they kill thereby forthwith or else wound greatly with the same so that the strokes of his tail are more deadly then the biting of his teeth which caused Nicander to write thus Nec tamen illegraves ut caetera turba dolores Si velit infixo cum forte momorderit ore Suscitat exiguus non noxia vulnera punctus Qui ceu rodentes noctu quaeque obvia muris Infligit modicum tenuis dat plaga cruorem Which may be thus Englished Nor yet he when with his angry mouth Doth bite such pains and torments bringeth As other Serpents if Ancients tell the truth When with his teeth and spear he stingeth For as the holes which biting Mice do leave When in the night they light upon a prey So small are Dragons-bites which men receive And harmlesse wound makes bloud to run away Their mouth is small and by reason thereof they cannot open it wide to bite deep so as their biting maketh no great pain and those kinde of Dragons which do principally fight with Eagles are defended more with their tails then with their teeth but yet there are some other kinde of Dragons whose teeth are like the teeth of Bears biting deep and opening their mouth wide wherewithall they break bones and make many bruises in the body and the males of this kinde bite deeper then the females yet there followeth no great pain upon the wound The cure hereof is like to the cure for the biting of any other Beast wherein there is no venom and for this cause there must be nothing applyed thereunto which cureth venomous bitings but rather such things as are ordinary in the cure of every Ulcer The seed of grasse commonly called Hay-dust is prescribed against the biting of Dragons The Barble being rubbed upon the place where a Scorpion of the earth a Spider a Sea or Land-dragon biteth doth perfectly cure the same Also the head of a Dog or Dragon which hath bitten any one being cut off and flayed and applyed to the wound with a little Euphorbium is said to cure the wound speedily And if Alberdisimon be the same that is a Dragon then according to the opinion of Avicen the cure of it must be very present as in the cure of Ulcers And if Alhatraf and Haudem be of the kinde of Dragons then after their biting there follow great coldnesse and stupidity and the cure thereof must be the same means which is observed in cold poysons For which cause the wound or place bitten must be embrewed or washed with luke-warm Vinegar and emplaistered with the leaves of Bay anointed with the Oyl of herb Mary and the Oyl of Wilde-pellitory or such things as are drawn out of those Oyls wherein is the vertue of Nettles or Sea-onions But those things which are given unto the patient to drink must be the juyce of Bay-leaves in Vinegar or else equall portions of Myrrhe Pepper and Rew in Wine the powder or dust whereof must be the full weight of a golden groat or as we say a French Crown In the next place for the conclusion of the History of the Dragon we will take our farewell of him in the recital of his medicinal vertues which are briefly these that follow First the fat of a Dragon dryed in the Sun is good against creeping Ulcers and the same mingled with Honey and Oyl helpeth the dimnesse of the eyes at the beginning The head of a Dragon keepeth one from looking asquint and if it be set up at the gates and dores it hath been thought in ancient time to be very fortunate to the sincere worshippers of GOD. The eyes being kept till they be stale and afterwards beat into an Oyl with Honey made into Ointment keep any one that useth it from the terrour of night-visions and apparitions The fat of a Hart in the skin of a Roe bound with the nerves of a Hart unto the shoulder was thought to have a vertue to fore-shew the judgement of victories to come The first spindle by bearing of it procureth an easie passage for the pacification of higher powers His teeth bound unto the feet of a Roe with the nerves of a Hart have the same power But of all other there is no folly comparable to the composition which the Magitians draw out of a Dragon to make one invincible and that is this They take the head and tail of a Dragon with the hairs out of the fore-head of a Lyon and the marrow of a Lyon the spume or white mouth of a conquering Horse bound up in a Harts skin together with a claw of a Dog and fastned with the crosse nerves or sinew of a Hart or of a Roe they say that this hath as much power to make one invincible as hath any medicine or remedy whatsoever The fat of Dragons is of such vertue that it driveth away venomous beasts It is also reported that by the tongue or gall of a Dragon sod in Wine men are delivered from the spirits of the night called Incubi and Succubi or else Night-mares But above all other parts the use of their bloud is accounted most notable But whether the Cynnabaris be the same which is made of the bloud of the Dragons and Elephants collected from the earth when the Dragon and Elephant fall down dead together according as Pliny delivereth I will not here dispute seeing it is already done in the story of the Elephant neither will I write any more of this matter in this place but only refer the Reader unto that which he shall finde written thereof in the History of our former Book of Four-footed Beasts And if that satisfie him not let him read Langius in the first book of his Epistles and sixty five Epistle where that learned man doth abundantly satisfie all men concerning this question that are studious of the truth and not prone to contention And to conclude Andreas Balvacensis writeth that the Bloud-stone called the Haematite is made of the Dragons bloud and thus I will conclude the History of the Dragon with this story following out of Porphyrius concerning the good successe which hath been signified unto men and women either by the dreams or sight of Dragons Mammea the Mother of Alexander Severus the Emperor the night before his birth dreamed that she brought forth a little Dragon so also did Olympia the Mother of Alexander the Great and Pomponia the Mother of Scipio Africanus The like prodigy gave Augustus hope that he should be Emperor For when his Mother Aetia came in the night time unto the Temple of Apollo and had set down her bed or couch in the Temple among other Matrons suddenly she fell asleep and in her sleep she dreamed that a Dragon came to her and clasped about her body and so departed without doing her any harm Afterwards the print of a Dragon remained perpetually upon her belly so as she never durst any more be seen in any bath The Emperor Tiberius Caesar had a Dragon
disease called the Colick and Stone for the space of three days together in any kinde of drink will easily and speedily cure them of their pain The stones of an Ichneumon being either beaten in powder or taken raw either in Wine or any other drink is very medicinable and cureable for the easing of all such as are troubled or grieved with any ach pain or disease in their belly And thus much shall suffice concerning the cures and medicines of the Ichneumon Of the LAMIA THis word Lamia hath many significations being taken sometime for a Beast of Lybia some-times for a fish and sometimes for a Spectre or apparition of women called Phairies And from hence some have ignorantly affirmed that either there were no such Beasts at all or else that it was a compounded monster of a Beast and a Fish whose opinions I will briefly set down Aristophanes affirmeth that he heard one say that he saw a great wilde Beast having several parts resembling outwardly an Ox and inwardly a Mule and a beautiful Woman which he called afterwards Empusa When Apollonius and his companions travelled in a bright Moon-shine-night they saw a certain apparition of Phairies in Latine called Lamiae and in Greek Empusae changing themselves from one shape into another being also sometimes visible and presently vanishing out of sight again as soon as he perceived it he knew what it was and did rate it with very contumelious and despiteful words exhorting his fellows to do the like for that is the best remedie against the invasion of Phairies And when his companions did likewise rail at them presently the vision departed away The Poets say that Lamia was a beautiful woman the daughter of Bellus and Lybia which Jupiter loved bringing out of Lybia into Italy where he begot upon her many sons but 〈◊〉 jealous of her husband destroyed them as soon as they were born punishing Lamia also with a restless estate that she should never be able to sleep but live night and day in continual mourning for which occasion she also stealeth away and killeth the children of others where-upon came the fable of changing of children Jupiter having pity upon her gave her exemptile eyes that might be taken in and out at her own pleasure and likewise power to be transformed into what shape she would And from hence also came the faigned name of Acho and Al 〈…〉 wherewithal women were wont to make their children afraid according to these verses of 〈◊〉 Terrioblas Lamias Fuuni quas Pompiltique Institueâ—e Nuâ—ae tremithas c. Of these Angelus Politianus relateth this old wives story in his preface upon Aristotles first book of Analyticks that his Grand-mother told him when he was a childe there were certain Lamiae in the Wilderness which like Bug bears would eat up erying boys and that there was a little Well near to Fesulanum being very bright yet in continual shadow never seeing Sun where those Phairy women have their habitation which are to be seen of them which come thither for water Plutarch also affirmeth that they have exemptile eyes as aforesaid and that as often as they go from home they put in their eyes wandring abroad by habitations streets and cross ways entring into the assemblies of men and prying so perfectly into every thing that nothing can escape them be it never so well covered you will think saith he that they have the eyes of Kites for there is no small mote but they espy it nor any hole so secret but they finde it out and when they come home again at the very entrance of their house they pull out their eyes and cast them aside so being blinde at home but seeing abroad If you ask me saith he what they do at home they fit singing and making of wool and then turning his speech to the Florentins speaketh in this manner Vidistisne â—â—secro Lamias istas viri Florentini quae se sua nesciunt alios aliena specu antur Negatis atqui tamen sunt in urbibus friquentes verum personatae incedient homines credas Lamiae sunt that is to say O ye Floremines did you ever see such Phairies which were busie in prying into the affairs of other men but yet ignorant of their own Do you deny it yet do there commonly walk up and down the City Phairies in the shapes of men There were two women called Macho and Lamo which were both foolish and mad and from the strange behaviours of them I came the first opinion of the Phairies there was also an ancient Lybian woman called Lamia and the opinion was that if these Phairies had not whatsoever they demanded presently they would take away live children according to these verses of Horace Nec quodcunque â—olet poscat sibi fabula credi Neu pransae Lamiae vivum puerum extrabat alvo It is reported of Mâ—nippus the Lycian that he fell in love with a strange woman who at that time seemed both beautiful tender and rich but in truth there was no such thing and all was but a fantastical ostentation she was said to insinuate herself into his famillarity after this manner as he went upon a day alone from Corinth to Conchrea he met with a certain phantasm or spectre like a beautiful woman who took him by the hand and told him that she was a Phoenician woman and of long time had loved him dearly having sought many occasions to manifest the same but could never finde opportunity until that day wherefore she entreated him to take knowledge of her house which was in the Suburbs of Corinth therewithal pointing unto it with her finger and so desired his presence The young man seeing himself thus wooâ—d by a beautiful woman was easily overcome by her allurements and did oftentimes frequent her company 〈…〉 pus in this manner O formose a formosis expetite mulieribus ophin thalpeis cai su ophis that to say O fair Menippus beloved of beautiful women art thou a Serpent and dost nourish a Serpent by which words he gave him his first admonition or inkling of a mischief but not prevailing Menippus purposed to marry with this Spectre her house to the outward shew being richly furnished with all manner of houshold goods then said the wise man again unto Menippus th 〈…〉 gold silver and ornaments of house are like to Tantalus Apples who are said by Homer to make a fair shew but to contain in them no substance at all even so whatsoever you conceive of this riche 〈…〉 there is no matter or substance in the things which you see for they are only inchanted Images and shadows which that you may believe this your neat Bride is one of the Empusae called Lamiae of Mormolyciae wonderful desirous of copulation with men and loving their flesh above measure but those whom they do entice with their venereal marts afterward they devoure without love or pity feeding upon their flesh at which words
