Many of those which have stings do forgoe and quite lose them when Winter draweth on as some make reckoning but it was never my hap to see this saith the Philosopher in his 9. Book De hist Animal capit 41. If you catch a Wasp holding her fast by the feet suffering her to make her usual humming sound you shall have all those that lack stings presently come flying about you which the stinged Wasps never are seen to do Therefore some hold this as a good reason to prove that the one should be the male the other the female Both these sorts both wilde and unwilde have been seen to couple toger after the manner of flies Besides in respect of sex both kindes of Wasps are divided into Captains or Ring-leaders and into labourers those former are ever greater in quantity and of more calm disposition these other both lesser more froward testy peevish and divers The males of labourers never live one whole year out but all of them die in the Winter time which is evident by this because in the very beginning of cold weather they are as it were frozen or benummed and in the depth or midst of hard winter a man shall hardly or never see any of them But yet for all that their Dukes or principal Chieftains are seen all the Winter long to lie hid in their lurking holes under the earth and indeed many men when they plowed or broke up the ground and digged in Winter have found of this sort But as for the labouring Wasp I never as yet heard of any that could finde them Their Principal or Captain is broader thicker more ponderous and greater then the male Wasp and so not very swift in flight for the weightinesse of their bodies is such an hinderance to them that they cannot flie very far whereby it cometh to passe that they ever remain at home in their hives there making and devising their combes of a certain glutinous matter or substance brought unto them by the Work-wasps thus spending their time in executing and doing all those duties that are meet intheir Cells Wasps are not long lived for their Dukes who live longest do not exceed two years And the labouring that is the male Wasps together with Autumn make an end of their days Yea which is more strange whether their Dukes or Captains of the former year after they have ingendered and brought forth new sprung up Dukes do die together with the new Wasps and whether this do come to passe after one and the self same order or whether yet they do and may live any longer time divers men do diversly doubt All men hold the wilder kinde to be more strong of nature and to continue and hold out the longer For why these other making their nests neer unto common high-ways and beaten paths do live in more hazard lie open to divers injuries and so more subject to shortnesse of life The brevity of their life is after a sort recompensed and some part of amends made by the rare clammy glewishnesse of the same for if you separate their bulks from the head and the head from the breast they will live a long while after and thrust out their sting almost as strongly as if they were undivideable and free from hurt and deaths harm Apollonius calleth Wasps Omotoroi and Aristotle Meloboroi although they do not only feed on raw flesh but also on Pears Plums Grapes Raisins and on divers and sundry sorts of flowers and fruits of the juyce of Elms Sugar Honey and in a manner of all things that are seasoned tempered made pleasant or prepared with either of these two last rehearsed Pliny in his 11. Book capit 53. is of opinion that some Wasps especially those of the wilder and feller kinde do eat the flesh of Serpents which is the cause that death hath sometimes ensued of their poysonous stinging They also hunt after great flies not one whit sparing the harmlesse Bees who by their good deeds have so well deserved According to the nature of the soyl and place they do much differ in their outward form and fashion of their body and in the manner of their qualities and dispositions of their minde for the common Wasps being acquainted and familiarly used to the company of Men and Beasts are the gentler but the Hermites and solitary Wasps are more rude churlish and tempestuous yea Nicander tearmeth them Oloous that is pernicious They are also more unhappy dangerous and deadly in very hot Countries as Ovidius reporteth and namely in the West-Indies where both in their magnitude and figure there is great difference betwixt theirs and ours so that they are accounted far more poysonous and deadly then either the English French Spanish or Barbarian Wasps Some of these dangerous generation do also abound in exceeding cold Countries as Olaus Magnus in his 22. Book telleth us Their use is great and singular for besides that they serve for food to those kind of Hawks which are called Kaistrels or Fleingals Martinets Swallows Owls to Brocks or Badgers and to the Camelion they also do great pleasure and service to men sundry ways for the kill the Phalangium which is a kinde of venomous Spider that hath in all his legs three knots or joynts whose poyson is perilous and deadly and yet Wasps do cure their wounds Raynard the Fox likewise who is so full of his wiles and crafty shifting is reported to lie in wait to betray Wasps after this sort The wily thief thrusteth his bushy tail into the Wasps nest there holding it so long until he perceive it to be full of them then drawing it slily forth he beateth and smiteth his tail full of Wasps against the next stone or tree never resting so long as he seeth any of them alive and thus playing his Fox like parts many times together at last he setteth upon their combes devouring all that he can finde Pliny greatly commendeth the so litary Wasp to be very effectual against a Quartain Ague if you catch her with your left hand and tie or fasten her to any part of your body always provided that it must be the first Wasp that you lay hold on that year Mizaldus memor Cent. 7. attributeth great vertue to the distilled water and likewise to the decoction of common Wasps affirming expresly that if any part be therewith anointed it straight ways causeth it to swell monstrously and to be pussed up that you would imagine them to be sick of a Dropsie and this course crafty drabs and queans use to perswade their sweet hearts that they are forsooth with childe by them thus many times beguiling and blinding the eyes of wary and expert Midwives Whereupon we may very confidently conclude that their poyson is very hot flatulous or windy Some do prole after Wasps and kill them by other sleights and devises For when the labourers do much use and frequent Elms which they do very often about the Summer solstice to gather
drunkennesse in their head with a vertiginy or giddiness through the excess of his driness or immoderate siccity Serpents cannot endure the savour of Rue and therefore a Weasel when she is to fight with any Serpent eateth Rue as a defensative against her enemy as Aristotle and Pliny his Interpreter are of opinion The Countrey-people leaving their Vessels of Milk abroad in the open fields do besmear them round about with Garlick for fear lest some venemous Serpents should creep into them but the smell of Garlick as Erasmus saith driveth them away No Serpents were ever yet seen to touch the herb Trifolie or Three-leaved grasse as Aedonnus would make us believe And Cardan the Physitian hath observed as much that neither Serpents nor any thing that is venemous will lodge dwell not lurk privily neer unto Trifolie because that it is their bane as they are to other living Creatures and therefore it is sown to very good purpose and planted in very hot Countreys where there is most store of such venemous Creatures Arnoldus Villanovanus saith that the herb called Dracoutes killeth Serpents And Florentinus affirmeth that if you plant Wormwood Mugwort and Sothernwood about your dwelling that no venemous Serpents will ever come neer or dare enterprise to invade the same No Serpent is found in Vines when they flourish bearing flowers or blossoms for they abhor the smell as Aristotle saith Avicon an Arabian Physitian saith that Capers doe kill Worms in the guts and likewise Serpents If you make a round circle with the herb Betony and therein include any Serpents they will kill themselves in the place rather than strive to get away Galbanum killeth Serpents only by touching if Oyl and the herb called Fennel-giant be mixt withall There is alshrub called Therionarca having a flower like a Rose which maketh Serpents heavy dull and drowsie and so killeth them as Pliny affirmeth Albertus and Kyranides affirm that there is a certain Tree in Asia called Hyperdiocis which soundeth as much as Against the right hand with whose sweet fruit Doves are delighted but there are Serpents which are sore enemies to the Doves so lying in wait for them and not being able to abide the smell shadow of the tree the Doves notwithstanding very safely do there in the tree seek their refuge and finde food wherewith to sustain themselves Rasis who practised Physick one hundred years affirmeth that if any man do melt Sal Almoniack in his mouth and then spit it into a Serpents mouth that he will die of it Of the Medicines made and taken on t of SERPENTS IT is manifest that if any man be wounded of a Serpent though the wound seem incurable that the bowels or inward parts of the same Serpent being applyed to the wound will cure the same and those that have eaten the liver of a boyled Viper at any time shall never after be wounded of any Serpent Neither is a Snake venemous unlesse at some times of the Moon when she is throughly moved or angred And a live Snake or Serpent being caught if the bitten place be bathed soked or washed with the Snake being bruised in any water it is of notable effect Besides they are thought to be very soveraign against many infirmities and therefore as Pliny saith they are dedicated to Aesculapius Avicen saith that if any be troubled with the Leprosie he is to be cured by taking a black Serpent 〈…〉 being excoriated he must be buryed so long till there breed Worms of him and then he is to be taken forth of the earth and dryed and so to be given to the leprous person for three dayes together the quantity of one dram at every time with syrup of Hony Pliny and with him agreeth Cornelius Celsus affirmeth that if any one do eat the middle part of Snakes or Serpents casting away the heads and tayls they cure Strumes which we in English call the Kings-evil There is a disease called Ecephantia or Elephantiasis which is a kinde of Lepry proceeding of melancholy choler and flegme exceedingly adust and maketh the skin rough of colour like an Elephant with black wannish spots and dry parched scales and scurf This disease I say so grievous and Strumes are exceedingly holpen by eating often of Vipers and Serpents as John Taganet in his first Book Institut Chirurg hath assured us Pliny saith that if you take out the right eye of a Serpent and so binde it about any part of you that it is of great force against the watering or dropping of the eyes by means of a rheum issuing out thereat if the Serpent be again let go alive And so he saith that a Serpents or Snakes heart if either it be bitten or tyed to any part of you that it is a present remedy for the tooth-ache and he addeth further that if any man do taste of the Snakes heart that he shall never after be hurt of any Serpent Paulus Venetus in his second Book Chap. 40. writeth how that in the Province of Caraiam there be Serpents of exceeding greatnesse which being killed the inhabitants of the Countrey do pull out their gall which they use to prize at a very high rate when they sell any of it for it is very medicinal so that they which are bit of a mad Dog if they take inwardly in any drink but the quantity of a penny weight of this gall they are presently cured And if a woman be in her travail of childe-birth if she taste never so little of this gall the birth will be the more speedy So if any be troubled either with the Pyles or Hemorhoids in the fundament if that the place be anoynted with this gall after a few dayes he is set free from his disease Hippocrates giveth the seed of Serpents as a remedy against the suffocation of the belly Nicholaus Myrepsus prescribeth this medicine against strains and hardnesses Take a dead Serpent and 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 seeds of Fenugreek so being wrought up with Attick Hony and throughly digested anoynt the place affected And with him agreeth Pliny who expresly affirmeth that the ashes of Snakes and Serpents being anoynted upon Strumes either with Oyl or Waxe is a singular medicine And likewise to drink the ashes of a Serpent that is burnt to powder in a new earthen pot is very good but it will be the more effectuall if the Serpents be killed between two tracks or furrowes that are made with Cart-wheels The ashes of a Serpent burnt with salt in a pot being put with Oyl of Roses into the contrary ear helpeth the tooth-ache An unguent against the Morphue prescribed by Olaus Magnus Take of the ashes of a Serpent burnt in a new pot and well covered two ounces Lytharge Galbanum Ammoniacum and Opoponax dissolved in Vinegar three ounces boyl
unto this which is thus Take of Bryony Opopanax of the root of Iris Illirica and of the root of Rosemary and of Ginger of each of these three drams of Aristolochia five drams of the best Turpentine of wilde Rue of each three drams of the meal of Orobus two drams make them into Trochisces with Wine every one weighing one scruple and a half or two scruples to be given in Wine Galen in his second Book De antidotis chapter 49. discourseth of a certain Theriacal medicament called Zopyria antidotus so taking the name of one Zopyrus which was notable against all poysons and bitings of venomous creeping creatures This Zopyrus in his Letters written unto Mithridates sollicited him very much that he would make some experiment of his Antidote which as he put him in minde he might easily do by causing any one that was already condemned to die to drink down some poyson aforehand and then to take the Antidote or else to receive the Antidote and after that to drink some poyson And put him in remembrance to try it also in those that were wounded any manner of way by Serpents or those that were hurt by Arrows or Darts anointed or poysoned by any destroying venom So all things being dispatched according to his praemonition the Man notwithstanding the strength of the poyson was preserved safe and sound by this alexipharmatical medicine of Zopyrus Matthiolus in his Preface upon the sixth Book of Dioscorides entreating of Antidotes and preservatives from poyson saith that at length after long study and travail he had found out an Antidote whose vertue was wonderful and worthy admiration and it is a certain quintessence extracted from many simples which he setteth down in the same place He saith it is of such force and efficacie that the quantity of four drams being taken either by it self or with the like quantity of some sweet senting Wine or else with some distilled water which hath some natural property to strengthen the heart if that any person hath either been wounded or strucken of any venomous living thing and that the patients life be therewith in danger so that he hath lost the use of his tongue seeing and for the most part all his other senses yet for all that by taking this his Quintessence it will recover and raise him as it were out of a dead sleep from sickness to health to the great astonishment and admiration of the standers by They that desire to know the composition of this rare preservative let them read it in the Author himself for it is too long and tedious to describe it at this time There be besides these compounds many simple medicines which being taken inwardly do perform the same effect as namely the Thistle whereupon Serenus hath these verses following Carduus nondum doctis fullonibus aptus Ex illo radix tepido potatur in amni That is to say The root of Teasil young for Fullers yet unfit Drunk in warm water venom out doth spit That Thistle which Qu. Serenus here understandeth is properly that plant which of the Greeks is called Scolymos Yet it is taken sometimes for other prickly plants of the same kinde as for both the Chamaeleons Dipsacos or Labrum Veneris Spina alba Eryngium and some other But Dioscorides attributeth the chiefest vertue against poysons to the Thistle called Chamaeleon albus and to the Sea-thistle called Eryngium marinum which some call Sea-hul or Hulver for in his third book and ninth chapter entreating of Chamaeleon albus he saith thus The root of it taken with Wine inwardly is as good as Treacle against any venom and in the 21 chapter of the same Book Eryngium is saith he taken to good purpose with some Wine against the biting of venomous creatures or any poyson inwardly taken And the same Serenus adscribeth to the same vertue to the Harts curd or rennet as followeth Cervino ex soetu commixta coagula viâ—o Sumantur quaeres membris agit atra venena In English thus Wine mixt with Rennet taken from a Hart So drunk doth venom from the members part He meaneth a young Hart being killed in the Dams belly as Pliny affirmeth also the same in his 8. Book and 30. chapter in these words The chiefest remedy against the biting of Serpents is made of the Coagulum of a Fawn kill'd and cut out of the belly of his Dam. Coagulum is nothing else but that part in the belly which is used to thicken the Milk Proderit caulem cum vino haurire sambuci Qu. Serenus Which may be Englished thus In drink the powder of an Elder-stalk Gainst poison profiteth as some men talk That vertue which Serenus here giveth to the stalk of Dwarf Elder for that is meant in this place the same effect Dioscorides attributeth to the root in his fourth Book and Pliny to the leaves The herb called Betony is excellent against these foresaid affects and by good reason for the greatest part of poysons do kill through their excess of coldness and therefore to overcome and resist them such means are necessary by which natural and lively heat is stirred up and quickned and so the poyson hindred from growing thick together and from coagulation Again all men do agree that those medicines are profitable which do extenuate as all those do which have a property to provoke urine and Betony is of this quality and therefore being taken with Wine it must needs do good in venomous bitings and that not only in the bitings of Men and Apes but in Serpents also Radish also hath the same quality being taken with Vinegar and Water boiled together 〈◊〉 else outwardly applyed as Serenus affirmeth Sive homo seu similis turpissima bestia nobis Vulnera dente dedit virus simul intulit atrum Vetonicam ex duro prodest assumere Baccho Nec non raphani cortex decocta medetur Si trita admorâ—is fuerit circumlita membris In English thus If Man or Ape a filthy beast most like to us By biting wound and therein poyson thrust Then Betony in hard Wine steeped long Or rinde of Radish sod as soft as pap Do heal applyed to the members stâ—â—g There be certain herbs and simples as wilde Lettice Vervin the root called Rhubarb Agarick Oyl of Oliander and the leaves of the same the seeds of Peony with a great number a little before described that being taken either inwardly or outwardly in juyce or powder do cure poyson yea though it be received by hurt from envenomed arrows shafts or other warlike engines and weapons for the Arabians Indians the Galls now tearmed French-men and Scythians were wont to poyson their arrows as Paulus Orosius in his third Book testifieth of the Indians where he writeth how Alexander the Great in his conquering and winning of a certain City under the government of King Ambira lost the greatest part there of his whole Army with envenomed darts and quarrels And Celsus in his fifth Book saith that
of a Dog if it be tied on it will cure all pains Pliny writ this out of Nigidius Also he asserts that if a womans loyns be anoynted with the bloud of it she will abhorre venery Moreover nine or ten Goats Tikes taken in wine will stop the terms Dioscorides Anoynt your eye-lids with the bloud of a Tike taken from a Bitch the hairs being first pluckt off saith Galen Simpl. 10. c. 5. and they will never grow again So also Pliny and Avicenna write but it is from other mens opinions Dionysius Melesius prescribes such a Depilotary against pricking thorny hairs Burn a Sea-hare in a new earthen pot and keep the ashes with Tikes bloud in a horn box use this first pulling out the hairs Many English men have learned by experience that one dram and a half of Sheeps Lice given in drink will soon and certainly cure the Jaundies CHAP. XXVII Of the Garment-eating Moth. PEnnius beginning to write the history of this Insect saith that Tinea is a word that signifies many things as Lice of Hawk-weed according to Albertus Wood-lice in Plautus the plague of Bee-hives in Virgil and it signifies the creeping ulcers of the head that are eaten like to garments whence it may be Glaudian writes The filthy Mâ—ths have gnawn the loathsome head Gaza translates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tineas but very ignorantly as we observed in the history of Catterpillars Also Pliny saith that Tineae do destroy the seeds of Figs he means the Worms that breed in Figs from whence grow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Niphus cals that little Scorpion which eats books Tineas whereof I spake in the history of Scorpions But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if a man will speak properly is a Worm that eats garments It is called in Latine Tinea a tenendo from holding for it sticks fast in garments and will not easily change its station The French call it Teigne the Spaniards Tina the Italians Tignola the Muscovites Mel the Polonians Mol the English Moth the Hebrewes Hhasch and Sas as you shall finde it Job chap. 13. and Isai 51. It is a little Worm of a wan white colour of which ariseth that small kinde of Flie that will fly at night about the Candle-light There are some of them that are silver-coloured the English call them silver-moths the Dutch Schietes from their swift motion Niphus greatly erred making this the Scorpion amongst Books There is also a certain Worm that is thick or with a coat saith Pliny called Tinea that drawes its coat along with it as a Snail doth its shell and when she is deprived of this she presently dieth But if this coat grow too great it changeth to a Chrysaliâ— out of which at a set time a little Glow-worm comes This kinde hanging by a thred hangs a long time in houses before it changeth to an Aurelia It hath a little black head the rest of the body is a whitish dark brown the Case of it is something long made almost of a Cobweb not round at all but lightly compacted and at each end something hairy The Phalenae that come from thence stick by the feet to the roofs of houses untill their bodies being corrupted and putrefied they are bred again when their bodies corrupt and their wings and feet fall off of themselves they hang with a thred by the tails At length they get a Case and are turned into this kinde of Moth. In Germany and Helvetia there is a Moth of a sad red colour with a little thick head the body grows by degrees smaller even to the tail The colour of its belly is lighter something yellow and like a soft downy silk It is a very tender Creature especially that which is silver'd over and it is bruised to pieces if you do but touch it Whence that Kingly Psalmist Psal 39. When thou with chastisements shalt correct man thou makest him to consume away as a Moth. And Job Chap. 40. he amplifying the certain destruction of the wicked They shall be bruised saith he before the Moth. All Moths are reckoned amongst the number of six-footed Creatures and they breed in Garments as well of Wooll as skins that are not cleansed from dust and filth and so much the sooner if a Spider be shut in as Aristotle writes For the Spider drinks up all their inbred moysture and dries them wherefore care must be had that garments be not layd up full of dust and when the Air is thick and moyst Some to avoid Moths ventilate their garments in the hot Sun-shine which our women severely forbid and lay them up in the shade and when the winde is high and very cold For they hold that the Sun-beams are kindly for Moths but windes and tempests and the shade are enemies to them These Worms when they have by degrees insensibly eat off the outmost superficies of the cloth then they eat up the inward part and so insinuate themselves into the middle substance of it that those that search never so well for them can hardly finde them The Ancients were most expert to kill Moths For the garments of Servius Tullius lasted to the destruction of Sejanus for they were kept with so great diligence by the keepers of the Wardrobe that they neither consumed by age nor were Moth-eaten They that sell woollen Clothes use to wrap up the skin of a Bird called the Kings-Fisher amongst them or else hang one in the shop as a thing by a secret Antipathy that Moths cannot endure They are handsomely destroyed by the sent and smoke of Savin Hops Finger hood Wormwood Rosemary Poley Panax Aniseed Golden-flower Pomegranates Citron-pills for this was the chiefest use of Citrons in old time the out-landish Myrtle Cedar Cypresse Calamint Brimstone Downy feathers The Books that were found in Numa his Tomb were said to be anoynted with the juice of Cedar wherefore as Pliny writes they were supposed to be free from Moths above 530. years The bones of Bergesterts I know not what beast it is being brought to powder and strew'd amongst garments will drive away Moths if we will credit Hildegard Rhasâ—s reports that Cantharides hung up in the middle of the house will do as much Who saith moreover that garments wrapt up in a Lions skin will never have any Moths Some wet a a linnen cloth in a strong lie and dry it in the Sun without pressing it and they affirm that clothes wrapt in that will not be Moth-eaten Cato bids sprinkle your Wardrobe with Oyl-lees That which Pliny reports is a wonder that a Cloth laid under the Biere of a dead body will never have Moths to hurt it The richer people who as Horace writes Whose hangings rot in Chests rich for the Worms and Moths take diligent care in Summer to look up their garments and taking them out of their Coffers they air them in open place for the winde and then they beat off the dust with the leaves of Indian
not wander up and down and lose himself in this great wilderness of Beasts and Insects searching after that he stands in need of but may in an instant be provided with all those known remedies these several Creatures can afford him Should such a Fabrique as this decay and come to ruine the dammage were unspeakable and irreparable the Mausolean Sepulchre the Colossus of Rhodes or the Pyramids of Egypt might sooner be renewed and built again Wherefore Men are bound in conscience by the Laws of God of Nature and of Nations to consider of the great Expence and Pains now taken in it and to promote the Work to the best advantage of the present undertakers for the publick good who have now brought it to this perfection that they may say of it what Ovid did of his Metamorphosis Jamque opus exegi quod nec Jovis ira nec ignis Nec poterit ferrum nec edax abolere vetustas The Work is ended which can envies fume Nor Sword nor Fire nor wasting time consume Never was there so compleate a History of the Creatures as this is since the daies of Solomon who writ the story of Beasts and Creeping things and indeed it requires a Kingly Treasure and Understanding to accomplish it And Petrus Gillius writes that in former Ages all the Histories of Creatures were compiled by Kings or Dedicated to them who are bestable to bear the charge of it and most fit be honoured with it What would the World now give for that Book of Solomons which by the negligence of ungrateful men and length of time is utterly lost How highly then ought we to esteem of this History of Gesner and Muffet which is inferiour to none but that For what Aristotle set forth upon this subject at the appointment of Alexander the Great and for which he received from him 400 Talents as a Kingly reward is all comprehended in this with the addition of many hundreds more that have travelled in the same way Orpheus whom the Poets so much magnifie for drawing the Beasts after him could do no more with all his melodious harmony then these famous and ingenious Men have done And because I cannot but think what the Poets fancied concerning him was but an Hieroglyphical representation according to the dim light they had of all the Creatures coming to Noah into the Ark this History seems to me to be like another Ark of Noah wherein the several kinds of beasts are once again met together for their better preservation in the understanding of Man however there were multitudes of Birds in the Ark which are not here it may be because Aldrovandus and others have written largely to that purpose yet here are abundance of Insects that never were in Noahs Ark and whereof we never had or we can find extant any compleate History untill this was made which is like to another Paradise where the Beasts as they were brought to Adam are again described by their Natures and named in most Languages which serves to make some reparation for the great loss of that excellent knowledge of the Creature which our first Parents brought upon their posterity when they fell from God We read in the 10 th of the Acts that when a vessel was let down from heaven wherein there were all manner of Fourfooted-Beasts and Creeping things that St. Peter wondered at it who then can choose but admire to see so many living Creatures that Nature hath divided and scattered in Woods Mountains and Vallies over the face of the whole earth to come all together to a general muster and to act their several parts in order upon the same Theater I confess there are many Men so barbarous that they make no account of this kind of learning but think all charge and pains fruitless that is imployed this way shewing themselves herein more unreasonable and brutish then the irrational Beasts For next unto Man are these Creatures rankt in dignity and they were ordained by God to live upon the same earth and to be Fellow-commoners with Man having all the Plants and Vegetables appointed them for their food as well as Man had and have obtained one priviledge beyond us in that they were created before Man was and ever since they are obnoxious to the same casualties and have the same coming into the World and going out that we have For that which befals the Sons of Men befals Beasts even one thing befals them both as the one dyeth so dyeth the other so that Man hath no preeminence above the Beasts All go unto one place all are of the dust and all return to dust again Eccles 3. 19 20. And the Prophet David dobuts not to compare Man being in honour and having no understanding unto the Beasts that perish As for Minerals they are yet another degree below Beasts all the Gold Jewels and Diamonds in the World are not comparable to any one of the meanest Creatures that hath within it the breath of life God hath bountifully bestowed them all on Man whom he hath advanced above them all for food and raiment and other necessary uses also for his pleasure and recreation and so long as we use them with Sobriety and Thankfulness we shall finde an infinite benefit and advantage by them but when we prove ungratefull unto God they become so many Instruments of his vengeance against sinners to make up that fourfold Judgement with the Sword Famine and Pestilence the Prophet threatens the Jews with I fear to be tedious therefore I beseech Your Honour to accept this History in good part from him who humbly prayeth for Your Lordships temporal and eternal happiness and who is Your Honours most affectionately humble Servant JOHN ROVVLAND To the Reverend and Right Worshipful RICHARD NEILE D. of Divinity Dean of Westminster Master of the Savoy and Clerk of the King his most Excellent Majesties Closet all felicity Temporal Spiritual and Eternal THE Library of English Books and Catalogue of Writers Right Worthy and Learned DEAN my most respected PATRON have grown to the height not only of a just number but almost innumerable and no marvel for God himself hath in all ages preserved Learning in the next place of Life for as Life is the Ministerial Governor and Mover in this World so is Learning the Ministerial Governor and Mover in Life As an Interpreter in a strange Countrey is necessary for a Traveller that is ignorant of Languages or else he should perish so is Knowledge and Learning to us poor Pilgrims in this our Perigrination out of Paradise unto Paradise whereby confused BABELS tongues are again reduced to their significant Dialects not in the builders of BABEL to further and finish an earthly Tower but in the builders of JERUSALEM to bring them all to their own Countrey which they seek and to the desired rest of souls Literae obstetrices artium quarum beneficio ab interitu vindicantur As Life is different and divers according to the
