the 1. of February 1542. The 6. a Commission giuen by the said Court of Chambery to the said BOISSONNE the 6. of February 1542. The 7. the Articles sent to the said BOISSONNE the 25. of February 1542. The eight other admonitions made to the sayd TABOVE and a sentence giuen the 23. of February the same yeare The 9. a sentence pronounced in the sayd Court the 23. of December the same yeare The 10. a Commission giuen to Maister NICHOLAS de la CHESNAY Councellor in the same Court The 11. a Letter deliuered vnto vnto him and written in the name of the sayd Court to the Chancellor of France the 1. of Aprill 1545. The 12. an Answer made by the Iudges of the sayde Parliament of Chambery the 17. of December 1541. to the aduertisments sent vnto the King by the sayde TABOVE termed in the Processe the fiue points The 13. and last a sentence giuen in the sayde Court the 23. of Iune in the yeare 1540. touching a sute betwixt the Kings Atturney generall and the Lord of Eschelle This matter beeing deliuered vnto the King and found hard and of importance for the grauity of the cause and of the persons it was committed to the Parliament of Bourgondy at Dijon where the said President Councellors yeelded themselues prisoners TABOVE beeing their accuser After that their cryminall and extraordinary Processe had beene made many sentences were giuen The first was the second of Maie against GRAFFINS Councellor whome they found to be least charged who notwithstanding was condemned in a fine of three score pounds vnto the King and twentie pounds vnto TABOVE and suspended from his place for a yeare TABOVE pleaded then with great shewe thanking GOD after the manner of MOYSES IOSVA and others for the victory which hee did see comming towards him euen as sayd hee the ancient Fathers had done for the victories which GOD had sent them hee beganne and concluded his oration with a verse of DAVID Hic est dies quem fecit dominus c. But herein the poore man did singe like vnto the swanne The said GRAFFINS yeelded to this sentence and sought no redresse The second sentence was the 28. of Iuly in the said yeare 1552. against the President PELISSON by the which it was sayd that the decrees contained therein and impugned by TABOVE made by the said President were false and falsly framed declaring the said President for euer incapable to hold any royall Office condemning him to aske mercie of GOD the King and of Iustice and to paie a thousand pounds fine to the King and two hundred to TABOVE his goods to bee forfited and to passe the remaynder of his life where it should please the King The solemnity of the pronouncing and execution thereof was that the sayd President hauing one halfe of his bodie be-nummed with the palsey olde and broken with age diseases and cares was brought into the open Court the doores beeing open and the Iudges sitting in the Castell of Dijon where he was prisoner by two Archers in a chaier attired in blake taffata pinckt with a roabe of blacke satten a little night-cappe of silke and his square cappe in his hand At this spectacle and in his presence TABOVE made a speech The sentence was afterwards pronounced the poore old man was constrained with much a doe and through the helpe of his gards that had brought him to kneele downe holding in his hands a burning torch of wax weighing 4. pounds and asked pardon of GOD the King of Iustice and of TABOVE The saied decrees and other peeces that were impugned were torne in his presence which done he intreated the Court that hee might bee freed out of the Castell for the weakenesse and great infirmity of his person Answere was made him that the Court would consider of it The third sentence was the fourth of August against the aboue named BOISSONNE a Preest and Councellor by the which hee was found guiltie of fals-hood and other crimes mentioned in his processe and the decrees declarations and other pe◅ces declared false depriued of his Councellors place and condemned in a hundred pounds fine to the King and fortie pounds to TABOVE and his charges and to remaine a prisoner and for the common offence he was sent vnto his Ordinary The fourth sentence was the same daie against ROZET an other Councellor all one with the former After all this the sayd President BOISSONNE and ROZET Councellors hauing a firme confidence in thēselues that they had not offended notwithstanding these punishments they go vnto the King and shewe him that if the crimes whereof they are condemned bee proued true it were a monstrous thing to see them liue in a common-weale But if through the slander of their accuser they haue beene reduced vnto that extremity there is no reason for the dignity where-with his Maiesty had honored them in the Soueraignty of Sauoie that the cause should be referred to one Parliament aloane consisting of a small number to degrade and depriue them in that sort of their good names fortunes and honours leauing them nothing but their soules which is onely a remainder of greefe and perpetuall sorrowe They beseech him to allowe of a reuision the which is g◅aunted and the cause committed to the Parliament of Paris whereas all being wel viewed and examined it was said and iudged by a