remedy for a disease so vneurable as this is accounted to be LU. Seeing we are in thys discourse of byrthes it were not amisse that we knewe in what space a woman may beare child so that the same may liue and be accounted lawful AN. This matter hath been handled by many authors which giue vs light herein The Lawiers say that in the 7 month taking therof some dayes away and in the tenth month likewise the birth may be called lawfull as one of their digests beginning septimo mense and diuers other declareth and Iustinianus in his Autentick of restitutions The Philosophers and Phisitions debate thereof more at large Pliny sayeth that the child borne in the eighth moneth may liue which is directly against the experience we haue and the opinion we generally hold thereof for we see that those children doe not liue which are borne in the seauenth moneth vnlesse they are borne iust at the time complet hee holdeth besides that the birth of eleuen moneths is lawfull and so hee sayeth that the mother of Suillius Rufus was deliuered of him at the end of eleuen moneths Other Philosophers haue held opinion that a woman may goe with child till the thirteenth moneth but to rehearse all their opinions were neuer to make an end he that seeketh to be satisfied heerein may reade Aristotle Aulus Gellius and many more Authors Phisitions which intreate copiously thereof it is sufficient for vs that wee haue said so much in a matter which we haue so sildome occasion to know or vnderstand BER This matter in truth is fitter for Phisitions to discourse of then for vs but in the meane time I would faine know what these Hermophrodites are vvhich I heard Signior Ludouico euen now say were so common to the Aegiptian women LV. This matter is so common that there is scarsely any one ignorant but that there are often children borne with two natures the one of a man the other of a woman though diuers times the one of so slender force and weake that it serueth not for other then to shewe what Nature can doe when she pleaseth but some there are though rare which are as fully puissant in the one nature as in the other of the first sort I knew a married woman my selfe which it was well knowne had also the nature of a man but without any force or effect though in her countenance and iesture there appeared a kind of manlines of the other sort also there are diuers and amongst the rest there was one in Burgos who beeing commaunded to choose whether nature she would exercise the vse of the other being forbidden her vpon paine of death made choise of that of the feminine sort but afterwards being accused that she secretly vsed the other vnder colour therof committed great abhomination she was found guilty and burned AN. I haue heard that there was another the like burned in Seuilia for the selfe same cause but in these parts we hold it for a great wonder that men should haue the nature of vvomen or women of men Yet Pliny alleadgeth the Philosopher Califanes which was with Alexander Magnus in his conquest of the Indies who sayth that amongst the Nasamans there is a people called Androgini who are al Hermophrodites and vse in their embracements without any difference as wel the one nature as the other But we would scarcely beleeue this being so vnlikely were it not confirmed by Aristotle which saith that these Androgins haue the right teate like a man the left with which they nourish their babes like a vvoman BER This matter seemeth vnto me very nevv strange neither doe I remember that euer I heard the like but there are so many things in the vvorld aboue our capacity that I hold it not impossible especially being affirmed for true with the authority of so graue authors though me thinks this Country must needes be very farre from those which are now of late discouered in India LV. I cannot choose but merualie much hereat and I beleeue that it is some influence or constellation or else the property of the Country it selfe which ingendreth the people in such sort as we see other Countries bring forth people of diuers complexions qualities conditions But now seeing we haue so long discoursed of births as wel cōmon natural as vnnatural rare it were not amisse if we said somwhat of such as are prodigious monstrous so far beyond that wonted order and rule of Nature which she is accustomed to obserue AN. It is true that there hath been seene diuers births admirable monstrous which either proceed frō the wil and permission of God in whose hands all things are or els throgh some causes and reasons to vs not reuealed though many of them by coniectures tokens com afterwards to be discouered which though they perfectly cōclude not the demonstration of the true cause yet giue they vs a great liklihood apparance to gesse thereat It is a thing naturall to all children to giue a turn in their mothers belly to come into the world with the head forwards yet this generall rule oftentimes faileth some come forth thwartlong some with their body double neither of the which can liue their body is so crusht and broken the mothers also of such are in exceeding danger Others come to be borne with their feet forward which is also passing dangerous as well for the mother as the child vnlesse they chaunce to come foorth with their armes hanging down close by their sides vvhich if they hold vpward or croswise they crush them or put them out of ioynt so that fevve such liue Of these cam the linage of Agrippas in Rome which is as much to say as Aegrè parti brought forth in paine and cōmonly those that are so borne are held to be vnlucky of short life Some say that Nero was so borne of his mother Agrippina who though he seemed in obtaining the Empire to be fortunate yet in losing it so soon with a death so infamous his end proued him vnfortunate miserable It happeneth also sometimes that the mothers die and that the children by opening their sides are taken out aliue come to liue doe vvell Of these was Scipio Affrican which was therfore the first that was called Caesar another Romaine Gentleman called Manlius as Pliny vvriteth in his seauenth booke BER It is a matter so true notorious that there is no dout to be made therof which we read in the chronicles of Spaine of the birth of Don Sanches Garcia king of Nauarre vvhose mother Donna Ursaca being at a place called Baruban to take her pleasure in the fields vvas by certaine Mores which of a sodaine came thither to spoile and make booty thrust into the body vvith a speare in such sort that the babe vvith which she went great appeared out of the wound as though
The wonderfull puissance of the deuill The power of the deuill restrained by God A strange chance that happened to a Boy in the Citty of Astorga A verie strange thing that happened in Benauides The miserable end of a swearer The fourth kind of Spirits The fifth kind of Spirits These are causers of earthquakes The sixth kinde of Spirits The opinion of S. Basile touching the bodies of Spirits Both the Angels and deuils are pure Spirits The generall opinion of the holy Doctors coÌ„cerning the substance of Spirits The Spirits when it is necessary fashion vnto themselues bodies of fire ayre or earth c. What PhaÌ„tasma is A strange vision that hapned to Gentleman in Fuentes de Ropell A notable straÌ„ge thing that happened in Bolonia to one Iohn Vasques de Ayola a Spaniard A notable strange chance that hapned to a Gentleman in Spayne in a Monastery of Nunnes Another very strange history written by Alexander de Alexandro Another most straÌ„ge history written by Alexander de Alexandro The answer of S. Andrew to a question proposed to him by the deuill A strange History of Don Anthonio de la Cueua Incubi Succubi The deuils malice is such that he wil not stick to commit any abhomination so that he may cause men to commit it with him Marcus a Greacian that had great familiaritie with deuils An erronious opinion of Lactantius Firmianus A wonderful history of a mayden that was enamoured of the deuill An other strange history of a mayden deceaued by the deuill Negromancie Naturall Magique Abel the Sonne of Adam made a book of the vertues of the Planets The vse of natural Magique is lawfull The Magitians do couenant and agree with the deuill Some deuils higher in authoritie then others A pretty tale of Sprights that were seene in Beneuenta Another pretty tale of a Spright Trasgoâ—y Duendes de Casa Hobgoblins and Robin Goodfelows A Hobgoblin in the Citty of Salamanca A Story of a Studient and a Hobgobline in Beneuenta Another story of a Hobgobline in Beneuenta A false and ridiculous opinion that many hold touching those that are possessed Psellius opinion of the cause why the deuils desire to enter into mens bodies Enchaunters Witches The deuill sometimes entreth into the body of beastes A story of a student that rode between Guadalupe and Granada in one night Another notable chance that hapned to two men on their way to Granada Sorcerers Hags A notable chance that happened to a learned man in Spaine Fryer Alonso de Castra his opinion touching Sorcerers Hags Lamia Striges Wee call these skriech Owles Two maner of wayes by which the Sorcerers are present in generall assemblies with the deuill A strange story of a Sorceresse Another story of a Sorceresse written in Malleê° Maleficarum a booke contayning nothing but things exceeding wel verified and of vndoubted truth Another history of a Sorceresse recited by Paulus Grillandus The names of certaine old famous Sorcerers Negromancers The deuill in the ende always bringeth his ministers to shame and confusion Particuler vertue of men called Ophrogens A pretty kind of curing a man that was bitten by a mad dogge There is a Sect of men in Spain called Saludadores who heale by such like ceremonies those that are bitten by mad dogs I haue seene of them my selfe The cause why the deuill suggesteth euill thoughts to vs in our sleepe A strange chance that hapned to a Gentleman in his sleepe The deuill is alwayes lying in wait to deceaue vs. Aristotles definition of Fortune The grosnes of the Gentiles about their Gods Sundry maners and formes in which the Gentiles figured and paynted Fortune The phrase Corrio Fortuna is not so proper in English and therefore I set it in Spanish Temples dedicated to aduerse Fortune There is great difference betweene Chaunce Fortune The definition of Chaunce more general then that of Fortune Claudius despairing to liue of a sodain made Emperour Caligula murdered as he went to see certaine pastimes Beastes haue no vnderstanding but are onely guided by a distinct of Nature A Beare that playd vpon a Flute The fiercenes of the dogs of Albania The strange affection of a dog of K. Lysimachus The loue of a Romaine gentlemans dog to his dead maister Cardanê° also maketh meÌ„tion of thy dog in his booke de perfect is animalibus Fernandus Gonzala Ouiedê° sayth that this dog was called Bezerillus A strange story of the Earle of Beneuentaâ— dogge The gouernment of the Bees The prouidence of the Ants. The vigilance or the Cranes Reason and vnderstanding vnseparably conioyned and vaited together The cause why some beasts haue greater instinct then others * Dycha Desdycha * Ventura Disuentura * 〈◊〉 Desdichade Bonauentuâ—ado Malauenturado Some words of the Author omitted which treate of the Etimologie of Dycha Desdycha Ventura Disuentura and Disgracia deriuing them from the Latine which doe nothing agree with our English phrase In thinges spirituall interiour there can be no Fortune What wee ought in true Religion to thinke of Fortune There is no other Fortune then the will and prouidence of God What thing Desteny is The Stoyicks opinion of Desteny The opinion of Chrisippus The opinion of Seneca A story of one that said it was his desteny to be a Hangman An argument to proue that there is Destenie The obiection aunswered All that is not vnpossible may be auoided How the operation influence of the starres is to be vnderstoode Our soules farre more noble then the caelestiall bodies Out bodies lesse noble theÌ„ the Planets therfore subiect to their influence The influence of the planets worketh not â—â— force necessity but theyr effects may many vvayes bee altered and changed Our good Angel preserueth vs oftentimes from many mischiefes Astronomers sometimes foretell future things Pope Marcellê° Father said at the houre of his sonnes birth that he was borne to be Pope The Astronomer of Charie Many causes and reasons to alter that which the signes and Planets doe seeme to portend The Chyromancers or Palmestrers doe often meddle their Science with Negromancie The opinion of the Astronomers touching the operation of the Planets Opinion of the Philosophers The opinion of Plato Calcidius An obiection An aunswer to the obiection Auerroes Opinion of Merc. Trismegistus Auerroes Iamblicus Plotinê° scoffeth at the Astronomers Auerroes Opinion of Marsilius Ficinus The Astronomers opinion reprouable by many arguments Obiection The iuyce of Hemlocke giuen to drinke to those that were condeÌ„ned to die The iuyce of Mandragora is mortiferous The vertue of Hemlock The vertues of Mandragora No herbe so venomous but it is some-way vertuous profitable The Viper yeeldeth remedy against many diseases A Leaper strangely cured Pestilentiall diseases are caused through the corruptions putrifactions of the earth The heauen is deuided into fiue Zones and the earth into as many The opinion of Ouid. Macrobiê° Virgil and the rest of the ancients erred touching the enhabited parts of the
women of Egipt are so fruitefull that they haue often 3. or 4. children at a burden and though he expresseth not so much yet we must imagine that many of them liue and doe well or otherwise hee would neuer make so often mention of them In this our Spayne we haue often seene a woman deliuered of three children at once and one in a Village not far hence of 4. and in Medina del campo some yeres passed it was publiquely reported that a certain principal woman was brought a bed of 7. at once and it is said that a Bookebinders wife of Salamanca was deliuered of 9. and we must thinke that in other Countries haue hapned the like of as great greater admiration though we as they say being in one ende of the world haue had no notice nor knowledge of them LV. Plinie saith it is certaine that sixe children may be borne at one birth which is most strange vnlesse it be in Egypt where the women bring sildome one alone into the worlde In Ostia there was a woman that had at one burden two sonnes and two daughters all liuing and doing well Besides in Peloponeso a woman was 4 times deliuered each time of 5. sonnes the most part of which liued Trogus Pompeius writing of the Egiptian women saith that they are often deliuered of 7. sons at once of which some are Hermophrodits Also Paulus the Lawyer writeth that there was brought from Alexandria to Adrian the Emperor a woman to be seene which had fiue liuing children 4. of the which were borne in one day the 5. foure daies after the deliuery of the first Iulius Capitolinus writeth the like of a woman deliuered of 5. sons in the time of Anth. Pius so that the matter which signior Bernardo rehersed of the woman with 3. liuing children is not so newe nor strange Besides it is coÌ„firmed with the publique fame of that which hapned to a lady one of the greatest of this land which being in trauaile it was told her husband that she was deliuered of one son within a little space of one more within few houres they told him that shee had brought him forth 4. more which were 6. in all who answered merily to those that brought him the newes if you can wring her well I warrant you qd hee you shal get more out of her This is no fable but a matter known to be true AN. Seeing we are falne into the discourse of prodigious births I can by no means passe ouer with silence that which Nicholaus de florentia writeth alledging the authority of Auicenna in Nono de animalibus that a woman miscaried at one time of 70. proportioned children the same author alledgeth Albertê° Magnê° which said that a certaine Phisition told him for assured trueth that beeing sent for into Almaigne to cure a gentlewoman hee sawe her deliuered of a 150. children wrapt all in a net each of them so great as ones little finger all borne aliue proporcioned I know well that these thinges are almost incredible to those which haue not seene theÌ„ yet is this one thing so notorious wel known that it coÌ„firmeth the possibility of the rest though it be far more admirable then any of theÌ„ all That which hapned to the lady Margaret of Holland which brought forth at one burden 306. children all liuing about the bignes of little mise which were christned by the hands of a Bishop in a bason or vessel of siluer which as yet for memory remaineth in a Church of the same Prouince the which our most victorious Emperor Charles the fift hath had in his hands this is affirmed to be true by many and graue witnesses Sundry authors write hereof especially Henricus Huceburgensis Baptista Fulgoso Lodo. Viues which saith that the cause of this monstrous birth was the curse of a poore woman which coÌ„ming to the gates of this great Lady to demaund almes in steede of bestowing her charity she reuiled taunted her reprochfully calling her naughty pack asking her how many fathers shee had for her children wherat the poore woman taking griefe beseeched God on her knees to send vnto this Lady so many children at a burden that she might be able neyther to know theÌ„ nor to nourish them BE. I think there neuer was the like of this seene or heard of in the world and truly herein Nature exceeded much her accustomed limites the iudgment thereof let vs referre to the Almightie who suffered permitted her to conceaue so many creatures which seeing it comes so well to purpose I will tell you what I haue heard of som men of credit such as wold not report any vntruth which is that in the kingdom of Naples or in diuers places therof the childbirth is passing dangerous to the Mothers because there issueth out before the childe appeare a little beast of the fashion bignes of a little frog or little toade and somtimes 2. or 3. at once if any of the which through negligence come to touch the grounde they hold it for a rule infallible that the woman which is in trauaile dieth presently which because so soone as it coÌ„meth out of the wombe it creepeth that swiftly they haue the bed stopt round about besides the ground wals so couered that it cannot by any means com to tuoch the earth besides they haue alwaies ready a bason of water wherein they presently put those litle beasts couering it so close that they cannot get out carry theÌ„ therin to some riuer or to the sea wherein to auoide the danger they cast theÌ„ and though I haue not seen any Author which writ so much yet all those that haue been in those countries confirme the same so that there is no doubt to be made thereof but that it is as true as strange and though it may seeme that I vse some digression froÌ„ the matter yet me thinks that it is not amisse that we should vnderstand what Aristotle writeth in his 3. booke de animalibus of a he Goat which as it seemed was euen ready to coÌ„ceaue if nature would haue giuen him therto any place for he had teates like vnto the femals great full of milk so that they milked him it came froÌ„ him in such quantity that they made cheese thereof AN. Meruaile not much at this for if you read the booke which Andreas Mateolus of Siena made de epistolis medecinalibus you shal find that he saith hee saw himselfe in Bohemia 3. of the same sort of the which hee himselfe had one for his proper vse whose milke he found by experience to bee the best medicine of all for those which were troubled with the Apoplexy or falling sicknes BER There must be some cause for which Nature in such a thing as this exceeded her accustomed order and perchance it was to bring a