things as shall never again come in use but this sheweth that Chronicle which was made by God himself every living Beast being a word every Kind being a sentence and all of them together a large History containing admirablâ— knowledge and learning which was which is which shall continue if not for ever yet to the Worlds end Et patris nostras nonumque prematur in annum Membranis intus positis delere licebit Quod non edideris The second thing in this discourse which I have promised to affirm is the truth of the History of Creatures for the mark of a good Writer is to follow truth and not deceivable Fables And in this kind I have passed the straightest passage because the relation of most things in this Book are taken out of Heathen writers such as peradventure are many times superstitiously credulous and have added of their own very many rash inventions without reason authority or probability as if they had been hired to sell such Fables For Non bene conducti vendunt perjuria testes I would not have the Reader of these Histories to imagine that I have inserted or related all that ever is said of these Beasts but only so much as is said by many For in the month of two or three witnesses standeth every word and if at any time I have set down a single Testimony it was because the matter was clear and needeth not farther probation or else I have laid it upon the Author with special words not giving the Reader any warrant from me to believe it Besides I have taken regard to imitate the best Writers which was easie for me to do because Gesner relateth every mans opinion like a co 〈…〉 on place or Dictionary as he professeth and if at any time he seemed obscure I tu 〈…〉 to the Books which I had at hand to ghesse their meaning putting in that which he had left out of many good Authors and leaving out many magical devises Now although I have used no small diligence or care in collecting those things which were most essential to every Beast most true without exception and most evident by the Testimony of many good Authors yet I have delivered in this Treatise many strange and rare things not as Fictions but Miracles of nature for wisemen to behold and observe to their singular comfort if they love the power glory and praise of their maker not withholding their consent to the things expressed because they intreat of living things made by God himself Si ergo quaerimus quis fecerit Deus est Si per quod dixit Fiat facta sunt Si quare fiat quia bonus est Nec enim autor est excellentior Deo nec ars efficacior Dei verbo nec causa melior quam ut bonum crearetur a Deo beno and this Plato said was the only cause of the worlds creation ut a Deo bono opera bona fierent Now I do in a sort challenge a consent unto the probability of these things to wise and learned men although no belief For Fides is credere invisibilia but consensus is a cleaving or yeelding to a relation untill the manifestation of another truth and when any man shall justly reprove any thing I have written for false and erroneous I will not stick to release the Readers consent but make satisfact on for usurpation But for the rude and vulgar sort who being utterly ignorant of the operation of Learning do presently condemn all strange things w ch are not ingraven in the palms of their own hands or evident in their own herds and flocks I care not for my ears have heard some of them speak against the History of Sampson where he tied fire-brands to the tails of Foxes and many of them against the miracles of Christ I may remember you R. W. of a Countrey tale of an old Masse-Priest in the daies of Henry the eight who reading in English after the translation of the Bible the miracles of the five Loaves and two Fishes and when he came to the verse that reckoneth the number of the ghests or eaters of the banquet he paused a little and at last said they were about five hundred The Clerk that was a little wiser whispered into the Priests ears that it was five thousand but the Priest turned back and replyed with indignation Hold your peace sirrah we shall never make them believe they were five hundred Such Priests such People such persons I shall draw upon my back and although I do not challenge a power of not erring yet because I speak of the power of God that is unlimitable I will be bold to aver that for truth in the Book of Creatures although first observed by Heathen men which is not contrary to the book of Scriptures Lastly that it is the proper office of a Preacher or Divine to set forth these works of God I think no wiseman will make question for so did Moses and David and Solomon and Christ and S. Paul and S. John and S. Ireney S. Gregory S. Basil S. Austin S. Jerem S. Bernard in his â—â—arrations or Sermons upon the Canticles and of latter daies Isidorus The Monks of Messuen Geminianus and to conclude that ornament of our time Jeronimus Zanchius For how shall we be able to speak the whole Counsel of God unto his people if we read unto them but one of his books when he hath another in the world which we never study past the title or outside although the great God have made them an Epistle Dedicatory to the whole race of Mankind This is my indevour and pains in this Book that I might profit and delight the Reader whereinto he may look on the Holiest daies not omitting prayer and the publick service of God and passe away the Sabbaths in heavenly meditations upon earthly creatures I have followed D. Gesner as neer as I could I do profess him my Author in most of my Stories yet I have gathered up that which he let fall and added many Pictures and Stories as may appear by Conference of both together In the names of the Beasts and the Physick I have not swarved from him at all He was a Protestant Physician a rare thing to finde any Religion in a Physitian although St. Luke a Physician were a writer of the Gospell His praises therefore shall remain and all living Creatures shall witnesse for him at the last day This my labor whatsoever it be I consecrate to the benefit of all our English Nation under your Name and Patronage a publick Professor a learned and reverend Divine a famous Preacher observed in Court and Countrey if you will vouchsafe to allow of my Labors I stand not upon others and if it have your commendation it shall incourage me to proceed to t 〈…〉 residue wherein I fear no impediment but ability to carry out the charge my case so st 〈…〉 ing that I have not any accesse of maintenance but by
do sufficiently convince that they are emblems of vile cursed rayling and filthy men which esteem not holy things but eat up again their own vomits The skins of Dogs are dressed for Gloves and close Boots the which are used by such as have Ulcerous and swelling Legs or Limbs for by them the afflicted place receiveth a double relief first it resisteth the influent humors and secondly it is not exasperated with Woollen The Turkes colour their Dogs tails with red and it is a custom of Hunters to take Dogs and tie them in the Woods unto trees by their stones for by crying they provoke the Panther to come unto them It is not to be doubted but that the flesh of Dogs is used for meat in many places although the opinion of Rasis be true and consonant to reason that all devouring creatures as Dogs Foxes and Wolves have no good flesh for meat because they engender melancholy and yet Galen thinketh that it is like to the flesh of a Hare especially young Whelpes were held among the Romans a delicate meat and were used by their Priests and among Whelpes they attributed most virtue to their flesh which were eaten before they did see for by them came no evill humor at all as is often set down in Plautus Peter Martyr and Scaliger do affirm of Cozumella and Lucatana and other Islands of the new World that the people there do eat a kind of Dog which cannot bark These Dogs are vile to look upon like young Kids The inhabitants of Corsica which are fierce angry wilde cruell audacious dissemblers active and strong do also feed upon Dogs both wilde and tame and it is thought that their meat is a little furtherance to their inclination for such is the natural disposition of Dogs And Sciltbergerus in the Book of Peregrinations affirmeth also that the Tartarians in Ibissibur do after the same manner feed upon the flesh of Dogs from hence it cometh that men resembling a Dog in a plain forehead and narrow are said to be foolish in a smooth and stretched out flatterers those which have great voices like a Ban-dog are strong they which rail much like often barking Dogs are of a doggish angry disposition He that hath a great head like a Dog is witty he which hath a little head like an Asses is blockish they which have fiery eyes like Dogs are impudent and shameless thin lips with narrow folding corners in Dogs is a token of generosity and in men of magnanimity they whose teeth hang over their canine teeth are also adjudged railers and virulent speakers and as Carnarius observeth vain glorious braggarts A wide mouth betokeneth a cruell mad and wicked disposition a sharpe nose an angry minde as a round blunt and solid Nose signifieth a Lions stomach and worthiness A sharpe chin vain babling and wantonness they which are small in their girting stead about their loins do much love hunting Stobaeus in his wicked discourse or dispraise of Women affirmeth that the curst sharp smart curious dainty clamorous implacable and wanton-rowling-eyed Women were derived from Dogs and Hesiode to amend the matter saith when Jupiter had fashioned Man out of the earth he commanded Mercury to infuse into him a Canine minde and a clamorous inclination but the Proverb of Solomon Chap. 30. concludeth the excellency of a Dog saying There be three things which go pleasantly and the fourth ordereth his pace aright The Lion which is the strongest among beast and feareth not the sight of any body a hunting Dog strong in his loins a Goat and a King against whom there is no rising up by all which is deciphered a good King for the Lion riseth not against beasts except he be provoked the Dog riseth not against his friends but wilde beasts and the He-goat goeth before his flock like a guide and keeper Of the GRAY-HOUND with a narration of all strong and great hunting DOGS AMong the divers kinds of hunting Dogs the Gray-hound or Grecian Dog called Thereuticos or Elatica by reason of his swiftness strength and sagacity to follow and devour wilde beast of great stature deserveth the first place for such are the conditions of this Dog as Plato hath observed that he is reasonably sented to finde out speedy and quick of foot to follow and fierce and strong to take and overcome and yet silent coming upon his prey at unawares according to the observation of Gratius Sic Canis illa suos taciturna supervenit hostes Like the Dogs of Acarnania which set upon their game by stealth Of these are the greatest Dogs of the world which in this place are briefly to be remembred These have large bodies little heads beaked noses but flat broad faces above their eyes long necks but great next to their bodies fiery eyes broad backs and most generous stomachs both against all wilde beasts and men also Their rage is so great against their prey that sometimes for wrath they lose their eye-sight They will not only set upon Buls Boars and such like beasts but also upon Lions which Mantuan noteth in this verse Et truculentus Helor certare leonibus auâ—lens The greatest dogs of this kind are in India Scythia and Hircania and among the Scythians they joyn them with Asses in yoak for ordinary labour The Dogs of India are conceived by Tygres for the Indians will take divers females or Bitches and fasten them to trees in woods where Tygres abide whereunto the greedy ravening Tyger cometh and instantly devoureth some one or two of them if his lust do not restrain him and then being so filled with meat which thing Tygers feldom meet withall presently he burneth in lust and so limeth the living Bitches who are apt to conceive by him which being performed he retireth to some secret place and in the mean time the Indians take away the Bitches of whom come these valorous Dogs which retain the stomach and courage of their father but the shape and proportion of their mother yet do they not keep any of the first or second litter for fear of their Tygrian stomachs but make them away and reserve the third litter Of this kinde were the Dogs given to Alexander by the King of Albania when he was going into India and presented by an Indian whom Alexander admired and being desirous to try what vertue was contained in so great a body caused a Bore and a Hart to be turned out to him and when he would not so much as stir at them he turned Bears unto him which likewise he disdained and rose not from his kennel wherewithal the King being moved commanded the heavy and dull Beast for so he termed him to be hanged up his keeper the Indian informed the King that the Dog respected not such Beasts but if he would turn out unto him a Lyon he should see what he would do Immediately a Lyon was put unto him at the first sight whereof he
the waters and therein stand taking up water into their mouths and within short space do so heat it that being squirted or shot out of them upon the Dogs the heat thereof so oppresseth and scaldeth them that they dare not once approach or come nigh her any more The greatest vertue of medicine that I can learn or finde to be in this Beast is in the hoof for that worn in a Ring it resisteth and freeth a man from the Falling evill the Cramp and cureth the fits or pangs if it be put on when he is in his foming extremity also scraped into powder and put into Wine and drunk it is used in Polonia against the same evill In like sort they mingle with Triacle and apply it to the heart or else hang it about their neck for an Amulet to touch their skin against that disease and because that both in ancient time and also now adays this Beast is seldom seen and more seldom taken the hoof thereof being so often approved for the uses before said the rarity I say thereof maketh it to be sold very dear which would be if they could be found or taken in more plentiful manner Some Mounte-banks sell in stead thereof a Bugles hoof but it may easily be described by scraping for it is said it smelleth very sweet whereas a Bugles savoureth very ill and strong It is observed also that it hath not this vertue except it be cut off from the Beast while he is yet alive and that in the months of August and September at what time these Elks are most of all annoyed with the Falling-sickness and then it hath strongest vertue to cure it in others Others affirm it wanteth his operation if it be cut off from a young one which never tasted of carnal copulation and so hath not been dulled thereby but howsoever this is certain that some-times it cureth and sometime it faileth and as there can be given no good reason of the cure so I rather ascribe it to a superstitious conceit or belief of the party that weareth it rather then to any hidden or assured work of nature The skins of this Beast are dressed by Tawyers with the fat of fishes and Alum to make breast-plates and to shelter one from rain and they sell them for three or four Nobles a piece but in Cracovia for fifteen Florens It may be discerned from a Harts skin by blowing upon it for the breath will come through like as in a Buffe and the hairs also of this Beast have also hollow passages in them when they grow upon the back of the Beast or else soon after the skin is taken off Some also use the Nerves against the Crampe binding the offended member therewith and herewith do we conclude this story of an Elk referring the reader to the fable of Acida related before in Cacus if he have desire to know it for the affinity betwixt the name thereof and Alces an Elk. Of the FERRET The Latines call this Beast Viverra and Furo and Furetus and Furectus because as shall be afterward manifested it preyeth upon Conies in their holes and liveth upon stealth and in the earth will kill a Cony six times as big as herself but being abroad on the land in the open air is nothing so wilde strong or full of courage From Ictys is derived Iltissus and the German Iltis for a Ferret this is called by the French Furon Furet and Fuson and â—uset by the Spaniards Furon and Furans and from the English Ferret is the German Fret derived by a common Syncope and in the time of Georgius Agricola it was called in Germany Furette and Frettel and the English word seemeth also to be derived from Fretta in Latine which by a like Syncope is contracted of Viverra as to any indifferent learned man it may appear at the first sight of derivation But herein seemeth an unreconcileable diffrence that it is reported of the Ictys by Gaza the intepreter of Aristotle that it was most greedy of Honey and for that cause it will seek out the Hives of Bees and enter them without all fear of stings But when Pliny speaketh of Ictys he doth not call it Viverra or once attribute unto it the love of Honey but rather the hatred and loathing thereof in so high a degree that if he tast of it he falleth into Consumptions and hardly escapeth death And these things Scaliger alleadgeth against Cardan only to prove that Ictys and Viverra are two distinct Beasts and that Cardan was mistaken in affirming that they were but several names expressing one and the same Beast The answer whereunto may be very easie for although Pliny leaveth without rehearsal their love of Hony it doth not necessarily follow that they love it not as Aristotle before him constantly affirmeth and Scaliger nameth no Author nor bringeth any reason to demonstrate their hate of Honey or any harm which insueth them by eating thereof and therefore against his authority may Strabo be opposed who in his third Book speaking of the Conies of Spain and of their Hunters and starters out of their holes he taketh and nameth indifferently without all distinction and exception Viverra and Ictys for the one and other Niphus translateth Ictys a Marrel but without reason for the same man finding in Aristotle that there is war betwixt Locusts and Serpents which is fitly called Ophiomachia whereas Aristotle nameth Akris a Locust he falleth in doubt whether it were not better to be Ictys a Martel or as other copies have it Aâ—pis an Aspe which can by no means agree unto them for there is a kinde of Locusts called Op 〈…〉 mâ—chum because of their continual combates with Serpents And therefore not to stand any longer upon this difference omitting also the conjecture of Tzetzes which confoundeth Ictys with Milvus a Glead or Kyte which cannot stand reasonable because Homer saith there was a kinde of Caps made of the hairs of Ictys nor yet of Albertus his new found name of Anbatinos nor Avicenna his Katyz or the French Fissau which is a Poul-Cat I will descend to the description of the parts and qualities wherein the Authors themselves at variance make their own reconcilement by attributing the same things to the Ictâ—s and Ferret except that of an obscure Author which saith that Ictys is Ankacinor as big as a Gray-hound and that it is wiser and more industrious in his youth and tenderage then in his perfection of strength and years These Ferrets are lesser then the Melitean or Gentlewomens Dogs and they were first of all brought out of Africk into Spain and therefore are called by Strato African We sils because of their similitude with Weasils for Spain Italy France and Germany have not this Beast bred among them but brought to them out of other Countries But in England they breed naturally of the quantity aforesaid and they are tamed to hunt Conies out
Herodotus also calleth the Nisean Horses the Medes whereof more shall be spoke afterwards The Menapians amongst our Country-men the only men which I suppose were once call'd French of Caesar and the Rugians as Warriours for the most part are in estimation I also finde that the Rugians inhabited that Countrey which is now called Rugerland and that Paulus Diaconus remembreth them lib. 1. Touching the affairs of Longobardus there are that say they departed into Mechelburgia These are the right off spring of the Germans saith Althametus they are counted as Germans both in language and vertue Gratius writeth of the Marcibians saying the Marcibians scarse yeeld their tough neck to the sword Virgill also declareth Mycenia to be a Countrey of most notable Horses and Gratius commendeth a Horse fit for hunting highly in these verses Consule Penei qualis perfunditur amne Thessalus aut patriae quem conspexere Mycenae Glaucum nempe ingens nempe ardua fundet in aur as Crura quis Eleas potior lustravit arenas Ne tamen hoc attingat opus jactantior illi Virtus quam silvas durumque lacessere Martem The Mysian Horses were once great in estimation as Camerarius writeth Also the Nasamonians are people of Lybia living as spoylers of the ships in the Syrtes Of all these Horses before said the Nisaean Horse is the goodliest and fittest to carry the body of a King they are of a passing good shape an easie pace and very submissive to the bridle having a little head and a long and thick mane with yellow or brown hairs hanging down on both sides Armenia is very fit for feeding Horses wherein is a certain medow called Hippoboans by which they make their journey which pass from Persia and Babylon into the Caspian Border in which place they feed five hundred Mares which belong unto their King The Nisaean Horses written with Jota and simple Sigma as Eustathius writeth are the most excellent and best some say that they have their generation from Germany others out of Armenia but they have a certain kinde of shape like the Parthians In India most of their living creatures are far greater then in other places except Horses for the Nisaean Horses do exceed the Indian Horses as Herodotus writeth in his seaventh Book describeing the Persian Horse Behinde the spears saith be came ten Horses in most sumptuous furniture which were Nisaeans so called because there is a great field named Nisaeus in the Countrey of Media which yeeldeth Horses of a great stature After these followed Jupiters Chariot drawn with eight Horses after which Xerxes was â—aryed in a Chariot drawn by Nisaean Horses and by how much the greater the Lybian Elephant is then the Nisaean Horse so much the greater are the Nisaean Horses then the Indian as the same man saith in his first Book but the King was about to offer a white Horse that is of the Nisaean Horses having a better mark as some expounded There are that say that Nisaeus is a plain of Persis where the most famous and notable Horses are bred Some interpret it to the yellow Nisaean Horse because all the Horses of Nisaean are of this colour Between Susinax and Bactria there is a place which the Greeks call Nisos in which the most singular fine Horses are bred There are also that suppose they are had from the red Sea and all those to be of a yellow colour Herodotus writing of Nisaeus maketh it a part of Media Orpheus also writeth that there is a place in the red Sea called Nisa Stephanus also maketh mention of Nysaean Pedâ—on with the Medes of which people the Horses are so called Coelius Rhodiginus reproved a certain man which translated the Islandish Horses for the Nisaean Horses Plutarch saith that Pyrrbus had an apparition of a Nisaean Horse armed and furnished with a Rider that Alexander the Great was Captain thereof The Medes have Colts of a most noble kinde of Horses which as antient Writers do teach us and as we our selves have seen men when they begin the battel with a fierce encounter are wont to prance valiantly which are called Nisaean Horses Touching the Paphlagonians about the education of their Horses see more among the Venetians The Parthian Horses are of a large body couragious of a gentle kinde and most sound of their feet Concerning those Horses which have but one eye commended among the Parthians and of those which are distinguished by diversity of colours from those that come forth first I have spoke already out of Absyrtus The Armenian and Parthian Horses are of a swifter pace then the Sicilians and the Iberi swffer then the Parthians whereof Gratius writeth to this effect Scilicet Parthis inter sua mollia rura Mansit honor veniat Caudini saxa Taburni Garganumque trucem aut Ligurinas desuper Alpes Ante opus excussis cadet unguibus tamen illi Est animus fingetque meas se nisus in artes Sed juxta vitium posuit Deus That is to say among the Parthians there hath remained honour for their soft Countries but let him come to the Rocks of Caudmus Tabernus and too rough Gargaâ—us or upon the Ligurian Alpes then he will quickly shake off his hoofs and make a shew of great valiantness The Horses of the Celtiberians are somewhat white and if they may be brought into Spain they change their colour But the Parthians are a like for they excel all others in nimbleness and dexterity of running How the Parthians do make their pace easie in the trotters and hard footing Horses after the manner of Geldings shall be declared afterwards for Persia preferreth these Horses above the censure of their patrimonies as well to carry having an easie pace and being of most excellent dignity As for their pace it is thick and short and he doth delight and lift up the Rider being not instructed by art but effecteth it by nature Amongst these ambling Nags called of the Latines among the common sort of Totâ—narii their pace is indifferent and whereas they are not alike they are supposed to have something common from both as it hath been proved whereof Vegetius writeth in this manner In a short journey they have the more comeliness and grace in going but when they travel far they are impatient stubborn and unless they be tamed will be stubborn against the Rider and that which is a more greater marvel when they are chafed they are of a delightful comeliness their neck turneth in manner of a Bow that it seemeth to ly on their breast The Pharsalian Mares evermore bring Foals very like their Syre and therefore very well so named Equae probae We read of the Phasian Horses which receive their name from the mark or brand of a bird so named or else because of their excellent beauty and comeliness The Rosean Horses Varro so nameth of Rosea which Volatteranus writeth to be most fit for War and this Rosea otherwise Roscea Festus saith
