his Tiara and Robe of State for the Bishops Miter But his Courtiers prevented him saying that he was a meer Impostor and Enchanter instead of an Ambassador All Greece made vows for his safe return from thence but he never came back again 17. C. Iulius Caesar learned of Apollonius Molon at Rhodes he is said to be admirably fitted for the City Eloquence and had so improved his parts by his diligence that without all question he merited the second place in point of Eloquence the â—irst he would not have as one that intended rather to be the first in Power and Armes Cicero himself writes to Brutus that he knew not any to whom Caesar should give place as one that had an Elegant Splendid Magnificent and Generous way of Speaking And to Cornelius Nepos Whom saith he will ye prefer before this man even of those who have made Oratory their busineCâ—ess who is more acute or frequent than he in sentences who more Ornate or Elegant in words He is said to have pronounced his Orations with a sharp voice and earnest motion and gesture which yet was not without its comliness CHAP. VIII Of the most famous Greek and Latine Historians BY the singular providence of God and his great goodness it was that where the prophetick history of the Holy Scriptures breaks off there we should have an immediate supply from elsewhere and we may almost say that in the very moment where they have left there it was that 1. Herodotus the Halicarnassian began his History who relates the Acts of Cyrus and the affairs of the Persian Monarchy even unto the War of Xerxes the Histories of the Kingdoms of Lydia Media and especially of Aegypt are set down by him An account he gives of the Ionians the City of Athens and the Spartan and Corinthian Kings excelling all prophane Writers of History both in the Antiquity of the things he treats of the multitude of Examples and the purity and sweetness of his Stile His History is continued for the series of two hundred and thirty years from Gyges the King of Lydia the contemporary with Manasses King oâ— Iudah to the flight of Xerxes and Persians out of Greece which was in the year of the world 3485. Herodotus himself flourished in the beginning of the Peloponnesian war which was about the year of the world 3540. 2. Thucydides the Athenian immediately succeeds him who imbraceth in his History the space of seventy years that is from the flight of Xerxes unto the twenty first year of the Peloponnesian war for although he professedly describes only that war betwixt the Athenians and Peloponnesians wherein himself was a General yet by way of digression he hath inserted an account of those fifty years that are betwixt the end of Herodotus his History and the beginning of this war Here he explains the affairs of Cities as the former had done of Monarchies and hath framed so illustrious and express an Image of all those things that usually happen in the government of a Common-wealth hath so lively represented the miseries that attend upon war especially a civil and intestine one hath composed his many Orations with that artifice and care that nothing can be thought more sinewy and agreeable unto all times in the world than his History 3. Xenophon the Attick Bee whose unaffected sweetness and elegancy of Stile is such that Antiquity admiring thereat said the Graces had framed and directed his Speech He beginning at the end of Thucydides hath in seven Books comprehended the events of forty years wars betwixt the principal Cities of Greece as far as to the battle of Mantinea and the year of the world 3600. 4. Diodorus Siculus hath set forth his Bibliotheque or an universal history of almost all the habitable world accurately distinguished by times and years in forty Books In the five first of which he discourses the original of the world the Egyptian Assyrian Libyan Greek Antiquities and the affairs of other Nations before the Trojan War The other thirty five contain a Series of years no less than 1138. from the Trojan War to Iulius Caesar of all these there are but fifteen Books extant his sixteenth Book almost immediately follows Xenophon in which he treats of Philip of Macedon who began to Reign Anno Mumd 3604. From thence he passes to Alexander and his Successours and in the end of his twentieth Book which is the last of his extant he reaches to the year of the World 3664. which year falls directly into the tenth Book of Livy and upon the four hundred fifty second year from the building of Rome 5. Titus Livius born at Padua was the Prince of the Latin History excelling all Latin Writers in the admirable gravity copiousness and beauty of his Speech He hath written a continued History of seven hundred forty six years from the building of Rome in the year of the World 3212. to the fourth year before the birth of Christ which was the thirty seventh year of Augustus Now although of fourteen Decades or one hundred and forty Books of Livy there are only three Decades and half a fifth left yet the Arguments of the rest of the Books and the Series of the principal Histories may easily be observed from Florus his Epitome Livy died the twenty first year after the birth of Christ. 6. Câ—esias Gâ—idius a famous Historian of the Assyrian and Persian Affairs about the year of the World 3564. in the Expedition of Cyrus the younger against his brother Artaxerxes was taken Prisoner and for his skill in Physick was received into the Kings House and Family where out of the Royal Commentaries and Records he composed the ancient History of the Kings of Assyria Babylon and Persia in twenty Books having brought it down from Ninus as far as the seventh year after the taking of Athens by Lysander 7. Plutarchus of Cheronaea flourished about the year of our Lord 100. the ample Treasury of the Greek and Latin History he wrote about fifty Lives of the principal men amongst the Greeks and Romans full of the best matter wise sentences and choice rules of life The Greek Lives he begins with Theseus King of Athens and ends with Philopoemenes General of the Achaeans who died one hundred and eighty years before the birth of Christ. The Roman Captains he describes from Romulus as far as to Galba and Otho who contended for the Empire in the seventeenth year after the birth of Christ. 8. Arrianus of Nicomedia flourished Anno Christi 140. and in eight Books wrote the Life and Acts of Alexander the Great his Affairs in India are handled most copiously by him of all other the whole is wrote in a singular sweetness and elegancy of stile 9. Dionysius Halicarnassaeus wrote accurately the Roman History the Original of the City Magistracy Ceremonies and Laws are faithfully related by him and his History continued to the beginning of the first Punick War and the four hundred eighty ninth year from
the building of the City His first eleven Books are all that are extant in which he reaches to the two hundred and twelfth year of the City He â—lourished in the time of Augustus Caesar and is said to have lived in the Family of M. Varro 10. Polybius of Megalopolis was the Master Councellour and daily Companion of Scipio the younger who in the year of the World 3800. razed Carthage he begins his Roman History from the first Punick War and of the Greek Nation the Achaeans from the fortieth year after the death of Alexander the Great of forty Books he wrote but five are left and the Epitomes of twelve other in which he reaches to the Battel at Cynoscephale betwixt King Philip of Macedon and the Romans 11. Salustius wrote many Parts of the Roman History in a pure and quaint brevity of all which little is left besides the Conspiracy of Catiline oppressed by the Consul Cicero sixty years before the birth of Christ and the War of Iugurth managed by C. Marius the Consul in the forty fourth year before the Conspiracy aforesaid 12. Iulius Caesar hath wrote the History of his own Acts in the Gallick and Civil Wars from the 696 year ab V. C. to the 706. and comprized them in Commentaries upon every year in such a purity and beautiful propriety of expression and such a native candour that nothing is more terse polite more useful and accommodate to the framing of a right and perspicuous expression of our selves in the Latin Tongue 13. Velleius Paterculus in a pure and sweet kind of speech hath composed an Epitome of the Roman History and brought it down as far as the thirty second year after the birth of Christ that is the sixteenth year of Tiberius under whom he flourished and was Questor 14. Cornelius Tacitus under Adrian the Emperour was Praefect of the Belgick Gaul he wrote a History from the death of Augustus to the Reign of Trajan in thirty Books of which the five first contain the History of Tiberius the last eleven Books from the eleventh to the twenty first which are all that are extant reach from the eighth year of Claudius to the beginning of Vespasian and the besieging of Ierusalem by Titus which was Anno Dom. 72. He hath comprised much in a little is proper neat quick and apposite in his stile and adorns his discourse with variety of Sentences 15. Suetonius was Secretary to Adrian the Emperour and in a proper and concise stile hath wrote the Lives of the twelve first Emperours to the death of Domitian and the ninety eighth year of Christ he hath therein exactly kept to that first and chief Law of History which is That the Historian should not dare to set down any thing that is false and on the other side That he have courage enough to set down what is true It is said of this Historian That he wrote the Lives of those Emperours with the same liberty as they lived 16. Dion Cassius was born at Nice in Bythinia he wroâ—e the History of nine hundred eighty one years from the building of Rome to Ann. Dom. 231. in which year he was Consul with Alexander Severus the Emperour and finished his History in eighty Books of all which scarce twenty â—ive Books from the thirty sixth to the sixty first and the beginning of Nero are at this time extant 17. Herodianus wrote the History of his own time from the death of M. Antoninus the Philosopher or the year of Christ 181. to the murder of the Gordiani in Africa Ann. Dom. 241. which is rendred purely into Latin by Angelus Politianus 18. Iohannes Zonaras of Byzantium wrote a History from Augustus to his own times and the year of our Lord 1117. the chief of the Oriental Affairs and Emperours he hath digested in the second and third Tomes of his Annals from whence Cuspinianus and others borrow almost all that they have Zonaras is continued by Nicaetas Gregoras and he by Chalcâ—ndylas 19. Eutropius wrote the Epitome of the Roman History in ten Books to the death of Iovinian Anno Dom. 368. He was present in the Expedition of Iulian into Persia and flourished in the Reign of Valens the Emperour 20. Ammianus Marcellinus a Grecian by birth War'd many years under Iulian in Gallia and Germany and wrote the History of the Romans in thirty one Books the fourteenth to the thirty first are all that are extant wherein at large and handsomely he describes the acts of Constantius Iulian Iovinian Valentinian and Valens the Emperours unto the year of Christ 382. 21. Iornandes a Goth hath wrote the History of the Original Eruptions Families of their Kings and principal Wars of the Goths which he hath continued to his own time that is the year of our Lord 550. 22. Procopius born at Caesarea in Palestine and Chancellour to Belisarius the General to Iustinian the Emperour being also his Councellour and constant companion in seven Books wrote the Wars of Belisarius with the Persians Vandals and Goths wherein he also was present 23. Agathias of Smyrna continues Procopius from the twenty seventh of Iustinian Anno Dom. 554. to the end of his Reign Anno Dom. 566. the Wars of Narses with the Goths and Franks with the Persians at Cholchiâ— wherein he recites the Succession of the Persian Kings from Artaxerxes who Anno Dom. 230. seised on the Parthian Empire to the Reign of Iustinian Anno Dom. 530. and in the end treats of the irruption of the Hunnes into Thrace and Greece and their repression by Belisarius now grown old 24. Paulus Diaconus of Aquileia Chancellour to Desiderius King of the Lombards Writes the entire History of the Lombards to Ann. Dom. 773. in which Charles the Great took Desiderius the last King and brought Lombardy under his own power 25. Haithonus an Armenian many years a Souldier in his own Country afterwards a Monk at Cyprus coming into France about the year of Christ 1307. was commanded by Pope Clement the fifth to write the Empire of the Tartars in Asia and the Description of other oriental Kingdoms 26. Laonicus Chalchondylas an Athenian wrote the History of the Turks in ten Books from Ottoman Anno 1300. to Mahomet the second who took Constantinople Anno Dom. 1453. and afterwards continued his History to Ann. 1464. 27. Luiâ—prandus of Ticinum wrote the History of the principal Affairs in all the Kingdoms of Europe in his time at most of which he himself was present his History is comprised in six Books and commencing from Anno Dom. 891. extends to Ann. Dom. 963. 28. Sigebert a Monk in a Abby in Brabant wrote his Chronicon from the death of Valens the Emperour or Anno Dom. 381. to the Empire of Henry the fifth Anno Dom. 1112. wherein he hath digested much of the French and British Affairs and acts of the German Emperours 29. Saxo Grammaticus Bishop of the Church of Rotschilden wrote the Danish History from utmost Antiquity to his
own time and King Canutus the sixth almost to the year of Christ 1200. but more like a Poet than Historian commonly also omitting an account of the time 30. Conradus Abbot of Vrsperga a Monastery in Suevia as worthy of reading as any of the German Writers hath described the Affairs of Germany beginning two hundred years after the Flood and carrying on his relation to the twentieth year of Frederick the second that is Anno Dom. 1230. 31. Iohannes Aventinus wrote the Annals of the Boii and memorable matters of the Germans in seven Books beginning from the Flood and continuing his History to Ann. 1460. 32. Iohannes Nauclerus born not far from Tubinga hath an intire Chronicon from the beginning of the World to his own time and the year of our Lord 1500. in two Volums 33. Albertus Crantzius hath brought down the History of the Saxons Vandals and the Northern Kingdoms of Denmark Sweden Gothland and Norway to Ann. 1504. 34. Iohannes Sleidanus hath faithfully and plainly written the History of Luther especially and the contests about matters of Religion in the Empire of Germany the Election and Affairs of Charles the fifth Emperour and other of divers of the Kings of Europe from Anno Dom. 1517. to Ann. 1556. 35. Philippus Comineus wrote five Books of the Expedition of Charles the eighth into Italy and Naples and eight Books of the Acts of Lâ—wis the eleventh and Charles Duke of Burgundy worthy to be read of the greatest Princes 36. Froisardus wrote the sharp Wars betwixt the French and English from Anno 1335. to Ann. 1400. 37. Hiâ—ronymus Osorius wrote the Navigation of the Portugals round Africa into India and the Acts of Emanuel King of Portugal from Anno 1497. to his death in twelve Books 38. Antonius Bonfinius in four Decades and an half hath wrote the History of the Hungarian Kings to the death of Matthias the son of Huniades and the beginning of the Reign of Vladislaus 39. Polydor Virgil hath wrote the History of England in twenty six Books to the death of Henry the seventh 40. Iustinus flourished Anno Christi 150. and wrote a compendious History of most Nations from Ninus the Assyrian King to the twenty fifth year of Augustus compiled out of forty four Books of Trogus Pompeius a Roman Ecclesiastical Writers I have here no room for but am content to have traced thus far the steps of David Chytraeus in his Chronology whose help I have had in the setting down of this Catalogue CHAP. IX Of the most famous and ancient Greek and Latin Poets THE Reader hath here a short account of some of the most eminent of Apollo's old Courtiers as they succeeded one another in the favour of the Muses not but that those bright Ladies have been I was about to say equally propitious to others in after-times nor is it that we have given these only a place here as if our own Land were barren of such Worthies Our famous Spencer if he was not equal to any was superiour to most of them of whom Mr. Brown thus He sung th' Heroick Knights of Fairy Land In lines so elegant and such command That had the Thracian plaid but half so well He had not left Eurydice in Hell But it is fit we allow a due reverence to Antiquity at least be so ingenuous as to acknowledge at whose Torches we have lighted our own The first of these Lights 1. Orpheus was born in Libethris a City of Thrace the most ancient of all Poets he wrote the Expedition of the Argonauts into Colchis in Greek Verse at which he was also present this Work of his is yet extant together with his Hymns and a Book of Stones The Poets make him to be the Prince of the Lyricks of whom Horace in his Book De Arte Poeticâ Sylvestres homines sacer interpresque deorum Caedibus foedo victu deterruit Orpheus Dictus ob hoc lenire Tygres rabidosque leones His Father was Oeagrus his Mother Caliopea and his Master was Linus a Poet and Philosopher Orpheus is said to have flourished Anno Mundi 2737. Vid. Quenstedt Dial. de Patr. vir illustr p. 453. Voss. de Nat. Constit. artis Poet. cap. 13. sect 3. p. 78. Patrit de Instit. reipub l. 2. tâ— 6. p. 83. 2. Homerus the Prince of Poets born at Colophon as Cluverius doubts not to affirm but more Cities besides that strove for the honour according to that in Gellius Septem urbes certant de stirpe illustris Homeri Smyrna Rhodos Colophon Salamis Ios Argos Athenae Many are the Encomiums he hath found amongst learned men as The Captain of Philosophy The first Parent of Antiquity and Learning of all sorts The original of all rich Invention The Fountain of the more abstruse Wisdom and the father of all other Poets à quo cen fonte perenni Vatum Pieriis ora rigantur aquis Of him this is part of Quintilians Charaâ—ter In great things no man excelled him in sublimity nor in small matters in propriety In whom saith Paterculus this is an especial thing that before him there was none whom he could imitate and after him none is found that is able to imitate him He flourished Anno Mund. 3000. Vid. Quenstedt dialog p. 483. Gell. Noct. Attic. lib. 3. cap. 11. p. 104. Quintil. instit orator lib. 10. cap. 1. p. 466. 3. Hesiodus was born at Cuma a City in Aeolia bred up at Ascra a Town in Boeotia a Poet of a most elegant genius memorable for the soft sweetness of his Verse called the son of the Muses by Lipsius the purest Writer and whose labours contain the best Precepts of Vertue saith Heinsuis Some think he was contemporary with Homer others that he lived an hundred years after him I find him said to flourish Anno Mundi 3140. Vid. Quintil. instit orat lib. 10. cap. 1. p. 466. Vell. Pâ—tercul hist. lib. 1. ...... Voss. de Poet. Graec. cap. 2. p. 9. Quenstedt dial p. 478. 4. Alcaeus a famous Lyrick Poet was born in the Isle of Lesbos in the City of Miâ—ylene whence now the whole Isle hath its name what Verses of his are left are set forth by Henricus Stephanus with those of the rest of the Lyricks Quintilian saith of him That he is short and magnificent in his way of speaking diligent and for the most part like Homer he flourished Olymp. 45. Vid. Quenstedt dialog p. 433. Quintil. instit orat lib. 10. cap. 1. p. 468. 5. Sappho an excellent Poetress was born in the Isle of Lesbos and in the City of Eraesus there she was called the ninth Lyrick and the tenth Muse she wrote Epigrams Elegies Iamâ—icks Monodies and nine Books of Lyrick Verses and was the Invetress of that kind of Verse which from her is called the Sapphick she attained to no small applause in her contention first with Stesichorus and then with Alcaeus she is said to flourish about the 46 Olympiad Voss. Instâ—t Poet. lib. 3. cap. 15. p.