sentence of the sixteene of May 155◅ that the former decres of the 28. of Iuly and the fourth of August were voide and that the cryminall processe by the which they had beene giuen should be viewed and Iudged a newe without any respect to bee taken of the said decrees TABOVE condemned in costs domage and interests The Court at Dijon aduertised of this decree at the instance of TABOVE beeing much troubled in the beginning come vnto the King debate the reasons and maintaine their decrees she wing that it would cause impunity of crimes of importance and blemish the prerogatiue of his Parliaments They had good audience with the sayd TABOVE who pretended new matter and concealed nothing which hee thought might auaile him alledging that this accusation framed by him was alwaies with the quality of the Kings Atturney general being so receiued and neuer reproued and therefore hee ought not to bee condemned in costs domages and interests like vnto a priuate party although the accusation were not so well grounded as this was Some of the Court Parliament of Paris which had assisted at the resolution of the said decree of nullity were sent for they come and are heard with them of Dijon All being duly examined it was decreed by the Priuy Councell the 7. day of March 1555. that the sentence giuen the 16. of May vpon the said Nullities should take effect and touching the principall cause the parties should be sent to the Court of Paris to bee iudged in the presence of a President and two Councellors of the Court named in the decree and three
other Councellors hauing assisted at the iudgement of the said Nullities three Councellors of the Parlament of Dijon named by the said decree aud three others of the sayde Court of Dijon which had assisted at the iudgement giuen against the parties accused and by sixe Masters of Requests The Processe beeing in question TABOVE fearing that which after happened to fortifie his accusation or rather to hinder the decision frames newe crimes whereof no mention had beene made in the former Processe whervnto the parties accused oppose Wherevpon the King by his Letters Pattents of the 15. of September the same yeare made a declaration that sending them to the Parliament of Paris his meaning was not that the Court should take knowledge of any other cause or crimes then those for the which the parties had been condemned in the Court of Parlament at Dijon and whereof they had complayned vnto the King the Kings Atturney generall excepted who vpon view of the sayd Processe finding the accused to bee guilty of other crimes might make pursute against them at his pleasure Moreouer they were charged by the said Letters to do right vpon the repetition of money adiudged to the said TABOVE for the pursute of the Processe The said letters were allowed and regestred the 18. of September The Parties accused are againe examined and heard by the Court vpon the crimes wherewith they were charged TABOVE is allowed to make newe productions and the accused to contradict them In the ende this cause being examined in so goodly an Assembly a definite sentence was giuen in these termes that follow The Court doing right to all and without respect to the quality of the Atturney general in the court of Chambery taken by the said TABOVE in the sayd Processe but so farre as it doth touch the corruptions and falseties pretended by TABOVE against the sayd PELISSON BOISSONNE and ROZET had absolued and did absolue the sayd PELISSON BOISSONNE and ROZET respectiuely of the sayd pretended false-hoods and did condemne the sayd TABOVE for that respect in the charges of the same sute and in domages and interest of the sayd PELISSON BOISSONNE and ROZET which domages and Interests the Court for some causes them mouing hauing taxed and moderated that is to say to the sayd PELISSON two hundred pounds to BOISSONNE foure score pounds and to ROZET the like some of 80. pounds and that besids all other expences domages and Interestes which were adiudged vnto them by a sentence of the 16. of May 1555. for the paiement of which domages and interestes the said TABOVE should remaine in prison And as for all other accusations and crimes obiected by the sayd TABOVE against PELISSON BOISSONNET and ROZET the knowledge whereof was referred to the sayd Court both they the parties were discharged by the Court and freed from farther sute without any charges domage or interest of eyther party reseruing notwithstanding power for the Kings Attorney generall to proceed against the sayde decrees of the 11. of May 1539. the 9. of March the 20. of September made in fauour of the sayd Earles of La Chambery and Bishop of Morienne by way of Nullitie and for them to make their defences to the contrary And for reparation of the false and slanderous accusa tion framed by the sayd TABOVE against PELISSON BOISSONNE and ROZET and for other misdâ—…meanors appearing as wel by the ancient as the later productions made in the sayde processe the Court had condemned the sayde TABOVE to doe penance in open Court on a day of pleading the doores being open bare-headed and bare-foote on his knees in his shert and a halter about his neck holding in his hands a burning