into two parts which taile becommeth their hinder Legs wherefore the Aegyptians when they would describe a man that cannot moue himselfe and afterwardes recouereth his motion they decypher him by a frog hauing his hinder legges The heads of these young Gyrini which we call in English Horse-nailes because they resemble a Horse-naile in their similitude whose head is great and the other part small for with his taile he swimmeth After May they grow to haue feete and if before that time they bee taken out of the water they dye then they beginne to haue foure feete And first of all they are of a blacke colour and round and heereof came the Prouetbe Rana Gyrina sapientior wiser then a Horse-naile because through the roudndnesse and rolubility of his body it turneth it selfe with wonderfull celerity which way soeuer it pleaseth These young ones are also called by the Graecians Moluridae Brutichoi and Batrachida but the Latines haue no name for it except Ranunculus or Rana Nascens And it is to be remembred that one frogge layeth an innumerable company of Egges which cleaue together in the water in the middle whereof she her selfe lodgeth And thus much may suffice for the ordinary procreation of frogges by generation out of Egges In the next place I must also shew how they are likewise ingendered out of the dust of the earth by warme aestiue and Summer shevvers whose life is short and there is no vse of them Aelianus saith that as he trauailed out of Italy into Naples he saw diuers frogges by the way neere Putoli whose forepart and head did mooue and creepe but their hinder part was vnformed and like to the slyme of the earth which caused Ouid to write thus Semina limus habet virides generantia Ranas Et generat truncas pedibus eodem corpore saepe Altera pars viuit rudis est pars altera tellus That is to say Durt hath his seede ingendring Frogs full greene Yet so as feetlesse without Legs on earth they lye So as a wonder vnto Passengers is seene One part hath life the other earth full dead is nye And of these Frogs it is that Pliny was to be vnderstood when he saith that Frogs in the Winter time are resolued into slyme and in the Summer they recouer their life and substaunce againe It is certaine also that sometime it raineth frogs as may appeare by Philarchus and Lembus for Lembus writeth thus Once about Dardania and Paeonia it rained frogs in such plentifull measure or rather prodigious manner that all the houses and high-waies were filled with them and the inhabitants did first of all kill them but afterwards perceiuing no benifit thereby they shut their doores against them and stopped vp all their lights to exclude thē out of their houses leauing no passage open so much as a frog might creepe into and yet notwithstanding all this diligence their meat seething on the fire or set on the table could not be free from thē but continually they found frogs in it so as at last they were inforced to forsake that Countrey It was likewise reported that certaine Indians people of Arabia were inforced to forsake their countries through the multitude of frogs Cardan seemeth to find a reason in nature for this raining of frogges the which for the better satisfaction of the Reader I will here expresse as followeth Fiunt haec omnia ventorum ira and so forward in his 16. booke De subtilitate that is to say these prodigious raines of frogs and Mice little Fishes and stones and such like thinges is not to be wondered at for it commeth to passe by the rage of the winds in the tops of the Mountaines or the vppermost part of the Seas which many times taketh vp the dust of the earth congealeth them into stones in the ayre which afterwards fall downe in raine so also doth it take vp frogs and fishes who beeing aboue in theayre must needes fall downe againe Sometimes also it taketh vp the egges of frogs and fishes which beeing kept aloft in the ayre among the Whirle-windes and stormes of shewers doe there engender and bring forth young ones which afterwards fall downe vpon the earth there being no poole for them in the ayre These and such like reasons are approued among the learned for naturall causes of the prodigious raining of frogs But we read in holy Scripture among the plagues of Aegypt that frogges were sent by GOD to annoy them and therefore whatsoeuer is the materiall cause it is most certaine that the wrath of GOD and his almighty hand is the making or efficient cause and for the worthinesse of that deuine story how God maketh and taketh away frogs I will expresse it as it is left by the Holy-ghost in Cap. 8. Exod. verse 5. Also the Lord saide vnto Moses say thou vnto Aaron stretch out thy hand with thy rodde vpon the streames vpon the Riuers and vpon the ponds and cause frogs to come vpon the land of Egypt ver 6. Then Aaron stretched out his hand vpon the waters of Egypt and the frogs came vp couered the land of Egypt verse 7. And the Sorcerers did likewise with their Sorceries and brought frogs vp vpon the land of Aegypt Verse 8. Then Pharao called for Moses Aaron and said pray ye vnto the Lord that he may take away the frogs from mee and from my people and I will let the people goe that they may doe sacrifice to the Lord verse 9. And Moses saide vnto Pharao concerning me commaund when I shall pray for thee and thy seruants and for thy people to destroy the frogges from thee and from thy houses that they may remaine in the Riuer onely verse 10. Then he said tomorrow he answered be it as thou hast said that thou mayst know that there is none like the Lord our GOD. verse 11. So the frogges shall depart from thee and from thy houses from thy people and from thy Seruants onely they shall remaine in the Riuer verse 12. Then Moses Aaron went out from Pharao Moses cryed vnto the Lord concerning the frogs which he had sent vnto Pharao ver 13. And the Lord did according to the saying of Moses so the frogs dyed in the houses and in the Townes and in the fieldes ver 14. And they gathered them together by heapes and the land stanke of them c. And this was the second plague of Aegypt wherein the Lord turned all the fishes into Frogges as the booke of wisedome saith and the Frogs abounded in the Kinges chamber and notwithstanding this great iudgement of God for the present Pharao would not let the people goe and afterwardes that blind superstitious Nation became worshippers of Frogges as Philastrias writeth thinking by this deuotion or rather wickodnesse in this obseruant manner to pacifie the wrath of God choosing their owne wayes before the word of Almighty God But vain is that worship which is inuented without
head applyed doth cure for where the wound The helpe is also made as in Telephus sence Harmd by Larissus speare by it was cured found And Guil. Varignana saith deuide or cut a serpent and lay it vpon the place and it will mittigate the anguish and paine The seede of Thraspi and of Tithimal which is a kind of spurge is greatlie vsed for this Aut Tithimallus atrox vulnus quae tuta pervngat Some besides these doe put the roote of black Hellebor into the wound because it draweth out the poyson as I by mine owne experience can testifie saith Matthiolus There be also sundry Antidotes and preseruatiues which are taken inwardly that are very effectuall against the bytings of serpents and venomous beasts as namely that which is called Theriaca Andromachi or Methridate the like compositious Galen in his booke De Theriaca ad Pisonem preferreth Theriaca Andromachi before all other medicines either simple or compound for virulent wounds because it performeth that effect for which it is ministred For it was neuer as yet heard that euer any one perrished of any venomous hurt or byting who without any delay foorth-with dranke this medicine and if any man had taken it before he receiued any such dangerous hurt if he were set vppon and assailed by any poysonous creature it hath not lightlie been heard that hee hath dyed of the same There be many Antidotes described by the Ancients which they set downe to be admirable for these passions As for example that which Auicenna termeth Theriaca mirabilis whose composition is as followeth Take of Opium and of Myrrhe of eyther of them a dramme Pepper one dramme and a halfe the roote of Aristolechia longa and Rotunda of each of them three drammes Wine two drammes make them vp with Hony Rocket water so much as is sufficient for an Electuarie the quantitie to giue is foure scruples relented in some fit and conuenient decoction King Antiochus surnamed Magnus had a kinde of Theriaoa which hee vsed against all poysons which is described of Pliny in his 20 booke and last chapter in this wise Take of Wild-time Opopanax and the herbe called Gromell of each a like much two drammes Trifolie one dramme of the seedes of Dill Fennell Smallage Anise and Ameos of euery one alike sixe drammes of the meale of Orebus twelue drammes all these beeing powned and finely searsed must with wine a sufficient quantitie be made into Trochisces whereof euery one must weigh one dramme giue thereof one dram at a time in a draught of wine There is another Antidote and preseruatiue against any poyson described by Paulus Aegineta much like vnto this which is thus Take of Bryonie Opopanax of the roote of Iris Illirica and of the roote of Rosemarie and of Ginger of each of these three drammes of Aristolochia fiue drammes of the best Turpentine of wilde Rue of each three drams of the meale of Orobus two drammes make them into Torchisches with Wine euerie one weighing one scruple and a halfe or two scruples to be giuen also in wine Galen in his second booke De antidotis chapter 49. discourseth of a certaine Theriacall medicament called Zopyria antidotus so taking the name of one Zopyrus which was notable against all poysons bytings of venomous creeping creatures This Zopyrus in his Letters written vnto Mithridates sollicited him very much that he would make some experiment of his Antidote which as he put him in mind he might easily doe by causing any one that was alreadie condemned to die to drinke downe some poyson afore-hand then to take the Antidote or els first to receiue the Antidote after that to drinke some poyson And put him in remembrance to try it also in those that were wounded any maner of way by Serpents or those that were hurt by arrowes or Darts annoynted or poysoned by any destroying venime So all things being dispatched according to his praemonition the man notwithstanding the strength of the poyson was preserued safe sound by this alexipharmaticall medicine of Zopyrus Matthiolus in his Praeface vpon the sixth booke of Dioscorides entreating of Antidotes and preseruatiues from poyson saith that at length after long studie and trauaile he had found out an Antidote whose vertue was wonderfull and worthy admiration and it is a certaine quintessence extracted from many simples which hee setteth downe in the same place He saith it is of such force and efficacie that the quantitie of foure drammes being taken either by it selfe or with the like quantitie of some sweet-senting Wine or els with some distilled water which hath some naturall propertie to strengthen the hart if that anie person hath either been wounded or strooken of any venomous liuing thing that the patients life be therewith in danger so that he hath lost the vse of his tongue seeing for the most part all his other sences yet for all that by taking this his Quintessence it will recouer and raise him as it were out of a dead sleepe from sicknes to health to the great astonishment and admiration of the standers by They that desire to know the composition of this rare preseruatiue let them read it in the Author himselfe for it is too long and tedious to describe it at this time There be besides these compounds many simple Medicines which beeing taken inwardly doe performe the same effect as namelie the Thistle where-vppon Serenus hath these verses following Carduus et nondum doctis fullonibus aptus Ex illo radix tepido potatur in amni That is to say The roote of Teasill young for Fullers yet vnfit Drunke in warme-water venome out doth spit That Thistle which Qu. Serenus heere vnderstandeth is properly that plant which of the Greekes is called Scolymos Yet it is taken somtimes for other prickly plants of the same kind as for both the Chamaeleons Dipsacos or Labram veneris Spina alba Eryngium and some other But Dioscorides attributeth the chiefest vertue against poysons to the Thistles called Chamaeleon albus and to the Sea-thistle called Eryngium marinum which some call Sea-hull or Huluer for in his third booke and ninth chapter entreating of Chamaeleon albus hee saith thus The roote of it taken with Wine inwardly is as good as Treacle against any venime and in the 21 chapter of the same booke Eryngium is saith he taken to good purpose with some wine against the byting of venomous creatures or any poyson inwatdly taken And the same Serenus adscribeth the same vertue to the Harts curd or rennet as followeth Cervino ex foetu commixta coagula vino Sumantur quae res 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 beeing killed in the Dammes belly as Pliny affirmeth also the same in his 8. booke and 30 chapter in these words The chiefest remedie against the byting of Serpents is made of the