This Work cost three hundred millions of Sesterces Certainly if a man consider the abundance of water that is brought thereby and how many places it serveth as well publick as private the Bains Stews and Fish-Pools Kitchens and other Houses of Office for Pipes and little Rivulets to water Gardens as well about the City as in Mannors and Houses of Pleasure in the fields near unto the City besides the mighty way that these waters are brought the number of Arches that must of necessity be built to convey them the Mountains that are pierced and wrought through the Vallies that are raised and made even and level he will confess that there never was any design in the whole World enterprised and effected more admirable than this CHAP. VI. Of the choicest Libraries in the World their Founders and number of Books contained in them AS Treasures both publickly and privately are collected and laid up in the Republick to be made use of when necessity requires and the greater and rarer they are the more precious they are accounted So the Treasures of Learning and of all good Arts and Sciences which are contained in Books as so many silent Teachers are worthily collected by publick and private persons and laid up amongst the choicest goods of the Common-wealth where they may be made use of to all sorts of persons as their studies incline them or as necessity shall require at any time whether in peace or war The most famous Repositories of Books were as followeth 1. Ptolomaeus Philadelphus the Son of Ptolomaeus Lagus reigning in Egypt and also by the concurrent and laborious endeavours of Demetrius Phalareus there was an excellent Library founded in Alexandria the noblest City of all Egypt in the year before Christs birth 280. and of the World 3720. This Library saith Baronius was enriched with more than 200000 Volumes brought out of all places in the World with exquisite care and diligence Amongst these were also the Books of the Old Testament translated by the LXX After which Translation the King also procured so many Greek Chaldee Egyptian Books and Latine ones translated into Greek as also of divers other Notions that at last he had heaped up therein saith Gellius seven hundred thousand Volumes But alas in how short a time did the splendour of so much vertue suffer an Eclipse for in the 183 Olympiad from the building of the City Caesar fighting in Alexandria that fire which burnt up the Enemies Navy took hold also of this burnt the greatest part of the City saith Orosius together with four hundred thousand Books so that from the founding of it to its destruction there were elapsed only 224 years 2. Eumenes the Son of Attalus and Father of that Attalus who was the last King of Pergamus and who dying made the people of Rome â—is Heir was the Founder of that excellent Library at Pergamus in the year from the Creation 3810. wherein were contained above twenty thousand choice Books 3. Queen Cleopatra about the year of the World 3950. and thirty years before the Birth of Christ gathered together such Books as had escaped the fire of Caesar in Alexandria built a place for them in the Temple of Serapis near to the Port and transferred thither 200000 Books from the Attalick or Pergamenian Library 4. M. Varro by the appointment of Iulius Caesar had the peculiar care committed to him of erecting a publick Library but it had come to nothing but for the helping hand of Augustus who succeeded him It was he that erected a famous Repository for Books in the Hill Aventine adorned it with Porticoes and Walks for the greater convenience of Students and enriched it with the spoils of conquered Dalmatia this was a little before the Birth of Christ and in the year of the World 3970. Nor did the bounty of this great Prince rest there but always aspiring to greater things he opened two other little inferiour to that in the Aventine one whereof he called the Octavian from the name of his Sister and the other the Palatine from the Mount or Hill on which it was erected Over the Keepers of which by his Imperial Order was C. Iulius Hyginnius an excellent Grammarian 5. Fl. Vespasianus about the sixth year of his Empire the seventy seventh from the Birth of Christ and of the World 4050. founded a Library in the Forum at Rome and contiguous to the Temple of Peace as if he thereby intended to shew that nothing was so requisite to advance men in Learning as times of peace 6. The Emperour Trajanus in the tenth year of his Reign one hundred and eight years after the Birth of Christ and from the Creation of the World 4092. built a sumptuous Library in the Market-place of Trajan which he called after his own sirname the Vlpian Library Dioclesian afterwards being to edifie some and adorn other Baths translated this Library unto the Viminal Hill which at this day hath the Gate of St. Agnes opening upon it 7. Domitianus the Emperour erected another near to his own house which he had built upon the Capitoline Hill which yet soon after was reduced to ashes in the Reign of Commodus which happened as Eusebius Dion and Baronius witness in the eighth year of Commodus his Empire the 189. year from the Nativity of Christ and from the Creation of the World about the four thousand one hundred sixty and third 8. Gordianus Senior about the two hundred and fortieth year after Christ built a Library which contained sixty and two thousand Books the greater part whereof were left as a Legacy to the Emperour by Geminicus Gammonicus 9. Constantinus the Emperour by the testimony of Baronius erected a sumptuous Library in the Province of Thrace at Byzantium called New Rome which was enriched with an hundred and twenty thousand Volumes he called that City Constantinople in the year from the Birth of Christ 324. but through the discord of his Sons about the year of the World 4321. and from the Birth of Christ 340. to wit of Constantinus Constantius and Constance the Emperours in the deplorable declination of the Empire and much more by fire it lost its fame and name being burnt by the people in hatred of Basilius the Emperour as saith Zonaras and Cedrenus which happened about the year from the Nativity of Christ 476. but being repaired and increased by the accession of three hundred and three Volumes Leo Isaurus in hatred of sacred Images burnt both it and its Keepers who were Counsellors of great renown This happened about the year of Christ 726. as witnesseth Zonaras Cedrenus and others In this Library was as is reported the gut of a Dragon 120 foot long upon which was written Homers Poems Iliads and Odysses in Letters of Gold 10. The Sâ—ptalian Libâ—aâ—y now in the possession of Manfrâ—d Septala a Patâ—ician of Mâ—llâ—ine 1664. contains seven thousand two hundred ninety Volumes amongst which are many
THE WONDERS OF THE Little World Or a General HISTORY of MAN IN Six BOOKS WHEREIN By many thousands of Examples is shewed what MAN hath been FROM THE First Ages of the World to these Times In respect of his Body Senses Passions Affections His Virtues and Perfections his Vices and Defects his Quality Vocation and Profession and many other particulars not reducible to any of the former Heads Collected from the Writings of the most approved Historians Philosophers Physicians Philologists and others By Nath Wanley M. A. and Vicar of Trinity Parish in the City of Coventry Quicquid agunt Homines Votum Timor Ira Voluptas Gaudia Discursus nostri est farrago libelli Juvenal Satyr 1. Conamur tenues grandia Hor. lib. 1. ode 6. LONDON Printed for T. Basset at the George in Fleet-street R. Cheswel at the Rose and Crown in St. Pauls Church-yard I. Wright at the Crown on Ludgate-hill And T. Sawbridge at the three Flowers de Luce in Little Britain 1678. TO THE HONOURABLE Sir Harbottle Grimstone KNIGHT and BARONET MASTER of the ROLLS SIR THose who have done good offices for other men may forget them if they please and by how much the less they insist upon them the greater certainly is their Generosity But he who hath been on the receiving hand or any way assisted by the Goodness of another is bound to preserve the obligations he is under in everlasting remembrance Besides if when opportunity favours him he do not some way express his Gratitude and shew at least his willingness to be thankful he betrays abaseness utterly unworthy of a second Benefactor Sir many years ago it was my happiness to have you my Friend and then I had frequent experience of a Steadiness and Constancy a Humility and Integrity which I have met with but in few of those persons that are of a quality like unto that of yours You were pleased to do for me more than ever you had made me the promise of and much more than a man of my slender merit might reasonably expect from you or any other These things I have many times delightfully considered of and since I am not likely to render you any other compensation or return I was willing to make you this Address wherein I might give some publick testimony how sensibly I find my self affected with the memory of your manifold kindness towards me a great addition to which will be the acceptance of this mean Present which I here lay at your Feet and then cease to give you a further trouble from Coventrey Iune 17 1677. Honourable Sir Your most Obliged Humble Servant NATH WANLEY THE PREFACE TO THE READER THE first thoughts I had about the Entrance upon such a Design as the History of Man were occasioned by some passages I met with in my Lord Verulam's Book of the Advancement of Learning where I found him saying That Touching the matter of Man's Prerogatives it is a Point that may well be set down amongst Deficients He adds I suppose it would much conduce to the Magnanimity and Honour of Man if a Collection were made of the Vltimities as the Schools speak or Summities as Pindar of Humane Nature principally out of the faithful Reports of History that is what is the last and highest pitch to which Man's Nature of it self hath ever reached in all the Perfections both of Body and Mind It is evident goes he on what we mean namely that the Wonders of Humane Nature and Virtues as well of Mind as of Body should be collected into a Volume which might serve as a Calender of Humane Triumphs For a Work of this nature we approve the Purpose and Design of Valerius Maximus and C. Plinius but it could be wished they had used more choice and diligence When I had read thus far I considered what had been done already in this matter by the two forenamed Writers and in the issue was well satisfied that they had not performed so much herein but that there was yet Field-room enough left for any such as had the leisure and inclination to exercise themselves further upon this Subject As for my self I was sufficiently sensible that I lay under too many Discouragements to adventure upon a Work of this nature For whereas it requires variety of Books great Judgment vast Reading and a full Freedom and Leisure to attend upon it In respect of all these I knew my own Poverty and thereupon that I had no reason to intermeddle in an Affair wherein I could expect to meet with little or no success But whereas my first intentions were to make some such little Collections and References in this kind as might some way be serviceable to my self only I know not how by degrees I found I had enlarged far beyond my own purposes and then was perswaded by some such persons as I have reason to esteem that this Collection such as it now is might not be unuseful nor unacceptable to some sorts of Men in case I should make it publick as I have now done I must confess that in the whole of this Book there is little of my own besides the Method and way of its Composure and therefore if some of these Examples which I have set down may seem utterly incredible or at best but improbable let it be remembred that I am not the Inventor but Reciter not the Framer but only the Collector of them wherein too I have usually laid the Child at the Father 's own Door or however have cited those Authors from whence I received the report and the intelligence thereof I impose nothing upon any Man's belief but leave every Reader at his full liberty for the degree of his Faith in these matters And if I have cited more than one or two Writers for this or that Example it is not of mere vanity but for some such reasons as these sometimes I have â—ssisted my self with some Circumstances from one which were not to be met with in the other Author Or it may be it was partly to shew that I am not the only Man who have thought fit to gather up such trifles as some it may be will be ready to call some of these I have here concerned my self with The Marginal Citations are made to the very Pages for the purpose that such as have any of those Editions which I followed may immediately turn to what they desire to peruse And for others whose Editions are different they have at least the Book Chapter and Section for their Guide to further them in their speedy finding of what they look for If any man find fault that the several Heads I treat of are not so orderly placed and disposed as they might have been I shall say it is not unlikely but withal it may be considered that a Book of this Volume is too much to write over often and that the exactness as the matter now is would not answer the labour nor quit the cost To as
many as shall seem displeased that I have so far concerned the Feminine Gender in the History of Man as to fetch many of my Examples from thence my reply is That under the notion of Man both Sexes are comprehended So that a History of Man according to my intention is no other than the History of Mankind not to say that there are divers Perfections and Vertues such as Beauty Modesty Chastity c. whereunto the weaker Sex may pretend so strong a Title that it would seem highly injurious as well as envious and over-partial to conceal those things which so eminently conduce to the honour of it I shall no longer detain my Reader after I have remembred him that the scarcity of Books and want of such Conversation as would have been very necessary for me in a business of this nature is the reason why I have not reached either my own desires or given that satisfaction to those of others which I could have wished All I can pretend to have done is somewhat to have marked out the way for some other of greater Abilities and more Leisure to restore and polish this part of Learning which is so worthy of any Man's pains and wherein when it is well performed there will be found such a considerable measure both of pleasure and profit THE CONTENTS The FIRST BOOK CHap. 1. Of such Infants as have been heard to cry while they were in the Womb of their Mothers Pag. 1 Chap. 2. Of such as have carried their dead Children in their Wombs for some Years 2 Chap. 3. Of such Women whose Children have been petrified and turned to Stone in their Wombs and the like found in dead Bodies or some parts of them 3 Chap. 4. Of such Persons as have made their Entrance into the World in a different manner from the rest of Mankind 4 Chap. 5. Of what Monsters some Women have been delivered and of Preternatural Births 5 Chap. 6. Of the Birth-day and what hath befallen some Men thereon Also of such other days as were observed fortunate or otherwise to several Persons 8 Chap. 7 Of the Signatures and Natural Marks upon the Bodies of some Men. 9 Chap. 8. Of the strange Constitution and marvellous Properties of some Humane Bodies 10 Chap. 9. Of Natural Antipathies in some Men to Flowers Fruits Flesh Physick and divers other things 11 Chap. 10. Of the marvellous Recompence of Nature in some Persons 14 Chap. 11. Of the Head and Skull and the unusual Structure of them in some Men. 16 Chap. 12. Of the Hair of the Head how worn and other Particularities about it 18 Chap. 13. Of the Beard and how worn by some Persons and Nations 19 Chap. 14. Of the Teeth with their different Number and Scituation in some 20 Chap. 15. Of the Tongue Voice and manner of Speech in several Persons 21 Chap 16. Of the Eye its shape and the strange liveliness and vigor of it in some 23 Chap. 17. Of the Face and Visage and admirable Beauty placed therein both in Men and Women 24 Chap. 18. Of the Majesty and Gravity in the Countenance and Behaviour of some Persons 26 Chap. 19. Of the signal Deformity and very mean Personage of some great Persons and others 29 Chap. 20. Of the great Resemblance and Likeness of some Men in Face Features c. to others 30 Chap. 21. Of the Heart and in what manner it hath been found in some Bodies 32 Chap. 22. Of Gyants and such as have exceeded the common proportion in Stature and Height 34 Chap. 23. Of Pigmeys and Dwarfs and Men much below the common height 36 Chap. 24. Of the mighty Force and Strength of some Persons 37 Chap. 25. Of the marvellous Fruitâ—ulness of some and what number of their Descendants they have lived to see Also of Superfaetation 40 Chap. 26. Of the strange Agility and Nimbleness of some and their wonderfâ—l Feats 42 Chap. 27. Of the extraordinary Swiftness and Footmanship of some Men. 44 Chap. 28. Of Men of Expedition in their Iourneys and quick dispatch in other Affairs 45 Chap. 29. Of the Fatness and Unwieldiness of some Men and the lightness of the Bodies of others 46 Chap. 30. Of the Longaevity and length of Life in some Persons 47 Chap. 31. Of the memorable Old Age of some and such as have not found such sensible Decays therein as others 49 Chap. 32. Of some such Persons as have renewed their Age and grown young again 51 Chap. 33. Of such Persons as have changed their Sex 52 Chap. 34. Of the strange rigor in Punishments used by several Persons and Nations 54 Chap. 35. Of the unusual Diseases wherewith some have been seized and when and where some of them began 56 Chap. 36. Of the different and unusual ways some Men have come to their Deaths 59 Chap. 37. Of the dead Bodies of some great Persons which not without difficulty found their Graves And of others not permitted to rest there 62 Chap. 38. Of entombed Bodies how found at the opening of their Monuments And of the parcel Resurrection near Gran Cairo 64 Chap. 39. Of such Persons as have returned to Life after they have been believed to be dead 86 Chap. 40. Of such who after Death have concerned themselves with the Affairs of their Friends 88 Chap. 41. Of the strange ways by which Murthers have been discovered 89 The SECOND BOOK CHap. 1. Of the Imagination or Phantasie and the force of it in some Persons when depraved by Melancholy or otherwise 94 Chap. 2. Of the Comprehensiveness and Fidelity of the Memories of some Men. 96 Chap. 3. Of the Sight and the vigor of that Sense in some and how depraved in others 99 Chap. 4. Of the Sense in hearing and the quickness and dulness of it in divers Men. 100 Chap. 5. Of the Sense of Feeling the delicacy of it in some and its Abolition in others Also what Vertue hath been found in the Touch of some Persons 101 Chap. 6. Of the Sense of Tasting how exquisite in some and utterly lost in others 103 Chap. 7. Of the Sense of Smelling the Curiosity of it in some and how hurt or lost in others 104 Chap. 8. Of the Passion of Love and the effects of it in divers Persons 105 Chap. 9. Of the extreme Hatred of some Persons towards others 107 Chap. 10. Of Fear and the strange effects of it Also of Panick Fears 108 Chap. 11. Of the Passion of Anger and the strange effects of it in some Men. 110 Chap. 12. Of such as have been seised with an extraordinary joy and what hath followed thereupon 113 Chap. 13. Of the Passion of Grief and how it hath acted upon some men 115 Chap. 14. Of Desire and what have been the wishes of some men for themselves or upon their enemies 116 Chap. 15. Of Hope how great some men have entertained and how some have been disappointed in theirs 118 Chap. 16. Of the Scoffing and Scornful disposition of some men and
and some mens Expensiveness therein together with the woful and dreadful Consequences of it 397 Chap. 20. Of the oversights of some Persons of great Abilities and their Imprudence in their Speeches or affairs 398 Chap. 21. Of the Dangerous and Destructive Curiosity of some men 400 Chap. 22. Of the Ignorance of the Ancients and others 401 Chap. 23. Of the Slothfulness and Idleness of some men 403 Chap. 24. Of the blockish Dulness and Stupidity of some Persons 404 Chap. 25. Of the Treacherous and Infirm Memories of some men and what injuries have been done thereunto through Age Diseases or other Accidents 406 Chap. 26. Of the Absurd and strange Follies of divers men 407 Chap. 27. Of such as have been at vast expences about unprofitable attempts and wherefrom they have been enforced to desist or whereof they have had small or no benefit 409 Chap. 28. Of false Accusers and how the Accused have been acquitted 410. Chap. 29. Of Perjured Persons and how they have been punished 412 Chap. 30. Of the Inconstancy of some men in their nature and disposition 414 Chap. 31. Of the Covetous and Greedy Disposition of some men 416 Chap. 32. Of the Tributes and Taxes some Princes have Imposed upon their Subjects 418 Chap. 33. Of Cheats and the extraordinary boldness of some in their Thefts 420 Chap. 34. Of Persons of base Birth who assumed the names of illustrious persons 424 Chap. 35. Of the huge Ambition of some men and their Thirst after Soveraignty 425 Chap. 36. Of the great desire of glory in some Noble and other Ignoble Persons 429 Chap. 37. Of the intollerable Pride and haughtiness of some Persons 426 Chap. 38. Of the Insolence of some men in Prosperity and their abject Baseness in Adversity 431 Chap. 39. Of the vain-glorious Boasting of some men 433 Chap. 40. Of the unadvised Rashness and Temerity of some Persons 443 Chap. 41. Of such Persons as were discontented in their happiest Fortunes 434 Chap. 42. Of Litigious Persons and bloody Quarrels upon slight occasions 436 Chap. 43. Of such as have been too fearful of Death and over desirous of Life 437 Chap. 44. Of the gross Flatteries of some men 404 Chap. 45. Of such as have been found guilty of that which they have reprehended or disliked in others 441 Chap. 46. Of such Persons as could not endure to be told of their Faults 442 Chap. 47. Of the base Ingratitude of some unworthy Persons 444 Chap. 48. Of the Perfidiousness and Treachery of some men and their Iust Rewards 447 Chap. 49. Of Voluptuous and Effeminate Persons 451 Chap. 50. Of the Libidinous and unchaste Life of some Persons and what Tragedies have been occasioned by Adulteries 452 Chap. 51. Of the Incestuous Loves and Marriages of some men 453 Chap. 52. Of such as have been warned of their approaching Death who yet were not able to avoid it 455 Chap. 53. Of such as have unwittingly or unwarily procured and hastned their own Death and Downfal 458 Chap. 54. Men of unusual Misfortunes in their Affairs Persons or Families 459 Chap. 55. Of the Loquacity of some men their inability to retain intrusted Secrets and the Punishment thereof 461 The FIFTH BOOK CHap. 1. The Succession of the Roman and Western Emperors 463 Chap. 2. Of the Eastern Greek and Turkish Emperors 469 Chap. 3. Of the Bishops and Popes in Rome and their Succession 493 Chap. 4. Of such men as have been the Framers and Composers of Bodies of Laws for divers Nations and Countries 482 Chap. 5. Of Embassadors what their Negotiations and after what manner they have behaved themselves therein 484 Chap. 6. Of such as were eminent Seamen or Discoverers of Lands or Passages by Sea formerly unknown 486 Chap. 7. Of the Eloquence of some men and the wonderful power of perswasion that hath been in their Speeches and Orations 488 Chap. 8. Of the most Famous Greek and Latin Historians 489 Chap. 9. Of the most Famous and Ancient Greek and Latine Poets 492 Chap. 10. Of Musick the strange efficacy of it and the most famous Musicians 496 Chap. 11. Of such as by sight of the Faâ—e could judge of the Inclinations Manners and Fortunes of the Person 497 Chap. 12. Of the Painters in former Times and the Principal Pieces of the best Artists 491 Chap. 13. Of the most eminent Artists for making of Statues and Images in Clay Marble Ivory Brass c. 493 Chap. 14. Of the most applauded Acters upon Theaters and the Name Riches and Favour of Great Persons they have thereby attained unto 494 Chap. 15. Of men notably practised in Swimming and how long some have continued under water 504 Chap. 16. Of the most famous Philosophers Academicks Stoicks Cynicks Epicureans and others 505 Chap. 17. Of the most Famous Printers in several Places 510 Chap. 18. Of such men as were of unusual Dexterity in shooting with the Bow or otherwise 510 Chap. 19. Of the Hereticks of former Ages and the Heresies maintained by them 511 Chap. 20. Of the most Famous Magicians Witches and Wizards and their mutual Contests their Diabolical Illusions and Miserable Ends. 515 Chap. 21. Of the Primitive Fathers and Doctors of the Church 518 The SIXTH BOOK CHap. 1. Of Dreams and what have been revealed to some Persons therein 545 Chap. 2. Of such Presages as have been to divers Persons and Places of their good and evil Fortune also of Presages by men to themselves or others by casual Words or Actions 549 Chap. 3. Of the Famous Predictions of some men and how the Event has been conformable thereunto 554 Chap. 4. Of several Illustrious Persons abused and deceived by Predictions of Astrologers and the equivocal Responses of Oraracles 558 Chap. 5. Of the Magnificent Buildings sumptuous and admirable Works of the Ancients and those of later Times 561 Chap. 6. Of the Libraries in the World their Founders and Number of Books contained in them 564 Chap. 7. Of such Persons who being of mean and low Birth have yet attained to great Dignity and considerable Fortunes 566 Chap. 8. Of Wonderful and sudden Changes in the Fortunes and Conditions of many Illustrious Persons 569 Chap. 9. Of such as have left Places of highest Honour and Employment for a private and retired condition 575 Chap. 10. Of Persons advanced to Honour through their own Subtlety some Accident or for some slight occasion 577 Chaap 11. Of sundry Customs that were in use and force with different Nations and People 580 Chap. 12. Of the several things that the several Persons and Nations have set apart and worshipped as their Gods 584 Chap. 13. Of the manner of Food which hath been or is yet in use amongst divers Nations and People or Persons addicted to some Idolatrous Sect. 588 Chap. 14. Of some Persons that have abstained from all manner of Food for many years together 589 Chap. 15. Of such as refused all Drink or to tast of any liquid thing or else found no need thereof 591 Chap. 16. Of
such men as used to walk and perform other strange things in their sleep 592 Chap. 17. Of the long sleeps of some and of others that have been able to subsist for Months and Years without it or were difficultly brought to it 594 Chap. 18. Of such as have fallen into Trances and Ecstasies and their manner of Behaviour therein 595 Chap. 19. Of extraordinary things in the Bodies Fortunes Death of divers persons c. 598 Chap. 20. Of matters of Importance and high Designs either promoted or made to miscarry by small matters or strange accidents 600 Chap. 21. Of such as have framed themselves to an Imitation of their Superiours or others with the force of Example in divers things 601 Chap. 22. Of the Authority of some persons amongst their Soldiers and Countreymen and Seditions appeased by them divers ways 603 Chap. 23. Of such Princes and Persons as have been fortunate in the finding of hid Treasures and others that were deluded in the like expectation 604 Chap. 24. Of the Election and Inauguration of Princes in several places and Nations 605 Chap. 25. Of the Games and Plays of sundry Nations by whom they were instituted and when 607 Chap. 26. Of such Persons as have made their Appeals to God in case of Injury and Injustice from man and what hath followed thereupon 608 Chap. 27. Of the apparition of Demons and Spectres and with what courage some have endured the sight of them 611 Chep 28. Of the Imprecations of some men upon themselves or others and how they have accordingly come upon them 614 Chap. 29. Of the Error and Mistakes of some men and what hath fallen out thereupon 615 Chap. 30. Of Retaliation and of such as have suffered by their own devices 620 Chap. 31. Of such persons as have been extremely beloved by several Creatures as Beasts Birds Fishes Serpents c. 622 Chap. 32. Of the extraordinary honours done to some great persons in their life-time or at their death 624 Chap. 33. Of the strange and different ways whereby some persons have been saved from death 626 Chap. 34. Of such persons as have taken Poyson and quantities of other dangerous things without damage thereby 629 Chap. 35. Of such as have been happily cured of divers very dangerous Diseases and Wounds c. 630 Chap. 36. Of Stratagems in War for the amusing and defeating of the Enemy and taking of Cities c. 633 Chap. 37. Of the secret ways of Dispatch and the delivery of Messages by Letters Cyphers and other ways 637 Chap. 38. Of the sad Condition and deplorable Distresses of some men by Sea and Land 638 Chap. 39. Of Conscience the Force and Aesfects of it in some men 643 Chap. 40. Of Banishment and the sorts and manner of it amongst the Ancients c. 645 Chap. 41. Of the wise Speeches Sayings and Replies of several Persons 646 Chap. 52. Of such persons as were the first Leaders in divers things 647 Chap. 43. Of the witty Speeches or Replies suddenly made by some persons 659 Chap. 44. Of Recreations some men have delighted in or addicted themselves unto at leisure hours or that they have been immoderate in the use of 651 Chap. 45. Of such People and Nations as have been scourged and afflicted by small and contemptible things or by Beasts Birds Insects and the like 652 Imprimatur June 25. 1677. Guil. Jane R. P. D. Hen. Episc. Lond. a Sacris Dom. THE WONDERS Of the little WORLD Or a General and Complete HISTORY of MAN BOOK I. CHAP. I. Of such Infants as have been heard to cry while they were in the Womb of their Mothers THat which Mr. Beaumont wrote in his Elegy upon the Lady Rutland may very well be pronounc'd upon every of the Sons and Daughters of Men. But thou had'st e're thou cam'st to use of tears Sorrow laid up against thou cam'st to years So true is that of the sacred Oracle Man is born to trouble It seems trouble is his proper Inheritance and that as soon as he enters into Life he is of Age sufficient to enter upon the troubles of it also Yet as if this were somewhat with the latest there are some who seem even to anticipate their birth-right and as if the World was not wide enough to afford them their full measure of sorrow they begin their lamentations in the Womb. Or whether it is that provident Nature would have them to practise there in the dark what they shall afterwards seldome want occasion for so long as they enjoy the light The Histories of such little Prisoners as have been heard to cry in their close Apartments take as followeth 1. A poor Woman in Holland being great with child and near unto the time of her delivery the child in her Womb for the space of fifteen days before that of her Travail was heard almost continually to cry and lament many worthy persons went daily to hear so great a novelty and have testified upon their own knowledge the unquestionable verity of it 2. When I was of late at Argentina with my Brother saith Leonardus Doldius it was credibly reported that the Wife of a Taylor in that Neighbour-hood together with divers others did hear the child cry in her Womb some days before the time of her Travail He adds to this the History of another in Rotenburgh 3. In our Town saith he Anno 1596. November 12. which was the forty second day before the Birth the Parents heard the cry of their Daughter in the Womb once and the day following twice the Mother died in Travail the Daughter is yet alive 4. Anno 1632. In the Town of Wittenberg on the Calends of March there was a Woman who had been big with child more then eleven Months This Woman together with her Husband have sometimes heard the child cry before she was deliver'd of it which she was afterwards very happily 5. I my self together with the Learned Salmasius will be witnesses of such like cryings in the Womb I liv'd 1640. in Belgia when it was commonly affirmed of a Woman near Vessalia who then had gone three years entire big with a child that that child of hers was heard so to cry by many persons worthy of credit 6. A noble Person at Leyden used to tell of her Brother's Wife that lying in Bed with her Husband near her time she heard the child cry in her Womb amaz'd with which she awakened her Husband who put his head within the cloaths and listening did also hear the same the Woman was so affrighted that few days after she fell in Travail 7. Anno 1648. Thâ—re was a Woman the Wife of a Seaman near to the Church of Holmiana who had been big for eight Months she was of a good habit of body and not old this Woman upon the Eve of Christmas-day upon the Calends of the year following and in Epiphany all those several times heard the child that was in her Womb who