put a Golden collar and so sent him away with liberty Antiochus one of Alexanders successors had two Elephants one of them he likewise called Ajax in imitation of Alexander and the other Patroclus of which two this story is reported by Antipater That when Antiochus came to a certain ford or deep water Ajax which was alway the Captain of the residue having sounded the depth thereof refused to passe over and turned back again then the King spake to the Elephants and pronounced that he which would passe over should have principality over the residue whereupon Patroclus gave the adventure and passed over safely and received from the King the silver trappings and all other prerogatives of principality the other seeing it which had alway been chief till that time preferred death before ignominy and disgrace and so would never after eat meat but famished for sorrow They are bred in the hot Eastern Countries for by reason they can endure no cold they keep only in the East and South Among all the Indian Elephants are greatest strongest and tallest and there are among them of two sorts one greater which are called Prasii the other smaller called Taxilae They be also bred in Africa in Lybia much greater then a Nysaean Horse and yet every way inferiour to the Indian for which cause if an African Elephant do but see an Indian he trembleth and laboureth by all means to get out of his sight as being guilty of their own weakness There are Elephants also in the Isle Taprobane and in Sumatra in Africa They are bred in Lybia in Aethiopia among the Troglodytae and in the Mountain Atlas Syrtes Zames and Sala the seven Mountains of Tingitania and in the Countrey of Basman subject to the great Cham. Some Authors affirm that the African Elephants are much greater then the Indian but with no greater reason then Columella writeth that there be as great beasts found in Italy as Elephants are whereunto no sound Author ever yeelded Of all earthly creatures an Elephant is the greatest for in India they are nine cubits high and five cubits broad in Africa fourteen or fifteen full spans which is about eleven foot high and proportionable in breadth which caused Aelianus to write that one Elephant is as big as three Bugils and among these the Males are ever greater then the Females In the Kingdom of Melinda in Africk there were two young ones not above six monthes old whereof the â—east was as great as the greatest Ox but his flesh was as much as you shall finde in two Oxen the other was much grater Their colour is for the most part mouse-colour or black and there was one all white in Ethiopia The skin looketh pieled and scabby it is most hard on the back but softer underneath the belly having no covering of hair or gristles nor yet help by his tail to drive away the flies for that evill doth this beast feel in his great body but alway hath crevises in his skin which by their savour do invite the little flies to a continual feast but when by stretching forth they have received the swarmes by shrinking together again they inclose the flies and so kill them so that these crevises in his skin are unto him in stead of a main tail and hair yet there are some few hairs which grow scattering upon his hide whereof some have been brought out of America into Germany which were two palms long but not so stiffe as Swines Grandia taurorum portant qui corpora quaeris An Lybicas possint sustinuisse trabes There is a certain Book extant without the name of the Author written of Judea or the Holy land wherein the Author affirmeth that he saw an Elephants tooth sold to a Venetian Merchant for six and thirty Ducats it being fourteen spans long and four spans broad and it weighed so heavy that he could not move it from the ground Vartomanus also saith that he saw in the Isle of Sumatra two Elephants teeth which weighed three hundred six and thirty pounds This is certain that the teeth of those Elephants which live in the Marishes and watry places are so smooth and hard as they seem intractable and in some places they have holes in them and again certain bunches as big as hail-stones which are so hard as no art or instrument can work upon them The Elephants of the Mountains have lesser and whiter teeth fit to be applyed to any work but the best of all are the teeth of the Campestrial and field Elephants which are whitest and softest and may well be handled without all pain The teeth of the female are more pretious then of the male and these they lose every tenth year which falling off they bury and cover in the earth pressing them down by sitting upon them and then heal them over with earth by their feet and so in short time the grasse groweth upon them for as when they are hunted they know it is for no other cause then their teeth so also when they lose their teeth they desire to keep them from men lest the virtues of them being discovered they which bear them should enjoy the lesse peace and security It is admirable what devises the people of India and Africa have invented by natural observation to finde out these buried teeth which unto us living in the remote parts of the world we would judge impossible by any ordinary or lawful course except we should turn up the earth of a whole Countrey or go to work by diabolical conjuration yet have they found out this facile and ready course In the woods or fields where they suspect these teeth to be buried they bring forth pots or bottles of water and disperse them here one there another and so let them stand and tarry to watch them so one sleepeth another singeth or bestoweth his time as he pleaseth after a little time they go and look in their pots and if the teeth lie near their bottles by an unspeakable and secret attractive power in nature they draw all the water out of them that are neer them which the watchman taketh for a sure sign and so diggeth about his bottle till he finde the tooth but if their bottles be not emptied they remove to seek in another place These Ivory teeth have been alway of great estimation among all the Nations that ever knew them the Ethiopians payed for a tribute unto the King of Persia every third year twenty of these teeth hung about with gold and Jet-wood These are sold by weight and there be many which deceive the world with the bones of Fishes in stead hereof but the true Ivory is paler and heavier and falling upon the ground will easily break whereas the bones of Fishes are more tenacious light and strong It is like to the Chernites wherein Darius was entombed and the Marble called Lapis Coraliticus Coral stone like unto this is the Alagi
a venemous creature yet is it an enemy to the Serpent for when she seeth a Serpent lie under her tree in the shadow she weaveth or twisteth a thred down from her web upon the head of the Serpent and suddenly biteth into his head a mortal wound so that he can do nothing but only roul to and fro being stricken with a Megrim whereby he hath not so much power as to break the Spiders thred hanging over his head untill he be dead and overthrown The Cockatrice is such an enemy to some kinde of Serpents that he killeth them with his breath or hissing The Lizard a kinde of Serpent is most friendly to man and very irefull against Serpents to the uttermost of his power whereof Erasmus in his book of Friendship telleth this story I saw saith he on a day a very great Lizard fighting with a Serpent in the very mouth of a Cave at the first sight whereof I marvailed at the matter for the Serpent was not visible out of the earth there was with me an Italian who said that surely the Lizard had some enemy within the Cave After a little while the Lizard came unto us and shewed us his side all wounded as it were craving help for the Serpent had bitten him sore for of green he made him appear red and this Lizard did suffer himself to be touched of us Thus saith Erasmus Again in the same place he saith that when a Lizard saw a Serpent lye in wait to set upon a man being asleep the Lizard ran to the man and never ceased running upon the mans face scratching his neck and face gently with his clawes untill he had awaked the man and so discovered to him his great danger The Locust also fighteth with a Serpent and killeth him when he lusteth for he getteth hold with his teeth upon his lower chap and so destroyeth him but this is not to be understood of every kinde of Locust but only of one kinde which for this cause is called Ophiomachum genus The Serpent is also an enemy to the Chamaeleon for in the extremity of famine she setteth upon them and except the Chamaeleon can cover herself from his rage he hath no defence but death Albertus calleth a certain Worm Spoliator colubri because as he saith it will take fast hold upon a Serpents neck underneath his jawes and never give over till he hath wearied and destroyed his adversary The Tortoises are enemies to Serpents and will fight with them but before they enter combat they arm themselves with wilde Marjoram or Penniroyall But there is not any thing in the world that fighteth more earnestly against Serpents then Sea-crabs and Crevises for when the Sun is in Cancer Serpents are naturally tormented with pains and feavers and therefore if Swine be stung or bitten with Serpents they cure themselves by eating of Sea-crabs There is a great water neer Ephesus at the one side whereof there is a Cave full of many noysome and irefull Serpents whose bitings by often probation have been very deadly both to men and beasts These Serpents do often times endevour to crawl over the pool now on the other side there are great store of Crabs who when they see the Serpents come crawling or swimming they instantly put out their crooked legs and as it were with tongs or pinsers reach at the sliding Serpent wherewithall the Serpents are so deterred that through their sight and often remembrance of their unhappy successe with them they turn back again and never dare any more adventure to the other side Where we may see the most wise providence of the Creator who hath set Sea-crabs the enemies of Serpents to guard both men and Cattell which are on the opposite side for otherwise the inhabitants would all perish or else be drove away from their dwellings To conclude not only living Creatures but also some kinde of earth and Plants are enemies to Serpents And therefore most famous are Ebusus and Creet as some say although Bellonius say that there are Scolopendraes Vipers and Slow-worms in Creet yet he saith they are without venom and there are very few in England and Scotland but none at all in Ireland neither will they live if they be brought in thither from any other Countrey This antipathy with Serpents proceedeth from living to dead and vegetable things as trees herbs and plants as may be seen by this discourse following There is such vertue in the Ash-tree that no Serpent will endure to come neer either the morning or evening shadow of it yea though very far distant from them they do so deadly hate it We set down nothing but that we have found true by experience If a great fire be made and the same fire encircled round with Ashen boughs and a Serpent put betwixt the fire and the Ashen boughs the Serpent will sooner run into the fire then come neer the Ashen boughs Thus saith Pliny Olaus Magnus saith that those Northern Countreys which have great store of Ash-trees do want venemous beasts of which opinion is also Pliny Callimachus saith there is a Tree growing in the land of Trachinia called Smilo to which if any Serpents do either come neer or touch they forthwith die Democritus is of opinion that any Serpent will die if you cast Oken-leaves upon him Pliny is of opinion that Alcibiadum which is a kinde of wilde Buglosse is of the same use and quality and further being chewed if it be spit upon any Serpent that it cannot possibly live In time of those solemn Feasts which the Athenians dedicated to the Goddesse Ceres their women did use to lay and strew their beds with the leaves of the Plant called Agnos because Serpents could not endure it and because they imagined it kept them chaste whereupon they thought the name was given it The herb called Rosemary is terrible to Serpents The Egyptians do give it out that Polydamna the wife of Thorris their King taking pity upon Helen caused her to be set on shore in the Island of Pharus and bestowed upon her an hearb whereof there was plenty that was a great enemy to Serpents whereof the Serpents having a feeling sense as they say and so readily known of them they straightwayes got them to their surking holes in the earth and Helen planted this herb who coming to the knowledge thereof she perceived that in his due time it bore a seed that was a great enemy to Serpents and thereupon was called Helenium as they that are skilfull in Plants affirm and it groweth plentifully in Pharus which is a little Isle against the mouth of Nilus joyned to Alexandria with a Bridge Rue called of some Herb of grace especially that which groweth in Lybia is but a back friend to Serpents for it is most dry and therefore causing Serpents soon to faint and lose their courage because as S 〈…〉 catus affirmeth it induceth a kinde of heavinesse or
unto this which is thus Take of Bryony Opopanax of the root of Iris Illirica and of the root of Rosemary and of Ginger of each of these three drams of Aristolochia five drams of the best Turpentine of wilde Rue of each three drams of the meal of Orobus two drams make them into Trochisces with Wine every one weighing one scruple and a half or two scruples to be given in Wine Galen in his second Book De antidotis chapter 49. discourseth of a certain Theriacal medicament called Zopyria antidotus so taking the name of one Zopyrus which was notable against all poysons and bitings of venomous creeping creatures This Zopyrus in his Letters written unto Mithridates sollicited him very much that he would make some experiment of his Antidote which as he put him in minde he might easily do by causing any one that was already condemned to die to drink down some poyson aforehand and then to take the Antidote or else to receive the Antidote and after that to drink some poyson And put him in remembrance to try it also in those that were wounded any manner of way by Serpents or those that were hurt by Arrows or Darts anointed or poysoned by any destroying venom So all things being dispatched according to his praemonition the Man notwithstanding the strength of the poyson was preserved safe and sound by this alexipharmatical medicine of Zopyrus Matthiolus in his Preface upon the sixth Book of Dioscorides entreating of Antidotes and preservatives from poyson saith that at length after long study and travail he had found out an Antidote whose vertue was wonderful and worthy admiration and it is a certain quintessence extracted from many simples which he setteth down in the same place He saith it is of such force and efficacie that the quantity of four drams being taken either by it self or with the like quantity of some sweet senting Wine or else with some distilled water which hath some natural property to strengthen the heart if that any person hath either been wounded or strucken of any venomous living thing and that the patients life be therewith in danger so that he hath lost the use of his tongue seeing and for the most part all his other senses yet for all that by taking this his Quintessence it will recover and raise him as it were out of a dead sleep from sickness to health to the great astonishment and admiration of the standers by They that desire to know the composition of this rare preservative let them read it in the Author himself for it is too long and tedious to describe it at this time There be besides these compounds many simple medicines which being taken inwardly do perform the same effect as namely the Thistle whereupon Serenus hath these verses following Carduus nondum doctis fullonibus aptus Ex illo radix tepido potatur in amni That is to say The root of Teasil young for Fullers yet unfit Drunk in warm water venom out doth spit That Thistle which Qu. Serenus here understandeth is properly that plant which of the Greeks is called Scolymos Yet it is taken sometimes for other prickly plants of the same kinde as for both the Chamaeleons Dipsacos or Labrum Veneris Spina alba Eryngium and some other But Dioscorides attributeth the chiefest vertue against poysons to the Thistle called Chamaeleon albus and to the Sea-thistle called Eryngium marinum which some call Sea-hul or Hulver for in his third book and ninth chapter entreating of Chamaeleon albus he saith thus The root of it taken with Wine inwardly is as good as Treacle against any venom and in the 21 