Tartaria with so little mouthes that they cannot eate but maintaine their liues with sucking in onely the substance and iuice of flesh and fruites There is another kind of men with dogs faces and Oxe feete which containe all their speech vnder two wordes onely with the which the one vnderstandeth the other There are others whom they call Phanaces whose eares are so great that they couer therewith their vvhole bodies they are so strong that vvith one pull they teare whole trees vp by the roots vsing them in their fight with exceeding agillity There are others with one eye only and that in their forehead their eares like dogs and their haire standing stiffe vp an end Others they describe with diuers and monstrous formes which if I should rehearse all I should neuer make an end yet by the way I will tell you what I haue reade in one of Ptolomes tables of Tartaria maior There is in it sayth he a Country now called Georgia fast by the kingdome of Ergonil in the which there are fiue sorts of people some blacke as Ethiopians some white like vs some hauing tailes like Peacocks some of very little and low stature with two heads and others whose face and teeth are in maner of horse iawes And if this be true it is a wonderfull thing that there should be in one Land such diuersities of men BER Doe these Authors set all these monsters together in one part of the earth or in diuers parts AN. In this point they differ farre the one from the other Pliny and Strabo agree with the story written by the Philosopher Onosecritus which was in India with Alexander the great and writeth all these monsters to be there Solinus sayeth that the Arimaspes being a people with one eie are in Scithia fast by the Riphaean mountaines Others hold that the most part of these monsters are in the solitary deserts of Affrica and the rest are in the mountaines of Atlas others sayde that the Cyclops Gyants of exceeding hugenes with one onely eye and that in the midst of their forehead were to be seene in Sicillia LU. Yet it may be that they are as well in one place as in another yet Strabo entreating of them in conclusion accounteth them but fables and fained matters and Sinforianus Campegius a man singulerly learned in a Chapter which hee writeth of monsters proueth by naturall reasons that there can be none such and if there be any that they are no men but brute beasts like vnto men Pomponius Mela is of the same opinion saying that the Satyres haue nothing else of man then the likenesse AN. I will neyther beleeue all nor condemne all which is written but as touching the Satyres me thinkes Pomponius Mela hath small reason for wee must rather beleeue Saint Hierome who in the life of Saint Paule the first Hermite which worke is allowed by our Church witnesseth that they are men and creatures reasonable Their shape is according to the description of diuers Authors like vnto men differing onely in some points as in hauing hornes on their heads their noses and forepart of their mouthes like to dogges snowts and their feete like to those of Goates Many affirme that they haue seene them in the deserts of Aegipt The Gentiles in diuers places adored them for Gods and Pan the God of Sheepheards was alwayes painted in the likenes of a Satyre Many haue written of these Satyres and it is held for a matter certaine and vndoubted AN. Sabellicus in his Aeneads sayeth that there are of them in the mountaine Atlas which runne on foure feet and some on two feet like men either sort passing swiftly Pliny affirmeth that there are of them in India in certaine mountaines called Subsolani whom not accounting men hee termeth to be most dangerous and harmfull beasts Ouid in his Metamorphosis sayeth that the Satyre is a beast like vnto a man onely that hee hath hornes on his head and feete like a Goate But if it be so that they are men capable of reason I wonder that we haue no greater knowledge of them AN. Heerein is no great cause of wonder because the deformity of their figure maketh them so vvild that it taketh from them the greatest part of the vse of reason so that they flie the conuersation of men euen as other bruite beastes doe but amongst them selues they conuerse and vnderstand one another well enough for all those which vvrite of the mountaine Atlas say that there are in the tops therof many nights heard great noyses and soundes as it were of Tabers and Flutes and other winde instruments vvhich they hold for a certaine to be doone by the Satyres in their meetings for as soone as the day comes you heare no more yet some will say that the Satyres are not the cause thereof but another secrete of Nature of the vvhich we will hereafter in his more conuenient and proper place discourse LU. Before we passe any farther let vs first vnderstand what difference there is between Satyres Faunes Egipanes for Virgill in the beginning of his Georgiques inuoketh as well the one as the other and sundry other Authors vsing these seuerall names doe seeme to put a difference betweene them AN. I will ansvvere you herein with Calepin which saith that Faunes were held amongst the Greeks for the selfe same which Satyrs among the Latines that they both are one thing Probus and Seruius saith that they are called Fauni à fando because they prophesied as Pan did amongst the Sheepheards And Seruius vvriteth that Egipans Satyrs and Faunes are all one Nicolaus Leonicus in his second booke de vana historia vvriteth of another sort of Satyrs much differing in shape from these before rehearsed he alledgeth an Author called Pausanias vvhose authority he followeth in his whole worke who sayeth that he heard Eufemius a man of great estimation and credite affirme that sayling towardes Spaine the ship in which they went through a great tempest and storme beeing driuen with a violent vvesterne wind to runne along the Ocean Seas brought them at last vpon the coast of certain Ilands which seemed to be vninhabited wher they had no sooner landed to take in fresh vvater but there appeared certaine vvild men of a fierce cruel resemblance all couered vvith haire somwhat reddish resembling in each other part men but onely that they had long tailes full of brisled haires like vnto horses These monsters discouering the Marriners ioyned them selues in a great troupe squadron together making an ilfauoured noyse like the barking or rather howling of doggs and at last of a sodaine set vpon them with such a fury and vehemence that they draue them backe to their ship forcing them to leaue behind them one of their vvomen which was also landed vpon whom they savv from their ship those brutish men or rather barbarous monsters vse all sort of fleshly abhomination and filthy lust
they may hope of them in time to come for if they sit fast without feare they nourish them with great care and diligence as of a noble inclination and deseruing to be cherished but if theyr courage faile or that they shew any demonstration of feare they send them to be brought vp in some barren places farre from them selues AN. I doe not so affirme these things for true that I thinke it deadly sinne not to beleeue them mary they are written by a man so graue and which in the rest of his works vsed such sincerity that truly me thinkes wee should doo him great wrong in not beleeuing him LV. I know not what to say that there should be no more notice in the world of a Country so fruitfull and a people so blessed especially seeing the Portugals haue sayled and discouered all the Coast of Aethiopia and India euen to the very Sunne rising where they haue found so many and so diuers Ilands that it should be almost vnpossible for any such Country to remaine vndiscouered AN. Meruaile not at this for the Portugals as you say haue not stirred out of the Coast of Affrica and India the farthest that they went being to the Iles of Molucco whence such store of spice commeth as for Taprobana Zamorra and Zeilan they are all adioyning Ilands neere to those Coasts but they neuer nauigated into the Ocean foure continuall moneths as these others did LV. You are deceaued heerein for in only Magellans voyage they sailed farther then euer any other Nation did and if there had beene any such miraculous people in the world they should then haue had knowledge of them as well as Pigafeta had of the Pigmees for they did not onely as you know discouer the Sea of Sur passing a Sea where in fiue or sixe moneths they neuer saw any land but also on the other side sailed within few degrees of the Southpole And besides this the 4000. Ilands which they discouered in the Archpelago towards the Sunne rising the most part of which are peopled and according to somes opinion are thought to be on the other side of the earth in none of which any such blessed people haue been found as you speake of AN. Though all this be as you say yet the world is so great and there is in it so much to be discouered that perchaunce they are in those parts which we know not thinges so strange and monstrous that if we saw them would make vs wonder a great deale more and giue vs occasion to bee lesse astonished at the others in respect of which peraduenture we should account these very possible and one day hauing more time we may discourse more particulerly of this matter BER I take this worde of yours for a debt marry I would now aske you which you holde for the greatest wonder in that people eyther their tongue so strangelie deuided that they speake differently and with diuers persons seuerall matters at one time or else in steede of bones to haue onely sinewes doubling their members euery way AN. The first I neuer heard of nor of any the like and therefore of the two I hold it for the stranger but the likelihoode of the second is authorised for true by many vvriters and chiefely by Varro who writeth that in Rome there was a Fencer called Tritamio of such exceeding strength that being bound hand and foot he wrestled with very strong men whom onely with pushing his body from one side to another he gaue such a blow that if he touched them they were in danger of their lyues the like force had a Sonne of his who was a man at Armes vnder Pompey the which without Arms went to fight with his enemy Armed whom taking by one finger he made him yeeld and brought him prisoner to the Campe. It is sayde that these two had not onely their sinewes at length like vnto other men but also thwart and croswise ouer all their whole body whence proceeded this their so miraculous strength There are many incredible thinges reported of the forces and strength of Milo which though they were without doubt supernaturall and miraculous yet were they in the ende the cause of his most miserable and disastrous death for putting his hands into the cleft of a great tree thinking to rent and split it forcibly thorough the same of a suddaine turned backe and closed with such violence catching entrapping and crushing his handes so miserably that beeing not able to pull them foorth and beeing farre from helpe and in a desolate place hee was there forced pittifully to finish his life and vnfortunate strength together cutting vp his body they found that the pipes of his armes and legs were doubled LU. Though the strength of Milo were so famous and renowned as you say yet were there in his time as diuers Authors make mention that exceeded him farre Elian writeth that there was one called Tritormo helde in such admiration for his strength that Milo thinking thereby the greatnesse of his fame to bee diminished and obscured sought him out and challenged him but at such time as they were to enter into combate Tritormo taking vppe a mighty peece of a Rocke so huge that it seemed vnpossible that anie humaine force should mooue it cast it from him three or foure times with such exceeding force and then lifting it vppe on his shoulders carried it so farre that Milo amazed at the strangenesse thereof cryed out O Iupiter and is it possible that thou hast brought an other Hercules into the vvorlde But whether this mans pipe bones were double or single no man knoweth BER I haue heard of some whose bones were whole sounde and massiue vvithout any marrowe in them as diuers vvrite of Ligdamus the Syracusan and that the same is the cause of greater force ANTHONIO I neuer savve any such but Pliny vvryteth thereof in these vvordes vvee vnderstande sayeth hee that there are certayne menne vvhose bones are massiue and firme vvithin in vvhome this one thing is to bee marked that they neyther suffer thyrste nor may at any time sweate As for thirste wee see it voluntarilie suppressed of diuers for there was a Romaine Gentleman called Iulio Uiator who beeing in his youth sicke of a certayne corruption betvveene the fleshe and the skinne was forbidden to drinke by the Phisitians vsing him selfe to which abstinance a vvhile hee kept it in his age without euer drinking any thing at all LUDOUICO This is a matter not to bee lette slippe but in the meane time lette vs returne to that of strength I saye therefore that the forces of Sampsonne were such that if the holy Scripture made not mention of them no manne would beleeue them so that wee maye also giue credite to that which is written of Hercules Theseus and other strong menne that haue beene in the vvorlde whose Histories are so common that it were to no purpose to rehearse them heere AN.
These were indued both with strength and courage and through the vse thereof the one and the other accomplished great and worthy enterprises leauing behind them a fame glorious and euerlasting but there haue beene and as yet are sundry of rare and excellent strength which they haue employed and doe employ so ill that there is no memory nor reckoning made of them There was one not long since in Galicia called the Marshall Pero Pardo de Riba de Neyra who bearing great grudge to a certaine Bishop and finding no meanes to accomplish his reuengefull despite was contented to yeeld to the request of certaine that went betweene to make them friends at such time as they should meete together for the consummation of their attonement the Marshall went to embrace him but his embracing was in such sort that he wrung his guts out and crusht all his ribs to peeces leauing him dead betweene his armes LU. Hercules did no more when hee fought with Antheus whom he vanquished in the same manner though this act be so villainous especially hauing giuen security that it deserueth not to be spoken of There are besides at this day many trewants peasants and labourers of such accomplisht strength that if they employed it in worthy works they would winne thereby great estimation BER It is not sufficient to haue courage with this strength but they must be also fortunate for else they are soone dispatcht with a blow of a Canon yea and though it be but of a Harquebuz it is enough to abate the strongest man liuing and therefore they had rather liue in assurance dishonourable and obscure then with such ieopardy to seeke glory and fame But let vs returne to those that haue no thirst least we forget it It is a common thing that there are diuers men which bide fiue or sixe dayes without drinking especially if the victuals they eate be colde and moyst I knew a woman that made but a pastime to abstaine from drink eight or tenne dayes and I heard say that there should be a man in Medina del Campo I remember not well from whence he was that stayed vsually thirty or fourty dayes without drinking a drop and longer if it were in the fruite season for with eating thereof hee moystned so his stomacke that hee made no reckoning of drinke It vvas tolde mee for a truth that there was in Salamancha a Chanon of the same Church vvhich vvent to Toledo and returned being out xx dayes in all which time till he returned to his owne house hee neuer dranke any droppe of water or wine or any other liquor But that which Pontanus writeth in his booke of Celaestiall thinges causeth mee to wonder a great deale more of a man that in all his life time neuer drank at all which Ladislaus King of Naples hearing made hym perforce drinke a little vvater vvhich caused him to feele extreame payne and torment in his stomack I haue been told also by many persons worthy of credite that there is in Marsile neere to the Citty of Lyons at this present a man lyuing which is wont to continue three or foure monthes vvithout drinking without receauing thereby any discommoditie in his health or otherwise AN. There are many strange things reported about thys matter the cause wherof we will leaue to Phisitions who giue sufficient reasons whereby we may vnderstand how possible thys is which seemeth so farre to exceede the ordinary course of Nature BER If wee leaue thys purpose let vs returne to our former of strength for I was deceaued in thinking that the greater part thereof consisted in bignes of body members AN. If we should follow this rule we should oftentimes deceaue our selues for we finde many great men of little and slender force and manie little men of great and mightie puissance the cause whereof is that Nature scattereth and separateth more her vertue in great bodies then in lesser in which beeing more vnited and compacted it maketh them strong and vigorous and so saith Virgil. In a little body oftentimes the greatest vertue raignes LVD But we must not alwaies alowe this rule for true for we haue read and heard of many Giants whose wonderfull forces were equall with the largenes of theyr bodies BER For my part I thinke that thys matter of Gyants be for the most part feigned and though there haue beene great men yet were they neuer so huge as they are described for euerie one addeth that as he thinketh good Solinus writeth that it is by many Authors agreed that no man can passe the length of seuen foote of which measure it is saide that Hercules was Yet in the time of Aug. Caesar saith he there liued tvvo men Pusion and Secundila of which either of them had x. feete or more in length and theyr bones are in the Ossary of the Salustians and afterwards in the time of the Emperor Claudius they brought out of Arabia a man called Gauara nine foote and nine inches long but in a thousande yeeres before Augustus had not beene seene the like shape of men neither since the time of Claudius for in this our time who is it that is not borne lesse then his Father AN. If you mark it wel in the same chapter in which Solinus handleth this matter he sayth that the bones of Orestes were found in Tegoea which being measured were 7. cubits long which are more then 4. yardes according to the common opinion and yet this is no great disformity in respect of that which followeth Besides saith he it is written by the Antiquitie and confirmed by true witnesses that in the warres of Crete vpon an irruption of waters breaking vp the earth with the violent impesuositie thereof at the retreate thereof amongst many openings of the earth they found in one monument a mans body 33. cubites long Among the rest that went to see this spectacle so strange was Lucius Flacus the Legate and Metellus who beholding that with theyr eyes which otherwise they vvoulde not haue beleeued remained as men amazed Pliny also saith that a hill of Crete breaking there was founde the body of a man 45. cubits long the which some said was of Orion and others of Ocius And though the greatnes of these 2. bodyes be such that it seeme incredible yet farre greater is that of Antheus the which Anthoniê° Sabellicê° in his Aeneads saith was found in the citty of Tegaena at such time as Sartorius remained there Captain generall of the Romaine Army whose Sepulchre being opened and his bones measured the length of his carkas was found to be 70 cubits to confirme the possibility of this he addeth presently that a certaine host of his a man of good credit told him that being in Crete meaning to cut downe a certaine tree to make therewith the mast of a ship that selfe tree by chance was turned vp by the roote vnder the which was found a mans
if they were then no greater then they now are the greatnes of his stature was not so out of proportion and wonderfull and if the bodies of Antheus Oryon had thē been measured they would not haue been so many of their cubits as they were of theirs that measured them I beleeue that they would nowe be more the cause hereof is that as the world waxeth old so al things draw to be lesser for euen as earth that hath not ben laboured yeeldeth greater fruite at the beginning and in more aboundance then after when it becōmeth weary and tired with continuall trauaile bringing forth euen so the vvorld through wearines and long course of generation ceaseth to breed men of so large and puissant statures as it wonted AN. Although in part of this your argument you seeme to haue some reason yet you are deceaued if you hold this for a generall rule without exception for this age of ours is not without Gyants and those very great truth it is that in times past there were of thē in many parts and now in very few those for the most part in Lands nere to the North South pole for it seemeth that Nature enclineth to create this greater men in cold Countries But seeing this is a matter which cannot be handled without falling into discourse of those Countries towards the Septentrion matter of no lesse admiration let vs leaue it till we meete another time to the ende wee may haue where-with to entertaine good conuersation LU. There are also people of great stature which liue in hote Countries towards the Aequinoctiall for as Crates Pergamenus writeth there is a people among the Aethiopians called Sirboti whose common stature is eight cubites and more in height and what thinke you May not these men well be called Gyants AN. This onely Author maketh relation thereof and though we haue notice of all the Nations of Aethiopians we haue neuer seene nor heard of any such great people amongst them but wee notoriously knowe that there are of them in the colde Regions and such as are commonly helde to bee vninhabitable which at farther leasure I will cause you thoroughly to vnderstand LV. If you thinke that I will forgette this your promise you are deceaued for I holde well in memory all such matters as we doo nowe leaue in suspence but nowe seeing you will haue it so let vs passe on and giue mee to vnderstand vvhether liue longest these great or little men for it agreeth with reason that the one greatnes should be conformable to the other AN. The long life of man consisteth neyther in littlenes nor greatnes but in being wel complexioned hauing good humors not apt to receaue corruption besides a mild reposed life good victuals sobriety in eating drinking many other particuler things which Phisitions prescribe doe help much there-vnto but the chiefest of all is the good quality condition of the country as wel for some particuler constellation as for the temperature purenes of the ayre breeding the victuals in perfection without rawe and flimy humors this I take to be the cause why some Nations liue so long Aelianicus sayth that in the Prouince of Aetolia the men liue 200. some 300. yeres and Pliny sayth that there is a people in India called Cimi who liue ordinarily 140 yeeres Onosecritus also writeth that in a certaine part of India where at noone dayes there is no shadow at all the men are of height 5. cubits and two hand breadths that they liue 130. yeres without waxing old but die euen as it were in their middle age There is another Nation of people of a Prouince called Pandora whose life endureth v. or 300. yeres in their youth their haire is hoary and gray in their elder age turning to be blacke Though these liues be long yet we may giue credite there-vnto for the causes which I haue said chiefely for the purenes of the aire which cōserueth health as wel in humane bodies thēselues as in the fruits victuals which grow there with lesse coruption more perfection vertue thē in other parts 〈◊〉 glueth testimony heereof speaking of the Iland Lemnos and the Citty Mirina the which hath in opposite the mountaine Atos in Macedonia which is so high that being thence in distance 6000. paces it couereth this Citty with his shadow on the top wherof moueth no aire at al but pure in so much that the ashes which there remaine moues not frō one yere to another on the height of this hil was builded a City called Acroton the enhabitants of which liued twice so long as those that dwelt beneath BE. If this Citty were so wholsom the people of so long life wherfore cam it to be dispeopled for saken by reason me thinks it should be as full of people as it were able to hold AN. One cōmodity alone suffiseth not to the life of man for what auaileth long life if men liue continually in penury and want of thinges necessary For in so great a height Spring they could haue none neither could they gather water into Cesternes because it was higher then the Region where the clouds are congealed which could by no means moue themselues wanting wind as they must needs want there for howe can there be any where the ashes lye without mouing so that this other commodities for their sustenance were to be prouided with such paine difficulty and vnease that forsaking this place they chose rather with more ease though shorter life to commodate themselues elsewhere for this selfe same cause is the mountaine of Olympus vninhabited in whose top also it is affirmed the ayre to be so pure that there bloweth no wind at all The like also I beleeue to be of the mountaine Pariardes which is in Armenia where after the flood the Arke of Noe remained But all this is to no other ende then that you should vnderstand the reason how mans life is to be conserned more in some places then in others and euen so I thinke it to be in the Prouinces which we haue rehearsed that also which the selfe Solinus sayeth of the Aethiopians whom they call Macrobians who are on the other side of the Iland Meroe and liue ordinarily 150. yeeres and many reach to 200. And Gaudencius Merula writeth that he hath found Authors which affirme that in the selfe same Iland Meroe the people neuer die of any sicknes liuing so long till very age consume them But leauing this generality of liues let vs come to entreate of some particulers without alleadging the liues of those holy Fathers out of the old Testament before and after the flood of 800. and 900. yeeres a peece which we firmely beleeue through faith and because the holy Church affirmeth it so that wee know it to be true and indubitable neither is that a small argument
