was grown he was receiv'd with no less laughter then at first, for those Hairs which were newly come, were like the softest Wool or Down, and the o­ther stiff as bristles, and it would require to small space of time, to have them match'd with any suitableness; who would have thought the blood of a Weasel to have been (but for this accident) so potent a depilatory?

5. The Turks in the Reign of Orchanes and long time after,Knowl's T [...]rkish hist. p. 183. used not to cut or shave their beards, but did wear them long, so that if the King would disgrace any Man, he would in his displeasure command his beard to be cut or shav [...]n. The manner of cutting or shaving their beards, which they now use, they learned of the Italians of whom they have also borrowed many other fashions, not only di [...]fering, but quite contrary to their ancient manners and customs.

6, The Lombards or Longobards as most think,Zui [...]. Thea [...]. Vol. 2. l. 2. p. 294. had their name from the great length of their beards, because they only (almost) of all the r [...]st of the Germans did nourish their beards.

7. The Emperour Otho the Great,Zuin. Ibid. p. 294. after the manner of the ancient Germans, used to wear his beard down to the brest, and his custom was [Page 20] to swear by it, as oft as he spake of any serious matter.

Zuin. Ibid. p. 295. Alex. geni­al. Dier. l. 5. c. 18. p. 290.8. Adrianus the Emperour (saith Dion) was the first of all the Caesars, who nourished his beard, and this he did on purpose to cover some natural marks and scarrs that were upon his face.

Erasm. in Adag.9. The Romans anciently wore their beards long, and a bearded Man, in a Proverbial sence amongst them, was as much as to say, a Man of an­cient simplicity and vertue;Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 7. c. 59. p. for it was late e're shaving came in use amongst them, Pliny saith, that P. Ticinius Mena was the first, who out of Sicily had brought a Barber to Rome, which was in the four hundred fifty and fourth year from the build­ing of the City.

10. The first amongst the Romans, who usually shaved his beard off,Alex. ab A­lex. genial. D [...]r. l. 5. c. 18. p. 290. was Scipio Affricanus the Son of Paulus Aemylius; afterwards Augustus: the slaves and Servants might not do it, but were commanded not to poll their hair, or shave off their beards.

Olearius Travels. l. 6. p. 360.11. Seach Sesi King of Persia had commanded the execution of Vgurlu chan, his high Steward, when his head was brought him, he touch'd it with a little Wand, and looking upon it said, it must be confess'd thou wast a stout Man, it troubles me to see thee in this condition, but it was thine own fault; 'tis pitty were it only for that good­ly [...]eard of thine: This he said, by reason his Mustachoes were so long, that coming about his neck they met again at his mouth, which is account­ed a great ornament in Persia.

12. The Caribbians wonder much to see our Europeans suffer their beards to grow so long,Hist. of the Carib. Island l. 2. c. 9. p. 252.253. and think it a great deformity to wear any; as they account it a perfection in themselves to have none. The Brasilians and Cumaneses, and certain Nations subject to the Empire of the Tartars, have always an Iron Instrument in their hands, wherewith they pluck out the hair of their beards, as soon as they come out, but the Caribbians are seldom seen to put themselves to that trouble, insomuch that it is conceiv'd they have a secret to prevent the growth of Hair, when it is once gotten off.

Hist. of Ca­ribby Island. l. 2. c. 9. p. 253.13. Anno 1652. the French Consul at Alex­andria, being charg'd with having done some un­handsome things in his employment, had his beard shaven off as a mark of ignominy; his beard had such a natural graceful curle, and was of so fair a flaxen colour, that some Turks would have given him a considerable sum of Money for it, and kept it for a rarity, but he chose rather to bring it along with him into France.

Sut [...]on. in Neron. c. 12. p. 238.14. At the Gymnick Games which Nero exhi­bited in the Septa, during the solemn preparation of the great Sacrifice (Buthysia) he cut off the first beard he had, which he bestow'd within a golden Box, adorn'd with most precious Pearls, and then consecrated it in the Capitol to Iupiter.

15. Of old time amongst the Greeks, and in­deed almost throughout the East,Camer. oper. subcis. C [...]nt. 1. c. 36. p. 166. they used to nourish their beards, reputing it an insufferable in­jury and ignominy, to have but one single hair pluck'd out of it. It was therefore ordained as the punishment of Whoredom and Adultery: that whosoever should be convicted of that crime he should have his beard publickly chopt off with a hatchet, and so be dismiss'd as an infamous per­son. Besides this, it was esteemed the most sacred pawn or pledge of any thing whatso­ever, a Man that had obliged his beard for the payment of a debt, would not fail to pay it.

16. The Candiots or Cretans look'd upon it as a punishment,Camer. oper. subcis. Cent. 1. c. 36. p. 167. to have the beard clipt off from them. And so of old amongst the Indians, if a Man had committed some great crime; the King of the Country commanded that his beard should be shaven or cut off; and this was esteemed as the greatest mark of infamy, and ignominy as could befal them.

CHAP. XIV. Of the Teeth, with their different Number and Scituation in some.

NAture hath provided Mankind with Teeth upon a two-fold account especially; the one is to reduce his Meat and Food into so soft and pliant a posture, as is most convenient for the Stomach to receive it, and this by Physicians is call'd a first digestion. A second and principal use of the Teeth is, for the furtherance of Speech, without which the pronunciation of some words cannot be so direct and express, but how it comes to pass, that some have come into the World with them, and others have had none, all the time they have liv'd in it, let others (if they please) enquire.

1. Some Children are born into the World with Teeth,Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 7. c. 16. p. 164. as M. Curius, who thereupon was sir­named Dentatus. So also was Cn. Papyrius Carbo, both of them great Men.

2. Pherccrates, Schenck. obs. Med. l. 1. ob. 3. p. 188. from whom the Pherecratick verse was so call'd, was born Toothless, and so continued to his lives end.

3. The number of the Teeth are 32. sometimes I have seen one over saith Columbus, Reald. Co­lumb. Anat. l. 1. c. 10. p. 65. as in a certain Noble Person, sometimes two or one under, in some also but 28. are found, which is the least number that is ordinary, though I observ'd that Cardinal Nicholaus Ardinghellus had only six and twenty in his mouth, and yet he had never lost any.

4. Pyrrhus King of Epirus had no Teeth in his upper Jaw,Plut. in vit. Pyrrh. p. 384. that is, distinguish'd as others have one from the other, but one intire bone throughout his gumb, mark'd a little at the top only, with certain notches, where the Teeth should be divided.

5. In the Reign of Christian the Fourth King of Denmark, Barth. Hist. Anat. Cen. 1. Hist. 35. p. 48. there were brought by the King's Fleet some of the Inhabitants of Greenland to Hafnia, that their language might be the better understood by us. Amongst these Barbarians there was one, who shew'd to as many as had the curiosity to see it, that he had but one continued Tooth, which reached from the one end of the Jaw to the other. For which I have the sufficient testimony of Dr. Thomas Finchius a venerable per­son, in whose house the Barbarian did often feed upon raw flesh, according to the custom of his own Countrey.

6. Euryphaeus the Cyrenian had in his upper Jaw one continued bone instead of Teeth.Schenck. obs. M [...]d. l. 1. obs. 6. p. 188. So had Euryptolemus King of the Cypriots; So saith Melancthon, had a Noble Virgin in his time, in the Court of Ernestus Duke of Lu­nebergh, [Page 21] and the Duke said she was of great Gravity and Virtue.

Val. Max. l. 1. c. 8. p. 32. Columb. A­naton. l. 1. c. 10. p. 67. Barthol. Hist. Amdt. Cent. 1. Hist. 35. p. 48.7. Dripitine, ihe Daughter of King Mithri­dates by Laodice his Queen, had a double row of Teeth; and though this is very rare in Mankind, yet saith Columbus of his Boy Phoebus, that he had a triple row or order of Teeth.

8. It is constantly reported of Lewis the Thir­teenth, King of France, that he had a double row of Teeth, in one of his Jaws, which was some hindrance to him in the readiness of his Speech.

Benedict. Anatom. l. 3. c. 22. p. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 11. c. 37. p.9. There are Teeth found to be bred in the Palate of some men, saith Benedictus: Pliny pro­pounds the Example of one such; And it happen­ed that I saw the same in a Roman Woman, saith Eustachius, which he caused to be cut out and burnt: He instances in another Youth of eighteen years of Age, who liv'd in a Monastery of the Holy Trinity at Eugubuim, in whom the same thing was to be seen.

Aristot. l. 5. l. 5. de gener. Animal. cap. ult. Donat. Hist. Med. l. 6. c. 2. p. 299. Iohnst. Nat. Hist. cl. 10. c. 8. p. 351.10. Aristotle writes, that not only men in old Age, but also Women, sometimes at eighty years of Age, have put forth their-great Teeth: My Wife, saith Donatus, in the thirty sixth of her Age, put forth the furtherst jaw Tooth. A learned man tells of himself, that in the fortieth year of his age, he had a jaw Tooth came: Ves­salius also writes, that in the twenty sixth year of his age, he had one of his Grinders that discover­ed it self.

Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 11. c. 37. p.11. Mutianus saith, that he saw one Zancles, a Samothracian, who bred his Teeth again, after he was now arrived to the hundred and fortieth year of his Age.

Val. Max. l. 1. c. 8. p. 31. Plin. l. 7. c. 16. p. Solin. c. 4. p. 181.12. Prusias, the Son of Prusias, King of By­thinia, ha [...] instead of Teeth one continued and intire Bone in his upper Jaw, nor was it any way unhandsome to the sight, or inconvenient to him for use.

Herodot. l. 9. p. 544.13. After the Battle at Plataea, wherein so ma­ny thousands of the Persians fell, when the Bones were gathered together to be bury'd in one place, there was found amongst them a little Skull; which though it had distinct Teeth in the Jaw, yet were they all as well grinders as o­thers, consisting of one solid Bone.

Zuing. Theatr. vol. 2. l. 2. p. 294. col. 1.14. Zenobia, the Queen of the Palmyrens; as she was in divers other respects a beautiful per­son; so had she Teeth, of that bright and shining whiteness, that in discourse, or when she laugh'd, she seem'd to have her Mouth rather full of Margarites than Teeth.

Barthol. de Luce. homin. l. 1. c. 13. p. 101.15. Nicholaus Sojerus, a Belgian, a person of great integrity and prudence has a set of Teeth, of such an unusual property; that being struck upon with a sor [...] of Indian Wood, they are seen to sparkle Fire, as if they were Flints: This was delivered me as a certain truth, by his own Bro­ther Guilielmus Sojerus, a person well skill'd in the Greek Learning.

Barthol. ibid. p. 103, 104.16. The Ancients had a great opinion of the Teeth, as the principles of their being, they therefore bury'd them with care, when they fell out through time or accident: nor was this re­spect done to them by the vulgar alone, but by the Law-makers themselves, as may appear by that Law in the twelve Tables; wherein, though it is forbiden to burn Gold with the Body; yet there is added, that such as have their Teeth fastned with Gold, may be bury'd or burnt with it.

17. The Negroes of Mosambico are extremely pleas'd to have their Teeth very sharp,History of the Carri [...]by Islands, l. 2. c. 9. p. 253. 254. Herberts Trav. l. 3. p. 318. so that some use Files to make them such. Among the Maldiveses, they are no less desirous to have them red, and to that end, they are continually chewing of Petel. Among the Iaponeses, and the Cumaneses, they are industrious to have them black, and they purposely make them such, be­cause Dogs Teeth are white, whom they hate to imitate or be like.

18. Saint Augustine saith,Camerar. oper. subcis. Cent. 1. c. 82. p. 384. August. lit. De civit. Dei. 15. c. 9. p. 310. he saw upon the shore of Vtica, a mans Tooth, one of those which we call the Grinders, of that huge bigness; that if it had been cut into the form and magnitude, that is usual amongst us in our times; that Tooth might easily be judg'd to be an hundred times biger than any of ours.

19. Phlegon Trallianus remembers,Kornman. de Mirac. Mortuor. part 3. c. 42. p. 22. that in the Reign of Tiberius the Emperour; in a part of Sicily, there were digg'd up some dead Bodies; the Teeth were found to exceed in length the Foot of an ordinary man.

20. In the days of Lewis Duke of Savoy, Kornman. de Mirac. vi­vor. p. 92. the Lord Michael de Romagnano, being then aged a­bove ninety years, cast his Teeth; and had al­most a complete new set that succeeded in the place of those that were fallen out. And Anno 1372. when the Emperour Charles the Fourth, abode above the Rhine; one night in his sleep he had one of his Grinders that drop'd out, and a­nother immediately came in the room of it, which was the greater wonder to those that were about him; seeing the Emperour at that time was in the seventy first year of his age.

21. In the time of King Edward the Third,Chetwinds Hist. collect [...] Cent. 10. p. 283. there reign'd a great Pestilence over most parts of the World, and from that time all that ever have been born, have two Cheek Teeth less than they had before. Fullers holy State, lib. 3.cap. 2. pag. 146.

22. Eurydamas a Cyrenian was Victor in the Olympick Game at Whorl-bats:Aelian. var. Hist. l. 11. c. 19. p. 275. this man had his Teeth stroken out by a blow that was given him by his Enemy, all which he immediately swal­lowed, lest his Adversary being sensible of what had befallen him, should thereupon take fresh courage.

CHAP. XV. Of the Tongue, Voice, and manner of Speech in several Persons.

SOme are of opinion, that Nature hath shut up the Tongue with a double Port-cullis of Lips and Teeth on purpose, that man by their man­ner of contexture, might have a constant and si­lent kind of admonition, that he should not be over hasty to speak. It being too easie to pull great mischiefs upon our selves, by an unwary indul­gence to this little member. I will not say, that he that hath the longest Tongue is the greatest speaker. But

1. Donatus tells,Hist. Med. Mirab. l. 6. c. 3. p. 304. that he knew one Iohn Fugaci­nas, a Merchant of Mantua, who had so long and flexible a Tongue, that as oft as he pleased, and with great falicity, he could lick his Nostrils with it as an Oxe doth.

2. Amatus Lusitanus, relates of one Iames, [Page 22] that he had long hairs growing upon his Tongue,Donat. Hist. Med. Mir. l. 6. c. 2. p. 302. which he sometimes pull'd up by the roots with his own hands, to whom he also shewed them; and adds, that although they were thus pull'd, out, they would nevertheless grown again.

Schenck. obs. Med. 1. obs. 1. p. 182.3. Schenki [...]s propounds the Histories of di­vers, out of whose Tongues were taken Stones; from some one only, from others more, some of the bigness of a Pease, others of a Bean, and some that hindred the liberty of Speech, which upon their removal, was again restor'd.

Val. Max. l. 1. c. 8. p. 3 [...].4. The Wife of Nausimenes, the Athenian, having found her Son and Daughter in the act of an incestuous copulation: struck with the hor­ror of a thing so unexpected, she immediately became mute, and utterly bereav'd of the use of her Speech.

Sch [...]n [...]k. obs. Me [...]. l. 1. obs. 4. p. 180.5. Maximilian, the Son of the Emperour Fer­dinand the Third, was altogether mute and dumb, to the ninth year of his Age, but by the benefit of Nature, he afterwards arrived not only to Speech, but also to Eloquence, the cause is sup­pos'd to be too great humidity, which in pro­cess of time was wasted and consumed.

Val. Max. l. 1. c. 8. p. 3 [...].6. Aegles a Samian wrastler was dumb from his Nativity, but when the Honour and reward of his Victory was taken from him, enkindled with rage, he brake silence; and spoke ever after.

[...]. l. 1. obs. 2. p. 133. [...]. c. 7. p. 195. Val. Max. l. 5. c. 4. p. 145. G [...]ll. Noct. l. 5. c. 9. [...]. p. 27 [...].7. Atys, the Son of King Croesus, beholding a Persian Soldier rushing upon his Father to kill him, being before altogether dumb, struck with fear and anger, he cry'd out, Soldier do not kill Croesus, by this means the strings of his Tongue being loosned, he ever after had a free use of it.

8. Thrasybulus, the Admiral of the Athenian Navy excell'd all the Athenians of his time in the mighty strength and loudness of his voice.

Zuing. Theatr. vol. 2. l. 4. p. 382 Lu [...]ii vit. Phil. l. [...]. p. 112.9. Carneades the Cyrenian, an excellent, both Philosopher and Logician, had from his Youth so full and strong a Voice, that his Master was constrain'd to call to him, that he would not roar in that manner: Prescribe me then (said he) the measure of my Voice. Your Auditors, said his Master.

Zuing. Theatr. vol. 2. l. 5. p. 38210. Basil the Great, Bishop of Caesaria, was ever of weak Smell, and difficult Voice: but at his last (somewhat before he dy'd) he spake more loud and strong: And, saith Nazienzen, as dying Swans, with words of Truth he fell asleep.

Zuing. Ibid. p. 383.11. Michael Balbus the Emperour, was so ex­ceeding slow in naming of Letters, and com­posing of Syllables; that another might with more ease read over a whole Book, than he was a­ble to pronounce all the Letters of his own name.

C [...]el. Rho­dig. Antiq. l [...]ct. l. 19. c. 12. p. 901.12. Pescennius Niger, so called, because though very white in all the rest of his Body, yet his Neck only was extremely black; he is said to have had so strong and loud a Voice, that when he spake in the Camp, he might be heard at the di­stance of a mile, unless the wind was against him.

Herodot. l. 4. Zuing. vol. 2. l. 5. p. 382.13. When Darius fled from the Scythians, he came to the Bridge upon the Ister, which he found broken down; he had left Histieeus the Milesian there with some Ships to receive him at his coming: Histiceus had withdrawn himself as far as to be out of the Scythian darts: but being dark, and at the dead of the Night, they could not discern any of his Ships, so that Da­rius thought himself betray'd; yet caus'd an Egyptian, who had the strongest Voice of all Mor­tals, to stand upon the shore, and call to him as loud as he could; he invoked the name of Hi­sticeus with that notable sufficiency, that he was heard by him in his Ship at the first call, so that he came and delivered Darius of his fears.

14. Iohannes the Dumb had his Sirname given him upon the occasion of his misfortumes,Nich. Tulpi [...] obs. Med. l. 1. c. 41. p. 77. for in his Voyage to Italy, he fell into the hands of Tur­kish Pyrates, who upon his refusal to turn Turk, endeavour'd to pull out his Tongue by the Roots, at a wound they had made for that purpose un­der his Chin; but that cruelty not succeeding ac­cording as they desir'd; they cut off all the rolling part of the Tongue; and by that means depriv'd the young man of his Speech. In this state he had remain'd three years; when he was much frighted one Night, by reason of such Lighning, which so affected his fearful mind, that it dissolv'd that tenacious bond which had hitherto ty'd up his Speech: When he found it restor'd, he scarcely believ'd it himself; and this unexpected Speech of his so wrought upon the whole Family, that a young Woman in the House did miscarry upon the fright of it. The fame of this accident dis­persing it self abroad, I my self went to Wesopus, a little Town in Holland, on purpose to see him, and found all things agreeable to the report that went of him. Him who three years before had lost the half part of his Tongue, I heard not on­ly speak distinctly, but also accurately pronoun­cing any Letters, though Consonants; which the Learned say, Is not to be done, but with the fore­part of the Tongue, which he wanted. He told me ingenuously, that in the time of the Lightning, he perceiv'd a greater motion in the Muscles of the Tongue, but his swallow (to which the Tongue is not less serviceable than to Speech) did as he acknowledg'd remain impedited; so that he then complain'd, no Food would pass into his Throat, but such as he thrust down it by the help of his Finger.

15. Diodorus Siculus writes of an Island found out by Iambulus, Diodor. Sic. Rer. Antiq. l. 2. c. 13. in the Southern parts of the Ocean, wherein, saith he, there are men whose Bones are flexible as Nerves; the holes of their Ears are far wider then ours; and Nature hath divided their Tongues, so that they are cloven at the little end of them; by virtue of which they not only speak, but imitate the Voices of sun­dry Birds, with great exactness: what he adds, that they can ordinarily speak to two men at once, I leave to the liberty of the Reader to believe as he pleases.

16. Gomara tells that there were some in Mex­ico that understood each other by whilstling,Purcha [...]. Pilgr. tom. 1. l. 8. c. 13. p. 1002. which was ordinarily used by Lovers and Thieves, a Language admirable even to our Wits, so highly applauded by our selves: while we des­pise these Nations for their silliness and simpli­city. Yea Captain Smyth, told me, saith Purchas, that in Virginia there are some Natives thereof, which the spacious divorce of the wide stream notwithstanding, will by hallowing and whoops understand each other, and entertain confe­rence.

17. There were some Orthodox Bishops,Gaulter. tab. Chron. p. 481. out of whose Mouths the Vandals had cut their Tongues; yet these were afterwards (by Mira­cle heard to speak distinctly as other: The Mi­racle hereof had also this increase, that one of these Bishops, growing proud of this gift; and [Page 23] carrying himself thereupon with an unusual in­stance, his Speech was again taken from him, and he remained dumb to the Day of his Death.

Plut. Mo­ral. de ria cohibend. p. 122.18. Cajus Gracchus the Orator, a man by Na­ture blunt, rude in behaviour, and withal over-earnest, and violent in his manner of pleading; had a little Flute or Pipe made on purpose, such as Musicians are wont to rule and gu [...]de the Voice gently with, according to every Note as they would themselves, teaching their Scholars thereby to have a tuneable Voice. Now when at any time Gra [...]chus pleaded at the Bar; he had one of his Servants standing behind him with such a Pipe; who observing when his Master was a little out of tune, would sound a more mild and pleasant Note unto him, whereby he reclaim'd and call'd him back from that loud exclaiming and vociferation which he used, and gently took down that rough and swelling accent of his Voice.

CHAP. XVI. Of the Eye; its shape, and the strange liveliness and vigor of it in some.

I Have read of a Painter, that having drawn the Picture of Venus lying with her eyes closed, and as one asleep, he wrote thus at the bottom of the Table.

Such a Divine lustre hath appear'd in the Eyes of some, that others have not been able to look upon it.

Hist. Med. mirac. l. 6. c. 2. p. 303.1. Donatus assirms, that he saw the young Son of a certain Baker, the sight or black of whose Eye, was so extended and large, that none, or at most a very small part of the white could be discern'd.

Iovii E­log. l. 4. p. 4.201.2. Caesar Borgia, Duke of Valentia, had Eyes so [...]iery and sparkling, that his very friends▪ and familiar acquaintance, were not able to look up­on them, though when he was disporting him­self among the Ladies, with an admirable change he could convert his cruel looks into that of lenity.

D [...] florib. Philos. l. 4. Problem. 11. p.3. That History is strange, which is record­ed by Francis Mendoza, of the Duke of Brigan­tia's one Ey'd Servant, who with his Eye could make any Falcon on Sparrow Hawk in their slight fall down to the ground, as if they were dead; of which we can give no more reason, than why the Loadstone draws Iron.

Sueton. in Augusto. p. 103. Zuing. vol. 1. l. 3. p. 231. Camer. oper. subcis. Cent. 1. c. 31. p. 309.4. Octavianus Caesar had clear and bright Eyes, in which he would have it to be though that there was a Divine vigor, and he was well pleas'd if any that look'd earnestly upon him, cast down their Eyes as at the splendor of the Sun. Sextus Aurelius writes of him, that he was beautiful in every part of his Body, but especially in his Eyes, the light of which did shine, after the manner of the brighter Stars; so that one said, Oculorism tuo­rum fulmen ferre non possum.

5. In the Eyes of Tamberlain sate such a rare Majesty,Knowi [...] Turk. Hist. p. 235. that a man could difficulty endure to be­hold them without closing of his Eyes, and many in talking with him, and often beholding of him became dumb, which occasioned him often times with a comely modesty, to abstain from looking too earnestly upon such as spake to him or dis­coursed with him.