chapter of the same Book Eryngium is saith he taken to good purpose with some Wine against the biting of venomous creatures or any poyson inwardly taken And the same Serenus adscribeth to the same vertue to the Harts curd or rennet as followeth Cervino ex soetu commixta coagula viâ—o Sumantur quaeres membris agit atra venena In English thus Wine mixt with Rennet taken from a Hart So drunk doth venom from the members part He meaneth a young Hart being killed in the Dams belly as Pliny affirmeth also the same in his 8. Book and 30. chapter in these words The chiefest remedy against the biting of Serpents is made of the Coagulum of a Fawn kill'd and cut out of the belly of his Dam. Coagulum is nothing else but that part in the belly which is used to thicken the Milk Proderit caulem cum vino haurire sambuci Qu. Serenus Which may be Englished thus In drink the powder of an Elder-stalk Gainst poison profiteth as some men talk That vertue which Serenus here giveth to the stalk of Dwarf Elder for that is meant in this place the same effect Dioscorides attributeth to the root in his fourth Book and Pliny to the leaves The herb called Betony is excellent against these foresaid affects and by good reason for the greatest part of poysons do kill through their excess of coldness and therefore to overcome and resist them such means are necessary by which natural and lively heat is stirred up and quickned and so the poyson hindred from growing thick together and from coagulation Again all men do agree that those medicines are profitable which do extenuate as all those do which have a property to provoke urine and Betony is of this quality and therefore being taken with Wine it must needs do good in venomous bitings and that not only in the bitings of Men and Apes but in Serpents also Radish also hath the same quality being taken with Vinegar and Water boiled together 〈◊〉 else outwardly applyed as Serenus affirmeth Sive homo seu similis turpissima bestia nobis Vulnera dente dedit virus simul intulit atrum Vetonicam ex duro prodest assumere Baccho Nec non raphani cortex decocta medetur Si trita admorâ—is fuerit circumlita membris In English thus If Man or Ape a filthy beast most like to us By biting wound and therein poyson thrust Then Betony in hard Wine steeped long Or rinde of Radish sod as soft as pap Do heal applyed to the members stâ—â—g There be certain herbs and simples as wilde Lettice Vervin the root called Rhubarb Agarick Oyl of Oliander and the leaves of the same the seeds of Peony with a great number a little before described that being taken either inwardly or outwardly in juyce or powder do cure poyson yea though it be received by hurt from envenomed arrows shafts or other warlike engines and weapons for the Arabians Indians the Galls now tearmed French-men and Scythians were wont to poyson their arrows as Paulus Orosius in his third Book testifieth of the Indians where he writeth how Alexander the Great in his conquering and winning of a certain City under the government of King Ambira lost the greatest part there of his whole Army with envenomed darts and quarrels And Celsus in his fifth Book saith that
the ancient Galles were wont to anoint their arrows with the juyce of white Hellebore with which they they did great mischief Pliny affirmeth the same to be used of the Scythian Nation The Scythians saith he do anoint their Arrow-heads with the corrupt poysonous and filthy stained dreggy bloud of Vipers and with Mans bloud mixed together so that the wound seemeth to be incurable And to this alludeth Quintus Serenus Cuspide non quisquam longa neque caede sarissae Fulmine non gladii volucris nec felle sagittae Quà m cito Vipereo potis est affligier ictu Quare aptam dicamus opem succosque manentes Which may be thus Englished There is no Man with Spear or Launces point Sharp edge of Sword or swift Arrows might To kill so soon as Vipers force doth dint Then fit is the aid and means that it acquite There is a certain kinde of people to whom it is naturally given either by touching or sucking to cure the wounding of venomous Serpents called Psylli a people of Lybia and Marsi people of Italy bordering upon the Samnites and Aequiculania and those that were called by the Ancient Writers Ophiogenes which dwelt about Hellespont as both Pliny Aelianus and Aeneas Sylvius do witness Callias in his tenth Book of the history which he wrote of Agathocles the Syracusan saith that if any man were bitten of a Serpent if either a Lybian by birth or any Psyllus whose body was accounted venom to Serpents was either purposely sent for or came that way by chance and saw the wound but indifferently and not very sore tormenting the Patient that if he did lay but a little of his spittle upon the biting or stroke that presently the aking and pain would be mitigated But if he found the sick Patient in great and intolerable anguish and pain he took this course iâ— his curation that first he would suck and draw up into his mouth a great deal of water and first riâ—se and wash his own mouth therewith and after this pouring it all out of his own mouth into a cup he would give it to the poor wounded person to sup off Lastly if the malignity and strength of the venom had crept and spread it self very far and deep into the body so that there was danger of death then would he strip himself stark naked and so lie and spread his body upon the naked body of the sick person and so by this way of touching break the malice and quality of the poyson and give perfect cure to the man For more confirmation hereof Nicander Colophonius is sufficient auâ—hority whose verses I will here describe Audivi Libycos Psyllos quos aspera Syrtis Serpentumque ferax patria alit populos Non ictu inflictum diro morsuve venenum Laedere quin laesis ferre opem reliquis Non vi radicum proprio sed corpore juncto Which is in English thus The people Psylli bred in Lybia Land Neer Syrtes where all Serpents do abound Are never stung nor bitten by that band Vnto their harm or any bodies wound But straight one naked man anothers burt doth heal No roots but bodies vertue danger doth repeal Some of the Greeks have left in writing that the Idolatrous Priests and Prelates of the God Vulcan that dwelt in Isle Lemnos had a special vertue given them to cure those who were wounded by Serpents whereupon it is said that Philoctetes being wounded by a Serpent before the Altar of Apollo went thither to be remedied of his hurt Cornelius Celsus saith flatly that the people called Psylli had no such peculiar gift in healing them that were hurt of Serpents either by sucking or touching the place but being boldly adventurous had presumed thereby to attempt and do that which others of less courage had no stomach to do for whosoever durst be so confident as to follow their example should be himself out of danger and assure the other safe and free from fear of further hurt Galen in his book De Theriaca ad Pisonem manifestly sheweth that the Marsi who lived in his days had no such special quality against the poyson of Serpents but that with their crafty dealing and knavish tricks they beguiled the common people For saith he those Juglers and Deceivers do never hunt Vipers at any convenient time but long after the prime of the year and Spring wherein they cast their skins when as they are weak and have lost their strength and are very faint then do they take them and so by long use and continuance teach them and inure themselves one to another and bring it so to pass that they wil feed them with strange and unaccustomed meats to their nature yea they will permit them to tast of flesh and constrain them to be continually gnawing and biting of the same that by their so labouring and striving their poyson may by little and little be spent and purged out of their bellies Besides all this they give them a kinde of bread made of milk and flour that by this means the holes in their teeth may be stopped and so by this laborious course of dieting them they bring the matter so about that their bitings are very weak and do small annoyance to any that they strike at So that the seers and lookers on account it a thing exceeding common reason and nature and blaze it abroad for a miracle Matthiolus also a Physitian of late days agreeth with him in this point affirming expresly that these kinde of trumperies and crafty fetches are much put in practise in these times by such bold and impudent Quacksalvers Mountebanks and couseners of plain Countrey people who dare face it out lie faign and cog that they are descended from the race and linage of Saint Paul wherein they shew themselves notorious lyers c. Thus far Matthiolus Serpents do sometimes creep into the mouths of them that are fast asleep whereupon a certain Poet saith Non mihi tunc libeat dorso jacuisse per herbdnt Which may be Englished thus Then would I not upon the grass Lie on my back where Serpents pass For if a man sleep open mouthed they slily convey themselves in and winde and roll them round in compass so taking up their lodging in the stomach and then is the poor wretched man miserably and pitifully tormented his life is more bitter then death neither feeleth he any release or mitigation of his pain unless it be by feeding this his unwelcome guest in his guest-chamber with good store of milk and such other meats as Serpents best like of The only remedy against this mischief is to eat good store of Garlick as Erasmus in his Dial. De Amicitia saith Cardan saith how that it was reported for a certain that a Viper entring into a Mans mouth being asleep and gaping with his mouth the venomous Worm was expelled only with burning of Leather and so receiving the stinking fume at his mouth the Viper not enduring it he
of the Hebrews Deborah the Arabians term them Albara N 〈…〉 halea and Zâ—har the Illyrians and Sclavonians Wezilla the Italians Ape Api Vna sticha Mosâ—atellâ— Ape or Scoppa Pecchi the Spaniards Abeia Frenchmen Mousches au miel the Germans Ee 〈…〉 The Flemings Bie the Polonians Pzizota the Irish men Camilii In Wales a Bee is called Gwenâ—v Amongst the Grecians they have purchased sundry names according to the diversity of Nations Countries and places but the most vulgar name is Melissa and in Hesiodus Meliâ— Othersome call a Bee Plastis á fingendo of framing Some again Anthedon and of their colour 〈…〉 hai Of their Offices and charge Egemones ab imperando from governing Sirenes à suavi cantu from their sweet voyce The Latines call them by one general name Apis and Apesd Varro sometimes terms th 〈…〉 Aveâ— but very improperly for they might better be named Volucres not Aves So much for their names 〈…〉 ow to the de 〈…〉 Bees even by nature are much different for some are more domestical and tame and other again are altogether wilde uplandish and agrestial Those former are much delighted with the familiar friendship custom and company of men but these can in no wife brook or endure them but rather keep their trade of Honey-making in old trees caves holes and in the ruders and rubbish of old walls and houses Of tame Bees again some of them live in pleasant and delightful Gardens and abounding with all sweet senting and odoriferous plants and herbs and these are great soft sat and big bellyed Others again there be of them that live in Towns and Villages whose study and labour is to gather Honey from such plants as come next to hand and which grow farther off and these are lesser in proportion of body rough and more unpleasant in handling but in labour industry wit and cunning far surpassing the former Of both sorts of these some have stings as all true Bees have others again are without a sting as counterfeit and bastardly Bees which even like the idle sluggish lither and ravenous cloystered Monks thrice worse then theeves you shall see to be more gorbellied have larger throats and bigger bodies yet neither excellent or markable either for any good behaviour and conditions or gifts of the minde Men call these unprofitable cattle and good for nothing Fuci that is Drones either because they would seem to be labourers when indeed they are not or because that under the colour and pretence of labour for you shall sometime have them to carry wax and to be very bufie in forming and making Honey-combes they may eat up all the Honey These Drones are of a more blackish colour some-what shining and are easily known by the greatnesse of their bodies Besides some Bees are descended of the Kingly race and born of the bloud Royal whereof Aristotle maketh two sorts a yellow kinde which is the more noble and the black garnished with divers colours Some make three Kings differing in colour as black red and divers coloured Menecrates saith that those who are of sundry colours are the worser but in case they have diversity of colour with some blacknesse they are esteemed the better He that is elected Monarch Caesar and Captain General of the whole swarm is ever of a tall personable and heroical stature being twice so high as the rest his wings shorter his legs straight brawny and strong his gate pace and manner of waâ—â—ing is more lofty stately and upright of a venerable countenance and in his fore-head there is a certain red spot or mark with a Diadem for he far differeth from the popular and inferiour sort in his comelinesse beauty and honour The Prince of Philosophers confoundeth the sex of Bees but the greatest company of learned Writers do distinguish them whereof they make the feminine sort to be the greater Others again will have them the lesser with a sting but the sounder sort in my judgement will neither know nor acknowledge any other males besides their Dulles and Princes who are more able and handsome greater and stronger then any of the rest who stay ever at home and very seldom unlesse with the whole Swarm they stir out of doors as those whom nature had pointed out to be the fittest to be stander-bearers and to carry ancients in the camp of Venus and ever to be ready at the elbows of their loves to do them right Experience teaching us that these do sit on Egges and after the manner of birds do carefully cherish and make much of their young after the thin membrane or skin wherein they are enclosed is broken The difference of their age is known by the form state and habit of their bodies For the young Bees have very thin and trembling wings but they that are a year old as they that are two or three years of age are very trim gay bright-shining and in very good plight and liking of the colour of Oyl But those that have reached to seaven years have layed away all their flatness and smoothness neither can any man afterwards either by their figure and quality of their bodies or skins judge or discern certainly their age as we say by experience in Horses For the elder sort of them are rough hard thin and lean scrags starvelings loathsome to touch and to look upon somewhat long nothing but skin and bone yet very notorious and goodly to see to in regard of their gravity hoariness and anciency But as they be in form and shape nothing so excellent so yet in experience and industry they far out-strip the younger sort as those whom time hath made more learned and length of days joyned with use hath sufficiently instructed and brought up in the Art or trade of Honey-making The place likewise altereth one whiles their form and sometimes again their nature as their sex and age do both For in the Islands of Molucca there be Bees very like to winged Pismires but somewhat lesser then the greater Bees as Maximilian Transilvonus in an Epistle of his written to the Bishop of Salspurge at large relateth it Andrew Thevet in his book that he wrote of the New-found World Chap. 51. amongst other matters reporteth that he did see a company of flies or Honey-bees about a tree named Vhebehason which then was green with the which these Honey-bees do live and nourish themselves of the which trees there were a great number in a hole that was in a tree wherein they made Honey and Wax There is two kindes of the Honey-bees one kinde are as great as ours the which cometh not only but of good smelling flowers also their Honey is very good but their Wax not so yellow as ours There is another kinde half so great as the other their Honey is better then the other and the wilde men name them Hira They live not with the others food which to my judgement maketh their Wax to be as black as