Torche of two pound waight and then to say and declare openly with a lowd and intelligeble voyce that falsely maliciously slanderously wrongfully and against the truth hee had charged and accused the saide PELISSON BOISSONNE and ROZET of the sayde pretended falseties crimes and offences for the which he was sorry and desired pardon mercy of GOD the King the Iustice and of the said PELISSON BOISSONNE and ROZET And moreouer the Court did ordaine that the petitions and complaints exhibited vnto the King by the sayd TABOVE together with the suggestions of falshood made by him against the said parties should be defaced and rent in his presence And this done to bee led in the same sort by the Vshers of the Court and set vpon the marble Stone being at the end of the Great Stayres of the Pallace there to do the like penance and so to be carted from the same place vnto the Pillorie at the Halles in the Cittie of Paris and there being set by the Hang-man to bee turned thrice about and then to be carryed backe to the Concergery or prison of the Pallace And moreouer the Court did condemne the said TABOVE to do penance in the open Court of the said Parlament of Chambery whether he should be safely conducted and to pay two hundred pounds for a fine vnto the King and to continue in prison at Chambery vntill the full payment of the fines charges domage and interest adiudged as well to the King as to the said parties after which payment made to bee perpetually confined to the said Country of Sauoy or to any other place within this Realme that should please the King And moreouer the Court did declare his other goods confiscate to whom they did belong the said fines charges domage and interests being first payed and discharged And for certaine causes and considerations then mouing the said Court did ordaine that the saide PELISSON should be sent backe to receiue those admonitions that were appointed to bee giuen him inioyning him to keepe and cause to bee kept the Kings royall ordynances in the said Court of Chambery and not to infringe them vpon paine of an arbitrary punishment Giuen in the Parlament at Paris the eleuenth of October 1556. No Reader of iudgement ought to taxe the Iudges who haue censur'd this cause with so great contrarietie as the like hath not beene heard The Court of Dijon assured themselues in their conceits to doe well without fraud or malice Those of Paris according to their custome shewed their authority which is supreme descouering it may be some thing that was newe and not before knowne It is not for mee beeing a simple Collector and who feares to speake of such assemblies to giue any reasons of the said contrarieties It sufficeth to set downe the fact and to compare the greatnesse of the Parlament of Paris with the rest yet I may not conceale what I heard a Councellour of one of the aboue named Parliaments say that in the question of Iustice of such contrary decrees vpon a crime pleaded before the King who desired to vnderstand the truth those of Dijon had iudged according to their consciences and those of Paris iustly and according vnto Lawe Before I leaue this matter which is so exemplary and of such consequence in
neere the Village they found the child in the cradle crying and calling for meate but the poore Mother beeing opprest with payne a Feauer and with watching neither thought of her selfe nor of her little one The Phisition layes open the woman sees the section grosly sowed vp with ten or twelue stitches and prouided so well for the mother and child as both liued long after Extract out of Maist. d' AL◅EOVX letter written the 20. of December 1585 About the yeare 1550. ELIZABETH ALESPACHIN wife to IAMES NVFER a Surgion remaining in a Village called Sigers in Suisserland beeing great of her first child at the time of her deliuery beeing prest with extreame paines she called many Mid-wiues and Surgions to helpe her but all was in vaine The husband seeing his wife in that extremity tells her his minde in her care She alloweth it he goes to the Baylife of Frauvenfele acquaints him with the estate of his family and his resolution to ease his wife and craues leaue to execute what hee had determined In the ende the Bayliffe knowing his Industry and the loue hee bare vnto his Wife grants his request Hee returnes speedily to his house speakes to the Mid-wiues exhortes the most couragious to assist him and intreats the most fearefull to depart least they should faint and trouble the company for that hee did vndertake a thing which indeede was dangerous but hee hoped for a happy issue with the fauorable assistance of Almighty GOD. These women amazed at his resolution went out all except two which remayned with the Surgions to assist the Patient Her Husband hauing first called vpon GOD with an earnest prayer and shutte the Stoue carefully hee takes his Wife and layes her vpon a Table and with a sharpe Rasor makes an Incission in her belly so happily as presently the Child was taken forth without hurt to the Mother or to the little one The Mid-wiues which did hearken at the doore hearing the Child crye did knocke to enter but they forced them to stay vntill the little one was clensed and drest