that was also 300. yeeres old both by his lowne saying and the affirmation of those that knew him well besides other many great proofes and arguments thereof This Moore for the austeritie of his life and abstinence vvhich hee vsed was held amongst the rest for a very holie and religious man and the Portugals had great familiarity friendshippe vvith him For all thys though the Chronicles of Portugall are so sincere that there is nothing registred in them but with great fidelitie and approoued truth yet I should stagger in the beliefe of this were it not that there are so many both in Portugall and Spayne which are eye witnesses hereof and know it fully to be true BER And so trulie should I but that your proofe and information is not refutable for these ages are so long in respect of the shortnesse of ours that they bring with them incredible admiration and mee thinkes it is impossible that the first of these two shoulde haue had so many wiues AN. It being verified that hee liued so long this is not to be wondred at for the law both of Gentiles and Moores permitteth men to forsake their wiues and to take new as often as they please and so perchance this man was so fantasticall and peeuish that not contenting himselfe long with any he tooke it for a custome to put away his wiues as we doe seruants that please vs not And as they hold together as many wiues as they will though they bee not all called lawfull what letted him if he chopt changed some turning away taking new especially if he were so rich that he had meanes to maintaine many at once so that there is no such cause to wonder at any of these thinges for in the yeare 1147. in the time of the Emperor Conrad died a man which had serued Charles the great in his warres who as it was by inuinsible arguments proued had liued 340. yeeres and it agreeth with that which you haue sayd of this Indian whence Pero Mexia which writeth also the same tooke it Fascicuhis Temporum likewise maketh mention thereof All thys can he doe in whose hands Nature is shoutning lengthning lyues and ages as it pleased him but for my part I will neuer beleeue but that there are in these things some secrete mysteries which we neither conceiue nor vnderstand LU. Let vs take it as we find it without searching the profound iudgments of God who onely knoweth wherefore hee dooth it and in truth I dared not vtter as holding in for a thing fabulous that which I haue read in the xv booke of Strabo where he saith that those which dwel on the other side of the moūtaines Hyperbores towards the North many of them liued a 1000. yeares AN. I haue also read it but hee writeth the same as a thing not to be beleeued though he denieth not but that it may be possible that many of them liued very long but the likeliest is that in those Countries they deuide theyr yeeres according to the reckoning of which Pliny speaketh one into foure by which computation a thousand yeeres of theirs maketh 250. of ours and this differeth not much from the ages of other people and Nations which we haue rehearsed Yet Acatheus the Philosopher speaking of the mountaines Hyperbores sayeth that those which dwell on the farther side liue more yeeres then all the other Nations of the world Pomponius Mela also speaking of them in the third booke vseth these words vvhen they are weary of liuing ioyfull to redeeme themselues from the trauailes and miseries of life they throw themselues headlong into the Sea which they account the happiest death and fortunatest Sepulcher that may be how so euer many Authors of credite verifie theyr liues to be long BER It is said also that those of the Iland Thile according to the opinion of many now called Iseland liue so long that wearied with age they cause themselues to be conuaied into other parts to the ende that they may dye AN. I haue not seene any Author that writeth this it is like to be some inuention of the common people because those of that Iland liue very long euery one addeth what pleaseth him for as the desire to liue is a thing naturall to all men so how old so euer a man be he will in my opinion rather procure to defend and conserue his life then seeke occasion to finish or shorten the same This people being in the occident and according to the auncient vvriters the last Nation that is knowne that way participate with the Hiperboreans in fame of long life or perchaunce those which haue heard speake of Biarmio Superior the which as we will one day discourse is the last which is knowne of the other side of the Septentrion and of which are written many wonderfull matter chiefely of their long life without infirmity ending onely through extreamity of age the which many of them not attending voluntarily kill themselues thought that these men were vnder the selfe climate and hereof was the inuention of the Elysian fields which the Gentiles held to be in these parts But this being a matter that requireth long time we will now leaue it returne to our former discourse Truly if conforming our selues to reason we would well weigh the trauailes miseries vexations which in this wretched life we endure we should esteeme a short life far hapier then a long which we see beset with infinite troubles calamities endeuor so in this transitory life to serue God that we may come in glory to enioy that other which shal endure for euer BER Seeing we haue hetherto discoursed of so many particularities belonging vnto men let vs not forget one which is of no lesse mistery nor lesse worthy to be knowne then the rest which is of the Centaures or Archers to the ende wee liue not deceaued in that which is reported of thē for many Histories make mention of them though to say truth I neuer read any graue Author that affirmeth to haue seene them or stedfastly that they now are or at any other time haue been in the world which if they either be indeed or haue been they are not to be held for small wonders but for as great as euer haue been any in the world AN. Certainely this of the Centaures is but a Poetical fiction for if it were true it is not possible as you said but that som graue Author or other would haue written therof LV. Let vs yet know whence these fables had their beginning AN. Aske this of Eginius Augustus Libertus which in a booke of his entituled Palephatus de non credendis fabulis sayth that Ixion King of Thessalia brought a mighty Heard of Bulls and Cows to the mountain Pelius which being affrighted throgh some accident that happened scattered themselues flying into the Woods Valleys other vninhabited places out of which they
Beleeue me the vertues of the water are no lesse then theyrs for as the herbes sucke and draw theyr propertie and vertue out of the earth which nourisheth and produceth them yeelding moisture and sustenaunce to their rootes so likewise the water draweth to it selfe the propertie of the earth minerals through which it passeth participating with thē of their vertues which beeing so deepe in earth are frō vs hidden vnknown But I know not whether the vertue of a Spring which Aristotle writeth to be in Sycilia in the Country of the Palisciens proceede of thys cause for the misterie which it contayneth is farre greater and so sayth Nicholaus Leonicus that it is a thing verie hardly credible for he affirmeth the propertie thereof to be such that who so taketh a solemne oath and the same oath be written in Tables and cast with certaine solemnities into the Fountaine If the oath contained therein be true the Tables remaine floating aloft vpon the water but if it be false they sink incontinently downe to the bottome And he which tooke the same is burned presently in the place and conuerted into ashes not without damage many times of those that were present They called this the holy Fountaine and appointed the charge and custody thereof to Priests which suffered no man to sweare vnlesse that hee first put in sureties that hee would content him selfe to passe by this triall LV. I rather thinke that Aristotle and those that wrote heereof were deceaued then otherwise because we heare not at this present that there is any such Fountaine knowne in Sicilia if there had beene in times past any of such force and vertue the memory thereof would be farre more rife and famous then it is BER Let vs neuer trouble our selues with the triall heereof for in this sort we may say the like of all those others which we haue not seen AN. The selfe same Nicolaus Leonicus writeth of another Fountaine in the Country of the Elyans nere to the Riuer Citheros into the which all the water that ranne there out degorged There stood by this Fountaine a sacred house the which they constantly affirmed to haue beene the habitation of foure Nimphs Caliphera Sinalasis Pegaea and Iasis All manner of diseased persons that bathed them selues in this Fountaine came there out whole and sound The like is written of two other Riuers the one in Italy called Alteno and the other called Alfeno in Arcadia But of no lesse wonder then all the before rehearsed is that which is vvritten of the Lake in Scithia in the Country of the Dyarbes neere to the Citty Teos the which besides the meruailous plenty of fish in which it aboundeth hath a property most admirable for in calme and warme weather there apeareth aboue the vvater great aboundance of a kind of liquor like vnto oyle which the inhabitants in Baotes made for the same purpose skimme off from the vvater and apply the same to their vses finding it to be as good and profitable as though it were very oyle in deede There is likewise in the Prouince of Lycia nere a Citty called Pataras a Fountaine the vvater that floweth from which looketh as though it were mingled with blood The cause whereof as the Country men say is through one Telephus who washing therein his wounds it hath euer since retained the colour of blood But the likeliest is that it passeth through some veine of red clay or coloured earth vvith the which mixing it selfe it commeth forth stained with that colour the Author hereof is Nicolaus Leonicus And Athenaeus Naucratites sayeth that in an Iland of the Cyclades called Tenaeus there is a Fountaine whose water will agree by no means to be mingled with vvine alwayes howsoeuer it be mingled or poured with vvine into any vessell it remaineth by it selfe a part so that it is to be taken vp as pure vnmedled as when it was poured forth yea though all possible diligence were vsed to ioyne and mingle them LV. There be a great many that would be glad that all water were of this condition by no means brooking the mixture therof with wine as a thing that keepes them somtimes sober against their wils AN. You say truth but leauing them with their fault which is none of the least but one of the greatest foulest that may be in any man pretending to beare honour or reputation I say there is in the Iland of Cuba according to the relation of many which haue seene the same a Fountaine which poureth forth a thick liquor like vnto Tarre which is of such force that they cauke and pitch their ships withall in such sort that they remaine as firme dight against the entry of water as though they were trimmed with the best sort of Pitch that we doe heere vse in these parts BER I haue heard say that there is in the same Iland a great Valley the stones that are found in which are all so round as if they had by Art euery one beene fashioned in the same forme LV. Perchaunce Nature hath so framed them for some effect of the which wee are ignorant seeing that few or none of her workes are without some secrete mistery and as well may these stones serue to some vse as the liquor of that Fountaine but let vs heerewith not trouble Signior Anthonio from prosecuting his discourse AN. Solinus discoursing of the Iland of Cerdonia saieth that it containeth many wholsome vvaters Springs amongst the rest one whose water healeth all infirmity of the eyes withall serueth for a discouery of theeues for whosoeuer by oath denieth the theft which he hath cōmitted in washing him selfe with that water loseth incontinent his fight if so be that his oath be true his eye siight is therby quickned made more sharp liuely but whosoeuer obstinately persisteth in denying his fault remaineth blind for euer But of this Fountaine there is now no notice at all for I haue beene long resident in that Iland during which time I neuer heard any such matter Many the like vnto these are written of by diuers Authors the which for their vncertainty I wil not weary my self in rehearsing only I wil tell you of a Lake which is in the Spanish Iland called S. Domingo in a mountaine very high vninhabited The Spaniards hauing conquered that Country found round about this mountaine no habitation of people through the cause of a hideous noise which was therein continually heard amazing making deafe the hearers therof the hiden cause secret mistery wherof no man being able to comprehend three Spaniards resolutly deliberated to goe vp into the height thereof to discouer if it were possible the occasion whence this continuall roaring proceeded so that prouiding them selues of all things necessary for the difficulty ragged sharpnes of the way being ful of craggy rocks shruby trees bushes
stopping their eares fast close with pelets of wax taking some few victuals with thē put themselues onward in their enterprize not without exceeding wearines trauel insomuch that the one fainting by the way was forced to bide behind The other two with chereful labor vertuous alacrity ouercōming all difficulties cam at last with much ado vnto the top of the mountain wher they found a great Plain without any trees in the midst a lake the water of which was obscure black as inke boiling bubling vp as though all the fire in the world had been flaming vnder it making a noise so terible thundring that though they had stopped their eares with all possible care diligence yet the intollerable roring noise thereof wrought such a humming and giddines in their heads that they were constrained with all possible hast to returne without bringing any certaine relation then this which you haue heard BE. Such a matter as this cannot be without great mistery for put case that there were vnderneath some mine of Sulphur or brimstone sufficient through the heat of the fiery matter therein to make the water seeth vp and boile yet could not the same cause a noyse so tempestuous horrible as you said the same is and besides me thinks this continuall boiling should in time consume the water and so the Lake by consequence become dry LU. Perchaunce there may be some Spring or Fountaine there neere which feedeth the Lake with as much warer as the fire consumeth by which meanes it can neuer be voyde or empty AN. Let vs leaue these secrets of Nature to him onely which hath made them for though we through some causes represented in our vnderstanding would seeke to yeeld reasons thereof yet when we thinke to hit the white we shall finde our selues far wide returning therefore to our former matter of Springs Waters me thinks it were not reason that speaking of things so farre off we should ouer-slip these which we haue heere at home in our owne Country hauing in this our Spaine two Fountaines whose effects are not a little to be admired at the one of which is in a Caue called de la Iudia by the Bridge of Talayuelas neere the Castle of Garcimunios which though I my selfe haue not seene yet I haue been thereof so certified that I assuredly know it to be true It yeeldeth a vvater which in falling congealeth and becommeth hard in manner of a stone which hardnes it alwayes after retaineth without dissoluing in such sort that they apply it to theyr buildinges BER It were neede of great Philosophy to know the mistery of this that vvater should in such sort harden that it should neuer afterwards dissolue the contrary reason whereof we see in great heapes of Ice which how hard so cuer they be yet change of weather maketh them to dissolue and melt LV. This is because the heat vndoeth that which is done by the cold as in snow haile ice which seeing it worketh not the like effect in these stones we may thereby gather that not the cold but som other secret to vs hidden vnknown is the cause of this obduration hardnes I haue heard with great credite affirmed that there is also neere the towne called Uilla Nueua del obyspo a Fountaine in which during sixe moneths of the yeare from such time as the sunne entreth into the signe of Lybra which beginneth about the midst of September called the Equinoctiall of the Autumne till the middest of March there is no one drop of water and all the other halfe yeare there runneth a most cleere abundant streame and thys is euery yere ordinary Of thys Fountaine maketh mention also Lucius Marineus Siculus Sinforianus Campegius wryteth of another in Sauoy which breedeth by miraculous operation stones of exceeding vertue BER If this be true then am I deceaued for I neuer thought that stones could be bred but that they were as the bones of the earth alwayes of one bignes neyther decreasing nor increasing for otherwise if stones should grow in time they would come to be of such quantitie and greatnes that they would be in diuer parts very combersome AN. And doubt you of this Assure your selfe that stones waxe and diminish according to the qualitie of which they are the place where they are and the property nature and condition of the earth where they are founde Though those which wee here call peble stones remaine alwayes in one greatnes or els grow so little and so slowly that it can in many yeeres hardly be perceaued yet all those stones which are any thing sandie contracting drawing the earth about them conuert the same into theyr owne nature hardning it in such sort that in short space a little stone becōmeth to be exceeding great yea and in such sort that sometimes we see things of different nature and kinde enclosed shut vp within them still retaining their owne substance and essence which if you desire better to vnderstand behold but the stone in the Earle Don Alonsos garden which hee hath caused to be placed there as a thing meruailous to be viewed of al men which though it be hard and sound hath in the midst therof a great bone seeming to be the shinbone of some beast which the same stone embraced by all likelihood lying neere it on the ground and continually growing came at last to compasse it rounde about which beeing afterwards carued by a Mason was found lying in the very bosome midst therof and that thys should be a very perfect bone there is no doubt to be made thereof for I my selfe haue made most sufficient proofe and try all of the same BER I haue also viewed it very narrowly and am of your opinion AN. Turning to our discourse of Fountaines I am perswaded that there are many of rare and great vertues vtterly to vs vnknowne and sometimes it hapneth that the vertue of the water worketh through the ayde of some other thing ioyntly together matters verie admirable as that which Alexander writeth in his booke De diebus genialibus that in those partes of England vvhich bende toward the West when any shyps are broken and the ribbes or planches of them remaine a while in the water that with the continuall moystnes they engender bring forth certaine Puscles like Mushromps which within fevve dayes seeme to be aliue and to haue motion and by little and little grow gather feathers That part wherewith they are fast to the rotten tymber is like vnto a water-foules bill which comming lose of it selfe thys miraculous foule beginneth to heaue it selfe vp and by little and little in short space of time to flie and mount into the ayre Pope Pius whose name was Aeneas Siluius rehearseth this in another sort saying that in Scotland vpon the bankes of a Riuer there growe certaine Trees whose leaues falling into the water and putrifying