6. Malcotius, Knowl [...]s Turk. Hist. p. 415. in the Reign of Mahomet the Se­cond, adjoyned himself to Aly-beg in the siege of Scodra, of him it is reported, that the Majesty of his countenance, with the resplendent beams is­suing out of his Eyes (as if the raies of the Sun) were of such piercing brightness, that no man was able with immoved and fixed Eye, long to be­hold the same.

7. Martin Luther had such a Lyon like vivacity of the Eye,Zuing. Theatr. vil: 2. l. 2. p. 295. that all men were not able to look directly upon them. Its said that there was one sent, who under the pretence of private confe­rence with him, should Pistol him; that he was courteously receiv'd by him, but so amaz'd and affrighted with the vigor of his Eyes, that he soon convey'd himself away by flight.

8. Anastasius the Emperour was sirnam'd Di­corus, Zonaras in Annal. toul. 3. p. 126. because he had the Apples of his Eyes of two different colours, for that of his right Eye was somewhat black, and that of his left was grey.

9. Olo, the Son of Syward King of Norway;Zuing. Theatr. vol. 2. l. 5. p. 380. SaxoGram­mati [...]. l. 7. by the Sister of Harold King of the Danes, had so truculent an Aspect, that what others did with Weapons, that did he with his Eye upon his Ene­mies, frighting the most valiant amongst them with the brandishes of his Eye.

10. Apollonides tells that in Scythia there are a sort of Women,Donat. Hist. Med. mirab. l. 6. c. 2. p. 302. Solinus c. 6. p. 191. which are call'd Bythiae, that these have two sights in each Eye, and that with the Eye they kill as many as they look upon, when they are throughly angry.

11. Theodorus Beza (as was observ'd in him by those of his Family) had Eyes of such a brightness,Barthol. de [...]. l. 1. c. 14. p. 107. that in the night time, when it was dark▪ they sent out such a light, as form'd an outward Cir­cle of it about the rounds of his Eyes.

12. Mamertinus, Barthol. Ibid. l. 1. c. 14. p. 111. in his Panegyrick Orations saith thus of Iulian the Emperour, while he warr'd upon the Barbarians. Old men, saith he, have seen the Emperour (not without astonishment) pass a long life under the weight of Arms; they have beheld large and frequent sweats trickle from his gallant Neck: and in the midst of that hor­ror of dust, which had loaded both his Hair and Beard, they saw his Eyes shining with a Star-like light.

13. The Soldiers of Aquileia, [...]. oper. subcis. cent. 1. cap. 57. p. 252. by a private sally set upon Attila; being at that time attended with a small company, they knew not then that Attila was there, but they afterwards confess'd, that no­thing was so great a terrour to them, as those fiery sparkles that seemed to break from his Eyes, when he look'd upon them in the fury of the sight.

14. It may seem incredible,Kornman de Mirac. vi­var. p. 70. August. Serm. ad fratres in Er [...]m. 37. that there should be found a Nation, that are born with one Eye alone: And yet St. Augustine seems not to doubt of it, but saith, That he himself did behold such persons. I was now, saith he, Bishop of Hippo, when accompanied with certain of the Servants of Christ; I went as far as Aethiopia, that I might preach the holy Gospel of Christ to that people; [Page 24] and in the lower parts of Aethiopia, we saw men that had but one Eye, and that placed in the midst of their Foreheads.

Sandys in Ovid Met. l. 2. p. 43.15. Iulio de Este, bad such a peculiar sweetness; and alluring force in his Eyes; that Cardinal Hy­polito de Este, his own Brother, caused them to be put out, because he had observed, that they had been overpleasing to his Mistress.

Zuinger. Theatr. vol. 21. l. 4. p. 4. p. 3877.16. Maximus the Sophist, a great Magician, and of whom it was that Iulian the Emperour learn'd Magick at Ephesus: Of this man it is reported, that the Apples of his Eyes were voluble, and turning, and the vigor and agility of his swift and ready wit did seem to shine out of his Eyes; whether he was seen or heard, both ways he strangely affected such as had conversation with him; while they were neither able to bear the sparkling motion of his Eyes, nor the course and torrrent of his Speech; so that even amongst eloquent persons, and such as were improv'd by long practice and experience; there was not one found that did dare to oppose him, when he had conference with any of them.

Polyd. Virg. l. 17. Zui [...]ger. Th [...]atr. vol. 1. l. 3. p. 260.17. Edward the First, King of England, is de­scrib'd by Polydor Virgil to be a Prince of a beauti­ful countenance; his Eyes were inclining to black, which when he was inflamed with anger, would appear of a reddish colour; and sparks of fire seemed to fly out of them.

CHAP. XVII. Of the Face, and Visage, and admi­rable Beauty plac'd therein, both in Men and Women.

THe Ancie [...]ts were so great admirers of Beau­ty; that whereas Gorgon had such a loveli­ness imprinted upon her Face, that she ravish'd the Eyes of her Spectators with it, and made them stand as men amazed and astonished: They hereupon fain'd in their Fable, that she convert­ted Men into Stone, with the sight of her. The barbarous Nations had also such veneration for it: that they thought no Man capable of any ex­traordinary action, unless his person was thus digni [...]ied by Nature: And further, the accidental meeting of a beautiful person, was held as a spe­cial passage of some future good; whereas, the sight of one deformed, was reputed a most un­lucky Omen. Thus Beauty hath found its fa­vourers amongst all sorts of persons; it hath done so too in all places, not excepting such as are the very Theatre of Blood and Death: For

Ral [...]igh. Hist. world l. 2. c. 13. § 7. p. 371.1. Parthenopaeus, one of the seven Princes of the Argives was so exceeding beautiful, that when he was in Battel, if his Helmet was up, no man would offer to hurt him, or to strike at him.

Aelian. var. Hist. l. 12. c. 1. p 300.2. Tenidates the Eunuch was the most beauti­ful of all the Youth in Asia, when Artaxerxes King of Persia heard that he was dead, he commanded by his Edict, that all Asia should mourn for him; and he himself was difficultly comforted for his death.

3. Antinous of Claudiopolis in Bythinia, was a young Man ex [...]eedingly d [...]ar to Adrian the Empe­rour, for the perfection of his Beauty: so that when he was dead, the Emperour in honour of him,Caelius lect. Antiq. l. 11. c. 5. p. 484. Textor. Offi­cin. l. 2. c. 49. p. 139. built a Temple at Mantinea, and another at Ie­rusalem; he also built a City near the River Ni­lus, and call'd it by his name: he caus'd his Coyn too, to be stamp'd with his Essigies.

4. Alcibiades the Athenian, Plutarch. in Alcib. p. 139. Textor. Offi­cin. l. 2. c. 49. p. 139 was a person of in­comparable Beauty; and which is remarkable, the loveliness of his form, continued constant to him, both in his Youth, Manhood and Age: It sel­dom falls out that the Autumn of a Man should remain [...]lourishing as his Spring; a thing which was peculiar to him with few others, through the excellent temper of his constitution.

5. Xerxes Army which he lead to Thermopylae against the Grecians is computed by Herodotus to amount to the number of five hundred twenty eight Myriad,Herodot. l. 7. p. 446. Textor. Offi­cin. l. 2. c. 49. p. 147. three thousand and twenty eight fighting men; amongst all which almost incredible number of Mortals; there was none found who could compare with Xerxes himself, for extraor­dinary handsomeness in person, or elevated Sta­ture of Body; nor any who in respect of Ma­jestick port and meen, seemed more worthy of that command than he.

6. Dometrius Poliorcetes, Dido. Sicul. Bibliothec. l. 20. p. 694 Plut. in Demetr. p. 889. Aelian. var. Hist. l. 12. c. 14. p. 308 Son of Antigonus, King of Asia, was tall of Stature, and of that excellent and wonderful Beauty in his Face, that no Pain­ter or Sratuary was able to express the singu­gar Graces of it; there was Beauty and Gravity, Terror And amiableness so intermingled, a young and fierce Aspect was so happily confounded, with an almost invincible heroick and kingly Majesty, that he was the admiration of all stran­gers; and was followed wheresoever he went on purpose to behold.

7. Maximinus the younger, was a most beauti­ful Prince:Capitolin. in Maximi Iun. p. 6. Textor. Offi­cin. l. 2. c. 49. p. 145. In the Letter of Maximinus the Father, to the Senate concerning him, is thus written: I have suffered my Son Maximinus to be saluted Em­perour; as in respect of the natural affection I bear him: So also that the people of Rome, and the Honourable Senate may swear they never had a more beautiful Emperour: His Face had such Beauty in it, that when it was black and disco­lour'd with Death, and slow'd with corrupt flesh; yet even then there was a loveliness upon it: To conclude, when the Head of the Father being. fastned to a Spear, was carry'd about, and there was a mighty rejoycing at the sight, there was almost an equal sorrow, at the beholding of that of the Son, when it was born about in like man­ner.

8. Conradus, Zuinger. Theatr. vol. 2. l. 2. p. 285 Son to the Emperour Frederick the Second, King of Sicily and Naples was so beauti­ful, that he was commonly call'd Absolon; but of a slothful disposition, and very degenerate from the Virtue of his Father.

9. Frederick Duke of Austria, Zuing. Theatr. vol. 2. l. 2. p. 285. Cuspinian. in respect of the elegancy of his form, had the sirname of the Beautiful; he was made Prisoner in Battle, by Lewis of Bavaria, and detained for some time in safe custody: being afterwards set at liberty, he returned to Vienna, with his Beard horridly over­grown, and with a squallid Aspect, who in time past excell'd all the Princes of his age, in the Beauty of his Face and Lineaments of his Body.

10 Maximilianus, Zuinger. ibid. p. 285. Cuspinian. the first Emperour of that name, was of a just stature, a person in whom shin'd the Imperial Majesty; there was no stran­ger but who knew him to be the Emperour a­mongst thirty great Princes, though he had ne­ver seen him before; something there was in his [Page 25] countenance, so great and so august, that serv'd to distinguish him from others.

11. Spurina a young Man of Hetruria was of exquisite beauty, by this means he allured the eyes of very many Illustrious Ladies,Val. Max. l. 4. c. 5. p. 113. Textor. Offi­cin. l. 2. c. 49. p. 146. though without design of his own, at length finding he was su­spected by their Parents, and Husbands, he de­stroy'd all the beauties of his Face by the wounds he made in it, chusing rather that his deformity should be the evidence of his innocence, than that any comeliness of his should incite others to un­chastity.

Steph. in vo­ce. p. 10.12. Abdalmuralis an Arabian, the Grandfather of Mahomet, so excelled in the beauty and linea­ments of his face and body, that all sorts of Wo­men who beheld him fell in love with him.

13. King Richard the Second was the goodliest Personage of all the Kings of England that had been since the Conquest;Baker's Chr. p. 222. tall of stature, of straight and strong Limbs, fair and amiable of Counte­nance, and such a one as might well be the Son of a most beautiful Mother.

14. Owen Tudor an Esquire of Wales, after the death of Henry the Fifth,Baker's Chr. p. 255. married Katherine his Widow, the meanness of his Estate was recom­penced with the delicacy of his Personage, so ab­solute in all the lineaments of his body, that the only contemplation of it might well make the Queen forget all other circumstances.

Baker's Chr. p. 312.15. King Edward the Fourth (saith Comines) was the goodliest Personage that ever mine eyes beheld,p. 310. exceeding tall of stature, fair of com­plexion, and of most Princely presence. When in the 14. year of his Reign a benevolence was devi­sed towards his Wars in France, amongst others a rich Widow was call'd before him, whom he merrily ask'd what she would willingly give him towards his great charges. By my troth (quoth she) for thy lovely countenance thou shalt have even twenty pounds. The King looking for scarce half that sum thank'd her, and lovingly kissed her, which so wrought with the old Wi­dow, that she presently swore he should have twenty pounds more, and paid it willingly.

H [...]rodot. l. 9. p. 205.16. Tigranas was left by Xerxes with sixty thousand Men for the defence of Ionia, and was the most commendable Person for beauty and sta­ture of all that multitude of Persians.

Zuin. Theat. Vol. 2. l. 2. p. 286.17. Ephestion was preferred by Alexander a­bove all the rest of his Commanders, he was of that noble Presence, that when the King and he first entred the Tent of the Captive Princesses of Persia he was by them adored, instead of Alexan­der himself.

18. Queen Suavilda is said to be of that ex­celling beauty, that when she was bound with thongs,Saxo. Gram. Danic. Hist. l. 8. p. 121. Iohnst. Nat. Hist. Cl. 10. c. 7. p. 347. and laid on purpose to be trodden in pieces under the feet of Horses, the delicacy of her Limbs was such, that the Horses feared to tread upon her, nor could be induced to hurt her.

Athen. l. 13. c. 9. p. 609.19. Anatis the Wife of Bagazus, and Sister to Xerxes by the same Father, was the most beautiful, and also the most intemperate of all the Women of Asia.

Sab [...]l. l. 7. Ennead. 7.20. Zenobia Queen of the Palmyrenians, was of singular beauty; her eyes black, and sparkling with an extraordinary vigour, her voice clear, and she had Teeth of that whiteness, that divers suspected, she had placed something else in their stead.

S [...]et. p. 62. in Augusto.21. Cleopatra was the most beautiful of all the Women in Aegypt, and that beauty set off with such an eloquence, and peculiar grace in speaking, that the great heart of Iulius Caesar was subjected by her after he had subdued Pompey. And after both were dead, when Augustus and Anthony had shared the Roman Empire betwixt them, she had charms enough left, to engage the latter so firmly in her service, that his loves were the only cause that he lost his Kingdoms, his Honour, and his Life.

22. Aspasia the Daughter of Hermotimus the Phocensian, Aelian. var. Hist. l. 12. c. 1. p. 288, 289. surpass'd all the Virgins of her Age in the elegancy of her form. Aelian describes her thus, her Hair was yellow, and had a natural curle, her Eyes large and full; her Ears small, and her Nose a gentle rise in the middle; her Skin was smooth, and her countenance of a Rose colour, for which cause the Phocenses (while she was yet a Girl) gave her the Name of Mil [...]o. Her Lips were red, and her Teeth white as snow; her Foot was small, and her Voice had in it something so smooth and sweet, that while she spake it was like the musick of the Syrens: She used no Feminine Arts to render her beauties more advantageous, as being born and brought up by poor Parents; she was as chast as lovely, so that allured by both, Cyrus the younger King of Persia made her his Wife, and after him she was married to Artaxerxes.

23. Agarista the Daughter of Clisthenes the Si­cyonian Tyrant,Zuin. Theat. Vol. 2. l. 2. p. 286. was so beautiful, that to obtain her as a Bride there were instituted several solem­nities, wherein all sorts of Masteries were to be try'd amongst her Suitors, that so he who was ad­judg'd the most worthy Person might carry her a­way; and to this kind of trial the most Illustrious youths in Greece submitted themselves.

24. Timosa the Concubine of Oxgartes is said to have excelled all other Women in respect of her incomparable beauties,Athen▪ deip­nosoph. l. 13. c. 9. p. 609. and for that reason was sent by the King of Aegypt as a present to Stati­ra, Wife to the great King of Persia.

25. In the Feast of Ceres Eleusina, Alex. ab A­lex. die [...]. Ge­nial. l. 5. c. 8. p. 263. near the Ri­ver Alpheus, there is a contest about beauty, in which it is said the Women of Tenedos used to ex­cel, and to bear away the prize in this kind from all the rest of the Women of Asia; some admire most the Hypepae; and Homer will have the most beautiful Women to be in Hellas.

26. Iane Shore Concubine to King Edward the Fourth,Stow's An­nal. p. 449. and afterwards to the Lord Chamberlain Hastings; by the commandment of King Richard the Third to the Bishop of London was put to her o­pen penance, going before the Cross in procession upon a Sunday, with a Taper in her hand, in which she went in countenance and pace demure, so Wo­manly, and albeit she was out of all array, save her Kirtle only, yet went she so fair and lovely, namely, while the wondring of the people cast a comely red in her cheeks, that her great shame wan her much praise, amongst those that were more amorous of her body, than regardful of her Soul. Many also that hated her manner of Life, and were glad to see sin corrected; yet they more pityed her penance, than rejoyced therein. She liv'd till she was old, lean, wither'd, and dryed up; nothing left but rivel'd skin and hard bone, and in such poverty, that she was constrained to beg of many, who had begg'd all their time if she had not been.

27. Phryne was a most beautiful Woman,Heid [...]eld in Sphing. c. 1 [...]. p. 349, 350. but a Strumpet; it is said of her, that once at Athens fearing in a cause of hers to be condemn'd; in pleading for her self she bared her breasts, and dis­closed some part of her beauties to the Eyes of [Page 26] her Judges, who were so enchanted thereby, that they pronounc'd her guiltless, though at the same time they ordained that thenceforth no Woman should be permitted to plead her own cause. The same Phryne, being once at a publick Feast where it was customary to have a Queen amongst them, and the rest were bound to do what they saw her to begin; it fell out that Phryne was Queen, she therefore put her hand into a bason of cold Wa­ter twice, and therewith washed her Fore-head; the rest that had painted their Faces, had their Artificial beauties turn'd into deformity by the Water, and so were expos'd to the laughter of the company, but Phryne whose beauty was native, and beholden to nothing of Art, appear'd by this touch of the Water, to be rather improv'd then any way impaired.

Aelian. var. Hist. l. 12. c. 1. p. 350.351.352.28. Atalanta excell'd all the Virgins of Pelopo­nesus for beauty, she was tall of stature, her Hair was yellow, not made so by Art, but Nature; her face was Rosie colour'd, and very lovely, yet was there something therein so Majestick and severe, that no timorous or dissolute Person could love her, or scarce endure to fix his Eyes upon her. Her appearance in company was very seldom, and even that render'd her yet more amiable and ad­mirable in the estimation of all Men: She was ex­ceeding swi [...]t of Foot, and knew so well how to use her bow, that when Hylaeus and Rhaecus, two dissolute young Men came with purpose to at­tempt her Chastity in her solitudes, she sent two Arrows to their hearts, which made them resign up their lust, together with their lives.

29. Lais was a famous and renowned Curtizan, so beautiful that she en [...]lamed and set on fire all Greece, Plut. Mor. l. de Amor. p. 1154. with the love and longing desire of her. After the love of Hippolochus had seized on her, she quitt the Mount Acrocorinthus, and flying secret­ly from an army of other Lovers, she went to Me­galopolis unto him; where the Women upon very spight, envy, and jealousie, in regard of her sur­passing beauty, drew her into the Temple of Venus and stoned her to death; whereupon it is called to this day, The Temple of Venus the Murderess.

30. Helena that beautifull Grecian, who caus'd so much blood to be shed before the Walls of Troy, Dares de ex­cid. Trojae l. 1. p. 161. and ten years siege to be laid to that City, is thus described by Dares the Phrygian, who was present in that War: She was saith he, yellow hair'd, full Ey'd, exceeding fair of Face, and well shap'd in her body, a small Mouth, her Legs ex­actly fram'd, and a Mole betwixt her Eye-brows. As to her disposition it was open and ingenuous, and her deportment courteous and obliging to all sorts.

31. Polyxena saith Dares, was very [...]air, tall, beau­tiful in her features, her Neck was long, her Eyes sparkling,Dares de ex [...]id. Trojae p. 162. her Hair yellow and long; her Body exactly shaped throughout, her fingers small and long, her Legs streight, her Feet as neat as could be wish'd, and in the whole such a one as for beauty excell'd all the Women of her time. Besides which she was plain hearted, bountiful, and affable to all Persons.

32. Panthea was a noble Lady, taken Prisoner by Cyrus King of Persia, Plut. Mor. l. de [...]. p. 142. Araspes one of his Favo­rites and Minions, made a report to him that she was a Person of extraordinary and wonderful beauty, and therefore worthy to be looked upon and visited; but such was the Chastity and gal­lantry of that Prince: that he thus reply'd, if so (said he) I ought the rather to forbear the sight of her; for if by your perswasion, I should yeild to go and see her, it may so fall out that she her self may induce me to repair unto her, even then when I shall not have such leisure, and to sit with her and keep her company, neglecting in the mean time the weightiest affairs of the state.

33. There were divers places,Cael. Rhad. Antiq. L [...]ct. l. 24. c. 9. p. 1122. Textor. Offi­cin. l. 2. c. 49. p. 143. wherein there were famous contests amongst the Women, who amongst them all should bear away the prize for beauty. At the Feast of Ceres Eleusina, near the River Alphens, there was one of these contentions; and there it was that Herodice was adjudg'd to be the most beautiful of all the rest of the pretenders. Those Women that were the contenders were called Chrysophorae, the reward was a Crown of Myrtle to her, who was pronounced to have the prelation.

CHAP. XVIII. Of the Majesty and Gravity in the Countenance and Behaviour of some Persons.

THe Sophiti a people of India, have the stature and comeliness of the body in such estimati­on, that in their infancy, they made such discrimi­nation of their Children this way, as to bring up none but such as they judg'd to have such a Nature and Limbs, as did presignifie a good stature of bo­dy, and a convenient strength, as for the rest sup­posing their Education would prove but labour in vain they put them to death. And amongst them, and the Aethiopians likewise, they made choice of such to be their Kings as were most remarkable for stature, and strength, &c. Nor hath Nature it self seemed to ordain it otherwise, seeing that for the most part, persons of Illustrious Fortunes, have a Character of Majesty imprinted upon them, ve­ry different from the common sort. We read how,

1. Pyrrhus the King of Epirus assaulting Argos, Plut. in Pyrrh. p. 405. Fulg. l. 2. c. 5. p. 277. was there slain by the fall of a huge stone cast up­on him from the top of an House, his Soldiers be­ing retreated, he was found dead by Zotypus, who taking off his Helmet, with the greater facility to cut off his Head, was so terrified with the Majesty of his Royal countenance (which even in death it self had not forsaken him) that he went his way not daring to execute the villany he intended. But his covetousness prevailing over his fears he at last returned, yet so timerously set his hand to the work, that not daring to look upon his face, he struck sometimes upon his Neck, at others up­on his face, and with multiply'd strokes, had much ado at length to divide the head from the body.

2. One of the chief Men amongst the Gauls, confess'd to one of his Friends,Suet. in Au­gusto. p. 103. that he had fully resolv'd, to pretend as he would have parlied with Augustus, in his passage over the Alpes, and that at his coming within him, he would have tumbled him down headlong, but that Augustus when he spake, and when he was silent shew'd such an ami­ableness, and Majesty in Face and Voice, that he relented, and was held back from his purpose.

3. When the Emperour Charles the Fifth went up to the top of the Temple of Panth [...]on in Rome;Camer. hor. subcis. Cent. 1. c. 30. p. 148. [Page 27] a certain Italian mov'd with desire of revenge, or transported with some other passion, resolved to throw the Emperour headlong from a Window which is the highest part of it, but being amaz'd with the portly Majesty of the Emperour, he de­sisted from this mischievous Act, of which before he dy'd he made confession.

4. Gabriel Fondulo Lord of Cremona ▪ confessed before his death, that he had once resolved with himself to throw down headlong from the high Tower of Cremona, Camer. Ibid. p. 148. the Emperour Sigismund, Pope Iohn the 23. and Mocenigo the Venetian Embassa­dour, who were gone up thither to see the City and the Country thereabouts, but that he was frighted and terrified from his enterprise by the like means.