Many of those which have stings do forgoe and quite lose them when Winter draweth on as some make reckoning but it was never my hap to see this saith the Philosopher in his 9. Book De hist Animal capit 41. If you catch a Wasp holding her fast by the feet suffering her to make her usual humming sound you shall have all those that lack stings presently come flying about you which the stinged Wasps never are seen to do Therefore some hold this as a good reason to prove that the one should be the male the other the female Both these sorts both wilde and unwilde have been seen to couple toger after the manner of flies Besides in respect of sex both kindes of Wasps are divided into Captains or Ring-leaders and into labourers those former are ever greater in quantity and of more calm disposition these other both lesser more froward testy peevish and divers The males of labourers never live one whole year out but all of them die in the Winter time which is evident by this because in the very beginning of cold weather they are as it were frozen or benummed and in the depth or midst of hard winter a man shall hardly or never see any of them But yet for all that their Dukes or principal Chieftains are seen all the Winter long to lie hid in their lurking holes under the earth and indeed many men when they plowed or broke up the ground and digged in Winter have found of this sort But as for the labouring Wasp I never as yet heard of any that could finde them Their Principal or Captain is broader thicker more ponderous and greater then the male Wasp and so not very swift in flight for the weightinesse of their bodies is such an hinderance to them that they cannot flie very far whereby it cometh to passe that they ever remain at home in their hives there making and devising their combes of a certain glutinous matter or substance brought unto them by the Work-wasps thus spending their time in executing and doing all those duties that are meet intheir Cells Wasps are not long lived for their Dukes who live longest do not exceed two years And the labouring that is the male Wasps together with Autumn make an end of their days Yea which is more strange whether their Dukes or Captains of the former year after they have ingendered and brought forth new sprung up Dukes do die together with the new Wasps and whether this do come to passe after one and the self same order or whether yet they do and may live any longer time divers men do diversly doubt All men hold the wilder kinde to be more strong of nature and to continue and hold out the longer For why these other making their nests neer unto common high-ways and beaten paths do live in more hazard lie open to divers injuries and so more subject to shortnesse of life The brevity of their life is after a sort recompensed and some part of amends made by the rare clammy glewishnesse of the same for if you separate their bulks from the head and the head from the breast they will live a long while after and thrust out their sting almost as strongly as if they were undivideable and free from hurt and deaths harm Apollonius calleth Wasps Omotoroi and Aristotle Meloboroi although they do not only feed on raw flesh but also on Pears Plums Grapes Raisins and on divers and sundry sorts of flowers and fruits of the juyce of Elms Sugar Honey and in a manner of all things that are seasoned tempered made pleasant or prepared with either of these two last rehearsed Pliny in his 11. Book capit 53. is of opinion that some Wasps especially those of the wilder and feller kinde do eat the flesh of Serpents which is the cause that death hath sometimes ensued of their poysonous stinging They also hunt after great flies not one whit sparing the harmlesse Bees who by their good deeds have so well deserved According to the nature of the soyl and place they do much differ in their outward form and fashion of their body and in the manner of their qualities and dispositions of their minde for the common Wasps being acquainted and familiarly used to the company of Men and Beasts are the gentler but the Hermites and solitary Wasps are more rude churlish and tempestuous yea Nicander tearmeth them Oloous that is pernicious They are also more unhappy dangerous and deadly in very hot Countries as Ovidius reporteth and namely in the West-Indies where both in their magnitude and figure there is great difference betwixt theirs and ours so that they are accounted far more poysonous and deadly then either the English French Spanish or Barbarian Wasps Some of these dangerous generation do also abound in exceeding cold Countries as Olaus Magnus in his 22. Book telleth us Their use is great and singular for besides that they serve for food to those kind of Hawks which are called Kaistrels or Fleingals Martinets Swallows Owls to Brocks or Badgers and to the Camelion they also do great pleasure and service to men sundry ways for the kill the Phalangium which is a kinde of venomous Spider that hath in all his legs three knots or joynts whose poyson is perilous and deadly and yet Wasps do cure their wounds Raynard the Fox likewise who is so full of his wiles and crafty shifting is reported to lie in wait to betray Wasps after this sort The wily thief thrusteth his bushy tail into the Wasps nest there holding it so long until he perceive it to be full of them then drawing it slily forth he beateth and smiteth his tail full of Wasps against the next stone or tree never resting so long as he seeth any of them alive and thus playing his Fox like parts many times together at last he setteth upon their combes devouring all that he can finde Pliny greatly commendeth the so litary Wasp to be very effectual against a Quartain Ague if you catch her with your left hand and tie or fasten her to any part of your body always provided that it must be the first Wasp that you lay hold on that year Mizaldus memor Cent. 7. attributeth great vertue to the distilled water and likewise to the decoction of common Wasps affirming expresly that if any part be therewith anointed it straight ways causeth it to swell monstrously and to be pussed up that you would imagine them to be sick of a Dropsie and this course crafty drabs and queans use to perswade their sweet hearts that they are forsooth with childe by them thus many times beguiling and blinding the eyes of wary and expert Midwives Whereupon we may very confidently conclude that their poyson is very hot flatulous or windy Some do prole after Wasps and kill them by other sleights and devises For when the labourers do much use and frequent Elms which they do very often about the Summer solstice to gather
or hip his verses be these Meriones d' apiontos iei chalkere oiston Kai r'ebale gloucon kata dexion autar oistos Antikron kata kustin up ' osteon exeperesen Ezomenos de cat ' authi philon en chersin etairon Thumon apopneion oste scolex epi gaia Keito tacheis ecd ' aima melan ree deue de gaian Id est Meriones autem in abeuntem misit aeream sagittam Et vulneravit coxam ad dextram ac sagitta E regione per vesicam sub os penetravit Residens autem illic charorum inter manus sociorum Animam efflans tanquam vermis super terram Jacebat extensus sanguisque effluebat â—ingebat autem terram That is to say But as he went away behold Meriones With brazen dart did his right hip-bone wound Which neer the bladder did the bone through pierce In friends deer hands he dyed upon the ground So stretcht upon the earth as Worm he lyed Black bloud out flowing the same bedyed Mark well the slendernesse of this comparison whereby he would give us to understand the base estate and faint heart of Harpalion For in other places having to write of noble valiant and magnanimous persons when they were ready to give up the ghost he useth the words Sphadazein Bruchein and the like to these secretly insinuating to us that they fell not down dead like impotent Cowards or timorous abjects but that they raged like Lions with grinding and gnashing their teeth together that they were blasted benummed or suddenly deprived of all their lives and senses c. But here this pusillanimous and sordidous minded man Harpalion seemed to be disgraced by his resembling to a poor Worm being peradventure a man of so small estimation and vile condition as that no greater comparison seemed to fit him It seemeth he was a man but of a faint courage and very weak withall because striking and thrusting with his Spear or Javellin at the Shield or Target of Atrides he was not able to strike it through But although this famous Poet doth so much seem to extenuate and debase a weak Worm yet others have left us in their writings such commendations of their singular use and necessity for the recovery of mans health then which no earthly thing is more pretious and have so nobilitated the worth of these poor contemptible Creatures as I think nature as yet hath scarse given any other simple Medicine or experience found out by tract of time nor knowledge of plants by long study hath revealed nor Paracelsus by the Distillations of his Limbeck hath made known to the world any secret endued with so many vertues and excellent properties against so many diseases and for proof hereof it shall not be beside the purpose to examine and describe the rarest and most probable that are recorded amongst the learned Earth-worms do mollifie conglutinate appease pain and by their terrestrial and withall water ish humidity they do contemper any affected part orderly and measurably moderating any excesse whatsoever The powder of Worms is thus prepared They use to take the greatest Earth-worm that can be found and to wrap them in Mosse suffering them there to remain for a certain time thereby the better to purge and clense them from that clammy and filthy slimynesse which outwardly cleaveth to their bodies When all this is done they presse hard the hinder-part of their bodies neer to the tail squeesing out thereby their excrements that no impurity so neer as is possible may be retained in them Thirdly they use to put them into a pot or some fit vessel with some white Wine and a little salt and straining them gently between the fingers they first of all cast away that Wine and then do they pour more Wine to them and after the washing of the Worms they must also take away some of the Wine for it must not all be poured away as some would have it and this must so often be done and renewed until the Wine be passing clear without any filth or drossinesse for by this way their slimy jelly and glutinous evil quality is clear lost and spent Being thus prepared they are to be dryed by little and little in an Oven so long till they may be brought to powder which being beaten and searsed it is to be kept in a Glasse vessel far from the fire by it self A dram of this powder being commixed with the juyce of Marigolds cureth the Epilepsie with some sweet Wine as Muscadel Bastard or the Metheglin of the Welchmen It helpeth the Dropsie With white Wine and Myrrhe the Jaundise with new Wine or Hydromel the Stone Ulcers of the Reins and Bladder It stayeth also the loosnesse of the belly helpeth barrennesse and expelleth the Secondine it asswageth the pain of the hanch or hipâ— by some the Sciatica it openeth obstructions of the Liver driveth away Tertian Agues and expelleth all Worms that are bred in the Guts being given and taken with the decoction or distilled Water of Germander Worm-wood Southern-wood Garlick Scordum Centory and such like The decoction of Worms made with the juyce of Knot-grasse or Comfery Salomons Seal or Sarasius compound cureth the disease tearmed by Physitians Diabetes when one cannot hold his water but that it runneth from him without stay or as fast as he drinketh A Glyster likewise made of the decoction of Earth-worms and also taken accordingly doth marvellously asswage and appease the pain of the Hemorrhoids There be some that give the decoction of Earth-worms to those persons that have any congealed or clotted bloud in their bodies and that with happy successe The vertue of Earth-worms is exceedingly set forth both by the Grecians and Arabians to encrease Milk in womens breasts Hieronymus Mercurialis a learned Physitian of Italy adviseth Nurses to use this confection following in case they want milk always provided that there be not a Fever joyned withall Take of the Kernels of the fruit of the Pine-tree sweet Almonds of each alike one ounce seeds of Fennel Parsley and Rapes of either alike one dram of the powder of Earth-worms washed in Wine two drams with Sugar so much as is sufficient to be given the quantity of a dram or two in the morning and after it drink some small Wine or Capon-broth boyled with Rape-seeds and Leeks Against the Tooth-ach the same powder of Earth-worms is proved singular being decocted in Oyl and dropped a little at once into the ear on the same side the pain is as Pliny witnesseth or a little of it put into the contrary ear will perform the same effect as Dioscorides testifieth And thus far of Earth-worms taken into the body and of their manifold vertues according to the evidence and testimony of Dioscorides Galen Aetius Paulus Aegineta Myrepsus Pliny and daily experience which goeth beyond the precepts of all skilful Masters for this is the Schoolmistris of all Arts as Manilius in his second Book hath written Per varios usus artem experientia fecit