ingender in them a certaine vvorme which by little and little becommeth great and feathered and at last lifteth vp the wings and flieth into the ayre Cassaneus in his Catalogue of the glory of the world in the twelfth part repeateth thys otherwise In times past sayth he there grew in England vpon a Riuers side a strange and wonderfull tree that brought forth a fruite like vnto Ducks the which being ripe and falling of those which fell on the Land side rotted and perished but those vvhich fell into the vvater receaued presently lyfe recouering feathers and wings and in short space became able to flie Others write that there were many of these Trees and so by consequence many such foules in great number But whether there be any such nowe or no I know not Besides these Authors I remember that I read in an Epitaphe which is written in the Map of the world printed by a Venetian called Andreas Valuasor that one Andrew Rosse cittizen of the same towne had at that present two of these foules about the bignes of two little Ducks the which were brought him out of Spayne but I think there was an error in the writing and that he should haue written England or Scotland for a thing so miraculous as this is cold not in Spayne be obscure vnknown BER Truly as you say this may wel be termed miraculous but mee thinks this disagreement of opinions maketh the matter seeme doubtfull LU. There is no mortall sin neither in beleeuing nor vnbeleeuing it but Nicolaê° Leonicê° affirmeth another thing as strange as this that in the Citty of Ambrosia situated at the foote of the hill Parnassus there should be a tree called Ys and by another name Cocus whose leaues are like those of the Dock and the fruite about the bignes of a Pease the which if it be not gathered in season engendreth a little flie like vnto a maget at the beginning which afterward coÌ„meth to haue wings flyeth away leauing the fruite hanging on the tree withered vp which some let perrish of purpose because the blood of those flyes is singulerly excellent to die silke withall AN. Of no lesse admiration are those trees of which Pigafeta in his relation to the Pope maketh mention whose leaues falling downe presently moue go as it were vpon 2. poynts which they haue on the one side like feete seeming to haue life he affirmeth to haue seen this himselfe Therefore whatsoeuer is said and affirmed by graue Authors we ought to beleeue that it may be for though some haue a fault in ouerreaching yet others will not register any thing but that which is true Turning therefore to our purpose of waters let vs not in silence passe ouer the greatnes of such Riuers as haue beene in our times discouered for till now Nylus Ganges Danubius and Boristhenes haue bin accounted great but at this present the greatest that is in all Asia Affricke or Europe is but a little streame in comparison of those vvhich by Nauigation are newly found out in the West Indies scarcely to be beleeued vvere they not sufficiently authorized by the infinite number of so manie vvitnesses As for example the riuer of Orellana so called by the name of him that first discouered it is so great that it beareth fifty leagues of breadth at the mouth where it entereth into the Sea and through the extreame furie vvith vvhich it forciblie passeth it pierceth in such sort through the vvaues of the salt vvater that the Saylers call that Coast the Sweete vvater Sea The Riuer Dela plata nowe inhabited by our Spanyards there as the Sea receaueth it containeth xxv leagues in breadth and the Riuers of Maranion fyfteene There are also many others of infinite largenesse whereby we may coniecture that there is a greater quantity of Lande theÌ„ that which is already discouered for it is not possible that such mighty Riuers shoulde rise out of any Spring but that many other Riuers shoulde fall into them and that out of diuers Regions but let vs leaue this till we meete another time when we shal haue more leysure BER First I pray you tell vs what is your opinion concerning the source and rising of Riuers both these and the rest and whence theyr spring issue and proceed for I haue heard herein diuers contrary opinions which cause me to be doubtfull I would be glad to be resolued AN. The opinion of Aristotle and others that imitate him is that the Riuers are engendred in the hollowe and hidden parts of the earth where the ayre through the great moysture coldnes conuerteth it selfe into water the which running along the veynes of the earth coÌ„meth at last to the height thereof where not being fully perfected it taketh thicknesse and issueth out discouering it selfe as well in great Riuers as in little streames and Fordes such as wee see Anaximander and many other Phylosophers with him affirmed that the earth hath within it selfe and in the midst thereof a belly full of water out of which breake forth all these Fountaines Riuers and Springs but the surer opinion and the truth indeed is that all Riuers streames and Fountaines and Lakes that come of flowing waters issue proceed out of the Sea as sayth Ecclesiastes in the first Chapter by these wordes All Riuers enter into the Sea and the Sea for al that encreaseth not and the Riuers returne to the same place out of which they issued and begin to runne anew BER You haue giuen vs very good satisfaction in this matter of vvhich we doubted onely one thing remaineth in which I beseech you to resolue vs concerning the foure Riuers that issue out of earthly Paradise for in all that I haue seene or read I haue onely founde the names of Tygris and Euphrates as for Gion and Fison I heare them not named in the world Besides I should take it that these Riuers must needs be of great vertue seeing their source Spring originall commeth out of Paradice AN. I would not willingly that you should engulfe either your selfe or mee in a matter so profound and deepe entring once into the which I know not how wee should gette out for of such difficulty is this poynt which you haue touched that he had neede of great vnderstanding and learning that should therein well resolue you which both are in mee wanting neyther being so great a Diuine or so well seene in the holy Scriptures that I can satisfie you without bringing you into many doubts whereas you haue nowe onely one For to discourse of these Riuers of force we must first declare that which may be said of Paradice of which when I set my selfe to consider my vnderstanding is in it selfe confounded for the disagreeing contrariety of Authors which haue written heereof is such that I know I should weary you with hearing them LU. I knowe not how wee may spend the time better then in searching
Generall flood it should be destroyed and ouerthrowne the selfe same consideration may serue for this of the Riuers not without proofes very euident and agreeable to reason for if it were destroyed with the Flood euen as it pleased God to permit the vndooing thereof so would hee also ordayne that all signes and markes of the same shoulde cease to the end that the peoples dwelling in the prouinces and borders thereabout shoulde haue no knowledge at all thereof that it should be no longer necessary for the Cherubin to remaine in garde thereof with a fierie Sworde as till that time hee had done But before wee come to handle the principall causes you shall vnderstande that there are some who holde opinion that all these foure Riuers rise neere the Land of Heden and come to ioyne in the same Leauing therefore a part Tygris and Euphrates because that of them seemeth in a manner verified as for Ganges the course therof is not so contrarie but that it may well meete where the other riuers doe and that any inconuenience eyther of lownes or highnes of the earth might bee sufficient to diuert or to cause the same to runne where it now doth But this is an argument that neyther concludeth nor carrieth any reason withall As for the Riuer Nilus they goe another way to worke saying that it is not the same which in the holy Scripture is called Fison for there are two Ethiopias say they the one in Affrica which is watred with Nilus the other in the West Indies in Asia beginning from the coast of Arabia folowing along the coast of the Ocean sea towards the East the which may be vnderstood by the holy Scriptures who call those of the Lande of Madian neere to Palestina Ethiopians Sephora also that was wife to Moises beeing natiue of that region was called Ethiopesse And with this agreeth a Glosse written in the margen of Caetano his discourse vppon thys matter by Anthonio de Fonseca a Frier of Portugall and a man very learned so that Fison may well be some Riuer of these which watereth this Country first discending by the Lande of Heden comming from the same to enter into the Ocean as Tygris and Euphrates and many other deepe riuers doe in the same maner may it be coniectured that Gion should bee some one of these riuers the one and the other through antiquity hauing lost theyr names and that it is not knowne because it cannot perfectly be prooued whether of these two Ethiopias is meant by the holy Scripture Aueneza saith it is a thing notorious that the Riuer Gion was not far from the Land of Israell according to that which is written in the third booke of Kings Thou shalt carry it into Gion although there be other Authors that vnderstande not Gion to be a Riuer but to be the Lake Siloe or else a Spring so called If that Gion were Ganges it is manifest that it runneth not so neere vnto Israel as it is heere said S. Isidore entreating of this matter sayeth that the Riuer called Araxes commeth out of Paradise which opinion is also maintained by Albertus Magnus Procopius writeth of another Riuer called Narsinus whose streame issueth from thence neere to the Riuer Euphrates some thinke that these are Gion and Fison though at this time their waters runne not through the same Lands These are the opinions of Ecclesiasticall Doctors labouring to discusse and sift out the truth of this secret But leauing them all I will tell you my opinion partly agreeing with Eugubinus and his followers that when it pleased God to drowne the whole worlde in time of the Patriarch Noe with a vniuersall flood mounting according to the sacred Text fifteene cubits in height aboue all the mountaines of the earth the same must of necessity make and vnmake change alter and ouerturne many things raysing valleyes abating mountaines altering the Deserts discouering many parts of the earth vnseene before and couering drowning many Citties and Regions which from thence forth remained vnder the water ouerwhelmed in the Sea or couered with Ponds and Lakes as we know that which without the flood happened to Sodome and Gomorrha with the rest which after they were burnt did sinke with them And we see oftentimes in the swelling and ouerflowing of great Riuers whole Countries drowned and made like vnto a Sea yea and sometimes mighty Riuers to lose their wonted passage and turne and change their course another way farre different from the first If I say the violent impetuosity of one onely riuer suffice to worke these effects What shall we then thinke was able to doe the incomparable fury and terrible swinging rage of the generall and vniuersall flood In the which as the same Text sayth all the Fountaines and Springs of the earth were broken vp by their bottomes and all the Conduits of heauen were opened that there might want no water eyther aboue or beneath If then the Springs so brake vp it could not be but that some of them were changed and passed into other places different from those in which they were before theyr streames scouring along through contrary wayes and veines of the earth In like manner might it happen to those which entered into terestriall Paradise issued forth to water those Lands named in the holy Text which eyther through the falling downe of huge mountaines and rocky hills or filling vp of lowe valleyes might be constrained to turne their streames farre differently to their former course or else by the permission and will of GOD which would haue vs to be ignorant of this secrete they changed their Springs and issues by hiding and shutting them selues in the bowels of the earth and running through the same many thousand miles and at last came to rush forth in other parts farre distant from those where they were before neyther passed they onely vnder a great quantity of Lands enhabited and vninhabited but the very Sea also whom they hold for mother Spring whence they proceede hideth them vnder her to the ende that they might returne to issue foorth where they were not knowne or if through some cause they were it should be vnto our greater admiration and meruaile as now it is Neyther wonder you at all if the generall flood wrought so great a mutation in the world for there haue not wanted graue men who affirme that the whole world before the time of the flood was plaine and leuell without any hill or valley at all and that by the waters thereof were made the diuersities of high and lowe places and the seperation of Ilands from firme Land And if these reasons suffice not let euery man thinke heerein what shall best agree with his owne fancy for in a mistery so doubtfull and secrete we may as well misse as hit and so S. Augustine thinking this to be a secret which God would not haue knowne but reserues it to himselfe saith that no
confound not with theyr intricate and obscure contrarieties it is best therefore that we referre our selues to the Church following for Pylots in this matter the holy Doctors who cleerelie expresse the pure truth hereof and so shall we attaine to the vnderstanding of that which we pretend BER You say well but first declare vnto vs whether Lucifer those other Angels that offended with him in ambition and pryde fell altogether into hell or no AN. They fell not altogether into the very Abysme of Hell though they all fell into the truest hell which is Punishment Those which remained in the places betweene was because they had not offended with so determinate an obstination and vehemence as the others had and they remained also there because it was necessary conuenient for our merite that we should haue Spirits for our enemies in such place where they might vexe vs with theyr temptations For which cause God permitted a great part of them to remaine in the ayre the earth and the water vvhere they shall continue till the day of iudgement and then they shall be all damned into the very dungeon of Hell so that we haue with them a continuall warre who though they be in the places which I haue said yet are they not out of Hell in respect of torment for theyr paine is all alike All this is out of S. Thomas in the first part Quest. 64. Ar. 4. The difference of the degrees of Spirits is rehearsed by Gaudencius Merula taking the same out of Pselius who maketh 6. kinds of Spirits betweene Heauen Hell The first who are those that remained in the highest region of the Ayre hee calleth Angels of fire because they are neere vnto that Region and perchance within it The second kinde saith hee is from the middle region of the Ayre downeward towardes the Earth The third on the earth it selfe The fourth in the waters The fift in the Caues and hollow vautes of the earth The sixt in the very dungeon and Abysme of Hell LU. In such sort that they are as it were enter-linked one with another but tell mee haue all these Spirits one selfe dutie and office AN. No if we will beleeue Gaudencius Merula but manie and those of diuers sorts For the cheefest greefe and paine of the first which vvere those that had least offended seeing themselues so neere Heauen is the contemplation that through theyr wickednes they haue lost so great a Beatitude though this be generall to them all and these are nothing so harmfull as the others are For those which are in the middle of the region of the Ayre and those that are vnder them neerer the earth are those which sometimes out of the ordinary operation of Nature doe mooue the windes with greater fury then they are accustomed doe out of season congele the clowes causing it to thunder lighten haile and to destroy the grasse Corne Vines and fruites of the earth and these are they whose helpe the Negromancers do often vse in their deuilish operations Amongst other things which are written in the Booke called Mallcus Maleficarum you shall finde that the Commissioners hauing apprehended certaine Sorceresses willed one of them to shew what she could doe assuring her life on condition that from thence forward shee should no more offend in the like Wherupon going out into the fields in presence of the Commissioners many other besides she made a pitte in the ground with her hands making her vvater into the same which being done she stirred about the vrine with one of her fingers out of the which by little little after shee had made certaine Characters and mumbled a few wordes there arose a vapour which ascending vpwarde like a smoake began to thicken of it selfe in the midst of the region of the ayre gathering and making there a blacke fearfull Clowde which cast out so many thunders lightnings that it seemed to be a thing hellish and infernall the vvoman remaining all thys while still asked at last the Commissioners where they woulde haue that clowde to discharge a great quantitie of stones they poynting her to a certaine place where it could doe no hurt at all the clowde of a suddaine began to moue it selfe with a great furious blustering of winds and in short space comming ouer the place appointed dyscharged a great number of stones like a violent shower directly within the compasse thereof And in this sort may the Witches and Negromancers worke many such like thinges through the help of those Spirits as we wil hereafter declare But turning to the third kind of Spirits beeing on the earth whose principall office function is to persecute men and to tempt and allure them to sinne and thereby to worke theyr damnation enuying that those glorious places which they once enioyed in heauen should bee possessed replenished with men These vex vs these trouble vs these deceiue vs and entise vs to all those wicked offences which we cōmit against the maiestie of him who made created vs of nothing these lie in waight day and night to entrap vs sleeping and waking they allure vs to euill thoughts and naughty works tempting our soules perswading vs to run the way of perdition the which because they are Spirits they may very well do in vexing and tempting our Spirit yea and many times so that wee are not not able to perceaue it And though Gaudencius Pselius attribute to sundry kindes of Spirits sundry functions in perticuler yet in generall each of thē can indifferently vse them though they be of another kinde For in dooing euill they agree all in one malice and most earnest desire to worke our damnation by all meanes possibly they may BER Is that true which they say that there is no man but hath at his right hand a good Angell and at his left hand a bad AN. Doubt not of this for as God for our good and benefit hath ordeyned to each one of vs a good Angel to accompanie vs whom we call our Angel of gard who as by the holy church we are taught keepeth defendeth vs frō many dangerous temptations by which the deuil procureth to work our damnation so also haue we at our left hand an ill Spirit which stil is solliciting perswading and alluring vs to sin and offend by all meanes possibly he may And the Gentiles though they were not so illuminated as we are yet did they in part acknow ledge this calling the good Angell Genium Hominis though this of the euill Angell I haue not found approoued by ame Author onely that it is an opinion which the common people holdeth and is generally allowed and besides the readines of them at hande to procure vs to sin is confirmed by the holy Scripture in sundry places BER What power hath God giuen vnto these good and bad Angels which wee carry daily in our company AN. That