Camer. ibid. c. 57. p. 251. Dion in vi­ta Trajani.5. The Emperour Trajan having besieg'd the Agarenians in a certain City of theirs, and going about the same in a disguise that he might not be known, was yet noted for his gallant Age, and Majestical port, how well soever he sought to dissemble; so that the Enemy making full account that he was the chief Commander of the Army, shot many Arrows at him, one of which lighted upon him that followed the Emperour, and kill'd him.

6. Sir Thomas Egerton made Keeper of the Great Seal by Queen Elizabeth, in the 38. of her Reign,Fuller's Worthies p. 177. Ch [...]sh. 1596. of him it is said, that surely all Christendom afforded not a Person, who carried more gravity in his countenance and behaviour than Sir Thomas Egerton; insomuch, that many have gone to the Chancery on purpose only to see his venerable Aspect and garb (happy they had no other business) and were highly pleased at so acceptable a spectacle.

Knowles Turk. Hist. p. 455.7. Ferdinand King of Naples, being shut out both of Capua and Naples, departed with twenty Galleys well appointed unto Aenaria, an Island not far from Naples, having in it a commodious harbour, and a strong Castle, where Fortune ne­ver firm but in misery, seemed again to deride the poor remainder of his honour; for coming thither the Captain of the Castle (unworthily na­med Iustus) forgetting his duty towards his Sove­raign (of whom he had before received many ex­traordinary favours) most traiterously now (in this his so hard distress) shut the Gates of the Castle against him at his landing, with which unexpected ingratitude, the poor King was wonderfully per­plex'd and almost abashed, yet with earnest en­treaty and ample commemoration of the benefits and preferments which both his Father and himself had in times past bestowed upon him, he prevail'd so much with this unthankful Man, that he was content to receive him into the Castle, so that he would come himself alone; of which offer (when no more could be got) the King seemed to accept, so the Captain having opened a Port to receive him in, was in the very entrance thereof suddenly stabb'd to the heart with a Dagger by King Fer­dinand, and slain in the midst of his Armed Soldi­ers, which was done with such a countenance and Majesty, that the Warders with their Weapons in their hands (dismay'd with his look) forthwith at his commandment opened the gate, and receiv'd him in with all his Followers: whereby it appears that in the countenance of Princes, resteth a certain divine Majesty in all Fortunes above the common course of Nature, which is of power to daunt the hearts of most disloyal Traytors in the performance of their unnatural Treasons.

8. Darius the Son of Hyst [...]spis, that some Per­sians of great Authority,Camer. h [...]r. subcis. Cent. 2. c. 6. p. 20. Aelian. var. Hist. l. 6. c. 14. p. 196. had a Traiterous design upon him, and a purpose to kill him as he hunted; he unappall'd at the news, commanded them to take their Arms and Horses, then that they should draw and assault him, and frowning upon them, why do you not (said he) execute▪ that for which ye are come hither? But they observing the un­daunted spirit and countenance of the King, not only relinquish'd their purpose, but were struck with such a terrour, that they cast down their spears, adored Darius, and yielded themselves to be punish'd at his pleasure.

9. It is recorded of Alphonsus Este the first Duke of Ferrara, Camer. oper [...] subcis. Cent. 2. c. 6. p. 21. Iohnst. Nat. Hist. Cl. 10. c. 7. p. 347. that when the Traytors who conspir'd against him had him often in their pow­er, and might have slain him, yet (as they after­wards confessed) they were so affrighted with the Majesty of his countenance, that all the strength of their hearts and hands did forsake them. In this manner they delay'd till they were disco­vered by Hippolytus, and underwent the punish­ment of their designed (though not executed) Treason.

10. The Emperour Maximilian the First,Camer. oper. subcis. Cent. 2. c. 6. p. 18. Iohnst. Nat. Hist. Cl. 10. c. 7. p. 347. was made Prisoner by the Men of Bruges, and treated unworthily by them, yet in this solitude and ex­tream danger of his Life, he retain'd the Heroick greatness of his mind, and neither did nor spake any thing that might misbecome him. His great­est Enemies did revere his Visage, and the sediti­ous people were aw'd by his presence, for which cause he was but rarely suffer'd to be seen by them; for there sate in his countenance and eyes, a Majesty worthy of a great Prince, such as strangely mov'd and shook the consciences of the Rebels; there was in him a gravity that extorted a due reverence from the most refractory amongst them, all the lineaments of his body did so lively express a Royal and Imperial Dignity; his habit and gate was so decent, his motion so temperate, and his words had such weight, that he drew the affections of all that beheld him.

11. Francis the First, King of France, Camer. oper. subcis. Cent. 2. c. 6. p. 19. Iohnst. Nat. Hist. Cl. 10. c. 7. p. 347. after that unhappy Battle at Ticinum, where he (with the chiefest of his Nobility) was taken Prisoner, did yet remain undaunted, carry'd himself with that Princely behaviour, as if he being overcome had triumphed over the Conquerour. He comforted the King of Navarr, Francis Burbon, Anne Mom­morance and other great Persons who were in the same case with himself, saying it was no wonder if some things fell out to Man contrary to his will; and that Mars above all the Deities of the Hea­then vanity was most mutable. His whole de­meanour was so perfectly Royal, that his enemies rever'd him with the greatest observance: His Illustrious Conquerours strove with emulation to administer to him Royal Furniture, Provisions and Plate, and scarce could Burbon, Lanoy, and Daualus be perswaded to sit down with him, though they had his command so to do.

12. In the Person of the great Sfortia, Camer. oper. subcis. Cent. 3. c. 41. p. 139. Zui [...]. Theat. Vol. 2. l. 2. p. 286. all other things did so answer to that military reputation and glory he did acquir'd, that being oftentimes in the same habit with many of his Attendants, and at other times alone without any retinue, yet was he easily discern'd and saluted as the chief and Prince of the rest, by the Countrey-men, and such Rusticks as had never before seen him.

13. Alexander the Great,Aelian. var▪ Hist. l. 12. c ▪ 14. p. 3 [...]9▪ though he took lit­tle care of his body, is yet reported to be very beautiful, he is said to have yellow ha [...]r, and his [Page 28] locks fell into natural Rings and curles; besides which in the composure of his Face, there was something so great and august, as begat a fear in them, that look'd upon him.

Val. Max. l. 2. c. 10. p. 62. Plut. in C. Mario, p. 428.14. Caius Marius, being cast into the depth and extremity of misery, and in great hazard of his life, was saved by the Majesty of his Person; for while he liv'd in a private house at Minturn, there was a publick Officer a Cimbrian by Nation, that was sent to be his Executioner; he came to this unarmed, and at that time squallid old Man, with his Sword drawn, but astonish'd at the noble presence of so great a Man, he cast away his Sword and ran away trembling and amazed. Ma­rius had conquer'd the Cimbrian Nation, and per­haps it was this, that help'd to break the courage of him that came to kill him; or possibly the gods thought it unworthy, that he should fall by a single person of that Nation, who had broke and tri­umphed over the whole strength of it at once. The Minturnians also themselves, when they had taken and bound him, yet moved with something they saw of extraordinary in him, suffered him to go at liberty, though the late Victory of Sylla was enough to make them fear, they should e're long repent it.

15. Ludovicus Pius King of France, had many virtues worthy of a King and Heroe:Camer. oper. subcis. Cent. 3. c. 41. p. 141. This is also remembred of him; that upon the taking of Da­miata, he was circumvented and taken by Melaxa­la, the Sultan of Aegypt; when unequal terms were proposed unto him, he refused them with great constancy, and although he was in great danger amongst such as had slain their own Sultan, and though while he lay sick they rush'd upon him with their drawn Swords, either to kill him, or force him to subscribe to unequal conditions; yet with the Majesty of his Face, and that Dignity that was in his countenance, he restrained their fierceness, so that they desisted to afford him further trouble.

16. Alphonsus King of Arragon, is famous for the like Majesty and Princely constancy,Camer. oper. subcis. Cent. 3. c. 41. p. 141. of whom after in a Naval fight he was taken Prisoner by the Genoans; Panulphus Collenutius, thus relates; that he bare such a countenance, was of that Majesty and constancy, that as well by Sea as Land, at Mil­lain and in all other places, he commanded and was obeyed, in no other manner than if he had been free and a Conquerour. For to omit other things when he was brought before Ischia, and the Cap­tain of the Ship wherein he was, spake to him, that he should command that City to submit it self to the Genoeses; he gallantly reply'd, that he would not do it, and that he hoped they should not gain a stone of his jurisdiction without Arms and blood, for he well knew that none of his Sub­jects would obey any such command while he re­mained a Captive; he so confounded the Captain, that Blasius the Admiral was constrained to ap­pease him with fair words, and to declare that the Captain had not spoken this by any order from him, but that it was the effect of his own im­prudence. So that it was commonly said, that Alphonsus alone, in whatsoever fortune he was, was deservedly a King, and ought so to be called.

P [...]zel. Mell. Hist. Tom. 2. p. 223.17. Philippus Arabs having obtained the Empire, in his Journey towards Rome, made his Son C. Iu­lius Saturnius co-partner with him in that honour. Of this young Prince it is said, that he was of so severe and grave a countenance, and disposition, that from five years of Age he was never observed to laugh, and thereupon was call'd Agelastus; no­thing how ridiculous soever could provoke him to a smile: and when the Emperour in the secular Plays brake out into an effuse laughter, he as one that was ashamed or displeased thereat, turned a­way his face from him.

18. Cassander having made Olympias (the Mo­ther of Alexander the Great) his Prisoner,Pezel. Me [...]. Tom. 1. p. 420. and fearing the inconstancy of the Macedonians that they would one time or other create him some trouble in favour of her; sent Soldiers with ex­press command to kill her immediately. She see­ing them come towards her obstinate and armed, in a Royal Robe and leaning upon two Maids, of her own accord she set forward to meet them. At sight of her, her intended Murtherers stood astonish'd, revering the Majesty of her former fortune, and the names of many of their Kings that were so nearly related to her. They there­fore stood still, but the Kindred of those whom Olympias had formerly put to death; that at once they might gratifie Cassander, and revenge the dead, these slew the Queen, while she neither de­clin'd the Sword nor wounds, nor made any femi­nine out-cry, but after the manner of gallant Men, and agreeable to the glory of her ancient stock, receiv'd her death; That Alexander himself might seem to be seen to die in the person of his Mother.

19. When Alexander the Great was dead,Iust. Hist. 1. 13. p. 153. his Soldiers were in expectation of Riches, and his Friends to succeed him in the Empire; and they might seem the less vain in such expectation, see­ing they were Men of that virtue, and Princely port, that you would have thought each of them a King; such Majesty and beauty in the countenance, such stature and talness of body, so great strength and wisdom, was conspicuous in all of them; that they who knew them not, would have concluded they had been chosen, not out of any one Nation, but out of all the parts of the World. And certainly before that time, neither Macedon nor any other Nation could ever boast of the production of so many gallant and Illustrious persons at once, whom Philip first, and after him his Son Alexander had selected with that care, that they seemed to be made choice of, not so much to assist in the Wars, as to succeed in the Govern­ment. What wonder is it then that the whole World was subdued by such able Ministers, when the Army of the Macedonians was conducted by as many Kings as Captains, who had never found their equals, unless they had fallen out amongst themselves; and Macedon instead of one, had had many Alexanders, unless Fortune (in emulation of one another's virtue) had armed them to their mutual destruction.

20. Guntherus Bishop of Babenberg died in the year of our Lord 1064. in his journey as he was travelling towards Ierusalem and the Holy Land.Zuin. Theat. Vol. 2. l. 2. p. 284. This Prince besides the composedness of his Life, and the riches of his mind, was also remarkable for the ornaments and perfections of the body; for in respect of the height of his stature, the beauty and Princely gravity of his Face, and the frame and deportment of his whole body, wherein he so excelled all Mortals; that as he pass'd along in his journey towards Ierusalem, the people flock'd out of the Cities and Fields, for no other purpose but to have a sight of him, so great a Fame there went of his perfections both in body and mind.

CHAP. XIX. Of the signal deformity, and very mean personage of some great per­sons and others.

THe Philosopher advises young men frequent­ly to contemplate their Faces in a Glass, that if they were fair, and well featured, they might thence be provoked to an endeavour, to make the Beauties of their Minds answerable to that of their Bodies: And if they were mishapen and dis­figured, they might strive to recompence the dis­advantagious appearance of their outside, by the acquired Ornaments of Learning and Virtue. This advice has been followed so well by some of those that were none of the handsomest; that their dark Lanthorns have been provided with very glorious Lights; and they have outdone others in the accomplishments of their minds, as much as others have surpassed them in the lineaments of the Body: The rest have remain'd mon­strous in both, with lamentable distortions with­in and without.

Bakers Chr. p. 337. Dan. Hist. Engl. l. 3. p. 256.1. Of Richard the Third, once King of Eng­land, it is thus remembred, that of Body he was but low, crook'd-back, hook-shouldred, splay-footed, and gogle-ey'd, his Face little and round, his complexion swarthy; his left Arm from his birth, dry and withered; born a Monster in Na­ture, with all his Teeth, with Hair on his Head, and Nails on his Fingers and Toes, and just such were the qualities of his Mind.

Lips. monit. l. 2. c. 15. p. 355▪ 356. Erasm. A­dag. Drexel. oper. l. 3. c. 8. § 2. p. 424. Plutarch. in Agesilao, p. 6116.2. Agesilaus King of Sparta, in his old age went with succours to Tacchas King of Egypt: be­fore he landed, there was a mighty number and concourse of the Egyptians upon the shore, to be­hold the great Captain, of whom there went such an extraordinary fame. They had preconceived they should see a glorious person in sumptuous habit, a splendid retinue, and a countenance and stature comparable with that of the Ancient Heroes: when out-came he, in a short and course Cloak, nothing different from the meaner sort, his stature very small, and an aspect that pro­mis'd little; he was therefore openly contemn'd and jests made upon him: Is this (said they) the Anchor of our Hope? Is this the Restorer of a broken State? the Mountain was in travail, and Iupiter in a fright; and at last it was deliver'd of a Mouse: but ere long he that was thus de­spised, approv'd himself a Soldier and Leader no whit below but above the fame that went of him.

Lips. monit. l. 2. c. 15. p. 356, 357. Plut. paral­lel. p. Polyb. Drexell. oper. l. 3. c. 8. § 2. p. 424. Patrit. de r [...]gno, l. 2. tit. 3. p. 88.3. The great Philopoemen was a person, of a ve­ry mean presence, and one that neglected the Ornaments of the Body; for both which he sometimes did Penance: once going to Megara, he sent one before to tell his friend, he would be his guest in the Evening: who upon the news went streight to the Market to seek for provisions; leaving order with his Wife, to put the House in such order as might suit with the entertainment of so great a Guest. Philopoemen outstrip'd his retinue, and came sooner than was thought of▪ and the Woman supposing him by the meanness of his outside, to be one that was sent before, set him to cleave wood for the fire; which he was busily about, when his friend returns from the Market, and amaz'd to see him thus employ'd: What, said he, does Philopoemen thus dishonour himself and me? The other smiling, reply'd, I am now, said he, doing Penance for my ill Face, and my bad Clothes.

4. Socrates the Philosopher is said to be flat-nos'd,Zuin. Theat. vol. 2. l. 2. p. 287. bald headed, to have hairy Shoulders, and crooked Legs: and therefore when his two Wives, Xantippe and Myrto, in a jealous fit of each other were scolding together: Why, said he, do you two handsome Women fall out about a man whom Nature hath made so de­formed?

5. Atila, Zuin. ibid. p. 288. Sab. l. 1. En­nead. 8. p. King of the Hunns (sirnam'd the wrath of God, by reason of those horrible devastations he made) is thus describ'd: he was low of Stature, broad and flat breasted; his Head greater than or­dinary: his Eyes very small, his Beard thin, his Nose flat; the colour of his body livid, and his Eyes were continually rolling about.

6. Haly, Busbeq. E­pist. 3. p. 115. Bassa of Epirus, and a great Warriour in the time of Solyman, Emperour of the Turks, is thus describ'd by Busbequius. He was, saith he, an Eunuch: but what was taken from his body, seem'd to be added to his mind: He was of low Stature, his Body was puff'd up; of a yellowish co­lour, his Aspect sad; his Eyes had something of cruel in them; he had broad and high Shoulders, and his Head sunk down betwixt them: he had two Tushes like those of a Boar, that hung out of his mouth, and his voice was hoarse. In a word, he seem'd to us the fourth Fury.

7. Gillias, Diodor. Sic. Bibl. l. 13. p. 366. a rich Citizen of Agrigentum; the same who was called the very Bowels of Liberality, in respect of his marvellous Hospitality; was sent Embassador to the Centoripines; and when he made his appearance amongst the multitude that were on purpose convened, his presence was so mean and despicable, in respect of what they had ex­pected, that all the assistants brake out into a sudden and unseasonable laughter at the sight of him, which he observing, told them, That they had the less cause to wonder at what they saw, seeing it was the custom of Agrigentum, to send Embassa­dors suitable to the places they went to; mean Personages to mean and base Cities; and Men of the most excellent form, to such places as were of Reputation and Dignity.

8. A certain Emperour of Germany coming by chance into a Church upon a Sunday,Clark's mir­ror, c. 84. p. 367. Fitzherb. of Relig. & policy, part 1. c. 8. p. 59. Fuller. Guil. Mal­mesbury, p. 38. found there a most mishapen Priest, Penè portentum Naturae, almost a monster in Nature, insomuch as the Empe­rour scorn'd and contemn'd him, but when he heard him read those words in the Service; For it is he that made us, and not we our selves: The Empe­rour check'd his own proud thoughts, and made enquiry into the quality and conditions of the man, and finding upon examination, that he was a very Learned and Devout Person, he made him Archbishop of Colen ▪ which place he discharg'd with singular fidelity, and much commenda­tion.

9. Aesopus, Coel. Rhod. A. L. l. 15. c. 26. p. 707 Heidseld. in Sphing. c. 15. p. 335. that famous Apologist, and com­poser of Fables, is said to have had a body more de­formed than that of Thersites: It is reported that he was a Black, and thereupon had his name; for that Aesop, and Aethiope have the same signi­fication; he was also extremely crooked, hook shoulder'd; large and high belly'd, and flat nos'd; but Nature made him amends for this his defor­mity, by giving him a most admirable Wit.

10. When Croesus King of Lydia, a most wise [Page 30] Prince,Fitzherb. of Relig. & policy. part 1. c. 8. p. 59. invited Anacharsis the Philosopher to come to his Court; he wrote thus of himself: That although Nature had made him deformed, crook­back'd, one Ey'd, lame of a Leg, a Dwarf, and as it were, a Monster amongst Men; yet he thought himself so monstrous in nothing; as in that he had no Philosopher in his Court and of his Council.

Patrit. de regno, l. 2. tit. 3. p. 89.11. Xantippus a Lacedemonian, was the Gene­ral of the Carthaginians, at such time as they took prisoner Attilius Regulus; this Man was of a hor­rid and truculent Aspect; his personage made no shew of dignity or comeliness, and his stature was very small; but with these disadvantages, he had a sharp Wit, and a body so strong, that he was too hard for those, that were much taller than himself.

Patrit. de regno, l. 2. tit. 3. p. 88.12. Tyrteus, the Poet, who was appointed by the Oracle to be the Leader of the Spartans a­gainst the Messenians, and under whose conduct they became victorious, after they had been three times overthrown by their Enemies; was of a foul and contemptible Aspect, and lame of one Foot; insomuch, as he was scoff'd at by those whom he came to assist; but they soon found how much so deformed a person was able to con­tribute to their successes; for he so enflam'd their crest-fallen courages by his verses, that they re­solved rather to dye, than return without con­quest.

Burton's Melanch. part 2. § 3. p. 290. Diodor. Sic. r [...]r. Antiq. l. 1. c. 2. p. 30.13. Boccharis was a most deformed Prince, as ever Egypt had: Yet as Diodorus Siculus saith of him, in Wisdom and Knowledge he went far beyond all his Predecessors.

14. Crates the Theban was a wise Philosopher, yet of a deformed Aspect, and crooked, inso­much, that when he exercised himself, he was commonly derided by all the by-standers. Then would he lift up his hands and say,L [...]rt. vit. Philos. l. 6. p. 159, 160. Courage Crates in respect of thine Eyes, and the rest of thy Body; for thou shalt shortly see those that de­ride thee consum'd with diseases: and then de­testing their own sloth, they will begin to applaud him whom they so lately scorn'd.

Plut. Mo­ral. in Sym­pos. Quaest. l. 1. p. 653.15. As it is said of Plato, that he was bunch-back'd, and of Aristotle that he did stammer and stutter in his Speech: So we read of Agamesor an A­cademick Philosopher, that amongst other de­formities, he had a withered Leg, and nothing left thereof but skin and bone, yet a wise and prudent person: for being once met with some others at a Feast, all the other by way of mock­ery insulted upon him, and made a law amongst themselves, that they should all stand upon their right Leg, and every one so drink his Bowl of Wine, or else pay a piece of Money as a forfei­ture. Now when it came to Agamesors turn to command, he charged all to drink in that man­ner, as they saw him drink: then call'd he for an earthen pitcher with a narrow mouth; into which, when he had thrust his poor consumed Leg, he poured a cup of Wine and drank it off; and when all the rest had assay'd, and found they could not do as he did, they were all enforced to pay the forfeiture, and had the malignity of their scoffing at him, return'd upon them­selves.

CHAP. XX. Of the great resemblance and like­ness of some men in Face, Fea­ture, &c. to others.

THe Faces of Men are little Tablets, which (though but small in compass) the skilful Hand of the great Artificer hath wisely drawn o­ver with such infinite variety; that amongst the millions of millions, wherewith this Globe of Earth is furnished, there is not any two of them to be found, that are in all points so alike, but that they carry certain Marks upon them, where­by they are distinguishable from each other; were it not for this, no man could know to whom he is indebted, by whom he hath been injured, or to whom he is beholden; the murderer would be con­cealed in a crowd, and the world would be full of incests and adulteries. As for those few that are extremely like, they are rarities that serve rather to administer to our pleasure, than our fears, through any errour or mistake, that may arise a­bout them.

1. Nicholas and Andrew Tremain were Twins and younger Sons to Thomas Tremain, Fullers worthies, p. 266. De­vonshire. of Cole­comb in the County of Devonshire Esquire, such their likeness in all lineaments, they could not be distinguished, but by their several habits, which when they were pleas'd in private confederacy to exchange for disport, they occasioned more mirth­ful mistakes, than ever were acted in the Am­phitruo of Plautus; they felt like pain, though at distance, and without intelligence given, they equally desired to walk, travel, sit, sleep, eat, drink together, as many credible Gentry of the Vicinage (by relation from their Father will at­test) In this they differ'd, that at Newhaven in France, the one was a Captain of a Troop, and the other but a private Soldier, here they were both slain, 1564. death being pitiful to kill them together, to prevent the lingering languishing of the survivor.

2. Artemon, Val. Max. l. 9. c. 14. p. 273. Plin. l. 7. c. 12. p. 161. Solin. c. 5. p. 185, 186. a mean man amongst the Commons, was so like in all points to Antiochus King of Syria, that Laodice the Queen, after that Antiochus her Husband was kill'd, served her own turn by him, and made him play the part of Antiochus, until she had by his means, as in the King's per­son, recommended whom she would, and made over the Kingdom and Crown in succession and reversion, to whom she thought good.

3. Vibius a poor Commoner of Rome, Plin. l. 7. c. 12. p. 161. Val. Max. l. 9. c. 14. p. 272. Solin. c. 5. p. 186. and Pub­licius, one newly of a bondslave made a freed­man; were both of them so like unto Pompey the great, that the one could very hardly be discern'd from the other. So lively did they represent that good Visage of his, so full of honesty; so fully did they resemble and express the singular Majesty that appeared in the fore-head of Pompey.