witness therefore of the truth of this matter I shall cite the testimonies of Religious persons and such as are worthy of credit who by their Letters under their seals have confirmed the truth of that which we have now related I have thought fit to transcribe the Original it self which in our own Tongue is preserved by the foresaid Wormius We whose Names are here under written Ericus Westergard Rotalph Rakestad and Thor Venes coadjutors of the Pastor in the Parish of Niaess do certifie to all men That Anno 1639. upon the 20 th day of May by the command of the Lord President in Remerige the Lord Paulus Tranius Pastor in Niaess we went to receive an account of the monstrous birth in Sundby brought forth by an honest Woman Anna the Daughter of Amundus the Wife of Gudbrandas Erlandsonius who already had been the Mother of eleven Children the last of which she was delivered of upon March the 4 th 1638. This Anna in the year 1639. upon the 7 th of April began to grow ill and being in great pains in her belly she caused her Neighbours to be call'd in to her assistance the same day about the Evening in the presence of her Neighbours she brought forth an Egg in all respects like to that of an Hen which being broken by the Women then present Anna Grim Elen Rudstad Gyro Rudstad and Catharina Sundby they found that in the yolk and white it answer'd directly to a common Egg. Upon the eighteenth day of April about Noon in the presence of the same persons she was deliver'd of another Egg which in figure was nothing different from the former The Mother reported this to us the Women that assisted at her delivery confirmed the truth of it as also that the pains of this birth had been more sharp to her than all the rest of her former That this was the confession as well of the Mother as of them that were present we do attest by our Seals in the presence of the Lord President in the Parish of Niaess the day and year above said The great Wormius looks upon this as a diabolical work since by the artifice of the Devil many other things are convey'd into and formed in the bodies of Men and Women 8. Anne Tromperin the Wife of a certain Porter in our Hospital being about thirty years of Age was delivered of a Boy and two Serpents upon St. Iohn's day Anno 1576. She told me upon her faith that in the Summer before in an extreme hot day she had drunk of a Spring in the Grove call'd Brudetholk a place within a quarter of a mile from Basil where she suspected that she had drank of the sperm of Serpents she afterwards grew so big that she was fain to carry her belly in a swathing band the child was so lean as that he was scarce any thing but bones the Serpents were each of them an ell in length and thick as the Arm of an Infant both which alive as they were were buried by the Midwife in the Church-yard of St. Elizabeth This History is from the Relation of Caspar Bauhinus in his Appendix to the book of Franc. Rossetus de partu Caesareo 9. The Concubine of Pope Nicholas the third was deliver'd of a Monster which resembled a Bear Martin the fourth in the first year of his Popedom entertain'd this Lady and fearing lest she should bring forth other Bear-whelps he caused all the Bears which were painted or carv'd in the Pope's Palace whilst the Lords of the Family of the Vrsini bore sway in Rome to be blotted out and remov'd For this Pope was not ignorant how the shapes and pictures which are conceiv'd in a Womans imagination at the time of her conception do remain imprinted for the most part in the body of that which is conceived 10. Margaret Daughter to the Emperour Maximilian the first told the Ambassadour of Ferdinand King of Hungary that at Tsertoghenbosch a City in Brabant in a procession upon a solemn Festival some of the Citizens went disguised according to the custom of the place some in the habit of Angels and others in the shape of Devils as they are painted one of these Devils having play'd his gambols a great while ran home to his House in his Devils attire took his Wife threw her upon a bed saying that he would get a young Devil upon her He was not much deceiv'd for of that copulation there was born a child such as the wicked Spirit is painted which at his coming into the World began to run and skip up and down all over the Chamber 11. Anno Dom. 1578. upon the 17. day of Ianuary at eight a clock in the afternoon there was at the little Town of Quiero amongst the Subalpines an honest Matron who was then deliver'd of a child which had upon its head five horns opposite each to other and like unto those of a Ram. Also from the upper part of his forehead there hung backward a very long piece of flesh that cover'd most part of his back in form like a Woman's head-tire about his neck there was a double row of flesh like the Collar of an Horse at the ends of his finger were claws like to those Tallons we see in Birds of prey his knees were in the hinder part of the Leg. His right Leg and Foot were of a shining red colour the rest of his body all swarthy He is said to come into the World with a great cry which so frighted the Midwife and the rest of the Women then present that they ran immediately out of the house When the Prince of the Subalpines was inform'd of this Monster he commanded it should be brought to him which accordingly was done and 't is strange to think what various judgements were then pass'd upon it by the Courtiers 12. Lesina is the biggest Isle in all the Adriatick Sea the Governour of which was a Venetian who inviting me to dine with him told at his Table the story of a marvellous mishapen monster born in the Island asking if I would go thither to see it proffering me the honour of his company we went and the unnatural child being brought out to us I was amaz'd to behold the deformity of Nature for below the middle part there was but one body and above the middle there were two living souls each one separated from each other with several members their heads being both of one bigness but different in Phyâ—iognomy the belly of the one joyn'd with the posteriour part of the other and their faces looked both one way as if the one had carried the other on his back and often in our presence he that was behind would lay his hands about the neck of the foremost Their eyes were exceeding big and their hands greater then an Infant of three times their Age the excrements of both creatures issued forth at one place and their Thighs and Legs
the one was born in Asia and the other beyond the Alps But when Antonius came after to the knowledge thereof and that the fraud was bewray'd by the Language of the Boys he sell into a furious sit of choler rating Toranius that he had made him pay two hundred Sesterces as for Twins and they were none such The wily Merchant answer'd that it was the cause why he held and sold them at so dear a rate For said he it is no marvel if two brethren Twins who lay in the same Womb resemble one another but that there should be any sound born as these were in divers Countries so like in all respects as they he held it as a most rare and wonderful thing Antonius at this was appeased and well contented with his Bargain 10. Anno 1598. There were with us at Basil two Twin-brothers who were born at one Birth in the seventh Month 1538. they were so like to one another in the features of the Body that I have often spoke to the one instead of the other though both were very well known to me and that they had been frequently conversant with me Nay they were so like in their natural inclinations that as they often have told me what the one thought has secretly come into the mind of the other at the same time if the one was sick the other was not well as it fell out when one was absent and sick in Campania the other at the same time was sick at Basil. 11. Martinus Guerre and Arnoldus Tillius in features and lineaments of the Face were so exceedingly alike that when Martinus was gone abroad to the Wars Tillius by the near resemblance of his form betray'd the chastity of Martinus his Wife and not only so but impos'd upon four of his Sisters and divers others both Neighbours and Kindred who were not able to discover the difference betwixt them and which is the strangest of all he liv'd with this Woman as her Husband for some years together the companion both of her board and bed 12. Sporus the freed-man of Nero the Emperour was very like unto Sabina a most beautiful Lady beloved also by the same Emperour he so resembled her in all lineaments that Nero caused him to be cut that so instead of Sabina he might filthily use him as his beloved Lady 13. Medardus and Gerardus were Twin-brothers and French men they were not only born one and the same day but also both of them in one day preferred to Episcopal Dignity the one to the See of Rhotomage and the other to that of Noviodunum and lest any thing should be wanting to this admirable parity they also both deceased in one and the same day So that the Philosophers Hypoclides and Polystratus are no way to be preferred before these remarkable Twins one of these Twins instead of Gerhardus is call'd Chiladius by Kornmannus 14. Lucius Otho the Father of Otho the Emperour one of very Noble Blood by the Mothers side and of many great Relations was so dear unto and not so unlike unto Tiberius the Emperour that most men did verily believe he was begotten by him 15. Even in our days we have heard of two young Children which were Brothers at Riez an Episcopal City of Provence in France who being perâ—ectly like one another if one of them was sick the other was so too if one began to have pain in the Head the other would presently feel it if one of them was asleep or sad the other could not hold up his Head or be merry and so in other things as I have been assured by Mr. Poitevin a very honest man and a Native of that City 16. At Mechlin there were two Twin-brothers the Sons of Petrus Apostolius a Prâ—dent Senator of that place and at whose House Vives had friendly entertainment the Boys were both lovely to look upon and so like that not only strangers but the Mother her self often erred in the distinction of them whilst she liv'd and the Father as often by a pleasing errour calling Peter for Iohn and Iohn for Peter 17. Babyrtus a Messenian was a man of the meanest degree and of a lewd and silthy life but was so like unto Dorymachus both in the countenance all the lineaments of the Body and the very voice it self that if any had taken the Diadem and Robe of State and put it upon him it would not have been easie to discover which was which whence it came to pass that when Dorymachus after many injuries to the Messenians had also added threats to the rest of his insolence Sciron one of the Ephori there a bold man and lover of his Country said openly to him Dost thou Babyrtus suppose that we matter either thee or thy threats at which he was so nettled that he rested not till he had rais'd a War against the Messenians 18. That in the two Gordiani is a most memorable thing that the Elder of them was so very like unto Augustus that he not only resembled him in the Face but also in Speech behaviour and stature The Son of this man was exceeding like unto Pompey the Great and the third of the Gordiani begotten by him immediately before mention'd had as near a resemblance to Scipio Asiaticus the Brother of Scipio Affricanus the Elder so that in one Family there were the lively pourtraiture of three illustrious persons dead long before 19. I have seen saith Fulgosus amongst the Soldiers of Franciscus Sfortia the Duke of Millain a young man who did so resemble that countenance of his then which nothing was more amiable to look upon nor more worthy of a Prince that by the general consent of the whole Court he was call'd the Prince Franciscus himself as he was most courteous in all things not without pleasure did sometimes contemplate his own Image in him as in a Glass and in most things beheld and acknowledged his own gestures and voice 20. Io. Oporinus the Printer at Basil was so like unto Henry the Eighth King of England in the Face but especially to Albertus the Marquess of Brandenburgh that they might well seem to be natural Brothers there was also this further similitude betwixt them that as one fill'd all Germany with Wars so the other replensh'd all the Christian World with Books 21. Sigismundus Malatesta Prince of Ariminum was so very like in all the features of his Face to Marchesinus the Mimick that when he went to Millain this Marchesinus was sent away elsewhere by Franciscus Sfortia Duke of Millain and Father-in-law to Sigismundus as being ashamed of him for Marchesinus in his prattle by reason of this resemblance used to call Sigismond his Son 22. A certain young Man came to Rome in the shape of his body so like unto Augustus that he set all the people at gaze upon that sight Augustus hearing of it sent for the young man who being come into
and was buried in the Abbey Church there 21. Titus Fullonius of Bononia in the Censorship of Claudius the Emperour the years being exactly reckoned on purpose to prevent all fraud was found to have liv'd above one hundred and fifty years And L. Tertulla of Arminium in the Censorship of Vespasian was found to have liv'd one hundred thirty seven years 22 Franciscus Alvarez saith that he saw Albuna Marc. chief Bishop of Aethiopia being then of the age of one hundred and fifty years 23. There came a man of Bengala to the Portugals in the East Indies who was three hundred thirty five years old the aged men of the Country testified that they had heard their Ancestors speak of his great age Though he was not Book learn'd yet was he a speaking Chronicle of the forepassed times his teeth had sometimes fallen out yet others came up in their rooms For this his miraculous age the Sultan of Cambaia had allowed him a pension to live on which whas continued by the Portugal Governour there when they had dispossessed the Sultan aforesaid 24. Iohannes de temporibus or Iohn of times so called because of the sundry ages he lived in he was Armour-bearer to the Emperour Charles the Great by whom he was also made Knight Being a man of great temperance sobriety and contentment of mind in his condition of life residing partly in Germany where he was born and partly in France liv'd unto the ninth year of the Emperour Conrade and died at the age of three hundred and threescore and one year anno 1128 1146 saith Fulgosus and may well be reckoned as a miracle of nature 25. That which is written by Monsieur Besanneera a French Gentleman in the relation of Captain Laudonneireis second voyage to Florida is very strange and not unworthy to be set down at large Our men saith he regarding the age of their Paracoussy or Lord of the Country began to question with him thereabout whereunto he made answer that he was the first living original from whence five Generations were descended shewing them withal another old man which far exceeded him in age and this man was his Father who seemed rather an Anatomy than a living body for his Sinews his Veins and Arteries his Bones and other parts appeared so clearly through his skin that a man might easily tell them and discern them one from another Also his age was so great that the good man had lost his sight and could not speak one only word without exceeding great pain Monsieur d' Ottigny having seen so strange a sight turn'd to the younger of these two old men praying him to vouchsafe to answer to that which he demanded touching his age then called he a company of Indians and striking twice upon his thigh and laying his hands upon two of them he shewed by signs that these two were his Sons again striking upon their thighs he shewed him others not so old which were the children of the two first and thus continued he in the same manner to the fifth Generation But though this old man had his Father alive more old than himself and that both their hairs was as white as was possible yet it was told them that they might yet live thirty or forty years more by the course of nature though the younger of them both was not less than two hundred and fifty years old 26. Guido Bonatus an Astronomer and a man of great Learning saith he saw a man whose name was Richard in the year 1223 who told him that he was a Soldier under Charlemain and had now lived to the four hundreth year of his age 27. That is a rarity which is recited by Thuanus that Emanuel Demetrius a man of obscure birth and breeding liv'd one hundred and three years his wife was aged ninety and nine she had been married to him seventy five years the one superviv'd the other but three hours and were both buried together at Delph 103. 28. In the Kingdom of Casubi the men are of good stature something tawny the people in these parts live long sometimes above an hundred and fifty years and they who retire behind the Mountains live yet longer CHAP. XXXI Of the memorable old age of some and such as have not found such sensible decays therein as others THe Philosopher Cleanthes being one time reproach'd with his old age I would fain be gone said he but when I consider that I am every way in health and well disposed either for reading or writing then again I am contented to stay This man was so free from the common infirmities of Age that he had nothing whereof to accuse his the like vegeteness and sufficiency both in body and mind as to all sorts of Affairs by a rare indulgence of Nature is sometimes granted to extremity of Age. 1. Sir Walter Raleigh in his discovery of Guiana reports that the King of Aromaia being an hundred and ten years old came in a morning on foot to him from his House which was fourteen English miles and returned on foot the same day 2. Buchanan in his Scottish History towards the latter end of his first Book speaking of the Orcades names one Lawrence who dwelling in one of those Islands marry'd a Wife after he was one hundred years of age and more and that when he was sevenscore years old he doubted not to go a fishing alone in his little Boat though in a rough and Tempestuous Sea 3. Sigismundus Polcastrus a Physician and Philosopher at Padua read there fifty years in his old age he bury'd four Sons in a short time at seventy years age he marry'd again and by this second Wife had three Sons the Eldest of which called Antonius he saw dignifi'd with a Degree in both Laws Ierome another of his Sons had his Cap set on his Head by the hand of his aged Father who trembled and wept for joy not long after which the old man dy'd aged ninety four years 4. To speak nothing faith Platerus but what is yet fresh in memory and whereof there are many witnesses My father Thomas Platerus upon the death of my mother his first wife Anno 1572. and the 73d year of his age marrying a second time within the compass of ten years he had six children by her two sons and four daughters the youngest of the daughters was born in the 81st year of his age two years before he died who if he was now alive in this year 1614 would be aged 115 years and would have a Grand-daughter of one year old by Thomas his son And which is memorable betwixt two of his sons I Foelix was born Anno 1536. and Thomas 1574. the distance betwixt us being thirty eight years and yet this brother of mine to whom I might have been Grandfather is all gray and seems elder than my self possibly because he was gotten when my father was stricken in years 5. M. Valerius
Corvinus attained to the fulfilling of an hundred years betwixt whose first and sixth Consulship there was the distance of forty seven years yet was he sufficient in respect of the entireness of his bodily strength not only for the most important matters of the Commonwealth but also for the exactest culture of his fields a memorable example both of a Citizen and Master of a Family 6. Metellus equall'd the length of his life and in extream age was created Pontiffe for twenty two years he had the ordering of the Ceremonies in all which time his tongue never faultred in solemn prayers nor did his hand tremble in the offering of the sacrifices 7. Nicholaus Leonicenus famous in the Age he lived and an Illustrator of Dioscorides He was in the ninety sixth year of his age when Langius heard him at Ferrara where he had taught more than seventy years He used to say that he enjoyed a green and vegete age because he had delivered up his youth chaste unto his man's estate 8. Massanissa was the King of Numidia for sixty years together and excell'd all other men in respect of the strength of an admirable old age appears by the relation of Cicero that for no rain or cold he could be iuduc'd to cover his head they say of him that for some hours together he would continue standing in one and the same place not moving a foot till he had tired young men who endeavour'd to do the like when he was to transact any affair sitting he would in his Throne persist oftentimes the whole day without turning his body on this or the otherside for a more easeful posture when he was on Horseback he would lead his Army for the most part both a complete day and the whole night also nor would he in extreme age remit any thing of that which he had accustomed to do when he was young He was also ever so able in the matter of Venus that after the eighty sixth year of his age he begat a Son whose name was Methymnatus and whereas his Land was waste and desart he left it fruitful by his continual endeavours in the cultivation of it he liv'd till he was above ninety years of age 9. Appius Claudius Caecus was blind for the space of very many years yet notwithstanding he was burden'd with this mischance he govern'd four Sons five Daughters very many dependants upon him yea and the Common-wealth it self with abundance of Prudence and Magnanimity The same person having liv'd so long that he was even tired with living caus'd himself to be carry'd in his Sedan to the Senate for no other purpose than to perswade them from making a dishonourable peace with King Pyrrhus 10. Gorgias Leontinus the Master of Isocrates and divers other excellent persons was in his own opinion a very fortunate man For when he was in the hundred and seventh year of his age being ask'd why he would tarry so long in this life Because saith he I have nothing whereof I can accuse my old age being entred upon another age he neither found cause of complaint in this nor left any in that which he had pass'd 11. Xenophilus the Pythagorean Philosopher was two years younger than the former but not a whit inferiour in respect of his good fortune for as Aristoxenus the Musician saith he dy'd free of all those incommodities that attended upon humane Life he enjoy'd a very perfect health and left the world when he was in the highest splendor and reputation for a person of the most perfect and exact Learning 12. Lemnius tells of one at Stockholm in Sweden in the Reign of Gustavus Father of Ericus who at the age of one hundred marry'd a Wife of thirty years and begat Children of her and saith moreover that this man as there are many others in that Country was of so fresh and green old age that he scarce seem'd to have reach'd more than â—ifty years 13. Isocrates in the ninety fourth year of his age put forth that Book of his which he intitles Panathenaâ—tus he liv'd fifteen years after it and in that extreme age of his he was sufficient for any work he undertook both in Strength and Judgement and Memory 14. Agesilaus King of Sparta though he had attained to a very great age yet was often seen to walk without Shooes on his Feet or Coat on his Back in Frost and Snow and this for no other cause than that being now an old man he might give those that were young an example of patience and tolerance 15. Asclepiades the Prusian gave it out publickly that no man should esteem of him as a Physician if ever he should be sick of any Disease whatsoever and indeed he credited his Art for having liv'd to old age without alteration in his health he at last fell headlong down a pair of Stairs and dy'd of the fall 16. Mithridates King of Pontus who for forty years managed a War against the Romans enjoy'd a prosperous health and to the last of his life us'd to ride to throw Javelins and on Horses dispos'd at several Stages rode one thousand furlongs in one day and also could drive a Chariot that was drawn with sixteen Horses CHAP. XXXII Of some such Persons as have renew'd their Age and grown young again IT is the fiction of the Poets that Medaea was a Witch that she boyled men in a Cauldron with I know not what powerful ingredients till such time as she had restored the Aged unto Youth again The truth was that being a Prudent Woman by continued Exercise and hard Labours in hot places she restored tâ—ose to health who were soft and effeminate and had corrupted their bodies by idleness and sloth Much may be done this way to preserve the body in its useful vigor and firmness and to prevent those Dilapidations and mines which an unactive life usually brings upon a man but what is this to the following wonderful relation 1. Concerning Machel Vivan Dr. Fuller hath set down a Letter sent him from Alderman Atkins his Son thus There is an acquaintance of mine and a friend of yours who certifi'd me of your desire of being satisfi'd of the Truth of that Relation I made concerning the old Minister in the North. It fortun'd in my Iourney to Scotland I lay at Alnwick in Northumberland one Sunday by the way and understanding from the Host of the House where I lodg'd that this Minister liv'd within three miles of that place I took my Horse after dinner and rode thither to hear him preach for my own satisfaction I found him in the Desk where he read unto us some part of the Common Prayer some of holy David's Psalms and two Chapters one out of the Old and the other out of the New Testament without the use of Sâ—â—ctacles The Bible out of which he read the 〈◊〉 was a very small printed Bible He wâ—nt afterwards into the
Pulpit where he Pray'd and Preach'd to us about an hour and a half his Text was Seek ye the Kingdom of God and all things shall be added unto you In my poor judgement he made an excellent good Sermon and went clearly through without the help of any Notes After Sermon I went with him to his house where I propos'd these several following Questions to him Whether it was true the Book reported of him concerning the Hair whether or no he had a new set of Teeth come Whether or no his Eye-sight ever fail'd him And whether in any measure he found his Strength renew'd unto him He answer'd me distinctly to all these and told me he understood the Newsbook reported his Hair to become a dark brown again but that is false he took his Cap off and shew'd me it It is come again like a Childs but rather flaxen than either brown or grey For his Teeth he had three come within these two years not yet to their perfection while he bred them he was very ill Forty years since he could not read the biggest print without Spectacles and now he blâ—sseth God there is no print so small no written hand so small but he can read it without them For his strength he think himself as strong now as he hath been these twenty years Not long since he walked to Alnwick to dinner and back again six North Country miles He is now one hundred and ten years of age and ever since lâ—st May a hearty body very chearfulâ— and stoops very much he had five Children after he was eighty years of years four of them lusty Lasses now living with him the other dy'd lately his Wife yet hardly fifty years of age he writes himself Machel Vivan he is a Scottish man born near Aberdeen I forget the Towns name where he is now Pastor he hath been there fifty years Windsor Sept. 28. 1657. Your assured loving Friend Thomas Atkins 2. To this may sitly be annex'd a Letter which Plempius saith he saw under the hand of this wonderful old man himself dated from Lesbury Octob. the 19th 1657. to one William Lialkus a Citizen of Antwerp which is as followeth Whereas you desire a true and faithful messenger should be sent from New-castle to the Parish of Lesbury to enquire concerning John Maklin I gave you to understand that no such man was known ever to be or hath lived there for these fifty years last past during which time I Patrick Makel Wian have been Minister of that Parish Wherein I have all that time been present taught and do yet continue to teach there But that I may give you some satisfaction you shall understand that I was born at Whithorn in Galloway in Scotland in the year 1546. bred up in the Vniversity of Edenburgh where I commenc'd Master of Art whence travelling into England I kept School and sometimes preach'd till in the first of King James I was inducted into the Church of Lesbury where I now live As to what concerns the change of my body it is now the third year since I had two new Teeth one in my upper and the other in my nether Iaw as is apparent to the touch My sight much decay'd many years ago is now about the hundred and tenth year of my age become clearer Hair adorns my heretofore bald Skull I was never of a fat but a slender mean habit of body my diet has been and moderate nor was I ever accustomed to feasting and tippling hunger is the best sawce nor did I ever use to feed to satieâ—y All this is most certain and true which I have seriously though over hastily confirmed to you under the hand of Patrick Makel Wian Minister of Lesbury 3. That worthy person D. Pieruccius a Lawyer of Padua and Host to the great Scioppius did assure me that a certain German then living in Italy had at sixty years of age recover'd to himself both new Teeth and black Hair and had extended his life to a great many years with the only use of an extract of black Hellebore with Wine and Roles 4. Alexander Benedictus tells of Victoria Fabrianensis a Woman of fourscore years of Age that then her Teeth came anew and that though the Hair of her Head was fallen off yet it also came afresh 5. Torquemada assures us that being at Rome about the year 1531. it was bruired throughout Italy that at Tarentum there liv'd an old man who at the age of an hundred years was grown young again he had chang'd his skin like unto the Snake and had recover'd a new being withall he was become so young and fresh that those who had seen him before could then scarce believe their own eyes and having continued above fifty yeas in this Estate he grew at length to be so old as he seemed to be made of Barks of Trees whereunto he further adds another story of the like Nature 6. Ferdinand Lopez of Castegnede Historiographer to the King of Portugal in the eighth Book of his Chronicle relateth that Nonnio de Cugne being Viceroy at the Indies In the year 1536. there was a man brought unto him as a thing worthy of admiration for that it was aver'd by good proofs and sufficient Testimony that he was three hundred and forty years old He remembred that he had seen that City wherein he dwelt unpeopled being then when he spake it one of the chief Cities in all the East Indies He had grown young again four times changing his white Hair and recovering his new Teeth when the Viceroy did see him he then had the Hair of his Head and Beard black although he had not much and there being by chance a Physician at the time present the Viceroy willed him to feel the old man's Pulse which he found as good and as strong as a young man in the prime of his age This man was born in the Realm of Bengala and did affirm that he had at times near seven hundred Wives whereof some were dead and some were put away The King of Portugal being advertiz'd of this wonder did often inquire and had yearly news of him by the Fleet which came from thence he liv'd above three hundred and seventy years 7. An old Abbatess being decrepit suddenly became young her monthly coâ—rses return'd her rugged and wrinckled skin grew smooth her hoary hairs became black and new teeth in her head and paps swell'd after the manner as is usual with Virgins 8. The â—lesh of a Viper prepar'd and eaten clariâ—ies the eye-sight strengthens the sinews corroberates the whole body and according to Dioscorides procures a long and healthful age in somuch as they are proverbially said to have eaten a snake who look younger than accustomed nor is the Wine of Vipers less soveraign I have heard it credibly reported by those who were eye-witnesses how a Gentleman long desperately sick was restor'd by these means to health with more