after great floods or earthquakes and sometime by means of some evill distillation or influence of the Planets corrupting sometime the plants and fruits of the earth and sometime divers kind of Cattle and sometime both Men Women and Children as we dayly see by experience It seemeth that this evill or mischief in times past came suddenly without giving any warning for none of mine Authors doth declare any signes how to know whether a Horse hath this disease or not but only affirm that if one Horse do die of it all his fellows that bear him company will follow after if they be not remedied in time so that as far as I can learn the sudden death of one or two first must be the only mean to know that this disease doth reign And the remedy that they give is this First separate the whole from the sick yea and have them 〈◊〉 out of the air of those that be dead the bodies whereof as Vegetius saith if they be not 〈◊〉 buryed will infect all the rest And let them bloud as well in the neck as in the mouth and then give them this drink Take of Gentian of Aristoloch of Bay 〈…〉 es of 〈…〉 of the scraping of Ivory of each like quantity beat them into fine powder and give as 〈◊〉 to the sick as to the whole whom you would preserve from this coâ—tagion every day a spoonful 〈◊〉 two of this powder in a pinte of good Wine so long as you shall see it needful This 〈◊〉 before rehearsed is called of the ancient writers Diapente that is to say a composition 〈…〉 simples and is praised to be a soveraign medicine and preservative against all inward diseases and therefore they would have such as travell by the way to carry of this powder alwayes 〈◊〉 them There be many other medicines which I leave to write because if I should rehearse every 〈◊〉 medicine my book would be infinite I for my part would use no other then that before expressed or else Wine and Treacle only Of the Diseases in the Head THe head is subject to divers diseases according to the divers parts thereof for in the panicles or little fine skins cleaving to the bones and covering the brain do most properly breed head-ach and Migram Again in the substance of the brain which in a Horse is as much in quantity as is almost the brain of a mean Hog do breed the Frensie madness sleeping evill the Palsie and forgetfulness Finally in the ventricles or cels of the brain and in those conducts through which the spirits animal do give feeling and moving to the body do breed the Turnsick or staggers the Falling-evill the Night-mare the Apoplexy the Palsie and the Convulsion or Cramp the Catar or Rhume which in a Horse is called the Glaunders but first of Head-ach Of Head-ach THe Head-ach either cometh of some inward causes as of some cholerick humor bred in the the panicles of the brain or else of some outward cause as of extream heat or cold of some blow or of some violent savour Eumelus saith that it cometh of raw digestion but Martin saith most commonly of cold the signes be these the Horse will hang down his head and also hang down his ears his sight will be dim his eyes swollen and waterish and he will forsake his meat The cure Let him bloud in the palat of his mouth also purge his head with this perfume Take of Garlike stalks a handful all to broken in short pieces and a good quantity of Frankincense and being put into a chafing-dish of fresh coals hold the chafing-dish under the Horses nostrils so as the fume may ascend up into his head and in using him thus once or twice it will make him to cast at the nose and so purge his head of all filth Pelagonius saith that it is good to pour into his nostrils Wine wherein hath been sodden Euforbium Centaury and Frankincense Of the Frenzy and Madness of a Horse THe learned Physitians do make divers kindes as well of Frensie as of Madness which are not needful to be recited sith I could never read in any Author nor learn of any Farriar that a Horse were subject to the one half of them Absyrtus Hierocles Eumelus Pelagonius and Hippocrates do write simply de furore rabie that is to say of the madness of a Horse But indeed Vegetius in his second Book of Horse-leach-craft seemeth to make four mad passions belonging to a Horse intituling his Chapters in this sort de Appioso de Frenetico de Cardiacis de Rabioso the effects thereof though I fear me it will be to no great purpose yet to content such as perhaps have read the Author as well as I my self I will here briefly rehearse the same When some naughty bloud saith he doth strike the film or pannicle of the brain in one part only and maketh the same grievously to ake then the beast becometh Appiosum that is to say as it seemeth by his own words next following both dull of minde and of sight This word Appiosum is a strange word and not to be found again in any other Author and because in this passion the one side of the head is only grieved the Horse turneth round as though he went in a Mill. But when the poyson of such corrupt bloud doth infect the mid brain then the Horse becometh Frantick and will leap and fling and will run against the wals And if such bloud filleth the veins of the stomach or breast then it infecteth as well the heart as the brain and causeth alienation of minde and the body to sweat and this disease is called of Vegetius Passocardiaca which if Equus Appiosus chance to have then he becometh Rabiosus that is to say stark-mad For saith he by overmuch heat of the liver and bloud the veins and arteries of the heart are choaked up for grief and pain whereof the Horse biteth himself and gnaweth his own flesh Of two sorts of mad Horses I believe I have seen my self here in this Realm For I saw once a black Sweatbland Horse as I took him to be in my Lord of Hunsdons stable at Hunsdon coming thither by chance with my Lord Morley which Horse would stand all day long biting of the manger and eat little meat or none suffering no man to approach unto him by which his doings and partly by his colour and complexion I judged him to be vexed with a melancholy madness called of the Physitians Mania or rather Melancholia which cometh of a corrupt Melancholy and filthy bloud or humor sometime spread throughout all the veins of the body and sometimes perhaps remaining only in the head or else in the spleen or places next adjoyning The other mad Horse was a Roan of Master Ashlies Master of the Jewel house which with his teeth crushed his Masters right fore-finger in pieces whilest he offered him a little Hay to eat whereby he lost in a manner
of Claudius Caesar both of them in their several times tamed the untamed Beasts and escaped death Macarius being in the Wilderness or Mountains it fortuned a Lioness had a den neer unto his cell wherein she had long nourished blinde whelps to whom the holy man as it is reported gave the use of their eye and sight the Lioness requited the same with such gratification as lay in her power for she brought him very many sheep-skins to clothe and cover him Primus and Foelicianus Thracus Vitus Modestus and Crescentia all Martyrs being cast unto Lions received no harm by them at all but the beasts lay down at their feet and became came gentle and meek not like themselves but rather like Doves When a Bear and a Lion fell upon Tecla the Virgin a Martyr a Lioness came and fought eagerly in her defence against them both When Martina the daughter of a Consul could not be terrified or drawn from the Christian faith by any imprisonment chains or stripes nor allured by any fair words to sacrifice to Apollo there was a Lion brought forth to her at the commandment of Alexander the Emperor to destroy her who assoon as he saw her he lay down at her feet wagging his tail and fawning in a loving and fearful manner as if he had been more in love with her presence then desirous to lift up one of his hairs against her The like may be said of Daria a Virgin in the days of Numerian the Emperor who was defended by a Lioness but I spare to blot much paper with the recital of those things which if they be true yet the Authors purpose in their allegation is most profane unlawful and wicked because he thereby goeth about to establish miracles in Saints which are lone agone ceased in the Church of God Some Martyrs also have been devoured by Lions as Ignatius Bishop of Autioch Satyrus and Perpetua he under Trajan the Emperor and they under Valerian and Galienus In holy Scripture there is mention made of many men killed by Lions First of all it is memorable of a Prophet 1 King 13. that was sent by the Almighty unto Jereboam to cry out against the Altar at Bathol and him that erected that Altar with charge that he should neither eat nor drink in that place Afterward an old Prophet which dwelt in that place hearing thereof came unto the Prophet and told him that God had commanded him to go after him and fetch him back again to his house to eat and drink wherewithal being deceived he came back with him contrary to the commandment of the Lord given to himself whereupon as they sat at meat the Prophet that beguiled him had a charge from God to prophesie against him and so he did afterward as he went homeward a Lion met him and killed him and stood by the corps and his Ass not eating of them till the old Prophet came and took him away to bury him In the twentieth chapter of the same Book of Kings there is another story of a Prophet which as he went by the way he met with a man and â—ade him in the name of the Lord to wound and smite him but he would not preferring pity before the service of the Lord Well said the Prophet unto him seeing thou refusest to obey the voyce of the Lord Behold as soon as thâ—â— art departed a Lion shall meet thee and destroy thee and so it came to pass for being out of the presence of the Prophet a Iaon met him and tore him in pieces The Idolatrous people that were placed at Jerusalem by the King of Babel were destroyed by Lions and unto these examples of God his judgements I will adde other out of humane stories Paphages a King of Ambracia meeting a Lionese leading her whelps was suddenly set upon by her and torn in pieces upon whom Ovid made these verses Foeta tibi occurrat patrio popularis in arvo Sitque Paphageae causa leaena necis Hyas the brother of Hyades was also slain by a Lioness The people called Ambraciotae in Africk do most religiously worship a Lioness because a notable Tyrant which did opprese them was slain by such an one There is a Mountain neer the River Indus called Lnaus of a Shepheard so named which in that Mountain did most superstitiously worship the Moon and contemned all other Gods his sacrifices were performed in the night season at length saith the Author the Gods b 〈…〉 angry with him sent unto him a couple of Lions who tore him in pieces leaving no monument behinde but the name of the Mountain for the accident of his cruel death The Inhabitans of that Mountain wear in their ears a certain rich stone called 〈◊〉 which is very black and bred no where else but in that place There is a known story of the two Babylonian lovers Pyramus and Th 〈…〉 who in the night time had covenanted to meet at a Fountain new the sepulchre of Ninus and T 〈…〉 coming thither first as she â—ate by the Fountain a Lioness being thirsty came thither to drink water after the slaughter of an Ox at sight whereof Thisbe ran away and let fall her mantle which the Lioness finding tore it in pieces with her bloudy teeth Afterward came Pyramus and seeing her mantle all bloudy and torn asunder suspecting that she that loved him being before him at the appointed place had been killed by some wilde beast very inconsiderately drew forth his sword and thrust the same through his own body and being scarce dead Thisbe came again and seeing her lover lie in that distress as one love one cause one affection had drawn them into one place and there one fear had wrought one of their destructions she also sacrificed her self upon the point of one and the same sword There was also in Scythia a cruel Tyrant called Therodomas who was wont to cast men to Lions to be devoured of them and for that cause did nourish privately many Lions unto this cruelty did Ovid allude saying Therodomantaeos ut qui sensere Leones And again Non tibi Therodomas crudusque vocabitur Atreus Unto this discourse of the bloud-thirsty cruelty of Lions you may add the puissant glory of them who botlâ— in Sacred and prophane stories are said to have destroyed Lions When Sampson went down to Timnath it is said that a young Lion met him roaring to destroy him but the Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he tore it in pieces like a Kid wherein he was a Type of Jesus Christ who in like sort being set upon by the roaring of the Devil and his members did with facility through his divine nature utterly overthrow the malice of the Devil Afterward Sampson went down to the Philistine woman whom be loved and returning found that Bees had entred into the Lions carcass and there builded whereupon he propounded this Riddle A vâ—raci exiit cibus ex forti egressa est
great Mice The hair of the Egyptian Mice is very hard and for the most part like a Hedge-hogs and there are also some which walk bolt upright upon two feet for they have the hinder-legs longer and their fore-legs shorter their procreation is also manifold and they do likewise sit upon their buttocks and they use their fore-feet as hands But Herodotus affirmeth these Mice to be of Africkâ— and not of Egypt amongst the African or Carthaginian pastures saith he in Africk towards the Orient there are three kindes of Mice of the which some are called Bipedal or two-footed some in the Carthaginian language Zetzeries which is as much in our language as hills some Hedge-hogs Thare are more kindes of Mice in the Cyrenaican region some which have broad fore-heads some sharp some which have pricking hair in the manner of Hedge-hogs It is reported that in Cyrene there are divers kindes of Mice both in colour and shape and that some of them have as broad a countenance as a Cat some have sharp bristles and bear the form and countenance of a Viper which the Inhabitants call Ethenetae but improperly as it appeareth by the words of Aristotle in his book of Wonders Herodotus also affirmeth the like of those Mice to be in shape and colour like Vipers but Pliny and Aristotle do both disallow it and say that in those juice there is nothing common to Vipers but only to Hedge hogs as concerning their sharp bristles There are also some Mice in Egypt which do violently rush upon pastures and corn of which things Aelianus speaketh saying in this manner When it beginneth first to rain in Egypt the Mice are wont to be born in very small bubbles which wandering far and near through all the fields do affect the corn with great calamity by gnawing and cutting asunder with their teeth the blades thereof and wasting the heaps of that which is made in bundles do bring great pains and business unto the Egyptians by which it comes to pass that they endure all manner of ways to make snares for them by setting of Mice-traps and to repel them from their inclosures and by ditches and burning fires to drive them quite away but the Mice as they will not come unto the traps for as much as they are apt to leap they both go over the hedges and leap over the ditches But the Egyptians being frustrated of all hope by their labours all subtil inventions and policies being left as it were of no efficacy they betake themselves humbly to pray to their Gods to remove that calamity from them Whereat the Mice by some fear of a divine anger even as it were in battel aray of observing a squadron order do depart into a certain Mountain The least of all these in age do stand in the first order but the greatest and eldest do lead the last troups compelling those which are weary to follow them But if in their journey the least or youngest do chance through travail to wax weary all those which follow as the manner is in Wars do likewise stand still and when the first begin to go forward the rest do continually follow them It is also reported that the Mice which inhabit the Sea do observe the same order and custom The African Mice do usually die assoon as ever they take any drink but this is commonly proper unto all Mice as Ephesius affirmeth where it is written above concerning the poysoning of Mice Mice but especially those of Africk having their skins pulled off boiled with Oyl and Salt and then taken in meat doth very effectually cure those which are troubled with any pains or diseases in the lungs or lights The same doth also easily help those which are molested with corrupt and bloudy spettings with retchings The kindes of African Mice are divers some are two footed some have hair like unto Hedge-hogs some faces of the breadth of a Weesil but some call these Mice Cirenacian some Egyptian as I have before declared In Arabia there are certain Mice much bigger then Dormice whose former legs are of the quantity of a hand breadth and the hinder of the quantity of the joynt to the end of the finger I do understand them to be so short that nothing thereof may seem to appear without the body except the space of the joints of the finger as it is in Martinets It is said that the garments of the Armenians are usually woven with Mice which are bred in the same Countrey or diversly docked with the shape of the same creature The Author writeth that Pliny maketh mention of the Armenian Mouse but I have read no such thing therefore he doth perchance take the Armenian Mouse for the Shrew In Cappadocia there is a kinde of Mouse which some call a Squirrel Aelianus writing of the Caspian Mice Amyntas saith he in his Book entituled De Mansionibus which he doth so inscribe saith that in Caspia there do come an infinite multitude of Mice which without any fear do swi inm the flouds which have great and violent currents and holding one another by their tails in their mouths as it is likewise reported of Wolves have a sure and stable passage over the water But when they pass over any tillage of the earth they fell the corn and climing up into trees do eat the fruit thereof and break the boughs which when the Caspians cannot resist they do by this means endevour to restrain their turbulent incursions for they remove all things which may hurt birds having crooked talons who come presently so flying in such great flocks or companies that may seem to be clouds to expel the Mice from their borders and by a proper gift incident unto them by nature do drive away hunger from the Caspians Neither in quantity are these Mice inferiour to the Egyptian Ichneumons they are also ungentle and they do no less devour with the strength of their teeth then the Mice of Teredon in Babylon do Iron whose soft skins the Merchants carry to the Persians The Indian Mouse or Pharaohs Mouse as some learned later Writers do write is no other then the Ichneumon Antonius musa Brasavolus took the before expressed figure of an Indian Mouse for so he did call it which before that time was shewn by Bellonius and I guessed it to be an Ichneumon and truly in the snowt if you take away the beard and in the ears it doth agree but in the tail it doth differ which doth rather resemble a Cats and in many other things which by conferring them are easâ—e to be marked and as I conceived it I have set it down Of the Moschatte or Musk-cat THis Beasts name is derived from the Hebrew word Bosem which signifieth sweet odour for the Germans call the same Bisem and the Beast it self Bisemthier And the Graecians derive their Moschos of Moo and ozo to seek and to smell and of Mesou
procure favour unto him and that he might be reckoned an inventer of some things for requital whereof Bacchus gave him the land of Thebes in Egypt to keep his Sheep and Cattel and afterward for that invention he was pictured with Rams horas on his head for remembrance that he brought the first Sheep into Egypt and Bacchus also placed the sign of the Ram in Heaven These and such like fictions there are about all the signes of Heaven but the truer observation and reason we have shewed before out of the Egyptians learning and therefore I will cease from any farther prosecution of these fables They ought to be two year old at least before you suffer them to joyn in copulation with the Ewes and for two months before to be separate and fed more plentifully then at other times that so at their return they may more eagerly and perfectly fill the Ewes and then also before copulation and at the time that they are permitted in some Countries they give them Barly and mix Onions with their meat and feed them with the herb Salomons seal for all these are vertuous to stir up and incease their nature And likewise one kinde of the Satyrium and salt water as we have said in the discourse aforegoing Now at the time of their copulation they have a peculiar voice to draw and allure their females differing from the common bleating whereof the Poet speaketh Blaterat hinc aries pia balat ovis This Beast may continue in copulation and be preserved for the generation of Lambs till he be eight year old and it is their nature the older they be to seek out for their fellows the elder Ewes or females forsaking the younger by a kinde of natural wisdom Now concerning the time of their admission to copulation although we have touched it in the former Treatise yet we must add somewhat more in this place In some places they suffer them in April and some in June that so they may be past danger before Winter and be brought forth in the Autumn when the grass after harvest is sweet but the best is in October for then the Winter will be over-passed before the Lamb come forth of his dams belly Great is the rage of these Beasts at their copulation for they fight irefully till one of them have the victory and for this cause Arictare among the Writers is a word to express singular violence Arietat in portas duros objice poster And Silvis of Dioxippâ—â— Arietat in primos objieitque immania membra And so Seneca in his book of Anger Magno imperatori antequam actes inter se ariâ—tarent cor exiluit And indeed great is the violence of Rams for it is reported that many times in Rhetiâ— to try their violence they hold betwixt the fighting of Rams a stick or bat of Corn-tree which in a bout or two they utterly diminish and bruise in pieces There is a known fable in Abstenius of the Wolf that found a couple of Rams and told them that he must have one of them to his dinner and bad them agree betwixt themselves to whose lot that death should happen for one of them must die the two Rams agreed together that the Wolf should stand in the middle of the close and that they twain should part one into one corner and the other into the other corner of the field and so come running to the Wolf and he that came last should lose his life to the Wolfs mercy the Wolf agreed to this their device and chose his standing while the Rams consented with their horns when they came upon him to make him sure enough from hurting any more Sheep forth therefore went the Rams each of them unto his quarter one into the East and the other into the West the Wolf standing joyfully in the midst laughing at the Rams destruction then began the two Rams to set forward with all their violence one of them so attending and observing the other as that they might both meet together upon the Woolf and so they did with vengeance to their enemy for having him betwixt their horns they crushed his ribs in pieces and he fell down without stomach to Rams flesh This invention although it have another moral yet it is material to be inserted into this place to shew the violence of Rams and from this came so many warlike inventions called Arietes wherewithal they push down the walls of Cities as the Readers may see in Vitruvius Valturnis and Ammianus for they say that the warlike Ram was made of wood and covered over with shels of Tortoyses to the intent it should not be burned when it was set to a wall and it was also covered with the skins of sack-cloth by rows artificially contrived within the same was a beam which was pointed with a crooked Iron and therefore called a Ram or rather because the front was so hard that it overthrew walls when by the violent strength of men it was forced upon them and whereas it was shaped over with Tortoise shels it was for the true resemblance it bare therewith for like as a Tortoise doth sometime put forth his head and again sometime pull it in so also doth the Ram sometime put forth the sicle and sometime pull it in and hide it within the frame so that by this engine they did not over-turn the walls but also they caused the stones to 〈…〉 ie upon the enemies like thunder-bolts striking them down on every side and wounding with their fall or stroke like the blows of an armed man and against these forces there were counter-forces devised on the part of the besieged for because the greatness thereof was such as it could not be moved without singular note and ostentation it gave the besieged time to oppose against it their instruments of war for their safeguard such were called Culcitrae Laquei Lupi ferrum made like a pair of tongs whereby as Polyaenus writeth many times it came to pass that when the wall was overthrown the enemies durst not enter saying Ceâ—â—e hostes sponte ab obsessis destructa moenia meâ—uentes ingredi in urbem non audebam And thus much for the force of Rams both their true and natural strength and also their artificial imitation by men Now on the other side the wise shepheards want not devises to restrain the wrath of these impetuous Beasts For Epicharmus the Syracusan saith if there be a hole bored in the backer part of his crooked horn neer his ear it is very profitable to be followed for seeing that he is a Captain of the flock and that he leadeth all the residue it is most necessary that his health and safe-guard be principally regarded and therefore the ancient shepheards were wont to appoint the Captain of the flock from the prime and first appearance of his horns and to give him him his name whereof he took knowledge and would lead and go before them at
the third kinde of the Unicorn and I trust that there is no wise man that will be offended at it for as we have shewed already in many stories that sundry Beasts have not only their divisions but sub-divisions into sub-alternal kindes as many Dogs many Deer many Horses many Mice many Panthers and such like why should there not also be many Unicorns And if the Reader be not pleased with this let him either shew me better reason which I know he shall never be able to do or else be silent lest the uttering of his dislike bewray envy and ignorance Now although the parts of the Unicorn be in some measure described and also their Countries namely India and Aethiopia yet for as much as all is not said as may be said I will add the residue in this place And first of all there are two Kingdoms in India one called Niem and the other Lamber or Lambri both these are stored with Unicorns And Aloisius Cadamustus in his fifty Chapter of his Book of Navigation writeth that there is a certain Region of the New-found World wherein are found live Unicorns and toward the East and South under the Equinoctial there is a living creature with one horn which is crooked and not great having the head of a Dragon and a beard upon his chin his neck long and stretched out like a Serpents the residue of his body like to a Harts saving that his feet colour and mouth are like a Lions and this also if not a fable or rather a Monster may be a fourth kinde of Unicorn and concerning the horns of Unicorns now we must perform our promise which is to relate the true history of them as it is found in the best Writers This therefore growing out of the fore-head betwixt the eye-lids is neither light nor hollow nor yet smooth like other horns but hard as Iron rough as any file revolved into many plights sharper than any dart straight and not crooked and every where black except at the point There are two of these at Venice in the Treasury of S. Marks Church as Brasavolus writeth one at Argentarat which is wreathed about with divers Spires There are also two in the Treasury of the King of Polonia all of them as long as a man in his stature In the year 1520 there was found the horn of a Unicorn in the River Aâ—rula near Bruga in Helvetia the upper face or outside whereof was a dark yellow it was two cubits in length but had upon it no plights or wreathings It was very odoriferous especially when any part of it was set on â—iee so that it smelled like musk assoon as it was found it was carryed to a Nunnery called Campus regius but afterwards by the Governor of Helvetia it was recovered back again because it was found within his territory Now the vertues of this horn are already recited before and yet I will for the better justifying of that which I have said concerning the Unicorns horn add the testimony of our learned men which did write thereof to Gesner whose letters according as I finde them recorded in his work so I have here inserted and translated word for word And first of all the answer of Nicholas Gerbelius unto his Epistle concerning the Unicorns horn at Argentoratum is this which followeth for saith he The horn which those Noblemen have in the secrets of the great Temple I have often seen and handled with my hands It is of the length of a tall man if so be that you shall thereunto add the point thereof for there was a certain evil disposed person amongst them who had learned I know not of whom that the point or top of the same horn would be a present remedy both against all poyson and also against the Plague or Pestilence Wherefore that sacrilegious thief plucked off the higher part or top from the residue being in length three or four fingers For which wicked offence both he himself was cast out of that company and not any ever afterwards of that family might be received into this society by an Ordinance gravely and maturely ratified This pulling off the top brought a notable deformity to that most splendant gift The whole horn from that which sticketh to the fore-head of this beast even unto the top of the horn is altogether firm or solid not gaping with chops chinks or crevises with a little greater thickness then a tile is usually amongst us For I have oftentimes comprehended almost the whole horn in my right hand From the root unto the point it is even as wax candles are rowled together most elegantly severed and raised up in little lines The weight of this horn is of so great a massiness that a man would hardly believe it and it hath been often wondred at that a beast of so little a stature could bear so heavy and weighty a burden I could never smell any sweetness at all therein The colour thereof is like unto old Ivory in the midst betwixt white and yellow But you shall never have a better pattern of this then where it is sold in little pieces or fragments by the Oylmen For the colour of our horn is life unto them But by whom this was given unto that same Temple I am altogether ignorant Another certain friend of mine being a man worthy to be believed declared unto me that he saw at Paris with the Chancellor being Lord of Pratus a piece of a Unicorns horn to the quantity of a cubit wreathed in tops or spires about the thickness of an indifferent staffe the compass thereof extending to the quantity of six fingers being within and without of a muddy colour with a solid Iubstance the fragments whereof would boil in the Wine although they were never burned having very little or no smell at all therein When Joannes Ferrerius of Piemont had read these things he wrote unto me that in the Temple of Dennis near unto Paris there was a Unicorns horn six foot long wherein all those things which are written by Gerbelius in our Chronicles were verified both the weight and the colour but that in bigness it exceeded the horn at the City of Argentorate being also hollow almost a foot from that part which sticketh unto the fore-head of the Beast this he saw himself in the Temple of S. Dennis and handled the horn with his hands as long as he would I hear that in the former year which was from the year of our Lord 1553. when Vercella was overthrown by the French there was brought from that treasure unto the King of France a very great Unicorns horn the price whereof was valued at fourscore thousand Duckets Paulus Poaeius describeth an Unicorn in this manner That he is a Beast in shape much like a young Horse of a dusty colour with a maned neck a hairy beard and a fore-head armed with a horn of the quantity of two cubits being separated with