4. The Father of Pompey call'd Strabo, Plin. ibid. p. 161. Val. Max. ibid. p. 273. had yet the additional sirname of Menogenes, which was his Cook and Slave, and this meerly, because he so much resembled him.

5. One of the Scipio's was sirnam'd Serapius, Plin. ibid. p. 161. Val. Max. ibid. p. 273. for that a base Slave of his, no better than a Swine-herd of that name, did so nearly resemble him. Another of the Scipio's of the same House, after him was call'd Salutio, because a cer­tain [Page 31] Jester of that name was so like unto him.

Plin. ibid. p. 161. Val. Max. ibid. p. 273. Soll [...]. c. 5. p. 186.6. After the same manner, one Spintber and Pamphilus, two Players, gave their names to Len­tulus and Metellus, who were both Consuls toge­ther in one year; and that because they re­sembled them so much; contrariwise Rubrius the Stage-player was sirnamed Plancus, because he was so like unto Plancus the Orator.

Plin. ibid. p. 162. So [...]in. c. 5. p. 186.7. Burbuleius and M [...]nogenes, both Players of Interludes, so resembled Curio the Elder, and Mes­sala Censorius, that though this latter had been Censor, neither of them could avoid the being sir­named after them.

Plin. ibid. p. 162. Solin. c. 5. p. 186.8. There was in Sicily a certain Fisher-man, who resembled in all points Sura the Proconsul, not only in visage and feature of the Face, but al­so in putting out his mouth when he spake, in drawing his Tongue short, and in his huddle and thick Speech.

Plin. ibid. p. 162. Solin. c. 5. p. 187.9. Toranius, a Merchant Slave seller, sold unto Marcus Antonius one of the greatest Triumvirs, two most beautiful and sweet faced Boys for Twins, so like they were one to the other; al­beit, the one was born in Asia, and the other be­yond the Alps: But when Antonius came after to the knowledge thereof; and that the fraud was bewray'd by the Language of the Boys; he sell into a furious sit of choler, rating Toranius that he had made him pay two hundred Sesterces as for Twins, and they were none such. The wily Merchant answer'd that it was the cause, why he held and sold them at so dear a rate: For, said he, it is no marvel if two brethren Twins, who lay in the same Womb resemble one another; but that there should be any sound, born as these were in divers Countries, so like in all respects as they, he held it as a most rare and wonder­ful thing. Antonius at this was appeased, and well contented with his Bargain.

Plat. obs. l. 3 p. 752.10. Anno 1598. There were with us at Basil two Twin-brothers, who were born at one Birth in the seventh Month 1538. they were so like to one another in the features of the Body, that I have often spoke to the one instead of the other, though both were very well known to me; and that they had been frequently conversant with me: Nay, they were so like in their natural in­clinations, that as they often have told me, what the one thought, has secretly come into the mind of the other, at the same time; if the one was sick, the other was not well; as it fell out when one was absent and sick in Campa­nia, the other at the same time was sick at Basil.

Mersenn. Quaest. & Comment. in G [...]n. p. 124. Henri [...]. Steph. in A­polog. pro Herodo [...]. p. 7.11. Martinus Guerre, and Arnoldus Tillius, in features and lineaments of the Face were so ex­ceedingly alike, that when Martinus was gone abroad to the Wars, Tillius by the near resem­blance of his form, betray'd the chastity of Mar­tinus his Wife; and not only so, but impos'd up­on four of his Sisters, and divers others both Neighbours and Kindred, who were not able to discover the difference betwixt them, and which is the strangest of all, he liv'd with this Woman as her Husband for some years together, the com­panion both of her board and bed.

Xiphil. in Nerone.12. Sporus the freed-man of Nero the Emperour, was very like unto Sabina, a most beautiful Lady, beloved also by the same Emperour; he so re­sembled her in all lineaments, that Nero caused him to be cut, that so instead of Sabina, he might filthily use him as his beloved Lady.

13. Medardus and Gerardus were Twin-bro­thers and French men,Fulgos. l. 1. c. 6. p. 188. Kornma [...]de mi [...]a [...]. mor­tuor. l. 8. c. 10. p. 7. they were not only born one and the same day, but also both of them in one day preferred to Episcopal Dignity; the one to the See of Rhotomage, and the other to that of Noviodunum; and lest any thing should be want­ing to this admirable parity, they also both de­ceased in one and the same day: So that the Phi­losophers, Hypoclides and Polystratus, are no way to be preferred before these remarkable Twins; one of these Twins instead of Gerhardus, is call'd Chiladius by Kornmannus.

14. Lucius Otho, Sutt [...]n. Zuing. vol. 2. l. 2. p. 289. P [...]zel. M [...] ­lis [...]. Hist. [...]om. 2. p. 169. the Father of Otho the Em­perour; (one of very Noble Blood by the Mo­thers side, and of many great Relations) was so dear unto, and not so unlike unto Tiberius the Em­perour, that most men did verily believe he was begotten by him.

15. Even in our days we have heard of two young Children,Gas [...]r. cu­riosities. c. 6 p. 220. which were Brothers at Riez, an Episcopal City of Provence in France, who be­ing per [...]ectly like one another, if one of them was sick, the other was so too; if one began to have pain in the Head, the other would presently feel it; if one of them was asleep or sad, the other could not hold up his Head, or be merry: and so in other things, as I have been assured by Mr. Poitevin, a very honest man, and a Native of that City.

16. At Mechlin there were two Twin-bro­thers, the Sons of Petrus Apostolius, Vives in Aug. d [...]. Ci­vit. d [...]s. l. 21. c. 8. p. 601. Zuing. vol. 2. l. 2. p. 289 a Pr [...]dent Se­nator of that place (and at whose House Vives had friendly entertainment) the Boys were both lovely to look upon, and so like, that not only strangers, but the Mother her self often erred, in the distinction of them whilst she liv'd; and the Father as often, by a pleasing errour, calling Peter for Iohn, and Iohn for Peter.

17. Babyrtus a Messenian, Polyb. Hist. l. 4. p. 274. was a man of the meanest degree, and of a lewd and silthy life; but was so like unto Dorymachus, both in the counte­nance, all the lineaments of the Body, and the very voice it self; that if any had taken the Dia­dem and Robe of State, and put it upon him, it would not have been easie to discover which was which; whence it came to pass, that when Dory­machus, after many injuries to the Messenians had also added threats to the rest of his insolence; Sciron one of the Ephori there, a bold man and lover of his Country; said openly to him, Dost thou Babyrtus suppose, that we matter either thee or thy threats? at which he was so nettled, that he rested not till he had rais'd a War against the Messenians.

18. That in the two Gordiani is a most memo­rable thing,Zuing. vol. 2. l. 2. p. 289 Sab [...] ­lic. l. 6. En­n [...]ad. 7. Pe­ [...]el. M [...]lli­si [...]. Hist. tom. 2. p. 222. that the Elder of them was so very like unto Augustus; that he not only resembled him in the Face, but also in Speech, behaviour and stature. The Son of this man was exceed­ing like unto Pompey the Great, and the third of the Gordiani, begotten by him immediately before mention'd; had as near a resemblance to Scipio Asiaticus, the Brother of Scipio Affricanus the El­der: so that in one Family there were the live­ly pourtraiture of three illustrious persons, dead long before.

19. I have seen,Fulgos. l. 9. c. 15. p. 1349. Zuing. vol. 2. l. 2. p. [...]90 saith Fulgosus, amongst the Soldiers of Franciscus Sfortia the Duke of Millain, a young man who did so resemble that counte­nance of his (then which nothing was more amia­ble to look upon, nor more worthy of a Prince) that by the general consent of the whole Court, he was call'd the Prince. Franciscus himself, as [Page 32] he was most courteous in all things, not without pleasure did sometimes contemplate his own Image in him, as in a Glass; and in most things beheld and acknowledged his own gestures and voice.

Zuing. vol. 2. l. 2. p. 290.20. Io. Oporinus, the Printer at Basil, was so like unto Henry the Eighth, King of England, in the Face, but especially to Albertus the Marquess of Brandenburgh, that they might well seem to be natural Brothers: there was also this further simi­litude betwixt them; that as one fill'd all Germa­ny with Wars, so the other replensh'd all the Chri­stian World with Books.

Fulgos. l. 9. c. 15. p. 1349.21. Sigismundus Malatesta, Prince of Ariminum, was so very like in all the features of his Face to Marchesinus the Mimick, that when he went to Millain, this Marchesinus was sent away elsewhere by Franciscus Sfortia, Duke of Millain, and Father-in-law to Sigismundus (as being ashamed of him) for Marchesinus in his prattle, by reason of this resemblance, used to call Sigismond his Son.

Zuing. vol. 2. l. 2. p. 290.22. A certain young Man came to Rome in the shape of his body so like unto Augustus, that he set all the people at gaze upon that sight. Augustus hearing of it, sent for the young man, who being come into his presence; Young man, said he, was your Mother ever at Rome? he (discerning whi­ther the Question tended) No, Sir, said he, my Mother never was, but my Father hath often, wittily illuding the intended suspicion of his own Mother, and begetting a new concerning that of Augustus.

Plut. in Pompeio. p. Zuing. ibid. p. 290.23. Pompey the Great, carry'd such a resem­blance in his Visage to the Statues of Alexander the Great, that some called him Alexander; and Pompey himself seem'd not against it: So that Lucius Philippus, a consular person, one time plead­ing for him, said that he did nothing absurd in that action; for seeing he was Philip, it was no wonder, if he was a lover of Alexander.

Val. Max. l. 9. c. 14. p. 273. Zuing. ibid. p. 289.24. Hybreas the Mylasenian, an Orator of a cop [...]ous and quick Eloquence, was so like unto a servant, that gather'd up what was scatter'd in the Theatre, that the Eyes of all Asia design'd him for his natural Brother, although he was not in the least of kin to him.

Donat. Hist. mi [...]. l. 6. c. 2. p. 304.25. Amatus Lusitanus tells of two Monks of the order of the Predicators, who, though they were not of the same Country, yet were most like one to the other, in age, temperature, and physio­gnomy; these two were in one and the same day seis'd with a Pleurisie, and both on the same day re­stored to their health.

Val. Max. l. 1. c. 8. p. 32.26. Polystratus and Hippoclides, were both Phi­losophers; they were both born upon the same day, both followed the Sect of their Master Epi­curus; and as they were both School-fellows, so they equally participated of one and the same Estate; being both arriv'd to a very great age, they both dy'd in one and the same instant of time: Such an equal society both in fortune and friend­ship who can think otherwise but that it was be­got, nourish'd and finish'd, in the very bosom of a Heavenly Concord?

Stowes Annals, p. 325.27. Iohn Maudelen, a Priest, was Chaplain to King Richard the Second; and so exceeding like him in all proportion and favour, that the one could not without difficulty be discerned from the other; Many a time (saith one) have I seen him in Ireland ride with the King his Master, so fair a Priest and goodly a person I had not lightly seen. When the Dukes of Excester and Surrey conspired against Henry the Fourth, they made use of this man, and his likeness to the King; they per­swaded the people, that the King was escaped out of Pomfret Castle, and was now amongst them, and to make them believe it the better, they put the Priest in Armour with a Crown upon his Hel­met, so as all men might take him for King Rich­ard. This cost the poor Priest dear, for soon after he was executed for Treason at London, by command of King Henry.

28. I have heard a Gentleman yet living say,Sandys in Ovid. met. l. 3. p. 60. that his Mother knew not his Brother from him, but by the treading of their Shoes; that when they were Scholars, both of them were ordinari­ly whipt for the offence of one; and that being bound Apprentices to two Merchants in London, they would ordinarily wait in one anothers rooms undiscovered by their Masters, or any other of the Family.

29. Cambyses, Iustin. Hist. l. 1. p. 23, 24. King of Persia, dream'd that his Brother Smerdis sate upon the Throne as King of Persia; troubled at this, he made choice of Co­maris, one of the Magi, from amongst the rest of his friends, and sent him away with orders to kill his Brother: Cambyses in the mean time by a fall upon his Sword receiv'd his death in Egypt-Comaris understanding the Kings death before the fame of it was arrived to Persia, executed his for­mer order, and had privily made away Smerdis the Kings Brother, which done, he set his Bro­ther Oropastes (by some also called Smerdis) upon the Throne instead of Smerdis. Two things there were which served well to help forward his de­sign, one was, that amongst the Persians, the King is but very seldom seen, and the contrary is thought a diminution to his Majesty: A second thing that preserved the fraud from being de­tected, was, that Smerdis the Kings Brother, and this Counterfeit Oropastes were so extremely like both in the features of their Face, and the lineaments of their Bodies; that by these means, and the diligence of the Magi, he held the Kingdom, till such time as by the industry of a Nobleman, called Orthanes, the whole plot was revealed, and the design overthrown.

CHAP. XXI. Of the Heart; and in what man­ner it hath been found in some Bodies.

SUch as are skilful in the way of Natures pro­duction and generation do assure us, that of the Embryo in the Womb, the first part that is formed is the Heart; which saith Galen is the first root of all the entrails and members of the Bo­dy, and the very fountain of Life, and of all innate and vital heat. It is (say the Peripateticks) in a Humane Body, as the first intelligence is in the World, and as a kind of Monarch in the little World. The substance of it is therefore more solid and compact, both that it may be the less obnoxious to receive damage, or harm; as also, the better to preserve the vital heat and spirit, which would soon breath out and vanish away from it, were it of greater rarity and softness. What curiosities have been found in this little Cabinet, upon the death of its owner, together [Page 33] With other not unpleasant observations about it, takes as followeth.

Petrus Ser­vius in dissertat. de Unguent. Armario, p. 49, 50. Howels E­pistles, vol. 1. § 6. Ep. 43. p. 234.1. Richard London, of London, a person learn'd in the Greek and Latin Tongues; and an as­sistant Physician in our Hospital of the holy Ghost; hath set down in Latin the Epitome of a History written originally in English by Edward May: in this manner, Anno 1637. Octob. 7. in London, at the opening of the Body of Iohn Pe [...]n [...]nt, his Heart was found globular, more broad than long; the right Ventricle of it was of an ashy colour, wrinkled, and like a leathern Purse without Money; we found nothing in it; and the Water of the pericardium was perfectly dry'd up. The left Ven­tricle of his heart was three times bigger than the right, and seem'd as hard as a stone, upon incision the blood gush'd out, and in it was found a fleshy substance wrapt in various folds like a Serpent; the body of it was white, as the skin of a man, but slippery, transparent, and as it was painted over; it had Legs or Arms of a fleshy colour, Fibers or Nerves (call them as you please) were found in it; the body of it were hollow, but otherwise solid; in length a Roman Palm of the lesser sort; it had a Gut, Vein, Artery, or somewhat Analogous, subservient to the uses of Nature) found in it.

Zacut. Lu­sit. prax. Adm. l. 1. obs. 130. p. 121.2. There was a man, who at several times was exceedingly troubled with fainting fits, and a strange palpitation of the Heart, at last overcome with his Malady, he sudden dy'd: at the open­ing of his body, there was found sticking to the right Ventricle of his Heart▪ a Worm, it was dead, the colour of it black, and in shape like to those Worms that are bred in Wood.

Zacut. Lu­sit. prax. Adm. l. 1. obs. 131. p. 122.2. There was a bold Thief who had been of­ten seis'd with a palpitation of the Heart, being apprehended, he was adjudg'd to the Wheel by the Magistrate; my self with two more of my Collegues, desirous to see the Heart of this Man; (as soon as his Body was divided into four quar­ters) cut it open, yet beating; and in the right Ventricle of it, we found three stones, of the big­ness of a pease, of an ash colour, somewhat long, and of the weight of one drachm; these were not only seen, but wondred at, by divers persons of Learning and Curiosity.

Wierus de praestig. Dae­mon. l. 4. c. 16. p. 315.4. Upon the dissection of the Body of the Em­perour M [...]ximilian the Second; there were found in his Heart three stones of the bigness of a pease, one bigger than the other, of a redish or rusty colour, by reason of these he had in his life time been much a [...]flicted with the palpitation of the Heart.

Schenck. obs. Med. l. 2. obs. 1. p. 2595. Hieronymus Schreiberus leaving Italy came to Paris, Anno 1549. and under Sylvius, Fernelius, and Hollerius studied Physick: In March the year aforesaid, he fell into a violent and unknown Di­sease, and in May following dy'd of it, his body was opened, and when the substance of the heart was cut▪ therein was found a stone, big as a Nut­meg, hard, somewhat black colour'd, round, and weighing some drams, which his Masters and o­thers taking in their hands, not only saw but wondred at.

Columb. A­natom. l. 15. p. 4 [...]2.6. In the dissection of the body of Cardinal Gambara Brixianus at Rome, I found [...]aith Columbus a very hard tumour in the left ventricle of his Heart, which was of the bigness of an Egg.

Ioh. Riolan. Anthropo­g [...]aph. l. 3. p. 370.7. Within the right ventricle of the heart near the ori [...]ice of the Vena Cava, in such persons as die suffocate with sudden and unexpected death, there are sometimes found pieces of fleshy sub­stance, growing together to the bigness of a Man's fist, as was lately found by my self in the heart of the Bishop of St. Maloes.

8. Anno Dom. 1602. there were these wonders seen in the hearts of two Polonians who were Brethren,Ioh. Riolan. ibid. p. 370▪ the heart of the one was solid without any Ventricles; but towards the Basis of the Heart, the Vessels were exceedingly dilated; and those Anastomoses, which are in the foetus did remain; the Heart of the other Brother had in the middle Sept of it a remarkable glandule.

9. Anno 1644.Ba [...]thol. Hist. Ana­tom. [...]nt. 2. Hist. 45. p. 211. The Body of Pope Vrban the Eighth was opened (in order to the embalming of it) By Io. Trullus, an excellent Anatomist, and in the left Ventricle of his Heart there was found a triangular bone in form of the letter (T) as also five stones in his gall, each of them of the bigness of an Hazel Nut.

10. Upon the dissection of the Body of a Ru­stick, who dy'd at Copenhagen, Barthol. Hist. Anat. Cent. 1. Hist. 77. p. 112. of a consumption, his Heart was found so vast, that oftentimes that of an Ox is neither bigger nor more weighty; the left Ventricle (as yet unopened) felt more hard than usual, to the touch, which begat suspici­on, that a Cartilage might be bred there, like to those that are found in the Hearts of Stags; nor were we mistaken; for at the Root of the Aorta, there was a three corned bone, resembling the figure of a Heart, or the Letter (Y) but the bone was somewhat spungy, and friable, not unlike to some of those stones that are voided by U­rine.

11. I dissected a Scholar at the Academy at Rome, Columb. A­natom. l. 15. p. 489. in the presence of that excellent Physician Alexander Trajanus Petronius; the Heart of the miserable young man was found without its peri­cardium; by reason of which he fell into fre­quent Syncope's, and of this kind of disease he dy'd.

12. We read of some Hearts quite dry'd and shrunk up for want of the Water in the pericar­dium, Schenck. obs. Med. l. 2. obs. 5. p. 254. such was the Heart of Casimire Marquess of Brandenburg, which was like unto a roasted Pear, and shrivell'd up in that manner.

13. The Body of a Noble Roman (who dyed vex'd with a continual disease) being opened,Schenck. obs. l. 2. obs. 3. p. p. 258. there was found in him no Heart at all, only the tunicle it was wrapt in, the Heart it self, and e­very portion thereof, being dry'd up, and con­sum'd by an immoderate heat.

14. I remember when I was at Venice (saith Muretus) there was a famous Thief executed,Muret. va­riar. lect. l. 12. c. 10. p. 315. and when he was cut open by the Executioner, his Heart was found all hairy.

15. Aristomenes the M [...]ssenian was a valiant person;Val. Max▪ l. 1. c▪ 8. p. 32. he was several times taken by the Athe­nians, and shut up in prison, from whence not­withstanding by admirable subtilty, he made his escape; but at length, when they had retaken him, by reason of his craftiness they resolv'd to make sure work with him; they cut out his Heart, and found it all hairy.

16. The Greeks write of that Hermogenes (whose Books of Rhetorick are yet extant,Cael. Rhod. Antiq. lect. l. 4. c. 16. p. 170. and compos'd with a great deal of wit) that his Heart both for bigness and hairiness) was remark­able above t [...]ose of all other mortals.

17. Leonidas Plut. in paral., a Noble Spartan Captain, the same who kept the striats of Thermopylae against the huge Army of Xerxes, where also he was slain. Xerxes in revenge of the affront, caus'd his heart to be pull'd out, and found it all rough with hair; he liv'd Anno Mund [...] 3470.

[Page 34] Plut. Cael. Rho. A. L. l. 4. c. 16. p. 170. Lysander, a Lacedemonian Captain, under whose conduct Sparta overcame the A [...]henians, he was a crafty man, one that cared not for oath or truth longer than they serv'd his turn; when he was dead, his Heart was found hairy: He liv'd An. Mund. 3550.

Melch. A­dam. vit. p. 37. Bark [...]dale Monum. literar. p. 1. Th [...]an. Hist. sui. Temp. p. 65.18. Zuinglius fighting valiantly in the foremost ranks of his party against the Swissers, was by them beaten down and slain: after which his Body was cut into four parts by the Enemy, and cast into the [...]lames to be burnt to ashes: three days after some of his friends came to the place, and amongst the ashes found his Heart whole, and untoucht by the Fire. This was Anno Dom. 1531.

Bak [...]rs Chr. p. 463.20. Upon the 14. of Febr. in the 30 year of Q. Marry, was Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury brought to the stake, where he first thrust his right hand into the [...]ire (with which he had be­fore subscribed a recantation) till it first, and then his whole Body was consumed, only (which was no small miracle) his Heart remain'd whole, and not once touch'd by the [...]ire.

Virulam. Hist. of life and death Art. 15. tit. 32. p. 363.21. I remember I have seen the heart of one that was bowell'd (as suffering for high Treason) that being cast into the fire, leap'd at first a foot and half in height, and after by degrees lower and lower; for the space, as we remember, of se­ven or eight minutes.

Za [...]ch. qu. Med. l [...]g. l. 5. tit. 2. p. 300.22. Prosper Cecchinus a Roman Surgeon, related an accident above all admiration. A certain Priest, in his madness had guelded himself, and persisting in the same fury, he thrust himself with divers stiff needles into the Brest, under the lest Pap. At last, that is after five or six days, as he had hated life; so he easily obtain'd death by these wounds. Upon the opening of his Body, it appear'd that all the Needles had pierc'd the very substance of the Heart, with all which yet he could live as you have heard for several days.

Schenck. obs. Med. l. 2. obs. 2. p. 26223. A Student at Ingolstadht was stab'd into the left side by a Printer, the wound was made in the substance of the Heart, a cross each Ventricle of it, and yet being thus wounded, he ran the length of a prety long street; and but only so, but for almost an hour, he was so perfect in his senses, as to be able to speak and to commend himself to God. His Body being opened after his death, all the Professors of Physick, and not a sew of other spe­ctators beheld the wound, and by the form of it was able to discern of the kind of weapon it was made with, and to speak to that purpose at the bar.

Barthol. Hist. Ana­tom. Cent. 1. Hist. 77. p. 112.24. An insolent young man here at Copenhagen stab'd a Pilot with a knife, betwixt the third and fourth rib on the left side. The wound reach'd the right Venticle of the Heart, so that his Body being afterwards opened, there was found there­in a round and crooked hole; yet thus wounded, he not only went out of the Suburbs on foot to his own house, but liv'd after it for five days. As far as I am able to conjecture (by reason of the narrowness and obliqueness of this wound in the Heart, the lips of it falling together) the circu­lation of the Blood was uninterrupted for so many days.