If thou be a right deuill quoth he returne me this stone again at which very moment the selfe same stone fel from the roofe of the house and hitte him on the brimme of his Hatte ouer his eyes and the stone was euidently knowne of them all to be the very same which hee had throwne ouer the other house so that the Magistrate with the rest of those that were there present with him departed out of the house with the greatest astonishment that might be and not long after there came thither a Priest of the little Tower of Salamanca who through certaine coniuration which hee wrought deliuered the house both of this throwing of stones and all other such like molestations LU. In good sooth I neuer heard of a merrier deuill but afore you passe any farther I will tell you of two thinges which both happened in this same Towne where we nowe are the one was of a young man that being a Studient in Salamanca came thence hither to see his mother beeing a widdow and was certified by the folkes of the house that there haunted in the same a Hobgobline vvhich at sundry times played twenty knauish pranks with those of the house which the Studient would by no meanes beleeue but laughed at the reports thereof and at last grew into choller with them because they persisted in the earnest affirmation thereof At night calling for a candell hee went to a chamber that vvas made ready for him and shutting to the doore layd himselfe downe to rest but waking within a little while he might see vnder his bed a light like vnto a little flame of fire at which lifting vp the cloathes and starting out of the bed he began to looke whence this fire might come but the same presently vanishing hee turned to his rest againe thinking surely that his eyes had dazeled but he had not line long when he perceaued a greater flame then the first to his seeming vnder the bed at which lifting the couerings of the bed fearefully vp and bowing downe his head very lowe to looke vnderneath the bed he was sodainly taken by the legges and pitcht topsie turuie ouer and throwne into the midst of the chamber where-with striken into a great amazement he cryed out as loude as he could for a candell which beeing brought and searching vnder the bed there was nothing at all to be found from which time forward the Studient acknowledged his error and was lesse obstinate in beleeuing that were Hobgoblins The other was of two Gentlemen which are nowe the chiefest in the Towne and our especiall friends who hearing of a Hobgobline that haunted a poore womans house holding the same for a iest would needes goe thither one night with a certaine Priest to search out the secret cause whence this report might arise comming thither and giuing no credite to the poore womans wordes of a sodaine one of them was striken a great blow vpon one of his iawes with a clod of stinking filthy clay of which he receaued no greater hurt but that it astonished him a little There fell also of this earth vppon others of their company and one of them was hitte a great blowe on the shoulder with a tile so that the Gentlemen and the Priest made as great hast as they could to gette thence not without great wonder and meruaile Not long after a Priest exorcising a vvoman that was possessed the deuill that was within her amongst other thinges confessed that it was hee that which had handled them the other night and that the same clay which hee threwe at them was out of a Graue and of a putrified body not throughly yet conuerted into earth But if wee will enter into speech of this kinde of spyrites wee shall neuer make an ende for there is nothing tolde of them so vnpossible but I beleeue the same seeing it is a thing so manifestly approoued that they canne take vppon them what shape or forme they list Leauing therefore this and passing to other poyntes of greater importaunce I pray you make mee vnderstande vvhether this opinion which many doe holde be true that when so euer any manne is possessed the soule of some one that is dead should enter into him and speake within him AN. In trueth you haue reason to seeke to be resolued of so ignorant an absurdity as this of theirs is vvho so euer mainetayne or thinke the same for though sometimes GOD permitte the soules departed for some especiall causes to returne vnto the vvordle yet dooth hee not permitte them to enter into a body vvhere is an other soule for two reasonable soules canne by no meanes abide in one body so that there cannot be a greater falsenes and errour then this for without doubt they are deuils and not soules as we may see by their casting forth which is done by the vertue of holy and sacred words at which time they vse their vttermost endeuour not to be constrained to goe into places where they cannot exercise their malice of which we haue in the Scriptures an example of him who being as Saint Luke saith in his eight Chapter possessed of a legion of deuils was deliuered of them by our Sauiour by whose permission they entred into a Heard of Swine which threw them selues immediatly downe the Rocks tumbling into the Sea LV. I would also gladly know what should be the cause that the deuils are so desirous to enter into mens bodies and can with such difficulty be cast out of them making there-vnto all resistance that they possibly may AN. To this question Psellius maketh aunswere and Gaundencius Merula also saying that though the deuils are enemies vnto men yet they enter into their bodies not so much with will to doe them hurt as with desire of a vitall heate and warmenes for these are such as doe enhabite the deepest and coldest places where the cold is so pure that it wanteth moistnes so that they couet places hote and moist searching all oportunities and occasions to enter into them so often as for some reasons which we vnderstand not God suffereth permitteth them so to doe And when they cannot enter into the bodies of mē they enter into those of other creatures where willingly they detaine themselues so long as they may and through the violent strength which the body by their entry receaueth happen these tremblings shakings and forcible motions which we see they vse that are possessed This kinde of deuils vse the spirit of the patient as their proper instrument and with his tongue speake and vtter what they list but if they be of those that flie the light and dwell in the profundities of the earth as the last and vtmost sort of those of the earth they make the patient deafe and dumbe like a blocke without vnderstanding as though hee were depriued of all his sences forces which he had before and this is the worst sort of all and with
greatest difficulty cast out But as for mee I take these to be rather imaginations of those Authors then opinions indeed to be allowed and held for true for the deuils not hauing bodies nor entryng into the bodies otherwise then as pure Spirits they can receaue neither good nor ill of the naturall heate conteyned in the body of the men into which they enter BE. Much might be replyed to the opinion of these two Authors but I had rather seeing the beginning of this our discourse was of the Witch that with her vrine caused a clowde to rise in the ayre that you would tell me what difference is betweene Witches and Inchaunters and in what sort the one and the other vse their Science AN. Much might be answered to this your demaunde but omitting that which is lesse materiall let vs come to that which in our vulgar and mother tongue we vnderstand We call by name of Enchaunters those who publiquely and openly haue any agreement or couenaunt vvith the deuill by whose helpe they worke thinges which are in apparance wonderfull entring into circles they cause them to appeare and to speake consulting with them vsing theyr fauour and ayde in all theyr workes and many they make the deuils alone to doe for thē Witches are those which though they haue familiarity and conuersation with the deuill yet the same is in such sort that they themselues scarcely vnderstande the error wherewith they abuse themselues vsing vnknowne signes Characters and other superstitions in which they secretly inuoke the names of the deuils vsing theyr ayde and counsaile And because the deuill may the better bring them to his byasse hee discloseth vnto them some properties and vertues of rootes herbes and stones and other things which haue secret operations mingling the one with the other that is to say that of naturall Magique with that of the deuill but in conclusion they may all be called Witches Enchaunters which with naturall Magique which is the knowledge of those things to whom Nature hath imparted these secret vertues mingle signes Characters and words vsing thē though they vnderstand them not in theyr sorceries vvitchcraftes BER By the way before you passe any further I pray you satisfie me in one thing which you sayd that the deuill doth sometimes enter into the body of vnreasonable creatures which to me seemeth verie strange because I neuer heard the the like before AN. Is your memory so short that you remember not that which wee saide a little before of the deuils cast forth by our Sauiour which desired leaue of him to enter into a heard of Swine the which threw themselues presentlie headlong downe the rocks But to the end that you may vnderstand that the deuils doe also enter into bruite beasts at request of those with whom they are compacted I will heere giue you a later example When I was a Student it was my chaunce to be familiarlie acquainted with another young man that studied Phisick in which he proued so excellent that hee was preferred for a Phisition to the Emperour Charles the fifth He and I beeing one day in company discoursing of such matters as these of which we now speake he affirmed to me with great othes that when hee studied Grammer in the Monastery of Guadulupe as he went foorth one euening to solace himselfe in the fieldes he saw ryding on the high-way a man in a religious habit vpon a horse so leane and to the outward shewe so tyred that hee seemed scarcely able to stande vpon his feete within a while the passenger comming to the place where he walked after salutations past of both sides desired him of all fauour to goe vnto the towne and to buy him somewhat for his supper because for diuers causes he coulde not goe himselfe promising him not to be vnthankfull for so great a curtesie The Student gently aunswered that he was most vvilling to doe him that or any other measure he could vvherevpon receauing money he departed presently to the towne returned with speed bringing such things as the other had required him to buy The stranger being hungry spred his cloake ouer that a napkin he carried with him vppon the grasse and fell to his victuals with an appetite constrayning the student to sit downe to eate with him Where amongst other talke the scholler asked him whether he rode that way who aunswering to Granada the scholler told him that if hee had beene prouided of meanes he would willingly haue vndertaken that voyage with him to visite an old mother of his that lyued in that Cittie whom in many yeeres hee had not seene That shall not be your stay aunswered the passenger for if it shall please you to beare mee company I will defray your charges thither and withall I will promise you to take such order that you shall neither be anoyed nor wearied with the length of the way but vppon condition that wee depart presently for I cannot stay long by any meanes The scholler beeing poore and the onely thing that letted him to vndertake this iourney beeing the want of money accepted vvillinglie his offer desiring him onely to attend so long till hee had taken leaue of some of his friendes in the towne fetcht a shirt or two The passenger beeing therewith contented he went his wayes and returned againe with great speede but make as much hast as he could the night was come on so that he requested the other to stay till next morning vvhich hee would in no wise doe saying that it was rather better to trauaile by night and to rest by day because beeing in the midst of Iune the heate was most extreame so that they began to goe onwards on theyr voyage the one a foote and the other on horsebacke telling old stories and discoursing of sundry matters till when they had so gone a little while the passenger importuned the student to gette vp behinde him on the croupe of his horse at which the scholler laughing tolde him that his horse in respect of his passing leanenesse seemed to be fitter for dogs meate then to carry two men at once on his backe Well quoth the passenger if you knew my horse so well as I doe you would not say so for I assure you howe ilfauoured soeuer he looke there is not his fellow in the world neyther woulde I sell him for his weight in gold and if you doubt of his ability to cary vs both get but vp and you shall ere it be long confesse the contrary at which perswasions others which he vsed the student got vp behind him on his Palfry which carryed them away with such smoothnesse and so swiftly that hee though hee neuer rode pleasantlier in his life euery foote his companion askt him what he thought of his leane beast assuring him that he would not be tyred or alter his pace though the iourney were neuer so long After they had ridden all
and ho through pure feare made her to confesse it but on such condition that hee should forgiue her and neuer disclose word thereof to anie man liuing therupon reuealing vnto him all the secret misteries of her wicked and damnable science which her husband hearing began to enter into a great desire to see the manner of theyr meetings whereupon beeing agreed to goe together the selfe same night after shee had craued leaue of sathan to admit her husband they both anoynted them selues and were carryed to the wicked assembly and place of their execrable and pestiferous delights The man after hauing gazed about him awhile diligently beheld all that passed sate himselfe downe at a table with the rest furnished with sundry and diuers sorts of daintie meates to the eye seeming delicate and good but in proofe of a very sowre and vnpleasant tast of which when he had prooued diuers finding them all to be of a most vnfauorie relish he began to call for salt because there was none at all vpon the table but seeing the bringing of the same delayd he began to be more importunat in crauing it at last one of the deuils to please him set a salt-seller on the table but hee beeing vnmindfull of his vviues admonishment which vvas that hee shoulde there in no wise speake any word that vvere good holie seeing the salt come at last after so long calling for God blesse vs quoth he I thought it would neuer haue come which word he had no sooner spoken but all that euer was there vanished away with a most terrible noyse tempest leauing him for a great while in a traunce out of which so soone as he came to himselfe recouering his spirits sence hee founde himselfe naked in a field amongst certaine hilles where walking vp and downe in great sadnes and anguish of spirit so soone as the day came hee met with certaine Sheepheards o whom demaunding what country the same vvas he perceiued by theyr aunswere that he was aboue a hundred miles from his owne house to which with much a doe making the best shift he could at last he returned and made relation of all this which you haue heard before the Inquisitors whereupon his wife and diuers others whō he accused were apprehended arraigned found guihie and burnt AN. I am gladde that you were put in minde to recite this history which truly is very strange though I haue often reade and heard of the like for that which concerneth this kind of people is no new matter but very auncient Many very old Authours write much of them and of Witches Negromancers and Enchaunters no lesse pestilent and pernitious to humaine kinde then these others sith leauing to be men they became to be deuils in their works of which sort there haue beene very many famous or rather infamous in the world as Zoroastes Lucius Apuleius Apolonius Tyaneus and many others of whom there is now no knowledge or memory because Historiographers haue not vouchsafed to write of thē as men not worthy to be commended to the posterity as for this our time the number of them is the more the pitty too great which though they professe the faith of Christ yet they are not ashamed to confederate themselues with the deuill and to doe their works in the name of Belzebub as the Pharisies sayd of our Sauiour and for a small contentment in this worlde make no account of the perdition of theyr soules though for the greatest part also they neuer enioy heere any great prosperity or euer come to any good successe for commonly their confederate the deuill bringeth them to a shamefull end procuring the discouery of their wickednes and so consequently punishment for the same which if one amongst twenty here escapeth yet in the other world he is assured perpetually to fry in the fire of hell But leauing these let vs now come to another sort of them who handle the matter in such sort that they wil scarcely be knowne what they are these are Charmers the which as it seemeth haue a perticuler gift of God to heale the biting of mad dogs to preserue people cattell from being endomaged by them These as they say are known in that they haue the wheele of S. Katherin in the roof of their mouth or in som other part of their body who thogh in my iudgement it cannot be denied but that they doe great help in such like things yet to heare their prayers coniurations grosse clownish phrases would moue a man to laughter though they to whō they vse them seeme to recouer therby their health AN. This is a strange people but truly this gift or vertue of theirs is much to be doubted of seeing for the most part as Frier Franciscus de Victoria saith they are base forlorne people of ill example in their life somtimes such as boast make their vaunts of more thē they can accomplish and I haue heard that some of them wil creepe into a red hot Ouen without danger of burning BE. I cannot think that any man hath particuler grace to doe this but rather that he doth it by the help in the name of the deuil LV. No doubt but many of them doe so though there are also som to whom God hath imparted particuler graces and vertues as those of whom Pliny writeth alleaging the authority of Crates Pergamenus that there is in Hellespont a kind of men called Ophrogens who with only touching heale the wounds made by serpents vpon which imposition of their hands they presently purge cast out auoid all the poyson venom with which they are infected and Varro saith that in the same Country there are men which with their spettle heale the biting of Serpents and it may be that these were all one people Isigonus and Nimphodorus affirme that there is in Affrica a certaine people whose sight causeth all those things to perrish vpon which it is intentiuely fixed so that the very trees wither and the children die there-with The selfe same Isigonus sayeth that in the Country of the Tribals and Ilyrians there is a certaine kind of people which in beholding any one with frowning eyes if they detaine their sight any while vpon them doe cause them to die and Solinus writeth the like of certayne vvomen among the Scythians Pirrhus King of Epyrotes as Plutarch testifieth in his lyfe had such vertue in the greate toe of his right foote that vvho so euer had a sore mouth if hee touched him there-with was helped presentlie and some Authors vvrite that hee healed also many other infirmities there-vvith As for the King of Fraunce it is a thing notorious to all menne that hee hath a particuler grace and vertue in healing the Lamparones or Kinges Euill and it may bee that as GOD hath imparted these graces to many and sundry kindes of people so also may hee endue some of these menne of vvhich wee