and the wound stitcht vp the which was closed in few dayes without any feauer or any troublesome accident to the mother who afterwardes had two Sonnes at a burthen one of the which was called IOHN NVFVR hee liued in the yeare 1583. threescore yeares olde Prouost of Sigers-Hausem Shee was brought in bedde afterwards of foure other Children As for the Sonne which was cut out of her belly he liued vnto the yeare 1577. They do yet at this day in those Quarters see the children of this Woman vnto the third and fourth generation GASPAR BAV◅IN a learned Phisition at Basill in his histories of the Caesarian deliuery I did thinke to finde in other histories which I haue among my papers that which I promised you of a Caesarian deliuery but it is among my other remembrances at my house in France I will cause it to bee brought to Montbelliard where I nowe am to send it vnto you I remember the Name of the place and of the Surgion and the yeare and month when it happened but I haue forgotten the names both of the Father and Mother The Village is in the Duchye of Bourgundy called Marsillie neere vnto Mont S. Iohn The Surgion ANTONIE ROBIN borne at Beaune and liuing at Renele Duke a man verye expert in his profession It was in Aprill in the yeare of our Lord GOD 1582. The Woman being yong and strong had beene in sore trauell two whole dayes together and yet did couragiously endure an incision the which succeeded happily The Child liued not long The mother recouered and continued long after The same Seditious Commotions caused by Exactions IN the yeare 1548. the Commons of Guyenne Santonge and Angoulemois fell into a rebellion by reason of the extorsions of the Customers and Farmers of Salt In a fewe weekes they grew to the number of fortye thousand men armed with clubbes and staues ioyning with the Ilanders By a generall consent they ran vpon the Customers and Farmers of salt although the King of Nauarre sought to appease them executing their deseigne with extreame furye against all that they could take The Commons of Gascoigne rise in diuers places the killing of certaine Officers of the Kings that had abused their places being the cause The Maior Iurates and others that bare office in Bourdeaux and the Lord of Monneins in place of the Kings Lieutenant there insteed of remedying these tumults at the beginning temporised to much especially the L. of Monneins for that he gaue way to the insolence of one of the cheefe of these Rebells called La VERGNE who grewe so bold that shortly after hee raised all the common people by the Tocsaine or larum bell Beeing shut vp in the Castle of Ha now then he sent forth certaine Harguebuziers to make the people affraide But this deuise tooke not effect for such issuings did so heate the Cittizens that hauing found la VERGNE ESTONNAC MAQVANAN and others men according to their desire they presently to armes the Customers or Exactors beeing they they sought for vnder which collour pretending they sought for the Exactors many honorable houses were spoiled vpon this the Commons being receiued into the Towne they rung the Alarum Bell no man daring to bee seene but armed and in company of some of these rebelles for otherwise they kild all they met The Counsellers of the Court of Parliament were constrained to leaue their Gownes and betake them to their Dublet and hose and Capt after the fashion of Marriners to carry a pike and march amongest the rude multitude They constrained the Lords of Saulx brethren the one Captaine of the Towne the other of the Castle called Trompette to bee chiefe and assist at the spoile of certaine of their fellowe Cittizens friends houses massacring thē before their faces The Towne-house furnished with an innumerable quantity of armes was spoiled MONEINS Lieutenant for the King verie vnaduisedly left his forte to come and make an oration to this inraged multitude where hee was by them slaine and the Carmelites in danger to haue their house spoiled for that they had buried him in their Church shortly after these spoilers beeing charged beganne to retier and the Parliament began to take courage executing some of the principall of this commotion and amongest the rest La VERGNE who was drawne in peeces by foure horses The King aduertised of this disorder writ to the Commons assuring them with speede hee would prouide for their greeuance Commanding them to cease their armes by meanes whereof euery one retired L' ESTONNAC was happely chaced out of the Castle called Trompette During this FRANCIS of Lorraine Earle of Aumale followed by foure thousand Suisses and the force of the French horse entred into Saintonges pacifying it without resistance or punnishment ANNE of Mommoran◅ie heigh Constable of France with all the forces of both armies ioyned togither in one entred by an vnaccustommed way