the greatest in the world are found in India for there they grow to such a quantity that they swallow up whole Bulls and great Stags Wherefore I do not marvel that Porus the King of India sent to Augustus Caesar very huge Vipers a Serpent of ten cubits long a Tortoise of three cubits and a Partridge greater then a Vulture For Alexander in his Navigation upon the Red-sea saith that he saw Serpents forty cubits long and all their other parts and members of the same quantity Among the Scyritae the Serpents come by great swarms upon their flocks of Sheep and cattel and some they eat up all others they kill and suck out the bloud and some part they carry away But if ever there were any thing beyond credit it is the relation of Volateran in his twelfth Book of the New-found Lands wherein he writeth that there are Serpents of a mile long which at one certain time of the year come abroad out of their holes and dens of habitation and destroy both the Heards and Heard-men if they find them Much more favourable are the Serpents of a Spanish Island who do no harm to any living thing although they have huge bodies and great strength to accomplish their desires In the Kingdom of Senega their Serpents are so great that they devour whole Beasts as Goats and such like without breaking any one of their bones In Calechute they are as great as their greatest Swine and not much unlike them except in their head which doth far exceed a Swines And because the King of that Countrey hath made a Law that no man kill a Serpent under pain of death they are as great in number as they are in quantity for so great is his error that he deemeth it as lawful to kill a Man as a Serpens All kindes of Serpents are referred to their place of habitation which is either the earth or the waters of the earth and the Serpents of the earth are more in number then the Serpents of the water except the Serpents of the Sea And yet it is thought by the most learned Rabbins that the Serpents of the Sea are fishes in the likeness of Dragons Now the places of Serpents abode being thus generally capitulated we must enter into a farther narration of their habitations and regions of their native breeding In the first place India nourisheth many and divers sorts of Serpents especially in the Kingdom of Morfilium and Alexander the Emperor found among other Beasts sundry kindes of Serpents in a long Desert which is on the North-side of India But all the Nations of the World may give place to Aethiopia for multitude and variety for there they gather together on heaps and lie in compass like round hills visibly apparent to the eyes of them that behold them a far off The like is said of all Africa for in Numidia every year 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 Coasts of Elymais are annoyed by Serpents and the Caspians are so annoyed by Serpents which come swimming in the floods that men cannot sail that ways but in the Winter time For from the beginning of the Spring or aequinoctal they seem for their number to approach ravening like Troops and Armies There are certain Islands called Ophiusae insâ—â—ae named after Ophis a Serpent for the multitude bred therein And there are Serpents in Candy Ephesus and all hot Countries for this priviledge hath GOD in nature given to the colder Countreys that they are less annoyed with Serpents and their Serpents also less nocent and hurtful and therefore the Serpents of Europe are fewer in number lesser in quantity and more resistable for their weakness 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 Ferrata And whereas we have said that the most nocent and harmful Serpents are bred in the hottest Regions where they engender more speedily and also grow into greater proportions yet is it not to be understood of any special property appertaining to them alone for I read in Olaus Magnus his description of the Northern Regions of Serpents of as great quantity as in any other place of the world but yet their poyson is not half so venomous and hurtful as in the hotter Regions especially the African Serpents In Bâ—tina near Livonia there are great store of great Serpents also so that the Heard-men are at continual war and contention with them for defence of their flock Likewise in the Mountains of Helvetia and Avergne whereof there are many wonders reported in the World which I will not stand upon to relate in this place We read also that some places have been disinhabited and dispeopled by Serpents such were the people of Scythia called Neuri who before the war of Darius were constrained to forsake their soil because they were annoyed not only with home-bred Serpents but also with many other which came from other parts and so the Countrey remaineth desolate to this present day the ancient Inhabitants being all removed to dwell among the Buditani The City Amyclae in Italy as M. Varro writeth was destroyed also by Serpents And there be certain places of the world which have received their denomination from Serpents besides the Ophiusae near Creie The Island Tenos was called Hydrussa and Ophiussa so were Cremiuscos Aepolium and the Mountains Macrocremnii Rhodus and the long Islands Ophiades in the Arabian coast which after it had remained along time desert was purged and cleared from Serpents by the Kings of Egypt Nicanetus also calleth Cyprus Ophiodia And in Pausanias we read of a place named Opheos Kephale the Serpents head The like might be said of Rivers as of Orontes called also Ophites and Ophis in Pontus which divideth asunder Colchis and the Countrey Thiamica Ebusus nourisheth no Serpents and the Earth thereof hath in it a secret vertue to drive away Serpents wherefore it is much desired of all men to carry about them for that it hath been often proved that never any venomous beast durst adventure upon any man possessed thereof The like is said of Ireland as our own Chronicles do plentifully declare and therefore I will spare to enter into any narration thereof To come therefore to the more particular abode of Serpents especially of such as are known to us we must leave off the talk and nomination of Kingdoms and descend to dens holes caves dunghils Sheep-coats valleys rocks hollow-walls and trees woods green pastures hedges and such like places wherein they make their most abode And now and then in these Northern parts of the world and yet seldom they dive down into the bottom or roots of trees especially such as are green all the Winter time For they finde in them a greater heat
a venemous creature yet is it an enemy to the Serpent for when she seeth a Serpent lie under her tree in the shadow she weaveth or twisteth a thred down from her web upon the head of the Serpent and suddenly biteth into his head a mortal wound so that he can do nothing but only roul to and fro being stricken with a Megrim whereby he hath not so much power as to break the Spiders thred hanging over his head untill he be dead and overthrown The Cockatrice is such an enemy to some kinde of Serpents that he killeth them with his breath or hissing The Lizard a kinde of Serpent is most friendly to man and very irefull against Serpents to the uttermost of his power whereof Erasmus in his book of Friendship telleth this story I saw saith he on a day a very great Lizard fighting with a Serpent in the very mouth of a Cave at the first sight whereof I marvailed at the matter for the Serpent was not visible out of the earth there was with me an Italian who said that surely the Lizard had some enemy within the Cave After a little while the Lizard came unto us and shewed us his side all wounded as it were craving help for the Serpent had bitten him sore for of green he made him appear red and this Lizard did suffer himself to be touched of us Thus saith Erasmus Again in the same place he saith that when a Lizard saw a Serpent lye in wait to set upon a man being asleep the Lizard ran to the man and never ceased running upon the mans face scratching his neck and face gently with his clawes untill he had awaked the man and so discovered to him his great danger The Locust also fighteth with a Serpent and killeth him when he lusteth for he getteth hold with his teeth upon his lower chap and so destroyeth him but this is not to be understood of every kinde of Locust but only of one kinde which for this cause is called Ophiomachum genus The Serpent is also an enemy to the Chamaeleon for in the extremity of famine she setteth upon them and except the Chamaeleon can cover herself from his rage he hath no defence but death Albertus calleth a certain Worm Spoliator colubri because as he saith it will take fast hold upon a Serpents neck underneath his jawes and never give over till he hath wearied and destroyed his adversary The Tortoises are enemies to Serpents and will fight with them but before they enter combat they arm themselves with wilde Marjoram or Penniroyall But there is not any thing in the world that fighteth more earnestly against Serpents then Sea-crabs and Crevises for when the Sun is in Cancer Serpents are naturally tormented with pains and feavers and therefore if Swine be stung or bitten with Serpents they cure themselves by eating of Sea-crabs There is a great water neer Ephesus at the one side whereof there is a Cave full of many noysome and irefull Serpents whose bitings by often probation have been very deadly both to men and beasts These Serpents do often times endevour to crawl over the pool now on the other side there are great store of Crabs who when they see the Serpents come crawling or swimming they instantly put out their crooked legs and as it were with tongs or pinsers reach at the sliding Serpent wherewithall the Serpents are so deterred that through their sight and often remembrance of their unhappy successe with them they turn back again and never dare any more adventure to the other side Where we may see the most wise providence of the Creator who hath set Sea-crabs the enemies of Serpents to guard both men and Cattell which are on the opposite side for otherwise the inhabitants would all perish or else be drove away from their dwellings To conclude not only living Creatures but also some kinde of earth and Plants are enemies to Serpents And therefore most famous are Ebusus and Creet as some say although Bellonius say that there are Scolopendraes Vipers and Slow-worms in Creet yet he saith they are without venom and there are very few in England and Scotland but none at all in Ireland neither will they live if they be brought in thither from any other Countrey This antipathy with Serpents proceedeth from living to dead and vegetable things as trees herbs and plants as may be seen by this discourse following There is such vertue in the Ash-tree that no Serpent will endure to come neer either the morning or evening shadow of it yea though very far distant from them they do so deadly hate it We set down nothing but that we have found true by experience If a great fire be made and the same fire encircled round with Ashen boughs and a Serpent put betwixt the fire and the Ashen boughs the Serpent will sooner run into the fire then come neer the Ashen boughs Thus saith Pliny Olaus Magnus saith that those Northern Countreys which have great store of Ash-trees do want venemous beasts of which opinion is also Pliny Callimachus saith there is a Tree growing in the land of Trachinia called Smilo to which if any Serpents do either come neer or touch they forthwith die Democritus is of opinion that any Serpent will die if you cast Oken-leaves upon him Pliny is of opinion that Alcibiadum which is a kinde of wilde Buglosse is of the same use and quality and further being chewed if it be spit upon any Serpent that it cannot possibly live In time of those solemn Feasts which the Athenians dedicated to the Goddesse Ceres their women did use to lay and strew their beds with the leaves of the Plant called Agnos because Serpents could not endure it and because they imagined it kept them chaste whereupon they thought the name was given it The herb called Rosemary is terrible to Serpents The Egyptians do give it out that Polydamna the wife of Thorris their King taking pity upon Helen caused her to be set on shore in the Island of Pharus and bestowed upon her an hearb whereof there was plenty that was a great enemy to Serpents whereof the Serpents having a feeling sense as they say and so readily known of them they straightwayes got them to their surking holes in the earth and Helen planted this herb who coming to the knowledge thereof she perceived that in his due time it bore a seed that was a great enemy to Serpents and thereupon was called Helenium as they that are skilfull in Plants affirm and it groweth plentifully in Pharus which is a little Isle against the mouth of Nilus joyned to Alexandria with a Bridge Rue called of some Herb of grace especially that which groweth in Lybia is but a back friend to Serpents for it is most dry and therefore causing Serpents soon to faint and lose their courage because as S 〈…〉 catus affirmeth it induceth a kinde of heavinesse or
unto Sithes or two sickles nothing varying in colour from their feet Their belly is as though it were tyed to their shoulders with a very fine thred the forward and middle part whereof is overcast with a brown colour and begirt as it were with a girdle of Saffron The hinder part is altogether yellow easily discerned and remarkable for those brown pricks or specks every one of them being much like unto a small triangle besides they have certain clefts or slits on both sides both before and behinde by which they can at their pleasure when they list either shrink up themselves or draw and gather themselves together and with the same again lengthen and stretch out their bodies They have also neer to their belly on both sides four black spots and in their tail they are armed with a strong piercing sting and the same very venomous They make a sound or a buzzing strange noise morehideous and dreadful then Wasps do They are shrewd fierce and cruel quickly angry and wrathful and although they live in companies together yet notwithstanding they are ever known to be but of an homely rude curst and untractable disposition and nature and will never be brought by any Art or fashioning to lay aside their uplandish wildenesse as some herbs will do that are transplanted into Gardens They are besides this of such a mischievous malignity and venomous quality that as some affirm nine of their stings will kill a Man and three times nine will be able to kill a strong Horse especially at the rising of the Dog-star and after at which time they have a more fiery hasty and inflaming nature and men at that season by reason of their large exaltation and sending forth of spirits grow more weak and faint And therefore it is no marvail though in holy Scripture they are compared or likened to most fierce and cruel enemies which should put and cast forth the Canaanites Plittites and Chevites Exod. 23. 28. So likewise Ovid in the eleventh Book of his Metamorphos hath these words Spicula carbtonum ardentia The burning stings of Hornets And Virgil in the fourth Book of his Georgicks calleth them Asperrima most sharp and violent Terence the most eloquent of all Comical Poets in his Comedy intituled Phormio and Plautus in his Amphitryo have this Proverb Irritavi crabrones I have provoked or incensed the great Wasps to anger which I suppose they used as a by-word against the properties natures and froward behaviours of women who being in their wonted furnish mood if once you go about to overthwart them or a little to contrary their wilfulnesse you shall pull an old house over your own head by a further provocation and perhaps if you get you not the sooner out of their sight and reach of their clutches you may chance have somewhat more flying about you ears then you would It is good therefore if you have a Wife that is Calcato immitior hydra unquiet and contentious to let her alone not to wake an angry Dog and when a mischief is well quieted and brought asleep to go your ways and say never a word Whereas among Bees their Drones and Kings do want stings yea and some Wasps too as before I have writ yet notwithanding all Hornets in general as well the greater sort of them that build their houses in trees as the lesser sort that dwell in the earth are provided of stings neither do their Ring-leader seem to be unarmed For Wasps have their Presidents of their own society and their Captains general as well as Bees and Wasps whatsoever Pliny lib. 11. cap. 21. dream to the contrary which in proportion and quantity are far greater if you respect the bodies of other Hornets then either the Captains of the Bees and Wasps are in comparison of their subjects These also spend their time within doors as the Captain of Wasps do not having many but one head to guide and rule over them lest by banding into parties and factions some civill war wherein all things are miserable as Tully saith or other mutiny might arise to their final destruction They are great vexers and troublers and even like such as had sworn the death of their enemies robbers and theeves And yet at home they nourish peace excelling even the very Bees themselves in their painful earnest and willing desire to maintain their stock and common society For neither do they chide braul or contend nor yet make any stir or rustling when any is promoted to any office or place of preferment in their corporation neither are they distracted into divers mindes with their businesses neither yet do they raise any tumult make any uprore or keep a coil or ruffling at the election of their Prince and Captain general but with common consent they use but one Table taking their commons together like good friends and fellows and whatsoever they kill they carry some part of it home frankly imparting it to their neighbors children and companions Neither do they yearly drive and expel forth of the doors to seek new habitations where they can as some Bees deal very churlishly and unnatural with their young but they contrarywise in their bosome defend and keep warm their new springed up progeny and race building for them greater Houses and raising of moe Sellers and flores bording and planking the same in case of necessity never ceasing till they be fully rear'd and made fit for defence and safety But as for their King and Captain whom they exceedingly honor and highly esteem they make choyce of such a one as neither seemeth to be a King without a Kingdom nor a Prince without people and possessions and yet he so behaveth himself and carryeth himself so evenly as though he had but little to do in this his Empire And yet in largenesse of body and greatnesse of his heart in stoutnesse and statelinesse of stomach and person he staineth all the rest carrying away the prize from them all and when there is Proclamation of War to be made against any forain foes and that their flags and ancients be displayed by sounding his deadly blast he giveth defiance to his enemies most couragiously bestirring himself more then any of his followers shewing himself both most vehement warlike and skilful in fight and yet again at home towards his subjects like a true noble spirit he is very gracious gentle and temperate tractable easie to be â—ntreated and most ready to forgive They make for themselves certain holes or dwelling places under the ground casting forth the earth much after the fashion of Pismires for you must understand that neither Wasps nor Hornets do send forth any Swarms as Bees do but those young Hornets which spring from them now and then do there remain among their breeders making their beds or hives much greater by means of the earth formerly cast out They enlarge their combes exceedingly by adding more and more unto them so that of a strong and
hand is the making or efficient cause and for the worthinesse of that divine story how God maketh and taketh away Frogs I will expresse it as it is left by the holy Ghost in ch 8. Exod. ver 5. Also the Lord said unto Moses say thou unto Aaron stretch thou out thy band with thy rod upon the streams upon the rivers and upon the ponds and cause Frogs to come upon the land of Egypt Ver. 6. Then Aaron stretched out his hand upon the waters of Egypt and the Frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt Vers 7. And the Sorcerers did likewise with their Sorceries and brought Frogs upon the land of Egypt Vers 8. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said Pray ye unto the Lord that he may take away the Frogs from me and from my people and I will let the people go that they may do sacrifice to the Lord. Vers 9. And Moses said unto Pharaoh concerning me Command when I shall pray for thee and thy servants and thy people to destroy the Frogs from thee and from thy houses that they may remain in the River only Vers 10. Then he said to morrow and he answered Be it as thou hast said that thou mayst know that there is none like the Lord our God Vers 11. So the Frogs shall depart from thee and from thy houses and from thy people and from thy servants only they shall remain in the River Ver. 12. Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh and Moses cryed unto the Lord concerning the Frogs which he had sent unto Pharaoh Vers 13. And the Lord did according to the saying of Moses so the Frogs dyed in the houses and in the Towns and in the fields Vers 14. And they gathered them together by heaps and the land stank of them c. And this was the second plague of Egypt wherein the Lord turned all the Fishes into Frogs as the Book of Wisdom saith and the Frogs ahounded in the Kings chamber and notwithstanding this great judgement of God for the present Pharaoh would not let the people go and afterwards that blinde superstitious Nation became worshippers of Frogs as Philastrius writeth thinking by this devotion or rather wickednesse in this observant manner to pacifie the wrath of God choosing their own ways before the word of Almighty God But vain is that worship which is invented without heavenly warrant and better it is to be obedient to the will of God then go about to please him with the cogitations of men although in their pretended holinesse we spend much time wealth and bloud There was one Cypselus the father of Periander who by his mother was hid in a Chest called Kypsele to be preserved from the hands of certain murtherers which were sent to kill him Wherefore afterwards the said Cypselus consecrated a house at Delphos to Apollo because he heard his crying when he was hid in a chest and preserved him In the bottom of that house was the trunk of a Palm-tree and certain Frogs pictured running out of the same but what was meant thereby is not certainly known for neither Plutarch which writeth the story nor Chersias which relateth it giveth any signification thereof but in another place where he enquireth the reason why the Oracle of Pythias gave no answer he conjectured because it was that the accursed thing brought out of the Temple of Apollo from Delphos into the Corinthian house had ingraven underneath the Brazen Palm Snakes and Frogs or else for the signification of the Sun rising The meat of Frogs thus brought forth are green herbs and Humble-bees or Shorn-bugs which they devour or catch when they come to the water to drink sometime also they are said to eat earth but as well Frogs as Toads do eat the dead Mole for the Mole devoureth them being alive In the moneth of August they never open their mouths either to take in meat or drink or to utter any voyce and their chaps are so fast joyned or closed together that you can hardly open them with your finger or with a stick The young ones of this kinde are killed by casting Long-wort or the leaves of Sea-lettice as Aelianus and Suidas write and thus much for the description of their parts generation and sustentation of these common Frogs The wisdom or disposition of the Aegyptian Frogs is much commended for they save themselves from their enemies with singular dexterity If they fall at any time upon a Water-snake which they know is their mortal enemy they take in their mouths a round Reed which with an invincible strength they hold fast never letting go although the Snake have gotten her into her mouth for by this means the Snake cannot swallow her and so she is preserved alive There is a pretty fable of a great Bull which came to the water to quench his thirst and whilest the Beast came running greedily into the water he trod in pieces two or three young Frogs then one of them which escaped with life went and told his mother the miserable misfortune and chance of his fellows she asked who it was that had so killed her young ones to whom he answered It was a great one but how great he could not tell the foolish Mother-frog desirous to have seen some body in the eyes of her son began to swell with holding in of her breath and then asked the young one if the Beast were as big as she And he answered much greater at which words she began to swel more and asked him again if the Beast were so big To whom the young one answered Mother leave your swelling for though you break your self you will never be so big as he and I think from this fable came the Proverb Rana Gyrina sapientior wiser then the young Frog This is excellently described by Horace in his third Satyre as followeth Absentis ranae pullis vituli pede pressis Vnus ubi effugit matri denarrat ut ingens Bellua cognates eliserit illa rogare Quantánt Num tandem se inflans sic magna fuisset Major dimidio Num tanto Cum magis atque Se magis inflaret non si te ruperis inquit Par eris haec à te non multum abludit imago Which may be Englished thus In old Frogs absence the young were prest to death By feet of a great Calf drinking in the water To tell the dam one ran that scap't with life and breath How a great heast her young to death did scatter How great said she so big and then did swell Greater by half said he then she swoll more and said Thus big but he cease swelling dam for I thee tell Though break thy self like him thou never canst be made There is another pretty fable in Esop tasking discontented persons under the name of Frogs according to the old verse Et veterem in limo ranae cacinere querelam Nam neque sicca placet nec quae stagnata
and hunting Spiders The least sort of these weave no webs at all but the greater beginneth to make a small and harsh web about hedges nigh unto the earth spreading and setting the same abroad in the very entry and in void places neer their lurking holes their deceitful nets observing very diligently the stirring of their deceitful webs and perceiving them moving though never so lightly she maketh no stay but with all speed possible hastneth her self to the place and whatsoever she there findeth she seizeth upon as her lawful prize The most dangerous and hurtful Spiders are called Phalangia if they bite any one for they never strike their poyson is by experience found to be so perillous as that there will a notable great swelling immediately follow thereupon These kindes of venomous Spiders are of two sundry sorts for some of them are lesser and some greater The lesser sort are very unlike one to another and of changeable colours violent libidinous hot stirring sharp-topped holding on their pace and way as it were in jumping manner or leaping-wise and these I finde to be called by Aristotle in his 11. Book De Animal Psullas or Pulices and Pitheci or Simii Of some they are called Oribates because they are usually found among Trees that grow upon Mountains They are also called Hypodromi because they live under the leaves The Phalangium or Phalanx Spider is unknown in Italy as Pliny saith and there are found many sorts of them One sort of them is very like unto a great Pismire but much bigger having also a red head but all other parts are black speckled and garnished with many white spots running all alongst their bodies This formicarian or Pismire-like Phalanx of Aetius is described to have a body much resembling soot in colour his neck ash-coloured and his back glistering as it were with many stars on it Nicander calleth it Agrostes and Aetius Lucos The Latines tearm it Venator that is the Hunter This stingeth but weakly without any pain at all but yet it is somewhat venomous though not very much This kinde of Phalanx is often found among Spiders webs where after the fashion of some Hunters they beguile and intrap Flies Gnats and Bees Gad-flies and Wasps And if Lonicerus write no more then may be warranted for truth those great Horse-flies or Ox-flies and Brimsees that in Summer season vex Cattle and whatsoever they lay their clowtches on that they hold fast and destroy and thus live they by taking of booties and preys There is no man I think so ill advised that will confesse this to be the same creature which Aristotle calleth Pulex for the body of that by his description is broad rowling round and the parts about the neck have certain lines or cuts and besides about the mouth there appear and seem to bud forth three eminencies or standings out There is another sort of Phalangium called by Nicander Rox of Aetius Ragion of Aelianus Rhax because it is so like the kernel or stone that is found in Grapes and this kinde of Spider is of a round figure black in colour the body glistering and round as a ball with very short stumped feet yet neverthelesse of a very swift pace They have teeth and their mouth is nigh their belly and when they stir they gather up their feet very round In the description of this Spider Aetius Aelianus and Pliny do wholly consent and agree in opinion and yet Aelianus was a little besides the way when he set down podâ—s macrous for microus long feet for short feet and that this kinde of Spider was only found in Lybia and not elsewhere That kinde of Spider termed of Pliny Asterion seemeth to be all one with the former saving that this is more known by his little white spots made star-wise and the glistering stripes or rays wherewith his body seemeth to be over-sprinckled Pliny only mentioneth this as if Aristotle Aetius Galen and Avicen had never heard of it The most venomous and hurtful of all these is that which Nicander calleth Pedcoros of colour azure or bright blew which hath long high and lofty feet on both sides of the body The Scholiast addeth Dasu and Meteoron that is lanuginosum and sublime soft like cotten or Wooll and lofty or high and not sublime lanuginosum as Lonicerus translateth it Pliny saith that this Spider hath a black mossinesse or soft down although it will scarse sink into my head that any Spider that is of an azure or blew colour hath any soft hairs or woolly substance of a black colour There is another kinde of Phalangium Spider called of Nicander Dysderi which name is neither to be found in Aristotle Pliny nor Aetius nor yet in any other ancient Author that ever I could read which some others call and that very properly Sphekion quasi vesparium because it is so like a red Wasp saving that it lacketh wings and this Wasp-like Spider is of a passing deep red colour and counted far worser then the blew Spider although the azure or blew Spider only by touching doth infect with poyson and will break any Crystal glasse if it run over it though never so speedily or do but touch it in glancing wise as Scaliger beareth witnesse There are two sorts of Phalangie Spiders called Tetragnatha and the worser is that which hath half of his head divided with one white line and another white line running crosse-wise There is another of these not so hurtful as the former and this is of an ash-colour and very white in the hinder-parts There is also a Spider coloured as this is that maketh her web by walls sides for the taking of Flies which as some affirm hath little or no venom in it at all Aetius saith that the Tetragnathus is a kinde of Phalangium having a broad and whitish body rough footed with two swelling or little bunches standing out in the head the one somewhat broad the other standing right forth so that at the first one would imagine that it had two mouths and four jaws Aelianus in his xvij Book chap. 40. saith that there is great store of these to be found in India about the River Arrhata where their multitude is so dangerous and mischievous as that they bring death and destruction to the Citizens and people bordering nigh those places And Strabo the Geographer in his xvj Book telleth us that beyond the Lybians and on the Western side of Africk there is a Countrey left destitute of Inhabitants having goodly large fields and pastures being unhabitable by reason of the multitude of Scorpions there bred and of the Spiders called Tetragnathoi There is to be found in Harvest-time amongst Pease Beans and other sorts of pulse when they are gathered and reaped by the hand certain small Spiders called Kantharidessi Eikela in shew like unto Cantharides or Spanish-flies of a very red and fiery colour such as we Englishmen call Twinges by eating or licking up of which both Oxen and other