novve speake vvith povver and vertue to heale a griefe so pestilent and raging as that of the byting of a madde Dogge of which kind of cure to the end you may better vnderstand the manner I will tell you what happened to my Father when he was a young man As he trauailed one day by the way he was set vpon by a fierce Mastiue by whom make what defence he could he was bitten through the boot into the legge of which making small account because it went not deepe into the flesh he caried the hurt about him three or foure daies without complaining of the same the fourth day passing by a Chappell and hearing the bell ring to Seruice hee lighted off his horse and stayed to heare the same which being done as he was comming forth of the Chappell he was encountred by a Husbandman who saluting him demaunded if hee had not beene lately bitten by a mad dogge My Father told him he had beene indeede bitten of a dogge demaunding of him the cause why he was so inquisitiue thereof in good faith sir quoth the Husbandman laughing you may thanke God that it hath pleased him to guide and conduct you into this place for this dogge by whom you are bitten was mad and if you should remaine nine dayes without helpe there were no other way with you but death and for the more assurance that I tell you the truth the dogge had such and such markes all which my Father acknowledging to be most true entring into some amazement the other bad him be of good comfort telling him that hee had the gift of healing that disease and if it pleased him to stay a day or two in the Village hee would helpe him My Father accepting courteously his offer went home with him to his house where hee presently blessed him and all that euer he did eate with certaine words and signes and so likewise once againe after meate towards the euening he tolde him that if he would be cured he must patiently endure three pricks in the nose to which my Father being in extreame feare willingly consented bidding him vse his pleasure where-vpon in presence of many the principallest men of the Village he tooke a sharpe pointed knife and prickt him three times on the nose wringing gently out of each pricke a drop of blood which he receaued in a little sawcer each drop by it selfe and then washt his nose with a little white vvine which was also charmed after which entertayning themselues in talke about halfe an howre they lookt on the bloode which was in the sawcer still remaining in theyr sight without beeing remoued and they found in euery drop a liue worme bubling therein which the Charmer shewing vnto my Father sayd be of good cheere sir for here is all the hurt that the dogge hath done you but assure your selfe you should haue runne mad and dyed if your good hap or rather God had not guided you this way giue God therfore thanks and depart when you please My Father requiting him in the thankfullest manner he coulde tooke the next morning his leaue and went on his way As for this man that helped him though it might be that God had giuen him some perticuler gift vertue yet for my part I rather mistrust that he went not the right way because hee could so readily tell the colour and tokens of the dogge LVD Whatsoeuer he was your Father had good hap in meeting with him But now seeing it waxeth late and wee haue so long discoursed of the manners and waies whereby the deuill seeketh to deceaue vs and to leade vs to perdition I pray you resolue mee in one doubt which remaineth the which is in what sort they tempt men in theyr sleepe AN. If you will reade Anthonio de Florencia you shall there finde so many diuers meanes and wayes by the which he compasseth vs about with temptations that to recite them all we had need of farre longer time then at this present vve haue but amongst the rest this one is most vehement and of great force which he suggesteth to vs in our sleepe representing in our fantasie those thinges in which we take delight such as are pleasing to our humors and appetites especiallie making vs dreame lasciuious Dreames and tempting vs so farre with filthy and carnall lust that he prouoketh vs oftentimes to pollutions To others he representeth in their sleepe great treasures and riches to the end that waking they might be stirred with desire of them and haue their thoughts and imaginations busied about thē leauing matter of better meditation But his malice is not alwaies herewith contented for sometimes it tendeth farder prouoking vs in our sleep to cōmit follies wherby we may lose both body and soule at once which to the end that you may the better vnderstand I will tell you what chaunced to a very principall gentleman of this countrey whose surname was Tapia whom beeing a boy I knew passing well This gentleman had so strange a condition in his sleep that he arose diuers nights sleeping out of his bed and went vp and downe the house from place to place without waking for which cause least hee might thereby come to receaue some mischiefe his seruaunts accustomed to set euery night a great shallowe tub of water by his beds side for it is a thing approoued that whosoeuer is troubled vvith this passion awaketh presently in touching the colde vvater It hapned one night among the rest that his seruants hauing forgotten to sette this vessell as they vsually accustomed that beeing in the hotest season of the Sommer thys Gentleman arose sleeping out of his bedde with the greatest agonie that might be to goe swimme in the Riuer whereupon casting about him a cloake ouer his shirt he went out of his chamber and vnbolted the doore of the house making as fast towards the Riuers side as he could comming to the townes end he met with another companion to whom demaunding of him whether he went at that time of night he made answer that he felt such an extreame heate in his body that he was determined to goe refresh coole himselfe in the Riuer I could neuer haue mette with a fitter companion sayde the other for I am also going thither for the same occasion of vvhose company Tapia beeing glad they went on together till they came to the Riuers side where as Tapia hauing put of his cloake and his shirt and was ready to enter into the vvater the other fell a scoffing and iesting at him as at one that knew not hovve to swimme vvhich he taking in ill part because he was therein very expert and cunning aunswered in choller that he would fwymme with him for as much for what wager soeuer he dared aduenture against him to the contrarie that shall be soone seene quoth the other whither your cunning be such that you dare boldly performe as much as you say and
somewhat difficill yet not so much as you make it for they were not inuented without cause or without contayning vnder them a signification which oftentimes is manifested vnto vs by the effect and sequell of such aduentures and chaunces as doe happen vnto vs. LU. It were not amisse in my opinion seeing wee haue happened on a matter so subtile and disputable if we endeuoured to vnderstand what might be sayde as concerning it for wee cannot passe the conuersation of this euening in a matter more pleasant or more necessary to be knowne then this and therefore sir you cannot excuse your selfe to take the paines to satisfie vs in this of which we are so ignorant and contayneth therein so many doubts AN. Though in respect of my small vnderstanding I might iustly excuse my selfe yet I will not refuse to satisfie you in this or any thing else whereto my knowledge and capacity extendeth on condition that you will not binde me any farther or expect more at my handes If I shall erre in any thing lette it remaine onely amongst our selues as in our former conuersations it hath doone for this matter being so farre from my profession I feare mee I shall not bee able to say all that vvere necessarie and behoouefull for the good vnderstanding thereof BER Greater should bee our error in leauing to reape the fruite of your learned conuersation and therefore without losing any more time I pray you deferre it no farther AN. Well to obey you then I will begin according to the common order with the definition of Fortune which Aristotle writing in his second booke De Phisicis Cap. 6. sayeth in this sort It is a thing manifest that Fortune is an accidentall cause in those things which for some purpose are done to some end Vppon the woordes of this Definition all the Phylosophers that haue vvrytten Glosses vppon Aristotle doe spende much time and many reasons vvith great alterations and argumentes the vvhich differing one from an other I vvill forbeare to recite least vvith the rehearsall of them I shoulde confounde your vnderstanding and beginne an endlesse matter I vvill therefore onely say that vvhich in my opinion I iudge fittest for the purpose and most materiall to satisfie your desire for your better vnderstanding I vvill therefore beginne vvith that vvhich in Humanitie is helde and vvritten as concerning Fortune and then vvhat in Phylosophie is thought thereof and lastlie vvhat vvee that are Christians ought to thinke and esteeme in true Diuinitie in deede Touching the first of the Gentiles as they erred the groslyest that might be without all reason and sence in all things concerning their Gods so without any foundation or ground faigned they Fortune to be a Goddesse dominating and hauing power ouer all things as writeth Boetius in his first booke of Consolation so that as well in Rome as in other places they builded and dedicated vnto her temples in which she was worshipped and adored of the which and of the founders of them many Authors make mention as Titus Liuius Pliny Dionisius Halycarnaseus Plutarch and Seneca The Praenestins a people of Italy held and adored her for the chiefest Goddesse and Protectresse of their Common-wealth but omitting this as not making much to the purpose I will tell you the diuers sorts and manners where-with they figured her forth in their temples Some paynted her like a franticke vvoman standing with both her feete vppon a rounde ball others with great wings and no feete giuing thereby to vnderstand that shee neuer stoode firme others fashioned her with a head touching the cloudes and a Scepter in her hand as though shee vniuersally gouerned all things in the world Others sette in her hand Cornucopia or the horne of aboundance shewing thereby that from her we receaue all both our good and euil Some made her of glasse because it is a mettall so easily crazed and broken but the most vsuall manner of painting her was with a wheele in her hand continually turning the same vp downe her eyes being blindfolded and mufled wherby it might appeare that hee which was in the height of all prosperity with one turne of the wheele might easily come vnder and be cast downe and likewise those vnderneath and of base estate might easily be mounted vp into higher degree Others thought it good to picture her like a man and therefore made vnto him a particuler temple Diuers also paynted her sayling by Sea vpon the backe of a great fish carrying the one end of a sayle puffed with a full winde in her hand and the other vnder her feet deciphering as it were thereby the fickle and dangerous estate of Saylers seafarers and hence as I take it proceedeth that common phrase of speech that when any man hath passed great tempest and danger by sea we say Corrio fortuna as though Fortune had medled with the matter Besides these they deuised and figured her forth in many other shapes with a thousand rediculous toyes and imaginations the cause of which diuersitie of formes attributed vnto her was because shee vvas a thing onely imagined and not knowne in the world as vvas Ceres Pallas Venus Diana and their other Goddesses so that they described her by gesse imagination according to the conceits inuentions of their own fancies some of which were passing grosse ridiculous and absurd LU. I haue not seene any picture of Fortune that pleaseth mee better then that in a table of your inuention where you paynt her vvith the wheele of which you spake in her hand holding her eyes betweene open and shut with a most strange and vncertaine aspect placing vnder her feete Iustice and Reason wearied and oppressed in poore ragged and contemptible habites lamenting in sorrowful gesture the iniury they receaue in being held in such captiuity slauery on the one side of Fortune standeth Pleasure and on the other Freewill both beeing pompously attired with rich and beautifull ornaments each of them holding in her hand a sharpe Arming-sworde seeming with angry gesture to threaten them some great mischiefe if they ceased not their complaints I leaue the other particularities thereof but it appeareth well that her effects are better knowne vnto you then they were to diuers of those Auncients AN. That liberty which they had in their imagination may I also haue to describe her properties and conditions seeing she obserueth neither Reason nor Iustice in her actions but oppresseth and banisheth them in a manner out of the world gouerning herselfe by her owne will pleasure without order or agreement as Tully writeth in his booke of Diuination There is nothing sayth he so contrary to Reason Constancie as Fortune and therefore the Ancients termed her by so sundry Names calling her blind franticke variable vnconstant cruell changeable traytresse opiniatre without iudgement besides infinite other foule Epithetes and ignominious names alwaies accusing and condemning her as vvicked light inconstant mutable
so strange which for the true proofe and vnderstanding whereof were necessary to be seene with our eyes for confirmation whereof though there be many most sufficient reasons and proofes yet I haue not reade heerein any Author which auoucheth his own knowledge and sight whereas me thinkes if these Regions were so short as by this computation of degrees the Authors seeme to make them there should not haue wanted curious men to discouer the particularities of them howe great so euer the difficulty or danger had beene in doing the same which if they had done they should perchaunce haue found many things farre otherwise then they deemed at least touching some particularities of which some later Writers vaunt to haue in part experience of which seeing we our selues are able to giue no assured testimony of sight I thinke it best that we leaue them to those whose curious industry wil omit no paine to attaine vnto the perfect searching out of things so worthy to be known and seeing the Auncients which went sifting out these matters confesse that from the same Land came Virgins to bring their first fruits to the temple of Apollo in Delos belike there was then some known way the passage betweene nothing so difficill as it nowe seemeth vnto vs which beeing to vs vnknowne and the manner howe to trauaile and passe through those cold Regions beset with deepe Snow thicke Ice wide Riuers painefull high Hils fearefull low Valleyes vnaccessible Desarts and all kinds of cruell wild Beasts we leaue them vnuoyaged not seeking any way whereby we may penetrate into them and attaine the cognition of their particulers in a manner concealed and hidden from vs of which though some fewe of the hether parts thereof were knowne by relation of some painefull and industrious men who affirmed that they had seene them yet the greatest part was by coniectures considerations and probable argumentes though the curiosity of our times hath passed a little farther because as I haue sayde they are eye-witnesses of part of that which wee haue discouered of as I will tell you straight but all shall be little to giue vs such perfect and particuler knowledge of this part of the worlde that we may discourse thereof as of the others which we know Some Authors will haue this Land to be in Asia others in Europe but in whether it be the matter is not great alwayes if it be in Europe then is Europe not so little a part of the earth as they make it of vvhich if they will set the limits there as the Auncients say it finished then must these Regions before time vndiscouered be another nevve part of the world and so they should make foure parts therof or fiue with that which is newly discouered thereof in the West Indies BER I vvonder not much if men haue not so good notice of those partes of which wee haue discoursed neere the one and neere the other Pole and of that vvhich runneth out by the Coast of the North towardes the West because besides the great sharpnes and rigour of the cold we haue no cōuersation at all with the enhabitants of those parts nor they with vs neither is there any cause to mooue eyther them or vs thereunto vnlesse it be the curiositie of some that thirst after the vniuersal knowledge of all things in the world as did Marcus Paulus Venetus who for this cause only trauailed so great a part of the worlde as any man that euer I heard of till this day Truth it is that some Kings and Princes through couetous desire of enlarging their dominions as you shall hereafter vnderstand haue entered so far as they could conquering into these parts which they found neyther ouer all enhabited neyther yet so desert but that it was in manie places and the greater part therof peopled and not so far one from another but that they had knowledge conuersation traffique together And as in these Countries and Prouinces of ours we finde one soyle plaine temperate and pleasant and another quite contrary sharpe barren and vnfruitfull subiect to boystrous winds harsh ayres and continuall snow wherewith some mountaines are all the yeere long couered so that no man will frame in them his habitation So likewise in these extreame Regions of the North no doubt but there are some parts of them vninhabited as those which Pliny Soline and the before remembred Authors terme condemned of Nature yet there want not wayes and compasses in cyrcling about them to discouer that which is enhabited on the other side and though with difficultie yet in fine Nature would not leaue to prouide an open way to the end that this Land should not remaine perpetually hidden and vnknown LV. I remember I haue seene in Paulus Iouius in a chapter which hee made of Cosmography abbreuiated in the beginning of his History these words speaking of the Kingdomes of Denmarke and Norway and the Landes beyond them Of the Nature saith he of these Lands of the peoples that liue beyond them called Pigmaei Ictiophagi which are those that liue by fishes now newly discouered in whose Country by a certaine order of the Heauen of that constellation the dayes and nights are equall which I will make mention in their place AN. Mee thinkes there are many that touch this matter promising to write largely thereof without doing it and if they doe it it is euen as they list themselues because there is no man to controle them and as for Paulus Iouius himselfe all that he wrote of this Country was by the relation of a Muscouian Embassadour in Rome In one place hee saith that the Muscouites border vpon the Tartaryans and that towards the North they are accounted the vtmost dwellers of the worlde and that towardes the West they confine with the Danske Sea And in another place the Muscouites sayth he who are seated betweene Polonia and Tartaria confine with the Ryphaean mountaines enhabite towards the Septentryon in the vtmost bounds of Europe and Asia extending themselues ouer the Lakes of the Riuer Tanays euē to the Hyperborean mountaines and that part of the Ocean which they call the Frozen Sea These are his wordes in which truly he hath little reason for the vtmost Land that the Muscouites possesse is where the day and night continue 3. months long a peece so that they cannot be called the last enhabitants of the earth for those whose day and night is of sixe months are farder North and neerer the Pole then they so that in fine as I sayd before touching these matters which cannot be seene without such difficultie those that entreat of them goe by gesse coniecturing thereat by the probabilitie of reasons considerations LU. As I imagine this countrey must be very great where the daies are so long in encreasing and decreasing and more if there be on the other side of the North before you come at the Sea so much other land of force it
must haue the same encrease and decrease for the selfe same cause and reason as is of the other side and if the same goe lengthning on inwards it must be greater then it hath seemed vnto vs. AN. Whether this land extend it selfe on the other side of the North forward or whether the Sea be straight at hande I cannot resolue you for there is not any Author that writeth it neither do I thinke is there any that knoweth it the cause wherof as I said is that in passing by the coast of the West beyond the Iles of Thule the coldes are so bitterly sharpe that no ship dareth to aduenture farder by reason of the huge floting Rockes and flakes of Ise vvhich encomber that Sea threatning eminent danger and vnauoydable destruction to those that attempt to saile thereinto Of the other side of the East giuing a turne about to the very same North is discouered so far as the Prouince of Aganagora which is the last of all the knowne Countries on that side the Gulfe being past which is called Mare magnum for by land they say it is not to be trauailed by reason of the great Deserts the earth in many places full of Quagmyres with many other inconueniences which Nature seemeth to haue there ordained Some say that earthly Paradise standeth there and that therefore no earthly man in the world hath knowledge thereof but of this we haue before sufficiently entreated with the opinions of those that haue written thereupon Some there are also who write that in this Lande are certaine great mountains amongst the which are enclosed many peoples of India from which they haue no issue nor meanes at all to come out but I rather beleeue this to be a fiction because I find the same confirmed by no graue allowed Authour But howsoeuer it be beyond this Countrey called Aganagora is much vnknowne and vndiscouered Land neyther by sea thence Northward hath there been any nauigation or discouery of which also the extreame cold and the sea cōtinually frozen and choked vp with heapes of Ise may be the cause the feare of which hath hindred men from attempting the discouery therof onely that which we may hereby vnderstand is that there is a most great quantity of Land from the coast which goeth by the west turneth towards the North and that which compasseth about the East and turneth likewise to the North of which till this time there is not anie man that can giue direct notice in midst of all which is that which we intreated of which is vnder the North whose daie and night is reparted into a yeere BER I knowe not in vvhat sort the moderne Geographers doe measure or compasse the world but I know that they say that the whole Rotundity of all the Land and water in the worlde containeth not aboue sixe thousand leagues of which are discouered 4350. reckoning from the Hauen of Hygueras in the Occident or West Indies to Gatigara where the Prouince of Aganagora is cōtayned which is in the Orient so that there are yet to discouer 1650. leagues in discouering of which the ende and vtmost boundes of the Indies shoulde be knowne as well as that of this part of the earth which we inhabite AN. To those that will measure the world in this maner may be answered as a Boy in Seuilla to those that would deuide the conquest thereof between the King of Castile and the King of Portugale who in mockage of theyr folly puld downe his breeches and shewing them his buttocks badde them draw the line there along if they would needes deuide the world in the midst by measure as for those which mesure in such sort the worlde they take but the length of the earth fetching their way by the midst of the Equinoctiall and so the Astronomers and Cosmographers may goe neere the mark reckoning by degrees and giuing to euery degree 16. leagues a halfe a minute of way as they do but though they discouer this yet they can hardly come to discouer the many parts nookes that are of one side and another of the world being so wide that in one corner thereof may lye hydden many thousands of miles and Countries which beeing seene known wold perchance seem to be some new world so lieth this part of which I speake on the coast of the Sea quite without notice or knowledge BER Some will say that the shippe called Victoria which is yet as a thing of admiration in the Bay of Seuilia went round about the world in the voyage which she made of fourteen thousand leagues AN. Though she did compasse the world round about in one part yet it is not said that she compast the same about in all parts which are so many that to thinke onely of them is sufficient to amaze a mans vnderstanding Amongst the rest we neuer heard that the Coast from the West to the East by the way of the North or at least the greater part thereof hath beene compassed about as yet by any ship neither haue we knowledge of any thing at all neither by Sea nor Land nauigating from thence forward LV. If you reade Pomponius Mela in his Chapter of Scithia where he discourseth of this matter you shall finde that he bringeth the authority of Cornelius Nepos alleadging for witnesse Quintus Metellus whom he had heard say that when he was Proconsull of the Gaules the King of Swethland gaue him certaine Indians of whom demanding which way they came into those Countries they aunswered that through the terrible force of a great tempest they were so furiously driuen from the streame of the Indian Sea that after long attending nothing else thē to be swallowed vp of the waues they came at last violently to bee striken into a Riuer on the Coast of Germany which being true then they made that nauigation by those partes which you say are vndiscouered from the West to the East by the way of the North whereby it is to be thought that the Sea is not so frozen as they say but that it is nauigable AN. Truth it is that Mela saith so though it be doubted whether the Indians came this way or no and Mela himselfe in the ende of the Chapter turneth to say that all the same Septentrionall side is hardened with Ice and therefore vninhabitable and desert but as I haue said all this is not directly proued and confirmed by sound experience exact knowledge seeing we know not howe farre the Land extendeth it selfe on the other side of the North without comming to the Sea and if we would seeke to sift this secrete out and aspire to the knowledge of that which might be found in nauigating that Sea fetching a compasse about the world from North to North God knoweth what Lands would be found and discouered BER The likeliest to beleeue in this matter in my iudgement is that the same
