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
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
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
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
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
how they have been rewarded 119 Chap. 17. Of the envious Nature and Disposition of some men 120 Chap. 18. Of Modesty and the Shame-faced Nature of some men and women 122 Chap. 19. Of Impudence and the shameless Behaviour of divers persons 124 Chap. 20. Of Iealousie and how strangely some have been affected with it 125 Chap. 21. Of the Commiseration Pity and Compassion of some men to others in time of their Adversity 127 Chap. 22. Of the deep Dissimulation and Hypocrisie of some men 128 The THIRD BOOK CHap. 1. Of the early appearance of Virtue Learning Greatness of Spirit and Subtlety in some Young Persons 130 Chap. 2. Of such as having been extream Wild and Prodigal or Debauched in their Youth have afterwards proved excellent Persons 132 Chap. 3. Of Punctual Observations in Matters of Religion and the great regard some men have had to it 134 Chap. 4. Of the Veracity of some Persons and their great Love to Truth and hatred of Flattery and Falshood 137 Chap. 5. Of such as have been great Lovers and Promoters of Peace 139 Chap. 6. Of the signal Love that some men have shewed to their Country 140 Chap. 7. Of the singular Love of some Husbands to their Wives 142 Chap. 8. Of the singular Love of some Wives to their Husbands 144 Chap. 9. Of the Indulgence and great Love of some Parents to their Children 147 Chap. 10. Of the Reverence and Piety of some Children to their Parents 149 Chap. 11. Of the singular Love of some Brethren to each other 152 Chap. 12. Of the singular Love of some Servants to their Masters 154 Chap. 13. Of the Faithfulness of some men to their Engagement and Trust reposed in them 157 Chap. 14. Of the exact Obedience which some have yielded to their Superiours 159 Chap. 15. Of the Generosity of some Persons and the Noble Actions by them performed 161 Chap. 16. Of the Frugality and Thriftiness of some men in their Apparel Furniture and other things 164 Chap. 17. Of the Hospitality of some men and their free Entertainment of Strangers 165 Chap. 18. Of the blameless and innocent Life of some Persons 167 Chap. 19. Of the choicest Instances of the most intire Friendship 168 Chap. 20. Of the Grateful Disposition of some Persons and what returns they have made of Benefits received 171 Chap. 21. Of the Meekness Humanity Clemency and Mercy of some men 174 Chap. 22. Of the light and gentle Revenges some have taken upon others 177 Chap 23. Of the Sobriety and Temperance of some men in their Meat and Drink and other things 179 Chap. 24. Of the Affability and Humility of divers Great Persons 181 Chap. 25. Of Counsel and the Wisdom of some men therein 182 Chap. 26 Of the Subtilty and Prudence of some men in the Investigation and discovery of things and their Determinations about them 184 Chap. 27. Of the Liberal and Bountiful Disposition of divers Great Persons 186 Chap. 28. Of the Pious Works and Charitable Gifts of some men 189 Chap. 28. Of such as were Lovers of Iustice and Impartial Administrators of it 192 Chap. 30. Of such Persons as were Illustrious for their singular Chastity both Men and Women 195 Chap. 31. Of Patience and what power some men have had over their Passions 199 Chap. 32. Of such as have well deported themselves in their Adversity or been improved thereby 200 Chap. 33. Of the willingness of some men to forgive Injuries received 201 Chap. 34. Of such as have patiently taken free Speeches and Reprehensions from their Inferiors 203 Chap. 35. Of the incredible strength of Mind wherewith some Persons have supported themselves in the midst of Torments and other Hardship 205 Chap. 36. Of the Fortitude and Personal Valour of some famous Men. 207 Chap. 37. Of the fearless Boldness of some Men and their desperate Resolutions 210 Chap. 38. Of the immoveable Constancy of some Persons 213 Chap. 39. Of the great Confidence of some Men in themselves 214 Chap. 40. Of the great reverence shewed to Learning and Learned Men. 216 Chap. 41. Of the exceeding intentness of some Men upon their Meditations and Studies 218 Chap. 42. Of such Persons as were of choice Learning and singular Skill in the Tongues Chap. 43. Of the first Authors of divers famous Inventions 222 Chap. 44. Of the admirable Works of some curious Artists 224. Chap. 45. Of the Industry and Pains of some Men and their hatred of Idleness 229 Chap. 46. Of the Dexterity of some men in the instruction of several Crâ—atures 230 Chap. 