fallen a sleep she call'd in her complices and casting a long Towel about his neck caus'd the Groom to lye upon him to keep him from struggling whilst her self and the Maid straining the Towel stop'd his breath Having thus dispatched the work they carry'd him into another room where a Close Stool was placed upon which they set him An hour after the Maid and Groom were got silently away to palliate the business she made an out-cry in the house wringing her hands pulling her hair and weeping extremely pretending that missing him some time out of bed she went to see what the matter was and found him in that posture By these feigned shews of sorrow she prevented all suspicion of his violent death and not long after went to London setting so high a value upon her Beauty that Robinson became neglected But within two years following this woful deed of darkness was brought to light in this manner The Groom before mentioned was entertained with Mr. Richard Smyth Son and Heir to the murder'd Knight and attending him to Coventry with divers other Servants became so sensible of his villany when he was in his cups that out of good nature he took his Master aside and upon his knees besought his forgiveness for acting in the murder of his Father declaring all the circumstances thereof Whereupon Mr. Smyth discreetly gave him good words but wished some others he trusted to have an eye to him that he might not escape when he had slept and better consider'd what might be the issue thereof Notwithstanding which direction he fled away with his Masters best Horse and hasting presently into Wales attempted to go beyond Sea but being hindred by contrary winds after three essays to lanch out was so happily pursu'd by Mr. Smyth who spared no cost in sending to several Ports that he was found out and brought prisoner to Warwick as was also the Lady and her Gentlewoman all of them with great boldness denying the fact and the Groom most impudently charging Mr. Smyth with endeavour of corrupting to accuse the Lady his Mother-in-law falsly to the end he might get her Joynture but upon his arreignment smitten with the apprehension of his guilt he publickly acknowledged it and stoutly justified what he had so said to be true to the face of the Lady and her Maid who at first with much seeming confidence pleaded their innocency till at length seeing the particular circumstances thus discovered they both confessed the fact for which having judgment to die the Lady was burnt at a stake near the Hermitage on Woolvey Heath towards the side of Shirford Lordship where the Country people to this day shew the place and the Groom with the Maid suffer'd death at Warwick This was about the third year of Queen Maries Reign it being May the 15.1 Mariae that Sir Walters murder so happened The end of the First Book of the Wonders of the Little World THE SECOND BOOK CHAP. I. Of the Imagination or Phantasie and the force of it in some persons when depraved by melancholy or otherwise IMagination the work of Fancy saith Dr. Fuller oftentimes produces real effects and this he confirms by a pleasanter instance than some of these that follow 1. A Gentleman had lead a company of children into the Fields beyond their wonted walk and they being now weary cryed to him to carry them The Gentleman not able to carry them all relieved himself with this device he said he would provide them Horses to ride home with and furnished himself and them with Geldings out of the next Hedge the success was saith my Author that mounted fancy put metal into their Legs and they came cheerfully home 2. There was one who fell into a vain imagination that he was perpetually frozen and therefore in the very Dog-days continually sate near the Fire crying out that he should never be warm unless his whole body should be set on fire and whereas by stealth he would cast himself into the fire he was bound in chains in a seat near the fire where he sate night and day not able to sleep by reason of this foolish fancy when all the counsels of his Friends were in vain I took this course for his cure I wrapped him in Sheepskins from head to foot the wool was upon them which I had well wetted with Aqua Vitae and thus dressed I set him at once all on fire he burnt thus for half an hour when dancing and leaping he cryed out he was now well and rather too hot by this means his former fancy vanished and he in a few days was perfectly well 3. A Noble Person in Portugal fell into this melancholy imagination that he continually cryed out God would never pardon his sins In this agony he continued pensive and wasted away various prescriptions in Physick were used to no purpose as also all kinds of Divertisements and other means At last we made use of this Artifice his Chamber door being locked about midnight at the Roof of his Chamber we had stripped off the tile for that purpose there appeared an artificial Angel having a drawn Sword in his right and a lighted torch in his left hand who called him by his name he straight rose from his Bed and adored the Angel which he saw cloathed in white and of a beautiful aspect he listned attentively to the Angel who told him all his sins were forgiven and so extinguished his Torch and said no more The poor man overjoyed knocked with great violence at the door raises the House tells them all that had passed and as soon as it was day sent for his Physicians and relates alâ—â—â— them who congratulated his felicity calling him a righteous person He soon after fell to his meat slept quietly perform'd all the offices of a sound man and from thence forth never felt any thing of his former indisposition 4. Anno Dom. 1610. attending upon my Prince at Prague as his Physician it fell out that upon the eighteenth of Iuly there was born a boy whose Liver Intestines Stomach Spleen with a great part of the Mesentery hung out all naked below his Navel He lived but a few hours and then with misery enough exchanged that life for death which he had newly begun If any demand the reason of so monstrous a deformity he shall find no other than the imagination of the Mother who being asked by Doctor Major and my self whether happily she had not given some occasion to such a Birth she answered with tears that three Months before her delivery she was constrain'd by some Soldiers to be present at the killing of a Calf at the opening of it she felt an extraordinary motion in her self when she saw how the bowels came tumbling down from the Belly 5. In the same City of Prague much about the same time there was the like if not a greater miracle of nature a woman was delivered of a Son who was born with
the Books of Aristotle's Metaphysicks forty times and thereby so fixed them in his memory that he was able to repeat them without Book 2. Anthony Wallens by the help of the art of memory in six months space learn'd by heart the whole Epitome of Pagnine with such excellent success that thereby he was enabled well to interpret any place of the holy Scriptures and to give a reason for it 3. Mr. Humphrey Burton a Gentleman of good worth in the City of Coventry being at this time of my writing this viz. Sept. 10. 167â— of the age of eighty and three besides his many and other accomplishments can by the strength and firmness of his memory give the sum of any Chapter in the New Testament and of the Chapters in divers Books of the Old Testament in a Latine Distich with as much readiness and as little hesitation as if he had directly read them out of a Book I my self have frequently put him to the trial wherein though I have observ'd no order but nam'd hâ—â—e a Chapter at the beginning then one towards the end then again return'd to the middle and so on purpose prevented any assistance he might have from an orderly succession and dependance yet could I no sooner name the Chapter and Book whereof I desired the account but he was ready with his Distich 4. Cineas the Embassadour of King Pyrrhus the very next day that he came to Rome both knew and alâ—o saluted by their names all the Senate and the whole order of the Gentlemen in Rome 5. Franciscus Cardulus a learned man was able to write two pages entire which any other man should read in the same order he read them or if any of the company had rather he would repeat them backwards 6. I have heard it from one who was present at the discourse that in the presence of a Prince of Germany when mention was made of Tacitus that Iustus Lipsius did then say that he had the Golden Volume so firm and entire in his memory that nothing had ever slipt him therein he challenged any to make a trial of what he said And go to said he set one here with a Poynard and if in repeating of Tacitus all over I shall miss but in one word let him stab me and I will freely open my Breast or Throat for him to strike at 7. The Works of Homer are his Iliads and Odysses the former consists of twenty four Books and so also the latter His Iliads hath in it thirty one thousand six hundred and seventy Verses and I suppose his Odysses hath no less and yet it is said of Iosephus Scaliger that in one and twenty days he committed all Homer to his memory 8. Antonius the Aegyptian Eremite without any knowledge of Letters yet by the frequent hearing of them read had the whole body of the Scriptures without book and by diligent thinking of them did well understand them saith S. Augustine in his Prologue to his first Book de Doctrina Christianâ 9. Hortensius who for his Eloquence was called the King of Causes of him Cicero writing to Brutus There was saith he in that man such a memory as I have not known a greater in any It 's said of him that sitting on a time in the place where things were exposed to publick sale for a whole day together he recited in order all the things that were sold there their price and the names of the Buyers and by the account taken of them it appeared that he had not been deceiv'd in any of them Cicero comparing him with Lucullus saith Hortensius his memory was the greater for words but that of Lucullus for things 10. Lucius Lucullus a great Captain and Philosopher by an admirable strength of memory was able to give so ready an account of all affairs at home and abroad as if he had had them all at once presented before his eyes 11. Pompeius Gariglianus a Canon of the Church of Capua was of so great a memory as I remember not to have known his like he was so well and throughly known in all Plato Aristotle Hippocrates Galen Themistius Thomas Aquinas and others that as an admirable instance of his memory he would upon occasion not only repeat their sentences but the very words themselves 12. Age saith Seneca hat done me many injuries and deprived me of many things I once had it hath dulled the sight of my eyes blunted the sense of hearing and slackened my Nerves Amongst the rest I have mentioned before is the memory a thing that is the most tender and frail of all the parts of the soul and which is first sensible of the assaults of age that heretofore this did so flourish in me as not only serv'd me for use but might even pass for a miracle I cannot deny for I could repeat two thousand names in the same order as they were spoken and when as many as were Scholars to my Master brought each of them several Verses to him so that the number of them amounted to more than two hundred beginning at the last I could recite them orderly unto the first nor was my memory only apt to receive such things as I would commit to it but was also a faithful preserver of all that I had entrusted it with 13. Lippus Brandolinus in his Book of the condition of humane life reports of Laurentius Bonincontrius that at eighty years of age he had so perfect and entire a memory that he could remember all that had happened to him when he was a Boy and all that he had read in his youth and could recite them in such a manner that you would think he had seen or read them but that very day 14. Aeneas Sylvius in his History of the council of Basil at which himself was present tells of one Ludovicus Pontanus of Spoleto a Lawyer by profession who died of the pestilence at that Council at thirty years of age that he could recite not the titles only but the entire bodies of the Laws Being saith he for vastness and fastness of memory not inferiour to any of the Ancients 15. Fumianus Strada in his first Book of Academical Prolusions speaking of Franciscus Suarez He hath saith he so strong a memory that he hath S. Augustine the most copious and various of the Fathers ready by heart alledging every where as occasion presents it self fully and faithfully his sentences and which is very strange his words nay if he be demanded any thing touching any passage in any of his Volumes which of themselves are almost enough to fill a Library I my self have seen him instantly shewing and pointing with his finger to the place and page in which he disputed of that matter 16. Dr. Raynolds excelled this way to the astonishment of all that were inwardly acquainted with him not only for S. Augustine's Works but also all Classical Authors so that it
there did I dictate Latin Greek and Barbarous names some significant others not so many and so different having not the least dependance one upon the other that I was weary with dictating the Boy with writing what I dictated and all the rest with hearing and expectation of the issue We thus diversly wearied he alone call'd for more But when I my self said it was fit to observe some measure and that I should be abundantly satisfi'd if he could but recite me the one half of those I had caus'd already to be set down He fixing his eyes upon the ground with great expectation on our part after a short pause began to speak In brief to our amazement he repeated all we had wrote in the very same order they were set down without scarce a stop or any hesitation and then beginning at the last recited them all backwards to the first then so as that he would name only the first third fifth and in that order repeat all and indeed in what order we pleas'd without the least errour Afterwards when I was more familiar with him having often try'd him and yet never found him speaking otherwise than the truth he told me once and certainly he was no boaster that he could repeat in that manner 36000 names and which was yet the most strange things stuck in his Memory that he would say with little ado he could repeat any thing he had instrusted with it a year after For my own part I made tryal of him after many days and found he said true He taught Franciscus Mâ—linus a young Patrician of Venice and who had but a weak Memory in the compass of but seven days wherein he had learn'd of him to repeat five hundred names with ease and in what order he pleas'd 26. Francis King of France excell'd well nigh all those of his time in the firmness and readiness of his Memory what every particular Province ought to contribute what Ways and what Rivers were most convenient for their passage out of what Winter Quarters a party of Horse might be most speedily drawn all these and the like matters even concerning the remotest Cities he did comprehend with that singular Wit and Memory that the Nobles who were improved in those affairs by daily and constant imployments thought he held them in his Memory as if they lay there in an Index CHAP. III. Of the Sight and the vigor of that sense in some and how depraved in others IN Cilicia near unto the Town of Cescus there is saith M. Varro a Fountain that hath the name of Nus the Waters whereof have this admirable quality that they render the Senses of all such as taste of them more exquisite and subtile It may be suspected that some of those who are mentioned in the following Examples had cleared their eyes with the Waters of this Fountain or some other of the like quality thereby attaining to a quick-sightedness not inferiour to that of the Lynx it self 1. There was not many years since a Spaniard call'd Lopes at Gades who from an high Mountain call'd Calpe would see all over the opposite strait out of Europe unto the Affrican shore the passage from whence as Cleonardus witnesseth is no less than three or four hours sail in a calm Sea he could â—rom the top of this Mountain discern all that was doing in that far distant Haven or upon the Land near unto it and did discover it so that by the industry of this notable spy they of Gades did oftentimes avoid those designs which the Pyrates had upon them This was told me by a person of great Honour and Dignity who there receiv'd it from himself in the presence of others and amongst other things he said of him that his Eye-brows had hair upon them of an extraordinary length 2. We find incredible examples of the quickness of eye-sight in Histories Cicero hath recorded that the whole Poem of Homer call'd his Iliads was written in a membrane or piece of Parchment in so small a Character that the whole was to be couched and inclosed within the compass of a Nut-shell 3. The same Writer makes mention of one that could see and discern out right 135 miles and saith he Marcus Varro names the man calling him Strabo Of whom he further adds that during the Carthaginian War he was wont to stand and watch upon Lilybaeum a Promontory in Sicily to discover the Enemies Fleet loosing out of the Haven of Carthage and was able at that distance to count and declare the very just number of their Ships 4. Tiberius the Emperour had eyes of an extraordinary bigness and those such which is the wonder that could see even in the night and darkness but it was so only for a small time at the first opening of them after sleep by degrees they aâ—terwards grew dull and he could see no more than others 5. Iosephus Scaliger in the life of his Father writes both of him and himself that both of them having blewish eyes they could sometimes see in the night as well as we can in the twilight and that this continued with him from his childhood to the twenty third year of his age 6. Even in our age saith Pierius I have heard Marcus Antonius Sabellicus while he studied Greek with us affirm of himself that as oft as he was wak'd in the night he was able for some time very clearly to discern the Books and all other furniture of the Chamber where he lay 7. Hieronymus Cardanus in the beginning of his youth had that in common with Tiberius and the rest that he could see in the dark as soon as he wak'd all that was in the room but soon after all that ability did desert him he says the cause was the heat of the brain the subtilty of the spirits and the force of imagination 8. Caelius having related out of Pliny the History of Tiberius his seeing in the dark saith moreover that the same thing had sometimes happened to himself calling God to witness that he spake nothing but the truth 9. Gellius writes that in the remotest parts of the Country of Albania the Inhabitants there do grow bald in their childhood and that they can see much more clearly in the night than in the day for the brightness of the day dissipates or rebates the edge of their sight 10. Fabritius ab Aquapendente relates the History of a man of Pisa who had such a constitution of the eye that he could see very well in the night but either not at all or else very obscurely in the day 11. Sophronius in his Book of Spirits tells of Iulianus a Monk that for the space of seventy years he never lighted nor had a Candle who nevertheless was used to read Books throughout in the darkness of the night 12. Asclâ—piodorus the Philosopher and Scholar of Proclus was able in the thickest of the darkness to discern
Soldiers that were they all alive were enough to subdue all the Barbarians round about us 10. Publius Scipio Africanus when he saw Carthage quite overthrown he wept much and being mindful of the mutability of humane affairs with tears he repeated that of Homer Iamque dies aderint quo concidat Hioningens Et Priamus Priamique ruat plebs armi potentis And time shall come when stately Troy shall fall With warlike Priam and his people all Polybius as it fortuned at that time stood by him his Guide and companion in his Studies and he enquired if he had any peculiar respect to any thing in those Verses Yes said he I mean it of Rome concerning which I cannot chuse but be solicitous as oft as I think of the inconsistency of all humane affairs 11. Titus Vespasianus at the overthrow of Ierusalem and the memory of its former Glory could not abstain from shedding tears cursing the perverseness and obstinacy of the seditious Jews who had compelled him against his will to lay in ruines so great a City and so famous a Temple as there was 12. C. Pompeius in one of his Consulships at the Dedication of the Temple of Venus exhibited in the Theatre twenty Elephants in fight encountred by divers Getulian Archers The Elephants seeing there was no way for slight began to move the compassion of the people with such unspeakable signs and lamentation that the people were so mov'd with it that they all rose up departed the Theatre bestowing many curses upon Pompey in lieu of this his Bounty and Magnificence CHAP. XXII Of the deep Dissimulation and Hypocrisie of some men MAud the Empress being besieged by the Forces of King Stephen in Oxford there happened to fall a great snow the Empress took the advantage hereof and by arraying her self and her followers in white she made her escape thence There are but too many that walk in white till their ends be attained make shew of much simplicity friendship and virtue for no other purpose than to train men within the compass of their privy snares then off goes the Angel that the Devil may appear 1. Caius Iulius Caesar was a great dissembler for whereas he pretended to be a mighty lover and admirer of Cn. Pompeius he did not only not love him but withal he privily sought to render him odious to the people by reason of the multitude of his honours When Cicero had several times taunted and reproached him he never so much as made answer to him that he might not seem to be offended with him in the least but privately he stirred up Clodius against him by whose means he got him banished from Rome And this was a quality ever inherent in Caesar that if any man had created him any trouble he would seem out of greatness of mind to despise him but then he would be revenged of him by others The same person as soon as he heard that Pompey was sled into Aegypt he also pursued him thither certainly for no other end but that in case he could any way get him in his power he might make sure of him And yet this man as soon as he saw the head of Pompeius brought unto him shed tears and said It is the Victory and not the Revenge that pleases me 2. Charles the Ninth of France was well practised in this art â—or a little before the massacre at Paris when he had invited the Admiral Coligni thither he was honourably entertained by the King who called him Father protested he would be ruled by his counsel and often averred that he loved him c. Yet shortly after he caused him to be basely murdered and unworthily insulted over him after his death 3. Richard Duke of Glocester was so cunning a Dissembler that he would accompany most familiarly and jest pleasantly with such as he hated in his heart and would pretend to refuse even the Kingdom it self when proffered whereas he had used all means to compass it and resolved to gain it at what rate soever 4. Tiberius the Emperour was also well skilled herein when Augustus was dead though he immediately possessed himself of the supreme command acted as a Prince and assured the Soldiers to himself yet with a most impudent mind he refused the Government when his Friends requested him to take it upon him he sharply took them up telling them that they knew not how great a Monster Empire was When the whole Senate entreated him and fell at his feet thereby to move him to accept it he gave them ambiguous answers and with his crafty ways of delay he left them in suspence insomuch that some grew out of patience to be thus dallied with and one in the Throng cryed out Let him take it or leave it Another told him to his face that others did slowly perform what they had promised but he on the other side did slowly promise that which he would perform At last as if he had been compelled and enforced and complaining that a miserable and burdensome servitude was imposed upon him he accepted of the Empire and yet no otherwise than as a man that pretended he would some time or other lay it down again His own words were Till I come unto that time when you shall think it meet to allow some rest and ease unto my old age The end of the Second Book of the Wonders of the Little World THE THIRD BOOK CHAP. I. Of the early appearance of Virtue Learning Greatness of Spirit and Subtlety in some young Persons URaba in Peru is of so rich a soil that the Seeds of Cucumbers and Melons sown will bear ripe fruits in twenty eight days after the Seeds of Virtue arrive to a marvellous improvement in the souls of some in a short time in comparison of what they do in others Indeed those persons who have been most remarkable in any sort of Virtue have been observed to give some early specimen and instance of it in their youth and a man that had considered of the dawning and first break might easily predict an illustrious day to succeed thereupon 1. Aemilius Lepidus while yet a youth did put himself into the Army where he slew an enemy and saved the life of a Citizen of Rome of which memorable act of his Româ—'s Senate left a sufficient witness when they decrâ—ed his young statue should be placed in the Capitol girt in an honourable Vest for they thought him ripe enough for honour who was already so forwardly advanced in virtue 2. M. Cato in his childhood bewrayed a certain greatness of spirit he was educated in the house of Drusus his Uncle where the Latine Embassadors were assembled about the procuring of the freedom of the City for their people Q. Popedius the chief of them was Drusus his Guest and he asked the young Câ—to if he would intercede with his Uncle in their behalf who with a constant look told him he would not
Lettuce head or else some new gathered sharp and tart Apple that had a kind of winish liquor in it Thus lived this great person after a fashion that some Coblers and Botchers would almost be loth to be obliged unto 3. Ludovicus Cornarius a Venetian and a learned man wrote a book of the benefit of a sober life and produceth himself as a testimony hereof saying Vnto the fortieth year of my Age I was continually vexed with variety of infirmities I was sick at Stomach of a Fever a Plurisie and lay ill of the Oout At last this man by the perswasion of Physicians took up a way of living with such temperance that in the space of one year he was freed almost of all his diseases In the seventieth year of his Age he had a â—all whereby he brake his Arm and his Leg so that upon the Third day nothing but death was expected yet he recovered without Physick for his abstinence was to him instead of all other means and that was it which hindred a recurrency of malignant humours to the parts affected In the eighty third year of his Age he was so sound and chearful so vegete and so entire in his strength that he could climb hils leap upon his horse from the even ground write Comedies and do most of those things he used to do when he was young If you ask how much meat and drink this man took his daily allowance for bread and all manner of other â—ood was twelve ounces and his drink for a day was fourteen ounces This was his usual measure and the said Coraraius did seriously affirm that if he chanced to exceed but a few ounces he was thereby apâ— to relapse into his former diseases All this he hath set down of himself in writing and it is aâ—â—â—xed to the book of Leonardus Lessius a Physician which was Printed at Amsterdam Anno Dom. 1631. 4. Philippus Nerius at Nineteen years of Age made it a law to himself that he would refresh his body but once a day and that only with bread and water and sometimes he would abstain even from these cold delights unto the third day Being made Priest his manner was to eat some small thing in the morning and then abstain till Supper which never consisted of more than two poched Eggs or instead of these some pulse or herbs He would not suffer more dishes than one to be set upon his Table he seldom eat of Flesh or Fish and of white Meats he never tasted his Wine was little and that much diluted with water and which is most wonderful he never seemed to be delighted with one dish more than another 5. Cardinal Carolus Borromaeus was of that abstinence that he kept a daily fast with bread and water Sundays and Holy-days only excepted and this manner of life he continued till his death He kept even festivals with that frugality that he usually fed upon Pulse Apples or Herbs Pope Gregory the Thirteenth sent to him not only to advise but to command him to moderate these rigours But the Cardinal wrote back to him that he was most ready to obey but that withal he had learned by experience that his spare eating was conducting to health and that it was subservient to the drying up of that Flegm and humours wherewith his body did abound whereupon the Pope left him to his pleasure He persisted therein therefore with so rigid a constancy that even in the heat of Summer and when he had drawn out his labours beyond his accustomed time he would not indulge himself so far as to tast of a little wine nor allow his thirst so much as a drop of water 6. The Aegyptian Kings fed upon simple diet nor was any thing brought to their Tables besides a Calf and a Goose for Wine they had a stated measure such as would neither fill the belly nor intoxicate the head and their whole life was managed with that modesty and sobriety that a man would think it was not ordered by a Lawgiver but a most skilful Physician for the preservation of health 7. Cato the younger marching with his Army through the hot sands of Lybia when by the burning heats of the Sun and their own labour they were pressed with an immoderate thirst a Soldier brought him his Helmet full of water which he had difficultly found that he might quench his thirst with it But Cato poured out the water in the sight of all his Army and seeing he had not enough for them all he would not tast it alone By this example of his temperance and tolerance he taught his Soldiers the better to endure their hardship 8. When Pausanias had overcome Mardonius in Battel and beheld the splendid Utensils and Vessels of Gold and Silver belonging to the Barbarian he commanded the Bakers and Cooks c. to prepare him such a Supper as they used to do for Mardonius which when they had done and Pausanias had viewed the Beds of Gold and Silver the Tables Dishes and other magnificent preparations to his amazement he then ordered his own servants to prepare him such a Supper as was usual in Sparta which was a course repast with their black broth and the like When they had done it and the difference appeared to be very strange he then sent for the Grecian Commanders and shewed them both Suppers And laughing O ye Greeks said he I have called you together for this purpose that I might shew you the madness of the Median General who when he lived such a life as this must needs come to invade us who eat after this homely and mean manner 9. Alphonsus the Elder King of Sicily had suddenly drawn out his forces to oppose the passage of Iacobus Caudolus over the River Vulturnus he had forced his Troops back again but being necessitated to stay there all day with his Army unrefreshed A Soldier towards evening brought him a piece of Bread a Radish and a piece of Cheese a mighty Present at that time But Alphonsus commending the Soldiers liberality refused his offer and said it was not seemly for him to feast while his Army fasted 10. Iulian the Emperour first a Deacon then a wretched Apostate yet was otherwise highly to be commended for his many good qualities so temperate that he never had any war with his Belly so chast that after the death of his Wife he never regarded women and would not see the Persian Captive Ladies nor suffer Cooks nor Barbers in his Army as being Ministers of intemperance As for Stage-Plays he never but once a year permitted them in his Court and then he saith of himself that he was more like to one that detested than one that was a spectator of them 11. Agesilaus King of Sparta was sent for into Aegypt to assist that King against his enemiess at his arrival all the Kings great Captains Nobles and an infinite number of people went to see