kill them such violence which if used to their mothers would much blemish the virtues of the Bees I scarse think they are females Of what use then are they of in the Hives is the Drone altogether unprofitable good for nothing idle without sting fit for no service no way helpful to the publick More than that Virgil himself chants it to that effect Immunisque sedens aliena ad pabula fucus The Drone sits free feeding on others food Where Festus takes the word in that sense for a slothful idle unprofitable creature void of all imployment unlesse it be that of theeves and robbers who take such a course that either they will live by the sweat of other mens browes or else they will disturb the whole Kingdom Such like Hesiod makes women to be when he compares them to Drones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which is I interpret it in Latine thus Qui segnes resident contectis aedibus atque Sudorem alterius proprium furantur in alvum Or in English thus Who sit at home and to work have no will With others sweat they do their bellies fill But more creditable Authors propound divers uses of Drones for if there be but a few of them amongst the Bees they make them more diligent and careful in their businesse not by their example for they live perpetually idle but because they take the more pains in making honey that they may be able to continue their liberality to strangers They discover also signs whereby to know when the honey is come to maturity for when they have perfected their honey then they kill them in abundance lest they should as their custome is rob them of it in the night for as Aelian saith the Drone all the day lies quietly in the honey cells but in the night when he perceives that the Bees are in their dead sleep he sets upon their works and destroies their combs But yet if Barthâ—lomaeus deceive us not they are not unbusied neither but they build houses for the Kings large and magnificent in the top and middle part of the Hive very finely covered over They are therefore idle to say say with Aristotle in regard of making honey or gathering dew but in regard of their Architecture so they are workmen For as the Bees make the combs of the Drones hard by the Kings Court so under the same consideration the Drones build the Kings houses which is the reason why they and their young ones if they have any are sustained by the Bees The cells of the Drones now grown up according to the bulk of their bodies are larger but their combs lesse for the Bees built these but those the made themselves because it is not fitting that the same proportion of food should be allowed to hindes and hired servants as to the childâ—en or masters of the family Tzetzes in his elegant Poem and other of the Greek Poets make them to be the Bees cellarmen or water-bearers and do assign unto them a most kindly heat whereby they are said to hatch the young Bees and make them thrive In like manner Columella the Drones do very much help to breed the young Bees by sitting upon those seeds out of which they are made And theâ—efore they are more familiarly admitted to the nursery to bring up and cherish the young bâ—ood which when they have done afterwards they are thrust out of doors And Pliny also in his 11. Book They do not assist the Bees in their Architecture only but also in cherishing their young the multitude of them causing heat and warmth the which the greater it is unlesse the honey chance to fail in the mean time the more the swarmes of Bees are increased To conclude unlesse they had been for some great use for the Bees Almighty God had never housed them under one roof nor made them as it were free Denisons of the same City Neither would the Bees lay hands on them at all as enemies of the State but when their servile multitude doth increase and they take up offensive arms or scarcity of provision were to be suddenly expected in which tempest of affairs who would not rather judge that the Carpenter should be dismissed than the Ploughman especially when without him by reason of want of victuals we may hazard our lives but the other we may be without for a time without prejudice to our lives and our selves if need requires are able to build habitations every one for himself Now as these being but a competent number of them are very profitable to the Bees so if they be over many Plato not without cause terms them morbum alvearium the Pest or Plague of the Hive in the 8. book of the Common-wealth where you may see a most elegant comparison between Acolastus and the Drone both because they waste the provision of the labouring Bees as also with their too much heat stifle them This inconvenience the Author of the Geoponicks doth thus remedy take the covers of the Hives and sprinkle them on the inside over night with water and you shall finde them betimes in the morning when you take off the cover of the Hives again all over covered with the Drones for when their bellies are full of honey they are very thirsty and are mightily perplext with an intolerable desire of water so that they cling fast to the lid of the Hive and it is an easie matter to put them all to death or if you will rather to take away the greatest part of them But if you take away the young ones and all that are not yet come to have wings and pluck off their heads casting the bodies in again to the other Bees you shall offer to them a very dainty dish Moreover also if you shall take the Drone and crop off his wings and cast it back into the Hive he will if we may credit Pliny pull ofâ— all the wings of the rest lib. 21. c. 11. or rather the Bees themselves will devour the wings of the rest of the Drones that are left For so saith Aristot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For it is not probable that either the Bees should crop one the others wings or that the Drones should so far adventure or be able to offer such violence to the Bees so that as Pliny was mistaken in reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so also they do not a little speak by guesse who refer the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rest to the Bees and not to the Drones But what the dreaming of Drones doth portend what use they may be of in the way of Hieroglyphicks let Apomasaris out of the Schools of the Persians and Aegyptians declare It shall abundantly satisfie for what we intended to speak of them to shew their true use true nature generation degeneration description and name But as for what belongs to Emblemes and Hieroglyphicks and precepts for Manners
worms as the Hen doth eggs which afterwards by a strange Metamorphosis are again changed into Flyes Although Pliny contrary to experience doth without ground affirm that nothing else doth arise out them Very rightly Scaliger saith that the Flyes at first do generate Insects unlike themselves but yet in a capacity of becoming the same that is to say white little worms which afterwards being made like to Flies have eyes hanging down by their sides in reference to whose likeness there is a kinde of disease in the eye called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. headed like a Fly Now a great number of Flyes if not the more part of them arise from dung whence I have seen them to come perfect where before they were begun But in this kinde of generation we must note that Flyes are not immediately procreated of dung but of the little worms proceeding of digested dung as the Philosopher writes in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Which Gaza translateth thus Muscae ex vermiculis fimi digesti in partes gignuntur c. In English thus Flyes are begotten of dung digested into parts therefore they that desire to meddle in this businesse strive to distinguish the dung that is not digested from that is mingled with that which is digested Now these worms at the first are exceeding small afterwards begin to be red then as yet without motion as it were cleaving by fibres they begin to move then they become unmovable worms afterwards they move again then become they again to be without motion and in conclusion by the assistance of air and sun there is begotten a living Fly Arist here as it seems spake rather from others observation than his own skill For neither those worms that are generated by copulation nor those which are bred of putrefaction are subject to so many metamorphoses or transmutations before they are transformed into Flyes For they only grow to such a bignesse afterwards are turned into a Nymph or young Fly and so lie still then at a certain time appointed by Nature the Nymph groweth to be a Fly Neither are Flies begotten of dung only but of any other filthy matter putrefied by heat in the summer time and after the same way spoken of before as Grapaldus and Lonicerus have very well noted But yet the question would be whether Flyes are not immediately generated of putrefaction and not of those worms For experience witnesseth that there are a certain kinde of Flies which are begotten in the back of the Elm Turpentine-tree Wormwood and so perchance in other herbs and plants without any preceding vermiculation or being turned into little worms first So that Scaliger that angelical man and the most learned of this Age writeth thus of their original Peradventure saith he they may seem not to arise from putrefaction but from some certain principles changed as from some kind of liquid gum or from some other matter concocted by Nature for this end Now whether concoction can be without putrefaction there is the scruple Each part of mans body hath its conveyance for the expurgation of its excrements called in Latine Emunctoria But whether a living creature may be the excrement of a creature that never had life let others determine here my sight fails me or rather I am altogether blind A third way how Flyes are begotten Sir Tho. Knivett an English man and of singular learning did first of all inform Pennius of and it was thus The corrupted body of a Caterpillar or a little bruised is converted into an imperfect Aurelia then from that not a Butterfly but three black eggs are cast out that are somewhat long fashioned from whence proceed ordinary Flyes or others like to them and some times the Aurelia being putrefied neither Butterfly nor eggs come forth of it but white worms sometimes one sometimes many come forth whence are generated very small Flyes The which famous observations of natural History truth it self doth enjoyn us to acknowledge received from the foresaid Knight for no man before him did ever observe the like Peter Martyr in his 3 Decad. and 6 Book reports that he saw drops of sweat falling from the fingers of labourers turned into Flyes and so they write that in the marshy Countrey of Paria by reason of the contagiousnesse and venemous quality of the air the drops that fall from the hands of the labourers do bring forth Toads But whether it be done immediately or mediately by some worm out of which the Fly should break forth he doth not shew In the year 766. before the Nativity of Christ Rivallus then being K. of Britains there were showres of bloud three daies together very great very many from whence came abundance of Flyes and so poysonous that with their stings they killed a great number of people so saith the English History Now the Fly for the most part is not at the first a Fly but a worm proceeding either from the dead corpses of men or the carkasses of other creatures then it gets feet and wings and so becomes of a creeping creature a flying and begets a little worm which afterwards becomes a Fly Take off the head of a Fly yet the rest of his body will have life in it yea it will run leap and seem as it were to breath Yea when it is dead and drowned with the warmth of the sun and a few ashes cast upon it it will live again being as it were anew made and a fresh life put into it insomuch that Lucians disciples were perswaded and did verily beleeve that the soul of them was indeed immortal Forasmuch as it goes and comes it owns its own body and raiseth it up so that it drinketh eateth wipes its head and eyes makes clean its snout rubs its shanks and legs claps its wings and flies verifying the opinion of Plato concerning the immortality of the soul and the fable concerning Hermotimus Clazomenius whose soul would often go out of hi◠body wander up and down a great way by it self and afterwards would return into the body replenish and raise it up again Some will put drowned Flyes into warm Ashes or warm Bran and in a quarter of an hour fostering them in their hands and breathing on them they will bring them to life again CHAP. XI Of the divers kindes of Flies THere is a great deal of difference amongst Flies whether you respect the matter or form of them Some of them come from themselves by way of copulation as hath been said others from some ascititious or external matter such are they that are bred in Dung Apples Oaks Beans c. In regard of their form or shape some have two wings others four with horns or without some short some long some have round tails others sharp or piked hairy and without hairs in a word they vary in colour shape bigness according to the nature of the Countrey they live in or the putrefied matter whereof they are made I