in Daulphine He desiring to do some seruice to the King of Nauarre as also to auoide the charge that ALLARD and his put him to aduertised the King that beside the quality of Embassador ALLARD maintayned he had assured meanes to come by fiue millions of gold and vpward ALLARD beeing come beefore the King of Nauarre and hauing presented him with letters from the Lord of Dediguieres and confirmed the contents therof by word of mouth he was reasonable wel accouÌ„ted of for a time In the meane whyle the King of Nauarre going to Rochell and ALLARD in his trayne certaine shippes of Sweath land chanced to arriue in the Hauen at Rochell The Capitaines merchants and Maisters whereof hearing of ALLARD with whom they had spoken told some of their acquaintance that ALLARD was a CoÌ„nicatching knaue which had seduced the king of Sweath-laÌ„d with a companion of his a Gascoigne borne was cause of the deuision that happened betweene the King of Sweathland his brother which had set al the realme on an vproare The impostor perceiuing hee was discouered got him presently away with his followers to the late King HENRY the 3 to the Queene mother vnto whom he declared at large what meanes hee had to serue them by putting them in possession of those fiue millions of gold before mentioned and a farre greater summe As also how hauing beene very much vrged by the King of Nauarre to shewe him the place where such great treasures lay and the meanes to come by them because hee would not be constrained so to do he had retired him-selfe as it were euen out of the closet of the Court and seruice of the sayd King of Nauarre The King and his Mother glad of such newes gaue good entertainmeÌ„t to ALLARD whose comming being published in the Court amongest many others he insinuated himselfe into the company of Monsieur de CLERVAN gaue him to vnderstaÌ„d that he had papers of great importance at Rome which hee could not well come by but by meanes of the Suissers who if they would but write vnto the Pope about them he should be sure to haue them restored againe for their sakes Wherfore he promised if they wold procure him those papers to giue theÌ„ 60000. Dollers which the towne of Nuremberg ought him with the interest of it for twelues yeares after 5. in the hundreth by the yeare so that in all it amouÌ„ted to the sum of 96. thousand Dollars CLERVAN thervpon went to his Baronny of Coppet where hauing taken order for certaine priuate affaires of his owne he rode to Berne some two daies iourney and an halfe from thence there he acquainted diuers Lords of that Canton with the whole matter desiring theÌ„ that they would take vpoÌ„ them to write vnto the Pope for to haue those papers againe and draw that profit into their Cofers They answered it was to be feared least ALLARD were some Cunnicatcher and that hauing accesse vnto the Queene Mother who was greatly fauoured of the Pope that loued not them he needed not to employ any other but her in the matter Or if ALLARD desired any other course that he should repaire to the fiue small Cantons their allyes Here-with CLERVAN returned to Coppet which was fast by Geneua where hee talked with a great Merchant called IOHN TERNAVLT about the matter requested him to communicate it to Coronell PSIFFER of Lucerne AMMAN LVCY of Vnderwald and other Lords of the 5 Cantons being at that instant in those quarters which was executed they harkned vnto it reseruing the conclusion vntill such time as they bad conferred in person with ALLARD and CLERVAN who being aduertised that these Switzer Lords were come into France which was about Nouember and December 1582. they went vnto them to Paris where hauing made some entry into the matter it was resolued they should meet at St. Iames his Hospitall to conclude this affaire All was agreed on condition that ALLARD should forth-with assigne ouer the lords of Nurembergs specialties touching thâ—… principall interest aâ—…ore said amouÌ„ting to the sum of 96000. Dollors whereof the Lords of the fiue Cantons should haue three fift parts amounting to 57600. And CLERVAN TERNAVLT the rest equally deuided betwixt theÌ„ which was 19200. Dollars to each of them Besides ALLARD was to furnish 6500. Crownes in ready money for the voyage to Rome wherin TERNAVLT was to be emploied In these agreements PSIFFER a man of â—…ound iudgement stood stiffe in his first opinion that ALLARD was a notorious Impostor Neuertheles he so oiled his toÌ„gue hauing the French Dutch and Italian naturally that in a new assembly with these Lords he declared vnto theÌ„ after a demure and graue manner as his custome was that he was about to contract with the King vnto whom hee was to lend 2. millions of gold 15. daies after the agreement made that is to say 160000. crownes in ready money and 400000 crownes to be raised on the late Lord Constables goods whose Bill he said he had had promised to deliuer it vnto the King who was there withall well pleased as ALLARD affirmed Only he had stood vpon securitie for so notable a summe of money that therefore the Councel promised to assure him the Salt pits of Brouage and the reuene wâ—…thereof where with ALLARD said he was contented onely he feared lest such assurance would be reuoked Wherfore he intreated the Embassadors of the Canton of Lucern that they would deale in such sort with their Lords that he might be receiued into the nuÌ„ber of their Burgesses offering in 〈◊〉 compence of such fauour the summe of 20000. crownes to the Seignorie of Lucern to each of those Embassadors 2500. crowns a piece Therupon he posted to Lucerne tooke