Wart they then set fire on it and so burn it to ashes and by this way and order the Warts are eradicated that they never after grow again Marcellus Empiricus taketh Spiders webs that are found in the Cypresse tree mixing them with other convenient remedies so giving them to a podagrical person for the asswaging of his pain Against the pain of a hollow tooth Galen in his first Book De Compos medicam secundum loca much commendeth by testimony of Archigenes the Egges of Spiders being tempered and mixed with Oleum Nardinum and so a little of it being put into the tooth In like sort Kiramides giveth Spiders egges for the curation of a Tertian Ague Whereupon we conclude with Galen in his Book to Piso that Nature as yet never brought forth any thing so vile mean and contemptible in outward shew but that it hath manifold and most excellent and necessary uses if we would shew a greater diligence and not be so squeamish as to refuse those wholesome medicines which are easie to be had and without great charges and travail acquired I will add therefore this one note before I end this discourse that Apes Marmosets or Monkies the Serpents called Lizards the Stellion which is likewise a venomous Beast like unto a Lizard having spots in his neck like unto stars Wasps and the little beast called Ichneumon Swallows Sparrows the little Titmouse and Hedge-sparrows do often feed full favourly upon Spiders Besides if the Nightingale the Prince of all singing Birds do eat any Spiders she is clean freed and healed of all diseases whatsoever In the days of Alexander the Great there dwelled in the City of Alexandria a certain young maid which from her youth up was fed and nourished only with eating of Spiders and for the same cause the King was premonished not to come neer her lest peradventure he might be infected by her poysonous breath or by the venom evaporated by her sweating Albertus likewise hath recorded in his writings that there was a certain noble young Virgin dwelling at Colen in Germany who from her tender years was fed only with Spiders And thus much we English men have known that there was one Henry Lilgrave living not many years since being Clerk of the Kitchen to the right Noble Ambrose Dudley Earl of Warwick who would search every corner for Spiders and if a man had brought him thirty or forty at one time he would have eaten them all up very greedily such was his desirous longing after them Of the STELLION THey are much deceived that confound the green Lizard or any other vulgar Lizard for because the Stellion hath a ru 〈…〉 colour and yet as Matthiolus writeth seeing Aristotle hath left recorded that there are venomous Stellions in Italy he thinketh that the little white Beast with stars on the back found about the City of Rome in the walls and ruines of old houses and is there called Tarantula is the Stellion of which he speaketh and there it liveth upon Spiders Yet that there is another and more noble kinde of Stellion 〈…〉 iently so called of the learned shall afterward appear in the succeeding discourse This Beast or Serpent is called by the Grecians Colottes Ascalobtes and Galeotes and such a one was that which Aristophanes faigneth from the side of a house eased her belly into the mouth of Socrates as he gaped when in a Moon-shine night he observed the course of the stars and motion of the Moon The reason of this Greek name Ascalabotes is taken from Ascalos a circle because it appeareth on the back full of such circles like stars as writeth Perottus Howbeit that seemeth to be a faigned Etymologie and therefore I rather take it that Ascala signifieth impurity and that by reason of the uncleannesse of this beast it was called Ascalabates or as Suidas deriveth it of Colobates because by the help and dexterity of the fingers it climbeth up the walls even as Rats and Mice or as Kiramides will have it from Calos signifying a piece of wood because it climbeth upon wood and trees And for the same reason it is called Galeotes because it climbeth like a Weasil but at this day it is vulgarly called among the Grecians Liakoni although some are also of opinion that it is also known among them by the words Thamiamithos and Psammamythe Among the vulgar Hebrews it is sometimes called Letaah and sometimes Semmamit as Munster writeth The Arabians call it Sarnabraus and Senabras a Stellion of the Gardens And peradventure Guarill Guasemabras Alurel and Gnases And Sylvaticus also useth Epithets for a Stellion And the general Arabian word for such creeping biting things is Vasga which is also rendered a Dragon of the house In stead of Colotes Albertus hath Arcolus The Germans English and French have no words for this Serpent except the Latine word and therefore I was justly constrained to call it a Stellion in imitation of the Latine word As I have shewed some difference about the name so it now ensueth that I should do the like about the nature and place of their abode First of all therefore I must put a difference betwixt the Italian Stellion or Tarentula and the Thracian or Grecian for the stellion of the Ancients is proper to Grecia For they say this Stellion is full of Lentile spots or speckles making a sharp or shrill shrieking noise and is good to be eaten but the other in Italy are not so Also they say in Sicilia that their Stellions inflict a deadly biting but those in Italy cause no great harm by their teeth They are covered with a skin like a shell or thick bark and about their backs there are many little shining spots like eyes from whence they have their names streaming like stars or drops of bright and clear water according to this verse of Ovid Aptumque colori Nomen habet variis Stellatus corpora guttis Which may be Englished thus And like his spotted hiew so is his name The body starred over like drops of rain It moveth but slowly the back and tail being much broader then is the back and tail of a Lizard but the Italian Tarentulaes are white and in quantity like the smallest Lizards and the other Grecian Lizards called at this day among them Haconi is of bright silver colour and are very harmful and angry whereas the other are not so but so meek and gentle as a man may put his fingers into the mouth of it without danger One reason of their white bright shining colour is because they want bloud and therefore it was an error in Sylvaticus to say that they had bloud The teeth of this Serpent are very small and crooked and whensoever they bite they stick fast in the wound and are not pulled forth again except with violence The tail is not very long and yet when by any chance it is broken bitten or cut off then it groweth again They live in houses and neer unto the dores
water but want respiration and likewise they lay their Egges and sleep upon the dâ—y land They have a very slow and easie pace and thereupon Pauvius calleth it Tardigrada and also there is a Proverb Testudineus incessus for a slow and soft pace when such a motion is to be expressed The Tortoise never casteth his coat no not in his old age The voyce is an abrupt and broken hissing not like to the Serpents but much more loud and diffused The male is very salacious and given to carnal copulation but the female is not so for when she is attempted by the male they fight it out by the teeth and at last the male overcometh whereat he rejoyceth as much as one that in a hard conflict fight or battail hath won a fair Woman the reason of this unwillingnesse is because it is exceeding painful to the female They engender by riding or covering one another When they have laid their Egges they do not sit upon them to hatch them but lay them in the Earth covered and there by the heat of the Sun is the young one formed and cometh forth at due time without any further help from his Parents They are accounted crafty and subtle in their kinde for subtlenesse is not only ascribed to things that have a thin bloud but also to those that have thick skins hides and covers such as the Tortoise and Crocodile have The Tortoise is an enemy to the Partridge as Philes and Aellanus write Also the Ape is as fraid thereof as it is of the Snail and to conclude whatsoever enemy it hath it is safe enough as long as it is covered with his shell and clingeth fast to the earth beneath and therefore came the proverb Oikos philos oikos aristos That house which is ones friend is the best house The Poets give a fabulous reason why the Tortoise doth ever carry his house upon his back which is this They say that on a time Jupiter bad all living creatures to a banquet or Marriage feast and thither they all came at the time appointed except the Tortoise and she at last also appeared at the end of the feast when the meat was all spent whereat Jupiter wondered and asked her why she came no sooner Then it answered him Oikos philos oikos aristos at which answer Jupiter being angry adjudged her perpetually to carry her house on her back and for this cause they fable that the Tortoise is never separated from her house Flaminius the Roman disswading the Achaeans from attempting the Island of Zacynthus used this argument and so afterward T. Livius Caeterum sicut Testudinem ubi collecta in suum tegumen est tutam ad omnes ictus vidi esse ubi exerit partes aliquas quodcunque nudavit obnoxium atque infirmum habere Haud dissimiliter vobis Achaei clausis undique maris quod intra Peloponnesum est termino ea jungere vobis juncta tueri facile si semel aviditate plura amplectendi hinc excedatis nuda vobis omnia quae extra sint exposita ad omnes ictus esse Thus far Pliny That is to say Even as when the Tortoise is gathered within the compasse of her shell then is it safe and free from all stroaks and feeleth no violence but whensoever she putteth forth a limb or part then is it naked infirm and easie to be harmed so is it with you Achaeans for by reason of the inclosed seat of Peloponnesus within the Straights of the Sea you may well winde all that together and being conjoyned as well defend it But if once your avidous and covetous mindes to get more appear and stretch it self beyond those limits you shall lay open your naked infirmity and weaknesse to all force blows and violence whatsoever Wherefore the Tortoise careth not for flies and men with good armour care not much for light and easie adversaries Alciatus hath a witty Emblem of a Tortoise to expresse a good huswife and that the fame of her vertues spreadeth much further then either beauty or riches Alma Venus quaenam haec facies quid denotat illa Testudo molli quam pede diva premis Me sic effinxit Phidias sexumque referri Foemineum nostra jussit ab effigie Quodque manere domi tacitas debet esse puellas Supposuit pedibus talia signa meis Which may be Englished thus Loves holy God what means that ugly face What doth that Tortoise signifie indeed Which thou ô God â—desse under soft foot dost pace Declare what means the same to me with speed Such is the shape that Phidias did me frame And bade me go resemble Womankinde Te teach them silence and in house remain Such pictures underneath my feet you finde There is a manifold use of Tortoises especially of their cover or shell and likewise of their flesh which cometh now to be handled And first of all the ancient ornaments of Beds Chambers Tables and Banquetting houses was a kinde of artificial work called Carvilius and this was framed in gold and silver brasse and wood Ivory and Tortoise-shels but Modo luxuria non fuerit content a ligno jam lignum emi testudinem facit That is to say Ryot not contented sought precious frames of wood and again the use of wood caused Tortoise-shells to be deerly bought and thereof also complained the Poet Juvenal where he saith Nemo curabat Rivalis in Oceani fluctu testudo nataret Clarum Trojugenis factura nobile fulorum In English thus Then none did care for Tortoise in the Ocean flood To make the noble beds for Trojans bloud We have shewed already that there are certain people of the East called Chelophagi which live by eating of Tortoises and with their shells they cover their houses make all their vessels row in them upon the water as men use to row in boats and make them likewise serve for many other uses But as concerning the eating of the flesh of Tortoises the first that ever we read that used this ill diet were the Amazons according as Coelius Rhod and other Authors writeth Besides Aloysius Cadamustus affirmeth that he himself did tast of the flesh of a Tortoise and that it was white in colour much like unto Veal and not unpleasant But Rasis is of a clean contrary opinion condemning it for very unsavory and unwholesome because the taste and temperament thereof is betwixt the Land and the Water it being a Beast that liveth in both Elements And in eating hereof the Grecians have a proverb Chelones kreas he phagein he me phagein That is either eat Tortoise flesh or eat it not Meaning that when we eat it we must eat nothing else and therefore must be filled sufficiently only with that kinde of meat For to eat little breedeth fretting in the belly and to eat much is as good as a purgation according to the observation of many actions which being done frigide ignoviter that is coldly and slothfully to halfs
do no good but being done acriter â—xplicate earnestly and throughly bring much content and happinesse But I marvail why they are used in this age or desired by Meat-mongers seeing Apicius in all his Book of Variety of Meats doth not mention them and I therefore will conclude the eating of Tortoises to be dangerous and hateful to Nature it self for unlesse it be taken like a Medicine it doth little good and then also the Sawces and decoctions or compositions that are confected with it are such as do not only qualifie but utterly alter all the nature of them as Stephanus Aquaeus hath well declared in his French discourse of Frogs and Tortoises And therefore to conclude this History of the Tortoise I will but recite one riddle of the strangenesse of this Beast which Tertullian out of Pacuvius maketh mention of and also in Greek by Mascopulus which is thus translated Animal peregrinae naturae sine spiritu spiro geminis oculis retro juxta cerebrum quibus ducibus antrorsum progredior Super ventre coeruleo pergo sub quo venter latet albus apertus clausus Oculi non aperiuntur neque progredior donec venter intus albus vacuus est Hoc sâ—turato oculi apparent insignes pergoaditer Et quanquam mutum varias edo voces That is to say I am a living creature of a strange nature I breath without breath with two eye behinde neer my brains do I go forward I go upon a blew belly under which is also another white open and shut my eyes never open I go forward until my belly be empty when it is full then they appear plain and I go on my journey and although I am mute or dumb yet do I make many voyces The explication of this riddle will shew the whole nature of the Beast and of the Harp called Chelys For some things are related herein of the living creature and some things again of an Instrument of Musick made upon his shell and cover And thus much for the Tortoise in general the Medicines I will reserve unto the end of this History Of the TORTOISE of the Earth whose shell is only figured These are found in the Desarts of Africa as in Lybia and Mauritania in the open fields and likewise in Lydia in the Corn-fields for when the Plough-men come to plough their land their shares turn them out of the earth upon the furrows as big as great Glebes of land And the shels of these the Husbandmen burn on the land and dig them out with Spades and Mattocks even as they do Worms among places full of such vermine The Hill Parthenius and Soron in Arcadia do yeeld many of these land Tortoises The shell of this living Creature is very pleasantly distinguished with divers colours as earthy black blewish and almost like a Salamanders The liver of it is small yet apt to be blown or swell with with winde and in all other parts they differ not from the common and vulgar general prefixed description These live in Corn-fields upon such fruits as they can finde and therefore also they may be kept in Chests or Gardens and fed with Apples Meal or Bread without Leaven They eat also Cockles and Worms of the earth and Three-leaved-grasse They will also eat Vipers but presently after they eat Origan for that herb is an antidote against Viperine poyson for them and unlesse they can instantly finde it they die of the poyson The like use it is said to have of Rue but the Tortoises of the sandy Sea in Africk live upon the fat dew and moistnesse of those Sands They are ingendered like other of their kinde and the males are more venereous then the females because the female must needs be turned upon her back and she cannot rise again without help wherefore many times the male after his lust is satisfied goeth away and leaveth the poor female to be destroyed of Kites or other adversaries their natural wisdom therefore hath taught them to prefer life and safety before lust and pleasure Yet Theocritus writeth of a certain herb that the male Tortoise getteth into his mouth and at the time of lust turneth the same to his female who presently upon the smell thereof is more enraged for copulation then is the male and so giveth up her self to his pleasure without all fear of evil or providence against future danger but this herb neither he nor any other can name They lay Egges in the earth and do not hatch them except they breath on them with their mouth out of which at due time come their young ones All the Winter time they dig themselves into the earth and there live without eating any thing insomuch as a man would think they could never live again but in the Summer and warm weather they dig themselves out again without danger The Tortoises of India in their old and full age change their shells and covers but all other in the World never change or cast them This Tortoise of the earth is an enemy to Vipers and other Serpents and the Eagles again are enemies to this not so much for hatred as desirous thereof for Physick against their sicknesses and diseases of nature and therefore they are called in Greek Chelonophagoi aeloi Tortoise-eating Eagles for although they cannot come by them out of their deep and hard shells yet they take them up into the air and so â—et them fall down upon some hard stone or Rock and thereupon it is broken all to peeces and by this means dyed the famous Poet Aeschylus which kinde of fate was foretold him that such a day he should die wherefore to avoid his end in a fair Sun-shine clear day he sate in the fields and suddenly an Eagle let a Tortoise fall down upon his head which brake his skull and crushed out his brains whereupon the Grecians wrote Aeschulo graphonti epipeptoke Chelone Which may be Englished thus Eschylus writing upon a rock A Tortoise falling his brains out knock The use of this land Tortoise are first for Gardens because they clear the Gardens from Snails and Worms out of the Arcadian Tortoises they make Harps for their shells are very great and this kinde of Harp is called in Latine Testudo the inventer whereof is said to be Mercury for finding a Tortoise after the falling in of the River Nilus whose flesh was dryed up because it was left upon the Rocks he struck the sinews thereof which by the force of his hand made a musical sound and thereupon he framed it into a Harp which caused other to imitate his action and continue that unto this day These Tortoises are better meat then the Sea or Water Tortoises and therefore they are preferred for the belly especially they are given to Horses for by them they are raised in flesh and made much fatter And thus much shall suffice for the Tortoise of the earth Of the TORTOISE of the Sweet-water PLiny maketh four kindes of
offensive Take female Vipers for we must take heed how we take male Vipers for the confection of Antidotes For Trochuks all Vipers are not convenient but those which be yellow and of the yellow the females only Vipers great with young you must refuse for being pregnant they are more exasperate then themselves at other times Of Vipers be made Trochisces which of the Grecians are called Theriaci four fingers being cut off at either end and the inwards taken out and the pale matter cleaving to the back-bone the rest of the body must be boiled in a dish in water with the herb Dill the back-bone must be taken out and fine flowre must be added Thus these Trochuks being made they must be dryed in the shade apart from the Sun-beams and being so prepared they be of very great use for many medicines The use of Triacle is profitable for many things for not only by his own nature it availeth against the biting of venomous creatures and poysons but also it is found by experience to help many other great infirmities For it easeth the Gowt and pain in the joynts it dryeth fluxes it very much profiteth men molested with the Dropsie leprous and melancholick persons those that have Quartane Agues or the Jaundise those that have a weak voice or that spet bloud those that are troubled with aking reins with Dysentery with the stone with short breath with passion of the liver or milt with choler with heart-ach with the Falling-sicknesse It driveth all kinde of Worms out of the bowels It is the most soveraign remedy of the Plague Even to them that are in health the often use of it is wholesome for it promiseth long life and firm health it consumeth excrements it strengtheneth natural actions it quickeneth the wit and sharpeneth all the senses it preserveth the body from poyson and other offences and maketh it scarse subject to danger by such casualties it begetteth good bloud it corrupteth the the air and waters neither alone doth it deliver from instant diseases but also preserveth from those that be imminent Of EARTH-WORMS ALthough there be many and sundry sorts of Worms which do contain in them some poysonous quality yet for all that at this time my purpose is to discourse especially of Earth-worms whereof some are bred only in the earth and others among plants and in the bodies of living creatures Worms of the earth are termed by Plautus and Columella Lumbrici peradventure as being derived 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 parts of the Earth as because being pressed and squeesed betwixt the fingers or otherwise they do void forth excrements after the fashion of living beasts that have intrails in them The Greeks call them Ges entera Hesychius calleth them Embullous Brunfelsius Otho in his Physick Lexicon writeth that they are usually called in the Cilician tongue Gaphagas fetching the derivation of the word parà Tò gaian phágein for they feed upon earth Of the Englishmen they are called Meds and Earth-worms of the French Vers de Terra of the Germans Eert wurm and Erdwurmem Melet Ode Regenwurm of the Belgians Pier-wuorm or Rengenwuorm 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 Book and 40. Epistle writeth that in times past they were called Onisculi and Nisculi There are found especially two sorts of Earth-worms which are either greater or lesser The greater Earth-worms are somewhat long almost like in proportion and shape to those round Worms which do breed in mens bodies They are half a foot long at least and being stretched out in length they are found to be a foot long they are of a whitish colour and sometimes though seldom of a bloudy hue and for the most part they are all adorned with a chain about their necks or rather they seem to wear a certain collar wherein there is a little bloud contained and they lack eyes and eye-sight as all forts of Worms do They breed of the slime of the earth taking their first being from putrefaction and of the fat moisture of the same earth they are again fed and nourished and into earth at last are resolved When there falleth any showre of rain then this kinde of Worm creepeth suddenly out of the earth where-upon old Euclio in Plautus being very careful of his pot of Gold speaketh aptly to his Drudge Strobilus in these words Foras foras Lumbrice qui sub terra erepsisti modo Qui modo nusquam camparebas nunc autem cùm compares peris Which may be Englished thus Away away thou Worm late from the earth crept out Safe thou wast unseen but seen life fails I doubt Here Euclio very properly termeth his Bondman Strobilus a Worm because not being espyed of his Master before he suddenly came sneaking out from behinde an Altar where he was hid much like a Worm that in moist weather issueth out of the ground Those little heaps which are cast up and lie shining and wrinckled before the mouth or edges of their holes I take them to be their miery excrements for I cold never as yet finde other excrementitious substance drossy matter or other feculency but only bare earth in them whose alimentary juyce and moisture being clean exhausted they cast out the remainder as an unprofitable burthen nothing fit for nourishment At the entrance of their doors which yet steadeth them to some commodious use for stopping and damming up their holes that the rain cannot so easily soke in they are by these means safely defended from many anoyances and dangers that otherwise might light upon them Their delight is to couple together especially in a rainy night cleaving together untill the morning and in the same they are not folded round about one another like unto Serpents but are straightly closed together side-wise and thus do they remain sticking close the one to the other They send forth a certain froathy slime or jelly when that they joyn together They do ever keep the middle part of their body within the earth I mean their hinder-parts yea even in their mutual joyning together neither are they at any time so fast glewed and closed but with the least stirring and motion of the ground that can be imagined they are straight-ways severed withdrawing themselves speedily into their lurking holes In rainy weather they are whiter a great deal then at other times unlesse it be when they couple together for then they appear very red I my self about the midst of April did once open a thick female Worm and within the flesh I found a certain receptacle ringed round about and filling up the whole cavity of the body having a thin membrane or seat enclosing it and in this aforesaid store-house the earth which she had
humble as with a grateful minde so weighing by reason the degrees of proportion that he is most obliged who hath received most The Author before he could accomplish this purpose died he was worthy to have lived longer for the advantage of Art and Learning Thus the Book was left after his death to his Heir who had a smaller estate than suited with the name of his Father or his merit required and his many watchings and labours sustained for the publick good in curing of the sick justly deserved Fortune is blinde and will hardly favour those that are the best but against her will as if it were disagreeing and dissonant that there should be any commerce between Pluto with Apollo Minerva and Mercury Elizabeth being departed this life and James then holding the reins of the British Empire piously and justly and ruling peaceably amongst the storms that at that time shook all Europe having weeded out by his Majestick Scepter and by the providence of his soul which was prudent even to miracle all Monsters which endevoured to shake the foundations of the Kingdome by Treason Deceit Wickedness Lust and Wrath. The Overâ—â—ers of this Orphan left in a very poor condition were resolved to Dedicate this learned Work to this Noble Heros who was no less famous for his Learning than for a concourse of all Virtues that met in him but great poverty at home delayed the business and hindred this windy intention from taking effect and the off-spring from coming to the light So the Book lay for a long time in obscurity under the custody of the friends of the Author departed until such time as it was offered to me by Darnellus who was formerly his Apothecary and a very honest man who wished well to his Master being dead and was very desirous of his glory so it lay for some years in my Study cast aside in the dust among Worms and Moths truly it was no fault of mine but of the Printers who were so greedy of Money that though in many Countreys I invited them by my Letters and did solicit them to receive the Orphan yet they refused as they said to take upon them an unthankful business they were not pleased with the benefit of a noble Art unless it would pay more than the fraight O the times wherein the pains of learned men are valued at the price the work will be sold for and the money that must be laid out for ink and paper or by the depraved opinion of the vulgar who commonly applaud what is worst and not by the essence of the thing it self or dignity of the subject or the solid explanation of the same Then tâ—ere was an Epistle prefixed to the beginning which men call Dedicatory which being it was to carry the name before it of one of the foresaid Princes the Edition seemed to come forth unseasonably after they were both dead Perchance some other man would have cacht at this occasion to have brought it to King Charles the great Son of a great Father under whose fortunate reign in his Kingly person all Kingly virtues run together in troops each striving to have the upper hand and kneeling down before his Majesty would have offered unto him in hopes of a reward another mans Works vail'd with a false cover of commendations or obscured with the great smoke of courtly eloquence But I have no such genius for though I have not lived hitherto unwelcome to Princes yet I have learned by long practise that we must use their favour soberly and never to abuse their ears or eyes and though you do know easie entrance and fit times to come into their presence yet importunity is alwaies unseasonable and especially that which hires mercenary Muses for money to set them forth which are branded with marks of infamy Do not think that I detract so much from this Work that I think it not worthy to carry the name of a King in the Frontispice and might live in publick under the protection of so ambitious an Inscription but I held it no less than sacriledge to name the childe in stead of another of my own accord or to bring a deaf person upon the stage as to what concerns the exposition of the Argument and with other birds feathers in the very entrance of the work foolishly and vainly to pride my self yet that the Book might come forth every way compleat and that the Reader who is a lover of the custome may not desire an Epistle or complain that there is one wanting according to my manner wherewith I honour great men with the honour that belongs unto them but my friend I respect above all and that continually I would prefix to this Natural and Physical History the famous name of some man who by the common consent of the Learned is well acquainted with both and who is joyned unto me by no ordinary alliance who is dear to all good men and eminent for his own endowments which office of Reverence and good will may testifie to posterity in what esteem such men are with me who are intrinsecally furnished with the real tincture of manifold learning but chiefly with that of the most noble Art of all which I practise so I have made choice of thee alone amongst many that thou mayst be to me in stead of them all Noble Man my dearest friend Paddy who art Knighted by the wisest Monarch James who never did any thing vainly who adornest thy Virtues by thy Titles and thy Titles by thy Virtues as our Thorius hath written of thee Thou art he who after the wicked Patricide of Great Henry formerly my most milde Master which shall for ever convey the said memory of his age to posterity when I was called by the most Serene James from the French Court by his own Letters and by a guide appointed to conduct me into Britain and was immediately honoured with the title of Companion of the chief Physicians didst not look upon me with bleer and swoln eyes with the viperous venome of envy but thou didst entertain me being a stranger candidly and with a cheerful countenance as it becomes one of noble Birth contrary to that of Horace who accuseth the Britains divided almost from all the world of fierceness toward strangers After that in the many meetings we had amongst sick people and in my practise in Physick when I pleasingly hearkned to the opinions of those that consulted weighed them and as it belonged to my place concluded what was to be done thou didst hear me without brawling or contradiction which is the imbred evil custome of some unworthy Physicians and thou didst very often approve of my opinion as consonant to reason In the famous Colledge of London where as thou wert alwaies most worthy so thou wert often President when I was by the votes of the chiefest and first of all by thy suffrage made a Colleague according to the Kings Character for my place at Court thou didst willingly