coagulum of a Fawne killd and cut out of the bellie of his damme Coagulum is nothing els but that part in the belly which is vsed to thicken the Milke Proderit et caulem cum vino haurire sambuci Qu. Serenus Which may be englished thus In drinke the powder of an Elder-stalke Gainst poyson profiteth as some men talke That vertue which Serenus here giueth to the stalke of Dwarfe-Elder for that is meant in this place the same effect Dioscorides attributeth to the roote in his fourth booke and Pliny to the leaues The herbe called Betony is excellent against these fore-said affects by good reason for the greatest part of poysons doe kill through their excesse of coldnes and therefore to ouer-come and resist them such meanes are necessarie by which naturall and liuely heate is stirred vp and quickned and so the poyson hindered from growing thick together and from coagulation Againe all men doe agree that those medicines are profitable which do extenuate as all those doe which haue a propertie to prouoke vrine and Betonie is of this qualitie and therefore beeing taken with Wine it must needes doe good in venomous bytings and that not onely in the bytings of men and Apes but in Serpents also Radish also hath the same qualitie beeing taken with vineger and water boyled together or els outwardly applyed as Serenus affirmeth Siue homo seu similis turpissima bestia nobis Vulnera dente dedit virus simul intulit atrum Vetonicam ex duro prodest assumere Baccho Nec non et raphani cortex decocta medetur Si trita admorsis fuerit circumlitor membris In English thus If man or Ape a filthy beast most like to vs By byting wound and therein poyson thrust Then Betony in hard wine steeped long Or rinde of Radish sod as soft as pappe Doe heale applyed to the member strong There be certaine herbes and simples as Wild-lettice Veruen the roote called Rhubarb Agarick oyle of Oleander and the leaues of the same the seedes of Peonie with a great number a little before described that beeing taken either inwardly or outwardly in iuyce or powder doe cure poyson yea though it be receiued by hurt from enuenomed arrowes shafts or other war-like engines weapons for the Arabians Indians the Galles now termed French-men and Scythians were wont to poyson theyr arrowes as Paulus Orosius in his third booke testifieth of the Indians where hee writeth howe Alexander the Great in his conquering and winning of a certaine Cittie vnder the gouernment of king Ambira lost the greatest part there of his whole Armie with envenomed Darts and quarrells And Celsus in his fifth Booke saith that the auncient Galles were wont to annoynt their arrowes with the iuyce of white Hellebor with which they did great mischiefe Pliny affirmeth the same to be vsed of the Scythian Nation The Scythians saith hee doe annoynt their arrow-heads with the corrupt poysonous and filthy stained dreggie blood of Vipers and with mans blood mixed together so that the wounde seemeth to be incurable And to this alludeth Quintus Serenus Cuspide non quisquam longa neque caede sarissae Fulmine non gladij volueris 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 speare or launces poynt Sharpe edge of sword or swift arrowes might To kill so soone as Vipers force doth dint Then fit is the ayde and meanes that it acquite There is a certaine kind of people to whom it is naturally giuen either by touching or sucking to cure the wounding of venomous Serpents called Psylli a people of Libia Marsi people of Italie bordering vppon the Samnites and Aequiculania and those that were called by the auncient Writers Ophiogenes which dwelt about Hellespont as both Pliny Elianus and Aeneas Siluius doe witnesse Callias in the tenth Booke of the history which hee wrote of Agathocles the Syracusan saith that if any man were bytten of a Serpent if eyther a Lybian by birth or any Psyllus whose body was accounted venom to serpents was either purposely sent for or came that way by chaunce and saw the wound but indifferently and not very sore tormenting the patient that if he did lay but a little of his spettle vpon the byting or stroke that presently the aking and paine would be mittigated But if he found the sick patient in great and intollerable anguish and paine he tooke this course in his curation that first he would sucke and draw vp into his mouth a great deale of water and first rinse wash his own mouth there-with and after this pouring it all out of his owne mouth into a cup he would giue it to the poore wounded person to suppe of Lastly if the malignity and strength of the venome had crept and spred it selfe very farre and deepe into the body so that there vvas danger of death then would he strippe himselfe starke naked and so lie and spread his bodie vppon the naked body of the sicke person and so by this way of touching breake the malice and qualitie of the poyson and giue perfect cure to the man For more confirmation heereof Nicander Colophonius is sufficient authority whose verses I will here describe Audiui Libycos Psyllos quos aspera Syrtis Serpentumque ferax patria alit populos Non ictu inflictum diro morsuue venenum Laedere quin laesis ferre et opem reliquis Non viradicum proprio sed corpore juncto Which is in English thus The people Psylli bred in Lybia Land Neere Syrtes where all serpents doe abound Are neuer stunge nor bitten by that band Vnto their harme or any bodyes wound But straight one naked man anothers hurt doth heale No rootes but bodies vertue danger doth repeale Some of the Greekes haue left in writing that the Idolatrous Priests and Prelats of the God Vulcan that dwelt in the I le Lemnos had a speciall vertue giuen them to cure those who were wounded by Serpents wherevpon it is said that Philoctetes beeing 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 thē that were hurt of serpents either by sucking or touching the place but beeing boldly aduenturous had presumed thereby to attempt and do that which others of lesse courage had no stomack to doe for whosoeuer durst be so confident as to follow their example should be himselfe out of danger and assure the other safe and free from feare of further hurt Galen in his booke De Theriaca ad Pisonem manifestly sheweth that the Marsi who liued in his dayes had no such speciall qualitie against the poyson of Serpents but that with their crafty dealing and knauish tricks they beguiled the common people For saith he those Iuglers and Deceiuers do neuer hunt Vipers at any
with short breath with passion of the Liuer or Milt with choler with hart-ake with the Faling-sicknes It driueth all kinde of wormes out of the bowells It is the most soueraigne remedy of the Plague Euen to theÌ„ that are in health the often vse of it is wholsome for it promiseth long life and firme health it consumeth excrements it strengtheneth naturall actions it quickneth the wit sharpneth all the sences it preserueth the body from poyson other offences and maketh it scarce subiect to danger by such casualties it begetteth good bloud it corrupteth the ayre and waters neither alone doth it deliuer from instant diseases but also preserueth from those that be emminent OF EARTH-WORMES ALthough there be many and sundry sorts of wormes which doe containe in them some poysonous quality yet for all that at this time my purpose is to discourse especially of Earth-Wormes whereof some are bred onely in the earth and other among Plants and in the bodyes of liuing Creatures Wormes of the earth are tearmed by Plautus and Columella Lumbrici peraduenture as beeing deriued a Lubricitate They are called also Terrae Intestina of the Latines as well because they take their first beginning and breeding in the very bowels and inward partes of the Earth as because being pressed and squised betwixt the fâ—ngers or otherwise they doe voyde foorth excrements after the fashion of liuing beasts that haue Intrals in them The Greekes call them Ges entera Hesichius calleth them Embullous Brunfelsius Otho in his Physicke Lexicon writeth that they are vsually called in the Scilician togue Gaphagas fetching the deriuation of the word Parà Tò gaian phágein for they feede vppon the earth Of the Englishmen they are called Meds and Eearth-wormes Of the French Vers de Terra Of the Germans Eertwurm and Erdwurmem Melet Ode Regenwurm Of the Belgians Pier-wuorm or Ranganwuorm Of the Italians Lumbrichi Of the Spaniards Lumbrizes Of the Polonians Glisti Of the Hungarians Galisza Of the Arabians they are called Charatin Manardus in his second Booke and 40. Epistle writeth that in times past they were called Onisculi and Nisculi There are found especially two sorts of Earth-Wormes which are eyther greater or lesser The greater Earth-wormes are somewhat long almost like in proportion shape to those round Wormes which doe breede in mens bodyes They are halfe a foot long at least and being stretched out in length they are found to be a foote long they are of a whitish colour and sometimes though seldome of a bloudy hue and for the most part they are all adorned with a chaine about their neckes or rather they seeme to weare a certaine collor wherein there is a little bloud contained and they lacke eyes and eye-sight as all sorts of Wormes doe They breede of the slime of the earth taking their first beeing from putrifaction and of the fat moysture of the same earth they are againe fed and nourished and into earth at last are resolued When there falleth any shewer of Raine then this kind of worme creepeth soddenly out of the earth whereupon old Euclio in Plautus beeing very carefull of his pot of Gold speaketh aptly to his Drudge Strobilus in these words Foras foras Lumbrice qui sub terra erepsisti modo Qui modo nusquà m comparebas nunc autem cùm compares peris Which may be englished thus Away away thou VVorme late from the earth crept out Safe thou wast vnseene but seene life fayles I doubt Here Euclio very properly termeth his Bondman Strobilus a Worme because not being espyed of his Mayster before he suddenly came sneaking out from behinde an Altar where he was hid much like a worme that in moyst weather issueth out of the ground Those little heapes which are cast vp and lye shining and wrinkled before the mouth or edges of their holes I take them to bee their miety excrements for I could neuer as yet find other excrementitious substances drossy matter or other feculency but onely bare earth in them whose alimentary Iuyce and moysture beeing cleane exhausted they cast out the remaynder as an vnprofitable burthen nothing fit for nourishment At the entrance of their doores which yet steadeth them to some commodious vse for stopping damming vp theyr holes that the raine cannot so easily soke in they are by these meanes safely defended from many annoyances and daungers that otherwise might light vppon them Their delight is to couple together especially in a rainy night cleauing together vntill the Morning and in the same they are not folded round about one another like vnto Serpents but are straightly closed together side-wise and thus doe they remayne sticking close the one to the other They send foorth a certaine froathy slyme or Ielly when that they ioyne together They doe euer keepe the middle part of theyr body within the earth I meane their hinder parts yea euen in their mutuall ioyning together neither are they at any time so fast glewed and closed but with the least styrring and motion of the ground that can bee imagined they are straight-wayes seuered with-drawing themselues speedily into their lurking holes In Rainy weather they are whiter a great deale then at other times vnlesse it be when they couple together for then they appeare very red I my selfe about the middest of Aprill did once open a thicke Female Worme and within the flesh I found a certain receptacle ringed round about and filling vp the whole cauity of the body hauing a thinne membrance or ceate enclosing it and in this aforesaid stirehouse the earth which she had sed on and wherewith she was susteyned was held and contained Her Egges were found to bee in a safe place aboue the receptacle next to the mouth there were many of them on a heape together being all of a whitish colour The lesser Earth-Wormes for perspicuities sake we with Georgius Agricola will name Ascarides and these are often found in great numbers in Dung-hilles Mixens and vnder heapes of stones Of this sort some are redde which we Englishmen call Duggs these be they that Anglers and Fishers do so much desire for Fishes will greedily deuour them and for that end they with them do bayte their hookes There be some others of these lesser Earth-Wormes that are somewhat of a blew colour othersome againe are yellow onely about the tayle whereuppon they haue purchased the name of Yellow-tayles Some againe are ringed about the Neckes withall very fat Some others there be that haue neyther chaynes nor rings and these commonly be more lanke and slender of body then the former and these I iudge to bee the Males These Wormes doe specially breede in Autumne or at the fall of the leafe by reason then there is but little moysture in the Earth and this is Aristotles opinion Both kindes doe liue long in the water but yet at length for want of sustenance there they dye They mooue from place to place with a kind of reaching or
grinding and gnashing theyr teeth together that they were blasted benummed or suddenly depriued of all their liues and senses c. But here this pusillanimous and sordidous minded man Harpalion seemed to bee disgraced by his resembling to a poore Worme being peraduenture 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 faynt courage and very weake withall because striking and thrusting with his speare or I aucling at the Shield or Target of Atrides he was not able to strike it through But although this famous Poet doth so much seeme to extenuate and debase a weake Worme yet others haue left vs in theyr writings such commendations of their singular vse and necessity for the recouery of mans health then which no earthy thing is more pretious haue so nobilitated the worth of these poore contemptible Creatures as I thinke nature as yet hath scarce giuen any other simple Medicine or experience found out by tract of time nor knowledge of Plantes by long study hath reueyled nor Paracelsus by the distillations of his Limbeck hath made knowne to the world any secret endued with so many vertues and excellent properties against so many diseases and for proofe heereof it shall not beside the purpose to examine and describe the rarest and most probable that are recorded amongst the learned Earth-Wormes doe mollifie conglutinate appease paine and by their terrestriall and withall waterish humidity they do contemper any affected part orderly and measurably moderating any excesse whatsoeuer The powder of Wormes is thus prepared They vse to take the greatest Earth-Wormes that can bee found and to wrappe them in Mosse suffering them there to remayne for a certaine time thereby the better to purge and clense them from that clammy and filthy slimynesse which outwardly cleaueth to their bodies When all this is done they presse hard the hinder part of their bodies neere to the taile squising out thereby their excrements that no impurity so neere as is possible may be retayned in them Thirdly they vse to put them into a pot or some fit vessell with some white-wine a little Salt and streyning them gently betweene the fingers they first of all cast away that Wine and then doe they poure more wine to them after the washing of the wormes they must also take away some of the Wine for it must not all be poured away as some would haue it and this must so often bee done and renewed vntill the Wine be passing cleare without any filth or drossinesse for by this way their slymy ielly and glutinous euill quality is cleare lost and spent Being thus prepared they are to be dryed by little little in an ouen so long till they may be brought to powder which being beaten and searsed it is to be kept in a Glasse-vessell farre from the fire by it selfe A dramme of this powder being commixed with the iuyce of Marigoldes cureth the Epelipsie with some sweet wne as Muscadell Bastard or the Metheglin of the Welchmen It helpeth the Dropsie With white-wine and Myrrhe the Iaurdise with New-Wine or Hydromell the Stone Vlcers of the Reynes and Bladder It stayeth also the loosenesse of the belly helpeth barrennesse and expelleth the Secondine it asswageth the paine of the haunch or hippe by some the Sciatica it openeth obstructions of the Liuer dryueth away Tertian-Agues expelleth all Wormes that are bred in the Guts being giuen and taken with the decoction or distilled Water of Germander Worme-wood Sothern-wood Gâ—rlicke ScorduÌ„ Centory and such like The decoction of Wormes made with the iuyce of Knot-grasse or Comfery Salomons Seale or Sarasius compound