his oath returned into France with 12. Switzers for his guard neuer furnishing a penny all this while but lâ—…lling the world asleep with his golden promises and plucking round sums of money both from great small in euery place wherby he maintained himself in his practises All of theÌ„ were cousened by him except the Caronel Psâ—…ffer who beeing rich regarded no promises laughed at their credulity As affaires past in this manner my Lady had intelligence of the speech ALLARD had vsed touching the late L. Constables Bill whereupon shee wrote that they should take heede of this pratler affirming her Lord was not so bad an husband as to be indebted in such a summe to a stranger who at length would proue to be a Cunny-catching kâ—…aue There came a Rocheller also that warned diuers to beware of ALLARD which moued TARNAVLT to write by a trusty messenger to Monsieur GARGOVILAR the Mayor of Rochell who returned answer that ALLARD was a notable deceiuer The Suizter Embassadors hauing sworne the league with the King left TERNAVLT in the Court for the expedition of certaine affaires they had there going to take horse ALLARD accompanied with honourable personages participants in the businesse promised
of his hope sends the Merchant to prison in expectation of more ample proofe But hauing had conference with other prisoners who are craft masters in such affaires he appeales from his imprisonment s◅es both the Sargiant the Iustice. I leaue you to thinke whether the cause were without apparance of reason Forgery is obiected against the obligatiō there needs no proofe for it is confessed And indeed the Iustice went directly to the Parliament where he discoursed at large how all things had beene carried The Court being well assured of the honesty of the Iustice suspended the course of this sute for a time In the meane space Monsieur BIGOT had incharge to make enquirie all the way betweene Rouan and Paris to see if he could come by any notice of the matter which hee executed with all diligence At length passing by Argentueil the Bayliffe tolde him how not long before they had found a dead carcasse in the Vines halfe eaten with Dogs and Crowes Ther-withall came the blind man a begging to the Inne where BIGOT lay and vnderstanding the perplexitie they were in told them all that hee had heard about the same time on the Mountaine BIGOT asked him whither he could know the voyce againe The other answered him that hee thought he should Whervpon he set him vp on an horse behind another rode away with him to Rouan where being alighted and hauing giuen an accompt of his cōmission the Court determined to heare what the blinde man could say and after to confront him with the prisoner Hee hauing then discoursed at full all that past in his hearing on the Mountaine the answer that was returned him being demanded whether hee could know the voyce againe he replied that he did not thinke but hee could Therwith they shewed him a far of to the prisoner asked him when the blind man was gone whither he could take any exception against him GOD knows what a case he was in then For he said that there had neuer bin such deuises practised to impeach the innocency of an honest man as there had bin against him First the Iustice by vertue of a false obligation to lay him in prison then to make him beleeue how hee had confessed that which neuer did and last of all to bring in a blind man for a witnes against him why it was pastal rules of cōmon sence Notwithstanding that the Court seeing he had nothing els to say against him caused 20. men aboue to speake one after another still as they spake the blind man was asked whither he knew their voices whervnto he replied that it was none of them At last when the prisoner had spoken the blind man said that that was he which answered him on the Mountaine The same confusion of voyces hauing been two or three times reiterated the blind man hit alwaies on the right and neuer missed Take all the accidents of this processe seuerally and you shall find many that make for the prisoner But when you haue thoroughly considered the contrary there are a number of circumstances which make against him a new Cittizē which had set vp a new shop a little after the Lucquois disapearing the honesty of the Lieutenant knowne to all men the deposition by him and the Sergeant made but especially the miraculous encounter of the blind man who was both at the murther as afterward in the Inne where BIGOT lay finally that without any fraud he had discerned the murtherers voyce from many others All these things duely weighed were cause of the wretched mans condemnation who before he was executed confessed all to the discharge of the Iudges consciences E. PASQVIER in 5. booke des Recerches of France Chap. 20. On Christmas eue 1551. a certaine fellow brained a yong woman with an Hammer hard by Saint Oportunes Church in Paris as she was going to mid-night Masse tooke away her rings The Hammer was stolne the same euening from a poore Smith there-by who therefore suspected of the murther was very cruelly handled and put to an extraordinary kinde of torture by reason of the violent presumptions that made against him In such sort that