Ambro [...]. Par [...]y, l. 9. c. 30.25. I saw, saith Parry, a Noble man, who in a single Duel was wounded so deeply, that the point of the Sword had pierc'd into the very sub­stance of his Heart; yet did he, notwithstanding (for a good while) lay about him with his Sword, and walk'd two hundred paces before he fell down. After his death, the wound was found to be the breadth of a [...]inger, and a great quantity of blood in the Diaphragma.

26. I knew,Schenck. obs. Med. l. 2. cap. obs. 11. p. 290. saith Cardan, Antonius Benzius, a man of 34 years of age; pale-fac'd, thin beard­ed, and somewhat fat, out of whose Paps, such a­bundance of Milk issued, as would almost suffice to suckle a child.

27. I knew one Lawrence Wolff, Schenck. ibid. p. 299▪ a Citizen of Brisac, saith Conradus Schenckius, who from his youth to the 55th. year of his age, did so abound with Milk in both brests; that by way of mirth in their merry meetings, he would spirt Milk in­to the Faces of his companions, who sate over against him. He was well known to all the in­habitants for this faculty; yet did he find no pain, gravity, or tension in those parts.

CHAP. XXII. Of Giants, and such as have exceed­ed the common proportion in Sta­ture and height.

AS the tallest Ears of Corn, are the lightest in the Head; and Houses built many sto­ries high, have their uppermost rooms the worst furnished: so those humane Fabricks, which Na­ture hath raised to a Giant-like height, are ob­serv'd not to have had so happy a composition of the brain as other men; so that like Pyramids of Egypt, they are rather for ostentation than use, and are remembred in History not for any accom­plishment of mind, but chiefly, if not only for the stature of their Bodies.

1. Artachaees, Herodot. l. 7 [...] p. 4.419. of the Family of the Achaemenidae, a person in great favour with Xerxes, was the tal­lest man of all the rest of the Persians, for he lack­ed but the breadth of four fingers of full five Cu­bits by the Royal Standard.

2. There was a young Giant,Scalig. de subtil. in Card. Exer­cit. 263. p. 804. whom Iulius Sca­liger saw at Millain, who was so tall, that he could not stand but lie along, extending his body the length of two beds joyned together.

3. Walter Parsons born in Staffordshire, Fullers Worthies, p. 48. Staf­fordshire. was first Apprentice to a Smith, when he grew so tall, that a hole was made for him in the ground to stand therein up the knees, so to make him ade­quate with his fellow workmen; he afterwards was Porter to King Iames; seeing as Gates ge­nerally are higher than the rest of the Building; so it was sightly that the Porter should be taller than other persons. He was proportionable in all parts, and had strength equal to his height; valour to his strength, temper to his valour, so that he disdained to do an injury to any single person; he would make nothing to take two of the tallest Yeomen of the Guard (like the Giz­zard and Liver) under his Arms at once, and or­der them as he pleased.

4. Williams Evans was born in Monmouthshire, Fullers Worthies Wales. p. 54. Monmouth­shi [...]e. and may justly be counted the Giant of our age, for his stature being [...]ull two yards and a half in height, he was Porter to King Charles the First, succeeding Walter Parsons in his place, and ex­ceeding him two inches in height; but far be­neath him in equal proportion of Body, for he [Page 35] was not only what the Latins call compernis, knock­ing his knees together, and going out squalling with bis feet, but also halted a little; yet made he a shift to dance in an Antimask at Court, where he drew little Ieffery the dwarf out of his Pocket, first to the wonder, then to the laughter of the beholders.

Plin. l. 7. c. 16. p. 165. Solin. c. 5. p. 188.5. The tallest man that hath been seen in our age, was one named Gabara, who in the days of Claudius the late Emperour, was brought out of Arabia: nine foot high was he, and as many inches.

Barthol. Hist. Ana­tomic. Cent. 1. Hist. 98. p. 138.6. I saw a young Girl in France, of eighteen years of age, who was of a Giant like stature and bigness; and though she descended of Parents of mean and small stature, yet was her hand such as might equal the hands of three men, if they were joyned together.

Zuin. Theat. vol. 2. l. 2. p. 276.7. Iovianus the Emperour was of a pleasant countenance, grey-ey'd, of a vast and huge stature; so that for a long time, there was no Royal Robe that was found to answer the height of his body.

Zuing. vol. 2. l. 2. p. 276 Capitolin.8. Maximinus the Emperour was eight foot and a half in height; he was a Thracian, barba­rous, cruel and hated of all men; he us'd the Bracelet or Armlet of his Wife, as a Ring for his Thumb, and it is said, that his shooe was longer by a foot, than the foot of another man.

Plat. obs. l. 3. p. 582.9. I saw a young man of Lunenburg, call'd Ia­cobus Damman, who for his extraordinary sta­ture was carry'd throughout Germany to be seen, Anno 1613. he was brought to us at Basil; he was then 22 years of age and a half; beardless as yet, strong of body; and in all his limbs, save that at that time he was somewhat sick and lean; he was eight foot high compleat; the length of his hand was one foot and a third, he surpass'd the common stature of man two foot.

Zacch. qu. Med. legal. l. 7. tit. 1. p. 472. Delr. dis­quis. Ma­gic.10. Anno 1572. Martinus Delrius (as himself tells us) saw a Giant; the height of whose body was full nine foot: And in the year 1600 (saith Zacchias) I my self saw another not inferiour to the former in stature.

11. I saw (saith Wierus) a Maid, who for the Gigantick proportion of her body, was carry'd from one City and Country to another,Schenck. obs. Med. l. 6. obs. 6. p. 716 on pur­pose to be seen, as a monstrous representation of humane Figure. I diligently enquired into all things concerning her▪ and [...] inform'd both by the Mother, and her mighty Daughter, that both her Parents were but of low stature, nor were there any of her Ancestors, who were re­member'd to exceed the common stature of men: This Maid her self, to the twelfth year of her age, was of a short and mean stature; but being about that time seis'd with a Quartane Ague, after she had wrestled with it for some months, it perfectly left her; and then she began to grow to that wonderful greatness; all her limbs being proportionably answerable to the rest. She was then when I beheld her about five and twenty years of age, to which time it had never been with her as is usual to women; yet was she in good health; of feature not handsome, her complexion somewhat swarthy, of a stupid and simple wit, and slow as to her whole body: For

12. F [...]rdinand Magellane (before he came to those Straits,Clark's Mi [...]. c. 58. p. 234. Purchas. Pilgr. vol. 1. p. 35. which now bear his name) came to the Country of the Patagons, which are Gi­ants; some of these he enticed to come a Ship­board: they were of an huge stature; so that the Spaniards heads reached but to their waste. Two of them he made his Prisoners by policy; who thereupon roared like Bulls: their feeding was answerable to their vast bulks; for one of them did eat at a meal, a whole basket of Biskets; and drank a great bowl of water at each draught.

13. As I travel'd by Dirnen, Plat. obs. Med. l. 3. p. 583. under the jurisdi­ction of Basil, Anno 1565. I was shew'd a Girl of five years of age, who was playing with the Children; she was of as vast a body, as if she had been a woman of many years of age. After I had looked more nearly upon her and measured, I found that her thighs were thicker than the neck of my Horse: the calf of her legs bare the pro­portion of the thigh of a lusty and strong man. Her Father and Mother being set together, might be compass'd within the girdle, which she com­monly wore about her middle. Her Parents told me, that before she was a year old, she weigh'd as much as a sack of wheat that held eight modii. Anno 1566. I saw her again, for Count Henry of Fustenburg, lodging at my house, she was brought to him, and there both of us admir'd at her wonderful bigness, but in few years after she dy'd.

14. That is a memorable Example of a Giant,Thuan. Hist. l. 61. Anno 1575. Hak [...]w. A­polog. ad­vert. 3. p. 9. reported by Thuanus, Anno 1575. where dis­coursing of an inroad made by the Tartarians upon the Polonian Territories, he there speaks of a Tartar, of a prodigious bigness, slain by a Polan­der; his words are thus translated; Amongst whom there was one found of a prodigious bulk, slain (saith Leonardus Gorecius) by Iames Niazabilovius: his forehead was twenty four fingers breadth, and the rest of his body of that magnitude, that the carcase, as it lay upon the ground, would reach to the navel of any ordinary person that stood by it.

15. There were in the time of Augustus Caesar two persons,Plin. l. 7. c. 16. p. 165. Solin. c. 5. p. 187. called Idusio and Secundilla, each of them was ten foot high, and somewhat more; their bodies after their death were kept and pre­served for a wonder in a Charnel house or Sepul­cher within the Salustian Gardens, vid. Kornman. de mirac. vivor. 25.

16. In the 58 Olympiad, Solin. c. 5. p. 188. by the admonition of the Oracle, the body of Orestes was found at Te­gaea by the Spartans, and we understand that the just length of it was seven Cubits.

17. The Son of Euthymenes of Salamina, Solin. c. 5. p. 188. in the space of three years, grew up to three Cubits in height; but he was slow of pace, dull of sense, a strong voice, and an overhasty adolescency; soon after he was seis'd with manifold diseases, and by immoderate afflictions of sickness, made an over amends for the precipitate celerity of his growth.

18. Anno 1584. In the Month of Iuly, Plat. obs. Med. l. 3. p. 584, 585. being at Lucerne, I was there shew'd by the Senators the fragments of some bones of a prodigious great­ness, kept in the Senate House. They were found in the Territories, not far from the Monastery of Reiden, in a Cave of the adjoyning Mountain, under an old Oak, which the wind had blown down: When I had consider'd them, and per­ceiv'd most of the lesser sort, and such as are thin­nest (as the bones of the skull) to be wanting, whether neglected, or consumed by age, I know [Page 36] not: I then turned over the greater sort, as well such as were whole, as the remainders of such as were broken. Though they were wasted, spun­gy and light, (yet as far as I could discern) I ob­served, that they answered to the body of a man: I wrote upon each of them what they were; and I the rather concluded them to be the bones of some Giant, because I found amongst them the lowest bone of the thumb, a cheek-tooth, the heel-bone, the shoulder-blades, the Cannel-bone, which are only found in man of that form. Also the long and thick bones of the Thighs, Legs, Shoulders and Arms (the utmost ends of which with their heads were found) and they differed in nothing from the bones of a humane body. Having after­wards all the bones sent me to Basil (by the com­mand of the Magistrates) and looking diligently upon them, and comparing them with a skeleton of mine own (as well the whole as the broken) I was confirm'd in my opinion, and caused an en­tire skeleton to be drawn, of such greatness, as all those bones would have made, if they had been whole and together; it amounted to full nineteen foot in height: and since no Beast is found of that stature, it is the more probable they were the bones of a Giant.

19. We find it left in the Monuments and Wri­tings of the Ancients,Solin. cap. 5. p. 188. Korn [...]an. lib. de mi­mirac. vi­vor. p. 25. as a most received truth, That in the Cretan War the Rivers and Waters rose to an unusual height, and made sundry breach­es in the earth: when the Floods were gone, in a great cleft and fall of the earth there was found the carcase of a man, of the length of thirty and three cubits. Lucius Flaccus the then Legate, and Me­tell [...]s himself allured with the novelty of the re­po [...]t, went on purpose to the place to take view of it; and there they saw with their eyes that which upon the hear-say they had refuted as a fable.

20. While I was writing of this Book, (that is, in December, 1671.) there came to the City of Coventry one Mr. Thomas Birtles, a Cheshire Man, living near unto Maxfeild; he had been at London, where, and in his journey homewards, he made publick shew of himself, for his extraordinary sta­ture: his just height, as himself told me, was somewhat above seven foot, although upon trial it appears to want something. His Father he said was a man of moderate stature, his Mother was near two yards high: and he himself hath a Daughter, who being but about sixteen years of age, is yet already arrived to the height of six foot complete.

[...]21. Antonius was born in Syria in the reign of Theodosius, he exceeded the measure of humane s [...]ture; for he was five cubits high, and an hands breadth: but his feet did not answer in propor­tion to the magnitude of his body. He lived no longer than twenty five years, saith Nicephorus.

[...] lib. 18. ca [...]. 6. p. 469.22. Vitellius sent Darius the Son of Artabanus in hos [...]age to Rome with divers presents, amongst which there was a man seven cubits high, a Jew bo [...], he was named Eleazar, and was called a [...]nt by reason of his greatness.

CHAP. XXIII. Of Pygmeys and Dwarfs, and men much below the common height.

IN the former Chapter we had some of the works of Nature written in Text Letters: here we are presented with some of her writing in Short Hand; wherein many times she hath been so happy to comprise much in a little compass. The Elephant, though so vast of Bulk, is not yet so great a marvel as the smaller sort of Insects, where we behold with equal pleasure and wonder how the Soul acts in those narrow and strait confinements, as regularly, as where it hath much larger room. The like may be observed at least in some of those Examples hereafter mentioned.

1. Iulia the Niece of Augustus had a little dwarfish fellow called Conopas, Plin. lib. 7. cap. 16. p. 165. whom she set great store by, and made much of; he was not above two foot and a hands breadth in height; and Andromeda a freed Maid of Iulia was of the same height.

2. Marcus Varro reporteth,Plin. Ibid. p. 165. that Marius Maxi­mus and Marcus Tullius were but two cubits high; and yet were they both Gentlemen and Knights of Rome: and in truth we our selves have seen their bodies, as they lie embalmed, which testifie the same thing.

3. In the time of Theodosius, Camerar. hor. sub­cisiv. cent. 3. [...] 79. p. 300. Niceph. hist. Eccles. lib. 12. cap. 37. p. 379. Plater. ob­serv. lib. 3.581. there was seen in Ae­gypt a pygmey, so small of body, that he resembled a Partridge, yet did he exercise all the functions of a man, and could sing tuneably; he lived to the twentieth year of his age.

4. I have seen some men of a very small stature, not by reason of any crookedness in the spine of the Back, or Legs; but such as were so from their Birth, though streight in all their Bones: of this number was Iohn de Estrix of Mechlen, whom I saw when he was brought through Basil to the Duke of Parma, then in Flanders, anno 1592, he was aged 35, he had a long beard, and was no more than three foot high; he could not go up stairs, much less could he get upon a form, but was always lift up by a servant: he was skilled in three tongues, ingenious and industrious; with whom a while I played at Tables.

5. There was about forty years ago,Plater. ob­serv. lib. 3. p. 582. Iohnst. nat. hist. Class. 10. cap. 4. Artic. 2. p. 325. a Dwarf whom I saw at the Court of Wirtemberg, at the Nuptials of the Duke of Bavaria: the little Gen­tleman arm'd cap-a-pee, girt with a short Sword, and with the like Spear in his hand, was put into a pie, that he might not be seen, and the pie set up­on the table; at last raising the Lid, and breaking loose thence, he stepped out, drew his Sword, and after the manner of a Fencer, traversed his ground upon the table, to the equal wonder and laughter of them that were present.

6. M. Antonius is said to have had Sisyphus a Dwarf, who was not of the full height of two foot,Zuing. vol. 2. lib. 2. p. 277. Plater. obs. lib. 3. p. p. 582. and yet of a vivid wit.

7. Anno 1610. I saw Iohn Ducker an Englishman, whom some of his own Countrymen carried up and down to get money by the sight of him. I have his picture by me, drawn at full length; he was about forty five years of age, as far as might be discerned by his face, which now began to be wrink­led; he had a long beard, and was only two foot and an half high; otherwise of streight and thick Limbs, and well proportion'd. A less than he I have never seen.

[Page 37] Zuing. vol. 2. lib. 2. p. 277. Sueton. p. 81. in Au­gusto. Macrob. Sa­turnal. lib. 2. cap. 3. Zuing. The­atr. vol. 2. lib. 2. p. 278.8. Augustus Caesar exhibited in his plays one Lucius, a young man, born of honest Parents: he was not full two foot high, saith Ravisius, he weighed but seventeen pounds, yet had he a great and strong voice.

9. Marcus Tullius Cicero had Quintus his own Brother, and Lentulus his Son-in-law, who were both of them men of a very low and small stature, and he put a jest upon each of them for it: when he came into the Province where his Brother had been Prefect, and there beheld a statue represen­ting his Brother, done only to the waste, but huge, and a Shield in the arm of it: My half Brother, said he, is much bigger than my whole. And see­ing another time L [...]ntulus girt with a long Sword: Who, said he, hastied my Brother to his Sword?

Zuing. vol. 2. lib. 2. p. 278. Eunap. in Iamblic. Voss. instit. lib. 1. cap. 5. § 19. p. 72.10. In the time of Iamblicus lived Alypius of A­lexandria, a most excellent Logician, and a fa­mous Philosopher, but of so small and little a bo­dy, that he little exceeded the stature of those pygmeys who are said to be but a cubit high. Such as beheld him would think he was scarce any thing but spirit and soul: so little grew that part of him which was liable to corruption, that it seemed to be consumed into a kind of divine nature.

11. Characus was a man of exceeding small sta­ture,Zuing. vol. 2. lib. 2. p. 878. Burton's melanch. part. 2. §. 3. p. 290. yet was he the wisest counsellour that was about Saladine that great Conquerour of the East.

12. Anno Dom. 1306. Vladislaus Cubitalis, that pygmey King of Poland reigned, and fought more Battels, and obtained more glorious victories there­in, than any of his long-shanked predecessours. Nul­lam virtus respuit staturam: Virtue refuseth no stature: but commonly vast Bodies and extraordinary Sta­tures have sottish, dull and leaden spirits.

13. Cardan saith, that he saw a man at full age in Italy, Sandys in Ovid Me­tam. lib. 6. p. 114. not above a cubit high, carried about in a Parrots cage. This would have passed my belief, had I not been told by a Gentleman of a clear repu­tation, how he saw a man at Siena, about two years since, not exceeding the same stature. A French man he was, of the Country of Limosin, with a formal Beard, who was also shewn in a Cage for money, at the end whereof was a little hutch, in­to which he retired; and when the assembly was full, came forth, and played on an instrument.

14. C. Licinius Calvus was an Orator of that re­putation,Zuinger. Theatr. vol. 2. lib. 2. p. 278. that he a long time contented with Ci­cero himself, which of them two should bear away the prize, and chiefest praise of eloquence; yet was this man of a very small and low stature. One time he had pleaded in an action against Cato; and when he saw that Asinius Pollio, who was the accuser, was compassed about with the Clients of Cato in Caesars Market place, he required them a­bout him to set him upon some turfs thereby; be­ing got upon these, he openly swore, that in case Cato should do any injury unto Asinius Pollio, who was his accuser, that then he himself would swear positively to that whereof he had been accused. And after this time Asinius Pollio was never hurt ei­ther in word or deed, either by Cato, or any of his Advocates.

Zuinger. Theatr. vol. 2. lib. 2. p. 278.15. There were two of the Molones, who were re­markable for the noted brevity and shortness of their stature, the one of them was an Actor in Plays and Interludes, the other was a famous Robber by the high way; both of them were so little, that the name of them passed into a Proverb, men using to say of a little man, that he was as very a dwarf as Molon.

CHAP. XXIV. Of the mighty Force and Strength of some persons.

THe Northern Nations have made frequent in­vasions and irruptions into the Southern parts, wherein as an irresistible torrent they have born all away before them; yet it is observed they never established any durable Empire there: the reason is said to be, because the Southern wit in the upshot hath always prov'd an overmatch for the Northern Strength. What might we not expect from an able body in conjunction with a fertile brain, when we see such wonders perform'd by each of them single? Admirable are the instances of bo­dily strength from the relations of most credible Authors.

1. A few years since there was one Venetianello, Wier. deprae­s [...]ig. da [...]. lib. 1. cap. 18. p. 57. well known throughout all Italy, a famous Dancer upon the Ropes; a Venetian by birth, and called Venetianello because of the lowness of his stature: yet was he of that strength and firmness, that he broke the thickest shank bones of Oxen upon his knee, three pins of Iron as thick as a man's fin­ger, wrapping them about with a Napkin, he would twist and writhe as if they were softened by fire. A beam of twenty foot long, or more, and a foot thick, laid upon his shoulders, some­times set on end there, he would carry without use of his hands, and shift from one shoulder to ano­ther. My Son Theodorus was an eye-witness of all this, and related it to me.

2. George l' Feur a learned German,Hakewell Apol. lib. 3. cap. 5. § 4. p. 214, 215. writes, that in his time in the year 1529, there liv'd at M [...]saia in Thuring, one called Nicholas Klunher, Provost of the great Church, who was so strong, as with­out Cable or Pulley, or any other help, he fetched up out of a Cellar a Pipe of Wine, carried it out of doors, and laid it upon a Cart.

3. I have seen a man (saith Mayolus an Italian Bishop) in the town of Aste, Hakewell Ibid. p. 214. Sandys on Ovid. Me­tam. lib. 9. p. 178. who in the pre­sence of the Marquess of Pescara, handed a pillar of Marble three foot long, and one foot in Dia­meter, the which he cast high in the air, then re­ceived it again in his arms; then lash'd it up again, sometime after one fashion, sometime after ano­ther, as easily as if he had been playing with a Ball, or some such little thing.

There was (saith the same Author) at Mantua, Hakew. Ib. p. 215. a Man called Rodomas, of little stature, but so strong, that he brake a Cable as big as a man's arm, as easily as if it had been a small twine-thred. Mounted upon a Horse, and leading another by the bridle, he would run a full career, and stop in the midst of his course, or when it liked him best.

5. Froysard (a Man much esteemed for the truth and [...]idelity of his History) reports that about two hundred years since,Hakew. Ib. p. 215. was one Ornando Burg a Spa­niard, he was companion to the Earl of Foix: one time attending the Earl, he accompanied him into a higher room, to which they ascended by twenty four steps: the weather was cold, and the fire not answerable; so that espying certain Asses out of the window laden with wood, as they stood in the lower Court, he goes down thither, lifts up the greatest of them with his burthen upon his shoulder, and carrying it to the room from whence [Page 38] he came, cast both as he found them into the fire together.

H [...]kew. I­bid. p. 215.6. Lebelski a Polander, in his description of the things done at Constantinople in the year 1581, at the Circumcision of Mahomet the Son of Amurath Emperour of the Turks, writes, that amongst ma­ny active men who there shewed their strength, one was most memorable, who for proof thereof lifted up a piece of wood which twelve men had much ado to raise from the earth; and afterwards lying down [...]lat upon his back, he bore upon his breast a weighty stone, which ten men had (with much ado) rolled thither: and this he made but a jest of.

Iovii Elog. lib. 6. p. 285. Reus [...]er. de scorbu [...]o exercit. 1. p. 29. Camerar. cent. 1. cap. 82. p. 380.7. Many yet alive, know how strong and mighty George of Fronsberg, Baron of Mindlehaim was: he was able with the middle finger of his right hand to remove a very strong man out of his place, sate he never so sure. He stopped a Horse sudden­ly, that ran in a full carriere; by only touching the Bridle: and with his shoulder would he easily shove a Cannon whither he listed. His Joynts seemed to be made of Horn: and he wrested twisted Ropes and Horse-shooes in sunder with his bare hands.

Full. Worth. p. 215.8. Cardan writes, that himself saw one dancing with two in his arms, two upon his shoulders, and one hanging about his neck.

H [...]kew. A­pol. lib. 3. cap. 5. § 4. p. 216. Full. Worth. p. 205. Cornwall.9. Of later days, and here at home, Mr. Ri­chard Car [...]w a worthy Gentleman, in his Survey of Cornwal, assures us, that one Iohn Bray well known to himself, as being his Tenant, carried upon his back at one time, by the space of well near a Butt's length, six bushels of wheaten meal, reckoning fifteen Gallons to the Bushel, and the Miller a lub­ber of twenty four years of age upon the whole: whereunto he addeth, that Iohn Roman of the same Shire, a short clownish Grub, would bear the whole carcase of an Ox, though he never tug­ged with it when it was a Calf, as Milo did.