cureth the disease teramed by Physitians Diabetes vvhen one cannot holde his Water but that it runneth from him without slay or as fast as hee drinketh A Glister likewise made of the decoction of Earth-Wormes and also taken accordingly doth maruellously asswage appease the paine of the Hemorrhoids There bee some that giue the decoction of Earth-Wormes to those persons that haue any congealed or clotted bloud in theyr bodyes and that with happy successe The vertue of Earth-Wormes is exceedingly set foorth both by the Graecians Arabians to encrease Milke in womens breasts Hieronimus Mercurialis a learned Physitian of Italy aduiseth Nurses to vse this confection following in case they want Milk alwaies prouided that there be not a Feuer ioyned withall Take of the Kernels of the fruite of the Pine-tree sweete Almonds of each alike one ounce Seedes of Fennell Parsely and rapes of eyther alike one dram of the powder of Earth-Wormes washed in wine two drams with Suger so much as is sufficient to be giuen the quantity of a dramme or two in the Morning and after it drink some small Wine or Capon-broath boyled with Rape-seedes and Leekes Against the tooth-ach the same powder of Earth-Wormes is prooued singular being decocted in Oyle dropped a little at once into the eare on the same side the paine is as Pliny witnesseth or a little of it put into the contrary eare will performe the same effect as Dioscorides testifyeth And thus far of Earth-Wormes taken into the body and of their manifolde vertues according to the euidence and testimony of Dioscorides Galen Aetius Paulus Aegeneta Myrepsus Pliny and daily experience which goeth beyond the precepts of al skilfull Maisters for this is the Schole-Mystris of all Artes as Manilius in his second Booke hath written Per varios vsus artem experientia fecit Exemplo monstrante viam In English thus Experience teacheth art by vse of things When as example plainest way forth brings Being also beaten to powder and outwardly applyed they doe close and solder vppe wouudes and conglutinate sinnewes that are cut and consolidating them againe in the space of seuen dayes and to performe this cure the better Democritus aduiseth to keepe them in Honny The ashes of Earth-Wormes duely prepared cleanseth Soâ—dious stinking and rotten Vlcers consuming and wasting away their hard lippes or Callons edges if it be tempered with Tarre and Simblian Hony as Pliny affirmeth Dioscerides saith that the Hony of Sicilia was taken for that of Simblia in his time Their ashes likewise draweth out Darts or Arrowes shot into the body or any other matter that sticketh in the flesh if they be tempered with Oyle of Roses and so applyed to the place affected The powder also cureth Kibes in the heeles and Chilblaynes on the handes as Marcellus testifieth for hurts that happen to the sinnewes wheÌ„ they are cut in peeces Quintus Serenus hath these verses Profuerit terrae Lumbricos indere tritos Quets vetus rancens sociari axungia Debet It is good saith hee to apply to sinnewes that are dissected The powder of Earth-Wormes mixed and wrought vp with old Rammish and vnsauery Barrowes Grease to be put into the griefe Marcellus Empiricus Besides the powder of Earth-Wormes and Axunger addeth further Grounswell and the
vndoubted Antiquaries and also the euidence of all ages not excepting this wherein we liue wherein are and haue beene shewed publiquely many Serpents and Serpents skinnes I receiue warrant sufficient to expresse what they haue obserued and assured aunswere for all future Obiections of ignorant incredulous and vnexperienced Asses Wherefore as the life of Serpents is long so is the time of theyr groweth and as their kindes be many as wee shall manifest in the succeeding discourse so in their multitude some grow much greater and bigger then other Gellius writeth that when the Romanes were in the Carthagenian warre and Attilius Regulus the Consull had pitched his Tents neere vnto the riuer Bragrada there was a Serpent of monstrous quantitie which had beene lodged within the compasse of the Tents and therefore did cause to the whole Armie exceeding great calamitie vntill by casting of stones with slings and many other deuises they oppressed and slew that Serpent and afterward fleyed off the skinne and sent it to Rome which was in length one hundred and twentie feete And although this seemeth to be a Beast of vnmatchable stature yet Possidonius a Christian Writer relateth a storie of another which was much greater for hee writeth that he saw a Serpent dead of the length of an acre of Land and all the residue both of head and bodie were answerable in proportion for the bulke of his bodie was so great and lay so high that two Horsemen could not see one the other beeing at his two sides and the widenes of his mouth was so great that hee could receiue at one time within the compasse thereof a horse and a man on his backe both together The scales of his coate or skinne beeing euery one like a large buckler or target So that now there is no such cause to wonder at the Serpent which is said to be killed by S. George which was as is reported so great that eight Oxen were but strength enough to drawe him out of the Cittie Silena There is a Riuer called Rhyndacus neere the Coasts of Bythinia wherein are Snakes of exceeding monstrous quantitie for when thorough heate they are forced to take the water for their safegard against the sunne and birds come flying ouer the poole suddenlie they raise their heads and vpper parts out thereof and swallow them vp The Serpents of Megalauna are said by Pausanias to be thirtie cubits long and all their other part answerable But the greatest in the world are found in India for there they grow to such a quantitie that they swallow vp whole Bulls and great Stagges Wherefore I doe not maruell that Porus the King of India sent to Augustus Caesar very huge Vipers a Serpent of tenne cubits long a Torteise of three cubits and a Partridge greater then a Vulture For Alexander in his nauigation vpon the Red-Sea saith that hee saw Serpents fortie cubits long and all their other parts and members of the same quantity Among the Scyritae the Serpents come by great swarmes vppon their flocks of sheepe and cattell and some they eate vp all others they kill and sucke out the blood and some part they carry away But if euer there were any thing beyond credite it is the relation of Volateran in his twelfth booke of the New-found Lands wherein he writeth that there are Serpents of a myle long which at one certaine time of the yeere come abroad out of their holes and dennes of habitation and destroy both the Heards and Heard-men if they find them Much more fauourable are the Serpents of a Spanish Island who doe no harme to any liuing thing although they haue huge bodies and great strength to accomplish their desires In the kingdome of Senega their Serpents are so great that they deuoure whole beasts as Goates and such like without breaking any one of their bones In Calechute they are as great as their greatest Swine and not much vnlike them except in their head which doth farre exceede a Swines And because the King of that Country hath made a Lavv that no man kill a Serpent vnder paine of death they are as great in number as they are in quantitie for so great is his error that hee deemeth it as lawfull to kill a Man as a Serpent All kindes of Serpents are referred to their place of habitation which is eyther the earth or the waters of the earth and the serpents of the earth are moe in number then the serpents of the vvater except the serpents of the Sea And yet it is thought by the most learned Rabbines that the serpents of the Sea are fishes in the likenes of Dragons Nowe the places of Serpents abode beeing thus generally capitulated wee must enter into a farther narration of their habitations and regions of their natiue breeding In the first place India nourisheth many and diuers sorts of Serpents especially in the Kingdome of Morfilium and Alexander the Emperour found among other Beasts sundry kinds of serpentâ— in a long Desert which is on the North-side of India But all the Nations of the World may giue place to Ethiopia for multitude and varietie for there they gather together on heapes and lye in compasse like round hills visibly apparant to the eyes of them that behold them a farre off The like is said of all Affrica for in Numidia euery yeere there are many men women and children destroyed by Serpents The Island Pharus is also by the testimony of the Egyptians filled with serpents The Coastes of Elymais are annoyed by serpents and the Caspians are so annoyed by serpents which come swymming in the floods that men cannot sayle that waies but in the Winter-time For from the beginning of the Spring or aequinoctiall they seeme for their number to approch fauening like troupes and Armies There are also certaine Ilands called Ophiusae insulae named after Ophis a serpent for the multitude bred therein And there are serpents in Candy Ephesus and all hot Countries for this priuiledge hath GOD in nature giuen to the colder Countreys that they are lesse annoyed with serpents and their serpents also lesse nocent and hurtfull and therefore the serpents of Europe are fewer in number lesser in quantity and more resistable for their weakenes and strength There were a people in Campania called Osci because of the multitude of serpents bred among them Likewise there are great store in Lombardy and Ferrara And whereas we haue saide that the most nocent and harmfull serpents are breddâ— in the hotest Regions where they engender more speedily and also grow into greater proportions yet is it not to be vnderstood of any speciall propertie appertayning to them alone for I read in Olaus Magnus his description of the Northerne Regions of serpents of as great quantitie as in any other place of the World but yet their poyson is not halfe so venomous hurtfull as in the hoter Regions especially the Affrican serpents In Botina
out of a Booke of Schiltâ—ergerus a Baâ—arian who knew the same as he writeth while hee was a captiue in Turky his words are these In the kingdome called Genycke there is a Citty called Sampson about which while I was prisoner with Baiazeta King of Turkes there pitched or arriued an innumerable company of Land and Water-serpents compassing the said Cittie a mile about The Land-serpents came out of the vvoods of Trienick which are great many and the Water-serpents came out of the bordering Sea These were nine dayes together assembling in that place and for feare of them there was not any man that durst goe out of the Citty although it was not obserued that they hurt any man or liuing creature there-abouts VVherefore the Prince also commaunded that no man should trouble them or doe them any harme wisely iudging that such an accident came not but by Diuine miracle and that also to signifie some notable euent Vppon the tenth day these two valiant troupes ioyned battell early in the morning before the sunne-rising so continuing in fight vntill the sunne-set at which time the Prince with some horse-men went out of the Cittie to see the battell and it appeared to him and his associates that the Water Serpents gaue place to the Land Serpents So the Prince and his company returned into the Citty againe and the next day went forth againe but found not a Serpent aliue for there were slaine aboue eyght thousand all which he caused presently to bee couered with earth in ditches and afterward declared the whole matter to Baiazeta by Letters after he had gotten that Cittie whereat the great Turke reioyced for hee thereby interpreted happines to himselfe But I haue beene too long in this first and proper affection of Serpents namely theyr mutuall concord and this example of the Land and Water-serpents doth not breake the common promised rule because it is to be vnderstood of serpents that liue in the samâ—element The second propertie of Serpents is to presage pestilence rottennesse of ayre famine floods and ruine of those places wherein they are commorant and haue theyr abiding so doe they knowe to chuse a good ayre and fore-knowe fertilitie of fruites earthquakes and great tempests VVhen Helice was destroyed fiue dayes before the serpents snakes rats mice and vvesills departed all out thereof beeing wiser then men that misdeeming no harme although they sawe wondered at these remooualls yet stood it out to their owne vtter ruine ouerthrow and destruction Of the friendship and enmitie which Serpents keepe with other Creatures EVer since the deuill entered into the Serpent it became hatefull to all or the most part of the Beasts of the field so that it may as truly be verified of the Serpent as it was of Esau that the hands of all men and beastes are against them except very few for they are strangers to all and find very fewe or no friends Yet it is reported that the Serpent and the Foxe will liue peaceably together in one caue or lodging There is a story not vnpleasant of a Man that found a Serpent enclosed betwixt two stones and at the intreatie of the serpent he loosed him out of danger and did him no harme The Serpent beeing released and free from death instead of other recompence for so good a turne told the Man that hee had beene therein long time inclosed and was very hungry and therefore was forced against his will to make the best of his fortune therefore must needes eate the Man and bad him prepare himselfe for death The man astonished at this motion replyed to the serpent that he hoped hee would not deale so with him hauing deliuered him from death now to put his deliuerer to death and said moreouer that he would not be the Iudge of his owne case but referre the same to the next they found and the serpent also yeelded to that iudgement beeing assured that no creature would quit the man least he should cast his owne life into perrill Forth then they went and met with an asse to whom the man told the difference betwixt him and the serpent howe kindly hee saued the serpents life and how vnkindly he againe would take away his life And then the serpent bade the Asse consider what iudgement hee gaue and for whom hee spake The Asse adiudged it lawfull for the serpent to kill the man Loe now saide the serpent make you readie for the matter is iudged against you and withall began to make force at him with mouth and sting But the man said that hee would not take this Asses decree for reasonable and therefore prayed the serpent to tarry yet a little longer and to try once more the next beast they met withall and the serpent thinking himselfe sure of the bootie yeelded there-vnto Then forth they passed againe shortly after met with a Fox to whom the man related his case and the benefit he had done to the serpent The serpent againe confessed he released him but withall denyed his case to be as the man had said so desperat but onely he entrapped himselfe the better to compasse a bootie The Foxe hauing heard them both desirous to end the matter for the mans benefit would needes goe with them both to the place where the serpent was inclosed and so all parties consented And wheÌ„ the Fox came thether he bade the Serpent goe into the same place againe that so he might the better iudge of the whole matter The serpent went in againe betwixt the stones and was so inclosed as he was before for he could not stirre neither backward nor forward Then the Foxe asked the man if this were the serpents case from which he had deliuered him The man answered yea in all poynts Then hee bade the serpent come out againe as he said hee could without the helpe of the man But the serpent called the man to helpe him againe Nay said the Fox I found you two at variance because of your discharge from this place and seeing nowe you are as you were before and the man as he was before your enlargement my sentence is that when you come forth of that place you are in then shall you eate the man and if hee will let you foorth againe I will neuer pittie him By this fable is shewed that Foxes loue not Serpents so well as they loue men and yet they neuer loue men but they are afraide suspitious and vvilling to forsake their familiaritie Some say there is a kind of loue betwixt Serpents and Cats whereof I finde this storie in Ponzettus There were certaine Monks who all of them fell sicke vpon a suddaine and the Phisitians could not tell how or whence this sicknesse came except from some secrete poyson At last one of the seruants of the Abbey saw the Cat which was dailie fedde at the Monks table to play with a serpent and thereby it was coniectured that the serpent hauing in his sport