who supposing the King had forgot them converted them to his own use Alphonsus dissembled the matter instead of those put on other Rings and kept on his accustomed way After some days the King being about to wash he who had received but not restored the former put forth his hand to take from him his Rings as he had used to do But Alphonsus putting his hand back whispered him in the Ear I will give thee these Rings to keep as soon as thou hast returned me those I did formerly entrust thee with and further than this he proceeded not with him 15. Sarizanarus was the Author of that Hexastick which was made of the famous City of Venice Viderat Adriacis Venetam Neptunus in undis Stare Vrbem et toti ponere Iura mari Nunc mihi Tarpeias quantumvis Iupiter Arces Objice illa tui moenia Martis ait Sic pelago Tibrim praefers Vrbem aspice utramque Illam homines dices hanc posuisse Deos. The Poet had small reason to repent of his ingenuity for as a reward of his pains he had assign'd him out of the publick treasury of that state an hundred Zecchins for every one of those verses which amounts to three hundred pounds of our money 16. When Henry of Lancaster sirnamed the Good Earl of Darby had taken Bigerac in Gascoign Anno 1341. He gave and granted to every Soldier the house which every one should seize first upon with all therein A certain Soldier of his brake into a Mint Masters house where he found so great a mass of money that he amazed therewith as a prey greater than his desert or desire signified the same unto the Earl who with a liberal mind answered It is not for my state to play Boys play to give and take Take thou the money if it were thrice as much 17. At the Battel of Poictiers Iames Lord Audley was brought to the black Prince in a Litter most grievously wounded for he had behaved himself with great valour that day To whom the Prince with due commendations gave for his good service four hundred Marks of yearly Revenues the which he returning to his Tent gave as frankly to his four Esquires that attended him in the Battle whereof when the Prince was advertised doubting that his gift was contemned as too little for so great good service the Lord Audley satisfied him with this answer I must do for them who deserved best of me these my Esquires saved my life amidst the enemies and God be thanked I have sufficient revenues left by my Ancestors to maintain me in your service Whereupon the Prince praising his prudence and liberality confirmed his gift made to his Esquires assign'd him moreover six hundred marks of like Land here in England 18. King Canutus gave great Jewels to Winchester Church whereof one is reported to be a Cross. worth as much as the whole Revenue of England amounted to in a year and unto Coventry he gave the Arm of St. Augustine which he bought at Papia for an hundred Talents of Silver and one of Gold 19. Clodoveus Son of Dagobert King of France in a great death caused the Church of St. Dennis which his Father had covered with Plates of Silver to be covered with lead and the Silver given to the relief of the Poor 20. Isocrates the Son of Theodorus the Erecthian kept a School where he taught Rhetorick to an hundred Scholars at the rate of one hundred drachms of silver a piece He was very rich and well he might for Nicocles King of Cyprus who was the Son of Evagoras gave him at once the summ of twenty Talents of Silver for one only oration which he dedicated unto him 21. The Poet Virgil repeated unto Augustus Caesao three Books of his Aeneads the Second Fourth and Sixth the latter of these chiefly upon the account of Octavia Sister to Augustus and Mother of Marcellus whom Augustus had adopted but he died in the Eighteenth year of his Age. Octavia therefore being present at this repetition when Virgil came to these Verses at the latter end of the sixth book wherein he describes the mourning for Marcellus in this manner Heu miserando Puer si qua fata asperarumpas Tu Marcellus eris Alas poor Youth if Fates will suffer thee To see the Light thou shalt Marcellus be Octavia swooned away and when she was recovered she commanded the Poet to proceed no further appointing him Ten Sesterces for every verse he had repeated which were in number twenty one So that by the bounty of this Princess Virgil received for a few Verses above the Summ of fifty thousand Crowns CHAP. XXVIII Of the Pious Works and Charitable Gifts of some men WHereas saith the Learned Willet the professors of the Gospel are generally charged by the Romanists as barren and fruitless of good works I will to stop their mouths shew by a particular induction that more charitable works have been performed in the times of the Gospel than they can shew to have been done in the like time in Popery especially since the publick opposition of that Religion which began about two hundred and fifty years since counting from tâ—e times of Iohn Wickliâ—fe or in twice so much time now going immediately before To make good this he hath drawn out a Golden Catalogue of persons piously and charitably devoted together with their works out of which I have selected as I thought the chiefest and most remarkable to put under this head only craving leave to begin with one or two beyond the compass of his prescribed time which I have met with elsewhere 1. In the Reign of King Henry the Fourth the most deservedly famous for works of Piety was William Wickham Bishop of Winchester his first work was the building of a Chappel at Tichfield where his Father and Mother and Sister Perrot were burled Next he founded at Southwick in Hampshire near the Town of Wickham the place of his Birth as a supplement to the Priory of Southwick a Chauntry with allowance of five Priests for ever He bestowed twenty thousand marks in repairing the houses belonging to the Bishoprick he discharged out of prison in all places of his Diocess all such poor prisoners as lay in execution for debt under Twenty pounds he amended all the high ways from Winchester to London on both sides the River After all this on the Fifth of March 1379. he began to lay the foundation of that magnificent structure in Oxford called New Colledg and in person laid the first Stone thereof In the year 1387. on the twenty sixth of March he likewise in person laid the first stone of the like Foundation in Winchester and dedicated the same as that other in Oxford to the memory of the Virgin Mary 2. In the Reign of King Edward the Fourth Sir Iohn Crosby Knight and late Lord Mayor of London gave to the Repairs of the Parish Church of Henworth in Middlesex forty
Gifts and Presents and so sent him away in safety Afterwards he commanded those Courtiers who had incited him against him to enquire what words this man gave out of him amongst the Greeks they made report again and told him that he was become a new man and ceased not to speak wonderful things in the praise of him Look you then said Philip unto them am not I a better Physician than all you and am not I more skilled in the cure of a foul-mouthed fellow than the best of you 13. King Ptolemaeus jesting and scossing at a simple and unlearned Grammarian asked him who was the Father of Peleus I will answer you Sir said he if you will first tell me who was the Father of Lagus This was a dry slout and touched King Ptolemaeus very near in regard of the mean Parentage he was descended from So that all about the King were mightily offended at it as an intolerable frump The King said no more than this If it be not seemly for a King to take a jest or a scoff neither is it seemly or convenient for him to give one to another man CHAP. XXI Of such as have well deported themselves in their Adversity or been improved thereby THe Naturalists say there are a sort of Shell-fish which at a certain time open to receive the Dew of Heaven and that being thus impregnate then the more they are tossed to and fro with the foaming billows of the Sea the more orient and precious is the Pearl that is found in them In like manner there are some men who are beholden to their Afflictions for their Vertues and who had never shined with that lustre had not the black night of Adversity come upon them It is proverbial of England Anglica Gens optima flens â—essima ridens a particular example hereof we have in 1. Iohn Barret born at Linne bred a Carmelite of White Friers in Cambridge when Learning ran low and Degrees high in that University so that a Scholar could scarce be seen for Doctors till the University sensible of the mischief thereby appointed Dr. Cranmer afterwards Arch-bishop of Canterbury to be the Poser General of all Candidates in Divinity Amongst whom he stopped Barret for his insufficiency Back goes Barret to Linne turns over a new yea many new leaves plying his book to purpose whose former ignorance proceeded from want of pains not parts and in short time he became a tolerable a good an excellent and admirable Scholar And commencing Doctor with due applause liv'd many years a painful Preacher in Norwich always making honourable mention of Dr. Cranmer as the means of his happiness 2. Pope Pius the fifth was long tormented with the Stone and Strangury and in the sharpest of his fits he was often heard to say with sighs Lord give me an encrease of sorrow so thou wilt but give me a proportionable encrease of patience 3. Petrus the Abbot of Claravalla through the vehemence of his disease lost one of his eyes and bare that Affliction not only with patience but said he rejoyced that of two enemies he was now freed from the â—rouble of one of them 4. Alphonsus King of Naples was informed in his absence by Lupus Simonius his Viceroy there that one of those two mighty Ships which the King had built and seemed like Mountains by the negligence of the Sea-men had taken â—ire and was burnt down He told the Messenger that he well knew that Ship though great and magnificent would yet after some years be corrupted or perish by some accident or other and that therefore the Viceroy if he was wise would bear that misfortune with an equal mind as he himself did 5. Telamon hearing of the death of his beloved Son being a man unbroken by all the Assaults of Fortune with an unmoved countenance replyed It is well for I knew he must die whom I had begotten 6. L. Paulus Aemilius had four Children two of them Scipio and Fabius were brought into other Families by Adoption the other two being boys he yet retained with him at home one of these being fourteen years of age died five days before his Triumph the other of twelve years deceased the third day after it And whereas there was almost none of the people but seriously lamented the misfortune of his House he himself bare it with so great a spirit that calling the people together he rather gave them Consolations than admitted any from them This was a part of his Oration to them Whereas O Citizens in this great felicity of yours I was afraid lest Fortune did meditate some evil against you It was my prayer to the highest Jupiter to Juno and Minerva that if any calamity was impending upon the people of Rome that they would inflict the whole of it upon my Family All therefore is well since by the grant of my request they have so brought it to pass that you should rather grieve for my adversity than that I should lament your misfortune 7. When the Romans by their continual War with Hannibal and especially by the calamity that befel them in tho loss of that great Battel at Cannae had much exhausted their Forces yet they received their Adversity with such a greatness of mind that they dared to send fresâ— Recruits to their Forces in Spain even then when Hannibal was ready to knock at their Gates and the Grounds whereupon the Camp of Hannibal stood was sold for as much in Rome as if Hannibal had not been there To demean themselves in this sort in their adverse fortune what was it but to enforce that angry Deity for mâ—re shame to be reconciled with them 8. Hiero the Tyrant of Sicily was at first a rude unaccomplished a furious and irreconcilable person the same in all points with his Brothâ—r Gelo but falling afterwards into a lingring Sickness by which he had a long Vacation from publick cares and business and emâ—â—oying that time in reading and converse with learned men he became a man of great Elegancy and singular Improvements And afterwards when he was perfectly recovered he had great familiarity with Simonides Pindar the Theban and Bacchilides 9. Xenophon was sacrificing to the Gods when as he stood by the Altar there came to him a Messenger from Mantinea who told him that his Son Grillus was dead in Battel he only laid aside the Crown from his head but persisted in his Sacrifice but when the Messenger added that he died Victorious he reassumed his Crown and without other alteration finished what he was about 10. Antigonus the Successor of Alexander had layen sick of a lingering Disease and afterwards when he was recovered and well again We have gotten no harm said he by this sickness for it hath taught me not to be so proud by puâ—ting me in mind that I am but a mortal man 11. Plaâ—o aâ—â—irms that Theagâ—s had no other occasion to addict
darkness but the best oâ— it is they have found fairer respects from the greatest of Princes yea and the most barbarous Nations 1. I dwelt saith Mâ—rtinus Martinius in the City of Venxus in a fair House the City and People being all in a â—umult by reason of the Tartar 's approach Assoon as I understoed it I fixed over the fairest Gate of the House a Red Paper very long and broad with this Inscription upon it Here dwells the European Doctor of the Divine Law likewise at the entrance of the greater Hall I set out my greatest and fairest bound Books to these I added my Mathematical Instruments Perspective and other Optick Glasses and what else I thought might make the greatest shew and withal I placed the Picture af our Saviour upon an Altar erected for that purpose by which fortunate Stratagem I not only escaped the violence and plunder of the common Souldiers but was invited and kindly entertained by the Tartarian Vice-Roy 2. Alexander the Great having found amongst the Spoils of King Darius his Perfumier or Casquet of sweet Ointments richly embelished with Gold costly Pearls and Precious Stones when his Friends about him shewed him many uses that curious Cabinet might be put to It shall serve said he for a Câ—se for Homer 's Works also in the forcing and Saccage of the City of Thebes he gave express commandment that the Dwelling House and the whole Family of Pindarus the Poet should be spared he caused also the City where Aristotle his Master had been born to be rebuilt and seeing a Messenger coming to him with a chearful countenance as one that brought him good News What said he canst thou tell me that Homer is alive again 3. Dionysius the Tyrant though otherwise proud and cruel being advertized of the coming of Plato that great Philosopher sent out a ship to meet him adorned with goodly streamers and himself mounted a chariot drawn with four white horses gave him the reception of a great King at the Haven where he disembarked and came on shore 4. Pompey the Great after he had ended the War with Mithridates went to visit Posidonius that Renowed Professor of Learning and when he came to his house gave straight Commandment to his Lictours that they should not after their usual manner with all others rap at the door This Great Warrior to whom both the East and West parts of the World had submitted veil'd as it were the Roman fasâ—es and the Ensigns of his Authority before the door of this Philosopher 5. The Kings of Aegypt and Macedon gave a singular testimony how much they honoured Menander the Comical Poet in that they sent Embassadors for him and a Fleet to waft him for his more security though he more esteemed of his private studies then all the honours designed for him by the bounty and savour of these great Princes 6. In the first Publiâ—k Library that ever was erected in Rome there was also set up the Statue of M. Varro that Learned man and for his greater Honor it was also done while he himself was yet living 7. Pomponius saith in his fourth book of the Pandects By reason of the desire I have to learn which to this seventy and eight year of mine age I have ever looked upon as the best account to desire to live I am mindful of this sentence which is said to be one of Iulians Though I had one foot in the grave yet should I have a desire to learn something 8. Claudius Caesar eraz'd the name of a Greek Prince out of the Roll of the Judges because he understood not the Latine Language and sent him to travel 9. Solon the Athenian travelled as far as Aegypt Cyprus nay survey'd all Asia and this for no other reason then the desire he had to encrease his knowledge which was so great and constant that it was his saying By learning every day something I am grown old About the time of his death when he lay languishing npon his bed he raised up his head to hearken to some friends of his discoursing at his bed side and when they asked him to what purpose he did so he gave that Noble answer that I may die the more Learned 10. Theodosius the younger continually turn'd over the Greek and Latine Historians and that with such eagerness that whereas he spent the day in Civil and Military affairs he set apart the night for the Lecture of them and that neither himself might be disturbed in his reading nor any of his servants constrain'd to watch with him he caused a Candlestick to be made with that artifice as to supply the light with oyl of its own accord as oft as there was any want 11. The Greek Emperor Leo was exceeding bountiful to Learned Men and when once an Eunuch of his told him that such expences were sittest to be made upon his men of War I would said he it might come to pass in my time that the Salaries of the Soldiers might be spent upon the Professors of the Liberal Arts. 12. Alphonsus that great King of Naples was wont to say he had rather suffer the loss of his Kingdoms and he had seven then the least part of his Learning nor did he love it only in himself but others it is to this King that we are indebted for Laurentius Valla Antonius Panormitanus Bartholomaeus Faccius Georgius Trapezuntius Ioannes Aurispa Ievianus Pontanus and a considerable number of Juniors to them He set up Universities and erected or adorned Libraries up and down in his Kingdoms and a choice book was to him the most acceptable present of all other In his Ensigns he carried Pourtray'd an Open Book importing that knowledge drawn from thence became Princes when he heard the King of Spain should say that Learning was below Princes he said angrily it was the voice of an Ox and not a Man As for himself he read Caesar and Livy with great diligence he translated the Epistles of Seneca into Spanish with his own hand so conversant in the Sacred Writings that he said he had read over the Old and New Testament with their glosses fourteen times all this he did being stricken in years for he was fifty before he intermedled with studies his improvement therein having been neglected in his younger time and yet we may say of this Prince how great a man was he both at home and abroad a greater both in virtue and fortune Europe hath not seen 13. The Emperor Charles the fifth being at Genoa was entertained with an Oration in Latin and when he found that he could not fully comprehend the sense of it with a sad countenance he made this ingenuous confession that he now underwent the punishment of his youthful negligence and that his Master Hadrianus was but too true a Prophet when he told him as he often had that one day he would surely repent it Paulus Iovius who was
satis The meanning is that if we should allow three leaves to every day of his life from his very Birth there would be some to spare yet withal he wrote so exactly that Ximenes his Scholar attempting to contract his Commentaries upon St. Matthew could not well bring it to less than a thousand leaves in Folio and that in a very small Print Others also have attempted the like in his other Works but with the same success 3. Iulius Caesar Scaliger was thirty years old before he fell to study yet was a singular Philosopher and an excellent Greek and Latin Poet. Vossius calls him The Miracle of Nature the chief Censor of the Ancients and the Darling of all those that are concerned to attend upon the Muses Lipsius highly admires him There are three saith he whom I use chiefly to wonder at as persons who though amongst men seem yet to have transcended all humane Attainments Homar Hippocrates and Aristotle but I shall add to them this fourth that is Julius Scaliger that was born to be the Miracle and the Glory of our Age. He verily thinks there was no such acute and capacious Wit as his since the Age of Iulius Caesar. Meibomiuâ— calls him a man of stupendious Learning and than whom the Sun hath scarce shined upon a more learned Thuanus saith Antiquity had scarcely his Superior 't is certain his own Age had not the like 4. Amongst the great Heroes and Miracles of Learning most renowned in this latter Age Ioseph Scaliger hath merited a more than ordinary place The learned Causabon hath given this Character of him There is nothing saith he that any man could desire to learn but that he was able to teach He had read nothing and yet whâ—t had he not read but what he did readily remember There was nothing in any Latin Greek or Hebrew Author that was so obscure or abstruse but that being consulted about it he would forthwith resolve He was throughly versed in the Histories of all Nations in all Ages in the successive Revolutions of all Empires and in all the Affairs of the ancient Churches he was able to recount all the Ancient and Modern Names Differences and Proprieties of living Creatures Plants Metals and all other Natural things He was accurately skill'd in the scituation of Places the bounds of Provinces and their various Divisions according to the diversity of Times There was none of the Arts and Sciences so difficult that he had left uâ—touched He knew so many Languages so exactly that if he had made that one thing his business throughout the whole compass of his life it might have been worthily reputed a miracle Hereunto may be annexed the Testimony of Iulius Caesar Bulengerus a Doctor of the Sorbon and Professor at Pisa who in the twelfth Book of the History of his time thus writes of the same Scaliger There followed the Year 1609. an unfortunate Year in respect of the death of Ioseph Scaliger than whom this Age of ours hath not brought forth any of so great a Genius or ingenuity as to Learning and possibly the fore-past Ages have not had his Equal in all kinds of Learning 5. That which Pasquier hath observed out of Monshclet is yet more memorable touching a young man who being not above twenty years old came to Paris in the Year 1445. and shewed himself so admirably excellent in all Arts and Sciences and Languages that if a man of an ordinary good Wit and sound Constitution should live one hundred years and during that time should study incessantly without eating drinking and sleeping or any recreation he could hardly attain to that perfection Insomuch that some were of opinion that he was Antichrist begotten of the Devil or at least somewhat above Humane Condition Castellanus who lived at the same time and saw this Miracle of Wit made these Verses on him his are in French but may be thus Englished A young man have I seen At twenty years so skill'd That ev'ry Art he had and all In â—ll degrees excell'd Whatever yet was writ He vaunted to pronounce Likâ— a young Anti-Christ if he Did read the same but once 6 Beda was born in the Kingdom of Northumberland at Girroy now Yarrow in the Bishoprick of Durham brought up by St. Cuthbert and was the profoundest Scholar of his Age for Latin Greek Philosophy History Divinity Mathematicks Musick and what not Homilies of his making were read in his life time in the Christian Churches a dignity afforded him alone whence some say his Title of Venerable Beda was given him It being a middle betwixt plain Beda which they thought too little and St Beda which they thought too much while he was yet alive 7. Roger Bacon was a famous Mathematician and most skilful in other Sciences accurately vers'd in the Latin Greek and Hebrew of whom Selden thus Roger Bacon of Oxford a Minoriâ—e an excellent Mathematician and a person of more learning than any of his age could aâ—ford 8. Richard Pacie Dean of Pauls and Secretary for the Latin Tongue to King Henry the Eighth he was of great ripeness of wit learning and eloquence and also expert in foreign languages Pitsaeus gives him this Character A man endowed with most excellent gifts of mind adorned with great variety of leâ—â—â—ing he had a sharp wit a mature judgment a constant and firm memory a prompt and ready tongue and such a one as might deservedly contâ—nd with the most learned men of his age for â—kill in the Latin Greek and Hebrew languages 9. Anicius Mâ—â—liâ—s Soverinus Boeâ—hius â—â—ourished Anno Dom. 520. He was very famous in his days being Consul at Rome and a man of rare gifts and abilities Some say that in prose he came not behind Cicero himself and had none that exceeded him in Poetry A great Philosopher Musician and Mathematician Polit. saith of him thus Than Boethius in Logick who more acute in Mathematicks more subtile in Philosophy more copious and rich or in Divinity more sublime He was put to death by Theodoricus King of the Goths and after he was slain Peripatetick Philosophy decayed and almost all Learning in Italy Barbarism wholly invaded it and expelled good Arts and Philosophy out of its Borders saith Hereboord of Verona 10. St. Augustine in his Epistle to Cyril Bishop of Ierusalem writes concerning St. Ierome that he understood the Hebrew Greek Chaldee Persian Median and Arabick tongues and that he was skill'd in almost all the learning and languages of all Nations The same St. Augustine saith of him no man knows that which St. Ierome is ignorant of 11. Mithridates the great King of Pontus had no less than twenty and two Countries under his Government yet was he used to answer all these Ambassadors in the same language of his Country that he spake to him in without the help of any Interpreter A wonderful evidence of a very singular memory that could so distinctly lay up
such a diversity of stores and so faithfully as that he could call for them at his pleasure 12. Hugo Grotius was born at Dâ—lph in the Low-Countries Anno 1583. Vossius saith oâ— him that he was the most knowing as well in Divine as Humane things The greatest of men saith Meibomius the Light and Columen of Learning of whom nothing so magnifick can be either said or writ but that his vertue and erudition hath exceeded it 13. Claudius Salmasius a Learned French Critick of whom Rivet thus that Incomparable Person the Great Salmasius hath wrote of the Primacy of the Pope after which Homer if any shall write an Iliad he will spend his pains to no purpose C. Salmasius saith Vossius a man never enough to be praised nor usually to be named without praise The Miracle of our Age and the Promus Condus of Antiquity saith Guil. Riveâ— The Great Ornament not only of his own Country France but also of these Netherlands and indeed the Bulwark of the whole Commonwealth of Learning saith Vossius 14. Hieronymus Alâ—ander did most perfectly speak and write the Latine Greek and Hebrew with many other Exotick and Forreign Languages He first taught Greek at Paris soon after he was called to Rome by Pope Leo the Tenth and sent Ambassador into Germany By Pope Clement the Seventh made Bishop of Brundusium and by Pope Paul the Third he was made Cardinal 15. Andreas Masius was a great Linguist for besides the Italian French Spanish and the rest of the Languages of Europe he was also famous for no mean skill in the Latin Greek Hebrew and Syriack Thuanus gives him this Character a man of a sincere candid and open disposition endowed with rare and abstruse Learning and who to the knowledge of the Hebrew Chaldee and the rest of the Oriental Tongues had added exceeding piety and a diligent study of the Holy Scriptures as appears by his Commentary He wrote learnedly on Ioshua and assisted Aâ—ias Montanus in the Edition of the King of Spain's Bible and first of all illustrated the Syriac Idiom with Grammatical Precepts and a Lexicon 16. Carolus Clusius had an exact skill in Seven Languages Latin Greek Italian French Spanish Portugal and Low Dutch a most acute both Writer and Censor of Histories that are not commonly known As also most Learned in Cosmograpâ—y saith Melchior Adam in his Lives of the German Physicians Lipsius thus sported on him Omnia naturae dum Clusi arcana râ—cludis Clusius haud ultra sis sed aperta mihi 17. Gulielmus Canterus born 1542. besides his own Belgick Tongue was skill'd in Latin Greek Hebrew the German French and Italian so that one saith of him If any would desire the Specimen of a Studious Person and one who had wholly devoted himself to the advancement of Learning he may find it exactly expressed in the Person of this Gulielmus Canterus 18. Lancelot Andrews born at All-Hallows-Barking in London Scholar Fellow and Master of Pembrook-hall in Cambridge then Dean of Westminster Bishop of Chichester Ely and at last of Winchester The World wanted Learning to hear how learned this man was so skill'd in all especially the Oriental Languages that some conceive he might if then living almost have served as an Interpreter General at the confusion of Tongues He dyed in the first year of the Reign of King Charles the First and lies buried in the Chappel of Saint Mary Overies having on his Monument a large elegant and true Epitaph 19. Gerhardus Iohannes Vossius Professor of Eloquence Chronology and the Greek Tongue at Lâ—yden and Prebend of Canterbury in England an Excellent Grammarian and General Scholar one of the greatest Lights in Holland He hath written learnedly of almost all the Arts. Bâ—chartus saith thus of his Book De Historicis Graecis a work of wonderful Learning by the reading of which I ingeniously profess my self to have been not a little profited 20. Isaac Causabone a great Linguist but a singular Grecian and an excellent Philologer Salmasius no mean Scholar himself calls him that Incomparable Person the Immortal Honour of his Age never to be named without praise and never enough to be praysed He had a rare knowledge in the Oriental Tongues in the Greek scarce his Second much less his equal saith Capellus 21. Iames Vsher the Hundredth Archbishop from St. Patrick of Aâ—magh A divine saith Voetius of vast reading and erudition and most skilful in Ecclesiastical Antiquity The great Merits saith Vossius of that great and every way learned Person in the Church and of the whole Republick of Learning will never suffer but that there will be a grateful celebration of his memory for ever by all the Lovers of Learning Fitz Simonds the Jesuitâ— with whom he disputed though then very young in one of his Books gives him this Title Acatholicorum Doctissimus the most Learned of all the Protestants 22. Iohn Selden a Learned Lawyer of the Inner Temple he had great knowledge in Antiquity and the Oriental Languages which he got after he fell to the Study of the Law He is honourably mentioned by many Outlandish men He wrote in all his Books 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above all Liberty To shew that he would examine things and not take them upon trust Dr. Duck saith thus of him to the exact knowledge of the Laws of his Country he also added that of the Moâ—aical and the Laws of other Nations as also all other Learning not only Latin Greek and Hebrew but also a singular understanding and knowledge of the Oriental Nations 23. Iohn Gregory born at Amersham in the County of Buckingham 1607. He was bred in Christ-church in Oxford where he so applied his Book that he studied sixteen hours in the four and twenty for many years together He attained to singular skill in Civil Historical Ritual and Oriental Learning in the Saxon French Italian Spanish and all Eastern Languages through which he miraculously travelled without any Guide except that of Mr. Dod the Decalogist for the Hebrew Tongue whose Society and direction therein he enjoyed one Vacation near Banbury As he was an excellent Linguist and general Scholar so his modesty set a greater lustre upon his Learning He was first Chaplain of Christ-church and thence preferred Prebendary of Chichester and Sarum and indeed no Church Preserment compatible with his Age was above his Desertâ— After twenty years trouble with an Hereditary Gout improved by immoderate study it at last invaded his Stomach and thereof he died Anno 1646. at the Age of thirty nine years He died at Kidlington and was buried at Christ-church in Oxford This Epitaph was made by a Friend on his Memory Ne premas cineres hosce Viator Nescis quot sub hoc jacent Lapillo Graeculus Hebraeus Syrus Et qui te quovis vincet Idâ—omate At ne molestus sis Ausculâ—a causam auribus tuis imbibe Templo exclusus Et