meâ—itations of a Christian man and carrieth him aloft consider how the Silk-worm makes her self a tombe that is unpassable by reason of her woven work that is most compacted within in which the Worm contracted into it self seems to die and by a prodigious metamorphosis it is born anew a Butterfly a more noble creature which by the weaving of its wings flies up into the air toward heaven whereas before its burial it lived a base creeping creature fastned to the earth and glued to the food of the ground See whether a little beast that is obscure of the kinde of Locusts living amongst the stubble of the fields when she is consumed with extreme leanness which from the posture of one that is praying the French men of Narbon call Pregadion do not teach men to hold up their hands in prayer unto heaven and admonish them to observe a convenient gesture in offering up their supplications unto God What think you of the greater Beetle the Indian Rhinoceros which being bred without a female as the rest of the like kindes are dies and riseth again out of her own corruption like a Phoenix after her change when she was supposed to be wholly dead Lastly what think you of Flies which when they are drown'd many hours in water if you bury them in hot embers you shall revive them again Truly I doubt not but that amongst those serious cogitations the object whereof will seem not so serious in respect of other false appearances of men that are illiterate and unreasonable thy minde may rise to its original and fastning thy eyes on heaven inspired by God wilt cry out O the depth and with the divine Psalmist wilt return a Psalm of thanks to the Maker of Nature How wonderful are thy works O Lord In wisdom hast thou made them all the earth â—s full with thy possession So shall I have whereby I may rejoyce that however the whole course of thy age hitherto hath been but one continual act of Philosophy yet that by the rare advantage of this Present which is curious with variety I have given thee a new occasion of no less solid and profitable than of pleasant and ingenious meditation Suffer therefore that a friendly hand may convey into your Library the Off spring of the most learned Mouffet which is now at last published and brought to light and amongst so many volumes wherewith thy Study shelfs are most excellently furnished assign a place for it worthy of the Father and the Son Besides the good things mentioned that shall from thence accrew unto thee and the very great increase thou shalt reap from the hours thou shalt spend in reading the Book if I may jest with thee thy own profit shall not want its advantage lest thy proper benefit should here seem to be neglected In these leaves thou shalt finde what will drive away the plague of thy delights those beasts that are the greatest enemies to the Muses their darlings I mean the Moths that devour Books which with a greedy belly and iron teeth though their bodies be very smal prodigally waste and rend the lucubrations of whole ages Let those evil beasts that are the most deadly mischiefs of angry nature be destroyed after an ill manner to prevent the propagation whereof and to kill their infamous progeny whilest in the mean time learned writers of Books endevour to abolish their kinde utterly or their sedulous Collectors do what they can this Book which I send to thee as a remembrance of my love will teach thee in the Chapter that treats of it But let it suffice I began with a small pitcher why should the wheel run till it fill an Amphora The heat of good will and fruitfulness of the subject carry me away I must now take off my hand lest my Epistle should proceed absurdly beyond the bounds which already unawares hath increased into a volume Believe that I am affectionated to thee and how well I wish and desire to thee these lines I have written may speak What remains of thy daies which God hath appointed thee to run the race of thy life before thou receive thy heavenly reward I wish thou maist finish without any pain of minde or body and that I may speak with Aristotle writing his last Testament I pray from my heart that thou maist live longer here for it is well but if any thing happen that thou maist safely arrive and enter gloriously into the harbour of the blessed at the moment decreed Farewel From my Study in the Ides of May and the year of Mans Redemption 1634. A Preface upon the undertaking of this Argument and of the worth and use of it THat the History of Insects is worthy of the chiefest Philosophers the pains of great Aristotle and Pliny and of our Wotton in describing them doth sufficiently demonstrate After their time Conradus Gesner laboured not unfruitfully to perfect that work which they began but by reason of his short life he fainted in the beginning of the race nor was he able to put an end to it But when Pennius of blessed memory met with those papers by a better fate for fifteen years together by infinite reading of all Authors he enriched the History by the exceeding great help of Quickelbergius Clusius Camerarius Sir Thomas Knivet and of his most learned brother Edmund Jo. Jacob Roger Broun Brite but chiefly of our Bruer and some courtesie of Peter Turner That is to be lamented that he also was taken away by untimely death before he had disposed of the matter and framed it to the dignity of this work which he had heaped up together on all sides Hence it was that his Letters were full of blots and confused with doubtful Characters and they had perished had not I laid them apart when they were ready to be cast out of doors and with a great sum of money had redeemed all the torn pieces of it For I had rather something should be taken off from my own estate than from his glory who had spent so much pains in the description of Insects and so much money for the PlateÌ„s engraving wherefore this Mans and Gesners and Wottons fragments being disposed in order adding to them the light of oratory which Pennius wanted I forged the History and according to my abilities which I know how small they are I at last brought it to a period At first I was deterred from it by the difficulty of the work because I saw that Insects are hard to be explained both in respect of the unusualness of the subject and also of the sublime or rather supine negligence of our Ancestors in this point for they stood still in the very entrance and they saluted them only by the way or as the proverb is at the threshold of the door I also feared that which fell out it may be lest there should want dignity of oratory for so exquisite a Narration chiefly when as I oft observed Pennius
All these as also all made Wines are condemned by Themison a chief writer Galen prepares it thus Let the best honey be clarified and add so much wine-vinegar to it that it may please the sick mans palate boyl them till they are well mingled and when you will use it mingle as much water as you please it is boyled enough when it sends forth no more scum Some there are perhaps that deliver these compositions somewhat otherwise and Dioscorides he differs from Misues and Nicolaus from them both In Misue you shall finde ten several sorts of it in Nicolaus I have seen seventeen some simple some compound with Squills Thyme Flower de luce and other herbs and roots Also Gesner brought in an Oxymel with Hellebore which he commends not a little in his Greek Epistle to Adolphus Otto To make thin thick and clammy humours and to root them out but especially to make way for insensible transpiration that is to draw forth from the center to the superficies of the body But you shall finde every where scattered in the Book of his Epistles what force it hath against Melancholy Cacheria Dropsies Epilepsies and Feavers where also you have the Oxymels made with Hellebore the great and the small 4. Apomeli of Philagrius in Aegineta Take white combs full of honey 1 pound fountain-water 3 pound and half break the combs and press out the honey boyl this water and honey together untill the froth of it and that which as it were the waxy part swim a top and be by degrees taken off when it is cool put it into a vessel It cools lightly as Galen saith wherefore in Phlegmone and weariness in a Feaver it is very good Avicenna his syrup of Honey seems to be the same with this In Nicolaus you shal finde three kinds of Apomeli and in Aetius Oribasius Actuarius yet more for they are changed according to the nature of the disease and the sick patient that is the reason that we had rather only touch upon them then to describe them at large It is drunk all the summer to cool the body at which time any man may drink of it especially when it growes sowrish it is held to be of a middle nature between a Mulsum and an Oxymel Galen It is also useful to expectorate with to move urine to purge the belly and to â—ut thick humours Aegineta Ruelius 5. Omphacomeli which Grapoldus did not well translate Bitter honey it is made of the juice of unripe grapes 3 saxtarii and 1 sextarius of honey boyled together or set a sunning for 40 daies when it hath done working put it in a veslel and stop it close and keep it for your uâ—e The same way almost is Melomeli of Quinces made Rhodomeli of roses honey of Myrtils Rhoites Rhodostacte c. you may finde their descriptions and use in Aetius 6. Thalassiomeli is made of equal parts of sea-water rain-water and honey purified and set in the sun in a pitched vessel in the Dog-daies some to two parts of sea-water add one part of honey and so tun it up They both purge but this hath far the less Gorraeus It is pleasant in taste and smell it purgeth gently without troubling the stomach at all Pliny And thus much of Honied drinks It would be too long for me and tedious to the Reader should I set down all kinde of Meats which the Athenians provided with honey and other ingredients therefore it shall not be needfull to rehearse them and it may be it is impossible for divers Nations did variously mingle honey with other things as with milk meat flour wheat cheese and with Sesama whence are these meats made of honey called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Juncates or honeymeats and wafers they have divers names as the thing is made Athenaeus They sacrificed to Ceres this bread of felicity as the Scholiast upon Nicander sheweth we call it honey-bread Also the Scripture teacheth that the nations offered wafers made with honey to the Sun and Moon and to the Queen of heaven wherefore Moses forbad the Israelites to offer honey in their offerings unto God Leviticus the 2. But it may be that was rather forbid the Jewes because honey hath a power of fermenting Also they made it with suet fresh cheese oyl and raisins also to cause sleep the Ancients made a kinde of meat of honey and poppy-seed very pleasant which they called Cocetum as Festus reports Also Ambrosia which was held to be the meat of the gods had that exceeding sweetness whereby it was thought to be so healthful from honey to make men immortal of which Athenaeus and Bellonius write at large But the Indians have the best and the most wholsome juncates who were held to be Barbarians but the truth is they may for their wit be compared with any in Europe and for what I can see to be preferred before them But before honey be used it must be clarified which is thus performed Take honey and fountain water distilled of each 2 pound or as much as you please boyl them and skim off all that swims a top till all the water be consumed Then clarifie it with 12 whites of Eggs. Abynzoar But if you make it hard pure and fast together mingle half a pound of the best wine to one pound of honey thus clarified boyl them skimming them till they grow hard put it in a vial and set it in boyling water and it will grow clear and stony like sugar-candy If honey be but mean it will grow better by boyling whether honey be sophisticate or pure you shall know by bâ—rning it for what is not sophisticate will burn purely The Author of the Geoponicon But if you would separate the quintessence of honey oyl salt water vinegar see Isaac Belga the treasure of Euonymus and other Chymists we will not venture into this ocean being already plunged in the harbour Now I shall shew you its first inventers Saturn was the first inventer of honey as Macrobius and they of Cyrene boast Caliâ—s and Pliny say that Aristaeus first invented honey-works But Diodorus Siculus writes that the Curetes of Crete first found out the use and way of honey Some ascribe this to the Thessalians Others to Melissus the most ancient King of the Greeks Some to Bacchus as Ovid testifieth The Greeks feign that a Nymph called Melissa first found out honey and the use of it and thence she had her Name given her from Bees Who found it or when it is not much matter It is a heavenly gift and very profitable for men if they use it well and warily CHAP. VI. Concerning Wax Bee-glew dregs of Wax Pissoceros Bees-bread and of their Nature and Use WAx in Hebrew Donagh in Arabick Mum Examacha Zamache Aberan in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in High Duch Wachs in English Wax in Brabant Wass in French Cire in Italian Cera in Spanish Cicrai it is either natural
kill them such violence which if used to their mothers would much blemish the virtues of the Bees I scarse think they are females Of what use then are they of in the Hives is the Drone altogether unprofitable good for nothing idle without sting fit for no service no way helpful to the publick More than that Virgil himself chants it to that effect Immunisque sedens aliena ad pabula fucus The Drone sits free feeding on others food Where Festus takes the word in that sense for a slothful idle unprofitable creature void of all imployment unlesse it be that of theeves and robbers who take such a course that either they will live by the sweat of other mens browes or else they will disturb the whole Kingdom Such like Hesiod makes women to be when he compares them to Drones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which is I interpret it in Latine thus Qui segnes resident contectis aedibus atque Sudorem alterius proprium furantur in alvum Or in English thus Who sit at home and to work have no will With others sweat they do their bellies fill But more creditable Authors propound divers uses of Drones for if there be but a few of them amongst the Bees they make them more diligent and careful in their businesse not by their example for they live perpetually idle but because they take the more pains in making honey that they may be able to continue their liberality to strangers They discover also signs whereby to know when the honey is come to maturity for when they have perfected their honey then they kill them in abundance lest they should as their custome is rob them of it in the night for as Aelian saith the Drone all the day lies quietly in the honey cells but in the night when he perceives that the Bees are in their dead sleep he sets upon their works and destroies their combs But yet if Barthâ—lomaeus deceive us not they are not unbusied neither but they build houses for the Kings large and magnificent in the top and middle part of the Hive very finely covered over They are therefore idle to say say with Aristotle in regard of making honey or gathering dew but in regard of their Architecture so they are workmen For as the Bees make the combs of the Drones hard by the Kings Court so under the same consideration the Drones build the Kings houses which is the reason why they and their young ones if they have any are sustained by the Bees The cells of the Drones now grown up according to the bulk of their bodies are larger but their combs lesse for the Bees built these but those the made themselves because it is not fitting that the same proportion of food should be allowed to hindes and hired servants as to the childâ—en or masters of the family Tzetzes in his elegant Poem and other of the Greek Poets make them to be the Bees cellarmen or water-bearers and do assign unto them a most kindly heat whereby they are said to hatch the young Bees and make them thrive In like manner Columella the Drones do very much help to breed the young Bees by sitting upon those seeds out of which they are made And theâ—efore they are more familiarly admitted to the nursery to bring up and cherish the young bâ—ood which when they have done afterwards they are thrust out of doors And Pliny also in his 11. Book They do not assist the Bees in their Architecture only but also in cherishing their young the multitude of them causing heat and warmth the which the greater it is unlesse the honey chance to fail in the mean time the more the swarmes of Bees are increased To conclude unlesse they had been for some great use for the Bees Almighty God had never housed them under one roof nor made them as it were free Denisons of the same City Neither would the Bees lay hands on them at all as enemies of the State but when their servile multitude doth increase and they take up offensive arms or scarcity of provision were to be suddenly expected in which tempest of affairs who would not rather judge that the Carpenter should be dismissed than the Ploughman especially when without him by reason of want of victuals we may hazard our lives but the other we may be without for a time without prejudice to our lives and our selves if need requires are able to build habitations every one for himself Now as these being but a competent number of them are very profitable to the Bees so if they be over many Plato not without cause terms them morbum alvearium the Pest or Plague of the Hive in the 8. book of the Common-wealth where you may see a most elegant comparison between Acolastus and the Drone both because they waste the provision of the labouring Bees as also with their too much heat stifle them This inconvenience the Author of the Geoponicks doth thus remedy take the covers of the Hives and sprinkle them on the inside over night with water and you shall finde them betimes in the morning when you take off the cover of the Hives again all over covered with the Drones for when their bellies are full of honey they are very thirsty and are mightily perplext with an intolerable desire of water so that they cling fast to the lid of the Hive and it is an easie matter to put them all to death or if you will rather to take away the greatest part of them But if you take away the young ones and all that are not yet come to have wings and pluck off their heads casting the bodies in again to the other Bees you shall offer to them a very dainty dish Moreover also if you shall take the Drone and crop off his wings and cast it back into the Hive he will if we may credit Pliny pull ofâ— all the wings of the rest lib. 21. c. 11. or rather the Bees themselves will devour the wings of the rest of the Drones that are left For so saith Aristot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For it is not probable that either the Bees should crop one the others wings or that the Drones should so far adventure or be able to offer such violence to the Bees so that as Pliny was mistaken in reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so also they do not a little speak by guesse who refer the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rest to the Bees and not to the Drones But what the dreaming of Drones doth portend what use they may be of in the way of Hieroglyphicks let Apomasaris out of the Schools of the Persians and Aegyptians declare It shall abundantly satisfie for what we intended to speak of them to shew their true use true nature generation degeneration description and name But as for what belongs to Emblemes and Hieroglyphicks and precepts for Manners
unguents you may know that it will presently be a showre But if they be in all places many and numerous and shall so continue long if Alexander Benedict and Johannes Damascenus say true they foretel a plague or pestilence because so many of them could not be bred of a little putrefaction of the air Many waies doth natute also by Flies play with the fancies of men in dreams if we may credit Apomasaris in his Apotelesms For the Indians Persians and Aegyptians do teach that if Flies appear to us in our sleep it doth signifie an Herauld at Arms or an approaching disease If a General of an Army or a chief Commander dream that at such or such a place he should see a great company of Flies in that very place where ever it shall be there he shall be in anguish and grief for his Souldiers that are slain his Army routed and the victory lost If a mean or ordinary man dream the like he shall fall into a violent Feaver likely may cost him his life If a man dream in his sleep that Flies went into his mouth or nostrils he is to expect with great sorrow and grief imminent destruction from his enemies Nor do they only foretell storms that shall fall out such daies or such times of the year but they do afford much matter for Medicine and cure for diseases For Galen out of Saranus Asclepiades Cleopatra and others hath taken many Medicines against the disease called Alopecia or the Foxes evill and he useth them either by themselves or mingled with other things For so it is written in Cleopatra's Book de Ornatu Take five grains of the heads of Flies beat and rub them on the head affected with this disease and it will certainly cure it Asclepiades used to take a great many Flies heads fresh pluckt from the body and rub the part that was bare or bald with this disease especially if they were exulcerated For the bloud of Flies saith he doth much help the parts that are exulcerated with Nitrous medicines or are otherwise galled or fretted Soranus used mix a pot full of whole Flies dried to powder with Alcyonium quick Brimstone Gunpowder sowes Gall and other like things against the Fox-evil Some adde to these Bears hair roots of Reed and Fern and bark of Chesnut and with which medicine they cure perfectly not only the Fox-evill but whatever defluxion of hair and the thinnesse thereof however contracted the place affected being only first rubbed till it be red again with fig-leaves Others use the bloud that runs out of the heads of Flies othersome apply the ashes of them ten daies together with the ashes of paper or nuts so that the third part be the ashes of Flies Some others do temper ashes of Flies with womens milk or coleworts some only with honey Pliny After the same manner Haly and Marcellus burn the heads of Flies and mingle them with honey in stead of an oyntment Brassavolus lib. de morbo Gallico maketh use of both the bloud and the ashes of Flies against the Foxes Evill The like Medicine Pliny useth to procure hair on the eye-lids Take of ashes of Flies and Mouse-dung of each alike mingled half a penny weight add to it two sixth parts of Stibium and with these and Oesipus or sheeps fat anoint the part Some prescribe Flies with the roots of Docks for the Leprosie to be annointed withall Pliny saith that there were some that for the same cause did give 21 red Flies dead in drink but those that were very weak a fewer number That Flies are very good for sundry diseases of the eyes not only Haly Galen Pliny and Archigenes have affirmed but also Neotericks or later writers especially for the Pin and web Bleer-eye squint-eye and warts on the eye-lids If the eyes be washed in the evening with water of ordinary Flies distilled in way of bath for a moneths space it will cure them of all spots or films If the hair be often wet with it it will grow exceedingly But the Vessel must be buried in Autumn and the Material distilled about Winter With two drops of this water put into the ears Gesner writes the deafnesse of them will be cured and this Medicine he saith he learned of a Jew Mutianus which was thrice Consul from observation did hang a live Fly in a little linnen bag about his neck wherewith the rhume or bloudshot of them was cured as Pliny affirmeth Flies in an odde number being rubbed together are reported to be very good to cure a fellon on the ring finger Bean Flies drank with vinegar do drive forth a horsleech sticking in the throat Haly Abbas The Fly Napellaris of the herb Napellus or Wolfebane so called doth not only cure the poyson of that herb but all other poyson whatsoever as Avicen witnesseth and Julius Scaliger confesseth from whence this Antidote is made Take round Birth-wort Mithridate of each two ounces terra sigillata half an ounce Flies of Napellus in number 18 juice of Citrons what may suffice mingle them make an Opiate For saith Scaliger against the biting of the Tarantula or any venomous beast or the poyson of Wolfebane there is no Antidote comparable to this The same do Gainerius and Petrus Apponensis teach us Yea moreover when as there is no Fly almost but will cause vomiting as I shall make good out of Arnoldus why may not all of them be thought preservatives against poyson Cardanus in like manner commends the wormed Fly But it is best learning of medicines by hands and eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. by known experience lest while we affect unknown medicines we lose the use of those we know He tels us that an oyl made of wood Flies was in great estimation yet he telleth not us how to make or to use it A Fly chewed and swallowed doth vehemently provoke vomiting Arnoldus I have heard of a certain man saith Gesner that was wont to take three or four Flies into his body which gave him a very good stool Take five grains of Broom-flowers let them be put into an earthen po◠with butter here and there laid between them bed upon bed with which the vessel may be filled and being very well closed let it be buried in horse dung where the Sun useth to come for the space of one year at the years end you shall finde the Flies turned into an Unguent the which afterwards are exceeding good for any grief whatsoever in any part of the body as I have learned of a friend of very good credit Nonus adviseth to take the bodies of great Flies when the heads are off and rub'd between the fingers and to annoint a small impostumate swelling therewith for a special remedy Fortius the Poet affirms that there was a German maid which lived three years with eating of Flies If cattel cannot urine or the urine scald their genitals put but a live Fly into them and it will give them ease
the number of wings only for that he makes to have four wings whereas Nature hath afforded this but two There are other sorts of Flies that devour herbs and flowers that are not like Bees to wit the Struthiopteri Eninopteri and Chelidonii because it is like to the Swallow Of the Struthiopteri I have seen three sorts The first whereof is tender and sort six footed with two wings the belly longer then ordinary sending forth from the head a little above the eyes two feathers like Ostriches feathers as it were horns of a downy softnesse as soft as any feathers whatsoever crump shouldered all the rest of the body white longer then the wings which are black The second is of the same colour whitish the head of a dusky colour otherwise it differeth little or nothing at all from the former The third is all alike only the horns are not so soft and downy the tail is white the body long with five white lines going athwart it the feet long marked with black and white colours as it goeth it lifteth up the tail a little and softly claps his two transparent wings together These three species do appear in the Spring time with the first in gardens hedges and shady places very frequently before and after rain The Erinopteros is a fly all over white or rather silver colour small and every where downy inasmuch as when it sits upon a flower if you look not hard upon it you would think it were a feather the wings of it are divided the feathers being severed one from the other almost like Birds wings Pennius received one of these painted from Edmund Knivet afterwards he often saw them in hedges and places set with privet The Fly called Chelidonius is swifter of wing then all the rest sides tail head brown and hairy the eyes black and hanging out the bill or rather the nose picked out of the top of which start out two horns the top of the shoulders as also the back black two silver wings the forepart whereof do answer to the blacknesse of the feet sometimes it sits in one place for a great while together as if it were unmovable but as soon as you come near it it s out of your sight before you can say What 's this and will not yeeld a jot to the Swallow from whom it hath its name for swiftnesse of â—light Pennius received another flower-Fly of the learned Carolus Clusius black having two silver wings two dainty white eyes in the back having seven yellow spots in the midst whereof is to be discerned a speck of black There are Flies that are found in beans of sundry colours but especially of a pale purple which I conceive do come of the smal worms called Midae For when they are gone which is in the midst of Summer suddenly there comes forth a great number of those Flies swarming amongst the Beans The Fly of Napellus I have not seen but those that come out of those black grains that stick to the stalk of the wormwood much less than Millet seed more black than any Moor only famous for their wonderful smalnesse There is a certain Fly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very rare and wonderful whether you respect the form or the shortnesse of its life It hath many names Aelian calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of others it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Diaria it moves with four wings and as many feet for that it hath not peculiar to it in regard of the shortnesse of its life only saith the Philosopher but also as it is a four footed creature and a flying creature It comes forth with the Sun groweth flourisheth languisheth and dieth the same day with the Sun setting In the time of the Summer Solstice these diary creatures break forth out of certain husks of putrefied grapes which husks or such as seem to be so whether they are a kinde of Aurelia proceeding from some kinde of canker-worms living in the water it is not easie to shew for in that particular the Philosopher is silent from whom most of this story is gathered Pliny cals them thin membranes Aristot small bottles and saith they are common to be seen in the River Hippane by the Cimmerian Bosphorus of Pontus They live a life both short and sweet for they live not beyond the space of a natural day and in the evening they put an end as to their lives so to their miseries In the mean while they are sustained and kept alive with their own radical moisture neither are beholding either to air or earth hence we may gather the length of their life yea rather admire and wish for it These Insects Cicero speaks of in the first of his Tuscul Questions these also Matthias Michoides in his 2. Book de Sarmatia Europaea describes in these words You may take notice saith he that in the Rivers of Russia and Lituania especially in Boristhenes and Botus in the Summer there are a great company of the Flies called Ephemers or Day Flies they are Worms and Flies both some have four others six wings in the morning they run upon their feet over the water about noon they fly about the banks the sun setting as many as were bred that day dye in the self-same day Which description doth much differ from Aristotles History of them first because in the morning it is a creeping worm then about noon a fly altogether besides that he giveth to some six wings contrary to the minde of Arist Jul. Scaliger in his learned Exoterick Exercitations against Cardanus describes this Fly after this manner I have observed a kinde of Fly frequenting Sarca and the Lake of Bennacum called Ephemerus in the evening but never any in the morning being taken it lived only a night it hath four very long wings how many feet I know not but if it have six for I do not remember how many it hath it sufficeth it hath a head like a Fly great eyes the snout or beak rolled up together the belly large the tail exceeding long and full of joynts in the end forked in some three forked of colour a darkish yellow in the bigger sort in the lesser of a brown or dunnish very specious The Taurini call this insect Monietta as they would say Monachella The Adriatick about Meranum and Tergeste call it Cuzotulum of my Countreymen it is called Sitivola i. e. Sagitella Aelian lib. 2. de Animal c. 4. sets forth another kinde of these Insects such as are bred of sowre wine Lees which when the vessell is opened come forth and the same day for nature hath given them a beginning of life but in regard of the many miseries to which it is incident quickly freeth them of it before they can be sensible of their own or any others unhappiness But yet what these Flies of which Aelian speaketh be unlesse they be those that we call Bibiones I know not