Pliny saith that if you take out the right eye of a serpent and so bind it about any part of you that it is of great force against the watering or dropping of the eyes by meanes of a rhume issuing out thereat if the serpent be againe let goe aliue And so hee saith that a serpents or snakes hart if either it be bitten or tyed to any part of you that it is a present remedie for the tooth-ach and hee addeth further that if any man doe â—ast of the snakes hart that he shall neuer after be hurt of any serpent Paulus Venetus in his second booke chap. 40 writeth howe that in the Prouince of Caraiam there be serpents of exceeding greatnes which beeing killed the inhabitants of the Country doe pull out their gall which they vse to prize at a verie high rate when they sell any of it for it is very medicinall so that they which are byt of a madde dogge if they take inwardlie in any drinke but the quantitie of a penny weight of this gall they are presently cured And if a woman be in her trauaile of child-birth if shee tast neuer so little of this gall the birth will be the more speedie So if any be troubled either with the Pyles or Haemerrhoides in the fundament if that the place be annoynted with this gall after a few dayes he is set free from his disease Hippocrates giueth the seede of serpents as a remedie against the suffocation of the belly Nicholaus Myrepsus preseribeth this medicine against straines hardnesses Take a dead serpent put him into a new pot luting it very well with Gypsum then set it in a furnace that it may be burnt after that commixe the ashes of a serpent with an equall portion of the seedes of Fennegreke so being wrought vp with Attick-hony throughly disgested annoynt the place affected And with him agreeth Pliny who expresly affirmeth that the ashes of snakes and serpents beeing annoynted vpon Strumes eyther with oyle or waxe is a singuler medicine And likewise to drinke the ashes of a serpent that is burrit to powder in new earthen potte is very good but it will be the more effectuall if the serpents be killed betweene two tracks or forrowes that are made with Cart-wheeles The ashes of a serpent burnt with salt in a pot beeing put with oyle of Roses into the contrary eare helpeth the tooth-ach An vnguent against the Morphue prescribed by Olaus Magnus Take of the ashes of a serpent burnt in a newe pot and well couered two ounces Lytarge Galbanum Ammoniacum and Opponax dissolued in Vineger three ounces boyle them vntill the Vineger be consumed then straine them putting to them of Turpentine three ounces Frankinsence Masticke and Sarcocolla three ounces Saffron two ounces working them with a Spathulor till they be cold The powder of a burnt serpent is likewise good against Fistuloes The fat of a snake or serpent mixt with oyle is good against Strumes as Pliny saith The fat of snakes mixt with Verdegrease healeth the parts about the eyes that haue any rupture To which agreeth the Poet when he saith Anguibus ereptos adipes â—rugine misce Hipoterant ruptos oculorum iungere partes Which may be thus englished The fat of snakes mingled with yron-rust The parts of eyes doth mend which erst were burst It is certaine that barrennesse commeth by meanes of that grieuous torment and paine in child-birth and yet Olympias of Thebes is of opinion that this is remedied with a Bulls gall the fat of serpents and Verdegrease with some honie added to them the place beeing there with annointed before the comming together of both parts When a Woman is not able to conceiue by meanes of weakenesse in the retentiue vertue then there is no doubt but there must needes growe some membrane in the bellies entrance for which it is not amisse to make a Pessarie of the fat of a serpent verdegrease the fat of a Bull mixt together c. and to be applied Hippocrates in lib. de Sterilibus Gesner had a friend who signified to him by his Letters that the fat of a Serpent vvas sent to him from those sulphureous Bathes which were neere vnto Cameriacum and was sold at a very deere rate namely twelue poundes for euery ounce and sometimes deerer They vse to mixe it with the emplaister of Iohn de Vigo that famous Chirurgeon for all hardnesses nodes and other priuie vnseene though not vnfelt torments proceeding of the Spanish-poxe They vse it yet further against leprous swellings and pimples and to smooth and thinne the skinne Matthiolus saith that the fat of a black Serpent is mixt to good purpose with those oyntments that are prepared against the French or Spanishpox And Pliny mixeth their fat with other conuenient medicines to cause haire to grow againe The suffumigation of an old serpent helpeth the monthlie course Michaell Aloisius saith that oyle of Serpents decocted with the flowers of Cowsleps euer remembring to gather and take that which swimmeth at the toppe is singuler to annoynt podagricall persons there-with NOvv followeth the preparing of Serpents Take a Mountaine-Serpent that hath a blacke backe and a vvhite bellie cut off his taile euen hard to the place where he sendeth forth his excrements and take away his head with the breadth of foure fingers then take the residue squise out the blood into some vessell keeping it in a glasse carefully then fley him as you doe an Eele beginning from the vpper grosser part and hang the skinne vpon a stick and dry it then deuide it in the middle and referue all diligently You must wash the flesh and put it in a pot boyling it in two parts of Wine and beeing well and throughly boyled you must season the broth with good spices and Aromaticall or cordiall powders and so eate it But if you haue a mind to rost it it must be so rosted as it may not be burnt and yet that it may be brought into powder and the powder thereof must be eaten together with other meat because of the loathing and dreadfull name and conceit of a serpent for beeing thus burned it preserueth a man from all feare of any future Lepry and expelleth that which is present It keepeth youth causing a good colour aboue all other Medicines in the vvorld it cleereth the eye-sight gardeth surelie from gray haires and keepeth from the Falling-sicknes It purgeth the head from all infirmitie and beeing eaten as before is said it expelleth scabbines the like infirmities with a great number of other diseases But yet such a kind of Serpent as before wee haue described and not any other beeing also eaten freeth one from deafenes You may also finelie mince the heads and tayles of Serpents feede there-with chickins or geese beeing mingled with crummes of bread or Oates and these Geese or Chickins beeing eaten they helpe to take away the Leprosie and all other foulenesse in mans
cupping-glasse can be prouided then it is best that the patient doe suppe of mutton veale or goose broth and to prouoke vomiting Yet they that will more effectually and speedily giue help vse to kill a Goate and taking out the entralls with the warme dung therein found forth-with bind it vnto the place The learned Phisition Matthiolus in his comment vppon Dioscorides saith that to auoyd the danger that commeth by sucking out the venom men now a-dayes vse to apply the fundament of some Cocke or Henne or other Birds after the feathers are puld off to the wounded place and the first dying to apply another in the same order and so another and another vntill the whole venomous matter be cleane driuen away whereof one may be certainely assured if the last henne or byrd so applyed doe not die Auicen the Arabian saith that the Phisitians of Egypt in which Country there bee infinite store of venomous beasts doe hasten to burne the part with fire as the safest and surest remedy when any one is this way endangered For fire not onely expelleth poysons but many other grieuances But the way how they vsed to burne with fire was diuers in these cases For some-times they vsed to seare the place with a hot yron and other-whiles with a corde or match beeing fired and sometimes scalding oyle and many other deuises they had with burning medicaments to finish this cure as saith Hieron Mercurialis in his first Booke Dâ— Morb. Venenatis writeth and Iohn Tagault Institut Chirurg lib. 2. saith that the wound must first be seared with a hot yrou if the place can endure it or els some caustick and vehement corroding medicine must be vsed for all such wounds are for the most part deadlie and doe bring present death if speedy remedie be not giuen and therefore according to Hyppocrates counsell to extreame griefes extreame remedies must be applyed so that sometimes the safest way is to take or cut off that member which hath either been bitten or wounded Neither am I ignorant saith Dioscorides what the Egyptians doe in these cases For wheÌ„ they reape their Coâ—e in Haruest-time they haue ready at hand prepared a pot with pitch in it and a string or band hanging at it for at that time of the yeere they are most afraid of Serpents which then chiefely doe hide themselues in darke holes and caues of the earth and vnder thick clots turffes for Egypt aboundeth with such venomous poysonfull creatures When as therefore they haue wounded either the foote or any other part they that are present doe put the string into the pot of pitch and binding the place they fall to cutting it with some instrument rounde in compasse as the string is tyed after this is done they powre in of the pitch a sufficient quantitie then vntying and loosing the band they lastly annoynt it with Garlick and Onions A certaine Countriman beeing bytten of a Serpent perceiued by and by his foote to swell and by little little the force of the poyson to swell vp higher neerer to the hart the Castle of life who beeing taught instructed of an old woman to burie his foote vnder the earth and to 〈◊〉 henne into two parts to apply to the wound and to the hen she wished him to lay aliue frogge who continually sucking the blood from the hennes flesh might by this meanes at length attract and draw all the poyson into it selfe So when hee had held his foote a whole night couered and buried vnder the earth finding no abatement but rather an increase of his tormenting paine at length by the aduise and direction of a certaine Noble Matron he dranke a good draught of Theriaca Hony tempred in Ale and so after a few houres fell on a great continuall vomiting by which meanes he was perfectly freed from the paines of the vpper parts of his body his feete notwithstanding continuing in their former swelling which was also taken cleane away onely by drinking the milke of a black Goate so much in quantity at a time as one egge-shell would containe his foote in the meane space beeing held or plunged in a sufficient quantitie of the same milke From which there issued and ranne a foule stinking glutinous snivelly matter and this he was admonished to doe by a certaine Priest But yet afterwards by chaunce washing himselfe in a hot sunnie day in a certaine Riuer and sitting vppon the banke his feete hanging downe into the water and hee falling fast a sleepe hee knew not well how long time hee so continued at length awaking hee plainly perceiued the water that was neere on all sides to bee filthy stained and polluted with much stinking matter and as it were dreggie refuse and fulâ—ulencie and from that time forwards he remained well and lustie and as sound as a Bell. Another time a Mayde being bitten of a Serpent layd presently vpon the wound some Fresh-cheese made of the milke of a white Goate and powring or sprinkling her foote with the milke of the same Goate as a defensatiue for that part was by this meanes restored to her former health as a certaine learned man testified in his Letters written to Gesner Vegetius affirmeth that if any liuing creature be bytten and wounded of venomous Beasts the place which is hurt must first of all be suffumigated with hens egge-shels burnt which first ought to be infused in Vineger with a little Harts-horne or Galbanum After fomentation the place must be scarified the blood must be let out or else the place must be seared with a hot yron so farre as the venom stretcheth And this care must be had that the Cauterre be neuer applyed and layde either aboue the ioynts or in sinewie parts at any time for the sinewes or ioynts beeing seared and burnt there must of necessitie a continuall weakenes and debilitie follow Therfore great diligence must be vsed that neither a little aboue nor a little beneath the nerues ioynts we lay any Cauterizing medicine yea although necessitie biddeth vs. But it is also requisite that euery one thus wounded doe gently and easily prouoke sweating with warme clothes cast vpon him afterwards to walke vp and downe to take Barley-meale in his meate with some leaues of the Ash-tree and the white Vine added to it And to the wound it is good to apply Attick-Honie or Comin heated and patched and so mixed with olde Wine Some vse to mixe newe Hogs-dung and Attick-honny tempered together with wine and so beeing warmed to apply it as a Cataplasme adding to it some vrine of a man I haue said before that young chickins beeing dissected or cut in peeces when they are warme ought to be layde to the stinged part and some there be that yeelde this reason why they should be good for this purpose because say they there is a naturall antipathy betwixt them and venomous creatures But this reason is reasonlesse and I think