avitâ Relligione Iaem senescente ne dicam sublatá Mutavit chorum altiorem ut capesceret Vade nunc si libet imitare R. W. 24. Manutius in his Preface to his Paradoxes tells us of one Creighton a Scotch-man who at twenty years of Age when he was killed by the Order of the Duke of Mantua understood twelve Languages had read over all the Fathers and Poets disputed de omni scibili and answered extempore in Verse Ingenium prodigiosum sed de fuit Iudicium He had a prodigious Wit but was defective in Iudgment CHAP. XLIII Of the first Authors of divers Famous Inventions THe Chineses look upon themselves as the wisest People upon the Face of the Earth they use therefore to say that they see with both eyes and all other Nations but with one only They give out that the most famous inventions that are so lately made known to the Europaean world have been no Strangers to them for a number of Ages that are passed I know not what Justice they may have in these pretensions of theirs but shall content my self to give some account of the most useful amongst them by whom and when they were conveyed down to us 1. The Invention of that Excellent Art of Printing Peter Ramus seems to attribute to onâ— Iohn Faust a Moguntine telling us that he had in his keeping a Copy of Tully's Offices Printed upon Parchment with this Inscription added in the end thereof viz. The Excellent Work of Marcus Tullius I John Faust a Citizen of Ments happily I up 〈◊〉 not with writing Ink or Brass Pen but with an Excellent Art by the help of Peter Gerneshem my Servant finished it was in the Year 1466. the Fourth of February Pasquier saith the like had come to his hands and Salmuth says that one of the same Impression was to be seen in the Publick Library of Ausburg another in Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge and a fifth Dr. Hakewell saith he saw in the Publick Library of Oxford though with some little difference in the Inscription Yet Polydor Virgil from the report of the Moguntines themselves affirms that Iohn Gutenberge a Knight and dwelling in Mentz was the first Inventor thereof Anno 1440. and with him agree divers Learned Persons believing he was the first Inventor of this Invaluable Art but Faust the first who taking it from him made proof thereof in Printing a Book Iunius tells it was the Invention of Lawrence Ians a Citizen of Harlem in the Low Countries with whom joyned Thomas Peters a Kinsman of his for the perfecting of it and that the forementioned Iohn Faust stole his Letters and fled with them first to Amsterdam thence to Collen and aferwards to Ments According to their Books they of China have used Printing this 1600 years but 't is not like unto ours in Europe for their Letters are engraven in Tables of Wood. The Author gives his Manuscript to the Graver who makes his Tables of the same bigness with the Sheets that are given him and pasting the Leaves upon the Table with the wrong side outwards he engraves the Letters as he finds them with much facility and exactness their Wooden Tables are made of the best Pear-tree So that any Work which they print as they do in great numbers remains always intire in the Print of the Table to be Reprinted as oft as they please without any new expence in setting for the Press as there is in our Printing It was brought into England by William Caxto of London Mercer Anno 1471. who first practised it As touching that of Guns though Lipsius calls it the Invention of Spirits and not of men and Sir Walter Raleigh will have it found out by the Indians and Petrach and Valâ—urius refer it to Archimedes for the overthrow of Marcellus his Ships at the Seige of Syracuse Yet the common opinion is that it was first found out by a Monk of Germany Forcatulus in his fourth Book of the Empire and Philosophy of France names him Berthold Swartz of Cullen and Salmuth calls him Constantine Aâ—klitzen of Friburg but all agree that he was a German Monk and that by chance a Spark of Fire falling into a pot of Nitre which he had prepared for Physick or Alchymy and causing it to fly up he thereupon made a composition of Powder with an Instrument of Brass or Iron and putting Fire to it found the conclusion to answer his desire The first publick use of Guns that we read of was thought to be about the year 1380. as Magius or 400 as Ramus in a Battel betwixt the Genowayes and the Venetians at Clodia Fossa in which the Venetians having got it seemes the invention from the Monk so galled their enemyes that they saw themselves wounded and slain and yet knew not by what means nor how to prevent it as witnesseth Platina in the life of Pope Vrban the sixth 3. The Mariners compass is an admirable Invention of which â—odinus thus though there be nothing in the whole Course of Nature that is more worthy of wonder then the Loadstone yet were the ancients ignorant of the divine use of it It points out the way to the skillful Mariner when aâ—l other helps fail him and that more certainly though it be without Reason sense or life then without the help thereof all the Wisards and learned Clerks in the world using the united strength of their wits and cunning can possibly do Now touching the time and Author of this invention there is some doubt Dr. Gilbert our country man who hath written in Latine a large and learned discourse of this stone seems to be of opinion that Paulus Venetus brought the Invention of the use thereof from the Chineses Osorius in his discourse of the Acts of King Emanuel refers it to Gama and his Country men the Portugals who as he pretends took it from certain barbaroâ—s Pirates roaving upon the Sea about the Cape of good Hope Goropius Becanus thinks he hath good reason to intitle it upon his countrymen the Germans in as much as the thirty two points of the Wind upon the Compass borrow the name from the Dutch in all Languages But Blondâ—â— who is therein followed by Pancirollus both Italians will not have Italy lose the prayse thereof telling us that about Anno 1300 is was found out â—t Mâ—lâ—hiâ— or Melphis a Citty in the Kingdome of Naples in the province of Câ—â—â—pania now called Terra di Lovorador But for the Author of it one names him not and the other assures us he is not known Yet Salmuth out of Câ—â—zus and Gomara confidently christens him with the name of Flavius and so doth Dubartas whose verses on this subject are thus translated We 'r not to Ceres so much bound â—or bread Neither to Bacchus for his Clusters red As signior Flavio to thy witty tryal For first inventing of the Seamens Dyal Th' use of th' needle turning in the same
the time you went from me my life hath been so odious to me that I long for nothing so much as death and since it is the Queen's pleasure I am most willing to undergo it 7. Rubrius Flavius being condemned to death by Nero and brought to the Block when the Executioner spake to him that he would boldly stretch forth his neck Yes said he and I wish thou wouldst as boldly strike off my head 8. Ludovicus Cortesius a rich Lawyer of Padua commanded by his last Will and a great Mulct if otherwise upon his Heir that no Funeral should be kept for him no man should lament but as at a Wedding Musick and Minstrels to be provided and instead of black Mourners he took order that twelve Virgins clad in Green should carry him to the Church His Will and Testament was accordingly performed and he buried in the Church of St. Sophia 9. Cardinal Brundusinus caused this Epitaph in Rome to be inscribed upon his Tomb both to shew his willingness to die and to tax those that were loath to depart Excessi è vitae aerumnis facilisque lubénsque Ne pejora ipsâ morte dehinc videam With ease and freedom I resign'd this breath Lest I should longer see what 's worse than death 10. The words of dying Plotinus saith Caelius are worthy to be writ in Letters of Gold or if there be any other thing that is more precious than it in as much as they prescribe each of us what to do in the like case He lay as I said a dying when Eustochius went to Puteoli to visit him Hitherto said Plotinus I expected thee and even now I am labouring to return that which is divine in us unto that Divinity that informs and enlivens the whole Vniverse And having said these words he gave up the Ghost The End of the Third Book of the Wonders of the Little World THE FOURTH BOOK CHAP. I. Of Atheists and such as have made no account of Religion with their Sacrilegious actions and the punishments thereof THat was a worthy Law which was made by Numa Pompilius amongst the Romans viz. That men should not serve the gods in transitu as they passed by nor when they were in haste or were about any other business but that they should worship and pray to them when they had time and leisure and had set all other business apart He thought that the gods could never be attended upon with reverence and devotion enough whereas many of those that follow were so much of the contrary mind that they would abstain from no kind of affronts and abuses both in word and deed towards them whom they esteemed as their Deities most of these have been made as exemplary in their punishments as they had been presumptuous in their impieties 1. A young Florentine Anno 1527. esteemed a man very brave and valiant in arms was to fight with another young man who because he was melancholy and spake little was called Forchebene they went together with a great company to the place appointed which was without the Port of St. Gal whither being come a friend to the former went to him and said God give you the Victory the proud young man adding blasphemy to his temerity answered How shall he chuse but give it me They came to use their weapons and after many blows given and taken both by the one and the other Forchebene being become as the Minister and Instrument of God gave him a thrust in the mouth with such force that having fastned his tongue to the poll of his neck where the sword went through above the length of a span he made him fall down dead the sword remaining in his mouth to the end that the tongue which had so grievously offended might even in this world endure punishment for so horrible a sin 2. When Cambyses King of Persia had conquered Egypt seeing the Ox that is consecrated to Apis he smote him into the Hip so that he died The more wicked in this that what he did to that Idol Beast he did as he supposed to the true God in contempt of all Religion But not long after the counterfeit Smerdis rebelling against him and having seised the greatest part of Persia as Cambyses was mounting his Horse with a purpose to march against him his sword fell out of the scabbard the same sword with which he had before slain the Ox by this he received a wound in his Hip in the same place wherein he had given one to the Ox and of this wound in a short time he died 3. Vrracha the Queen of Arragon made War with her son Alphonsus and when she wanted money she determined to rifle the Shrine of St. Isidore at Leons in Spain such as went with her feared to touch those Treasures she therefore with her own hands seised upon many things but as she was going forth of the Temple she fell down dead So dangerous it is to adventure upon that which our selves are perswaded is Sacriledge though it should not be so in it self 4. Dionysius the Tyrant of Syracuse having rifled the Temple of Proserpina in Locris and sailing thence with a prosperous wind See said he smiling to his friends what a good Voyage the gods grant to them that are sacrilegious From Iupiter Olympius he pull'd off a garment of Gold of great weight which King Hiero of Syracuse had dedicated out of the spoiles of the Carthaginians and instead thereof caused a woollen one to be put upon him saying That a garment of Gold was too heavy in Summer and too cold in Winter but a woollen one was convenient for both seasons He caused the golden Beard of Esculapius at Epidaurus to be taken off saying It was not fit that he should have a Beard when his father Apollo was beardless He took out of the Temples also the tables of Gold and Silver and thereon being wrote according to the custom of Greece That these were the Goods of the gods he said he would make use of their goodness Also the golden Goblets and Crowns which the Statues held out in their hands he took from thence saying He did but receive what was given and that it was great folly to refuse what was proffered from their hands to whom we pray that we may receive 5. Heliogabalus would needs be married to one of the Vestal Virgins he caused the perpetual fire which was ever preserved burning in honour of Vesta to be put out and as one that intended to wage war with the gods he violated indifferently all the Rites and Ceremonies of Religion in Rome by which impiety he so provoked gods and men against him that he was assaulted and slain by his own Souldiers 6. Alphonsus the tenth King of Spain would usually blame Providence and say That had he been present with Almighty God in the Creation of the World many things should have been better ordered and disposed than
he said The horse said he pisses in a river where there is no want of water and so Caesar is liberal to them that are otherwise rich The Emperour observed that he was modestly tax'd for that as yet he had given nothing to him who had been his old servant and thereupon replyed that he had indeed been alwayes a faithful servant but that the gifts of Princes are not properly theirs that deserve well but theirs to whom they are destinied by fate and that he would convince him of the same assoon as he had some leisure Afterwards Caesar commanded two boxes to be made of the same bigness and form in the one he put gold in the other lead of the same weight caused his servant to be called and bade him choose which box he would who takes them up poises both in his hands and at last fixes upon that box that had the lead in it which when the Emperour saw at the opening of the box Now said he thou maist plainly see that not my good will has been hitherto wanting but that it was through thine own ill fortune that hitherto thou hast had no reward from me 5. It was observed as it were in the destiny of King Henry the sixth of England that although he was a most pious man yet no enterprize of war did ever prosper where he was present 6. Franciscus Busalus a Citizen of Rome was so extreamly unfortunate in his Children that he saw two of his Sons fall dead by mutual wounds they had received at each others hands two other of his Sons beheaded for a sedition which they had been authors of a fifth Son of his slew his Mother-in-law and his Daughter poysoned her self in the presence of her Husband 7. Helvius Pertinax commonly but corruptly called Aelius was so variously exercised with the chances of inconstant fortune and so often from a good thrust down into an adverse condition that by reason hereof he was called Fortunes Tennis-ball 8. Robert the Norman Son to William the Conqueror was chosen King of Ierusalem but he refused this honourable proffer whether he had an eye to the Kingdom of England now void by the death of William Rufus or because he accounted Ierusalem would be encumbred with continual war But he who would not take the Crown with the Cross was fain to take the Cross without the Crown and it was observed that afterwards he never prospered in any thing he undertook He lived to see much misery in prison and poverty and he felt more having his eyes put out by King Henry his Brother and at last sound rest when buried in the New Cathedral Church of Glocester under a wooden Monument bearing better proportion to his low fortunes than high birth and since in the same Quire he hath got the company of another Prince as unfortunate as himself King Edward the second 9. Tiberius being at Capreas fell into a lingring disease and his sickness encreasing more and more he commanded Euodus whom he most honoured amongst all his Freemen to bring him the young Tiberius and Caius because he intended to talk with them before he dyed and it should be at the break of day on the morrow next This done he besought the gods of that place to give him an evident sign whereby he might know who should succeed him for though he vehemently desired to leave the Empire to his Sons Son that was Tiberius yet made he more account of that which God should make manifest to him He therefore conceived a presage that he who the next day should enter first to salute him it should be he who in the Empire should necessarily succeed him And having setled this thing in his fancy he sent unto the young Tiberius his Master charging him to bring him unto him by break of day supposing that the Empire should be his But by the evil fortune of Tiberius it fell quite contrary to his Grand-fathers expectation For being in this thought he had commanded Euodus that as soon as day should arise he should suffer him of the two young Princes to enter in unto him who should arrive the first Who walking out met with Caius at the door of the Chamber and saying to him that the Emperour had called for him suffered him to enter Tiberius the mean while being at breakfast below When the Emperour beheld Caius he suddainly began to consider of the power of God who deprived him of the means to dispose of the Empire according as he had determined with himself so Caius was declared successor in the Empire and no sooner was the old Emperour dead but the young unfortunate Tiberius was made away 10. Antiochus was overcome in battle by his brother Seleucus whereupon he fled to Artamenes King of Cappadocia his brother-in-law where after some dayes he found there was a Conspiracy against him to betray his life He got him therefore away from thence with all speed and put himself into the protection of Ptolomaeus his Enemy supposing that he might better rely upon his generosity than any kindness he could expect from his brother But Ptolomaeus at his first arrival put him into custody under special guards Here he remained a while till by the help of a certain Harlot he escaped â—rom his prison and recovered his liberty but this unfortunate Prince had not travelled far but he was set upon by thieves and by them murdered 11. Ferdinand Mendez Pinto a Portuguese in the Book of his travels and adventures sets forth of himself that nothing being to be met with in his Fathers house besides poverty and misery an Uncle of his put him into the service of a Lady at Lisbon when he was about twelve years old where he remained but a year and a half before he was constrained by an accident to quit her house and service for the safety of his life With this unfortunate beginning he put himself upon travel and the seeing of remote parts where all along Fortune continued so extreamly unkind to him that in the space of twenty one years wherein he was abroad besides the hardships and variety of evil accidents that strangers are liable unto he suffered shipwrack five times was thirteen times a Captive and sold for a slave seventeen times in the Indies Aethiopia Arabia China Tartaria Madagascar Sumatra and divers other Kingdoms CHAP. LV. Of the Loquacity of some men their inability to retain intrusted secrets and the punishment thereof THe City of Amyclas is said to have perished through silence and it was on this manner Divers rumours and false reports had been brought to the Magistrates concerning the coming of an enemy against them by reason of which the City had several times been put into disorderly and tumultuous frights they therefore set forth an Edict that for the future no man should presume to make any such report by this means when the enemy came indeed no man durst discover it for fear
three years ten months and eleven dayes 35. Marcus the first a Roman brought in the singing of the Nicene Creed and the giving of the Pall to the Bishop of Ostia which when others have since fetched there they have paid sweetly for he sate two years eight months and twenty dayes â—6 Iulius the first a Roman Athanasius made hiâ— Creed in his time at Rome which was then aproved by Iulius and his Clergy He ordained Prothonotaries to Register the passages of the Chrch and sate fifteen years two months and six dayes 37. Liberius the first a Roman either through fer or ambition subscribed to Arrianism and Aâ—anasius his condemnation but recovered himself and sate six years three months and for dayes 38. Foelix the second a Roman condescended to communicate with the Arrians though he wâ—re none of them but afterwards in a tumâ—lt was made away by them he sate one yâ—â—r four months and two dayes 39. Damasus the first a Spaniard a friend to Sâ— Ierome who by his procurement much amendeâ— the Vulgar Latine edition He accursed Uâ—urers and appointed Gloria Patri c. to câ—ose up every Psalm he sate nineteen years three months and eleven dayes 40. Syricius the first a Roman he excluded tâ—ose that were twice marryed and admitted Monks into Holy Orders In his time the Tempe of Serapis was demolished and the Idol broken he sate fifteen years eleven months twenty five dayes 41. Anastasius the first a Roman he was carefuâ— to repress the errours of Origen was the first that brought in the standing up at the reading of the Gospel he sate three years and ten dayes 42. Innocentius the first an Albane a great sticklet against the Pelagians in his time Alaricus plundered Rome Innocentius being then at Ravenna he sate fifteen years two months and twenty five dayes 43. Zosinues brought the use of Tapers into the Church forbad Priests to drink in publick or servants to be received into the Priesthood he sate one year three months and twelve dayes 44. Bonifacius the first a Roman the son of Iocundus a Priest he was chosen in a hubub and sedition of the Clergy was shrewdly opposed by Eulalius the Deacon but at last carryed it against him he sate three years eight months and seven dayes To whom there succeeded 45. Coelestinus the first a Campanian he it was that sent Germanus and Lupus hither into England Paladius into Scotland and Patrick into Ireland he first caused the Psalms to be sung in Antiphony he sate eight years ten months 46. Sixtus the third he was accused by one Bassus for getting a Nun with Child but was acquitted by the Synod and his accuser sent into Exile he built much and therefore had the title of Inrichâ—r of the Church he sate eight years 47. Leo the first disswaded Attila from sacking Rome Peter and Paul terrifying the Hunno while Leo spake to him In his time the Venetians setled themselves in the Gulph now so famous he sate twenty one years one month and thirteen dayes 48. Hilarius the first in his time was the rectifying of the Golden Number by Victorinus of Aquitaine and the bringing in of the Letany by Mamerius Claudius of Vienna he sate seven years three months and ten dayes 49. Simplicius the first a Tiburtine he took upon him the jurisdiction of the Church of Ravenna decreed that none of the Clergy should hold a Benefice of any Lay-man he sate fifteen years one month and seven dayes 50. Foelix the third Son of a Roman Priest decreed that no Church should be consecrated but by a Bishop opposed the proposal of Union by the Emperour Zeno to the great confusion of the Eastern and Western Churches sate eight years 51. Gelasius the first an African ordered the Canon of Scripture branding counterfeit books that before passed â—or Canonical or Authentical banished the Manichees and burnt their Books he sate four years eight months and seventeen dayes 52. Anastasius the second a Roman excommunicated Anastasius the Greek Emperour for favouring the Heretick Acatius whose heresie afterwards himself favoured he sate one year ten months and twenty four dayes 53. Symmachus the first a Sardinian carryed it against Laurentius his Competitor he was a Lover of the poor and bountiful to the exiled Bishops and Clergy he sate fifteen years six months and twenty two dayes 54. Hormisda the first the Emperour Iustinus sent him his Embassadours with the confirmation of the authority of the Apostolick seat he condemned the Eutychians in a provincial Synod and sate nine years and eighteen dayes 55. Iohannes the first a Tuscan a man of great learning and piety was cast into prison by Theodorick and there killed with the stench and filth of it he sate two years and eight months 56. Foelix the fourth a Samnite excommunicated the Patriarch of Constantinople divided the Chancel from the Church commanded extream Unction to be used to dying men he sate four years two months and thirteen dayes 57. Bonifacius the second a Roman decreed that no Bishop should choose his Successor and that the Pope if it might be should be chosen within three dayes after his Predecessors death he sate two years two dayes 58. Iohannes the second a Roman condemned Anthemius the Patriarch of Constantinople was sirnamed Mercury for his eloquence Writers say no more of him but that he sate two years and four months 59. Agapetus the first a Roman sent Embassador by King Theodatus to pacifie Iustinian the Emperour for the death of the Noble and Learned Queen Amalasuntha he sate eleven months and nineteen dayes 60. Sylverius a Campanian was deposed by the Empress for refusing to put out Menna and restore Anthemius her Favourite he dyed in exile having sate one year five months and twelve dayes 61. Vigilius the â—irst for breach of promise to the Empress was fetched to Constantinople there with a halter about his neck drawn about the streets and banished he sate seventeen years seven months and twenty dayes 62. Pelagius the first ordained that Hereticks and Schismaticks should be punished with temporal death that no man for mony should be admitted into Orders he sate eleven years ten months and twenty eight dayes 63. Iohannes the third in his time the Armenians did receive the faith of Christ he was setled in his Chair by Narses and sate twelve years eleven months and twenty six dayes 64. Benedictus the first a Roman in his time the Lombards forraged Italy the grief of this and other the Calamities of Italy was the death of this Pope when he had sate four years one month and twenty eight dayes 65. Pelagius the second a Roman was made Pope in the siege of the City by the Lombards without the Emperours consent which election he sent Gregory to excuse he sate ten years two months and ten dayes 66. Gregorius the first sirnamed the Great called himself Servus servorum Dei sent Austin into England to convert the Eastern Saxons withstood the claim of Universal