water hard and without motion not long after the shell being broken cometh forth the Empis and sits there till either moved by the wind or the Sun he be able to fly Thus far Gara Neverthelesse not to wrong a famous man I should think it a very easâ—e matter to shew where in many things he is out Why doth he translate the Empides Muliones who are said not to live above a day and feed only upon honey which must needs be hard for them to get so readily in Fens and Marishes For I may well call without wrong to the judgement either of Pliny or Penny the Muliones as they call them Melliones for they neither care for Mules nor feed on them but only upon Honey the which they can smell at a great â—istance they have a bill like a Wood-pecker long and sharp with which they devour in honey so greedily that at length they burst their bellies and so presently expire In this also did Gaza trip to say the least that may be that he translates the word Ascarides by the word Tipulae For the Ascarides whether they come forth of the earth or the water or otherwise every man knowes do signifie little worms Besides the Tipulae alwaies keep the top of the water seldome or never go down to the bottom Last of all when as the Tipulae themselves come of the Ascarides who can rightly say that Ascarides are the Tipulae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is called Culex ficarius i. e. Fig Gnat not because it comes indeed from the fig-tree but because it is fed and sustained by its fruit For it is sprung of a certain worm that breeds in the Figs which when nature cannot make her perfect work upon nor bring to the sweetness and perfection of other Figs lest she should make something in vain by a certain quickning vertue out of the grains of them being rotten and putrefied she produceth these Gnats Yet not so as that the Gnat is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or besides the intention of Nature as Scaliger hath learnedly observed or if it be the truth is the work by the bye is of more dignity than the main Nature did propose to its self the perfection of a wilde Fig a thing not so much to be esteemed of this she being not able to bring to passe turns her self from so common a work to an enterprise of greater weight and produceth a Gnat which she effecteth Concerning those Gnats Pliny hath these words the wilde Fig-tree brings forth Gnats these being defrauded of the nourishment they should have received from their mother being turned to rottenness they go to the neighbouring Fig-tree and with the often biting of the same fig-tree and greedily feeding upon it they let in the sun withall and set open a door for plenty of air to enter in at Anon after they destroy the milky moisture and infancy of the fruit which is done very easily and as it were of its own accord and for that cause the wilde fig-tree is alwaies set before the fig-trees that the wind when the Gnats fly out of them may carry them amongst the fig-trees who asloon as they come into them the figs swell and ripening of a sudden grow very big and full Whence it is that the Greeks to expresse a woman great with childe and near her time yea or newly conceived with childe call her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gnat-bitten Those kemb'd and curle lockt Pathicks and prostitutes of unnatural lust were called from hence Capifricati as witnesseth the Greek Iambick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nemo comptus nisi Caprificatus There is no man that curls and trims his locks that is not Caprificatus To this Caprification Turnebus thinks that Adrian the Emperor did allude when he upbraids that effeminate Poet Florus with his Pathick obscenity under the term of round Gnats in a most bitter Sarcasm Florus had said Ego nolo Caesar esse Ambulare per Britannos Scythicas pati pruinas To whom Caesar answereth Ego nolo Florus esse Ambulare per Tabernas Latitare per popinas Culices pati rotundos In English thus I would not Caesar be To travel Britany To suffer Scythian cold I would not Florus bee To walk the Taverns free In Sculking Brothels hide Or the round Gnats abide But what time these Gnats passe from the wilde fig to the fig-tree they do it in such haste that many of them leave either a foot or a wing behinde them Now that they generated of the grains of the unripe fig may be evident in that the wilde fig is left void of grains Cnips some call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so called of the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from biting or stinging for that the twinge the flesh and with their biting cause an itching in the same is a very small Gnat not unlike the Conops who although by his sitting upon the Fig it may seem the same Gnat spoken of before called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Theophrastus saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which place Pliny interprets thus There is a kinde of Gnat very offensive to certain trees as to the Oak of whose moisture that is under the bark they are thought to be bred Theophrastus cals all those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what ever they be that are bred in the Elm Naven Rapes Poley the Mastick Turpentine and other trees either with putrefaction or otherwise These or the like but a little bigger Cursius in his 13. Book saith are very hurtful to the orchard Wal-nuts which are called of those of Lions Bordella Bordells Galens opinion is they are great devourers of Grapes The moisture of the Elm included in its first growth in the leaves or rather bladders if it dry up is changed into these Cnipae In the Autumn it brings forth other kinde of Gnats many small and black called Canchryes Symphorianus They do especially haunt and spoil watered gardens the crop and scrape most kindes of herbs Velarandus Insulanus an Apothecary at Lions hath observed them very frequently to come forth of the middle or heart of the Oak Apple having a hole made into it as also out of divers other herbs not so much by reason of putrefaction but rather out of the alteration of certain principles being digested into a better nature by successive labour Origen upon Exodus saith that with these little creatures God did the third time take down the proud heart of Pharaoh the which are hung in the air by the wings but yet as it were invisible and do so subtilly and quickly pierce the skin that the fly which you cannot perceive flying you may feel stinging So all the ancient interpreters following Origen expound the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Only Tremelius a very faithful interpreter of the Hebrew Text and of sacred Writ is of another minde who thinks this plague to be a swarm of such kinde of creatures as if the Gnats and all other venemous and stinging flies
about Viglevianum which of old was called Vergeminum as Simon Puteus and I were walking abroad in the evening to take the air But what those hairy worms should be unless they be a kinde of Juli I do not know There is another worm altogether unlike these of which we read in the Book of the Nature of things There is saith he a worm like a star which shines like a star in the dark it is never seen but in great rains and then it foretels fair weather to come shortly after So great is the coldness of this worm that it will just like ice put out the fire If a mans flesh be but touched with the slime of this worm all his hair will come ofâ— and whatsoever it touched therewith it changeth the colour of it into green But all these he handleth untowardly for he confounds the Stellia which he here cals Stella with the Salamander and Cicindele and of these he maketh a very confused and imperfect History Neither doth Guillerinus de Conchis nor Vincentius which transcribed all almost out of Guillerine in his obscure and dark tract where he reports this story correct it But these things are nothing to the Cicindele and that which they write concerning the Salamander is other where amended Hitherto of Insects shining in the dark Whether or no the Glow-worm being dead doth retain its splendor and shining is wont to be a question Massarius a veâ—y learned man writing on Pliny his 9. Book saith it doth and that boyes taking the Glow-worms used to put about their head the shining parts of them with which if the hands or other parts of the body be rubbed they also will shine in the dark But by the leave of so great and learned a man as he is experience teacheth the contrary For after the Glow-worm is dead that part whereof which so shineth in the night though not presently yet within a few hours after is quite lost and seems altogether to go away with the vital spirits this is a clear case from experience and I have often tried the same This I will grant if a certain number of those that have no wings for those that have shine not but only when the fly be but put into a clear Crystal glass so that the air may freely come at them with a little grass they may perchance give light for the space of some 12 daies iâ— every day fresh grasâ—e be put to them but at the length as they languish and faint away so the light by little and little is remitted and slackned and in the end they dying as before is said it is totally extinguished Vainly therefore do some boast of compositions made of them with which they will keep perpetual light as they suppose amongst whom is Cardanus as if they would bring down the Moon from heaven Others there are not learned only but unlearned also who have committed these compositions to writing whereby they might the better betray their own ignorance Of this perpetual light Albertus makes mention who in his Works gathers a whole bundle of lies together as it were into one body And here now I will set down some of them that the Reader may be aware of them and the vanity and levity of the writers themselves may be manifested Some there are which take a great many Glow-worms beat them together put them into a vial of glass and bury them fifteen daies in horse dung Afterwards they distil them through an Aâ—enâ—bick and keep the water in a clear glass To this end Gaudentius Merula who hath heaped up many things together from this and that Author without any judgement hath these words Of these Glow-worms being putrefied there is made a water or a liquor rather in a vessel which will wonderfully shine in the dark Such a light doth this water or liquor give by report that in the darkest night any one may read and write and do any other business as he pleaseth Others lest they should seem not to add to what is invented to their hands for pregnant wits unless they bring forth some novelty are not well together with the Glow-worms digest the gall of the Tortoise of a Weasel and Sea-dog puting them in dung and afterwards they distill them This water they say far excels all other whatsoever in lustre Others put whole Glow-worms in dung for nine daies to digest others for three weeks then throwing away the Glow-worms they take the fat of them and keep it in a clean glass for to use Some yet more fondly take Glow-worms and casting away their heads they put to them the scales of fishes and rotten shining wood such as glissens in the dark with the gals of Sea-dogs and so distill them through an Alembick Others promise confidently to make letters to shine in the dark by pricking out the yellow moisture of the Glow-worm and anointing therewith the paper or painting it with the same liquor in form of a star some rub them with the oyl of Linseed upon marble and whatsoever you shall paint or write they perswade us may easily read in the night be it never so dark but let them believe them that have made the trial Others after they have digested in horse-dung nine daies take the liquor that is left in the bottome of the glass and write with it and so think confidently to obtain their desire John Arden a skilful Chirurgeon an English man walking after their steps above thirty years ago left such a description of this perpetual light in writing He gathereth a great number of Glow-worms and shuts them in a glassen vessel well stopt laies them in dung fifteen daies then puts the water he findes in the bottome of the glass into a clean glass to which he adds as much of Quicksilver the dross being purged from it and then he saith you must shut the glass mouth very close and hang it where you will and then for certain as he affirms it will produce the wished effect Some have told me that this is very true whom notwithstanding I will not believe untill such time as the experiment be made before mine eyes These and many the like you may finde by reading but what credit may be given to them is easily conjectured out of what went before Hence then we may plainly understand how foolishly and vainly mans wisdome doth many times vaunt it self and whither our wits may be carried if not founded upon right Reason the mistress of all Arts and Sciences shunning with all diligence the uncooth rocks of opinion and self conceiâ— How wonderful the works of God are in our eyes none can be ignorant who shall diligently consider this little creature and weigh its nature and its light resembling that divine light For who is he that beholds the vanishing light of this that doth not fix the eyes of his minde upon Christ the lasting true and the chiefest light of the world and doth not call to remembrance
matter distilled from the head into the kernels of the ears whether they be bound upon the place or the place anointed therewith they serve also together with their earth to anoint the Kings-Evill Their ashes mixt with oyl bring old ulcers to Cicatrice The Kricket diluted in water is good against the Stone or difficulty of urine Bellunensis used to drop the oyl of them into the ears of them that are diseased in that part by that means taking away all the dolour and pulsation of them Marcellus much commends the stroking of them upon the tumours of the jawes and binding them upon the same and in the opinion of Haly being hung about the neck they cure the Quartan Ague Serenus saith they cure the swelling of the Tonsils in this Distich A Kricket with right hand on Tonsils prest To kill the Kricket gives the patient rest Children as the Italians do Grashoppers do keep them in a box bored full of holes or bags to hear them sing in the night giving them leaves of herbs whereon to feed and so keep them all the Summer They are kept in Africk in iron cages and are sold at a great rate as I have heard by some Merchants to cause sleep For those of the inhabitants of Fesse are exceedingly delighted with their shrill noise as much as the Irish and Welch with the sound of the Harp With which also learned Scaliger seems to be not a little affected when for their musick sake he kept them inclosed in a box the which if he had kept in such a thing where they might have had air he had not found dead after three daies but able to live a long while lib. de plant For being secluded from the air they cannot live which besides air and sound have nothing in them nor seem to be any thing else The last Summer I had a male and a female of them but within eight daies I found the sides of the female eaten out by the male which also it self two daies after expired The Bird Lanio as the learned Brewer hath observed is fed with them The which she fastens upon thorns near to her nest of young for fear they should want food When they become offensive by reason of their number thus they may be driven away or taken off Take a good deep dish filled of water and place it before their holes mouth with a good deal of oatmeal round about it so the Krickets leaping up into the boul are drowned or if you mix water with Vitriol and inject it into their hole they will be gone Hitherto I thought good also to refer the water Grashopper of Rondoletius whose head is like a pentangle having as it were five corners the eyes round and standing out of the head not great but black the cornicles very short coming forth out of the outermost part of the mouth on each side it hath three feet the hindermost longer than the rest on the back it hath little wings or some coming the tail forked the belly oftentimes as it were cleft the colour of the body some-what dun or rather black and white I found them in muddy and standing waters but the nature of it I yet know not This differs from the land Grashopper both for that the head stands out more and it seems to have some kinde of neck and also it hath wings not fit for flight but only to lift it self up This is said to make a kinde of a pleasant noise like the land Grashopper upon the leaves of the water Lilly pond-weed and other water herbs The which I have not as yet heard CHAP. XVIII Of Moths called Blattae MOst men talk much of the Blattae but few or none able to describe what the Blattae properly so called are neither do they give the least mark whereby they may be known but gathering divers notions here and there do put them all together and confound them And but that Pliny had brought some light to this History the Blattae had altogether been omitted or lost First of all therefore we shall shew to what Insects the name of Blatta was given according to Authors then we shall set down what the true Blatta and properly so called is Now under the name of Blatta are comprehended both the worms growing in the ears as also those Phalens which trouble the Hives of Bees But since these desire the light the other altogether shun it why they should be accounted Phalens I do not see The Blatta also is a little worm eating cloathes or books So Horace in his Sermons Blattarum tinearum epulae c. But Martial altogether distinguisheth between the Blatta and the Tinea and sheweth them to be creatures of several kindes It is taken also of the Moderns for the little worm called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of whose web silken garments are made Some call the little worm that groweth in the grain in the low oake Blatta from whence cometh the Blattean colour or grain colour So Turneb advers l. 18. c. 17. l. 28. c. 23. The Blattean colour is died with worms which come out of the grain of Cockle out of whoâ—e bloud is produced a most curious colour not black as some think but a bright purple or scarlet To which the Book de natura rerum Gualter de Conchis do assent The worms of the belly some call Blattae Cardanus in one place calleth the worms that breed in meal or bran Blattae Gaza interprets the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blattae But the proper and right name thereof is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to Pollux 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also according to Lucian deâ—iding a man that was no Scholar yet bought many books The Italians call it Blatta and Tarma the Hetrurians Piattela the Germans Wibell Brottworme Brottkarfaer Malkaefaer Springwibell they of Norimberg call one species of them by way of sport Schavahen because it cannot endure cold as Cordus writeth the Illyrians Swinie the Polonians Molulowy the Hungarians Moly the Spaniards Ropa cova potilla Now the Blatta is an Insect flying in the night like to a Beetle but wanteth the sheath wings The Mill or Bake-house Moth I have seen the Greeks call the female if I am not deceived because it had no wings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is longer thicker and of a more shining black colour than the ordinary soft Moth with a little forked mouth placed as it were under its belly the cornicles like to the first little hollow eyes or rather eye-holes the breast foursquare with the four foremost feet fastned to it the hindermost to the belly above the shoulders appear as it were little wings though they are not so indeed the rest of the body somewhat thick cut all over round about circle or oâ—bicular wise in the sides resembling the form of a saw the tip of the tail and a fork growing
on each side is somewhat like a Trident these Moth Krickets take up their abode in warm places as stoves and bake-houses and such like let them be never so hungry they will scarce indure to come into the light or if they be compelled so to do whereby to get some food they betake themselves into the dark again with what speed they can or else hide themselves in dust that they may not be found About Francford near the River Main they are frequently seen as also in London in Wine-cellars and dark dungeons the other species are more frequent in Bake-houses and warm places The stinking Beetle some confound with the Cimex or Wall-louse a creature of the like quality but not rightly The inhabitants of Peru have certain creatures which they call Araners Serius thinks them to be Butterflies They are of the bigness of the Kricket they go forth a great many of them together in the night time and all that is in the house almost that is soft they nibble about and eat it Lib. Navig Butterflies I cannot say they are because they gnaw and do not suck with their Promuscis I would therefore either make them to be Krickets or some new kinde of Moth or some creature mixt and made of both In an Epistle of a certain learned man sent to Gesner there is a description of another kind of stinking Moth. There is saith he a certain stinking flying Insect in Hungary that stinks beyond measure I should call it a stinking Grashopper but that it is more like the Kricket In Winter it desires the light in Summer it shuns it when it flies it makes a kinde of a terrible horrid noise leaving a most noisome stink behinde it Some there are when the air is infected carry this creature about them as some secret remedy and adore it nay some of them which a hog would scarce do will swallow them so afraid are they of the Plague and so desirous to use means against it They are bred in wals where they are most frequent there grow as they say the most generous wines I have found it to be true by experience So far Epistle All the younger Moths are whitish but at their full growth of a bright red or tawny The stinking are as black as a coal Divers Authors do speak of four other sorts of Moths viz. the Venereal bred in the genitals of men the Bee Moth the Cloth Moth and the Library or Book Moth from eating of the Books but none of these but the Bee Moth agreeth with the description of the Moth but that neither is so stinking as the one called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or so soft as the others befote described but of a middle nature rather pouldred with meal than anointed with oyl Of the rest of these we shall speak more fully when we come to speak God willing of the Lice and Moths called Tineae Much variety of opinion there is among the learned of the colour of the Blat Moth or the Blattean colour For if these Insects of which we have now treated are the Blattae truly so called why should not the black be the Blat colour rather than red purple colours Certain it is it is that the Bizantine Blatta yeelds a purple colour as that of the worm Cochineal doth a red or scarlet either therefore all colours may be called Blattean or else this last of ours is not one Indeed I wonder at the boldness of Turnebus and Thylesius which will have that of the worms to be the Blattaean when as they are of no Author called Blattae but rather properly it ought to be counted a Scarlet red The Blattae an colour therefore to say the truth is the Purple notwithstanding our Blattae send forth no such kinde of liquor but are fliers of the light nasty cruel rough theeving living of nocturnal depredations after an infamous manner whence Servius cals them Piratas noctu navigantes night Pirats These little creatures although they are hateful to nature it self to Men and Bees yet God hath endued them with sundry vertues in which they excell the Blattae Bizantine For take off his shell or nail which is there between its head called papaver and its neck what doth the belly contain but the ornament to dye withall and to delight the eyes with their colour And be it so that Princes and great men will buy it though never so dear and by the greatness of the price make it only fit for Kings to wear yet notwithstanding when you have heard the virtue of these Blattae otherwise so contemptible you will say they are far more to be esteemed than purple For they are wonderful good for the pains in the ears taken after this manner Take twelve Blats with their wings cropt off of old wine and honey ana â„¥ j. and half the rind of a Pomegranate of the juice of an Apple 6 spoonfuls boyl them well in a new pipkin till the rind of the Pomegranat be made limber and soft then beat them all together which done add unguentum Syriacum â„¥ j. of Tarre â„¥ j ss the juyce of 4 Onions pressed out what may suffice beat all these together and lay them by for use let this decoction be dropt into the ears and a lock of new shorn wool stopt in warm Galen sec loc l. 3. Experience witnesseth that the soft Blats boyled in oyl and put upon Warts are ro good effect The mill Blat the head being taken off and the body bruised doth cure the Leprosie as Masa and Pithen have left in their Receipts The fat of the stinking Blat when the head is oft beaten with oyl of Roses Galen out of Archigenes saith is very good for the ears but the wool in which they put it must by and by be taken out for that fat substance will quickly breed worms Others write that two or three of them boyled in oyl bruised and put into a little linnen bag and applyed are very good for the same purpose their entrails beaten with oyl or warm water are likewise good for the same being dropped into the ears Pliny saith l. 2. c. 36. that from the two first the heads must be pulled oft before they be used in medicine from the stinking the feet and wings or rather that crust or shell like wings on the back that being more hard and more poysonous but it hath no wings The stinking Blattae moreover mingled with oyl or pitch are said to cure Ulcers otherwise incurable as also Wenns and Swellings in the neck Botches being layed on for 21. daies together they cure also the Scab and Fellons bruised and festered Sores the wings and feet being first taken off We disdain to hear of these things yet truly Diodorus as Pliny saith reports that they have helped the Kings-evill and difficulty of breathing mixed with Roâ—n and Honey the most learned thought fit to keep the ashes of them in a horn box for this purpose or