Some make three Kings differing in colour as black red and diuers coloured Menecratés saith that those who are of sundry colours are the worser but in case they haue diuersity of colour with some blacknes they are esteemed the better He that is elected Monarch Caesar and captaine generall of the whole swarme is euer of a tall personable and heroycall stature being twice so high as the rest his wings shorter his legs streight brawny and strong his gate pace manner of walking is more lofty stately and vpright of a venerable countenance and in his forehead there is a certaine red spot or mark with a Diadem for he far differeth from the populer and inferiour sort in his comelinesse beauty and honor The Prince of Philosophers confoundeth the sexe of Bees but the greatest company of learned Writers do distinguish them whereof they make the feminine sort to be the greater Others againe will haue them the lesser with a sting but the sounder sort in my iudgment will neither know nor acknowledge any other males besides their Dukes and princes who are more able handsome greater and stronger then any of the rest who stay euer at home and very seldome vnlesse with the whole Swarme they stir out of doores 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 euer to be ready at the elbowes of their loues to do them right Experience teaching vs that these do sit on egges and after the manner of birdes do carefully cherish and make much of their young after the thin membram or skin wherein they are enclosed is broken The difference of their age is knovvne by the forme state and habite of their bodies For the young Bees haue very thinne and trembling winges but they that are a yeare old as they that are two or three yeares of age are very trimme gay bright-shining and in very good plight and liking of the colour of Oyle But those that haue reached to seauen yeares haue layed away all their flatnesse and smoothnesse neither can any man afterwards either by the figure and quality of their bodies or skinnes iudge or discerne certainely their age as wee say by experience in Horses For the elder sort of them are rough hard thinne and leane scragges staruelinges lothsome to touch and to looke vpon somewhat long nothing but skinne and bone yet very notorious and goodly too see to in regard of their grauity hoarenes and aunciency But as they be in forme and shape nothing so excellent so yet in experience and industrie they farre outstrippe the younger sort as those whom time hath made more learned and length of dayes ioyned with vse hath sufficiently instructed and brought vp in the Art or trade of hony-making The place likewise altereth one whiles their forme and sometimes againe their nature as their sexe and age do both For in the Islands of Molucea there be Bees very like to winged Pismires but somewhat lesser then the greater Bees as Maximilian Transiluanus in an Epistle of his written to the Byshop of Salspurge at large relateth it Andrew Theuet in his Booke that he wrote of the new-found World Cap. 51. amongst other matters reporteth that he did see a company of Flies or Hony-bees about a tree named Vhebehason which then was greene with the which these Hony-bees do liue and nourish themselues of the which trees there were a great number in a hole that was in the tree wherein they made Hony and Waxe There is two kindes of the Hony-bees one kind are as great as ours the which commeth not onely but of good smelling flowers also their Hony is very good but their Waxe not so yellow as ours There is another kinde halfe so great as the others their hony is better then the others and the wilde men name them Hira They liue not with the others food which to my iudgment maketh their VVaxe to be as black as coales and they make great plenty specially neare to the Riuer Vasses and of Plate The Bees called Chalcoides which are of the colour of Brasse and somewhat long which are said to liue in the Island of Creta are implacable great fighters and quarrellers excelling all others in their stinges and more cruell then any others so that with their stinges they haue chased the inhabitants out of their Citties the remainder of which Bees do remaine and make their hony-combs as Aelianus saith in the Mountaine Ida. Thus much of the differences of Bees now it remaineth to discourse of the Politike Ethicall and oeconomicke vertues and properties of them Bees are gouerned and doe liue vnder a Monarchy and not vnder a tyrannicall state admitting and receiuing their King not by succession or casting of lots but by respectiue aduise considerate iudgement and prudent election and although they willingly submit their neckes vnder a kingly gouernment yet notwithstanding they still keepe their ancient liberties and priuiledges because of a certaine prerogatiue they maintaine in giuing their voyces and opinions and their King being deeply bound to them by an oath they exceedingly honor and loue The King as he is of a more eminent stature and goodly corporature as before wee haue touched then the rest so likewise which is singular in a King he excelleth in mildnesse and temperatenesse of behauiour For he hath a sting but maketh it not an instrument of reuenge which is the cause that many haue thought their king neuer to haue had any For these are the lavves of Nature not written with Letters but euen imprinted and engrauen in theyr conditions and manners and they are very flovv to punish offenders because they haue the greatest and Soueraigne povver in their hands And although they seeme to bee slacke in reuenging and punishing priuate iniuries yet for all that they neuer suffer rebellious persons refractorious obstinate and such as will not bee ruled to escape without punishment but vvith their pricking stinges they greeuously wound and torment so dispatching them quickly They are so studious of peace that neither vvillingly nor vnvvillingly they vvill giue any cause of offence or displeasure VVho therefore vvould not greatly be displeased vvith and hate extreamely those Dionysian Tyrants in Sicilia Clearchus in Heraclea and Apollodorus the Theefe Pieler and spoyler of the Cassandrines And vvho would not detest the vngratiousnes of those levvd clavv-backes and Trencher-parasites and flatterers of Kings vvhich dare impudently maintaine that that a Monarchy is nothing else but a certaine way and rule for the accomplishing of the will in vsing their authority as they list and a science or skilfull trade to haue wherewith to liue pleasantly in all sensuall and worldly pleasure which ought to be far from a good Prince who whilest he would seem to be a man he shew himselfe to be farre worser then these little poore-winged-creatures And as their order and course of life is farre
will I proceede to tell you of their ill name naughty venemous and pernitious properties They are reckoned and scored vppe in the number of most deadly and hurtfull poysons not onely because they cause erosion and inflammation but more in regard of their putrifactiue quality and making rotten wherein they exceede Their iuyce beeing taken into the stomacke and so piercing into the veines or layd vppon the skinne outwardly so long till it hath entred the veines is a most strong poyson whereupon Ouid when he wished ill vnto or cursed his enemy writ this Cantharidum succos dante parente bibas lib. Trist Cicero ad Parum in the ninth Booke of his familiar Epistles hath these wordes Caâ—â—s accusante L. Crasso Cantharidas sumpsisse dicitur as if he purposed by that way to make an end of himselfe by death Galen in his third booke De Simplic medicam facult writeth thus If they bee taken inwardly into the body though but in small quantity and mixed with other conuenient correctories they doe mightily prouoke vrine and sometimes corrode and fret the bladder so that it is as cleare as the noone-day that what thinges soeuer do ouerthrow nature by reason of their extreame frigiditie if they be taken but in a very small quantity yet will nourish the body so on the other side whatsoeuer is contrary repugneth or goeth against humaine Nature by meanes of corrupting or any putrifactiue quality like vnto Cantharides can neuer do so Bartholomeus Montegnana a learned Physition assureth vs that he once knewe one Francis Bracca a Cittizen of Paduay in Italy who hauing but outwardly applyed Cantharides to his knee yet their poyson spreading to other inward parts he voyded fiue pintes of bloud by way of vrine and this may any man see if he will take the paines to read ouer Montegnana Consil 182. Cap. 10. The same accident hath also befalne them who to be remedyed of rough hard mangy or lepros-like nailes haue aduentured to apply them to their great toe So that Cantharides must not rashly be applyed and vsed as common deceiuers blind-empiricks and cousening Land-lopers would make plaine countrey people beleeue Pliny relareth a story of one Cossinus a Romaine Knight who was deerely beloued of Nero the Emperour who hauing a very dangerous Tettar a disease in times past was peculiar to the people of Aegypt a Physition of that countrey in stead of curing did kill him by giuing him Cantharides to drinke But I should rather thinke that Cossinus dyed by the outward applycation of Cantharides because by their burning and causticke quality they cleane eate and consume away filthy Tetters or Ringwormes Manginesse scuruinesse Lepries and all hard Callous warts Cornes or peeces of flesh that grow in the handes or feete for I can see no reason why any would bee so wilfully blinde as to giue them inwardly for the curation of any Tetters or such like griefes or at leastwise I must thinke that the right vse of Cantharides was vnknowne to the ancient Physitions of the old world as by Galen it may appeare in his eleuenth booke de Simplic Med. fac and in his fourth booke de victa Acut. The same Pliny in his twenty nine booke and fortith Chapter witnesseth that Cantharides were reprochfully layd to Cato vticensis charge and that hee was sorely blamed for offering to make a price of poysons and to sell them openly as in port-saile to any that would giue most so that their price rose to threescore sesterties Being drunke in too large a quantity or else apply outwardly to any part eyther too long or too deepe they produce these or the like symptomes accidents and effects The party to whom they are any way giuen feeleth apricking paine and torment in his bowelles and inward partes extending from the mouth downe to the lower partes about the Bladder Raines and the places about the Wast and short ribbes they doc also vlcerate the bladder very dangerously inflaming the yard and all other partes neere the same with a vehement apostimation after this they pisse bloud and little peeces of flesh Otherwhiles there will follow a great laske and a bloudy-flyxe fainting and swounding a numnesse or dulnesse of moouing or feeling debilitation our feeblenesse of the mind with alicnation of the wit as though they were bestraught likewise lothing or abhorring of meate with a disposition to vomiting and often an ordinary desire to make water and to exonerate nature but all in vaine He that taketh them findeth in his mouth the tast or tallage of pitch and all these symptomes passions or effectes that they work haue I with much labour faithfully collected out of the sixth booke of Dioscorides the first Chapter And out of Galen Lib. de Theriaca ad Pisonem Cap. 4. and lib. 3. de Temperam cap. 3. And out of ancient Rhazes who practised Physicke one hundreth yeares if truth be truely related Tit. 8. Chap. 17. If any one be either affected or infected with any accydents by meanes of Cantharides Dioscorides doth thus cure them as you may readily find in the booke and chapter before cited First of all hee causeth them to vomit often and much and after that hee prescribeth Glysters to bee made for the scouring of the belly with Niter and to presâ—rue the bladder inwardly to take Milke and Psyllum and then hee would haue the matter of Glysters to be somewhat different from those which were taken in the beginning as namely to bee made of Barley Water Marsh-Mallowes the white of an Egge the Musciling of Line-seedes Water of Ryce the decoction of Fennigreeke Hydromell satte Broathes Oyle of Almonds the fat of a Goose and the yelkes of Egges And inwardly to take at the mouth hee biddeth them to vse Cowes Milke Hydromell the Graines or fruite of the Pitch-tree both the greater and the lesser sort Wine sodde to the halfe Duckes fatte a decoction with some diureticall seedes namely with the foure greater cold seeds which are Cucumbers Guords Citruls and Melons and likewise some decoction made of Figges with sirup of Violets Oyle of Quinces is hyely commended of some as a proper and speciall Antidote in this case and so is Oyle of Lillies and Terra Samia Rhazes counsell is after the taking of some Glysters made of any fat broathes to make an iniection into the yarde with Oyle of Roses and the sicke person to sit in a warme Bath Tit. 8. Chapter 17. The Writers and Authours of Physicke and Phylosophy cannot agree in what part of the Cantharides theyr poyson cheefely lurketh for some will haue it to bee principally in the head and feete and others againe will none of that And yet they all agree vppon this poynt that in what part of the body soeuer their poison is seated that their winges are a soueraigne remedy and preseruatiue and if they bee wanting that their poyson is deadly so that although they be neuer so poysonous yet haue they their owne remedy which in