47. Of the Taciturnity and Secrecy of some men instrusted with privacies 232 Chap. 48. Of such who in their raised Fortunes have been mindful of their low beginnings 233 Chap. 49. Of such as have despised Riches and of the laudable poverty of some illustrious persons 234 Chap. 50. Of such Persons as have preferred Death before the loss of thâ—ir Liberty and what some have endured in the preservation of it 237 Chap. 51. Of such as in highest Fortunes have been mindful of humane frailty 238 Chap. 52. Of such as were of unusual Fortune and Felicity 239 Chap. 53. Of the Gallantry wherewith some Persons have received death or the message of it 241 The FOURTH BOOK CHap. 1. Of Atheists and such as have made no account of Religion with their Sacrilegious actions and the punishments thereof 361 Chap. 2. Of such as were exceeding hopeful in youth but afterwards improved to the worse 363 Chap. 3. Of the rigorous Severity of some Parents to their Children and how unnatural others have shewed themselves towards them 364 Chap. 4. Of the degenerate Sons of illustrious Parents 366 Chap. 5. Of undutiful and unnatural Children to their Parents 368 Chap. 6. Of the Affectation of divine Honours and the desire of some men te be reputed Gods 370 Chap. 7. Of unnatural Husbands to their Wives 372 Chap. 8. Of such Wives as were unnatural to their Husbands or evil deported towards them 373 Chap. 9. Of the deep hatred some have conceived against their own Brethren and the unnatural actions of Brothers and Sisters 374 Chap. 10. Of the Barbarous and Savage Cruelty of some men 376 Chap. 11. Of the bitter Revenges that some men have taken upon their enemies 379 Chap. 12. Of the great and grievous oppressions and unmercifulness of some men and their punishments 382 Chap. 13. Of the bloody and cruel Massacres in several places and their occasions 384 Chap. 13. Of the excessive Prodigality of some Persons 385 Chap. 14. Of the Prodigious Luxury of some men in their Feasting 387 Chap. 15. Of the Voraciousness of some great Eaters and the Swallowers of Stones c. 390 Chap. 16. Of great Drinkers and what great quantities they have swallowed 391 Chap. 17. Of Drunkenness and what hath befallen some men in theirs 393 Chap. 18. Of the Luxury and Expence of some Persons in Apparel and their Variety therein and in their other Furniture 395 Chap. 19. Of Gaming
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
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
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
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
tells of one Cresin who manured a piece of ground which yielded him fruit in abundance while his neighbours Lands were extremely poor and barren for which cause he was accused to have inchanted them otherwise said his accuser his inheritance could not raise such a revenue while others stand in so wretched a condition But he pleading his cause did nothing else but bring forth a lusty Daughter of his well fed and well bred who took pains in his Garden also he shewed his strong Carts and stout Oxen which ploughed his Land his various implements of Husbandry and the whole equipage of his tillage in very good order He then cryed out aloud before the Judges Behold the Art Magick and Charms of Cresin The Judges did acquit him and doubted not but that his Lands fertility was the effect of his Industry and good Husbandry 2. There was one Mises who presented the great King Artaxerxes as he rode through Persia with a Pomegranate of a wonderful bigness which the King admiring demanded out of what Paradise he had gotten it who answered that he gathered it from his own Garden The King was exceedingly pleased with it and gracing him with Royal gifts swore by the Sun that the same man with like diligence and care might as well of a little City make a great one 3. The Emperour Theodosius the younger devoted the day to the Senate to military judicial and other affairs but a considerable part of the night to his studies and Books having his Lamp so made that it would pour in oyl of it self to renew the light that so he might neither lose time nor occasion an unseasonable disturbance to his Servants 4. Cleanthes was a young man and being extremely desirous to be a hearer of Chrysippus the Philosopher but wanting the necessary provisions for humane life he drew water and carried it from place to place in the night to maintain himself with the price of his labour and then all day he was attending upon the doctrines of Chrysippus where he so profited and withal so retained that industry he had while young that he read constantly to his Auditors to the ninety and