was living but the other soon recovered his Seat when Sylvester had sat but forty nine daies and had made Casimir a Monk King of Poland 155. Gregorius the sixth received the Keyes so that three Popes were extant at one time but Henry the Emperour expelled Benedict Sylvester and Gregory this last having sat two years and seven months of whom the Historian saith He did many things well 156. Clemens the second caused the Romans to renounce by Oath the right they claimed in chusing Popes but Henry the Emperour gone they poisoned this Pope when he had sat not full nine months 157. Damasus 2. a Bavarian without consent of the Clergy or people seised on the Popedom but he enjoyed it but a short time for he died upon the twenty third day after his Usurpation 158. Leo the ninth a German a man saith Platina of great Piety Innocence and Hospitality to strangers and the poor at Vercellis he held a Council against Berengarius he sat four years two months and six daies 159. Victor the second a Bavarian made Pope by the favour of Henry the Emperour he held a great Council at Florence deprived divers Bishops for Fornication and Simony and died in the third month of his second year 160. Stephanus the ninth brought the Church of Millaine under the obedience of the Popes of Rome which till that time challenged equality with them and died at Florence the eighth day of his seventh month 161. Benedictus the tenth a Campanian made Pope by the Faction of the Nobles but by a Council held at Sutrinum he was deposed and banished having sat eight months and twenty daies 162. Nicholaus the second took from the Roman Clergy the Election of the Popes and gave it to the Colledge of Cardinals caused Berengarius to recant his Opinion against Transubstantiation and died in the sixth month of his third year 163. Alexander the second a Millanois inclining to the Emperours right in choosing the Pope is first boxed then imprisoned and at last poysoned by Hildebrand having sat ten years and six months 164. Gregorius the seventh commonly called Hildebrand a turbulent man Excommunicated the Emperour Henry the fourth but the Emperour made him fly out of Rome and die in Exile in his twelfth year 165. Victor the third an Italian defended all the doings of Gregory but not long after he was poysoned by his Sub-deacon in the Chalice having sat but one year and four months 166. Vrbanus the second an Hetrurian Excommunicates the Emperour and sets all Christendom in Combustion and thence was called Turbanus he died in the twelfth year of his Papacy 167. Paschalis the second caused the Emperour Henry the fourth to submit to him and to attend barefoot at his door also Excommunicated Henry the fifth interdicted Priests marriages and sat seventeen years 168. Gelasius the second a Campanian was vexed with Seditions all his time some say the Knights Templars had their beginning in his Papacy he sat but one year and five daies 169. Calistus the second a Burgundian he appointed the four Fasts Decreed it Adultery for a Bishop to forsake his See interdicted Priests marriages he sat five years ten months and six daies 170. Honorius the second an Italian a lover of Learned men Arnulphus an English man was murdered in his time for taxing the vices of the Clergy he died lamented having sat five years and two months 171. Innocentius the second opposed by an Anti-pope called Anacletus he ordained That none of the Laity should lay hand on any of the Clergy and died in the fourteenth year and seventh month of his Papacy 172. Celestinus the second was the Inventor of that mad manner of Cursing with Bell Book and Candle besides which it is only said of him That he died in the fifth month of his Papacy 173. Lucius the second a Bononian he mightily incited men to the Holy War in his time a Synod was held in France against Petrus Abelardus who thereupon changed his opinion Lucius sat eleven months four daies 174. Eugenius the third a Pisan a Monk with the Abbot St. Bernard he would not permit the Romans to choose their own Senators by which a quarrel grew that composed he died having sat eight years four months 175. Anastasius the fourth a Roman in his time was a Famine all over Europe little is said of him but that he gave a great Chalice to the Church of Laterane and died having sat one year four months 176. Adrianus the fourth an English man he forced Frederick the Emperour to hold his Stirrup and then Excommunicated him for claiming his right and writing his name before the Popes being choaked with a fly at Anagnia he died having sat four years and ten months 177. Alexander the third Excommunicated the Emperour Frederick the first and brought him to that exigent as to prostrate himself at his feet when the Pope trod upon his neck he sat twenty one years and more 178. Lucius the third strove to abolish the Roman Consuls for which he was forced to quit Rome and retire to Verona where he also died having sat four years and two months 179. Vrbanus the third a Millanois in his time Ierusalem was retaken by Saladine with grief whereof the Pope died he sat one year ten months 180. Gregorius the eighth incited the Christian Princes to recovery of Ierusalem in which endeavour he died the fifty seventh day of his Papacy 181. Clemens the third Excommunicated the Danes for maintaining the marriage of their Clergy composed the differences at Rome and died in the third year and fifth month of his Papacy 182. Celestinus the third put the Crown on the Emperours head with his feet and then struck it off again saying Per me Reges regnant he sat six years seven months 183. Innocentius the third brought in the Doctrine of Transubstantiation ordained a Pix to cover the Host and a Bell to be rung before it and first imposed Auricular Confession upon the people 184. Honorius the third confirms the Orders of Dominick and Francis and sets them against the Waldenses exacted two Prebends from every Cathedral in England he sat ten years 7 months 185. Gregorius the ninth thrice Excommunicates the Emperour Frederick in his time began the deadly feud of the Papal Guelphs and the Imperial Gibbelines he sat fourteen years and three months 186. Celestinus the fourth a man of great Learning and Piety saith Platina but being very old and perhaps poysoned at his entrance he kept his Seat but eighteen daies 187. Innocentius the fourth in a Council at Lions deposed the Emperour Frederick terrified with a dream of his being cited to Judgement he died having sat eleven years six months 188. Alexander the fourth condemns the Book of William de Sancto Amore Saints Clara pills England of its Treasure and dies at Viterbium in the seventh year of his Papacy 189. Vrbanus the fourth formerly Patriarch of Ierusalem he instituted the Feast of Corpus Christi day
Poet. Lat. cap. 2. p. 26. Quenstedt dial p. 382. Quintil. de Instit. orator l. 10. c. 1. p. 472. 10. Publ. Ovidius Naso was born at Sulmo an old Town of the Peligni in Italy thus saith he himself Trist. lib. 4. Eleg. 10. Sulmo mihi patria est gelidis uberrimus undis Millia qui novies distat ab urbe decem He excels all others in Elegy and therefore by Dempster is called The Prince of Elegy in the judgement of Seneca he is a most ingenious Poet had he not reduced that plenty of wit and matter into childish toyes his Medaea saith Quintilian shews how much that man was able to perform had he chose rather to govern than indulge his wit he died in his banishment and is buried near the Town of Tomos he flourished Anno Dom. 4. Quintil. de Instit. orator lib. 10. cap. 1. p. 473. Voss. de Poet. Lat. cap. 2. p. 29. Senec. nat Quaest. cap. 27. p. 11. C. Valerius Catullus was born at Verona of no obscure Parentage for his father was familiar with Iulius Caesar and he himself was so accepted at Rome for the facility of his wit and learning that he merited the Patronage of Cicero as he himself acknowledges with thanks He loved Clodia whom by a feigned name he calls Lesbia Martial prefers him before himself he died at Rome in the thirtieth year of his age and that was commonly said of him Tantum parva suo debet Verona Catullo Quantum magna suo Mantua Virgilio He flourished Olympiad 180. Anno Dom. 40. Voss. de Poet. Lat. cap. 1. p. 14. Gell. noct Attic. lib. 7. cap. 20. p. 220. 12. Albius Tibullus of an Equestrian Family in Rome a Poet famous for his Elegies in which he was the first amongst the Romans that excel'd saith Vossius he was in familiarity with Horace and Ovid. He loved Plancia under the feigned name of Delia whereas he was very rich by the iniquity of the times he complains he was reduced to poverty he composed four Books of Elegies and died young for the elegancy of his Verse it is said of him Donec erunt ignes arcusque Cupidinis arma Discentur numeri culte Tibulle tui He flourished A. ab V. C. 734. Quenste dt dial p. 369. Petr. Crinit de Poet. Lat. lib. 3. p. 71. 13. Sex Aurel. Propertius was born in Mevania a Town in Vmbria as he himself somewhere saith Vt nostris tumefacta superbiat Vmbria libris Vmbria Romani patria Callimachi He complains that he was put out of his fathers Lands in that division that was made amongst the Souldiers of the Triumvirate The true name of his Cynthia was Hostia saith Apuleius We have four Books of his Elegies some write that he died in the forty first year of his age he flourished with Ovid Catullus and Tibullus Petr. Crinit de Poet. Lat. lib. 3. p. 71. Voss. de Poet. Lat. cap. 2. p. 31. 14. Cornelius Gallus born at Forojulium was an Oratour and famous Poet from a mean fortune he was received into the friendship of Augustus and by him made the first President of Aegypt when it was become a Roman Province Through his discourse in his Wine at a Feast he came into suspicion of a Conspiratour and being turn'd over to the Senate to be condemn'd for very shame he slew himself in the sixty third year of his age he wrote four Book of Elegies his Lycoris was one Cytheris a freed Maid of Volumnius most of his Writings are lost he flourished Olympiad 188. Voss. de Poet. Lat. cap. 2. p. 25. 15. Decius Iunius Iâ—venaliâ— was born at Aquinum in Italy he spent his studies in writing Satyres following the examples of Lucilius and Horace in which kind he hath gained no mean reputation amongst the learned The Prince of Satyrists saith I. Scaliger his Verses are far better than those of Horace his Sentences are sharper and his phrase more open having offended Paris the Pantomime at eighty years of age in shew of honour he was made Prefect of a Cohort and sent into Aegypt he flourished Anno Dom. 84. Quenstedt dial p. 372. Voss. de Poet. Lat. cap. 3. p. 41. 16. A. Persius Flaccus was born at Volaterra an ancient and noble City in Italy seated by the River Caecina He wrote Satyres wherein he sharply taxes the corrupted and depraved manners of the Citizens of Rome sustaining the person of a Philosopher while he severely reprehends he is instructive much he borrowed out of Plato saith Chytraeus by some he is under censure for his obscurity he flourished in the Reign of Nero Anno Dom. 64. died in the twenty ninth year of his age about the 210 Olympiad Quenstedt dial p. 322. Voss. de Poâ—t Lat. cap. 3. p. 41. 17. N. Valer. Martialis was born at Bilbilis in Celâ—iberia in the Reign of Claudius the Emperour At twenty years age he came to Rome under Nero and there continued thirty five much favoured by Titus and Domitian He was Tribune and of the Order of Knights in Rome after Domitian's death he was not in the like honour and therefore in Trajans time return'd into his own Country and there having wrote his twelfth Book of Epigrams weary of his Country and Life as being ill treated by his Country-men he deceased Voss. de Poet. Lat. cap. 3. p. 46. 18. Statius Papinius born at Naples lived under Domitian he left five Books Sylvarum twelve Thebaidos five Achilleidos Martial liked not that he was so much favoured and in his Writings never mentions him Voss. de Poet. Lat. cap. 3. p. 45. 19. Ausonius the Poet and also Consul at Rome was born in Gascony at Burdigala now called Burdeaux at he tells us himself thus Diligo Burdigalam Roman colo civis in illa Consul in ambabus cunae hic ibi sella curulis Scaliger saith of him That he had a great and acute wit he Stile is somewhat harsh he flourished Anno Dom. 420. Quenstedt dial p. 36. Voss. de Poet. Lat. cap. 4. p. 55. 20. Marcellus Palingenius wrote the Zodiack of like that is of the right way of institution of the life study and manners of men in twelve Books a Work of great Learning and Philosophical he flourished Anno Dom. 1480. Quenstedt dial p. 392. 21. Baptista Mantuanus Sirnamed Hispaniolus a Monk and excellent Poet to whom Mantua gave both birth and name he was accounted the almost only Poet in his age and another Maro he taxed with great freedom and liberty the corruption of the Roman Church the impiety and villanies of the Popes amongst others he thus writes of the Simony and Covetousness of the Popes Venalia nobis Templa Sacerdotes altaria sacra coronae Ignis Thura preces coelum est venale Deusque He wrote divers Verses in praise of the Saints and other excellent Books and flourished Anno Dom. 1494. Quenstedt dial p. 300. CHAP. X. Of Musick the strange efficacy of it and the most famous Musicians THere are four sorts of
the houses of rich men but rich men went not to theirs Because replied he those know what they want but these do not One asked him what difference there was betwixt one wise and another not so Send said he both naked where they are not known and you will soon discover it Having entreated Dionysius in the behalf of his friend and in vain he threw himself at his feet and being blamed for so doing Not I said he but Dionysius is in fault who hath his ears in his feet Many were his witty and acute sayings and replies a number of which may be found whence these were borrowed that is from Laert. lib. 2. p. 49 50. 15. Stilpon of Megara so far surpassed all others in Learning and a copious way of speaking that little wanted but that all Greece fixing its eye upon him had passed over unto the Megarick Sect. He had an unchast Daughter and when one told him that she was a dishonour to him Not so much said he as I am an honour to her He was in great favour with Ptolomaeus Soter and when Demetrius the Son of Antigonus had taken Megara he gave express order for the saving his House and caused all his goods to be restored He was commanded immediately to depart Athens by the Areopagites for having spoken slightingly of Minerva the work of Phidias certain it is that he was in such honour at Athens that the Trades-men would run out of their Shops to see him and when one said they wonder at thee Stilpon as at a wild Beast No said the other but as a True man Laert. lib. 2. p. 61 62. 16. Plato an Athenian was the Son of Ariston and descended from Solon by his Mother Perictione In matters of Philosophy that fall under sense he followed Heraclitus in things only comprehended by the mind Pythagoras and in Politicks Socrates He was of that reputation that when he went up to the Olympick Games the eyes of all the Grecians were bent upon him He got the name of Plato say some from the breadth of his Forehead Aristotle saith the manner of his Speech was a middle sort betwixt Verse and Prose He professed Philosophy in the Academy whence that Sect of Philosophers that came from him were called by him Academicks He said the soul is immortal that the seat of Reason is in the head of Anger in the heart of Love in the Liver That Matter and God are the two Principles of all things he dyed in the first year of the one hundredth Olympiad aged eighty one and was buryed in the Academy Laert. lib. 3. p. 70 71 c. 17. Spetisippus Son of Eurymedon the Athenian succeeded Plato he set up the Images of the Graces in his School he held the same Opinions with his Master Plato but was inferiour to him in his manners as one that was passionate and a lover of pleasures In his age he fell into the Palsey and then with grief being made weary of life he willingly exchanged it for death Laert. lib. 4. p. 96. 18. Xenocrates Son of Agathenor was born at Chalcedon the Scholar of Plato he was naturally dull and of a sad countenance but of singular chastity and so famous for his veracity that the Athenians received his testimony without an oath being sent with others Ambassadors from Athens to King Philip he alone returned uncorrupted with mony yet this so great a man the Athenians caused to be sold because he was not able to pay the tribute of an Inhabitant Demetrius Phalareus bought him paid the Tribute and set him at liberty He succeeded Speusippus and taught in the Academy twenty five years and dyed in the night by a fall in the second year of the one hundred and tenth Olympiad being at that time aged eighty two years Laert. lib. 4. p. 98 99. 19. Bion the Son of a Publican about Borysthenes was a man of a quick wit being asked whether a man should do well to marry If said he she be fair she will be common and if foul a torment He said old age was the haven of evils and that thereupon all things hastned unto it that it was a great evil that we are not able to bear evils that the way to the grave was easie as being found by us when our eyes are shut He was so vain-glorious that at Rhodes he perswaded Seamen to follow him in the habit of Scholars He sucked in Atheism from Theodorus and having lived impiously no wonder he was so loth and afraid to dye He fell sick and dyed at Chalcis Laert. lib. 4. p. 110. 20. Aristoteles the Son of Nicomachus was born at Stagira he stammered in his speech his legs were small and his eyes little his habit was commonly rich and he wore Rings upon his fingers he fell off from his Master Plato while yet alive and finding Xenocrates to succeed him in the Academy he walked in the Lyceum and there discoursed Philosophy daily to his Scholars from whence he had the name of Peripatetick He went thence to Philip of Macedon and became Tutor to his Son Alexander he loved Hermeas a Harlot to that degree that he composed a Hymn in honour of her and sacrificed to her after the same manner as the Athenians did to the Eleusinian Ceres for which accused of impiety he fled from Athens to Calchis and there drank Poyson or as some say dyed of a disease aged sixty three years His sayings were such as these being asked what a Lyar gains he answered Not to be believed when he speaks truth being upbraided for shewing mercy to a bad man I pitied said he not the manners but the man being asked what Hope was he replyed The dream of a waking man being told of one that spake ill of him behind his back Let him beat me too when I am absent He said the roots of learning were bitter but the fruit sweet being asked what a friend was Two souls said he dwelling in one body and what he had gained by Philosophy he answered To do that freely which others do only out of fear of the Laws he dyed in the third year of the one hundred and fourteenth Olympiad Laert lib. 5. p. 116 117. 21. Theophrastus the Son of Melanta an Eresian Fuller he succeeded Aristotle in his School he was a studious and a learned manâ— of that esteem at Athens that he had almost two thousand Scholars and accused by Agonides of impiety little wanted but that the Athenians had fined his accuser He used to say that the loss of time is the greatest expence that an ungoverned tongue is less to be trusted than an unbridled Horse that for the love of glory man proudly loses many of the pleasures of life that we then dye when we begin to live He wrote many Books and dyed at eighty five years of age having remitted something of the former course of his studies he is conceived thereby to have hastned his death Laert. lib. 5. p. 122
began to spread about the beginning of Domitians Reign after Christ fifty two years 2. Corinthus was a Jew by birth and circumcised taught that all Christians ought to be so also he taught that it was Jesus that died and rose again but not Christ he denied the Article of eternal life and taught that the Saints should enjoy in Ierusalem carnal delights for one thousand years he denied the divinity of Christ he owned no other Gospel but that of St. Matthew rejected Paul as an Apostate from the Law of Moses and Worshipped Iudas the Traytor in most things they agreed with the Ebionites so called from Ebion a Samaritan St. Iohn would not enter the same bath with the pernicious Heretick Corinthus but against his and the Heresie of Ebion he wrote his Gospel he spread his Heresie in Domitian's time about sixty two years after Christ. 3. Carpocrates of whom came the Carpocratians was born at Alexandria in Aegypt he flourished about the year of Christ 109. in the time of Antoninus Pius Eusebius accounts him the father of the Gnosticks and saith That his followers gloried of charmed love-drinks of devilish and drunken dreams of assistant and associate Spirits and taught That he who would attain to perfection in their mysteries must commit the most filthy acts nor could they but by doing evil avoid the rage of evil Spirits They said that Christ was a meer man and that only his soul ascended into Heaven They held Pythagorean transmigration but denied the Resurrection They said not God but Satan made this World And that their Disciples should not publish their abominable mysteries they bored their right ear with a Bodkin 4. Valentinus an Aegyptian lived in the time of Antoninus Pius When Hyginus was Bishop of Rome he began to spread his Heresie He held that there were many gods and that he that made the World was the author of death That Christ took flesh from Heaven and passed through the Virgin as water through a Pipe or Conduit He said there were thirty Ages or Worlds the last of which produced the Heaven Earth and Sea Out of the imperfections of this Creator were procreated divers evils as darkness from his fear evil Spirits out of his ignorance out of his tears springs and rivers and out of his laughter light They have Wives in common and say that both Christ and the Angels have Wives They celebrated the heathenish Festivals were addicted to Magick and what not This Heretick was of great reputation in Rome from whence he went to Cyprus and thence into Aegypt 5. Marcion of whom came the Marcionites was of Sinope a City of Pontus or Paphlagonia being driven from Ephesus by S. Iohn he went to Rome he was the son of a Bishop in Pontus and by his father exiled for Fornication being not received by the Brethren in Rome he fell in with Cerdon maintained his Heresie and became his successour in the time of Marcus Antoninus Philosophus one hundred thirty three years after Christ. He held three gods a visible invisible and a middle one that the body of Christ was only a Phantasm that Christ by his descent into hell delivered thence Cain and the Sodomites and other Reprobates He condemned the eating of flesh and the married life he held that souls only were saved permitted women to baptize and condemned all War as unlawful Polycarpus called him the first begotten of the Devil Iustin Martyr wrote a Book against him 6. Tatianus whence come the Tatiani was a Syrian by birth an Orator and familiar with Iustin Martyr under whom he wrote a profitable Book against the Gentiles he flourished one hundred forty two years after Christ his Disciples were also called Encratit◠from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 temperance or continence for they abstain from Wine Flesh and Marriage When Iustin Martyr was dead he composed his Tenents out of divers others He held that Adam after his Fall was never restored to mercy that all men are damned besides his Disciples that women were made by the Devil he condemned the Law of Moses made use of water instead of wine in the Sacrament and denied that Christ was the seed of David he wrote a Gospel of his own which he called Diatessaron and spread his Heresie through Pisidia and Cilicia 7. Montanus Father of the Montanists his Heresie began about one hundred forty five years after Christ by Nation he was a Phrygian and carried about with him two Strumpets Prisca and Maximilla who sled from their husbands to follow him These took upon them to Prophesie and their dictate were held by Montanus for Oracles but at last he and they for company hanged themselves his Disciples ashamed either of his life or ignominious death called themselves Cataphrygians he confounded the Persons in the Trinity saying That the father suffered he held Christ to be meer man and gave out that he himself was the Holy Ghost his Disciples baptized the dead denied repentance and marriage yet allowed of Incest they trusted to Revelations and Enthusiasms and not to the Scripture In the Eucharist they mingled the bread with the blood of an Infant of a year old In Phrygia this Heresie began and spread it self over all Cappadocia 8. Origen gave name to the Origenists whose errours began to spread Anno Dom. 247. under Aurelian the Emperour and continued above three hundred thirty four years They were condemned first in the Council of Alexandria two hundred years after his death and again in the fifth General Council at Constantinople under Iustinian the first They held a revolution of souls from their estate and condition after death into the bodies again They held the Devils and Reprobates after one thousand years should be saved That Christ and the Holy Ghost do no more see the Father than we see the Angels That the son is co-essential with the Father but not co-eternal Because say they the Father created both Him and the Spirit That souls were created long before this World and for sinning in Heaven were sent down into their bodies as into prisons They did also overthrow the whole Historical truth of Scripture by their Allegories 9. Paulus Samosatenus so called from Samosata near Euphrates where he was born a man of infinite pride commanding himself to be received as an Angel his Heresie brake out two hundred thirty two years after Christ and hath continued in the Eastern parts ever since He held that Christ was meerly man and had no being till his Incarnation that the God-head dwelt not in Christ bodily but as in the Prophets of old by grace and efficacy and that he was only the external not the internal Word of God Therefore they did not baptize in his name for which the Council of Nice rejected their Baptism as none and ordered they should be rebaptized who were baptized by them he denied the divinity of the Holy Ghost allowed Circumcision took away such Psalms as
City of Catana by his wonderful illusions he seemed by the extraordinary working of his Charms and Spells to transform men into bruit Beasts and to bestow upon all things else such form and likeness as himself pleased and by general report he drew to him assoon and as easily persons that were distant from thence many days journey as those that were in the same place He did also many injuries and shameful outrages to the Citizens of Catana so that they bewitched with a fearful and false opinion fell to worshipping of him and when for his wicked deeds he was condemned to dye by vertue of his Charms he escaped out of the Hangmans hands causing himself to be carried in the air by Devils from Catana to Constantinople and after that brought back again from thence into Sicilia This made him admired of all the people who thinking the Divine power was laid up in him they ran into an execrable error offering him Divine honours But at last Leo Bishop of Catana inspired suddenly with the Spirit of God in an open place and before all the people laid hands upon this devillish Magician and caused him to be cast alive into a hot burning Furnace where he was consumed to ashes 6. Bodinus reports that of late one of the Earles of Aspremont used to entertain with great magnificence all Comers who received great contentment by the delicate dainties the curious services and great abundance of all things but the men and Horses were no sooner out of the House but they were ready to starve with hunger and thirst 7. There was a young man in Friburg that by the help of a Magician hoped to enjoy a Maid whom he earnestly loved the Devil appeared to them in the likeness of the same Maid and the young man putting forth his hand without the inchanted Circle to embrace her was presently grasped of the wicked Spirit who crushed him against a wall and made the pieces of him fly this way and that way and afterwards cast the remnant of the dead body so torn in pieces at the Conjurer who therewith fell down in the place sore bruised and not able to stir from thence till some hearing a cry and noyse ran to him took him up and carryed him away half dead 8. A German in our time saith Camerarius went to the Wars in Italy and put himself into the company of a Souldier that was a Conjurer and by whom he suffered himself to be governed One time this Conjurer made him stand within a Circle fortified with I know not what Characters Here after many invocations and horrible menaces there appeared at last as it were much against his will a Spirit like a man sore frighted wearing a Hat all torn with a great Toss-pot Feather in it having about him a torn and tattered Sheet looking like a dead Corpse that had been dryed in the Sun and afterwards gnawn with Worms with a gastly look and his feet having other shape than a mans feet As he thus stood the Conjurer would know of him if that Gouletta were taken by the Turks or not the Spirit answered that he could not tell for the present but that the day before the Besieged had defended themselves valiantly He also complained of the Conjurer that by his horrible Inchantments he did importune Spirits too much and having spoken of some other of his hard courses craved a time to think upon that he was asked and then vanished leaving behind him such a terror and stink that these curious Inquisitors had like to have dyed in the place with fear This German would afterwards often swear that as often as the remembrance of this dreadful apparition together with his voice which was small hoarse cut off and choaked as it were between every word did but touch his mind never so little he was ready to swound with fear 9. Bodinus mentions one Triscalinus who in the presence of Charles the ninth King of France and divers others caused the several links of a Gold-chain of a certain Noble man that stood a good distance off to fly as it were one by one into his hand and yet by and by the Chain was found whole and entire He also caused a Priest that was going with his Breviarie under his arm to believe that he carried a pack of Cards so that the Priest blushing threw away his Book afterwards being convicted of many such things as could not be done by any humane power he at last confessed he had performed them by the Cooperation of the Devil 10. In the year 876. the Emperour Lewis then reigning there was one Zedechias by Religion a Jew by profession a Physician but indeed a Magician he seemed in the presence of great Persons to devour men whole to eat up at once a man armed at all points to swallow a Wagon laden with Hay together with the Horses and him that drove them to cut off heads hand and feet and throw them dropping with blood into a great Bason and yet to restore every man his own limb the men remaining perfect entire and without hurt He represented Huntings Races and Military sports such as Justs and Turneaments in the Air. In the midst of Winter in the Emperours Palace he suddenly caused a most pleasant and delightful Garden to appear with all sorts of Trees Plants Herbs and Flowers together with the singing of all sorts of Birds to be seen and heard 11. Delrio tells of a contest betwixt two Magicians in this manner the one had stollen a fair and beautiful Maid had mounted her behind him upon a wooden Horse and so rode with her aloft in the air While they were thus in their journey the other Magician was at that time at a noble Feast in a Castle in Burgundy and being sensible of their flight by the Castle he by his Charms compells the Ravisher to descend and to the view of all presents him in thâ— Court of the Castle looking sadly and not able to stir together with his blushing Prize But the Ravisher was not wanting to himself in this exigent but privily inchaunts him that had thus bound him and as he was looking from a high Window of the Castle into the Court he sitted his head with so large and spreading a pair of Horns that he was neither able to pull in his Head from betwixt the strong Iron bars nor durst he cast himself down from so high a place Being therefore thus horned he was compelled to enter into an agreement with the other and recalling his Charm suffered him to depart with his pray involved in a hollow cloud as also the other suffered him to cast his Horns and return to the Feast not without great laughter of the Company that was present 12. Two Magicians saith the same Author met together in the Queen of Englands Court as I have it from unquestionable witnesses these two agreed that in any one thing they should infallibly