to feele a certaine pleasant itching but it is not long before hee perceiueth a great burning within loathing and detesting of meate and a continuall desire to vomit and goe to the stoole which neuerthelesse hee cannot doe At length vnlesse speedy succour be giuen they so miserably burne and parch the body that they bring a hard crustines skurffe or scald vpon the stomacke as though the sides thereof had beene plaistered with some hard shardes or other like thinges after the manner of Arsenicke as Dioscorides Aetius Pliny and Celsus doc assure vs. In like manner Galen in his eleuenth booke Simp. cap. 50. And Auicen 505. cap. 25. haue testified the same And for this cause Aetius and Aegineta doe say that it is nothing wholesome for any to sit downe to meate to spread the Table or make any long tariance vnder any Pine tree least peraduenture through the sauour or smell of the meates the reeke or vapour of their broathes or noyse of men the Pityocampies beeing disturbed from theyr homes and vsuall resting places might fall downe either into their meates beneath or at least-wise cast downe or let fall any of their seede as poysonous as themselues They that receiue hurt by them must haue recourse to those preseruatiues and medicines as were prescribed to those that were poysoned by Cantharides for by them they are to be cured and by no other meanes Yet for all that oyle of Quinces is properly commended to vomit withall in this case which must be taken twise or thrise euen by the prescript of Dioscorides and Aetius They are generated or to speake more aptly they are regenerated after the maner of Vine-fretters which are a kind of Catterpillers or little hayrie wormes with many feete that eate Vines when they begin to shoote of that Autumnall seede of theirs left reserued in certaine small bagges or bladders within their webbes There is another sort of these Catterpillers who haue no certaine place of abode nor yet cannot tell where to find theyr foode but like vnto superstitious Pilgrims doe wander and stray hither and thither and like Mise consume and eate vp that which is none of their owne and these haue purchased a very apt name amongst vs Englishmen to be called Palmer-wormes by reason of their wandering and rogish life for they neuer stay in one place but are euer wandering although by reason of their roughnes and ruggednes some call them Beare-wormes They can by no meanes endure to be dyeted and to feede vpon some certaine herbes and flowers but boldly and disorderly creepe ouer all and tast of all plants and trees indifferently and liue as they lift There are sundry other sorts of these Cankers or Catterpillers to be found in the herbes called Cranes-bill Ragwort Petie-Mullen Hoppes Coleworts Hasells Marigolds Fenell Lycorice Basill Alder Night shade Water-Betony Garden-spurge other sorts of that herbe in Elme-trees Peare-trees Nettles and Gilliflowers Yea there is not any plant to be found which hath not his proper and peculiar enemy and destroyer all which because they are so commonly knowne of all though perhaps not of all obserued I will least I should seeme to be infinite passe ouer with silence But yet I will adde a word or two of a strange and stinking Catter-piller which it was neuer my hap as yet to see described by Corradus Gesner in these wordes following This stinking Catterpiller saith he is very like to those that are horned but yet it wanteth hornes differing froÌ„ them all in colour I first espyed it creeping vpon a wall toward the end of August Anno. 1550. there commeth from it a lothsome and an abhominable sauour smell so that you would verily beleeue it to be very venomous It went forwards very frowningly with a quick angry and despightfull countenaunce as it were in bending wise the head alwaies stretched vp aloft with the former two feete I iudge her to be blind She was the length and breadth of a mans finger with a fewe scattering and rugged hayres somewhat bristly hard both on her backe and sides the backe was very blacke The colour of her belly and sides was some-what redde enclining to yellow and the whole body was distinguished deuided and easily discerned with foureteene ioynts or knots and euery ioynt had a certaine furrow like a kind of wrinckle running all along the back Her head was blacke and some-what hard her mouth crookedly bending like hookes hauing teeth notched like a saw and with these teeth as with pincers or nyppers whatsoeuer she layd hold on she as famished did bite She went on sixteene feete as for the most part all the sorts of Palmer-wormes doe Without doubt she must be concluded to be exceeding venomous The learned man Vergerus tooke it to be a Pityocampe and others thought it a Scolopendra but that could not be by reason of the number of her feete I could hardly with much adoe endure her vyle smell till I had drawne out her description Shee so infected two hot-houses with her abhominable sauour and stinke that my selfe and they that were with me could not endure in the place Thus farre Gesner as I haue to shew out of certaine scroles of paper of his neuer as yet imprinted Now will I proceede to discourse of the originall generation aliment and metamorphosis of Catterpillers Chare liber nostrûm test is benefide laborum Ne tua purpureo suffuderis or a rubore Agrestes abacis tine as si expressere nostris Vermiculosque leuem qui in the cam vellera mutant Hi siquidem artificis prudenti pollice Dij Finguntur tenui qui non tenuatur opella Et qui vermiculis dextrae miranda potentis Signa suae prodit potius quám corpore vasti Molifero Barnhi tumido vel robore Ceti Equam antisque alijs qui lata per aequoratentant Fulmine as sine mente minas et nostra profundo Lintea quá mergant large mare gutture ructant Which may be englished thus Deere Booke a witnes of my labour true Be not ashamed to write of little wormes Nor Catterpillers which from base things ensue And into easie cases againe returnes For these are fram'd by hand of GOD most wise Neuer abased in any worke so small For out of Wormes his wonders doe arise As well as from great beasts so tall Tower-bearing Elephant huge Whale And other monsters swimming in the Seas Irefull beasts in hills and deepest dale Death threatning to all that them displease For so I thinke it best to beginne with the verses of a good Poet who indeede did see and admire the inscrutable wisedome and diuine prouidenâ—â— of the Almightie in the generation and breeding of Catterpillers Which whilst diuers Authours laboured to expresse and set downe diuersly I knowe not what clowdes of errors they haue thrust vs into for swaruing themselues besides the way although they pretend a matchlesse vnderstanding in these misteries of Phylosophy they haue caused others to tread awry
This sayth Hippocrates in his booke De superfoetat Diâ—scorides in his first booke and 90. chapter giueth in drinke those common Catter-pillers that liue in companies together against the disease called the Squinsie But vnlesse by some hidde and secret property they doe good in this griefe beeing receiued inwardly it were needfull in regard of their manifest venomous nature that they were vtterly reiected contemned Nicander vseth them to prouoke sleepe for thus he writeth Ei de súge tripsas oligo en bammati kampen Kepeien drosoeastan epi chloreida noto c. Which Hieremias Martius hath thus translated Quod si rodentes olus et frendentia vermes Lueva quibus virides depingunt terga colores In medio sacra de Palladis arbore succo Triveris hincque tuum colleveris vndique corpus Tuta dabis dulci securus membra quieti Which may be englished thus With herbe-eating or greene-leafe-gnawing wormes Whose backs imprinted are with colours liuely greene All bruised mixed with iuyce from Pallas tree that rumes Annoynted body brought to sound sleepe is often seene There are to be seene in diuers thornie pricklie sharpe and rough herbes as for example in Nettle sundry hairie or lanuginous Catterpillers which beeing tyed or hanged about some part of the body do by and by as the report goeth heale those infants which haue any stopping of the meates passage when they cannot swallow A Catterpiller bree-ding in pot-herbes beeing first bruised and then annoynted vpon any venomous bytings of Serpents is of great efficacie and if you rubbe a naughtie or a rotten tooth with the Colewort-catterpillers and that often within a few dayes following the tooth will fall out of his owne accord Auicenna Catterpillers mixt with oyle doe driue away Serpents Dioscorides If a man annoynt his hands or any other part with oyle it will cause that hee shall receiue no hurt by the stinging of Bees VVaspes or Hornets as Aetius sayth Pliny cyteth many fond and superstitious fained matters and lying tales deuised by those who in his time were called Magi Soothsayers or Diuiners concerning the admirable vertues of Catterpillers All which because I see them hissed out of the Schoole of Diuinitie and that in hart secretly I haue condemned them I will at this time let them passe without any further mention They are also a very good meate to diuers byrdes and fowles which are so needful for the vse benefit and foode of man-kinde as to Starlings Peacocks Hennes Thrushes Dawes or Choughes and to sundry fishes likewise as to the Tench Pike or Pikerell to a certaine Sea-fish called a Scorpion also to the Troute and some others who are easily deceiued with a Catterpillerd hooke VVhich kind of fishing fraude if you would better be instructed in I must referre you to Tarentinus in his Geoponicks and to a little booke dedicated to Robert Dudley late Earle of Leicester written by Ma Samuell Vicar of Godmanchester in Huntingtonshiere It is not to be passed ouer in silence how that not many yeres since there came infinite swarmes of Catterpillers out of Thrucia into Polonia Hungaria and beyond the lymits of Germany which did not onely deuoute the fruites of trees but whatsoeuer was greene either in the medowes tilled fields besides the Vines which was taken for an euident prognosticke and signe as many diuined of some great Turkish Armie to come swarming into those parts neither herein did this their gessing and mistrust deceiue them for the next yeere following was the siedge of Vienna in Austria the wasting spoyling and ouer-running of Hungaria and the deadly English-Sweating could not containe it selfe in an Iland but must spread it selfe among them of the Continent wherevppon ensued the destruction of many thousands of people before any remedy could be found out In the yeere of grace 1573. there rushed infinite swarmes of Catterpillers into Italy where they spoyled and made hauock of all greene buds grasse growing vpon the face of the earth so that with theyr vnquenchable and insatiate voracity they left nothing but the bare rootes of trees and plants and this hapned chiefely about Mantua and Brixia And vpon the necke of this followed a terrible fearefull pestilence of which there dyed aboue 50. thousand persons Also in the yeere of our Lord GOD 1570. there vvere two great and suddaine swarmes of Catterpillers that came rushing into Italy in the space of one Sommer which put the Romans into an exceeding great feare for there was nothing left greene in all their fieldes that could be preserued from their rauine and from their gluttonous and pilling maw And although the fertilitie of the yeere immediately following did almost blot and race out the memory of this their heauy punishment that many seemed as it were to repent them of theyr repentance yet are we not to doubt but that many were truly penitent and seriously were drawne to amendement of life by a due consideration heereof God grant that we may be warned by other mens punishments least that poore creature which we imagin to be the silliest least able to do vs harme we find the most heauie ⧠OF THE BOAS. IT was well knowne among all the Romans that when Regulus was Gouernour or Generall in the Punick warres there was a Serpent neere the Riuer Bagrade killed with slings stones euen as a Towne or little Cittie is ouer-come which Serpent was an hundred and twenty foote in length whose skinne and cheeke bones were reserued in a Temple at Rome vntill the Numantine warre And this History is more easie to be beleeued because of the Boas Serpent bred in Italy at this day for we read in Solinus that when Claudius was Emperour there was one of them slaine in the Vatican at Rome in whose belly was found an Infant swallowed whole and not a bone thereof broken The Germaines call this Serpent Vncke and besides theÌ„ I doe not reade of any other Name Some haue ignorantly confounded it with Chersydrus an Adder of the earth but vpon what reason I doe not know onely Solinus discoursing of Calabria might giue some colour to this opinion when he saith Calabria Chersydris est frequentissima boam gignit quem Anguem ad immensam moleÌ„ ferunt coalescere that is to say Calabria is full of Earth-Adders and it breedeth the Boas vvhich Snake some affirme will grow into a monstrous stature Out of which words there is no wise man can collect that the Boas and the Adder of the earth are all one thing The Latines call it Boa and Boua of Bos because by sucking Cowes milke it so encreaseth that in the end it destroyeth all manner of hedres Cattell and Regions And our domesticall Snakes and Adders will also sucke milke from Kine as in all the Nations of the world is most manifest to them that will obserue the same The Italians doe vsually call them Serpeda de Aqua a Serpent of the water and therefore all the Learned expound
which cause the wound or place bitten must be embrewed or washed with luke-warme Vineger and emplaistered with the leaues of Bay annoynted with the oyle of herbe Mary and the oyle of Wilde-pellitory or such things as are drawne out of those oyles wherein is the vertue of Nettles or Sea-Onyons But those thinges which are giuen vnto the patient to drinke must be the iuyce of Bay-leaues in Vineger or else equall portions of Myrrhe Pepper and Rewe in Wine the powder or dust whereof must be the full vveight of a golden-groat or as we say a French-Crovvne In the next place for the conclusion of the history of the dragon we will take our farewell of him in the recitall of his medicinall vertues which are briefely these that follow First the fatte of a Dragon dryed in the sunne is good against creeping Vlcers and the same mingled with Hony and Oyle helpeth the dimnesse of the eyes at the beginning The head of a dragon keepeth one from looking a squint and if it be sette vp at the gates and dores it hath beene thought in auncient time to be very fortunate to the sincere worshippers of GOD. The eyes beeing kept till they be stale and afterwards beate into an Oyle with Hony and made into an oyntment keepe any one that vseth it from the terrour of night-visions and apparisions The fatte of a Hart in the skinne of a Roe bound with the nerues of a Hart vnto the shoulder was thought to haue a vertue to fore-shew the iudgement of victories to come The first spindle by bearing of it procureth an easie passage for the pacification of higher powers His teeth bound vnto the feete of a Roe with the nerues of a Hart haue 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 tayle of a dragon with the hayres out of the fore-head of a Lyon and the marrow of a Lyon the spume or white mouth of a conquering horse bound vppe in a Harts-skinne together with a clawe of a dogge and fastned with the crosse nerues or sinew of a Hart or of a Roe they say that this hath as much power to make one invincible as hath anie medicine or remedy whatsoeuer The fatte of dragons is of such vertue that it driueth away venomous beastes It is also reported that by the tongue or gall of a dragon sodde in wine men are deliuered from the spirits of the night called Incubi and Succubi or else Night-mares But aboue all other parts the vse of theyr blood is accounted most notable But whether the Cynnabaris be the same which is made of the blood of the dragons and Elephants collected from the earth when the dragon and the Elephant fall downe dead together accordings as Pliny deliuereth I will not heere 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 onely referre the Reader vnto that which hee shall finde written thereof in the history of our former booke of Foure-footed-beastes And if that satisfie him not let him read Langius in the first booke of his Epistles and sixtie-fiue 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 Baluacensis writeth that the Blood-stone called the Haematite is made of the dragons blood and thus I will conclude the history of the dragon with this storie following out of Porphyrius concerning the good successe which hath beene