ninth year of his Age others say Zeno was his Master and that wanting wherewith to buy paper he wrote memorials from him upon the bones of Cattel and the broken pieces of Pots Thus fighting in the night against poverty and in the day against ignorance he became at last an excellent person 5. St. Ierome saith that he himself had read six thousand books that were written by Origen who daily wearied seven Notaries and as many boys in writing after him 5. Demosthenes that afterwards most famous Orator of all Greece in his youth was not able to pronounce the first letter of that Art which he so affected but he took such pains in the correction of that defect in his pronunciation that afterwards no man could do it with a greater plainness his voice was naturally so slender and squeaking that it was unpleasant to the Auditory this also he so amended by continual exercise that he brought it to a just maturity and gratefulness the natural weakness of his lungs he rectified by labour striving to speak many verses in one breath and pronouncing them as he ran up some steep place he used to declaim upon the shores where the waters with greatest noise beat upon the Rocks that he might acquaint his Ears with the noise of a tumultuating people and to speak much and long with little stones in his mouth that he might speak the more freely when it was empty Thus he combated with nature it self and went away Victor overcoming the malignity of it by the pertinacious strength of his mind so that his Mother brought forth one and his own industry another Demosthenes 7. Iohannes Fernandas of Flanders though born blind and pressed with poverty yet by his sole industry attained to rare skill in Poetry Logick Philosophy and such a sufficiency in the Art of Musick that he was able to compose a song of four parts memoriter which others can difficultly do by setting all down in writing 8. Elfred a King of the West Saxons here in England designed the day and night equally divided into three parts to three especial uses and observed them by the burning of a Taper set in his Chappel eight hours he spent in meditation reading and prayers eight hours in provision for himself his repose and health and the other eight about the affairs of his Kingdom 9. Almost incredible was the painfulness of Baronius the compiler of the voluminous Annals of the Church who for thirty years together preached three or four times a week to the people 10. A Gentleman in Surry that had Land worth two hundred pounds per Annum which he kept in his own hands but running out every year he was necessitated to sell half to pay his debts and let the rest to a Farmer for one and twenty years Before that term was expired the Farmer one day bringing his Rent asked him if he would sell his Land Why said he will you buy it If it please you saith the Farmer How said he that 's strange tell me how this comes to pass that I could not live upon twice as much being my own and you upon one half thereof though you have payed rent for it or able to buy it Oh saith the Farmer but two words made the difference you said go and I said come Whaâ—'s the meaning of that said the Gentleman You lay in bed replyed the Farmer or took your pleasure and sent others about your business and I rose betimes and saw my business done my self 11. Marcus Antoninus the Emperour as he was a person of great industry himself so did he also bear so great a hatred unto idleness that he withdrew the salaries of such men as he found to be slothful and lazy in their imployments saying that there was nothing more cruel then that the common wealth should be gnawn and fed upon by such as procured no advantage thereunto by their labours 12. Ioanes Vischerus Rector of the University of Tubing when in the sixty third year of his age so dangerous a year to humane life though weak in body and thereby at liberty in respect of the statutes of the University from his office of teaching yet as alwayes before so then in the last act of his life he so followed his business that so long as he had any strength or ability so long as his voice and spirits permitted he was constant in his meditations comments and teaching And when by reason of the inclemence of the air he could not perform his part in the publick auditory of Physitians he strenuously continued to profess in private at his own house When his wife oftentimes advised and besought him that he would not do it but have some regard to his own health as a man that could
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
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
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