about Viglevianum which of old was called Vergeminum as Simon Puteus and I were walking abroad in the evening to take the air But what those hairy worms should be unless they be a kinde of Juli I do not know There is another worm altogether unlike these of which we read in the Book of the Nature of things There is saith he a worm like a star which shines like a star in the dark it is never seen but in great rains and then it foretels fair weather to come shortly after So great is the coldness of this worm that it will just like ice put out the fire If a mans flesh be but touched with the slime of this worm all his hair will come ofâ— and whatsoever it touched therewith it changeth the colour of it into green But all these he handleth untowardly for he confounds the Stellia which he here cals Stella with the Salamander and Cicindele and of these he maketh a very confused and imperfect History Neither doth Guillerinus de Conchis nor Vincentius which transcribed all almost out of Guillerine in his obscure and dark tract where he reports this story correct it But these things are nothing to the Cicindele and that which they write concerning the Salamander is other where amended Hitherto of Insects shining in the dark Whether or no the Glow-worm being dead doth retain its splendor and shining is wont to be a question Massarius a veâ—y learned man writing on Pliny his 9. Book saith it doth and that boyes taking the Glow-worms used to put about their head the shining parts of them with which if the hands or other parts of the body be rubbed they also will shine in the dark But by the leave of so great and learned a man as he is experience teacheth the contrary For after the Glow-worm is dead that part whereof which so shineth in the night though not presently yet within a few hours after is quite lost and seems altogether to go away with the vital spirits this is a clear case from experience and I have often tried the same This I will grant if a certain number of those that have no wings for those that have shine not but only when the fly be but put into a clear Crystal glass so that the air may freely come at them with a little grass they may perchance give light for the space of some 12 daies iâ— every day fresh grasâ—e be put to them but at the length as they languish and faint away so the light by little and little is remitted and slackned and in the end they dying as before is said it is totally extinguished Vainly therefore do some boast of compositions made of them with which they will keep perpetual light as they suppose amongst whom is Cardanus as if they would bring down the Moon from heaven Others there are not learned only but unlearned also who have committed these compositions to writing whereby they might the better betray their own ignorance Of this perpetual light Albertus makes mention who in his Works gathers a whole bundle of lies together as it were into one body And here now I will set down some of them that the Reader may be aware of them and the vanity and levity of the writers themselves may be manifested Some there are which take a great many Glow-worms beat them together put them into a vial of glass and bury them fifteen daies in horse dung Afterwards they distil them through an Aâ—enâ—bick and keep the water in a clear glass To this end Gaudentius Merula who hath heaped up many things together from this and that Author without any judgement hath these words Of these Glow-worms being putrefied there is made a water or a liquor rather in a vessel which will wonderfully shine in the dark Such a light doth this water or liquor give by report that in the darkest night any one may read and write and do any other business as he pleaseth Others lest they should seem not to add to what is invented to their hands for pregnant wits unless they bring forth some novelty are not well together with the Glow-worms digest the gall of the Tortoise of a Weasel and Sea-dog puting them in dung and afterwards they distill them This water they say far excels all other whatsoever in lustre Others put whole Glow-worms in dung for nine daies to digest others for three weeks then throwing away the Glow-worms they take the fat of them and keep it in a clean glass for to use Some yet more fondly take Glow-worms and casting away their heads they put to them the scales of fishes and rotten shining wood such as glissens in the dark with the gals of Sea-dogs and so distill them through an Alembick Others promise confidently to make letters to shine in the dark by pricking out the yellow moisture of the Glow-worm and anointing therewith the paper or painting it with the same liquor in form of a star some rub them with the oyl of Linseed upon marble and whatsoever you shall paint or write they perswade us may easily read in the night be it never so dark but let them believe them that have made the trial Others after they have digested in horse-dung nine daies take the liquor that is left in the bottome of the glass and write with it and so think confidently to obtain their desire John Arden a skilful Chirurgeon an English man walking after their steps above thirty years ago left such a description of this perpetual light in writing He gathereth a great number of Glow-worms and shuts them in a glassen vessel well stopt laies them in dung fifteen daies then puts the water he findes in the bottome of the glass into a clean glass to which he adds as much of Quicksilver the dross being purged from it and then he saith you must shut the glass mouth very close and hang it where you will and then for certain as he affirms it will produce the wished effect Some have told me that this is very true whom notwithstanding I will not believe untill such time as the experiment be made before mine eyes These and many the like you may finde by reading but what credit may be given to them is easily conjectured out of what went before Hence then we may plainly understand how foolishly and vainly mans wisdome doth many times vaunt it self and whither our wits may be carried if not founded upon right Reason the mistress of all Arts and Sciences shunning with all diligence the uncooth rocks of opinion and self conceiâ— How wonderful the works of God are in our eyes none can be ignorant who shall diligently consider this little creature and weigh its nature and its light resembling that divine light For who is he that beholds the vanishing light of this that doth not fix the eyes of his minde upon Christ the lasting true and the chiefest light of the world and doth not call to remembrance
Grashoppers were of old time men born of the earth but by the favour of the Muses turned into that Musical sort of creatures the Grashoppers Even at this day sustaining their lives with no other food than dew and feeding themselves by continual â—inging they live For this cause the Athenians were called Tettigophori because they wore golden Grashoppers for ornament in their hair and for a token of their nobility and antiquity as Thucidides 1. Syngraph and Heraclides Ponticus de priscis Atheniensibus testifie Erytheus makes a proof of this custome being born of the earth as they say who first governed the Common-wealth of the Athenians and they too in the judgement of Plato the Natives were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. born of the earth Afterwards it came to be a custome that none but an Athenian or one born in the place might wear a Grashopper in his hair of this opinion is Aristoph as also his Scholiast Iâ—idore saith that the Cuckow-spittle doth generate Grashoppers which is not true but that it produceth small Locusts is manifest Lucretius in his 4 Book saith that the Grashopper in the Summer doth shift his skin according to this verse Cum veteres ponunt tunicas aestate Cicada And for that reason he is called by Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the naked Grashoppers or without a skin whom I should not have believed unless I had the picture of the skin so cast off by me Before Copulation the Males are of the more delicate taste afterwards the females for that they have in them white eggs very pleasant to the palat The Parthians as Pliny writeth and the rest of the eastern Nations feed upon them not only for nutrition sake but to open their veins and to stir up their languishing appetite as Atheneus in his 4. Book and Natalis Comes expresly affirm Hence Aristophanes in his Anagyrus out of Theocritus writes that the gods did feed upon Grashoppers at what time they had lost their appetite through choler or passion I have seen saith Aelian l. 12. c. 6. those that sold them tyed in bundles together for men to eat to wit the most voracious of all living creatures did sell the most jejune lest any thing should be lacking to their exquisite dainties Dioscorides gave rosted Grashoppers to eat and saith they are very good against the diseases of the bladder Some saith Galen use dryed Grashoppers for the Colick they give according to the number 3 5 or 7 grains of Pepper as well when it goes off as when it comes on Trallianus bids to give them for the Stone dried and beaten the wings and feet first of all taken away and this to be done in a bath with sweet Wine and Hippocrass Aegineta useth them dryed for the Stone in the reins and for the diseases of the reins he invented the composition called Diatettigon Such another like Antidote doth Myrepsus prescribe but all heads and feet as supervacaneous members being cast away Luminaris hath transcribed an Electuary out of Nicolaus of this sort Take Grashoppers their heads and legs cast away two ounces Grommel seed Saxifrage seed each 1 ounce Pepper Galanga Cinnamon of each 2 drams Lignum Aloes half a dram honey what is sufficient Nicolaus useth Grashoppers burned and powdered mingled with honey and gives them about the bigness of a bean in a quantity of wine Aetius gives three Grashoppers beat in Wine Some in stead of Cantharides use Grashoppers to provoke urine and in my judgement not without very good reason for they are taken with lesse danger and do work sooner as well in this disease as in the weakness of venery Nonus the Physician prescribes an Antidote of Grashoppers and Xenophyllum against the Stone in the kidneys Aretaeus for the remedies of the bladder speaks thus of Grashoppers The best remedy for the bladder is a Grashopper given in its time to eat Males before copulation but afterwards Females as we finde in Aristotle but out of their time dried and powdered boyl them with water and a little spike also let the patient sit in the same for a bath to ease the pains of the bladder Some of our later practitioners put Grashoppers in oyl and set them in the Sun and mingle them with oyl of Scorpions and anoint the privities of men and women the testicles and parts about with it for pains of the bladder Arnoldus Breviar l. 1. c. 20. 32. commends the powder of Grashoppers for the Colick and Iliack passion and also to drive forth the Stone if half a Grashopper in powder be drank with Goats bloud or Diuretick wine Lauframus highly esteems the ashes of Grashoppers to break the Stone taken with Radish water or the decoction of chich Pease Also they cause idle and lazy boyes to hunt after them Theocritus speaks thus of it in his first Idyllium Hee with thin ears of corn bound to a cane did make A whip for Grashoppers to hunt and take Neither are they only excellent meat and very usefull in Physick to men but they feed Birds also and insnare them For the youth of Crete as Bellonius witnesseth hide a hook in the body of a Grashopper and when they have fastned it to a line they cast it up into the air which the Merops seeing catch it and swalloweth which when the boyes perceive they draw it to them and so do exercise their air-fowling not without profit and pleasure The Grashoppers abounding in the end of the Spring do foretel a sickly year to come not that they are the cause of putrefaction in themselves but only shew plenty of putrid matter to be when there is such store of them appear Oftentimes their coming and singing doth pottend the happy state of things so Theocritus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Niphus saith that what year but few of them are to be seen they presage dearness of victuals and scarcity of all things else But whereas Jo. Langius a Philosopher of great reading and learning and a famous Physician saith lib. 2. epist that Grashoppers did eat the corn in Germany as the Locusts do Stumsius that it was done in Helvetia Lycosthenes lib. prodig and the Greek Epigram doth affirm that they eat the fruits and crop the herbs truly unless they mean a Locust in stead of a Grashopper they declare a strange thing and saving the credit of so famous men I will not believe for they have neither teeth nor excrement as hath been said but only feed and swell with the dew Besides although I have gone over all Helvetia Germany and England and have searcht for a Grashopper as for a needle yet could I fâ—nde none And therefore I suppose that both they themselves as also Guill de Conchy and Albert. Vincentius to have mistaken the Locust or Bruchus for the Grashopper being deceived by the common error who take the one for the other They that desire more of their nature and use may consult the Authors
matter distilled from the head into the kernels of the ears whether they be bound upon the place or the place anointed therewith they serve also together with their earth to anoint the Kings-Evill Their ashes mixt with oyl bring old ulcers to Cicatrice The Kricket diluted in water is good against the Stone or difficulty of urine Bellunensis used to drop the oyl of them into the ears of them that are diseased in that part by that means taking away all the dolour and pulsation of them Marcellus much commends the stroking of them upon the tumours of the jawes and binding them upon the same and in the opinion of Haly being hung about the neck they cure the Quartan Ague Serenus saith they cure the swelling of the Tonsils in this Distich A Kricket with right hand on Tonsils prest To kill the Kricket gives the patient rest Children as the Italians do Grashoppers do keep them in a box bored full of holes or bags to hear them sing in the night giving them leaves of herbs whereon to feed and so keep them all the Summer They are kept in Africk in iron cages and are sold at a great rate as I have heard by some Merchants to cause sleep For those of the inhabitants of Fesse are exceedingly delighted with their shrill noise as much as the Irish and Welch with the sound of the Harp With which also learned Scaliger seems to be not a little affected when for their musick sake he kept them inclosed in a box the which if he had kept in such a thing where they might have had air he had not found dead after three daies but able to live a long while lib. de plant For being secluded from the air they cannot live which besides air and sound have nothing in them nor seem to be any thing else The last Summer I had a male and a female of them but within eight daies I found the sides of the female eaten out by the male which also it self two daies after expired The Bird Lanio as the learned Brewer hath observed is fed with them The which she fastens upon thorns near to her nest of young for fear they should want food When they become offensive by reason of their number thus they may be driven away or taken off Take a good deep dish filled of water and place it before their holes mouth with a good deal of oatmeal round about it so the Krickets leaping up into the boul are drowned or if you mix water with Vitriol and inject it into their hole they will be gone Hitherto I thought good also to refer the water Grashopper of Rondoletius whose head is like a pentangle having as it were five corners the eyes round and standing out of the head not great but black the cornicles very short coming forth out of the outermost part of the mouth on each side it hath three feet the hindermost longer than the rest on the back it hath little wings or some coming the tail forked the belly oftentimes as it were cleft the colour of the body some-what dun or rather black and white I found them in muddy and standing waters but the nature of it I yet know not This differs from the land Grashopper both for that the head stands out more and it seems to have some kinde of neck and also it hath wings not fit for flight but only to lift it self up This is said to make a kinde of a pleasant noise like the land Grashopper upon the leaves of the water Lilly pond-weed and other water herbs The which I have not as yet heard CHAP. XVIII Of Moths called Blattae MOst men talk much of the Blattae but few or none able to