signified vnto men and women eyther by the dreames or sight of dragons Mammea the Mother of Alexander Seuerus the Emperour the night before his birth dreamed that she brought forth a little dragon so also did Olympia the Mother of Alexander the great and Pomponya the Mother of Scipio Affricanus The like prodigie gaue Augustus hope that he should be Emperor For when his mother Actia came in the night time vnto the Temple of Apollo and had sette downe her bedde or couch in the Temple among other Matrons suddainely shee fell asleepe and in her sleepe shee dreamed that a dragon came to her and clasped about her bodie and so departed without dooing her any harme Afterwards the print of a dragon remained perpetually vppon her belly so as shee neuer durst any more be seene in any bath The Emperour Tyberius Caesar had a dragon which hee daily fedde with his owne handes and nourished like good fortune at the last it happened that this dragon was defaced with the byting of Emmets and the former beautie of his body much obscured Wherefore the Emperour grewe greatly amazed thereat demaunding a reason thereof of the Wisemen hee was by them admonished to beware the insurrection of the common people And thus with these stories representing good and euill by the dragon I will take my leaue of this good and euill Serpent OF THE DRYINE THere be some that confound this Serpent with the water-snake and say it is none other then that which of auncient time vvas called Hidrus for so long as they liue in the water they are called Hidri that is Snakes of the water but when once they come to the land they are called Chelidri and Chersydri but it is certaine that the Chelidrus is different from the Chersydrus by the strong smell and sauour which it carrieth with it wheresoeuer it goeth according to these verses made of Vmbo the Priest in Virgill Viperio generi et grauiter spirantibus Hydris Spargere qui somnos cantuque manuque solebat Which may be englished thus Who could by song and hand bring into deadly sleepe All kind of Vipers with Snakes smelling strong and deepe Which beeing compared with that instruction which hee giueth to Shepheards teaching them how to driue away the strong-smelling-serpents from the foldes hee calleth them Chelydri when he writeth in this manner Disce et odoratam stabulis accendere Cedrum Galbanioque agitare graues nidore Chelydros That is to say in English thus Learne how to driue away strong smelling Cheliders From folds by Galbanum and sauourie Cedars So that it is cleere that these Dryines are the same which are called Chelydri vvho doe stincke on the face of the earth whereby they are oftentimes disclosed although they be not seene howbeit some thinke that this filthy sauour doth not proceede from any fume or smoake comming out of their bodies but rather from their motion according to the opinion of Macer in these following verses Seu terga ex pirant spumantia Virus Seu terra fumat quateter labitur Anguis Which may be englished in this manner Whether their foming backs that smell Doe send abroade such poyson pestilent Or whether th' earth whereon this Snake full fell Doth slyde yeeldes that vnwholsome scent It is sayd that these Dryines doe
S. Roch the pestilence notwithstanding that S. Sebastian hath some skill in it also Saint Cosmus and Damian are good for all byles and swelling diseases S. Iob for the pocks S. Appolin for the tooth-ach S. Petronella can driue away all manner of Agues And S. Vitus or Vitulus we may well call him S. Calfe that in times past excelled in the musicall Art doth direct all Dauncers or such as will leap or vault So that if this Saint be invocated and pacified with musicall harmonie and melodious sound of instruments he will be an excellent Apothecarie Doctor for the curation of any that are wounded with a Tarantula Supersticious people fondly imputing that to the Patron and Proctor some-times of Musick which ought rather to be attributed to Musicke it selfe and motion of the body Dioscorides concerning the common bytings of hurtfull Spyders or Phalangies vvriteth thus The accidents saith he that doe accompany the bytings of Spyders are these that follow The wounded place waxeth red yet doth it not swell nor grow very hot but it is some-what moyst If the body become cold there will follow trembling and shaking the groyne and hammes doe much stroute out are exceeding distended there is great prouocation to make water and striuing to exonerate nature they sweat with much difficultie labour and paine Besides the hurt persons are all of a cold sweat and teares destill from their eyes that they grow dym-sighted there-with Aetius further addeth that they can take no rest or sleepe sometimes they haue erection of the yarde and the heade itcheth other-whiles the eyes and calfes of the legges grow hollow and lanke the bellie is stretched out by meanes of wind the whole body is puffed vppe but in especiall the face they make a maffeling with theyr mouth and stammer so that they cannot distinctly be vnderstood Some-times they can hardly voyd vrine they haue great paine in the lower parts the vrine that they make is waterish and as it were full of Spyders-webbes the part affected hath a great pricking and swelling which Dioscorides as you reade a little before will by no meanes yeeld to and it is a little red Thus farre Aetius from whom Paulus Aegineta Actuarius Ardoynus and some others differ but a little In Zacynthus an I le in the Ionian-Sea on the West of Peloponesus if any there be hurt of a Phalangium they are otherwise and more grieuously tormented then in any other place for there the body groweth stiffe and benummed besides it is very weake trembling and exceeding cold They suffer also vomiting with a spasme or crampe and inflamation of the virge besides an intollerable paine in their eares and soales of their feete The people there doe cure themselues by bathes into which if any sound man after that doe enter to wash himselfe or be drawne into the same by any guile or deceitfull meanes hee will foorth-with fall into the same greefes passions that the other sicke patient endured before he receiued remedie And the like to this writeth Dioscorides in his Chapter of Trifolium asphaltites in these words following The decoction saith he of the whole plant beeing vsed by way of fomentation bathing or soking the body ceaseth all those paines which are caused by the byting or stinging of any venomous Serpent and with the same bathing or fomenting whatsoeuer vlcerous persons shall vse or wash himselfe withall he will be affected and haue the same accidents as he that hath beene bitten of a Serpent Galen in his booke De Theciaca ad Pisonem ascribeth this to miracle accounting it a thing exceeding common reason and nature but I stand in doubt that that Booke vvas neuer Galens but rather fathered vpon him by some other man And yet Aelianus writeth more miraculously whē he affirmeth that this hapneth to some helthy persons such as be in good plight state of body neuer so much as making any mention of vlcer or sore Thus much of the symptomes accidents passions or effects which sticke and waite vpon those that are hurt by Spyders And now come I to the cure The generall cure according to the opinion of Dioscorides is that first there must be scarification made vpon the wounded place and that often and cupping-glasses must as often be applyed and fastened with much flame to the part affected Absyrtus counsell is to make a fumigation with egge-shells first steeped in water and then beeing cast on the coales with Harts-horne or Galbanum to perfume the venomed part there-with After that to vse sacrifications to let bloud or to sucke the place or to draw out the venom with cupping-glasses or which is the safest course of them all to apply an actuall cautery except the place affected be full of sinnewes Lastly to prouoke sweat well either in bed couering the patient well with cloathes or it is better by long and easie walking to procure sweating In some to attaine to the perfect curation you must worke both with inward outward meanes such as here shall be prescribed and set before your eyes whereof the most choyce and approued I haue set downe for the benefit of the Reader and first I wil beginne with Dioscorides Inward Medicines out of Dioscorides TAke of the seedes of Sothern-wood Annise Dill the wilde Cicer of the fruite of the Cedar-tree Plantine and Trifolie of each a like quantity beate them to powder by themselues before you doe mixe them The dose is two drammes to be taken in Wine Likewise one dramme of the seedes of Tamariske drunke in Wine is very effectuall Some vse a decoction of Chamaepytis and the greene Nuts of the Cipres-tree in Wine There be some which prayse the iuyce of Croy-fishes to be taken with Ashes Milke and Smallage-seede and this Medicine experience hath approoued and confirmed for the ceasing of all paynes Lye made of Figge-leaues is drunke with good successe against all bytings of Spyders It is good also to take the fruite of the Turpentine-tree Bay-berries leaues of the Balme and the seedes of all sorts of Carrets or to drinke the iuyce of Mirtle-berries of the berries of Iuy or Mull-berries the iuyce of Colewort-leaues and of Cliues or Goose-grease with Wine or Vineger A dramme of the leaues of Beane-Trifoly drunke in wine the decoction of the rootes of a Sparagus Iuyce of Sen-greene or any opening iuyce is good for the same Some vse with very good successe the leaues of the Hearbe called Balme with Niter and Mallowes boyled both leafe and roote and so taken often in a potion The leaues of the Hearbe called Phalangium with his floures and seedes The seedes of Nigella also serue to the same end Medicines out of Galen TAke of Aristolochia of Opium of eyther alike much foure drammes of the roots of Pelletorie of Spayne three drams Make thereof Trochisces to the quantitie of a Beane The dose is two Trochisces with three ounces of pure wine The Ashes of a Ramms hoofe tempored with Hony
skill of Embroiderie and spynning grew therein so excellent and tooke such a pride in the same for you must remember she was a woman that shee stiâ—ly denied facing it out in brauing-wise that Minerua was neuer the Instructer and so arrogant presumpteous shee was as that she feared not to challenge her Mistresse-Goddesse to worke with her if shee durst for her eares enter the lyst in all manner of Embroidery Tapestry-workes and the like At which Mistres Minerua beeing netled and taking the matter in dudgeon thus to be prouoked and withall reprehending the mayde very sharply for her saucines in a pelting chafe she brake all to peeces the wenches imagery worke that was so curiously wouen so full of varietie with her shittle The Mayde heereat beeing sore greeued halfe in despayre not knowing what to doe yeelding to passion would needes hang herselfe But Minerua taking compassion vppon her would not haue her die forth-with but transformed her into a Spyder hanging by a fine small thred or line Atque ita viue quidem pende tamen improba dixit Lexque eadem paenae ne sis secura futuri Dicta tuo generi serisque nepotibus esto In English thus So liue indeede yet hang thou woman vile She said and let the selfe-same law of punishment Be vnto thee and all thy of spring while All kindred lasts shall not futures thee content If any be desirous to know more of this fable let him read the famous Poet Ouid who hath excellently written thereof in the sixth booke of his Metamorphosis although some what differing from this of Pliny The Graecians besides doe write as Coelius Rodoginus in his 7. booke Lectionum Antiq chap. 16. affirmeth how that there was in the Country of Attica a certaine man called Phalanx who had also a Sister named Arachne when Phalanx had perfectly learned of Minerua the Military-Science and all other warlike exercises and offices that belong to a Souldiour and that shee had like wise instructed his Sister Arachne in weauing spynning and needle-worke they concluded a match betweene themselues but the Goddesse beeing much displeased with such a shamefull and incestious marriage marring their fashion shee disfigured them both into the number oc creeping creatures laying t' his as a iust punishment vpon them to be destroyed of their owne young ones But it is at euery ma ns choyse to interprete these to be eyther fables and Canterburie-tales or true historicall narrations yet most are of this mind that Arachne first inuented spynning of lynnen weauing and working with the needle which this mayde of Lydia first learned from the Spyders taking her first samplers and patterns from them for imitation which no man ought to thinke to be strange sith the craft of playstering or working things in earth and the Art of curing the eyes was first taken from the Swallowes The Eagles haue taught vs Architecture and men first receiued the light of Phlebotomie or letting of blood from the Hippopotamus which is a Beast liuing in the Riuer of Nilus hauing feete like an oxe and his backe and mane like a horse with a winding tayle and tusked like a Bore The byrd of Egypt called Ibis first gaue knowledge to Phisitians how to vse the Glister yea dogges Goates Harts Storkes Swallowes and Weasells haue taught men many medicines for many diseases To beginne therfore to make an enumeration of their prayses I will declare vnto you the rich vertues and externall goods of the body fortune and mind And first to beginne with the good gyfts of their bodies If you will weigh and consider the matter and substance of a Spyders body you shall find it to be light pertaking much of fire and ayre being two of the most noble and effectall elements in operation and hauing but little earthy draggines and drossie refuse If you behold their figure they haue eyther a Sphaericall and heauenly or at least-wise an Ouall forme which is next to the Sphaericall as beeing the perfectest of all other Besides theyr substance is thinne fine glystering and subtile yea although they seeme now and then to be fatted vp with plenty of meate that they grow as bigge in bulke as a Wallnut and if the learned Cardan may be credited they growe other whiles as great as a Sparrow yet for all that if you cast your eye on them against the light hanging in their webbe she glittereth and shineth on all parts like vnto the Chrisolite which is a kind of precious stone shining with a golden colour quite thorow causing a pleasant reflexion to the eyes and piercing them with singuler delight The colour of a Spyder is some-what pale such as Ouid ascibeth to Louers and when shee hangeth aloft in her webbe with her legges wide and large spread abroade â—hâ—e perfectly and liuely expresseth the shape and proportion of a painted starre as if Nature had intended to giue and bestow on her not onely the resemblance counterfeit similitude of heauen but also the very luster of the starres themselues The skinne of a Spyder is so soft smooth exquisite pure cleane and neate that it farre surpasseth by many degrees the polished skinnes of those mayds that haue the Greene-sicknes or those young whores that are so carefull in sparing no cost to preserue their beauties And it is of such creerenes and perspicuitie that it will easilie represent the visage and phisnomie of any beholder of it much like vnto a fine glasse Further it hath fingers for all the world such as faire virgins desire to haue that is to say long round and slender beeing also endued with the most exquisite sence of touching that possibly can be imagined insomuch that it farre surmounteth any mortall man liuing and all other creatures in the world besides according to that old and common verse Nos aper auditupraecellit Araneatactu Vultur odorata Lynx visu Simiagustu Which may be englished thus To heare the Bore to touch the Spyder vs excells The Linx to see the Ape to tast the Vulture for the smells It hath also feete but yet not such a multitude as Scolopendraes haue nor yet none at all as the meanest ranke and sort of creatures nor yet sixe onely as the common sort of insects but it hath eyght a number which the meanest Sophister in Cambridge can resolue is next to the perfectest of all numbers and these feete consisting of a sesquitertiall proportion which of all Mathematicians is esteemed to be wonderfull and admirable so that although the hinder be shorter then the fore-legges yet notwithstanding they retaine a mutuall harmonie equalitie and semblable concordance Many Phylosophers haue not dared to affirme that they are blind but they themselues in this poynt are most blind For if they be depriued of their eyes and eye-sight I would faine be resolued hovv they could make choyce of such apt and conuenient places for theyr hunting trade and vvith what guide Captaine or Director they doe knit fasten and tye one