10. Iulius Capitolinus and others report of the Tyrant Maximinus (who murdered and suc­ceeded the good Emperour Alexander Severus) that he was so strong,Camerar. hor. subsi [...]. c [...]nt. 1. cap. 82. p. 377. Capitol. that with his hands he drew Carts and Wains full loaden: with a blow of his fist he struck out a Horses teeth, and with a kick brake his thighs: he crumbled stones of Tuph be­twixt his fingers: he cleft young Trees with his hands; so that he was sirnamed Hercules, Anteus and Milo.

Pollio. Camerar. hor. subcis. cent. 1. cap. 82. p. 377.11. Trebellius Pollio writes of Caius Marius, a Cutler by his first occupation (and who in the time of Gali [...]nus, was chosen Emperour by the Soldiers) that there was not any man who had stronger hands to strike and thrust than he; the veins of his hands seemed as if they had been si­news: with his fourth finger he stayed a Cart drawn with Horses, and drew it backward. If he gave but a fillip to the strongest man that then was, he would feel it as if he had received a blow on the forehead with an hammer: with two fin­gers he would wrest and break many strong and twisted things.

Plin. lib. 7. cap. 2 [...]. p. 166. Camerar. [...]. s [...]is. cent. 1. [...]. 82. p. 3 [...]7. Solin. .4. p. 182. [...]alg [...]s. lib. 1. [...]. 7. p. 187.12. Tritanus a Samnite Fencer was of such a making, that not only his Breast, but his hands also and arms were furnished with sinews both long-wise and a-cross, and side-ways: so that with­out any pain, and with the least blow, he over­threw all them that encountred him. The Son of this Fencer, of the same name and make, a Soldier in Pompeys Army, when he was challenged by an enemy, set so slight by him, that he overcame him by the blows of his bare hand; and with one finger took him up, and carried him to Pompey's Camp. Bruson. Facetiar. lib. 2. cap. 43. p. 152.

13. Flavius Vopiscus writes,Vopiscus. Camerar. hor. subcis. cent. 1. c. 82. p. 378. that the Emperour Aurelian was of a very high Stature, and marvel­lous strong: and that in the war against the Sar­matians, he slew in one day with his own hands eight and forty of his enemies; that in divers days together he overthrew nine hundred and fifty. When he was Colonel of the sixth Legion called Gallica, at Mentz he made strange havock of the Franci, who forraged over all the Country of Gaul; for he slew with his own hands seven hundred of them; and sold three hundred at Port-sale, whom he himself had taken prisoners: so that his Sol­diers made a military song in praise of him.

14. The Giant Aenother was born in Turgaw, Camerar. hor. subcis. Aventin. hist. Boior. lib. 4. a a Village of Suevia, he bore Arms under Charle­maign; he felled men as one would mow Hay, and sometimes broached a great number of them upon his Pike or Spear, and so carried them all on his shoulder, as one would do little Birds spitted upon a stick.

13. George Castriot, Iovii Elo­gia lib. 3. p. 146. Camerar. hor. subcis. cent. 1. c. 82. p. 378. Barlet. hist. of Scanderbeg. lib. 12. p. 496, 497▪ for his valiant exploits, sir­named of the Turks Ischenderbeg, that is, Lord Alexander, he slew in several conflicts with his own hands two thousand Turks, saith Iovius: three thousand, saith Barletius; never using to give but one blow where he struck: and whereas his Scimi­ter was very great and massy, he handled it with such force, that he never spent blow in vain, but it fell so right, that either he cleft them asunder whom he met with, or cut them in two by the waste, or whipped off their heads, and sometimes all the top of the shoulders withal. He cleft steel Helmets and all sorts of Harness with his Scimiter. This most valiant Prince was taken out of the world by a fever in the sixty third year of his age, Ian. 23. 1466. having defended his Kingdom twenty four years against two Turkish Empe­rours.

16. Thomas Farel reports of Galeot Bardasin a Gentleman of Catana, Camerar. hor. subcis. cent. 1. c. 82. p. 379. Reusner. de scorbuto exerc. 1. p. 28. that he grew from time to time to such a height and bigness of body, that he exceeded all other men, how great soever from the shoulders upwards. He was too hard for all others in leaping, throwing a stone, tossing the Pike, and in Justing; for he was strong and mighty accord­ing to his stature. Being arm'd at all points, his Casque on his head, a Javelin in his right hand, and holding the pommel of his Saddle in the left, he would spring into the seat without help of Stir­rop or other advantages: sometimes he would be­stride a great Courser unbridled, and having given him the cariere, would stop him suddenly in his course, by straining him only with his Thighs and Legs: with his hands he would take up from the ground an Ass with his load which commonly weighed three Kintals. He struggled in the way of pastime, with two of the strongest men that could be found, of which he held one fast with one arm, and threw the other to the ground, and keeping him under with his knee, at last he pulled down the second, and never left till he had them both under him, and bound their hands be­hind their backs.

17. Potocova, Camerar. hor. subcis. cent. 1. c. 22. p. 381. Zuing. vol. 2. lib. 5. p. 385. Reusner. de scorbuto exerc. 1. p. 29. a Gentleman of Poland, Colonel of the Cossacks (who of late years was beheaded at Warsovia, by the permission of Stephen Batoxe King of Poland, at the instance of the Turkish Em­bassadour) this Gentleman was of that strength, that he could as readily with his bare hands break Horshooes new out of the Forge, as he could have torn leaves of paper, or other such like thing easily to be broken.

[Page 39] Iohnst. hist. won [...]er [...]ul things in natur. class. 10. c. 4. Artic. 1. p. 325.18. Our Chronicles (saith Bertius in his de­scription of Zealand) relate that from Gulielmus Bonus Earl of Holland, unto the Marriage-Solemni­ties of Charles the Fair, King of France, was brought a woman of an unusual stature, born in Zealand, in respect of whom, very tall men seem­ed but Dwarfs: so strong, that she would carry two Barrels full of Beer under both arms, each of them weighing four hundred Italian pounds: and a Beam which eight men could not lift, she would wield at her pleasure.

19. Iulius Valens a Captain-pensioner, or Cen­turion of the Guard of Soldiers about the body of Augustus Caesar, Plin. lib. 7. cap. 20. p. 166. was wont to bear up a Wagon laden with Hogsheads or a Butt of Wine, until it was discharged thereof, and the Wine drawn out of it: he would take up a Mule upon his back, and carry it away: also he used to stay a Chariot against all the force of the Horses striving and straining to the contrary; and other wonderful masteries, which are to be seen engraven upon his Tomb-stone.

Plin. ibid. p. 166.20. Fusius Salvius having an hundred pounds weight at his feet, and as many in his hands, and twice as much upon his Shoulders, went with all this up a pair of Stairs, or Ladder.

Plin. ibid. p. 166.21. My self have seen (saith Pliny) one named Athanatus do wonderful strange matters, in the open view and face of the world, he would walk upon the Stage with a Cuirace of Lead weighing five hundred pound, and booted besides with a pair of greaves upon his Legs of the same weight.

22. Milo the great wrestler of Crotona, Plin. ibid. p. 166. Zuing. vol. 2. lib. 5. p. 384. Solin. c. 4. p. 182. was of that strength that he carried a whole Ox the length of a furlong: when he stood firm upon his feet no man could thrust him off his standing; or if he grasped a pomegranate fast in his hand, no man was able to stretch a finger of his, and force it out at length.

Iovii E­log. lib. 2. p. 102. Reusner. de scorbuto exercit. 1. p. 29.23. Tamberlane the Scythian was of a mighty body and exceeding strength; so that he would draw the string of a Scythian Bow (which few were able to deal with) beyond his ear, and cau­sed his arrow to flie with that force, that he would shoot through a brazen mortar which the Archers used to set up for themselves as their mark.

24. Cunipertus King of the Lombards,Paul. Diac. hist. Longo­bard. lib. 5. c. 40. p. 301. Zuing. vol. 2. lib. 5. p. 385. was of that strength in his arms, that when a boy, he would take two Rams of wonderful bigness in his hands by the wool upon their backs, and lift them from the ground, which no other was found that could do.

25. When the Emperour Frederick Barbarussa lead his Army to the Holy War:Dinoth. Memorab. lib. 3. p. 240, 241. amongst divers other notable persons he had about him, there was one an Almain, of a vast body, and invincible strength; who not far from Iconium followed the Army at a great distance, leading in his hand a Horse by the Reins, which he had tired in the journey. About fifty Mahometans scouting up and down there a way, lighted upon this man, and set upon him on every side with their Arrows, he couching under his broad shield, securely eluded their att [...]mpt up­on him this way: at last, one bolder than the rest, put spurrs to his Horse, and assaulted him with his Sword; but the Almain at the first blow struck off the fore legs of his Horse, and redoubling his stroke, struck with that mighty force upon the head of the Mahometan, that dividing it in twain, the sword passed through part of the saddle, and left a wound upon the back of the Horse. The Mahometans observing that terrible blow, pro­voked him no farther, but departed as they came. The Almain without mending his pace, came up safely to the rest of the Army.

26. Iohn Courcy, Full. Worth. p. 26. Somerset­shire. Camd. A [...] ­nals of Ire­land. p. 153, 154. Baron of Stoke Courcy in Somer­setshire, the first Englishman that subdued Vlster in Ireland, and deservedly was made Earl of it: he was afterwards surprised by Hugh Lacy (corriva [...] to his title) sent over into England, and by King Iohn imprisoned in the Tower of London. A French Castle being in controversie, was to have the title thereof tryed by combat, the Kings of England and France beholding it. Courcy being a lean, lank body with staring eyes, is sent for out of the Tower to undertake the Frenchman; and because enfeebled with long durance, a large bill of Fare was allowed him to recruit his strength. The Monsieur hearing how much he had eat and drank, and guessing his courage by his stomach, or rather stomach by his appetite, took him for a Cannibal, who would devour him at the last course, and so he declined the Combat. Afterwards the two Kings desirous to see some proof of Courcy's strength, caused a steel Helmet to be laid on a block before him, Courcy looking about him with a grim countenance (as if he intended to cut with his eyes, as well as with his arms) sundred the Helmet at one blow, striking his Sword so deep in­to the wood, that none but himself could pull it out again. Being demanded the cause why he look­ed so sternly: Had I (said he ) fail'd of my de­sign, I would have killed the Kings and all in the place. Words well spoken, because well taken: all persons present being then highly in good hu­mour. He died in France, anno Dom. 1210.

27. Polydamus the Son of Nicias, Zuing. vol. 2 lib. 5. p. 384. Val. Ma [...]. lib 9. c. 12. p. 270. Coel. Antiq. lect. lib. 13. c. 36. p. 624. born at Sco­tussa in Thessalia, was the tallest and greatest man of that age, his strength was accordingly; for he slew a Lion in the Mount Olympus, though un­arm'd: he singled out the biggest and fiercest Bull from a whole Herd, took hold of him by one of his hinder feet, and notwithstanding all his strug­gling to get from him, he held him with that strength, that he left his hoof in his hand: being afterwards in a Cave under a Rock, the earth above began to fall, and when all the rest of his company fled for fear, he alone there remain'd, as supposing he was able with his Arms to support all those ruines which were coming upon him; but this his pre­sumption cost him his life; for he was there crush'd to death.

28. Ericus the second King of Denmark was a person of huge Stature and equal strength;Zuing. vol. 2. lib. 5. p. 384. Sax. Gram­matic. l. 12. he would throw a Stone, or a Javelin, as he sate down, with much greater force than another that stood: as he sate he would struggle with two men, and catching one betwixt his knees would there hold him till he had drawn the other to him, and then he would hold them both till he had bound them. He also would take a rope by both the ends of it, and holding it thus in his hands sitting, he gave the other part of it to four strong men to pull against him; but while they could not move him from his seat, he would give them such girds now with the right, and then with the left hand, that either they were forced to relinquish their hold, or else notwithstanding all they could do to the contrary, he would draw them all to the feat where he sate.

29. The Emperour Tiberius had the joynts of his Fingers so [...]irm,Sueton. l. [...] c. 63. p. 160. and strongly compacted, that he could thrust his Finger through a green and unripe Apple: and could give a [...]illip with that force, that thereby he would break the head of a lusty man.

CHAP. XXV. Of the marvelous fruitfulness of some; and what number of their descendants they have liv'd to see; also of superfoetation.

IN the front of this Discourse, it will not be amiss to revive the memory of a Roman Ma­tron, in whom there were so many wonders con­centred; that it would almost be no less to for­get her: Ausonius calls her Callicrate, and thus Epitapheth for her, as in her own person.

A rare instance, which yet in the two former respects you will find surpass'd in what follows.

H [...]kew. A­polog. l. 3. c. 5. § 7. p. 224. Full. [...]or­thies, p. 119 Bed [...]ord­shire.1. There lyes a Woman bury'd in the Church at Dunstable, who as her Epitaph testifies, bore at three several times three Children at a Birth, and five at a Birth two other times.

2. Elionora Salviata, the Wife of Bartholomew Frescobald, a Citizen of Florence, was delivered of fifty and two Children, never less than three at a Birth.Sch [...]nck. obs. l. 4. obs. 1. p. 562.

3. One of the Maid-servants of Augustus the Emperour, was delivered of five Children at a Birth;Gell. noct. Attic. l. 10. c. 2. p. 249. the Mother, together with her Children, were bury'd in the Laurentine way; with an In­scription upon them, by the order of Augustus re­lating the same.

Cael. Rhod. Antiq. lect. l. 4. c. 23. p. 180.4. Also Serapia, a Woman of Alexandria, brought forth five Children at one Birth, saith Coelius.

Schenck. obs. l. 4. obs. 1. p. 563.5. Anno 1553. The Wife of Iohn Gissinger a Tigurine, was delivered of Twins, and before the year was out, brought at once five more, three Sons and two Daughters.

Schenck. Ibid. p. 563.6. Here is at Bononia one Iulius Seutinarius, yet living, and is also a fruitful Citizen himself, he came in the World with six Births, and was him­self the seventh, his Mother was the Sister of D. Florianus de Dulphis my Kinsman, saith Carpus.

Camer. hor. sub [...]is. Cent. 2. c. 66. p. 273. Iohnst. Nat. Hist. Cl. 10. c. 5. p. 332.7. Thomas Fazel writes that Iane Pancica, (who in his time was marryed to Bernard, a Sicilian of the City of Agrigentum) was so fruitful, that in thirty Childbirths, she was delivered of seventy and three Children; which saith he, should not seem incredible, seeing Aristotle affirms, that one Wo­man at four Births, brought forth twenty Chil­dren, at every one [...]ive.

Camer. ibid. p 274. Schenck. obs. l. 4. obs. 1. p. 562. Rei [...]. r. Rei­ne [...]c. de Welphor. prosapia, p. 16.8. There is a famous story of the beginning of the Noble Race of the Welfs, which is this: Irmentrudes, the Wife of Isenbard, Earl of Altorf, had unadvisedly accus'd of Adultery a Woman that had three Children at one Birth, being not able to believe that one man could at one time get so many Children; adding with all, that she deserv'd to be sow'd up in a Sack, and thrown in­to the River;Ioh [...]st. N [...] Hist. Cl. 10. c. 5. p. 333. H [...]yl. Co [...] ­m [...]gr. Clark's Mir. c. 104. p. 497. Rezel. Mel­lisic. tom. 3. p. 109. and accusing her in that regard to the Earl her Husband. It hapned that the next year the Countess felt her self with Child, and (the Earl being from home) she was brought to Bed of twelve Male-children; but all of them very little: She fearing the reproach of Adulte­ry, whereof yet she was not guilty, commanded that eleven of them should be taken and cast in­to a River, not far from the House, and one only brought up: It so fell out, that Isenbard met the Wo­man, that was carrying the little Infants to their death; and asking her whither she went with her Pail; she reply'd she was going to drown a few baggage Whelps, in the River of Scherk. The Earl came to her, and in despite of her resistance, would see what was there; and discovering the Children, press'd her in such wise, that she told him all the matter. He caus'd them to be secret­ly educated; and so soon as they were grown great, and brought home to him, he set them in the Hall by him whom his Wife had brought up: Being thus by their Faces all known to be Brethren; there Mother mov'd in Conscience, confess'd the fact, and obtained pardon for her fault: In remembrance whereof the honourable Race of the Welfs (that is whelps) got that name, which ever since it hath kept.Schenck. obs. l. 4. obs. 1. p. 563.

9. Iohn Francis, Earl of Mirandula, tells of one Dorothy, a German by birth, who in Italy, at two several births brought forth twenty Sons, nine at the one, and eleven at the other; while she went with this burden, by reason of the mighty weight, she was wont to tye a swathing band about her neck and shoulders, and with that to bear up her swollen belly, which fell down to her very knees.

Mathias Golancevius, Schenck. obs. p. 562. was Bishop of Vladislavia in Poland, in the time of Vladislaus Loctitius the King; it is said of his Mother, that she was de­livered of twelve Sons at once, and that of all these he only liv'd, the rest dying as soon as they were born, saith Cromerus.

11. Alexander de Campo Fregoso, Schenck. ibid. p. 1 [...]4. Bishop of Ven­timilium, profess'd to me, saith Carpus, (upon the faith of a Bishop) that at Lamia, a woman of the Noble Family of the Buccanigers, brought forth sixteen humane births, of the bigness of a man's palm, all which had motion; and that besides these sixteen, which had humane likeness, she brought forth at the same time a Creature, in the likeness of a Horse, which had also motion: All seventeen were wrap'd in one and the same secun­dine, which is Monstrous.

12. Anno 1217. Upon the 20th. of Ianuary, Schenck. ibid. p. 562. the Lady Margaret, wife to the Earl Virboslaus, was in Country of Cracovia, brought to bed of thirty living bodies, all at once, saith Cromerus.

13. In the Annals of Silesia, Schenck. ibid. p. 563. it is recorded, that a woman at one birth was delivered of thirty and six Children.

14. Count Flons the Fourth,Grimst. Hist. Ne­therlands. l. 1. p. 52. Camer. hor. subcis. C [...]nt. 2. c. 66. p. 273, 274. Fulgos. l. 1. c. 6. p. 188. Heyl. Cos­mog. p. 384. Schenck. obs. l. 4. p. 562. Zuin. Theat. vol. 1. l. 2. p. 187. of that name Go­vernor of the Netherlands, had amongst others his Children one Daughter, call'd Mathild, some say Margaret, she was marryed to Count Herman of Henneberg; William King of the Romans, and Earl of Holland was her Brother; Otto, Bishop of Vtrecht, her Uncle by the Fathers side; and Henry Duke of Brabant her Uncle by the Mothers side: Alix Countess of Henault her Aunt; Otto of Gel­ders, and Henry Bishop of Leige her Cousins: On a time this Countess of Henneberg did see a poor Widow Woman, begging her bread for God's sake, having in either Arm a Child, which she had at one birth. This poor Woman craving her [Page 41] Alms:Morisons Itinerar. part 1. c. 4. p. 52. Schot. Phy­sic. curios. l. 3. c. 29. p. 547. Guicciard. in discript. Belgiae. Ludovic. Vives in colloq. H [...]wel's E­pistles vol. 1 § 2. Ep. 13. p. 14. Stowes An­nals, p. 217. the Countess rejected with reproachful words, saying, That it was a thing against Na­ture (in her opinion) for a Woman that is honest to conceive by her Husband two Children of one birth; and therefore that this her deliverance had bewrayed that she had lewdly abandoned her self to some others. The poor Woman having her heart full of discontent for her bitter speeches, lifted up her eyes to Heaven, and said, O great and mighty God, I beseech thee for a testimony of m [...]ne innocency, that it will please thee to send this Lady at one burden so many Children as their are days in the year. A while after this Coun­tess was big with Child by her Husband, and for her lying in she went into Holland to see the Earl of Holland her Nephew; lodging in the Abby of Religious Women at Losdunen, where she grew so exceeding great, that the like was never seen. Her time being come the Fryday before Palm-Sunday, in the year 1276. she was delivered of three hundred sixty and five Children, half Sons and half Daughters, the odd one being found to be an Hermaphrodite, all complete and well fa­shioned, of the bigness of Chickens new hatch'd, saith Camerarius: These were laid in two Basins and Baptiz'd by Guidon Suffragan to the Bishop of Vtrecht, who named the Sons Iohn, and the Daughters Elizabeth, in the presence of some great Lords, and notable persons; as soon as they were baptiz'd, they all dy'd together with their Mo­ther. The two Basins are yet to be seen in the said Church of Losdunen, not far from the Hague, with an Epitaph, both in Latin and Dutch, which at large express the whole story.

Camer. hor. subcis. Cent. 2. c. 66. p. 273.15. Albertus Magnus writes, that a woman of Germany, made abortion of twenty two Children at one time, all having their perfect shapes; and another Woman seventy: and that another Wo­man delivered into a Basin, an hundred and fifty; every one of the length of ones little finger.

Plin. l. 7. c. p. 162.16. In the History of the Acts of Augustus Cae­sar, we find upon Record, that in his twelfth Consulship, upon the eleventh day of April; C. Crispinus Helarus a Gentleman of Fesulae; came with solemn pomp into the Capital, attended up­on with his nine Children, seven Sons, and two Daughters; with seven and twenty Grand-chil­dren, that were the Sons of his Children; and nine and twenty more, who were his great Grand-children, the Sons of his Sons Sons: and besides these with twelve Females, that were his Chil­drens Daughters, and with all these he solemnly sacrificed.

Zuin. Theat. vol. 3. l. 11. p.17. There was a Noble Lady of the Family of the Dalburges, who saw of her race, even to the sixth degree; whereof the Germans have made this Distich.

Which because I have not found already tran­slated, I shall venture at it in this Tetra­stick.

18. In the memory of our Fathers (sa [...]th Vives) there was a Village in Spain, Vives in Commen [...]. sup. lib. de Civit. dei. l. [...]. c. 15. Hakewells. Apolog. l. 3. c. 5. § 7. p. 224. of above a hundred Houses; whereof all the inhabitants, were issu'd from one certain old man, who then liv'd, when as that Village was so peopled: the name of pro­pinquity, how the youngest should call him, could not be given; for our Language (saith he) mean­ing the Spanish, affords not a name above the great Grand-fathers Father.

19. In the place and parish where I was born, viz. in the Burrough of Leicester, in the Church of St. Martin, I my self have seen; (and it is there yet to be seen by others) a very remarkable E­pitaph: which is this: ‘Here lyeth the body of of John Heyrick of this Pa­rish; who departed this life the second of April, 1589. being about the age of seventy six years; he did marry Mary the Daughter of John Bond of Ward [...]nd, in the County of Warwick Esquire. He liv'd with the said Mary in one house full fifty two years; and in all that time, never buried Man, Woman nor Child, though they were sometimes twenty in houshold. He had Issue by the said Mary five Sons, and seven Daughters: The said John was Mayor of the Town, 1559. And again, Anno 1572. The said Mary liv'd to ninety seven years, and departed the eight of December 1611. She did see before her departure, of her Children and Childrens Children, and their Children, to the num­ber of one hundred forty and two.’

20. In St. Innocents Church-yard,H [...]kewel. ibid. p. 224 Versteg. Re­s [...]it Decayd. I [...]tell. c. 1. p. 3. in the City of Paris, is to be seen the Epitaph of Yoland Baily, Widow to Mounsieur Dennis Capel, a Proctour at the Chastelet, which doth shew that she had lived eighty four years, and might have seen 288. Ver­stegan saith, 295 of her Children, and Childrens Children, she dy'd the seventeenth of April 1514. Imagine how she had been troubled to call them by a proper denomination, that were distant from her in the fourth and fifth degree.