describe what the Blattae properly so called are neither do they give the least mark whereby they may be known but gathering divers notions here and there do put them all together and confound them And but that Pliny had brought some light to this History the Blattae had altogether been omitted or lost First of all therefore we shall shew to what Insects the name of Blatta was given according to Authors then we shall set down what the true Blatta and properly so called is Now under the name of Blatta are comprehended both the worms growing in the ears as also those Phalens which trouble the Hives of Bees But since these desire the light the other altogether shun it why they should be accounted Phalens I do not see The Blatta also is a little worm eating cloathes or books So Horace in his Sermons Blattarum tinearum epulae c. But Martial altogether distinguisheth between the Blatta and the Tinea and sheweth them to be creatures of several kindes It is taken also of the Moderns for the little worm called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of whose web silken garments are made Some call the little worm that groweth in the grain in the low oake Blatta from whence cometh the Blattean colour or grain colour So Turneb advers l. 18. c. 17. l. 28. c. 23. The Blattean colour is died with worms which come out of the grain of Cockle out of whoâ—e bloud is produced a most curious colour not black as some think but a bright purple or scarlet To which the Book de natura rerum Gualter de Conchis do assent The worms of the belly some call Blattae Cardanus in one place calleth the worms that breed in meal or bran Blattae Gaza interprets the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blattae But the proper and right name thereof is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to Pollux 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also according to Lucian deâ—iding a man that was no Scholar yet bought many books The Italians call it Blatta and Tarma the Hetrurians Piattela the Germans Wibell Brottworme Brottkarfaer Malkaefaer Springwibell they of Norimberg call one species of them by way of sport Schavahen because it cannot endure cold as Cordus writeth the Illyrians Swinie the Polonians Molulowy the Hungarians Moly the Spaniards Ropa cova potilla Now the Blatta is an Insect flying in the night like to a Beetle but wanteth the sheath wings The Mill or Bake-house Moth I have seen the Greeks call the female if I am not deceived because it had no wings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is longer thicker and of a more shining black colour than the ordinary soft Moth with a little forked mouth placed as it were under its belly the cornicles like to the first little hollow eyes or rather eye-holes the breast foursquare with the four foremost feet fastned to it the hindermost to the belly above the shoulders appear as it were little wings though they are not so indeed the rest of the body somewhat thick cut all over round about circle or oâ—bicular wise in the sides resembling the form of a saw the tip of the tail and a fork growing
read in Laertius l. 〈◊〉 Solinus calleth it Carystia l. de mund Mirab. Jul. Scaliger Ignigena Gaza Fur 〈…〉 and Bestiâ—la Fornacum out of Aristotle which he maketh bigger than the greater flies and winged Pliny affirmeth the same l. 11. c. 36. Antigonus l. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith from Aristotle that these Fire-flies are bigger than Mice not Flies only where it is evident he foully mistook 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mice for Flies which Xylander his Translator took no notice of In shape it is somewhat like a very big Gnat of a bright fire-red colour glittering with a kinde of fiery raies it leaps goes flies and lives in the flame as Aristotle reporteth l. 5. hist c. 19. For I can scarce give credit to Aelian l. 2. Hist c. 2. when he saith that the Fire-fly as soon as it hath gone out of the place where it was bred and flown into the air for food dieth presently for I cannot believe that any thing bred in the fire goeth out of its element to seek for food nor is it likely that Nature that most loving parent of all things should prescribe any creature such a way of getting its food by which it should presently lose its life Neither is it as it seems to me so hard to finde out the reason of this their sudden dying in the air which Aelian leaves to be searched out by others for being bred in the extremity of heat how should they live in a temperate place For it is evident by daily experience that some Fishes dye as soon as ever they are taken up oâ—t of the water into the air much less can those creatures that are bred in the fire endure the air since it differeth so much from the air and indeed more than the a 〈…〉 from the water These Flies are bred in the Brass Furnaces of the Isle Cyprus where the Chalcitis or Brassstone is burnt for many daies together perhaps the sooty vapours which go up with the flame while the stone is continually burnt are the matter and cause of their generation Strabo speaking in his 12 Book of Worms bred in the snow addeth this which followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They conjecture that the generation of these creatures is like that of Gnats of the flame from metals and plates of brass where any man may see the error of the Interpreter for he renders it thus Horum animalium generationem talem putant ut culicum ex flammâ bracteâ metallorum For they are bred in the flame as Scaliger saith not in massa that is as I interpret it in the fire which is condensed together nor doth any thing forbid but that the most dry animals may be generated in the most dry element for there is miâ—tion there also as the moistest are in the moistest for we have no pure fire with us But what hinders but that living creatures may be generated of matter ready for them or what natural reason contradicteth it They answer that fire destroyeth all things corrupteth all things But they which have had but any taste of the secrets of Philosophy do evince that to be false by clear demonstration and experience For so far is our fire from destroying or corrupting all things that it even perfecteth some It doth not corrupt nor consume gold nor some sorts of metals not ashes not the stone Amiantus which is very like Sicil Allum nor some other things which I will not now stand to reckon up for those froward mens sakes What then should hinder fire from having the power of generating so it be in a fit and convenient matter its very dâ—iness cannot hinder the generation from coming to effect because it proceedeth from the form but fire is the matter and the forms instrument for some operations Besides our fire hath alwaies some moisture joyned with it for it would not take flame nor burn if it were not cherished with a fat moisture for certainly those things are neither without earth nor water which are generated in our terrestrial fire G. Agricola But if this were not so because fire putrefies not yet there is no reason we should doubt but that generation may be effected by the fire as by the form in its proper matteâ— For unless there were moisture in metals they would not melt what therefore should hinder nature but that it may give this a form Aristotle maketh the question Whether in the sphere of the fire which is next to the Moon there be generated any living creatures and he seemeth to be in doubt and putteth off the question until another time but when he affirmeth that the Fire-fly is generated in this fire of ours I see no reason why any should doubt of it yet there are some very learned men and eminent writers of our time who seem nevertheless to excel rather in wit reading and language than in the solid knowledge of things natural who condemn and reject not only the generation of these little creatures in the fire but this whole history as frivolous false and unworthy of a Philosopher My readers expect now that I answere these mens arguments They object that Aristotle doth in plain terms affirm that the fire produceth no living creature The Philosopher doth there compare the heat of seed with the heat of fire affirming that there is not a fiery heat in seed for saith he if there were it would produce nothing But this hinders not but that a living creature may be generated in the fire without seed but of some other fit and convenient matter as we shall see anon Besides the Philosopher seems here as likewise elsewhere to speak of that fire only which is under the sphere of the Moon that that produceth no living creature not of ours where there is both mixtion and no pure fire But they yet urge Our fire is Substantia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a substance of most subtil parts and seizeth upon all things that are in its way devouring them and turning them into its own substance This was answered before when we instanced in some things which are rather perfected in the fire and which fire is by no means able to consume or turn into its substance Ic. Langius a man of much reading and a most learned Philosopher and from him Cardane grants that some Animals may live in the fire but not that they can be bred there for in this they yeeld to the Philosopher But who seeth not how absurd this yeelding is for I cannot see how things generated in a temperate place should be able to live in that extreme For that which they say of the Salamander is as good as nothing The Salamander as Diosc hath observed doth not live long in the fire for as soon as that moisture which runneth down on every side from its yellow spots as I conceive while it staies in the fire is consumed which is quickly done it is presently brought to ashes
all of them do glitter here and there with a golden brightness which Pennius observed not and seem to be of a very compact and tender body They are found sitting most commonly upon Mallowes sometimes upon other plants and trees that bear Apples like Pine-apples as likewise upon the Elm and the Willow They copulate in the moneth of May tail to tail and are almost a whole day about it The male is less the female bigger and broader They fly in the heat of the day fast enough but neither long nor far There are bred with us saith Cardane in the grass two Animals like Wall-lice the one in smell but not in shape the other in shape but not in smell but neither of them is of the species of Wall-lice because they both fly lib. de variet rer But he that shall observe their stink and outward shape of body will not turn them out of the family of the Wall-lice for their wings sake although indeed the field kindes are six times as big as those in houses Jacobus Quickelbergius sent two other kindes of them to Pennius from the parts about Vienna which were waved with a golden and black colour Matthiolus not at all understanding Pliny denieth that they have any vertue in them But Pliny many waies commendeth the garden Wall-lice being reduced to ashes and infused in oyl of Roses against pains of the eats Palladius useth these with the Lees of Oyl an Oxe Gall Ivy-leaves and Oyl for an oyntment for the bitings of venomous Horsleeches Let the head of the yard be put into Oyl of Camomil pretty hot in which Wall-lice have boyled then let the head of the yard when it is taken out of the oyl be anointed with pounded Garlick and the patient will certainly make water Arnoldus de villa nova l. 2. Breviarii c. de stranguria dysuria Are not these to be taken for those Wall-lice which the Dutch call Knolsters and Qualsters And hitherto hath been said what we know of winged Insects ye Platerus's Camerarius's Clusius's Quickelbergius's and ye later and more laborious sons of Esculapius whom Phoebus moulded out of richer clay if you have any thing which is here wanting make addition of it according to your wonted courtesie and ingenuity remembring that of the old Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When you receive you ought to give withall The Muses gates are wide and liberall Of the Division of the Second Book The Preface BY the clew of Daedalus we are at last got out of the Camps of winged horsemen where should I relate with how many stings the Infects of the lower ranks have assaulted me how much they have troubled my brain my right hand my eyes whilest I accurately dissected and observed all their parts truly I should either faint in rehearsing the wounds or what I was resolved in my minde to finish I should not be able to do Wherefore what valiant souldiers are wont to do whilest the wound is yet fresh and hot we will break forth into both Armies and with better undertakings so far as may be strive to overcome them Thou O great God who in the Inventory of these smallest Creatures makest the most excellent understandings to stand amazed and stupid give me strength that as by thy goodness I have mustered those Insects that fly by the same I may be enabled to draw forth all those Foot-forces that want wings so that in all my labour I may seem to have no other end than to seek thy glory to advance learning and nothing that concerns my own particular but that I may finde thee in these thy works Go to therefore bold Atheist who art ignorant of God and the Divine Perfection endure if thou canst the biting of the Spider Phalangium or of the Scorpion abide the pain of the Worm Scolopendra swallow down the Pine-tree Catterpiller contend with Worms despise with Herod biting Lice so much as thou art able at last thou shalt finde that there is no foot Souldier so mean in this Army that will not quickly overcome all the forces of thy body and minde and will make thy foul mouth to confess by their ministry that there is a God Thus then I draw forth my Regiments so I muster the Souldiers All Insects without wings are either belonging to the Earth Or Some with Feet These goe with many feet The Catterpillers Beetles and such as are called Staphlym These goe with eight feet The Scorpion the Spider With six As Wasps Glow-worms the female Meloe also Worms in wood trees roots fruits meats garments chambers humors Some without Feet As Oripae Maw-worms Earth-worms Water With Feet Some swim with six feet as the Shrimp the Lake Scorpion the Notonectus With many feet as the Sea Scolopendra the many footed Shrimp Without Feet As the Horsleech the Hair-worm THE THEATER of INSECTS OR Of lesser living Creatures BOOK II. CHAP. I. Concerning Catterpillers and their several kindes and namely of Silk-spinners and Silk-worms WEE thought fit to place in the Front Catterpillers the devourers of Egypt because they are most different in their kindes and also some of them are excellent for their use and worth It is no fond conceit to maintain that Catterpillers had their name in Latine from devouring for they eat up leaves boughs flowers fruits which also may be observed in the Peach Ovid called these Field-worms Field-worms that weave their hoary thred on boughs we finde That they with painted Butterflies do change their kinde The Greeks call a Catterpiller 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the waving and vaulting motion when it creeps whereby it lifts up and contracts it self The Hebrews call it Ghazam because it sheareth the fruits of the earth as Kimhi saith on Joel the first The Italians call it Rugaverme and Bruche for so saith Marcellus Virgilius upon Dioscorides In our times saith he our whole Countrey cals all kindes of Catterpillers Bruchi The Spaniards call them Oruga the French Chenille Chattepeleuse the English by the name of Catterpillers but the Northern people call the hairy Catterpillers Oubuts the Southern call them Palmer-worms in the Poles language a Catterpiller is called Rup hausenka in the German Tongue Ein Raup in Low Dutch Ruype in Sclavonish Gasienica the Pesants call them Certris and Cedebroa I should be endless if I should add all kindes of Catterpillers for some feel rough others soft some have horns and that either in their head or in their tail some are without horns some have many feet some fewer but none have above sixteen feet Most of them move swiftly in a waving posture yet others there are that go even and slowly Some do yearly change their old skin and others do not Some are changed into Aurelia's fixed above the earth whence are bred your ordinary Butterflies others are transformed under the earth and become Glow-worms Also some of their Aurelia's are smooth and equal some again are hairy and wrinkled pointed at the ends