in euery place they climbe vp into the Courts of mightie Kings to be as it were myrrours and glasses of vertue and to teach them honest prowesse and valiancie They goe into the lodgings shoppes and Ware-houses of poore-men to commend vnto them contentment patience labour tolerance industry pouertie and frugalitie They are also to be found in rich-mens chambers to admonish them of their duties If you enter into your Orchard they are busie in clothing euerie Tree if into the Garden you shall finde them amongst Roses if you trauaile into the field you shall haue them at their worke in hedges both at home and abroad whethersoeuer you bend your course you cannot chuse but meete with them least perhappes you might imagine or else complaine and find some faults that the Scholemistres and perfect president of all vertue and diligence were in any place absent Who would not therefore be touched yea and possessed with an extreame wonder at these vertues and faculties which we daily see behold with our eyes Philes hath briefely and compendiously described their nature properties inclinations wit and inuention in his Greeke verses which beeing turned into Latine sound to this effect Araneis natura per quam industria est Vincens puellarum manus argutias Nam ventris humores super vacaneos Ceu fila nent textoris absque pectine Et implicantes orbium volumina Aduersa sublegunt ijs subtegmina Sed licijs hinc densioribus plagas In aëre appendunt nec vnde conspicor Sejuncta cùm sit omnis a medio basis Quae fulciat mirabilem operis fabricam Et staminum fallit ligamen lumina Subtilitatis sub dio discrimine Firmatur autem densitas subtegminis Raras in ambientis oras aëris Muscis culicibus et id genus volantibus Intensa nectens fraudulenter retia Quod incidit jejuna pascit hoc famem Vitamque degit haud quietis indigam Suspensa centro cassibusque prouidens Ne fila rumpat orbiumque dissuat Nexus retertos flaminis vis irruens Which may be englished thus Industrious nature Spyders haue Excelling Virgins hands of skill Superfluous humours of bellyes saue And into webbes they weaue them still And that without all Weauers combes Their folding Orbes inrolled are And vnderneath their woofes as tombes Are spread the worthy worke to beare And hang their threds in ayre aboue By plages vnseene to th' eye of man Without foundation you may proue All their buildings firmely stand Nor yet cleere light to eyes most bright Can see the coupling of their thred The thinnesse of the woofe in sight On pinnes of ayre are surest spred On gnats and sillie winged flyes Which guilefully in nets they take They feede their fill when they espy And yet their life much rest doth make They labour to and doe prouide Gainst winds and things that breake their twayles That bands from tacklings may not slyde When greater strength doth them assayle And although Minerua hath nick-named the Spyder calling her malepart shamelesse and sawcie Martiall wandring straying and gadding Claudianus rash presumpteous and aduenturous Politianus hanging and thicke Iuuenall dry Propertius rotten Virgill light And Plautus vnprofitable good for nothing yet it is cleere that they were made to serue and stead vs to many excellent vses so that you may plainly gather and perceiue that this is rather an amplification rather then any positiue or measured truth cōcerning the fond Epithets vile badges liueries which these rehearsed Authors haue vnworthily bestowed on them as by that which followeth may plainly be seene The Spyder put into a lynnen clowre and hung vpon the left arme is an excellent medicine to expell a Quotidian-Ague as Trallianus saith and yet it will be more effectuall if many Spyders be boyled with oyle of Bay to the cōsistence of a liniment to annoynt the wrists and the temples a little before the fit for by this meanes the Feauer will be absolutely cured or will sildome returne againe Kiramides A Spyder tempered and wrought vppe with Milt-wast or Ceterach and so spred vppon a cloth to be applyed to the temples cureth the fits of a Tertian-Feauer Dioscoride The Spyder that is called a Wolfe being put into a quill and so hanged about the necke performeth the same effect as Pliny reporteth The domesticall Spyder which spinneth and weaueth a thinne a white or a thicke web beeing inclosed in a peece of leather or a nut-shell and so hanged about the necke or vvorne about the arme driueth away the fits of a Quartaine-feauer as both Dioscorides Fernelius haue thought For the paine in the eares take three liue Spyders boyle them with oyle vpon the fire then destill or droppe a little of this oyle into the payned eare for it is very excellent as witnesseth Marcellus Empiricus Pliny steepeth them in vineger and oyle of Roses and so to be stamped together and a little thereof to be dropped into the pained eare with a little Saffron and without doubt saith he the paine will be mittigated and the same affirmeth Dioscorides Or else straine out the iuyce of Spyders mixing it with the iuyce of Roses and with some wooll dipped in the same liquour apply it to the eare Sorastus in his booke Peri Dakeon writeth how that the Spyder which is called Cranocalaptes beeing stifled or choked in oyle is a very present helpe against any poyson taken inwardly into the body as the Scholiast of Nicander reporteth There be some that catch a Spyder in the left hand and beate and stampe it with the oyle of Roses putting some of it into the eare on the same side the tooth aketh and as Pliny telleth vs it doth exceeding much good Spyders applyed and layd vpon their owne bytings or taken inwardly into the body doe heale and helpe those hurts themselues procured What should I talke of the white spots of the eyes a most dangerous griefe and yet are they cleane taken away with very small labour if so be one take the legges especially of those Spyders which are of the whiter sort and stamping them together with oyle do make an oyntment for the eyes Pliny The moist iuyce that is squiesed out of a house-Spyder being tempered with oyle of Roses or one dramme of Saffron and a droppe or two thereof dropped into the eyes cureth the dropping or watering of them by meanes of a rhume issuing out thereat or else the moisture of a Spyder or his vrine beeing taken by themselues laying a little wooll on the top of the part affected worketh the same effect whereby you may well vnderstand that there is nothing in a Spyder so vile homelie or sordidous that doth not some good and serueth to some end Against the suffogation of the belly Aetius doth counsell to apply a Cerote to the nauell made of Spyders and saith that he hath found it to preuaile much in this kind of passion Pliny saith but he yeeldeth no reason for it that Spyders doe helpe the paine and
thrusting forwards for we cannot properly say that they doe eyther role or tumble Olympio in Plautus would goe about to make a simple plaine fellow beleeue that Wormes did eate noting but very earth because he vsed these words to Chalinus Post autem nisi ruri tu eruum comederis for thus Lambine readeth Aut quasi Lumbcicus terram In English thus And afterward thou naught but Tares shalt eate Or else like VVormes the earth shall be thy meate But by earth here in this place he vnderstandeth not pure earth and such as is without any other mixture but rather the fat iuyce and moysture of the same And this is the reason that Earth-wormes are not to be found in all soyles alike as in barren sandy stony hard and bare grounds but onely in fat grauilly moyst clammy and fertile And for this respect England hath many Wormes because both Countrey and soyle are very moyst and this moysture whereon they feed must not bee salt sower tart or bitter but sweete and tooth-some and therefore it is that Lutretius in his second booke writeth that Wormes are bred most when it showreth as in rainy seasons and moyst weather Quatenus in pullos animaleis vertier oua Lerminus alitum vermesque efferuare terram Intempestiuos cùm putror coepit ob imbres In english thus Euen as in time of raine we see Birds Egges their young forth hatch And wormes in heat of gendering be When they clouds rot do catch And to this opinion of Lucretius Nicander seemeth to leane when he affirmeth that these Wormes are nourished altogether of the earth that is moystned with long Raine or with some smoaking shewer for making a difference betweene the Serpent Scytale the Amphisbaena he thus wtiteth Steileies pachetos tes elminthos pelei ogros He cai enterages oia trephei ombrimos aia Id est Manubrij ligonis latitudo longitudo verò ei quae Lumbrico Aut terrae intestinis quae imbribus irrigata terra alit That is to say As broad as haft of Spade his length like little Worme And fed with dreary earth moyst by clouds rainy forme The greater sort of Earth-Wormes liue in the bowels of the Earth and most of all in an open free ayre and where there is some repaire and confluence of people Euery morning they with-draw themselues into their secret holes corners within the ground fencing the entrance of them with their excrements they haue voyded foorth in a fayre and Sunshine weather but in rainy weather they vse to stop the mouthes of their holes with some stalke or leaues of herbs or trees being drawne a little inwardly into the earth They feede vpon the roots of those Plantes which haue any sweete iuyce or moysture in them and therefore one may many times find them amongest the roots of common Meddow-Grasse and they do liue for the most part by the fat moysture of the earth yet will they also greedily deuour crummes of white Bread vnleauened as I haue often seene In the Spring time they first appeare to come foorth from the bowels of the earth and all the Winter they lye hidde in the ground but yet if it bee a very sharpe and pintching colde Winter and a dry Sommer follow for lacke of moysture they doe all-most all dye Besides if you digge into the earth or make a great motion trampling or hard treading vpon the same pouring in any strange liquor or moysture into the same wherewithall they are vnaquainted as for example the iuyce of Wall-nut-trees the water wherein Hemp eyther seedes or leaues are soked or bin layd to rottein common Lye and the like they will issue out of the earth speedily and by this meanes Fisher-men and Anglers do take them In like manner they cannot endure Salt or aromaticall things nor by their good wil come neere them for but touching any of these they will draw themselues on a heape so dye Wormes are found to bee very venomous in the Kingdome of Mogor and the Inhabitants there doe stand in so great feare of them that they bee destroyed and slaine by them when they trauell any iourney and therefore there they vse ordinarily to carry Besomes with them to sweepe the playne wayes for feare of further hurt Georgius Agricola saith that the little Wormes called Ascarides are not all of one colour for some are white some yellow as I remembred a little before and others againe are very blacke and many of these in tilling the earth are cast vppe by the plough and many found in dyuers places all on a heape together These be they that destroy corne-field for by sharing or byting the roots the fruit dyeth Some say that those wormes do most mischiefe to corne-grounds which in some places of Italy the people terme Zaccarolae these are thick almost a finger long being natural of a very cold constitution of body and therefore they neuer vse to come foorth of the earth but when the weather is passing hot for then will they come forth euen to the surface of the ground as it is notably set downe by the famous Poet Ouid à quo ceu fonte perenni Vatum Pierijs labra rigantur aquis In english thus By whom as by an euerlasting filling Spring VVith Muses liquor Poets lips are bath'd to singe Homer very fitly compareth Harpalion when he fell downe dead amongst his Companions to a silly worm when as seeking to escape by flight out of the battel he was wounded to death by Meriones shooting an arrow or steele-dart into his hanch or hip his verses be these Meriones d'apiontos iei chalkere oiston Kai r'ebale glouton kata dexion autar oistos Antikron kata kustin vp'osteon exeperesen Ezomenos de cat ' authi philon en chersin etairon Thumon apopneion oste scolex epi gai Keito tatheis ecd ' aima melan ree dene de gaian Id est Meriones autem in abeuntem misit aream sagittam Et vulnerauit coxam ad dextram ac sagitta é regione per vesticam sub as penetrauit Restidens autem illic chararum inter manus sociorum Animam efflans tanquam vermis super terram Iacebat extensus sanguisque effluebat tingebat erutem terram That is to say But as he went away behold Meriones VVith brazen dart did his right hip-bone wound VVhich neere the bladder did the bone thorough pierce In friends deere hands he dyed vpon the ground So stretcht vpon the earth he lyed Blacke bloud out flowing the same bedyed Marke well the slendernesse of this comparison whereby hee would giue vs to vnderstand the base estate and faynt hart of Harpalion For in other places hauing to write of Noble valiant and magnanimious persons when they were ready to giue vp the ghost he vseth the words Sphadazein Bruchein and the like to these secretly insinuating to vs that they fell not downe dead like impotent Cowards or timerous abiects but that they raged like Lyons with