be chosen but that he beeing naturall of Gothland had seene a great part of these Septentrionall Countries seeing hee is able to giue so good and perfect notice of them Onely this one thing now remaineth to tell you which is that you must vnderstand that the very same which we haue heere discoursed of of Lands and Prouinces vnder the North-pole is and in the very selfe same manner in those which are vnder the South-pole and that in as much as pertaineth to the Heauen they differ nothing at all and verie little in that of the earth neyther can they chuse but haue there some other winde like vnto * Circius seeing the Snowe Ise and cold is there in such extreamity as by experience they found which went the voyage with Magellane who according to those that write of him his voyage was within 75. degrees of the Pole before he came to finde and discouer the straight to passe into the Sea of Sur but he entreateth nothing of the encrease and decrease of the dayes and nights the cause why I vnderstande not it beeing a thing of so great admiration that I vvonder why the Chronaclers make no mention thereof seeing they could not chuse but haue notice thereof both by the relation of those that then accompanied him in his voyage and of others that haue since attempted to discouer those parts beeing prohibited to passe any farther through the extreamitie of the cold who foūd in those parts men of monstrous greatnes such as I saide were found neere to the Pole Artick But this by the way I will not omit to tell you that the snowe which was founde on the toppes of Mountaines there vvas not white as it is in the Septentrionall Lands but blewish and of a colour like the skie of which secrete there is no other reason to be giuen then onely that it pleaseth Nature to haue it so There are also many other strange things as birds beasts herbes plants so farre different from these which we haue that they mooue great admiration to the beholders of them And if those parts were well discouered perchance also after the passing ouer of these cold Regions so difficile to be enhabited through the rigor of the Snow and Ise there might be found other Countries as temperate as that of the superiour Byarmia of which we spake before But let this happen when it shall please God in the meane time let vs content our selues with the knowledge of that which in our age is discouered knowne BER We should be greatly beholding to you if it should please you to prosecute your begunne discourse for no doubt where the course of the Sunne Moone and Starres is so diuers there cannot chuse but bee many other things also rare strange and worthy to be knowne AN. It pleaseth me well to giue you this contentment so that you will referre it till to morrow for it is now late and draweth neere supper time LVD Let it be as you please for to say the truth it is now time to retire our selues The end of the fifth Discourse The sixth Discourse entreating of sundry thinges that are in the Septentrionall Landes worthy of admiration Interlocutores ANTHONIO LUDOVICO BERNARDO AN. YOV may see that there wanteth in me no desire to doe you seruice seeing I came first hether to renewe our yesterdayes conuersation and to accomplish my worde and promise LVD Your courtesies towardes vs are many and this not the least of all seeing we hope at thys present to vnderstand the particularities of that delightful discourse which yesterday you began with promise to end the same to day BER It vvere good that wee sate downe vnder the shadovve of these sweete Eglantines and Iassemynes wherby we shall not onely receaue the pleasant sauour which they yeelde but shall haue our eares also filled with delight in hearing the Nightingales recorde their sweete and delectable notes to which in my iudgement the curious forced melody of many Musitians is nothing to be compared LU. No doubt but of all Birdes their singing is most delightfull if it continued the whole yeere but as theyr amorous desire ceaseth so ceaseth also theyr harmonie whereas the songe of other Birdes endureth the whole yere thorough BER They perchaunce account it needelesse to rechaunt theyr melodious tunes and sweete harmonie but at such time as the the pryde and gaietie of the season entertaineth them in loue and iealousie cheerefully with mutuall sweetnesse reioycing one another and each mate vnderstanding others call LUD According to thys you will haue the Birdes to vnderstand one another BER There is no doubt but they doe for euen as the Beastes knowe the voyce one of another assembling themselues together by theyr bellowing and braying euen so doe they vnderstande the chyrping and peeping one of another calling themselues thereby together into showles and flocks ANT. Nay vvhich is more strange they doe not onely vnderstand one another among themselues but sometimes also they are vnderstoode as it is written of men of which number Apolonius Tyaneus was one LUD That certainlie seemeth vnto mee a thing vnpossible ANT. Well yet I will not sticke to let you vnderstande what I haue read concerning this matter and you shall find the same written in his life Apollonius disporting himselfe one day in the fieldes vnder the shadow of certaine trees as wee doe at this present there setled ouer his head a Sparrow chirping and chyttering to other Sparrowes that were vpon the same trees the which altogether beganne to make a great chyrping a noyse and to take theyr flight speedilie towards the Cittie whereupon Apollonius bursting into a great laughter and beeing by his companions earnestly intreated to declare the cause thereof vnto them he saide that the same Sparrow that came alone had brought newes to the rest that a Myller comming on the high way towardes the Towne with a burden of Corne charged vppon his Asses backe had by chaunce let one of his sackes fall the stringes whereof breaking the Corne fell out which the Myller coulde not so cleane scrape vp and gather together againe but that a great deale thereof remayned tumbled in the dust which was the cause of the great myrth that the other byrdes demeaned who in thanking him for his good newes flewe away with hym to eate theyr part of the same Corne. His companions hearing this smyled thereat thinking it to be but a iest till in returning to the Towne they found the place where the sack had been broken the Sparrowes scraping verie busilie about the same LV. Apolonius was a man of great wisdom knowledge but I rather think that he deuined this matter by some other meanes for it seemeth hard to beleeue that birds should haue any language wherwith they should so particulerly expresse their meaning vnlesse it be certain generall notes by which each kind knoweth and calleth theyr semblable for in thinking
continually hearde so great hideous a noyse that no man dareth to approch neer it by three or foure leagues The shyppes keepe alwayes a loofe of fearing and flying that Coast as death it selfe There is seene amongst those trees such an abundance of great black fowles that they seeme in a manner to couer them who rysing vp into the ayre doe make so great a clowde that they obscure in a manner the cleerenesse of the Sunne theyr crying or rather roring is so horrible and fearefull that such as heare them though verie farre of are constrayned to stoppe theyr eares They neuer flie out of the precincts of thys Iland the same beeing alwayes shadowed with a kinde of obscuritie in manner like a Clowde diuersifying it froÌ„ the Land neere vnto it Some saith he doe affirme this Mountaine to be a part of Hell where the condemned soules are tormented vvhich opinion though it bee ridiculous yet the propertie of this Mountaine is strange and in the cause thereof some hidden mysterie which we comprehend not BER These are matters the secrecie of whose causes are not to be sifted out like vnto that of the Mountaines of Angernamia one of the farthest of those Northerne Prouinces which are so high that they are seene a farre of by those that sayle on the Bothnycke Sea and by them with great care and diligence auoyded through a wonderfull secret in them contayned which causeth a noyse so hideous violent feareful and full of astonishment that it is heard many leagues of and if that by force of tempest driuen or otherwise through ignoraunce vnwitting any ship passeth neere thereunto the horror thereof is so great that many die presently through the penetrating sharpnes and vntollerable violence of the same many remaine euer after deafe or diseased and out of theyr wits Neyther are they that trauaile by Land lesse carefull in auoyding these Mountaines Once certaine young men of great courage beeing curious to discouer the cause heereof stopping theyr eares as artificially as they coulde deuise attempted in little Boates to rowe neere these mountaines and to view the particularities of them but they all perrished in that attempt by theyr desastre leauing an example and warning to others not to hazard themselues in like danger That which we may hereafter imagine is that there are some clefts or Caues within the Rocks of these Mountaines and that the flowing and ebbing of the water striuing with the wind and hauing no aspyration out causeth that fearefull rumbling and hideous noyse and this is vnderstood because the greater the tempest is at Sea the greater is the noyse in those Mountains the same being in calme and milde weather nothing so loude and violent Of these mountains Vincentiê° maketh mention in his glasse of Histories though he write not so particulerlie of them as some moderne Authors doe which affirme that they haue seene them LV. Me thinks this place is as perrillous as that of Charibdis and rather more considering the sharpnes and terror of the noyse which penetrateth so farre and in my iudgement the flowing and ebbing of the water should draw vnto it the shippes and make them perrish though you made therof no mention AN. It seemeth vnto me that you also haue read these Authors which treat of the Septentrional Countries seeing it commeth now to purpose I will tell you one no lesse admirable then the rest which is that in a citty called Viurgo neere the prouince of Muscouia there is a Caue called Esmelen of so secret a vertue that no man hath hetherto been able to comprehend the mistery and cause thereof which is that casting any quicke beast into the same there issueth out presently a sound so terrible as though 3000. great Canons were discharged and shot off together the effect of which is such that the hearers thereof if they haue not their eares very well stopt closed do fall presently down depriued of all feeling sence like dead men out of which mortall traunce som neuer reuiue some do but froÌ„ that time forward so long as they liue they detaine som defect or other The greater the beast is that is throwne thereinto the greater is the noyse and roaring that resoundeth out This Caue is compast about with a verie strong wall and the mouth thereof shut vp with a mightie strong doore hauing many Lockes of vvhich the Gouernour hath one Key in his keeping and the rest of the Magistrates each of them a seuerall least otherwise some desastre might fall out by which the Citty might come to be dispeopled which though it be very strong both of walles and Ramparts yet the greatest strength thereof consisteth in the Caue neyther is there any enemy so mightie or puissant that dareth to besiege it hauing before his eyes the ruine of great Armies that haue attempted the same before by which after the Citty was brought into some extreamitie the Cittizens bethinking themselues of the propertie of the Caue coÌ„maunded by publique proclamation all those of the towne to stop theyr eares and one night vnawares to the enemie they cast into the Caue a great number of liuing beasts vpon vvhich there presently issued forth such a hideous infernall noyse and the violence thereof strooke such amazement into the enemies that some fell downe in a traunce and others throwing away theyr Armes fledde out of theyr Cabbines trenches the most confusedly that might bee and withall to encrease theyr misery the Cittizens issuing out massacred the greater part of them by that meanes deliuering theyr Cittie from seruitude And though they could not but receaue som inconuenience through the horrour of that hellish noyse though theyr eares were neuer so well closed yet through the ioy of theyr victory and recouered libertie they made small account of the same since which time all the borderers there abouts fearing the effect of theyr Caue doe liue in league amitie with them BER In truth this is a matter of great admiration and such that though diuers very great secretes both of heauen and earth are comprehended yet the curiositie of no wit how perfect soeuer can reach to giue heereof anie reason LVD Let vs leaue these secrets to him that made them whose will perchance is to conceale theyr causes froÌ„ vs. AN. You say well and in truth the more wee should beat our wits about them the lesse we should be able to vnderstand them it suffiseth therefore for vs to knowe that these are the secrete and wonderfull workes of God shewen by Nature the vnderstanding whereof is aboue our reach and capacitie But to follow on our discourse of the wonders of this Countrey you shal vnderstand that in those standing waters frozen Lakes of which wee spake before the ayre remaineth oftentimes shut in and inclosed the which moouing it selfe and running vp down vnder the Ise seeking vent causeth such roring and noyse that it were able to amaze
endureth very long They apply theyr skinnes to such vses as wee doe heere the hides of Oxen. They make also of them Couerlettes for theyr beds retayning alwayes in them as it were a kinde of naturall warmth Of their hornes and bones they make very strong Bowes neyther is that of their hoofes without great vertue hauing as it is wrttten in them a notable remedie against the falling sicknes BER I neuer hearde of a more profitable Beast and therefore I much meruaile why other Countries procure not to nourish them ANT. All possible dilligence hath beene vsed not onely to conuay them into other Prouinces and Regions but also to sende vvith them Keepers acquainted vvith theyr custome and nature But all sufficed not For it seemeth that Nature vvill haue them to bee onely in those Countries towardes the North the farther from which you carry them the greater difficultie is in keeping them for in comming vvhere they feele not the sharpnesse of the colde they die euen like fishes taken out of theyr naturall Element vvhich is water There is another Beast also in those partes called Onager in manner like vnto the Rangyferes but that hee hath onely two hornes like a Stagge vvhose lightnesse they say is such that hee runneth also ouer the Snovve vvithout scarcelie leauing any signe or trace of his feete They were woont to vse this Beast in dravving theyr Coaches and artificiall Tables vvith vvhich they trauayled ouer the Ice and frozen Snowe But they vvere forbidden by the publique edict of theyr Kinges and Princes not to nourish them any more tame and domesticall I omit the causes wherefore because the Authors write insufficiently thereof This Beast endureth so well hunger thirst that he will trauaile 50. or 60. leagues without eating or drinking The woods and mountaynes containe infinite numbers of thē they are at continuall warre with the Wolfes of which also there is great plenty whensoeuer any one of them happeneth to light vpon a Wolfe with his nailes howe little so euer the wound be hee dyeth thereof presently If the Wolfe pursue him his refuge is straight to the Ice where in respect of his sharpe pawes he hath a great aduantage standing stiffe and firme vpon them which the Wolfe cannot doe vpon his LU. Solinus writeth also that there are of these in Affrica whose words are thus There are saith hee in this Prouince Beastes called Onagri of which each male gouerneth a Heard of females of the same kinde they are exceeding iealous and cannot endure to haue companions in their lasciuiousnes whence it proceedeth that they looke very watchfully vnto the females going great to the end that if they bring forth males by giuing them a bite vppon the genitories they may thereby take from them all possibility euer after of engendring which the females fearing endeuour alwayes as secretly as they can to hide their young ones BER Perchaunce these and those of the Septentrionall Lands are not all of one sort seeing the one liueth not but in places extreamely colde and to the other nothing is more naturall then heate AN. This is no argument to proue that they are not all one sort of Beastes for as there are men in the Regions of extreamest cold likewise in those of most scorching heat euen so may these Beasts though of one sort yet liue vnder contrary Climates each of them conforming them to the nature of the soile Yet I will not say but that it may well be that they are two sundry kindes encountring both in one name For in truth we doe not finde that any of these properties of which Solinus speaketh are in the Northerne Onagres But seeing the matter is not great whether they be one or diuers let vs turne to our Wolfes againe of which there is so great a number in those Northerne Regions that the people haue much adoe to defend themselues and theyr Cattell from them insomuch that they dare not aduenture to trauaile in diuers places vnlesse they goe manie together and well armed There are of them three sorts the one like these which wee haue here others all white nothing so fierce and harmeful as the rest the thirde sort they call Troys hauing great bodies but short legges which though they be more cruell withall more swift then eyther of the other sorts yet are they not of the enhabitants so much feared because they liue and pray vpon wilde Beasts seldome dooing any violence to men But if at any time they vndertake to pursue a man they neuer leaue till they haue woried him As touching the auncient opinion that there should be in these parts a prouince of men called Neuri which at one time of the yeere are transformed into Wolues if there be therin at all any foundation of truth it is as all late Writers affirme that as there are in those partes many Witches and Enchaunters so haue they theyr limitted and determined times of meetings and making theyr assemblies which they doe in the shape of Wolues the cause wherof though they declare not yet is it to be thought that they are by their maister the deuill so enioyned at appointed times to doe him obedience in thys forme and figure as the Sorcerers and Hags doe at which time he instructeth them in such thinges as appertaine to theyr arte and science During the time of theyr transformation they commit such infinite outrages and cruelties that the very Wolues in deed are tame gentle in respect of them For proofe that they can and do so transfigurat themselues besides many other examples which I could alleadge I will content my selfe in telling you onelie one which is most true and certaine It is not long since that the Duke of Muscouia caused one to bee taken that was notoriously knowne to transforme himselfe in such sort as wee haue said of whom being brought bound with a chaine into his presence he demaunded if it were true that hee could so transforme and change himselfe into a Wolfe as it was bruted which he confessing the Duke commaunded him to do it presently whereupon crauing to be left alone awhile in a chamber hee came of a suddaine out in the shape of a verie Wolfe indeede being still fast bound in his chayne as he was before In the meane time the Duke had of purpose made come two fierce mastiues which taking him to be as he seemed flew presently vppon him and tare him in peeces the poore wretch hauing no force or abilitie to defende himselfe at all BER Hee was iustly punished according to his desert But it is not onely of late dayes that the deuill exerciseth thys Arte among those Nations for Solinus Plinie Pomponius Mela and many other learned Authours in theyr wrytings make mention thereof But leauing thys seeing it commeth so well to our purpose of VVoules I will tell you what a man of verie good credite tolde mee not long since affirming the