Greek Authors and six hundred Manuscripts they are set upon three hundred shelves â—itly disposed with that peculiar order as the study of every particular Science doth require First such as tâ—ach the first Elements of humane Life and the more polite Learning Secondly not a few that contain the Greek Latine Italian Histories and those of other Nations Thirdly such as contain the Precepts of Ethicks the Politicks and the Axioms of Moral Philosophy Fourthly such as pertain to Astronomy Geometry Musick Arithmetick and the Mathematicks Fifthly Philosophy and Physick the prints of living Creatures the History of Minerals and such like Sixthly the Books of both Laws Seventhly School and Practical Divinity Greek and Latine Fathers Commâ—ntaries upon Scripture and the General and Provincial Councils and Synods of the Church 11. The Vatican Library taking its beginning by very mâ—an degrees through the officious propensity of some Popes of Learning who enjoyed peace began so to increase that now it even labours under its own greatness and singularity For it is plain that Sixtâ—s the Fourth and especially Sixtus the Fifth did studiously endeavour the increase of it and withal Clemens the Eighth shewed out his great clemency and love of vertue when he took care upon the intreaties of the most learned Cardinal Baronius that the precious Library which Anarcas Fulvius Vrsinus a most lâ—arned person had heaped together as also all those Manuscripts collected by the most eminent Odoardus Farnesius should be transferred to the Vatican Pope Paulus the Fifth also brought hither the select Manuscripts of Cardinal Altemps to which he adjoined the Library of Heideâ—berg At such time as the Palatine of the Rhine was expelled it then received an accession of three hundred Greek Volumes in Manuscript Also Pope Vrban the Eighth enriched it with divers Greek Copies and when he had appointed Leo Allatius a man exactly skilled in the Greek Learning to be the Keeper thereof there were numbred six thousand Manuscipts an absolute Index of which was expected at the intimation of Cardinal Rusticutius but by what chance or misfortune it came not to light is yet altogether uncertain 12. The Escurial whereof Philip the Second the most potent King of Spain was the Founder hath in it a most noble Libâ—ary in which there are to be numbred seven thousand Greek and Latine Manuscripts which he had collected from several Libraries in Spain and Italy To this Library Cardinal Sirletus a most learned person gave all his Books It is also reported that two otâ—er Libraries did conspire to enrich this that of Antonius Augustuâ— Archbishop of Tarracon and the other of Don. N. the Ambassaâ—our of the King of Spain to the Republick of Venice for this last disposed all his Books to the King by his Will It hath also three thousand Arabick Books teaching the Secrets of Physick Astrology and Chirurgery and such as represent the Instruments subservient to the two last mentioned Facuâ—tiâ—s graphically described which Books it fell to the lot of Philip the Third by his Ships to take from the King of Tunis at such time as fear of a War from the King of Algier perswaded him to convey them to â— know not what Castle in hope of greater â—â—curity 13. Mâ—llaine hath a sumptuous Library the fiâ—st founding of which it owes to Cardinal Charles Borromâ—us who gave his own noble Library unto it and that the nobler in respect of Annotations upon divers Books of the Fathers which he lâ—ft to it written with his own hand Soon after Cardinal Frederick Borromaeus Archbishop also of the same Mâ—llaine assisted it with his endeavours and gave it not the name of his Family but from St. Ambrose who was once Aâ—chbishop there and the Patron of Mâ—llaine he gave it the title of the Ambrosian Library and being resolved to replenish it with Exotick Books he sent forth divers learned and vertuous men furnished with Chalices Patens and such other things as were for Church furniture into Asia to the Monks and Greek Bishops that by exchange or other price they might purchase Greek and Arabick Copies those espâ—cially of the Fathers nor was he disappointed In this Library were twelve thousand Manuscripts forty six thousand printed Volumes in the year 1645. Afterwards being yet increased and the former place too strait another was added as a supplement to it An. 1660. 14. In the higher part of the Palace of the Barberini in Rome the Cardinal Franciscus Barberini Nephew to Pope Vrban the Eighth by his Brother erected a Library in which is contained twenty five thousand choice Books of which number there are no less than five thousand Manuscripts 15. The Augustan Library is enriched with a multitude of Books and contains almost innumerable Greeks Copies in Manuscript if at least we may believe that Index of it which was imprinted at Augusta An. 1595. 16. That at Paris was founded by the most eminent Cardinal Iulius Caesar Mazarini in the endowing of which with a most precious Furniture of Books he neither spared gold or diligence Hither he caused to be transferred from the Archbishop of Trevers forty Chests replete with Manuscripts besides those other Books which he brought thither from the Library of Cardinal Richelieu and from some Provinces of France Of this Library there is an imprinted Index that gives a distinct account both of the number of the Books and names of the Authors in a very faithful relation 17. At Florence near to the Church of St. Laurence there is a Library that owes its founding to the Medicaean Family the Nurse of all kind of Vertues It was built by that Laurence Medices who in his Son gave the World that mild and meek Pastor of the Catholick Flock Pope Leo the Tenth The singularity of the Books in this Library may make amends for their multitude as will appear by the Index of it imprinted at Antwerpe 18. At the University of Leyden the choicest Monument of it is the Library there enriched with many manuscript Copies brought thither out of the East To this so flourishing an Academy Ioseph Scaliger the Son of Iulius Caesar Scaliger who was called the very Soul of Sciences left his own Manuscripts amongst which were divers Hebrew Syriack Greek and Latine ones the Index of which was published at Paris An. 1630. by Iacobus Golius a most excellent Linguist in that University 19. The famous Library at Oxford now called the Bodleian had a good Benefactor of King Henry the Eighth who employed persons into divers parts of the World to collect Books and from Constantinople by means of the Patriarch thereof he received a Ship laden with Arabick and Greek Books together with divers Epistles of the Fathers amongst which was that Epistle of St. Clement to the Corinthians which Baronius in the second Volume of his Annals so lamented as lost and which An. 1657. was printed and illustrated with Notes by N. the Prefect of this Library The
great Founder of it was Sir Thomas Bodley formerly a Fellow of Merton Colledge he began to furnish it with Desks and Books about the year 1598. after which it met with the liberality of divers of the Nobility Prelacy and Gentry William Earl of Pembroke procured a great number of Greek Manuscripts out of Italy and gave them to this Library William Laud Archbishop of Canterbury bestowed 1300 choice Manuscripts upon it most of them in the Oriental Tongues At last to compleat this stately and plentiful mansion of the Muses there was an accession to it of above eight thousand Books being the Library of that most learned Antiquary Mr. Iohn Selden By the bounty of these noble Benefactors and many others it is improved in such manner that it is a question whether it is exceeded by the Vatican it self or any other Library in the World CHAP. VII Of such persons who being of mean and low Birth have yet attained to great Dignity and considerable Fortunes IT was the dream of some of the Followers of Epicurus that if there were any Gods they were so taken up with the fruition of their own happiness that they mind not the affairs or miseries of poor mortality here below no more than we are wont to concern our selves with the business of Ants and Pismires in their little Mole-hills But when we see on the one side pompous Greatness laid low as contempt it self and on the other hand baseness and obscurity raised up to amazing and prodigious heights even these to a considering mind are sufficient proofs of a superiour and divine Power which visibly exerts it self amongst us and disposes of men as it pleases beyond either their fears or hopes 1. The great Cardinal Mazarini who not long since sate at the Stern of the French Affairs was by birth a Sicilian by extraction scarce a Gentleman his education so mean as that he might have wrote man before he could write but being in Natures debt for a handsome face a stout heart and a stirring spirit he no sooner knew that Sicily was not all the World but he left it for Italy where his debonaire behaviour preferred him to the service of a German Knight who plaid as deep as he drank while his skill in the one maintained his debauches in the other The young Sicilian deemed this shaking of the elbow a lesson worth his learning and practised his art with such success amongst his Companions that he was become the master of a thousand Crowns Hereupon he began to entertain some aspiring thoughts so that his Master taking leave of Rome he took leave of his Master after which being grown intimate with some Gentlemen that attended the Cardinal who steered the Helm of the Papal interest he found means to be made known to him and was by him received with affection into his service after his Cardinal had worn him a year or two at his ear and distilled his State-maxims into his fertile Soul he thought fit the World should take notice of his pregnant abilities He was therefore sent Coadjutor to a Nuntio who was then dispatched to one of the Princes of Italy whence he gave his Cardinal a weekly account of his transactions here the Nuntio's sudden death let fall the whole weight of the business upon his shoulders which he managed with that dextrous solidity that his Cardinal wrought with his Holiness to declare him Nuntio His Commission expired and the Affairs that begot it happily concluded he returns to Rome where he received besides a general grand repute the caresses of his Cardinal and the plausive benedictions of St. Peter's Successour About this time Cardinal Richelieu had gotten so much glory by making his Master Lewis the Thirteenth of a weak man a mighty Prince as he grew formidable to all Christendom and contracted suspicion and envy from Rome it self this made the Conclave resolve upon the dispatch of some able Instrument to countermine and give check to the cariere of his dangerous and prodigious successes This resolved they generally concurred in the choice of Mazarini as the fittest Head-piece to give their fears death in the others destruction To fit him for this great employment the Pope gives him a Cardinals Hat and sends him into France with a large Legantine Commission where being arrived and first complying with that grand Fox the better to get a clue to his Labyrinth he began to screw himself into Intelligence but when he came to sound his Plots and perceive he could find no bottom and knowing the other never used to take a less vengeance than ruine for such doings he began to look from the top of the Enterprise as people do from Precipices with a frighted eye then withal considering his retreat to Rome would neither be honourable nor safe without attempting something he resolves to declare himself Richelieu's Creature and to win the more confidence unrips the bosome of all Rome's designs against him This made the other take him to his breast and acquainted him with the secret contrivance of all his Dedalaean Policies and when he left the World declared him his Successor and this was that great Cardinal that umpired almost all Christendom and that shined but a while since in the Gallick Court with so proud a Pomp. 2. There was a young man in the City of Naples about twenty four years old he wore linen Slops a blue Wastcoat and went bare-foot with a Mariners Cap upon his head his profession was to angle for little fish with a Cane Line and Hook and also to buy fish and to carry and retail them to some that dwelt in his quarter His name was Tomaso Anello but vulgarly called Masaniello by contraction yet was this despicable creature the man that subjugated all Naples Naples the Head of such a Kingdom the Metropolis of so many Provinces the Queen of so many Cities the Mother of so many glorious Hero's the Rendezvous of so many Princes the Nurse of so many valiant Champions and sprightful Cavaliers This Naples by the impenetrable Judgment of God though having six hundred thousand Souls in her saw her self commanded by a poor abject Fisher-boy who was attended by a numerous Army amounting in few hours to one hundred and fifty thousand men He made Trenches set Sentinels gave signs chastised the Banditi condemned the guilty viewed the Squadrons ranked their Files comforted the fearful confirmed the stout encouraged the bold promised rewards threatned the suspected reproached the coward applauded the valiant and marvellously incited the minds of men by many degrees his superiours to battel to burnings to spoil to blood to death He awed the Nobility terrified the Viceroy disposed of the Clergy cut off the heads of Princes burnt Palaces rifled houses at his pleasure freed Napâ—es from all sorts of Gabels restored it to its ancient Priviledges and lest not until he had converted his blue Wastcoat into Cloth of Silver and made himself a more absolute Lord of
Solon Solon Cyrus admiring caused him to be asked what God or man it was whom he invoked in this his extremity he replied That Solon came into his mind who had wisely admonished him not to trust to his present fortune nor to think himself happy before he came to his end I laught said he at that time but now I approve and admire that saying so did Cyrus also presently commanding Croesus to be freed and made him one of his friends CHAP. IX Of such as have left places of highest Honour and Employment for a private and retired Condition GReat Travellers who have fed their eyes with variety of prospects and pleased themselves with the conversation of persons of different Countries are oftentimes observed upon their return to retire themselves and more to delight in solitude than other men The like sometimes befals men of great Honours and Employments they retreat unto a private life as men that are full and have taken a kind of surfeit of the World and when they have done so have enjoyed more of contentment and satisfaction of mind than all their former noiseful and busied splendour could afford them 1. Doris the Athenian having governed the Common-wealth six and thirty years with much sincerity and Justice became weary of publick Negotiations he therefore dislodged from Athens and went to a Country-house or Farm which he had in a Village not far distant and there reading Books of Husbandry in the night time and practising those rules in the day time he wore out the space of fifteen years Upon the Frontispiece of his House these words were engraven Fortune and Hope adieu to you both seeing I have found the true entrance to rest and contentment 2. The Emperour Charles the Fifth after he had reigned as King forty years and had thirty six of those years been possessed of the Empire of Germany that Charles who from the sixteenth year of his age wherein he first bore a Scepter to the fifth sixth year of his age wherein he surrendred all had been a great and most constant Favourite of Fortune after he had made 300 Sieges and gained the Victory in more than twenty set Battels he whose whole life and adventures were nothing else but a concatenation of Victories and Triumphs and a glorious continuation of most renowned successes after he had made nine Voyages into Germany six into Spain seven into Italy four into France ten into the Low-Countries two into England two into Africa and eleven times traversed the main Ocean who yet in all these his various and great Enterprises met with no check nor frown of Fortune except in the Siege of Marcelleis and the business of Algiers I say this illustrious Prince in the pitch and height of all his glory did freely and of his own accord descend from his Thrones resigned his Kingdom of Spain to his Son Philip his Empire to his Brother Ferdinand withdrew from a Royal Palace and retired first to a private house at Bruxels and thence descended to an humble Hermitage in the Monastery of St. Iustus seven miles from Placentia attended only with twelve Servants forbidding that any should call him other than Charles disclaiming together with the Affairs the pompous Names of Caesar and Augustus 3. Diocletianus the Emperour of Rome being filled and laden with worldly Honours which he had acquired to himself both in Peace and War even to the making himself to be worshipped for a God This great Person seeing no constancy in humane affairs and feeling how full his Imperial charge was of travels cares and perils left off the Managing and Government of the Empire and chusing a private life retired himself to Salona where he spent his time in Gardening and Husbandry and although after he had continued there some years he was earnestly importuned by Maximianus and Galerius his Successors to resume the Empire yet could he never be perswaded to quit his solitude till he parted with that and his life together 4. Sâ—atocopius King of Bohemia and Moravia having received an overthrow in a Battel by the Emperour Arnolphus withdrew himself secretly out of the Fight and unknown as he was saved himself by the swiftness of his Horse Being come alone to a Mountain called Sicambri he left there his Arms and Horse and began to walk on foot when entring into a vast Wilderness he framed himself like a poor Pilgrim to feed upon Apples and Roots until he had met with three other Hermits to whom he joined himself abiding with them unknown till his last When his time drew near that he should dye he calls the three Eremites You know not yet said he who I am the truth is I am King of Bohemia and Moravia who being overthrown in a Battel have sought my refuge here with you I dye having tryed both what a Royal and a private life is There is not any Greatness of a King to be preferred before the tranquillity of this solitariness The safe sleeps which we enjoy here make the roots savoury and the water sweet unto us on the contrary the care and dangers of a Kingdom make all meat and drink taste bitter to us That part of my life which remained I have passed happily with you that which I led upon my Regal Throne deserveth more the title of death than of life Assoon as my Soul hath parted from my body ye shall bury me here in this place and then going into Moravia ye shall declare these things to my Son if he yet lives and having thus said he departed this life 5. The Captain Similis was Prefect of the Palace to Hadrian the Emperour and after he had procured leave at last to quit himself of his employment and to retire into the Country he lived there in rest with privacy and content for the space of seven years and when he found himself near unto death he ordained by his last Will this Epitaph to be inscribed upon his Tomb. Similis hic jacet cujus atas quidem multorum annorum fâ—it septem tamen dunt axat annis vixit That is Here lyeth Similis who was indeed of a great age yet lived only seven years 6. Lucius Sylla having with great labours and infinite perils arrived unto the Dictatorship in Rome than which there is no power more absolute and having therein governed with such severity as to put to death two thousand six hundred Roman Knights slain ten Consuls forced thousands from their Country into Exile and prohibited unto divers all Funeral Honours yet without fear of accounting for any of his past actions and not being in the least enforced thereunto by any necessity of his affairs he voluntarily deposed himself from that high Seat of Magistracy and retired to a life of privacy in Rome and whereas one day as he passed along in the Market-place he was reproached and insolently treated by a young man he contented himself to say with a low voice to some
himself a Subject to the King of Spain he was executed at Tyburn where being cut down half dead after his privy members were cut off he rushed on the Executioner and gave him a blow on the ear to the wonder of the by-standers 5. It is said of Crassus Grandfather to that Crassus who was slain in the Parthian War that he was never known to laugh all his life time and thereupon was called Agelastus or the man that never laught 6. Antonia the Wife of Drusus as it is well known never spit and Pomponius the Poet one that had sometimes been Consul never belched 7. It is memorable which is recorded of a King named Wazmund and was the Founder of Warwick Town that he had a Son named Offa tall of stature and of a good constitution of body but blind till he was seven years old and then saw and dumb till he was thirty years old and then spake 8. In the first year of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth died Sir Thomas Cheney Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports of whom it is reported for a certain that his pulse did beat more than three quarters of an hour after he was dead as strongly as if he had been still alive 9. George Nevil fourth Son of Richard Nevil Earl of Salisbury was consecrated Bishop of Exeter when he was not as yet twenty years of age at twenty five he was made Lord Chancellor of England and discharged it to his great commendation his ability supplying the luck of age in him 10. When I was in Italy that Paradise of the World the outward skin of a Lady of Verona though lightly touched did manifestly sparkle with fire This spectacle so worthy of the research of the inquisitive and curious is faithfully exposed to the World by the publick Script of Petrus à Castro the learned Physician of Verona in his Book de Igne lambente whom I shall follow in the relation of this story The illustrious Lady Catherina Buri the Wife of the noble Io. Franciscus Rambaldus a Patritian of Verona of a middle age indifferent habit of body her universal temper hot and moist her liver hot and dry and so abounding with bilious and black blood with its innate fervour and an age fit for adustion increased by vehement grief This noble Lady the Creator endued with so stupendous a Dignity and Prerogative of Nature that as oft as her body was but lightly touched with linen sparks flew out plentifully from her limbs apparent to her domestick Servants as if they had been struck out of a flint accompanied also with a noise that was to be heard by all Oftentimes when she rubbed her hands upon the sleeve of her smock that contained the sparkles within it she observed a flame with a tailed ray running about as fired exhalations are wont to do insomuch that her Maids were oftentimes deluded supposing they had left fire in the bed after warming of it in Winter in which time also fire is most discernible This fire was not to be seen but in the dark or in the night nor did it burn without it self though combustible matter was applied to it nor lastly as other fire did it cease within a certain time but with the same manner of appearance of light it shewed it self after my departure out of Italy 11. I have read saith Rossâ— of one who had a horn grew upon his heel a foot long which being cut off grew again and would doubtless have still renewed if the tough and viscous matter had not been diverted and evacuated by Issues Purges and Phlebotomy 12. Fernelius saith he saw a Girl that lived in near neighbourhood to him the ligaments of whose joynts were so very loose that you might bend and turn any of them this or that way at your pleasure and that it was so with her from the time of her birth 13. Sir Iohn Mason born at Abington bred at All souls in Oxford died 1566. and lies buried in the Quire of St. Pauls I remember this Distick of his long Epitaph Tempore quinque suo regnantes ordine vidit Horum à Consiliis quatuor ille fuit He saw five Princes which the Scepter bore Of them was Privy Counsellor to four That is to Henry the Eighth Edward the Sixth Q. Mary and Q. Elizabeth 14. Thomas Bourchier successively Bishop of Worcester Ely and Archbishop of Canterbury and Cardinal by the Title of St. Cyriacus in the Baths being consecrated Bishop of Worcester An. 1435. the fourteenth of Henry the Sixth he died Archbishop of Canterbury 1486. the second of King Henry the Seventh whereby it appears that he wore a Miter full fifty one years a term not to be parallel'd in any other person he saw the Civil Wars of York begun and ended having the honour to marry King Henry the Seventh to the Daughter of King Edward the Fourth Nor is it the least of wonders that he lost not himself in the Laâ—yrinth of such intricate times 15. Sir Thomas Frowick was made Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas in the eighteenth year of the Reign of King Henry the Seventh four years he sate in his place accounted the Oracle of the Law in his Age though one of the youngest men that ever enjoyed that Office He 〈◊〉 reported to have died floridâ juventute before full forty years old so that he was Chief Justice at thirty five he died 1506. Octob. 17. 16. That was great and excellent in Socrates that whatever fell out of joy or otherwise he returned with the same countenance he went forth with and was never seen to be more merry or melancholy than at other times in any alteration of times or affairs 17. In the Reign of King Iames in the year 1613. on the 26. of Iune in the Parish of Christ-Church in Hampshire one Iohn Hitchel a Carpenter lying in bed with a young child by him was himself and the child burnt to death with a sudden Lightning no fire appearing outwardly upon him and yet lay burning for the space of almost three days till he was quite consumed to ashes 18. Lucius Fulvius being Consul of the Tusculani who at that time rebelled he deserted them and was thereupon made Consul at Rome and so it fell out that in one and the same year in which he was an Enemy to Rome he triumphed at Rome and a Consul over those to whom he had been Consul 19. It is said of Charles Earl of Valois that he was the Son of a King Brother to a King Uncle to a King and Father to a King and yet no King himself 20. There was amongst the Magnesians one Protophanes who in one and the same day won the Prize in the Olympick Games both at Wrastling and other Games when he was dead certain Thieves opened his Sepulchre and went into it hoping to have found something to prey upon after which
many others also went in to behold the remains of his body and this is certain that his ribs were found to be not distinct as those of other men but from the shoulder to those that are called the short ribs there was only one continued and entire bone instead of the greater ribs 21. Some are born with bones concrete and solid and thâ—se they say neither sweat nor thirst such a one was Lygdamus the Syracusan who in the 33. Olympiad had the first Crown of Wrastling his bones were found to be of a solid substance throughout without any marrow in them or place for it 22. A certain Gentleman hath lived many years without any ejection of excrements by stool more than at his eyes a little before noon he sits down at his table commonly inviting divers Noble persons about one a clock he rises from table after he hath eat and drunk after the manner of other persons then he vomits up the dinner he had eaten the day before exactly retaining all that he hath newly eaten being to return that by vomiting the day following as he did that he had eaten the day before he ejects it putrid and filthy not differing from other excrements In his vomits he raises it with ease without delay at once casting up a great quantity from his stomach then washing his mouth with sweet waters he returns to the table and there eats as much as will suffice till the nâ—xt day at noon he eats no break-fasts nor suppers contented with a dinner only He hath thus continued about twenty years It often comes into my mind that this Gentleman may have two ventricles as those Creatures have that chew the cud the one of which being newly filled provokes the other to empty it self by vomit but the truth of this conjecture will be cleared only by Anatomy if it will be permitted 23. A noble Matron in our City for this six years space about ten of the clock in the morning every day â—ills a Bason containing two of our pints by vomit sometimes clear at others black with an acour that stupifies the teeth sometimes yellow with an extremity of bitterness sometimes intensely green with a loathsom smell at other times white and frothy yet doth she never vomit up any thing of what she eat at supper over-night in other respects she is of good health and in that six years hath been delivered of five children she is now almost thirty years of age 24. I saw at Genoa saith Cardanus one Antonius Benzus of the Town of Port Maurice he was thirty four years of age his complexion was pale his beard grew thin as to the habit of his body he was fat out of the paps of this man â—lowed so much of milk as was almost sufficient to have suckled a child and not only did it run out but he would spirt it out with a great force Such as have seen the new World affirm that most of the men have abundance of milk 25. Neubrigensis and also Huntingdon report of one Raynerus a wicked Minister of a more wicked Abbot that crossing the Seas with his Wife he with his iniquity so over-weighed the Ship that in the midst of the stream it was not able to stir at which the Mariners astonished cast lots and the lot fell upon Raynerus and lest this should be thought to happen by chance they cast the lots again and again and still the lot fell upon the same Raynerus whereupon they put him out of the Ship and presently the Ship as eased of her burden sailed away certainly a great Judgment of God and a great Miracle but yet recorded by one that is no fabulous Author saith Sir Richard Baker 26. In the time of King Stephen there appeared two children a Boy and a Girl clad in green in a stuff unknown of a strange language and of a strange diet whereof the Boy being baptized died shortly after but the Girl lived to be very old and being asked from whence they were she answered they were of the Land of St. Martyn where there are Christian Churches erected but that no Sun did ever rise unto them but where that Land is or how she came hither she her self knew not This I the rather write saith mine Author that we may know there are other parts of this World than those which to us are known and this story I should not have believed if it were not testified by so many and so credible Witnesses as it is 27. Hugo a child of five years old was constituted Archbishop of Rhemes to possess the Seat of the great Remigius which was to parallel the â—oot of Hercules with the leg of a Fly 28. At Hammel a Town in the Dutchy of Brunswick in the year of Christ 1284. upon the 26. day of Iune the Town being grievously troubled with Rats and Mice there came to them a Piper who promised upon a certain rate to free them from them all it was agreed he went from street to street and playing upon his Pipe drew after him out of the Town all that kind of Vermine and then demanding his wages was denied it Whereupon he began another tune and there followed him one hundred and thirty Boys to a Hill called Koppen situate on the North by the Road where they perished and werâ— never seen after This Piper was called the pyed Piper because his cloaths were of several colours This story is writ and religiously kept by them in their Annals at Hammel read in their Books and painted in their Windows and in their Churches of which I am a witness by my own sight Their elder Magistrates for the confirmation of the truth of this are wont to write in conjunction in their publick Books such a year of Christ and such a year of the Transmigration of the children c. It 's also observed in the memory of it that in the street he passed out of no Piper be admitted to this day The street is called Burgelosestrasse if a Bride be in that street till she is gone out of it there is no dancing to be suffered 29. Ptolomaeus the Son of Lagus intending to erect a Library at Alexandria and to furnish it with all such good Books as were extant requested of the Jews inhabiting Ierusalem that they would send him their Books translated into the Greek Tongue they forasmuch as they were yet subject unto the Macedonians sent unto Ptolomaeus seventy Elders from amongst them very skilful in their Books and both the Tongues Ptolomaeus fearing if they conferred together they would conceal the truth revealed in their Books commanded them severally every man by himself to write his Translation and this in every Book throughout the Old Testament When as they all came together in presence of Ptolomaeus and compared their Translations one with another from the very beginning to the ending they had expressed the same thing with the same words and