the powder of them to put into the body by way of Clyster Cardan saith they take away pains but what pains or what kinde of Blattae should do it he tels us not The Phrygians and Lycaonians anoint those with them that have a stoppage in the Matrix Pliny l. 30. c. ult Last of all they may serve in stead of Castoreâ—m for an Antiballomenon and Galen useth them in stead of the Buprestis Now if you would have a remedy against themselves cast but a handfull of Flea-bane the Greeks Mascula is the Latines Cunilago and all the Blats will gather together to it So called in Rome Blattaria or the Blat-herb Nature hath provided a remedy against them for the Swallowes they are wont commonly to spoyl the Swallowes eggs wherefore they use to fence their young with Parsly or Smallage whereby the Moths are forced away from their nests The which might be thought to be the figment of Aelian but that Zoroastes in his Geoponicks doth affirm the same The Vpupa or Houpe inclose their nests with earth flax against Moths The Chough useth the herb Vervin to the same purpose If they be anointed with the oyl of Spike it works the like effect as Joach Camer reports That they may be rid out of Gardens let us hear Diophanes his advice Get the Guts of a Ram fresh killed and full of dung bury it in the earth where many Moths use and cast the ground lightly upon it two daies after all the Blats will gather to it the which at your pleasure you may carry other where or bury them deep enough in the place that they shall not be able to rise again If you would preserve your Bees from them use sharp fumigations or set lights near to the Hives or else anoint the props whereon they stand that they may not get up CHAP. XIX Of the Buprestis or Burncowe and the Cantharides MAny of the Naturall Philosophers have made mention of the Buprestis but so little that they seem neither to have touched either their form or qualities no not so much as their true Name For Ardoynus cals it Buprestis Vigelius veter l. 3. c. 15. cals it Vulpester or Bulpester and in the 78. chap. Bustrepis most corruptly Silvaticus if any other chief at Barbarism cals it Bustasaris Bublistes Bubestis so corrupted was the Latine tongue in these blinde times that Barbarism had wrought a general confusion in all places Now the true name of it is in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia boves rumpit because it swels Oxen Nicander in Alex. derives it ab incendendis bobus from burning or enflaming the bowels of beasts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. When cowes or calves are sick and bellies swell They 'ave eat Buprestis keepers know full well For first of all by their acrimony they enflame the belly of cattle upon which followes a tumor and a feaver and a kinde of a hot tympany by which in the end the bowels are burst By other as by Hesychius in like manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is more rightly ascribed to that kinde of red little Spider found in pasture grounds which doth use to bite them In English it is called a Blain-worm or Troings which being eaten by cattel doth produce the like symptomes the Latines retain the Greek name of Buprestis of the Germans it is called Geuch Gach Knoelster Gualster die Grunen Stinckhenden Wildenwentde Renkaefer of those of Heidelburg from its swift running ein Holtzbuck in Italian Bupresti in Spanish Arebenta busi if Mathiolus say true Bâ—t I for my part somewhat boldly though not improperly do adventure to call it by a new name in English Burncow or Burstcow Although these Insects are such as hath been said that they fret with their acrimony that freeting they enflame and with their poysonous inflamation cause extreme thirst and a horrible swelling insomuch that the very skin is burst yet hath Dame Nature made them notwithstanding very wholsome which Art afterwards hath prepared for medicine before they be put in use Plinius and Aegineta dispute whether they should not be prepared as the Cantharides Dioscorides dries them in a sieve over hot embers and so layeth them by Galen steeps them in vinegar Hippocrates commands to take off their wings and feet And because they fret exulcerate inflame and swell up and do strongly attract and heat the parts so fretted Diosc l. 2. c. 59. saith that being mixt advisedly with fitting ingredients they may be applyed to the Leprone Cancer and wilde Tetters My opinion is that they may be used in stead of the bigger sort of Cantharides rather than some kinde of Blattae by Pauius his leave if I may say so not only because they are somewhat like in shape and figure and in virtue also as Galen writeth Pliny saith that the Buprestis by way of corrosive doth take away Ringworms in the face Hippocrates doth much commend them in divers diseases of the womb For so he writeth in his Book of the Nature of Women and in his Book of the Diseases of Women and in his Book of Barrenness For the hardness of the womb to emollient juices and fat add a Buprestis and use it To drive out the Monethly Flowers and secondines prepare half the body of a Buprestis whether great or smal with twice as much pulp of a Fig and apply it for it purgeth the womb and inflateth it and is a special remedy to procure the Flowers when they are past hope Sometimes he applies only a Buprestis if it be a great one sometimes making a soft pessary he takes ten and adds to them a little sawcer of oyl and mingles with it Wine Aethiopian Cumin Seseli and Anniseed of each alike parts and whilest they are hot he makes a pessary of them and useth them to the Matrix In the strangling of the womb when the fit is over the body first purged Hippocrates makes a Medicament with a Buprestis and thrusts it into the Matrix Also for a Schirrous of the womb he useth a Buprestis but warily and with diligent consideration for he puts it in like a Suppository for one day and when it doth much vex the patient by corroding he bids to take it forth moreover he compounds a Buprestis Myrrhe and Elaterium and puts it in So he doth also to bring forth a Mola Gal. l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 1. out of Archigenes describes a Medicament of Buprestes with Vinegar Crowfoot and Wakerobin root against falling of the hair Leprosie Elephantiasis c. the cure whereof you may easily finde there Now as I have declared hitherto its profitable qualities so lest I should transgress the bounds of history I shall open the terrible effects that this poysonous creature causeth in man and beast if a man swallow a Buprestis 't is all one as if it had been a Cantharides the body swelleth as if it had a tympany much
the 〈◊〉 of a King 〈…〉 being added to it for it signified 〈…〉 ght and just administration of things But he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Images that wanted hands those represented â—udges who ought to be free from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amongst these there was oâ—◠〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 his eyes which represented the chief Judge because he ought to be 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 and to look 〈◊〉 business and to hear of 〈◊〉 〈…〉 mans person It was 〈…〉 as the proverb is 〈…〉 〈◊〉 a Seal amongst the sacred Images And what did 〈◊〉 wise The old 〈◊〉 intimate to us thereby 〈…〉 but 〈◊〉 and invinâ—ible Captain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith as much that no man may suppose 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yoâ—â— common Th 〈…〉 use â—o 〈◊〉 â—â—legories But some 〈◊〉 follow may say what hath a 〈◊〉 to be compared with 〈◊〉 Commander in an Army Truly they agre◠〈◊〉 many things First you see the 〈◊〉 all in 〈◊〉 and there is 〈…〉 of its body but is guarded with plates and hardness 〈…〉 〈◊〉 said to be 〈◊〉 arm 〈…〉 in compleat armour and â—enced 〈…〉 his warlike march with a horrid and terrible humming what is there 〈…〉 sounding of 〈◊〉 whâ—◠〈…〉 of 〈…〉 〈◊〉 that Kings now so much â—â—light in the 〈◊〉 could 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Asle 〈…〉 Asse was held abominable amongst 〈…〉 〈…〉 drivinâ—◠〈◊〉 burden its i 〈…〉 ible 〈…〉 age and 〈…〉 of life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say 〈◊〉 â—o females amongst 〈◊〉 but they 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 What can 〈◊〉 bes 〈…〉 no◠〈◊〉 his camp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 allow others to have them 〈…〉 this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 that in those 〈…〉 oâ— they exclude their young 〈…〉 bring 〈◊〉 up and they 〈◊〉 other place to breed in thâ—â— they have to 〈…〉 is not 〈…〉 war can better do it who know how to 〈…〉 their 〈◊〉 or on â—he bare 〈…〉 that 〈…〉 the Beetle have a face like a Cat a creature familiar with us and more useful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is desired for its self yet in that respect the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it and prefer it before all other Insects by many degrees 〈◊〉 Lastly iâ— a horse 〈◊〉 beautiful in his kindes and a dog in his why should not the Beetle be so in its kinde unless we measure tha◠〈◊〉 of all things by our own that what is not like in must be held to be ugly No man oâ— a found minde will finde fault with the colour of it for it sets forth some jewels and in special the Diamond that is the chiefest 〈◊〉 Lastly no man will think the Bettle at all despicable who shall consider with himself that Magicians and Physitians â—etch remedies from this 〈◊〉 for the greatest diseases for they are not only carried in mens purses but also hang'd about their necks and ofttimes 〈◊〉 up 〈◊〉 gold against all childrens diseases What will you say if in the most effectual and incredible remedies almost for Pliny is the Author of it it hath equal force with 〈◊〉 for that terrible Beetle 〈◊〉 on an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a present remedy against all 〈◊〉 and no leâ—s effectual than that Mâ—ly which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gave Vlyssâ—â— Nor is it good only against these but it is also very useful if any 〈◊〉 be about to go before the King upon any occasion â—o so that such a ring ought especially to be worn by them that intend to beg of Noblemen some jolly preferment or some rich Province It keeps away likewise the head 〈◊〉 which truly is no small mischief especially to great drinkers Who them can despise the Beetle whose very image engraven upon stones hath so great vertue The mentioning of precious stones puts me in minds of adding this also that if the Eagle delight in the precious stone of her name the 〈◊〉 the Beetle comes not behinde her in it a share of the same honour for the stone Ca 〈…〉 rias also â—owes its name to it wonderfully resembling the whole 〈◊〉 of the creature so that one would say it is not the shape represented but a living and true beetle inclosed in the stone Moreover this iâ—pure and filthy creature 〈◊〉 boyled with worms in oyl of Roses doth very well cuâ—â— the pains of the eats Pliâ— A 〈…〉 prescribes the Beetles called Pilularii being stamped alone to be boyled without 〈◊〉 which the Author of the Book ad 〈◊〉 approves also 〈◊〉 1â— Sylvaticâ—â— chap. 94. writer thus out of 〈◊〉 The Dung 〈◊〉 help the pains of the womb they provoke urine and monethly termes they procure Abortion with 〈◊〉 they are good to heal the Haemorrhoids and they help 〈…〉 which comes of venomes infused by living creatures and the oyl in which they are 〈◊〉 takes away the pains of the ears The later writers commend thâ—se Beetles 〈◊〉 among the remedies for the Stone especially Alex 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 makes for the 〈◊〉 the Stone thâ—â— kinde of powder which is no ordinary oneâ— Burn the Dung-beetle or any other after the same manner as you do Grashâ—ppeâ—â— or Scorpions Take of the 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 j. dram of Pigeons dung j. dram and a half let them be 〈◊〉 and a powder made of them The Dose 〈◊〉 j. dram with water of the 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 For 〈…〉 this ointment is very much commended Take of oyntment 〈◊〉 j. ounce of oyl of Roses in which 〈◊〉 Beetles and as many 〈◊〉 have boyled a good while j. ounce and half of 〈…〉 them incorporate and be made into an oyntment 〈◊〉 〈…〉 reports that he had gotten of his master 〈…〉 against the Convulsion made of Beetles after this manner Take of Pepper 〈◊〉 Pellitory of Spain each alike of Beetles to the weight of all the rest 〈◊〉 them all being brought to a powder and mixt together in a bath with juyce of 〈…〉 much as 〈…〉 〈…〉 of an oyntment with which let the 〈◊〉 of the 〈…〉 templeâ— with 〈…〉 back-bone be anointed Moreover 〈…〉 awakening of such as are troubled with the Dead sleep and 〈…〉 rides 〈…〉 have done 〈◊〉 good two or three Dung 〈…〉 put up 〈…〉 half a 〈…〉 to be made fast about the â—â—pe of the 〈…〉 well 〈…〉 the muscles of the fore 〈…〉 of the arms on every 〈◊〉 one 〈…〉 〈◊〉 because this doth wonderfully 〈◊〉 up 〈◊〉 as are 〈…〉 〈◊〉 saith 〈◊〉 awakend done that had been held with a 〈◊〉 for 〈…〉 with this remedy having tried all others in vain and 〈◊〉 him afterward with 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 blister it The Dung 〈◊〉 are best for this purpose 〈…〉 which 〈…〉 be found under stones and then they which are found in a 〈◊〉 The 〈…〉 of using iâ— which 〈…〉 〈…〉 testifie they have 〈◊〉 confirm 〈…〉 by many 〈◊〉 Yet the 〈◊〉 will 〈…〉 credit when foolishly rather than truly they report and 〈…〉 〈…〉 that is adorned with golden 〈◊〉 â—ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 water with 〈…〉 tempestâ— Pli◠〈…〉 I say 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Eagle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 by 〈◊〉 in whose nests Beeth 〈…〉 which our 〈◊〉 first 〈…〉 〈◊〉 that they serve for this use also to feed 〈◊〉 Nay 〈…〉 living 〈◊〉 especially 〈◊〉 that
as Pennius hath made trial with our Bruerus in the Countrey about Heidelburg Erastus a most learned Physitian disputing about rotten Feavers endevoureth to overthrow all this History with these arguments First because Aristotle compileth the History saith Erastus who it is confessed writ many things from hearsay I grant it but then he adds ut aiunt as it is reported or some other word of the same importance as Niphus hath well-observed even as in that very place speaking of the Salamander he addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We may observe that this is the constant practise of the Philosopher when he speaks according to the opinion or from the relation of others but grant it were so that he from others related it they were deceived saith Erastus who related it to him imagining those creatures bred in the fire which fell by chance into it But the circumstances of the place make it appear that this is false If they had fallen from elsewhere into the fire surely by his own confession they would be consumed by the fire And unless they had been bred there as I said before how should they be able to live in such an extremity of flame Besides spectators have observed the motion of their feet the number of their wings their flying yea their death and the cause of their death viz. their flying somewhat too far out of the fire These things and the like evince that those relators were not at all deceived but that they related what was true and unquestionable But no Author either before or since Aristotle affirms this but one or other perhaps who hath transcribed it from him This is more Erastus than you know you have not read all Authors Books the greatest part of books is lost as it appeareth plainly out of Athenaeus and Histories bear witness But how I pray you came Pliny to be assured that Fire-flies have four feet He did not learn this from Aristotle nor is there any such thing to be found in his writings which are extant Wherefore either he learnt it from others or else the History was known in Pliny's time Pliny therefore added this that he might make up the History compleat Nay if you had read Cicero l. de Nat. Deo you had found him affirming for certain that there are little winged creatures bred in the middle of the fire Neither did I before think you so ignorant in Theology as not to know what S. Augustine l. de Civit. Dei 21. c. 2. hath observed of these Pyribia There are saith he creatures which live in the midst of the fire and there are found some worms at the Spring-head of hot waters whose heat no man toucheth without harm while these remain there not only without receiving any hurt but are not able to subsist out of them And Vincentius hist Nat. l. 20. c. 68. In some waters which are naturally hot there are certain Worms which live as well as Fishes in cold nay if they go out of those waters into cold they die Solinus also confirmeth it c. 17. who calleth these kinde of Flies Carystiae and reporteth that in Crete they fly into hot furnaces without harm Yea and Seneca quest natural l. 2. affirmeth that some living creatures are generated of the fire and therefore these Fire-flies likewise as lately Marsilius Cognatus teacheth us in a large Discourse Variar observ l. 1. c. 23 24. Do not then any longer contend that no Author either before or since Aristotle affirmeth it since besides these pious and grave men already named I can bring others also who would convince you either of plain falshood or of a levity not hard to be discerned But Theophrastus maketh no mention of it in his Book de Igne What do you conclude Erastus from thence that the History is false Very fine Perhaps he beleeved it not is it therefore false But it is probable I grant it There are many things probable and yet false as experience teacheth us Erastus wrote many things against Paracelsus which are probable yet not all true unless those things which he understood not be true Certainly he endevoured to confute many things which I know he never understood I will not now descend to particulars Well but the heat of fire is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fit for generation This Erastus you apprehend not but I told you before that if it were in the seed it were not which was the Philosophers meaning For it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corruptive according to Aristotle But I answered before that fire doth not corrupt all things This barrenness therefore or if you please destructiveness of the fire is to be limited Nor truly do I conceive this to be done miraculously but by the power of Nature neither do I take it for a tale but for a History agreeable to nature And as for what he writeth of the Salamander he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as I said before there was no need to add it But I beseech those who believe nothing but what they see to tell me Have any one of the ancients found fault with this History or confuted it I speak of the Greek writers No not so much as Galen who otherwise is a most sharp reprehender of the Philosophers and would have laid hold on this instantly if he had had any such opinion Therefore it is likely that the history is true because none of the old writers found fault with it But come we now to Matthiolus who of all men hath contradicted this History most unhappily for in his margent he inveigheth against the vain opinions of the Philosopher as he thinks where he appears in some things vainer than vanity it self But I will return to the business It is against saith he the work of nature Is it enough for Matthiolus to say so though he prove nothing If the story had been true Galen would never have omitted it who hath searched out all things else so diligently furnaces and metals and what not Julius Scaliger will make answer to what end should he repeat a thing known before Sooner would he as he was a famous and a malicious detracter if he had not found it so have reprehended it as he doth in some places make it ridiculous He which continued so few daies did not understand the whole matter they were not they are not alwaies at hand he never enquired of the Bakers But if I should say that a little she colt newly foaled should have plenty of milk in its udder and that it did issue forth in great quantity what would they say then yet nevertheless I saw it at London about six years since as also many others of good note and credit who with their own hands did milk it out of its teats They will say perhaps we do not believe it let then chuse it makes not much to the matter there are many productions of nature the causes whereof it is impossible for any man to
terrible smell I confess ingenuously that I never yet saw it nor know whether it be so by a contrariety in our land or climate Concerning the field Whurl we read thus in Theophrastus as Gaza hath interpreted of small wilde creatures that are bred outwardly that is not in the roots but without them none of them will feed on roots except the Whurl and that leaves none untouched for it is the proper nature of this Insect George Agricola a most learned Philosopher writes thus of Whurls that feed on roots The Whurlworm is found under the earth wrapt up near the roots which truly I could never observe and hence it hath its name Sphondyle from a little wherve or whirl It is so long and thick as ones little finger a red head the rest of the body white but that it is black above where it swels when it is full This plague of Orchards which wants not feet for it hath six feet and doth not creep eats up the pils about the roots of young trees nor doth it at all forbear the roots of wilde Cucumers black Chameleon Centaury hogs Fennel Birthwort Briony which no other Insect whatsoever will touch This Whurl without all doubt is the Insect that Malleolus in his Book of his filthy Exorcisms brings in these words There is saith he a certain worm which the Germans call Engar or Ingar it liveth under the earth is so long as ones middle finger of a white colour a black head six feet which by turning about furrowing and turning up the earth and eating the roots maketh plants barren The third year after its generation it breaks forth like flying Pismires which like their predecessors stick about trees and consume the fruit Then they call it Lawbkaefer In the Diocess of Mentz there were such multitudes of them that all remedies were attempted in vain only they were driven away by charms for so Malleolus reports Cordus also speaks of them Spondyles are worms under ground the Germans call them Engar or Ingar called so from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CHAP. VII Of a Catterpiller called Staphylinus GAza translates Staphylinos a Parsnip either by sleepy carelesness or rather ignorance but as it appears in the short expositions of Nicander the ancient Physicians knew it not sufficiently For the Scholiast writes that Staphylinus is a little creature like a Whurl others say it is like the Spanish Fly Hippocrates speaks once of it but describes it not Aristotle treating of the diseases of Horses cals it an incurable disease if a horse swallow a Staphylinus that is like to a Whurl But Absyrtus writes thus A Staphylinus is like to a Whurl that is about houses but is greater it is bred every where in the fields and goes holding up the tail Whence I perceive it were no hard matter to know a Staphylinus if the home bred Whurls were not unknown to us But that I may do my part and satisfie my Reader I will produce two Insects with their figures which I cannot tell whether they may be called Staphylini or not But that they are not far different from them is more than a conjecture The first as you see is all shining black not much unlike to Beetles but the body is more slender and longer The whole body is two fingers square or somewhat less in length the tail is with two forks which whilest it flies away for it will fly away and run very swiftly it lifts up as it were in its own defence and thrusts out like two short stings very white but we never saw it sting or strike with them and the stings are too small and soft to enter when he puts out these stings in anger it pours forth with them a white and thick substance but softer than a moist ointment It lives most under ground yet it is often seen amongst corn above the earth But I cannot say that it is like to the Whurl that Aristotle or Absyrtus speaks of The countrey people in Kent hold this to be a venomous creature and that Oxen are swollen by this poyson as they are with eating Long-legs It appears indeed that this Staphylinus is a venomous creature not only from their report but by the authority of Aristotle and Nicander I received the second kinde of Staphylinus a Worm of a wonderful form from a Nobleman Edmund Knivet exactly deciphered with his own hand and they are very common in Norfolk in England He hath a small head of a dark colour from red almost round the mouth is small and forked Next the head it hath three feet on each side the two former of them are short like to Catterpillers the other four are almost of a bloudy colour four times as long In the middle of the body under the belly it hath eight feet that are blunt as also a Catterpiller hath The tail is bunchy and forked with two hairs We learn hence that both these kindes are naturally venomous because two horses eating hay and swallowing them down were swoln all their bodies over and died by them In which disease it will not be useless to know Absyrtus his remedy that in the like case we may have it ready and cure our horses For if a Horse eat a Staphylinus whilest he feeds on hay or eats he presently casts him out again by reason of the sharpness of the spirits of it and as it were Vipers bloud But presently he swels exceedingly first therefore foment the swellings largely washing and rubbing them with salt water very hot then take vinegar Lees and put into them fine linnen cut and boyl this with water and anoint him all over but when he takes his physick let him remain in a hot house and a soft stall covered well with cloathes and let a good fire be kept continually by him Anoint him abundantly in the morning then the third day wash him well with hot water and dry up his sweat then rub him in a close place and having rubbed him anoint him with Nitre And fear not though his lips and eyes swel for it useth so to fall out for the Horse will certainly recover suddenly by this means and be as well as he was before But whether these be the same with Staphylinus of Cordus or the Coursilles in France let indifferent men judge They are found in Orchards sometimes so long as ones little finger and they make hillocks like to Moles and there they sleep They chiefly do mischief to Thyme and Elder yet not so but they hurt other plants and herbs also If there be any that know any thing more certainly concerning Staphylinus they are to be desired for Physick and Philosophy sake that they will not refuse to add their talent So at last the natural History of Insects shall be enriched by their labour and shall repay them not only great thanks but also their part in a large increase CHAP. VIII Concerning the Scolopendrae and Juli. THE Scolopendrae and Juli and Cheeselips
the ancient Galles were wont to anoint their arrows with the juyce of white Hellebore with which they they did great mischief Pliny affirmeth the same to be used of the Scythian Nation The Scythians saith he do anoint their Arrow-heads with the corrupt poysonous and filthy stained dreggy bloud of Vipers and with Mans bloud mixed together so that the wound seemeth to be incurable And to this alludeth Quintus Serenus Cuspide non quisquam longa neque caede sarissae Fulmine non gladii volucris nec felle sagittae Quà m cito Vipereo potis est affligier ictu Quare aptam dicamus opem succosque manentes Which may be thus Englished There is no Man with Spear or Launces point Sharp edge of Sword or swift Arrows might To kill so soon as Vipers force doth dint Then fit is the aid and means that it acquite There is a certain kinde of people to whom it is naturally given either by touching or sucking to cure the wounding of venomous Serpents called Psylli a people of Lybia and Marsi people of Italy bordering upon the Samnites and Aequiculania and those that were called by the Ancient Writers Ophiogenes which dwelt about Hellespont as both Pliny Aelianus and Aeneas Sylvius do witness Callias in his tenth Book of the history which he wrote of Agathocles the Syracusan saith that if any man were bitten of a Serpent if either a Lybian by birth or any Psyllus whose body was accounted venom to Serpents was either purposely sent for or came that way by chance and saw the wound but indifferently and not very sore tormenting the Patient that if he did lay but a little of his spittle upon the biting or stroke that presently the aking and pain would be mitigated But if he found the sick Patient in great and intolerable anguish and pain he took this course iâ— his curation that first he would suck and draw up into his mouth a great deal of water and first riâ—se and wash his own mouth therewith and after this pouring it all out of his own mouth into a cup he would give it to the poor wounded person to sup off Lastly if the malignity and strength of the venom had crept and spread it self very far and deep into the body so that there was danger of death then would he strip himself stark naked and so lie and spread his body upon the naked body of the sick person and so by this way of touching break the malice and quality of the poyson and give perfect cure to the man For more confirmation hereof Nicander Colophonius is sufficient auâ—hority whose verses I will here describe Audivi Libycos Psyllos quos aspera Syrtis Serpentumque ferax patria alit populos Non ictu inflictum diro morsuve venenum Laedere quin laesis ferre opem reliquis Non vi radicum proprio sed corpore juncto Which is in English thus The people Psylli bred in Lybia Land Neer Syrtes where all Serpents do abound Are never stung nor bitten by that band Vnto their harm or any bodies wound But straight one naked man anothers burt doth heal No roots but bodies vertue danger doth repeal Some of the Greeks have left in writing that the Idolatrous Priests and Prelates of the God Vulcan that dwelt in Isle Lemnos had a special vertue given them to cure those who were wounded by Serpents whereupon it is said that Philoctetes being wounded by a Serpent before the Altar of Apollo went thither to be remedied of his hurt Cornelius Celsus saith flatly that the people called Psylli had no such peculiar gift in healing them that were hurt of Serpents either by sucking or touching the place but being boldly adventurous had presumed thereby to attempt and do that which others of less courage had no stomach to do for whosoever durst be so confident as to follow their example should be himself out of danger and assure the other safe and free from fear of further hurt Galen in his book De Theriaca ad Pisonem manifestly sheweth that the Marsi who lived in his days had no such special quality against the poyson of Serpents but that with their crafty dealing and knavish tricks they beguiled the common people For saith he those Juglers and Deceivers do never hunt Vipers at any convenient time but long after the prime of the year and Spring wherein they cast their skins when as they are weak and have lost their strength and are very faint then do they take them and so by long use and continuance teach them and inure themselves one to another and bring it so to pass that they wil feed them with strange and unaccustomed meats to their nature yea they will permit them to tast of flesh and constrain them to be continually gnawing and biting of the same that by their so labouring and striving their poyson may by little and little be spent and purged out of their bellies Besides all this they give them a kinde of bread made of milk and flour that by this means the holes in their teeth may be stopped and so by this laborious course of dieting them they bring the matter so about that their bitings are very weak and do small annoyance to any that they strike at So that the seers and lookers on account it a thing exceeding common reason and nature and blaze it abroad for a miracle Matthiolus also a Physitian of late days agreeth with him in this point affirming expresly that these kinde of trumperies and crafty fetches are much put in practise in these times by such bold and impudent Quacksalvers Mountebanks and couseners of plain Countrey people who dare face it out lie faign and cog that they are descended from the race and linage of Saint Paul wherein they shew themselves notorious lyers c. Thus far Matthiolus Serpents do sometimes creep into the mouths of them that are fast asleep whereupon a certain Poet saith Non mihi tunc libeat dorso jacuisse per herbdnt Which may be Englished thus Then would I not upon the grass Lie on my back where Serpents pass For if a man sleep open mouthed they slily convey themselves in and winde and roll them round in compass so taking up their lodging in the stomach and then is the poor wretched man miserably and pitifully tormented his life is more bitter then death neither feeleth he any release or mitigation of his pain unless it be by feeding this his unwelcome guest in his guest-chamber with good store of milk and such other meats as Serpents best like of The only remedy against this mischief is to eat good store of Garlick as Erasmus in his Dial. De Amicitia saith Cardan saith how that it was reported for a certain that a Viper entring into a Mans mouth being asleep and gaping with his mouth the venomous Worm was expelled only with burning of Leather and so receiving the stinking fume at his mouth the Viper not enduring it he