21. In Markshal Church in Essex on Mrs. Hony­woods Tomb, is this Inscription: ‘Here lyeth the body of Mary Waters, the Daughter and coheir af Robert Waters of Lenham in Kent Esquire, wife of Robert Honywood of Charing in Kent Esquire, her only Husband, who had at her decease, lawfully descended from her 367. sixteen of her own body, 114 Grand-children; 228. in the third Generation, and nine in the fourth. She liv'd a most pious life, and in a Christian manner dyed here at Markshal, in the ninety third year of her age, and in the forty fourth of her Widowhood, May 11. 1620.’

22. Dame Esther Temple, Fullers Worthies, p▪ 138. Backing­hamshire. Daughter to Miles Sands Esquire, was born at Latmos, in Bucking­hamshire, and was marryed to Sir Thomas Temple of Stow Baronet: She had four Sons, and nine Daughters, which liv'd to be marry'd; and so exceedingly multiplyed, that this Lady saw se­ven hundred extra [...]ted from her body. Reader, I speak within compass, and have left my self a reserve, having bought the truth hereof by a wager I lost, saith Dr. Fuller: Besides there was a new Generation of marriageable Females just at her death. Had the Off-spring of this Lady been contracted into one place, they were enow to have peopled a City, of a competent propor­tion, though her Issue was not so long in succes­sion, as broad in extent: I confess very many of [Page 42] her descendants, dy'd before death: the Lady Temple dy'd, Anno 1656.

[...] 113 [...].23. Iohn, Henry and Thomas Palmer, were the Sons of Edward Palmer Esquire in Sussex. It happened that their Mother being a full Fortnight inclusive­ly in labour, was on Whitsunday deliver'd of Iohn her Eldest Son; on the Sunday following of Henry her second Son; and the Sunday next after of Thomas her third Son: This is that which is com­monly call'd superfoe [...]ation (usual in other Crea­tures, but rare in Women) the cause whereof we leave to the disquisition of Physicians. These three were Knighted for their Valour and success, as in their Nativi [...]ies.

[...] 542.24. Another Example of superfoetation, I will set down for the stories sake, in the year of our Lord 1584. dyed the Noble Lord Philip Lewis of Hirshorne, at his mansion House in the Palati­nate, three Miles from Heydelberg, he left no Heir, but his Lady was with Child; his Kindred forth­with enter upon the Rents and Royalties, and to gain the more full and perfect knowledge of them (soon after the death of her Lord) they pluck from her waste the Keys of all private places (and that not without violence) the better to enable them for the search they intended. This outrage redoubled the grief of the poor Lady; so that within few days after she fell in travel, and brought forth a Son, but dead and wanting the Skull: Now were the next Heirs of the de­ceased Noblemam exceeding jocund, as having attained to their utmost hopes; and therefore now us'd the Estate as their own. But it pleased God as out of a stone) to raise up a Son to that desolate and disconsolate Widow: For though she was not speedily deliver'd of him, after the [...], yet she remained somewhat big after her de­livery, suspecting nothing but that it was some pr [...]ternatural humour, or some disease that was remaining in her body: She therefore consulted the Physicians, who all thought, any thing rather to be the cause of her disease, than that in the lea [...] they suspected, a second Birth so long after the [...]irst. They therefore advis'd her to go to the Baths by the Rhine; she accordingly did, as a sad and comfortless Widow, attended only with one Maid; came thither, Iuly 1584. where (it so fell out) she found Augustus the Elector of Saxony, together with the Princess his Wi [...]e; as also ma­ny other Princes and their Ladies; by which means all lodgings were so foretaken up, that she could not find entertainment in any Inn: especially be­ing not known of what quality she was, coming thither with so private a retinue as a single Maid. At last discovering to the Governour of the place, who she was, and her last misfortunes (not with­out some difficulty) she procured lodging in his House for that night, wherein she came thither. But that very night, when it was the tenth week from her former delivery; it pleased God to send her (in her a [...]liction, and amongst strangers) a lovely Boy. The fame of which came to the ears of the Illustrious Princes, who were then in Town. The Elector of Mentz made her a noble provision for her Lying in. The Elector of Saxo­ny also sent her by way of Present one thousand Dollers: Also all the Rents and Royalties before seiz'd upon, were restored to this lawful Heir of her Husbands, and Child of hers; who also is yet alive, saith C [...]spar Bauhin [...]s.

[...] 11. p. 215.Super [...]oetation is by the distant Births of divers not ra [...]ely confirmed. A Dutch Woman in South­wark some twenty years since, having invited di­vers of her Neighbours to her Upsitting, found her self not well on a sudden; and rising from the table, was forthwith brought to bed of another. This falling on a time into our discourse, one then present reported, that the like befel a Sister of his; who three months after the birth of her first Son, was delivered of a second.

CHAP. XXVI. Of the strange Agility and Nimble­ness of some, and their wonder­ful feats.

HOmer in the commendation of the activity of Meriones calls him the Dancer; in which Art he was so famous, that he was known not only a­mongst the Greeks, but to the Trojans also, his e­nemies; probably because that in time of Battel, he made shew of an extraordinary quickness and nimbleness of body, which he had acquired unto himself by the practice of this Art, some of these who follow (though they wanted an Homer to re­commend them to posterity) have excell'd not only Meriones in point of agility; but have at­tain'd the utmost of what a humane body (in this kind) is capable of acquiring.

1. Amongst those shews,Zuin. Theat. vol. 2. l. 5. p. 386. Sabellic. Ex. l. 10. c. 9. p. 586. which were presented to the people of Rome, in the time of the Caesars; there was exhibited to them a man; who was of that strange agility that he would skip from place to place, and cli [...] up a smooth wall, after the same manner, as [...] Cat uses to do.

2. I have seen oftentimes (saith Camerarius) in the Prince of Bamberge his Court,Camer. ho [...]. subcis. Cent. 1. c. 75. p. 343. Iohnst. Nat. Hist. Cl. 10. c. 8. p. 352. a certain Pea­sant of Germany, nourish'd and brought up (as him­self avouched) in the Mountains thereby amongst Beasts; he was so active, and nimble of his Body, that he amaz'd all that saw him. He shew'd his agility, not standing, but walking upon his Feet and Hands, like a Dog or Cat, he would scram­ble up by the Coyns towards the roof of the Hall; in such manner as an Ape could scarce do; though otherwise he was a rustical Fellow, heavy and of a gross making. I saw him twice (adds he) as I was at the Princes Table, leap upon the shoulders of one of the Guests; and from thence upon the Table, without overturning Dish or Cup, and then cast himself with such a spring upon the Floor, that one would have said it had been a Squirrel or Wild-cat. He did use to skip as fast from place to place, upon the tops of Towers and Houses built point wise, as our House Cats will do: There was in the Court a Dwarf, called Martinet, who us'd to mount the back of this nimble fellow, and turn him too and fro, and wheel him about as a Horse; exercising him in divers leaps, and sundry postures; but whensoever he pleas'd (with one leap) he would cast his Rider, though he endeavour'd to sit never so surely. I would not have made any mention of this strange man, in this Book, saith the forenamed Author, if I had not seen with my eyes his tricks of activity, as many others yet living have done: when I wrote this Chapter, he was alive with a Wife he had marry'd.

3. The great S [...]ortia, Zuin. vol. 2. l. 5. p. 385. was of that notable a­gility, [Page 43] tha [...] (without the least assistance from a­nother, or any advantageous rise of the ground) when he had once put his lest Foot into the Stir­rup, though his Helmet was on, and all the rest of his Body complete arm'd; yet would he neat­ly put himself into the Saddle of his great Horse.

Zuing. ibid. p. 386.4. The Lapones, are of a moderate Stature, but of such agility of Bodies, that with a Quiver at their back, and a Bow in their hand; they will at a leap transmit themselves, in such a round or circle, whose Diameter is but one Cubit.

5. Totilas, King of the Goths, being to enter battle with Narses, Zuing. vol. 2. l. 5. p. 386. and his forces; came into the midst of the Field, mounted upon a brave Horse, his Arms of Gold, and his Purple Royal Robe upon them, where he shew'd his rare Horse­manship; excercising his Horse various ways, with strange agility, casting his Head upon his Crupper, at others upon his Belly; then turning himself on this, and streight again upon his o­ther side, in performing of these feats; he indu­striously wasted a great part of the Day, from the first break of it, on purpose to amuse the E­nemy; till such time as two thousand Horse were come up to him, whom he expected before he would begin the fight.

Kornman. de mirac. vi­vor. p. 256.6. Antonius Nebrissensis tells, that he saw a man at Hispalis, who was born in the Canary Islands, that would ke [...] [...] of his feet in the same foot­steps continually, and suffer a man to stand at the distance of eight paces from him, to throw stones at him: He in the mean time, by an artifical de­clining head, by wirthing of his body this and that way; and sometimes by the change and shifting his legs, would avoid the blow and hurt that was aimed at him. To this danger he would readily expose himself,Kornman. de mirac. vi­vor. p. 256. as oft as any man would give him a brass farthing.

7. I saw, saith Simon Maiolus, in the Cisalpine France, an Asiatick Rope-dancer, that danced se­curely upon the Ropes with two Rapiers made fast to the inside of his legs; in which condition he must keep his legs at a great distance, or be wounded with the sharp points of the weapons he carried. After this, the same man had two round pieces of wood; of the breadth of three fingers, and somewhat more than a Cubits length, fastned to his feet, with these he danced, standing upon them end ways. Many other feats of activity he performed, that will difficulty be believed by any,Kornman. de mirac. vi­vor. p. 257. besides such as were eye-witnesses there­of.

8. Luitprandus, no contemptible Author writes, that Anno Dom. 950. at soch time as he was Am­bassador from Berengarius, to the Emperour at Constantinople, he saw a strange sight: A Stage-player, saith he, without any assistance from his hands, bore upon his forehead a streight piece of wood in a pyramidical form, the length of which was twenty four foot, the breadth at the bottom two cubits, and one cubit on the top of it. Two naked boys (except a modest covering) climb'd up to the top of this piece of wood, which the man kept in a streight and even poise from turning this and that way, as if it had been rooted in his forehead: having mounted the top, the boys play'd upon it, the wood remaining immoveable; after this one of the boys came down, while the other remained playing, to the great content of the spectators; the wood standing fast all this while. The Stage-player continued all this space of time (which was no small one) with fixed feet, his hands unemploy'd, his body upright, and his forehead immoveable, although he bore upon it, so great and so ponderous a piece of wood, be­sides the weight of the boyes.

9. Anno 1507.Purchas. pilgr. tom. 1. l. 6. c.. 5. [...] 5. p. 748. The Soldan of Aegypt made ostentation of his magnificence to the Turkish Em­bassador: There were 60000 Mamalukes in like habit assembled in a spacious plain, in which were three heaps of Sand, [...]ifty paces distant, and in each a Spear erected with a Mark to shoot at; and the like over against them, with space betwixt [...]or six Horses to run a brest: Here the younger Mama­lukes upon their Horses running a full carreer, yield strange experiments of their skill. Some shot Arrows backwards and forwards: Others in the midst of their race, alighted three times, and their Horses still running, mounted again, and hit the mark nevertheless: Others did hit the same, standing on their Horses, thus swiftly run­ning: Others three times unbent their Bows, and thrice again bent them whilst their Horses ran, and missed not the Mark: Neither did others, which amidst their race, lighted down on either side, and again mounted themselves: no, nor they which in their swiftest course, leaped and turned themselves backwards on their Horses, and then their Horses still running, turned themselves forward. There were which while their Horses ran, ungirt rheir Horses thrice; at each time shoot­ing, and then again girting their Saddles, and never missing the Mark. Some sitting in their Saddles, leaped backwards out of them, and turn­ing over their heads, settled themselves again in their Saddles, and shot as the former three times. Others laid themselves backwards on their run­ning Horses, and taking their tails, put them in their mouths, and yet forgot not their aim in shooting: Some after every shot drew out their Swords, and flourished them about their heads, and again sheathed them; Others sitting betwixt three Swords on their right, and as many on the left thinly cloathed, that without geart care e­very motion would make way for death; yet before and behind them touched the Mark. One stood upon two Horses, running very swiftly, his feet loose, and shot also at once three Ar­rows before, and again three behind him. Ano­ther sitting on a Horse, neither bridled nor sad­led, as he came at every Mark, arose and stood upon his feet, and on both hands hitting the Mark, sat down again three times. A third sitting on the bare Horse, when he came to the Mark, lay upon his back, and lifted up his leg, and yet missed not his shoot: One of them was kill'd with a fall, and two sore wounded, in these their feats of activity. All this is from Baumgustens re­lation, who was an eye-witness thereof.

10. Bemoine, Purch. Pilg. tom. 1. l. 6. c. 14. § 2. p. 810. in an accident of Civil Wars in Gia laff, came ro the King of Portugal for aid, with his followers, amongst whom some were of such admirable dexterity, and nimbleness of body, that they would leap upon a Horse as he gallopped; and would stand upright in the Saddle, when he ran fastest, and turn themselves about, and suddenly sit down; and in the same race would take up stones laid in order upon the ground, and leap down and up at pleasure.

CHAP. XXVII. Of the extraordinary swiftness and footmanship of some Men.

THe news of the overthrow of King Perseus, by L. Paulus Aemylius, is said to be brought from Macedonia to Rome in a day; but then it is suspected to be performed by the ministration of Spirits; who free from the burden of a body, may well be the quicker in their intelligence. We here have an account of some such, who may seem to have divested themselves of flesh, and al­most to contend with Spirits themselves, in the quickness of their conveyance of themselves from place to place.

Plin. l. 7. c. 20. p. 167.1.Philippides, being sent by the Athenians to Sparta, to implore their assistance in the Persian War, in the space of two days, ran one thousand two hundred and sixty furlongs, that is one hundred, fifty seven Roman miles and a half.

Lips. Epist. Cent. 3. E­pist. 59. p. [...]69.2. Euchidas was sent by the same Athenians to Delphos, to desire some of the holy Fire from thence; he went and return'd in one and the same day, having measured 1000 furlongs, that is, 125 Roman miles.

Solin. c. 6. p. 191. Plin. l. 7. c. 20. p. 167. Fulgos. l. 1. c. 6. p. 146.3. When Fonteius, and Vipsanus were Consuls, there was a Boy of but nine years of age, (Marti­al calls him Addas) who within the compass of one day, ran 75 miles outright.

4. But that amazes me (saith Lipsius) which Pliny sets down of Philonides the Courier, or furlongs, that he dispatch'd in nine hours of the day 1200 furlongs,Plin. l. 2. c. 71. p. 35. Lips. Ep. Cent. 3. Ep. 59. p. 269. Solin. c. 6. p. p. 191. even as far as Scycione to Elis, and returned from thence by the third hour of the night: And the same Pliny speaks of it as a known thing; We know those now a-days, saith he, who will dispatch 160 miles in the Cirque up­on a wager.

Lips. ibid. p. 270.5. There was one Philippus, a young man, a Soldier, and one of the Guard to Alexander the Great, who on foot and arm'd, and with his wea­pons in his hand, did attend the King; for 500 furlongs as he rode in his Charriot. Lysimachus often profer'd him his Horse, but he would not accept him; I wonder not at the space he mea­sured, as that he perform'd it under such a weight of arms.

Bake [...]'s Chr. p. 256.6. King the Henry Fifth of England, was so swift in running, that he with two of his Lords, with­out Bow or other Engine, would take a wild Buck or Doe in a large Park.

Zuing. vol. 2. l. 5. p. 3887. Harold, The Son of Canutus the Second, suc­ceeded his Father in the Kingdom of England; he was sirnamed Harefoot, because he ran as swift as a Hare.

Zuing. ibid. [...]. 388.7. Ethus, King of the Scots, was of that swift­ness, that he almost reached that of Stags and Grey-hounds; he was therefore vulgarly call'd Alipes, wing'd-foot; though otherwise un [...] it for Government, cowardly and a slave of pleasure.

Zuing. ibid. p. 388.9. Starchaterus, the Suecian was a valiant Gi­ant, excelling in strength of body, and of incre­dible swiftness of foot; so that in the compass of one day he ran out of the upper Suecia into Denmark, a journey which other men could hard­ly perform, in the compass of twelve days, though on horseback.

10. The Piechi are a sort of Footmen who at­tend upon the Turkish Emperour,Lips. Epist. Cent. 3. Ep. 59. p. 271. and when there is occasion, are dispatch'd hither and thi­ther, with his Orders or other Messages: They run with such admirable swiftness, that with a little Polaxe, and a Viol of sweet Waters in their hands, they will run from Constantinople to Ha­drianople in a day and a night, that is about 160 Roman miles.

11. Luponus a Spaniard was of that strength and swiftness,Zuing. ibid. p. 388. that with a Ram laid on his shoul­der, he equall'd any other in the Race, that was to be found in his time.

12. Under the Emperour Leo, Camer. hor. subcis. Cent. 1. c. 7 [...]. p. 343. Zuing. vol. 2. l. 5. p. 388. Lips. Epist. Cent. 3. Ep. 59. p. 270. who succeeded Marcian, there was a Greek named Indacus, a va­liant man, and of a wonderful footmanship; he would run faster than any other of the Athenian or Spartan Footmen before mentioned. One might see him at parting, but he vanished presently like lightning, seeming as if he flew over Mountains and steep places, rather than run; he could ride more way in one day, without being weary, than the best Post could have done with so many Horses of release, as he could take without stay­ing in any place; when he had made in a day much more way than a Post could do with all his speed; the next day he return'd to the place from whence he departed the day before, and went again from thence the next day for some other place, and never left running, nor could stay long in any place.

13. Iustin tells how the Daughter of Gargoris King of the Curetes, Iustin. l. 44 p. 321. Camer. hor. subcis. Cent. 1. c. 75. p. 344. having suffer'd her self to be defil'd, was delivered of a Son call'd Habides; whom the Grand-father (desirous to hide his Daughters shame) caus'd to be expos'd, and in a solitary place left to the mercy of the wild Beasts; but an Hind brought him up tenderly, as if he had been a Fawn of her own; so that be­ing grown somewhat great, he would run swiftly like the Stags, with which he leap'd and skip'd in the Mountains: Finally, he was taken in a snare, presented to Gargoris, and by peculiar marks upon his body known, and owned by him to be the Son of his Daughter, who admiring the strange way of preservation, left the Crown to him, as his Successor.

12. Polymnestor, Solin. c. 6▪ p. 190. a Boy of Milesia, was set out by his Mother, to keep Goats, under a Master who was the owner of them; while he was in this imployment; he pursu'd a Hare in sport, overtook and catch'd her, which known, he was by his Master brought to the Olympick Games, and there as victor in the Race, gain'd the Crown, in the forty and sixth Olympiad, saith Bocchus.

15. The news of the defeat of the Persians by the Romans in their Country,Socrates Eccles. Hist. l. 7. c. 19. p. 385. Purch. Pilg. tom. 1. l. 4. c. 4. § 5. p. 407. was quickly brought unto the Emperour Theodosius the youn­ger, by a man he had, whose name was Palladius, one that had rare gifts, both outwardly in body, and inwardly in mind; he was able in three days to ride in such Post as was to be wondred at, un­to the furthest places and bounds of the Roman and Persian Dominions, and back again in so many days to Constantinople. Moreover, he went with marvelous great speed throughout the World, whither soever the Emperour sent him. So that a wise man said once of him, This fellow with his celerity, maketh the Empire of Rome, which is very wide to be narrow and strait. When the King of Persia heard of him, he could not chuse but wonder.

16. They have Casq [...]is or Posts in Peru, which [Page 45] are to carry tydings or Letters;Purch. Plig. tom. 1. l. 9. c. 9. § 2. p. 1066. to which pur­pose they had Ho [...]ses a league and a half asun­der; and running each man to the next, they would run fifty leagues in a day and a night.

Purch. Pilg­tom. 1. l. 6. c. 12. p. 79817. The Ru [...]he are a Tribe of the Arabians, not rich, but in agility of Body miraculous; and account it a shame, if one of their Footmen be vanquished by two Horsemen; nor is any amongst them so slow, that he will not out go any the swiftest Horse, be the journey never so long.

Plut. Mo­ral. lib. de. Tranquil. anim. p. 154.18. Brison was a famous runner of Races; and reputed of great swiftness; with this man Alex­der the Great contended one time for the Victory in Footmanship. Brison, intending to please the King, seem'd to saint and to lag behind, and thereby to yield the honour of the course unto him; but the King being advertised hereof, was mightily offended, and displeased with him about it.

Cael. Rhod. Antiq. lect. l. 5. c. 5. p. 204.19. Iphiclus, the Son of Phylacus and Clymenes. hath wonderful things spoken of his swiftness of Foot, especially by the Poet Hesiod, by whom he is said (I suppose by an Hyperbole) to run over the Ears of standing Corn; and by Demaracus, to be able to walk upon the Sea.

CHAP. XXVIII. Of Men of Expedition in their Iour­neys, and quick dispatch in other Affairs.

THe English Ambassador had prevailed with the Turkish Sultan, to introduce some of our Musitioners into the Seraglio, that he might hear a more excellent sort of Musick, than as yet he had been acquainted with: but they were so long in tuning their Instruments; that whether he thought that the best they could make, or that he would not allow himself any further leisure, up he rose and departed. He who made such haste in his Recreations, was no doubt as enpedite in his business, as the following in their Journeys and other Affairs.

Liv. l. 37.1. Titus Sempronius Gracchus, a smart young man, set out from Amphissa, and with change of Horses upon the third day arriv'd at Pella.

Lips. Ep. Cent. 3. Ep. 59. p. 272.2. M. Cato, with wonderful speed came from Hidruntum to Rome upon the fifth day.

3. Iulius Caesar, with incredible expedition, made often such journeys,Lips. ibid. 272. that in his Litter he would travel at the rate of one hundred miles a day: He came from Rome to Rhodanus, (saith Plu­tarch) upon the eighth day; that is about 800 miles.

Lips. ibid. p. 272.4. Icelus, the freedman of Galba, out went him far; for (as Plutarch saith) to bring his Patron the news of Nero's death, and to congratulate his arrival to the Empire, he went from Rome, and up [...]n the seventh day came to Clunia, which is al­most the middle of Spain.

Lips. ibid. p. 273.5. M [...]thridates (saith Appianus) with change of Horses measured one thousand furlongs in one day, that is one hundred twenty five Roman miles.

Lips. ibid. p. 273.6. Beyond him went Hambal, (as saith the same Appianus) who being overthrown by Scipio, with one in his company, came in two days and two nights to Adrumetum, whi [...]h is about three hun­dred seventy and five m [...]les, that is, in a day and a night one hundred eighty seven miles and a half.

7. Yet was he also outstrip'd by that Messen­ger,Capitol. which was sent by M [...]ximus to the Senate of Rome, to carry news of Maximinus his death: He ran, saith Capitolinus, with that post haste, that (changing Horses) upon the fourth day from Aquileia he got to Rome, seven hundred ninety seven miles, which is almost two hundred miles for day and night.

8. Tiberius Caesar, Sueton. in Tiberio p. 127. Val. Max. l. 5. c. 5. p. 146. when his Brother Drusus lay sick in Germany, changing his Chariot Horses, only three times, in a night and a day dispatch'd a Journey of two hundred miles, and dead, he accompanyed his Corps out of Germany to Rome all the way on foot.