little was by them brought and put into a pond or standing water in the Iland of S. Domingo a little after the conquest thereof by the Spaniards Being in which fresh water in short space hee encreased to such greatnes that hee became bigger then any horse and withall so familiar that calling him by a name which they had giuen him he would come ashore and receaue at theyr handes such thinges as they brought him to eate as though he had beene some tame domesticall beast The boyes among other sportes and pastimes they vsed with him woulde sometimes gette vp vppon his bace and hee swimme all ouer the Lake with them without euer dooing harme or once dyuing vnder the water with any one of thē One day certaine Spanyards comming to see him one of them smote him with a pyke staffe which he had in his hand from which time forward hee knewe the Spanyards so vvell by theyr garments that if any one had beene therby when the other people called him hee woulde not come ashore otherwise still continuing with those of the Country his vvonted familiaritie Hauing thus remained in this Lake a long space the water vpon a tyme through an extreamitie of raine rose so high that the one side of the Lake ouerflowed and brake into the Sea from which time forward he was seen no more Thys is written by the Gouernour of the fortresse of that Iland in a Chronicle which he made Leauing them therefore now I will briefely speake of certaine notable Fish coasts from the West of Ireland forwards winding about towardes the North For it is a thing notorious that many Kingdoms Regions Prouinces haue their prouisions of Fish frō thence of which our Spaine can giue good testimonie the great commodity considered that it receaueth yeerely thereby To beginne therefore the farther forth this way that you goe the greater plenty you shall finde of fishe many of those Prouinces vsing no other trade forraine Merchants bringing into them other necessary thinges in exchange thereof The chiefest store whereof is founde on the Coast of Bothnia which deuideth it selfe into three Prouinces East West and North-Bothnia The last whereof is different farre from the other two for it is a plaine Champaine Land seated as it were in a Valley betweene great and high Mountaines The ayre thereof is so wholesome the Climat so fauourable that it may be well termed one of the most pleasant and delightfull places of the world for it is neither hote nor cold but of so iust a temperature that it seemeth a thing incredible the Countries lying about it beeing so rigorously cold couered with Snow congealed with a continuall Ise. The fields of themselues produce all pleasant varietie of hearbes and fruites The woods and trees are replenished with Birdes whose sweet charmes melodious tunes breedeth incredible delectation to the hearers but wherein the greatest excellencie and blessing of this Land consisteth is that amongst so great a quantitie of Beasts and Fowles of which the Hilles Woods Fieldes and Valleyes are full it breedeth not nourisheth or maintaineth not any one that is harmefull or venemous neyther doe such kindes of Fishes as are in the Sea hurtfull approach theyr shoares which otherwise abound with Fishes of all sorts so that it is in the fishers handes to take as many and as few as they list The cause of which plentie is as they say that diuers forts of Fishes flying the colde come flocking in multitudes into these temperate waters Neyther bapneth this onely on theyr Sea-shoare but in theyr Lakes Riuers within the Land also which swarme as thicke with fishes great and little of diuers kindes as they can hold The enhabitants liue very long neuer or sildome feeling any infirmity which surely may serue for an argument seeing it is so approouedly knowne to be true to confirme that which is written concerning the vpper Byarmya which though it be seated in the midst of vntemperate cold countries couered and frozen with continuall Snow and Ice yet is it selfe so temperate and vnder so fauourable a Climate and constellation that truly the Authors may well call it as they doe a happy and blessed soile whose people hauing within thēselues all things necessary for the sustentation of humaine life are so hidden sequestred from other parts of the world hauing of themselues euery thing so aboundantly that they haue no need to traffique or conuerse with forraine Regions And this I take to be the cause that we haue no better knowledge of some people that liue vppon the Hyperbores who though they liue not with such pollicy as we doe it is because the plenty of all thinges giueth them no occasion to sharpe their wits or to be carefull for any thing so that they leade a simple and rustique life without curiosity deuoyd of all kind of trouble care or trauaile whereas those who liue in Countries where for their substentation maintenance it behooueth them to seeke needefull prouisions in forraine Landes what with care of auoiding dangers well dispatching their affaires and daily practising with diuers dispositions of men they cannot but becom industrious pollitique and cautelous And hence came it that in the Kingdome of China there was a Law and statute prohibiting and defending those that went to seeke other Countries euermore to returne into the same accounting them vnworthy to liue in so pleasant and fertile a soile that willingly forsooke the same in searching an other But returning to our purpose in this North Bothnya which is beyond Norway is taken incredible store of fish which they carry some fresh some salted to a Citty called Torna situated in manner of an Iland betweene two great Riuers that discende out of the Septentrionall mountaines where they hold their Fayre and Staple many and diuers Nations resorting thither who in exchange of theyr fish accommodate them with such other prouisions as their Country wanteth so that they care not to labour or till their grounds which if at any time they doe the fertillity thereof is such that there is no Country in the worlde able to exceede the same The people is so iust that they know not howe to offende or offer iniurie to any man they obserue with such integrity the Christian fayth that they haue him in horrour and destentation that committeth a mortall sinne They are enemies of vice and louers and embracers of vertue and truth They correct and chasten with all seuerity and rigour those that are offendours insomuch that though a thing bee lost in the streete or field no man dareth take it vp till the owner come himselfe There are also other Prouinces maintayned in a manner wholely by fishing as that of Laponia in the vvhich are manie Lakes both great and little infinitelie replenished with all sorts of excellent fishes and that of Fylandia which is very neere or to say better vnder the Pole The
they ouerturne some and that they gette vp also into great ships but as it seemeth not with meaning to doe hurte but onely through nouelty and curiositie to view them and that commonly they keepe together in flocks and companies in maner of an Armie and it hath happened that som of them entring into shyps haue been so amazed that they haue been taken by the Mariners but in finding themselues layde hold on they giue loude and pittifull shrikes making a most hydeous and ilfauoured noyse at which very instant there are heard infinite other the like cryes and howlings in such sort that they make deafe the eares of them that heare them and there appeare so many of theyr heads aboue water as though they were a mightie Armie of many people with the vvhich and with their terrible noyse they make the waues rise so vehemently that is resembleth a furious tempest The which is a token that they goe alwaies together vnlesse it be that some one stray by chance when they perceiue that any of theyr company is taken they make this crying tumult to assault the ship vnlesse the Mariners do presently turne him lose cast him into the Sea againe which beeing done they cease theyr clamour and goe their waies quietly vnder the vvater without doing any farder hurt And therfore that which signior Ludouico saide is not without reason for truely though they be not creatures reasonable yet seeme they to haue farre greater vse thereof then other Fishes haue for as farre as wee can conceaue and iudge that entry of theirs so boldly into the ships is not with any intention to do harme but only to view what is in them and to behold the men whose likenesse they beare And if perchance they ouerturne any little vessel such as are Cockboats or Skiffes it is through their heauy weight and not through any will to doe mischiefe But let vs refer this to th' Almightie who onely knoweth the truth of that which we gesse at by coniecture BER I would that you knewe afore we passe any farder a common opinion which is helde in the kingdome of Galicia of a certaine race of men whom they call Marini the which as it is affirmed for matter most assured and they themselues deny not but make their boast thereof are discended from one of these Tritons or Seamen vvhich though beeing a thing very ancient is tolde in diuers sorts yet they come all to conclude that a certaine vvoman going along the Sea-shore vvas surprised and taken by one of these Tritons that lay embusht in a tuffet of Trees and by force constrayned to yeelde vnto his lustlie desire after the accomplishment of which he withdrew himselfe into the water returning often to the same place to seeke this woman but at last perceauing that his vsuall repayre thither was descried and that there was waite layd to take him he appeared no more It pleased God to permitte this woman from the time of that acquaintance with the Triton to conceaue child which though at the time of her deliuery proued to be in each poynt like vnto other children yet by his strange appetites desires and infinite other signes and tokens it was most euident and manifest that it was begotten by the same Triton or Seaman This matter is so ancient that I meruaile not though it be told after diuers sorts seeing there is no Author that writeth it neyther any other testimonie thereof then onelie the common and publique fame which hath spred and published it LU. One poynt herein me thinks by the way is rather to be helde for a fable then to bee credited for though it were that Nature through any such copulation should suffer some thing to be engendered yet should the same be a monster not a man capable of reason as you say this was for hence would arise two no small inconueniences the one that there should be men in the worlde whose beginning shoulde not discend from our first Parents Adam and Eue for this Triton neyther is neyther can bee accounted a reasonable man and of the posteritie of Adam in like sort neither his sonne nor those that shall discend of him the other is to gaine-saie the generall rule of all Philosophers and Phisitions which resolutely affirme it to be vnpossible that there shoulde be engendered of the seede of a man reasonable and of a creature vnreasonable any creature like to eyther of them perfectlie bearing eyther of both theyr shapes Though put the case that the contrary sometimes happen between a Mare and an Asse a dogge and a Shee-woolfe or a Foxe and a bitch yet the contradiction is not so great these beastes differing so little one from another as the great and vnspeakeable difference vvhich in so manie poynts is betweene men and bruite beastes And though in likenesse and similitude a Seaman resemble a man of reason yet it suffiseth that hee differ onely in reason then the which there can in the world be no greater difference And therefore Galen the Phisition in his third Booke De vsu partium in scoffing manner iesteth at a certaine Poet called Pindarus because hee affirmed the fable of Centaures to be true BER All that you haue sayde standeth with great reason but I haue alwayes heard that the seede onely of the man is able to engender without any necessity that the vvomans should concurre also of this opinion is Aristotle LVD In thys sort the contradiction is greater for if the seed of the vvoman concurre not in generation of necessity it must ensue that the thing engendered be like the Father and not the mother the contrary whereof is knowen to be true and that both the seede of the male and female concurre in generation which if it were otherwise the generation could not com to effect and thys maintaineth Hipocrates in his booke De Genitura and in that De sterilibus and Galen in his 14. booke De vsu partium AN. Very vvell hath this matter been debated on both sides yet I will not leaue vnaunswered the two inconueniences alleaged by Signior Ludouico as for the first it followeth not that if a woman conceaue a chyld reasonable by a creature vnreasonable that therfore the same child shold not be accounted the ofspring of Adam for it suffiseth that he is on the mothers side without any necessitie that he must be also of the fathers As for the second I confesse that guyding our selues by the ordinary course of Nature the Phylosophers and Phisitions in maintayning the impossibilitie of perfect generation betweene different creatures haue great reason vnlesse that it be in these before mentioned whose fimilitude is such that they seeme to be all of one kinde But we must not so restraine Nature as they doe without hauing regard to the superior cause which is God by whose will it is directed and gouerned and to whom wholy it obeyeth For seeing it is a
greater wonder of nothing to work so many miraculous things as he doth me thinks we should not so much meruaile or at least wee should not holde it so vnpossible as these Phylosophers do that a reasonable woman should conceaue a chyld by a Sea-man and that in the participation of reason he should take after his mother whose seede concurred as well in his generation as his fathers For there haue hapned and happen daily in the world many thinges no lesse notable then this of the which thys one which I will rehearse you is so strange and admirable that I should not dare recite it vnlesse it were confirmed by the testimony and authority of so many learned and graue Writers The first is Iohn Saxon in his History the second Iohannes Magnus Archbishop of Vpsala in the Kingdome of Sweueland and lastly it is written and affirmed by his Successour the Archbishop Olaus Magnus There liued say they in a Towne of the Kingdome of Sweueland built neere the mountaines a very principall and rich man who had a daughter very beautifull and faire the which going foorth one euening in company of other maydens to walke and take the ayre as they were sporting in the midst of their deuises and pastimes there issued out of a thicket that was on those mountaines a Beare of exceeding greatnes fierce and terrible making towardes them as fast as hee could the which tremblingly fearefully began to flie each one procuring to saue her selfe onely this seely young maydens hap was to fall into his pawes with whom running away as fast as hee might without any resistance he recouered the thicknes of the wood whose principall intention though it were as it is to be imagined to satisfie the appetite of his rauening hunger yet was it the pleasure of God not to permit this maydens death for the Beare moued with an instinct of Nature different farre from his cruell kind refrained not onlie from deuouring her but carrying her into a Caue which he had in the bottome of a deepe Valley in the Forrest conuerted the rage of his cruelty into a loue most vehement stroking her softly with his pawes cherinshing and handling her in such gentle sort that she perceauing his intention relented in some part her feare and for terror of death not daring to resist his fiercenes suffered him to gather the flower of her virginity The Beare daily issued out of the Caue chasing Harts and other beasts presenting alwayes part of his pray vnto her of which hunger compelled her to eate her drinke was cleare water out of a running Fountaine that passed vnder the trees neere this Caue and in this sort sustained she her desolate life praying continually vnto God to haue pitty on her and to deliuer her out of this wretched estate and miserable calamity And though shee determined oftentimes to runne away when the Beare was out yet shee neuer dared to attempt the same fearing death if she were found by him and besides not daring to aduenture through the mountaines being so full of sundry diuers cruell wild beasts Hauing certaine moneths endured this vnhappy kind of life it happened that certaine Noble men came with nets toyles dogs a hunting into this Forrest by whom this Beare was entrapped and slaine The vvench hearing their cries and voyces and that they were neere vnto her Caue ranne with all possible speed vnto them who with singuler amazement as well at the ralation shee made as at the wildnes of her affrighted countenance carried her away with them and deliuered her vnto her parents who scarcely knew her she was become so vgly disfigured Nature which often worketh things meruailous out of her natural order common obserued course ioyned in such sort the seede of this brute beast in the body of this mayden that to her intollerable greefe and dismayment shee perceaued her selfe to goe great fearing nor attending anie thing else then to bee deliuered of some horrible monster But such was the will of the Almighty that at the end of nine moneths shee came to beare a goodly Boy resembling in nothing else his Father then that hee was somewhat more hairy then other children are They nourished him vp with diligence and care calling him the Beare or perchance that name was giuen him afterwards by the people wondering at his miraculous fiercenes valour for after he came to mans estate he became so strong valiant and hardy of his person that he was redoubted farre and neere and comming to haue knowledge of those that slew the Beare by whom he was engendered he depriued them of life saying That though by theyr meanes he had receaued a good turne yet could he doe no lesse then reuenge his Fathers death This man begatte Trugillus Sprachaleg afterwards a famous Captaine vvhose Sonne was Ulfon a man notable renowned and of whom the Chronicles of those Countreyes make great and often mention for hee was Father to Suenus which by his valour came to obtaine the royall Diademe of Denmarke and they say that of this lynage discende all the Kings of Denmarke and Swethland LU. In trueth this Story should seeme fabulous were it not by so many graue and learned men affirmed to be true but wee may well giue it credite because wee haue knowledge of the like happened in our time no lesse monstrous nor woorthy of admiration then this which you haue rehearsed and there are as yet many which founde themselues present and can giue witnesse thereof It was in this sort as I haue heard it through true relation of many persons most woorthy to be beleeued A vvoman in Portugale for a hainous offence by her committed was condemned and banished into an vninhabited Iland one of those which they commonly call the Isles of Lagartes whether shee was transported by a shippe that went for India and by the way set a shoare in a Cock-bote neere a great mountaine couered with trees and wilde bushes like a Desert The poore vvoman finding her selfe alone forsaken and abandoned vvithout any hope of life beganne to make pittifull cryes and lamentations in commending her selfe vnto God him to succour her in this her lamentable solitary estate Whiles shee was making these mournfull cōplaints there discended from the mountaine a great number of Apes which to her exceeding terror and astonishment compassed her round about amongst the which there was one far greater thē the rest who standing vpō his hind legs vpright seemed in height nothing inferiour to the common sort of men he seeing the vvoman weepe so bitterly as one that assuredlie held her self for dead came vnto her shewing a cheerefull semblaunce and flatteringly as it vvere comforted her offering her certaine fruites to eate in such sort that he put her in hope that shee should not receaue any damage of those other Apes taking her by the arme and gently as it vvere inuiting her to followe him to the mountaines to the which