of the same colour with their head that thrusts forth who doth not know by Gesners History of Birds or by his own experience that Swans Hens Geese Pigeons Quails Pheasants Partridge Hawks and other fowl have Lice Also Palladius Columella Paxanus Varro and other principal Leeches for cattel have shewed us remedies sufficient for to kill Lice in brute beasts that it will be no glory for me to insist upon them nor fruitful to the Reader what Avicenna l. 4. fen 6. tract 5. meant by Vultures Lice I cannot conjecture and I much desire the help of some Oedipus to untie this riddle for me we mentioned before in our first Book that your dung-Beetles are killed by their own Lice Also Salmon-fishes especially the leaner sort were seen by Pliny to have many Lice under their gils oft-times Also they are found in Plants as Southernwood Wormwood flowers of Water-lillies and chiefly in Columbine leaves in June by reason of its exceeding sweetness saith Gesner Also some plants aâ—e called lowsie plants either because they are good against them as Staves-acre or because they breed Lice as Dodonaeus his Fistularia or because they abound with Lice as Columbines or from the great despicableness of them as the fruit of the great plum-tree which are therefore called lowsie plums CHAP. XXIV Of little Lice called Syrones Acari and Tineae or Hand-worms or Mites in living Creatures THo à Viga falsly reports that the Ancients knew not what Syrones were for Aristotle cals it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. Hist Animal c. 2. Also they seem to be called Syrones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they creep under the skin continually It is the smallest living creature that is which useth to breed in old cheese and wax and also in mans skin Pollux and Suidas say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is such a small thing as is too small to be divided In Latine they are called Pedicelli in French Cirons in Piemont Sciri in Gascony Brigantes in English Mites in cheese leaves dry wood and wax but in men they are called Wheal-worms the Germans call them Seuren Abinzoar saith that Syrones are called Assoalat and Assoab they are little Lice creeping between the skin of the hands thighes and feet and raising watery blisters there they are so small creatures that a good eye can hardly discern them Gabucinus saith Unto our times a kinde of filthy torture that is not to be endured is continued a very small Lowse not so great as a Nit creeps under the skin And Johan Phil. Ingrassias out of Abenzoar describes them very handsomely thus when the skin is excoriate when that small little pimple and push appears like to a red angry wheal little living creatures creep forth so small a man can hardly see them And Joubertus writes that Syrones are those that are the smallest Lice of all alwaies lying under the outward skin and creep under it as Moles do biting it and causing a fierce itching They consist of a dryer matter than Morpiones which for want of glutinous matter is almost divided into Atoms They breed often in the head and eat the roots of the hair The Greeks call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some call them Tineas by a peculiar name Syrones have no certain form as Scaliger well observed only they are round our eye can scarsely discern them they are so small that Epicurus said it was not made of Atoms but was an Atom it self It dwels so under the skin that when it makes its mines it will cause a grear itching especially in the hands and other parts affected with them and held to the fire If you pull it out with a needle and lay it on our nail you shall see it move in the Sun that helps its motion crack it with the other nail and it will crack with a noise and a watry venome comes forth it is of a white colour except the head if you look nearer it is blackish or from black it is something reddish It is wonder how so small a creature that creeps with no feet as it were can make such long furrowes under the skin This we must observe by the way that these Syrones do not dwell in the pimples themselves but hard by For it is their property not to remove far from the watry humour collected in the little bladder or pimple and when that is wasted or dryed up they all die shoâ—tly after whence we collect that as they breed from putrefied whey so again they are sustained by it None of the Ancients except Abinzoar writes of these who saw this disease and rightly set down the remedy Nor are those Syrones of the kinde of Lice as Johan Langius seems to assert out of Aristotle for they live without the skin but these not nor do I know that Aristotle in any of his writings placed Acaros amongst Lice How cruel a disease this is and to be compared with the lowsie disease an honourable English Lady of sixty years knowes she was the most vertuous Lady of Penruddock a Knight that by drinking too much Goats-milk for she feared a consumption was for ten years troubled with these wheal-worms with which night and day she was miserably tortured in her eyes lips gums soles of her feet head nose and all her parts that she lived a very grievous life alwaies without rest and at last in despite of all remedies the disease increased whereby her flesh was consumed and she died thereof I must not overpass this that the more the women that sat by her picked them out with their needles the more their young ones bred and when they had gnawed the flesh also they grew to be bigger Hence let proud despicable mankinde learn that they are not only worms but worms-meat and let us fear the power of that great God who can with so contemptible an army confound all pride haughtiness daintiness and beauty and conquer the greatest enemy It may be some will think it impossible for these Wheal-worms to breed between the eyes but we see it is so and we finde it was done so formerly by an Epistle of D. Le Ieune a Chirurgeon to Jacob Guillimaeus his words are these Know saith he that in the conjunctive membrane or white of the eye as they commonly call it some great Wheal-lice by creeping up and down here and there biting will make the place itch so much that a man cannot hold from rubbing I in this case used remedies the Ancients used against the Lowsie disease but to no purpose Then my friends sent me to a sick woman who with a silver needle pickt out these worms so cunningly and without all pain that I wondred at it And indeed had not I seen these little creatures to creep with my own eyes I could never have believed that Wheal-worms could breed there They dye for want of moysture that is salt and are killed with contrary remedies The common people ordinarily picks them out with a small needle
the Germans call them Seuren Graben but since this takes not away the cause of them which fosters them the disease still abides wherefore it is best to kill them with an unguent or fomentation which may at once take off that troublesome itching That which penetrates most and kils these Syrones is salt and vinegar Laur. Joubert Joh. Arden formerly the most learned Chiruregeon of England saith that a Lotion with Sublimate kils them quite And it seems not to be against reason for it dries penetrates resists putrefaction and by its heating acrimony kils them all Abinzoar l. 2. c. 19. tract 7. prescribes these following remedies First purge the body with an infusion of wilde Saffron-seed and Nettle-seed after that anoint it outwardly with the oyl of bitter Almonds or de Cherva and with the juice of the leaves of Peach-tree give boyled Partridge for meat and leavened bread Let the patient abstain from all kinde of fruit except almonds especially from Figs Grapes Jujubes and Apples rub the body often with the substance or pulp of Melons or with the Mucilage of the seed But if the body be fleshy rub it with the juyce of the leaves of the Peach-tree Pliny where there is this disease forbids Oxe-flesh Hogs Geese and all kindes of Pulse Erotis l. de pas mul. writes thus Wheat tempered with Wine adding thereto powder of Frankincense put to the parts affected for a plaister will kill these Wheal-worms every where chiefly upon the cheeks and foreheads Another Take common Salt black Soap live Brimstone each alike incorporate them with vinegar of Squils and anoint the place with them Another for Syrones on the face which the Author of the English Rose cals Barrones Take sharp Dock Frankincense Dragons cuttle-bone each alike make a powder and thrice in a week rub the places where the Worms breed but first wash you face with a decoction of Bran and on Sunday wash your face with the white of an egg and white Starch and then wash it often with river-water or with white starch Alexander Petronius Traianus commends this remedy most namely a fine linnen cloth made into lint that it may be the softer and stick the faster binde this to the part affected then lay on the white of an egge that is rosted hard whilest it is hot and cut into large pieces and then binde upon it some thicker cloth and so let it remain some hours Then taking all away you shall finde the inward lint full of these small Lice which is thus proved shake this over the fire and you shall easily hear these young Syrones crack Against hair-eating Worms and Mites in the heads of children that are usual and that will make little holes in them Alexius makes great account of this remedy Take Frankincense Bores-grease so much as you please let them boyl in an earthen vessel that is glased and make an unguent Another Sprinkle on the powder of burnt Allum and lay on some lint Another not uneffectual Powder quick Brimstone with Rose Vinegar of Squils or else incorporate it with Rose-water and binde it on with a cloth for 24 hours Another that is most certain Take juice of Lemmons and Aqua vitae each alike burnt Salt what may suffice mingle them and anoint with them often Another of Hildegard Apply that skimming of the air that is those cobwebs that are scattered in Autumn and it will certainly destroy all those Syrones and little worms Also strew on the powder of Bees that are dead in their hives on the places affected and they will all dye chiefly if it were mixt with Aqua vitae or Vinegar of Squils Again binde on the crums of white bread whilest they are hot do it often the heat will kill them Fir-tree seed burnt to ashes which growes on the top of the tree if it be strewed on will help much Also the kernels of Barberries powdered and laid to the place will kill Syrones Johan Vigo prescribes these remedies against Syrones wheresoever they breed All bitter things saith he are good against them shave the patt affected that they may penetrate the better Oyl of Vitriol warily and lightly powred on will kill them mightily Quicksilver with French Soap and a little Orpiment and some Vinegar of Squils and some Aloes doth much good For Syrons in the Teeth Some call the Worms that breed in mens teeth Syrones which they affirm have fallen forth like shavings of Lute-strings by the smoke of Henbane-seed received at the mouth Though I should truly deny that these shavings are Worms yet that Worms breed in rotten teeth Barbers and every man knowes Against venomous Syrones Abinzoar cals it the disease of Oxen between the flesh and skin there breeds a kinde of venomous Worms which raiseth no small tumour as great as a walnut wherein the Worm Syro lies hid he is venomous indeed though he be but little This disease neglected will kill He appoints the Remedy thus The place must be presently burnt with an actual cautery then apply lint with Barly-meal and sweet water when the pain of the burning is over the humour will fall being anointed with Unguent of Agrippa and oyl of Roses then wash the place with water of Honey and strew on powder of Roses and then using incarnatives close up the wound But if the part cannot be cauterized or cut take Lupine-meal Soot Pepper root of Endive each alike and bruising them all and wetting them with Alchitra fill half a Nut-shel with them and keep them on so long till the force of the medicament may penetrate to the Worm but great care must be had that no part be left bare without the shell A little creature called Nigua as Thevet imagineth doth much vex the West-Indian people It is saith he an Insect most offensive to mens hands far less than a Flea but breeds in the dust as a Flea doth De Lery was taken with the same oversight and was not ashamed to be mad with Thevet for company But Oviedus affirms that they breed between the skin and the flesh but especially they breed under the nails of the fingers into which place when once they are rooted the cause a swelling as great as a pease with a mighty itching and they multiply like to Nits Now if this worm be not timely pickt forth with its brood in a few daies this itching becomes a wonderful pain and the sick dye with the violence of the disease There is a Worm that breeds on the bodies of Hawks and Faulcons under the roots of their wings it is called Trocta we have left off to doubt any longer whether it be a Syron Acarus or Tinea or not by reading Albertus his Book wherein you may read a remedy for that disease at large Also as Bonaceiolus reports in the urines of some women with childe little red Worms called Syrones will be seen which are a certain argument of conception Dermestes is an Insect that will consume skins and from