9. Iohn Lepton of Kepwick, Full. Wor­thies, p. 231 York. Sanders. Hist. of K. Iames, Anno 1606. p. 333. Fayths. Annalist. p. 201. in the County of York Equite, one of the Grooms of the privy Chamber to King Iames, undertook for a wager to ride six days together betwixt York and London, being sevenscore and ten miles, and he perform'd it accordingly to the greater praise of his strength in acting, then his discretion in undertaking it. He first set forth from Aldersgate, May the 20th. being Munday, Anno Dom. 1606. and accomplish'd his journey every day before it was dark. After he had finish'd his Journey at York to the admira­tion of all men, Munday the 27th. of the same Month, he went from York, and came to the Court at Greenwich to his Majesty upon Tuesday, in as fresh and chearful a manner, as when he first be­gan.

10. In the year 1619. the 17th. of Iuly of King Iames his Reign,Baker's Chr. p. 605. Stowe's Chr. p. 1032. one Bernard Calvert of Andover rode from St. Georges Church in Southwark to Do­ver, from thence passed by Barge to Callice in France, and from thence return'd back to St. Georges Church the same day; setting out about three a clock in the morning, and return'd about eight a clock in the evening fresh and lusty.

11. Osterly House in Middlesex was built in the Park by Sir Thomas Gresham, Full. Wor­thies, p. 177 Middlesex. who there magni­ficently entertain'd and lodg'd Q. Elizabeth; her Majesty found fault with the Court of this House as too great, affirming that it would appear more handsome, if divided with a Wall in the middle. What doth Sir Thomas, but in the night time sends for Workmen to London, (Money com­mands all things) who so speedily and silently ap­ply their business, that the next morning disco­ver'd the Court double, which the night had left single before; its questionable whether the Queen next day was more contented with the confor­mity to her fancy, or more pleas'd with the sur­prize, and sudden performance thereof.

12. Sir Thomas More was Lord Chancellor of England;Full. wor­thies, p. 208 209. Lon­don. in which place he demeand himself with great integrity, and with no less expedition. In testimony of the latter, it is recorded, that calling for the next cause, it was return'd unto him, there are no more to be heard; all suits in that Court depending, and reading for hearing, be­ing finally determin'd; whereupon a Rythmer had this.

13. In Fabius Vrsinus, a Child but of eleven [Page 46] years of age,Dr. Rey­nold's Trea­tise of the Passions. p. 14. there was so rare a mixture of inven­tion and memory, that he could unto five or six several persons at the same time dictate the words and matter of so many several Epistles, some seri­ous, some jocular, all of different arguments; re­turning after every short period from the last to the first, and so in order, and in the conclusion, every Epistle should be so close, proper and coherent, as if it alone had been intended.

Danet. in the life of Comines, prefixed to his History.14. Philip de Comines, Knight and Lord of Ar­gènton, Privy Counsellour to Lewis the eleventh King of France, was a person of those rare and quick parts, that he often indited at one time to four Secretaries, several Letters of weighty affairs, with as great facility and readiness, as if he had but one matter in hand.

Strada. Clarks mir. c. 77. p. 349.15. Anthony Perenot, Cardinal Granvel, was of so nimble a wit, that he sometimes tired five Secre­taries at once, with dictating Letters to them, and that in several tongues, for he understood se­ven languages exactly: none of that age surpassed him for eloquence; he was Bishop of Arras at twenty four years of age, and had audience in the Council of Trent, for the Emperour Charles the Fifth, where he made a quick and elegant Ora­tion.

F [...]ll. Worth. p. 9. H [...]shire.16. Sir Thomas Lakes was born in the Parish of S. Michael in Southhampton, and through several un­der offices, at last preferred Secretary of Estate to King Iames: incredible his dexterity in dispatch, who at the same time would indite, write, dis­course more exactly than most men could severally perform them. Men resembled him to one of the Ships Royal of Queen Elizabeth, called the Swift­sure, such his celerity and solidity in all affairs. He fell at last (for the faults of others) into the King's displeasure; yet even then (when outed of his Secretaries place) King Iames gave him this publick Eulogy in open Court, That he was a Minister of State fit to serve the greatest Prince in Europe.

Plin. l. 7. c. 25. p. 168.17. For vigour and quickness of spirit, I take it that Caius Caesar Dictatour went beyond all men besides: I have heard it reported of him, that he was wont to write, to read, to indite Letters, and withal to give audience to suiters, and hear their causes all at one time. And being employed (as 'tis well known) in so great and important affairs, he ordinarily indited Letters to four Secretaries at once: and when he was freed from other greater business, he would other whiles find seven of them work at one time.

18. Henricus ab Heers mentions a young man of fourteen years of age,H [...]ric. ab H [...]ers, obs. med. l. 1. obs. 13. p. 131. who used to dictate to four of his School-fellows four different Verses, and at the same time made a fifth himself. He was called the youth with the great memory: he afterwards applyed himself to Physick, wherein he is a Pra­ctitioner (saith he) this year, 1630.

Spartian. p. 90.19. It is said of Adrian the Emperour, that he used to write, dictate, hear others discourse, and talk with others at the same time; and that he so comprehended all publick accounts, that every di­ligent Master of a Family understood not so well the affairs of his own private house.

B [...]k [...]'s Chron. p. 375. Hist. o [...] life [...] death o [...] Cardinal Woolsey by Mr. Caven­di [...]h. c. 2.167.20. King Henry the Seventh had occassion to send a Messenger to the Emperour Maximilian, about a business that required haste, he thought none more [...]it for this employment, than Mr. Thomas Woolsey, then his Chaplain, he call'd him, gave him his er­rand, and bade him make all the speed he could. Woolsey departed from the King at Richmond about noon, and by next morning was got to Dover, and from thence by noon next day was come to Calis, and by night was with the Emperour, to whom declaring his message, and having a present dispatch, he rode that night back to Calis, and the night following came to the Court at Richmond: the next morning he presented himself before the King, who blamed him for not being gone, the matter requiring haste. To whom Woolsey an­swered, That he had been with the Emperour, dispatched the business, and shewed the Empe­rour's Letter. The King wondred much at his speed, bestowed presently upon him the Deanery of Lincoln, and soon after made him his Almoner. This was the first rise of that a [...]terwards great Pre­late, Cardinal Woolsey.

CHAP. XXIX. Of the Fatness and Vnwieldiness of some Men, and the Lightness of the Bodies of others.

ERasmus tells us of the Gordii, Eras. in A [...]dag. that whereas o­ther Nations were used to make choice of their Kings for some real excellency or virtue they had in them above others, these people had a custom to advance him to the Throne of their Kingdom, who was the fattest and most corpu­lent that could be found: perhaps being of a peace­able disposition of themselves, they would have their Princes (whom they could no otherwise restrain) to be clogged at least with Fetters of fiesh, lest they should prove over active, and more stirring than was conducing to their quiet. I know not what ease can be expected from him who is be­come a burden to himself, as some of the follow­ing persons were.

1. Zacutus speaks of a young man who was grown to that huge thickness and fatness,Zaeut. Lu­sit. prax. Adm. l. 3. obs. 108. p. 416. that he could scarce move himself, much less was he able to go or set one step forward: he continually sate in a Chair, oftentimes he was oppressed with that difficulty of breathing, that he seem'd to be choaked; he was in perpetual fear of being suf­focated, or that he should speedily die of an Apo­plexy, Convulsion, Asthma, or Syncope. How he was afterwards cured by Zacutus himself, may be seen in that observation of his cited in the Margin.

2. Polyeuctus Sphettius was a man of great cor­pulency:Plut. in Phocion [...]. p. 746. Trenchfields history im­prov'd. p. 42. he one time made a long Oration a­mongst the Athenians, to perswade them to enter into a war with King Philip of Macedon. In the speaking of which, by reason of the heat and his own fat, he had frequent recourse to a Bottle of Water which he had about him for that purpose. When he had ended, Phocion rose up: And my Masters (said he) is it fit to give credit to this man concerning the management of a war? What think you would become of him in the midst of a Battel when his Helmet and Brest-plate were on, seeing he is in such danger of death with the bare labour of speaking?

3. Dionysius (the Son of that Clearchus who was the first Tyrant in Heraclea) by reason of his voluptuous life,Athenaeus l. 12. c. 12. p. 549. Ae [...]ian. Var. hist. l. 9. c. 13. p. 242. and excessive feeding, became so corpulent, that by reason of his fat he was pressed with difficulty of breathing, and in a continual [Page 47] fear of suffocation; whereupon his Physicians ap­pointed, that as oft as he fell into any profound sleep, they should prick his sides and belly with ve­ry long and sharp Needles; he felt nothing while they passed through the fat, but when they touch'd upon the sensible flesh, then he awaked. To such as demanded Justice he gave answers, opposing a Chest betwixt him and them, to cover all the rest of his body, so that nothing but his face did ap­pear without it. He died in the fifty fifth of his age, when he had reigned thirty tree years, ex­celling all the Kings his Predecessours for humanity and easiness of access.

Donat. hist. med. mirab. l. 5. c. 2. p. 274.4. Sanctius King of Spain, Son of Ranimirus, carried such a heap of fat, that thence he was call­ed Crassus, being now grown a burden to himself, and having left almost nothing untried to be quit of it. At length by the advice of Garsia King of Navarre, he made peace with Miramoline King of Corduba, went over to him, was honourably re­ceiv'd, and in his Court was cured by an herb pre­scribed by the Physicians of that King.

Donat. ib. p. 274.5. Gabriel Fallopius tells, that he saw a man, who being extremely fat, his skin was so thickened, that he lost all feeling, by reason of the over im­paction of the Nerves thereby.Cael. l. 11. c. 13. p. 502. Gyral. hist. poet. tom. 1. Athen. l. 12. c. 13. p. 552. Zuing. vol. 2. l. 7. p. 492. Aelian. hist. l. 9. c. 14. p. 244. Athen. deip. l. 12. c. 12. p. 549, 550.

6. Philetas of Coos was an excellent Critick, and a very good Poet, in the time of Alexander the Great, but withal he had a body of that exceeding leanness and lightness, that he commonly wore shooes of Lead, and carried Lead about him, lest at some time or other he should be blown away with the wind.

7. Ptolomaeus Euergetes the seventh King of Ae­gypt, by reason of his sensuality and luxurious life, was grown (saith Possidonius) to a vast bulk, his Belly was swollen with fat, his waste so thick, that scarce could any man compass it with both his arms: he never came out of his Palace on foot, but he always lean'd upon a staff. His Son Alexander (who killed his Mother) was much fatter than he, so that he was not able to walk, unless he sup­ported himself with two Crutches.

Athen. l. 12. c. 12. p. 550.8. Agatharcides tells of Magan, who reigned fifty years in Cyrene, that living in peace, and flowing in luxury, he grew to a prodigious corpulency in his latter years, insomuch that at last he was suffo­cated with his own fat, which he had gained in part by his idleness and sloth, and partly by his Epicu­rism, and excessive gluttony.

Athen. l. 12. c. 13. p. 562.9. Panaretus, the Scholar of Arcecilaus the Phi­losopher, was in great estimation with Ptolomaeus Euergetes, and retain'd by him with an annual sti­pend of twelve Talents. It's said of this man he was exceeding lean and slender, notwithstanding which, he never had any occasion to consult any Physician, but passed his whole life in a most entire and perfect health.

Athen. l. 12. c. 13. p. 551.10. Cynesias was called (by Aristophanes and others) Philyrinus, because he girt himself round within boards of the wood Philyra, and that for this rea­son, lest through his exceeding talness and slen­derness he should break in the waste.

Donat. hist. mirab. l. 5. c. 2. p. 274.11▪ I have seen a young Englishman, who was carried throughout all Italy, and suffered not him­self to be seen without the payment of money: he was of that monstrous both fatness and thickness, that the Duke of Mantua and Montferat, command­ed his picture to be drawn to the life, and naked, as of a thing altogether extraordinary.

Donat. Ibid. p. 274.12. Vitus a Matera was a learned Philosopher and Divine, but so fat, that he was not able to get up a pair of stairs; he breathed with great diffi­culty; nor could he sleep lying along without pre­sent danger of suffocation. All this is well known to most of the Students in Naples.

13. Alphonsus Avalus being dead, his body was opened,Kornman. de mirac. more. p. 6. c. 23. p. 11. and the carcase taken care of by Physici­ans, and dried as much as might be with salt, and sand, and other things; yet for all this the fat of his body ran through his Chest of Lead whereinto he was put, and larded the stones of the Vault up­on which it stood.

14. Anno 1520. there was a Noble Man born in Diethmarsia, Zuing. Theatr. Vol. 2. l. 2. p. 279. but living sometime in the City of Stockholm in Sueden; this man was sent to prison by the command of Christierne the Second, King of Denmark: when he came to the prison door, such was his extreme corpulency, that they who con­ducted him were not able to thrust him in at it. The Guard that went to convey him thither were to hasten back, to assist in the torturing of some o­ther persons; so that being extreme angry to be thus delayed, they thrust him aside into a corner thereabouts, and by this means the man escaped being put into prison as was intended.

15. Pope Leo the tenth of that name,Zuin. 3. Theatr. vol. 2. l. 2. p. 279. had so mighty a Belly, and was so extremely corpulent, that to this very day, his fatness is proverbial in Rome; so that when they would of a man that is extraordinary well fed, they use to say of him that he is as fat as Pope Leo.

CHAP. XXX. Of the Longaevity and length of life in some persons.

HE who hath but dipped into Anatomy, can easily apprehend that the life of man hangs upon very tender filaments; considering this, with the great variety of diseases that lie in am­bush ready to surprise us, and the multitude of ac­cidents that we are otherwise daily liable unto, it is not the least of wonders, that any man should have his life drawn out but to a moderate space: Sunt quos saliva crassior male lapsa per fauces subi [...] strangulaverit, saith Seneca: Their very spittle has ended them: so little is sufficient to thrust us out of this earthly tenement, the nearer the felicity of them that [...]ollow.

1. There is a Memorial entred upon the wall of the Cathedral of Peterborough for one,Full. Worth. p. 293. Northamp­tonshire. who being Sexton thereof, interred two Queens therein, Ka­tharine Dowager, and Mary of Scotland, more than fifty years interceding betwixt their several sepul­tures. This vivacious Sexton also buried two Generations, or the people in that place twice o­ver. The instance of his long life is alledged by such who maintain, that the smelling to perfect mould made of mens consumed bodies is a preser­vative of life:

2. Richa [...]d Chamond Esquire receiv'd at God's hand an extraordinary favour of long life,Full. Worth▪ p. 211. Cor [...]wal. Ca [...]w's survey of C [...]rnwal. p. 18. in serv­ing in the office of a Justice of Peace, almost sixty years; he saw above [...]ifty several Judges of the We­stern Circuit, was Uncle and great Uncle to three hundred at the least, and saw his youngest child a­bove forty years of age.

3. Garsias Ar [...]tinus lived to a hundred and four years in a continued state of good health, and deceased [Page 48] without being seised with any apparent disease,Fulgos. l. 8. c. 14. p. 1098. only perceiving his strength somewhat weakened. Thus writes Petrarch of him, to whom Garcias was great Grand [...]ather by the Fa­ther's side.

Hakew. A­pol. l. 3. c. 1. § 6. p. 165. V [...]rulam hist. life and death. p. 135.4. A while since in Herefordshire at their May­ga [...]es (saith my Lord of S. Albans) there was a Morrice Dance of eight men, whose years put to­gether, made up eight hundred, that which was wanting of an hundred in some, superabounding in others.

Baker's Chron. p. 502. Hakew. A­pol. l. 3. c. 1. § 6. p. 166. Faith. An­nal. p. 118. Full. Worth. Ha [...]tshire. p. 8. Sander [...]on's hist. Ma. Q. Scots p. 76. V [...]rulam hist. life and death. p. 110.5. I have been credibly inform'd, that William Pawlet Marquess of Winchester, and Lord Treasurer of England twenty years tog [...]ther, (who died in the tenth year of Queen Elizabeth) was born in the last year of Henry the Sixth: he lived in all an hun­dred and six years and three quarters, and odd days, during the Reign of nine Kings and Queens of England. He saw (saith another) the children of his children's children, to the number of an hun­dred and three, and died 1572.

6. Georgias Leontinus a famous Philosopher liv'd in health till he was an hundred and eight years of age: and when it was asked him by what means he attained to such a fulness of days, his answer was, by not addicting himself to any voluptuous living.

V [...]l. i [...]i [...]. p. 134.7. Most memorable is that of Cornarus the Ve­netian, who being in his youth of a sickly body, bega [...] to eat and drink first by measure to a certain weight, thereby to recover his health, this cure turn'd by use into a diet, that diet into an extra­ordinary long life, even of an hundred years and better, without any decay of his senses, and with a constant enjoyment of his health.

V [...]ral. ibid. p. 128.8. Hippocrates Co [...]s the famous Physician, lived an hundred and four years, and approved and cre­dited his own art by so long a life.

Hak [...]w. A­p [...]g. l. 3. [...]. 1. § 6. p. 166.9. Mr. Carew in his Survey of Cornwal, assures us upon his own knowledge, that fourscore and ten years of age is ordinary there in every place, and in most persons accompanied with an able use of the body and their senses. One Polezew (saith he) lately living, reached to one hundred and thirty. A Kinsman of his to one hundred and twelve. One Beauchamp to one hundred and six. And in the Parish where himself dwelt, he pro­fessed to have remembred the decease of four with­in fourteen weeks space, whose years added toge­ther, made up the sum of three hundred and forty. The same Gentleman made this Epigram or Epi­taph upon one Brawne an Irish Man, but a Cornish Beggar.

Fulgos. l. 8. c. 14. p. 1095. V [...]rulam hist. li [...]e and death. p. 101. Verulam ib. p. 106.10. Democritus of Abdera, a most studious and learned Philosopher, who spent all his life in the contemplation and investigation of things, who liv'd in great solitude and poverty, yet did arrive to an hundred and nine years.

11. Galeria C [...]piola a Player and a Dancer, was brought upon the Stage as a Novice, in what year of her age is not known, but ninety nine years af­ter, at the Dedication of the Theatre by Pompey the Great, she▪ was shewn upon the Stage again, not now for an Actress, but a wonder. Neither was this all, for after that, in the Solemnities for the life and health of Augustus, she was shewn up­on the Stage the third time.

12. Simeon the Son of Cleophas, Verulam ibid. p. 116▪ 117. called the Bro­ther of our Lord, and Bishop of Ierusalem, lived an hundred and twenty years, though he was cut short by Martyrdom. Aquila and Priscilla, first S. Paul's Hosts, afterwards his fellow-labourers, lived together in a happy and famous Wedlock at least to an hundred years a piece, for they were both alive under Pope Christus the First.

13. William Postel a Frenchman lived to an hundred and well nigh twenty years,Verulam ib. p. 134. and yet the top of his beard on the upper lip was black, and not gray at all.

14. Iohannes Summer-Matterus my great Grand­father by the Mother's side,Plateri obs. l. 1. p. 233, 234. of an ancient and ho­nourable Family, after the hundredth year of his age, marryed a wife of thirty years, by whom he had a Son, at whose wedding, which was twenty years after, the old man was present, and lived six years after that; so that he completed an hundred and twenty six, without complaining of any more grievous accidents than this, that he could not prevent escapes, by reason of wind. Six years be­fore his death my Father his Grandchild discoursing with him, he told him, that there were in that Diocess ten men yet left who were more aged than himself.

15. Arganthonius was the King of the Tartessians, Val. Max. l. 8. c. 14. Herodot. l. 4. p. 67, 68. Plin. l. 7. c. 48. and had been so for eighty years, when the Pho­censians, (who were the first of all the Greeks who opened the way into the Adriatick Sea, and visited Tyrrhenia, Iberia and Tartessus) came to him. He lived to an hundred and twenty years, saith Herodotus.

16. In the last Taxation,Plin. l. 7. c. 29. Verul. hist. life and death. p. 108, 109, 110. Number and Review of the eighth Region of Italy, there were found in the Roll (saith Pliny) four and fifty persons of an hundred years of age: seven and fifty of an hun­dred and ten: two of an hundred five and twenty: [...]our of an hundred and thirty: as many that were of an hundred five and thirty: or an hundred of seven and thirty years old: and last of all three men of an hundred and forty. And this search was made in the times of Vespasian the Father and Son.

17. Galen the great Physician,Fulgos. l. 8 [...] c. 14. p. 1096. who flourished a­bout the reign of Antoninus the Emperour, is said to have lived one hundred and forty years. From the time of his twenty eighth year he was never seised with any sickness, save only with the grudge of a Fever, for one day only. The rules he ob­served, were, not to eat nor drink his fill, nor to eat any thing raw, and to carry always about him some one or other perfume.

18. Iames Sands of Horborne in Staffordshire, Full. Worth. p. 47. Stafford­shire. Hakew. A­pol. l. 3. c. 1. § 6. p. 166. near Birmingham, lived an hundred and forty years, and his Wife one hundred and twenty; and died about ten years past. He out-lived five Leases, of twenty one years a piece, made unto him after he was married.

19. I my self (saith Sir Walter Rawleigh) knew the old Countess of Desmond of Inchequin in Mun­ster, Rawleigh. hist. world. l. 1. c. 5. § 5. p. 166. Full. Worth. p. 310. Northum­berland. who lived in the year 1589, and many years sin [...]e, who was marryed in Edward the Fourth's time, and held her joynture from all the Earls of Desmond since then, and that this is true, all the Gentlemen and Noble Men in Munster can witness. The Lord Bacon casts up her age to be an hundred [...]nd forty at the least, adding withal, Ter per vices dentisse, that she recovered her teeth (after the cast­ing them) three several times.

[Page 49] Full. Worth. p. 11. Shrop­shire. Barthol. hist. Ana­tom. cent. 5. hist. 28. p. 47, 48.20. Thomas Parre, Son of Iohn Parre, born at Alberbury in the Parish of Winnington in Shropshire, he was born in the Reign of King Edward the Fourth, anno 1483, at eighty years he married his first wife Iane; and in the space of thirty two years, had but two children by her, both of them short lived, the one liv'd but a Month, the other but a few years. Being aged an hundred and twenty he fell in love with Katherine Milton, and with re­markable strength got her with child. He lived to above one hundred and fifty years. Two months before his death he was brought up by Thomas Earl of Arundel to Westminster: he slept away most of his time, and is thus characterised by an eye-wit­ness of him.

Change of air and diet, better in it self, but worse for him, with the trouble of many Visitants, or Spectators rather, are conceived to have accelera­ted his death, which happened, Westminster, No­vember the fifteenth, anno 1634, and was buried in the Abbey Church there.

Fulgos. l. 8 c. 14. p. 1092, 1093.21. Titus Fullonius of Bononia, in the Censorship of Claudius the Emperour (the years being exactly reckoned, on purpose to prevent all fraud) was found to have liv'd above one hundred and fifty years. And L. Tertulla of Arminium in the Cen­sorship of Vespasian was found to have liv'd one hundred thirty seven years.

22, Franciscus Alvarez saith, that he saw Albu­na Marc. chief Bishop of Aethiopia, Hakewell. Apol. l. 3. c. 1. § 6. p. 165. Purch. pilg. p. 481. Barthol. hist. Anat. cent. 5. hist. 28. p. 46. Camerar. hor. subcis. cent. 2. c. 68. p. 278. Iohnst. nat. hist. 6. class. 10. c. 6. p. 342. Vincent. le le Blan [...]'s Travails. tom. 1. c. 22. p. 80. Versteg. Restit. of de­cayed intel­lig. p. 323. Baker's Chron. p. 73. Hakew. A­pol. l. 3. c. 1. § 6. p. 165. Fulgos. l. 8. c. 14. p. 1098. Verul. hist. li [...]e and death. p. 132. Hakew. Apol. l. 3. c. 1. § 6. p. 169.167. Purchas. pilgr. tom. 1. l. 8. c. 8. § 2. p. 961. being then of the age of one hundred and fifty years.