he was quite lamed depriued of the meanes to get his liuing where-by reduced into extreame pouerty hee made a miserable end The murtherer remained almost 20. yeares vnknowne and the memory of the murther seemed to be buried with the poore woman in her graue Now marke how it came out at length though it were long first IOHN FLAMENG Sergeant of the subsidies at Paris that was afterward chiefe Vsher in the Court of Aydes being one day in the Summer at Saint Leups a village by Montmorency whether he was sent to sit vpon a Cōmission chanced among other talke at supper to say before certaine of the place how hee had left his wife at home sick and no body with her but a little boye There was an old mā then present named MOVSTIER a sonne in-law of his who immediately vpon this speach went away that night with each of them a basket of Cherries and a greene Goose and came about ten of the clock the next morning to FLAMENGS house where knocking the woman looked out at the window and asked who it was They answered that her husband had sent her a greene Goose and a basket or two of Cherries wherevpon the dore being opened to them by the boye they clapped it too againe and cut his throat The poore childe strugling with them the woman heard the noyse and stept out into a gallery ioyning to her Chamber to see what it was where perceiuing a streame of bloud in the yarde one of them told her that it was the bloud of the Goose In the meane time the other ranne vp the stayres thinking to surprise her She mistrusting the truth of the matter got back againe into her Chamber bolted the doore within and cryed out of the windoe for helpe saying there were theeues in her house The two wretches seeing they had fayled of there purpose would haue got away but going to vnclocke the gate they brake the key in the locke So that hauing no meanes to scape they went to hide them selues The youngest climbed vp into the funnell of a chimney the old man cōueied himselfe into the bottom of a celler There-with the neighbors came running to the house breaking open the dore found the boy lying dead in the yard where-vpon they sought vp and downe euery corner for the murtherers he in the chimney was taken first and the other after long search was found in the well of the cellar with nothing but his nose aboue water They were straight way caried to prison and shortly after arraigned and condemned to death Being on the scaffold at the place of execution the old man desired to speake with the Smiths widdowe of whom mention was made at the beginning When she came he asked her forgiuenes and told her it was he that
the Common-wealth of Genâ—…way pag. 787. 788. Nature changed IT chanced in our time at Breslaw in Silesia that a certaine young Maide hauing beene present with many others at the execution of a Theefe which was beheaded shee was so troubled there-with as shee fell to haue the falling sicknesse They applyed many remedies which did her no good A certaine Gossip according to the vsuall custome gaue her aduise saying If they gaue this Maide Cattes bloud to drinke the paine would cease Those which gouerned her following this foolish councell made her to swallow some But soone after the poore Mayde changed her naturall disposition and some-times tooke vpon her the nature of a Catte wauling leaping and running as those Beasts doe and watching softlie for Rattes and Mise in euery corner of the house trying by all meanes to catch them Shee continued in these Cattish exercises vntill the vehemencie of her fitte was past Maister MARTIN VEINRICH in his Commentarie of the beginning of Monsters Wonderfull Natures THere was a certaine Gentle man that could not endure an olde woman should looke vpon him and as it happened once that at a banquet there were certaine that had beene inuited vnknowne to him the which could not but looke vpon him his apprehension was so great as hee dyed sodenly In the same Commentarie of Monsters Cattes offend many with looking on them so as some hearing or seeing a Catte tremble and are much afraide the which I beleeue doth not proceed alone from the venome of Cattes but also from their disposition that doe see or heare them for they haue by Nature this influence from Heauen the which is neuer moued to doe her proper action vnlesse the contrarie obiect present it selfe I haue seene many of this minde and disposition in Germanie and some remaining in Goritzia If this proceeds onely of a naturall quallitie which is in fewe they that are subiect vnto it shewe it plainlie For beeing in Germanie and supping in the Winter time in a Stoue with very good company one of the troupe was much subiect vnto that humour The Hostesse knowing the disposition of the Man shutte a little Kitlin which shee had bred vp into a Cofer with-in the Stoue least this man seeing it should be offended But although hee did neither see it nor heare it yet a while after hauing smelt the ayre of a Catte his disposition enemie vnto Cats beeing stirred hee began to sweate growe pale and trembling to crye out not without amazement to all the companie that there was a Catte hidden in some corner of the Stoue MATHIOLVS vpon the 6. Booke of DIOSCORIDES Chap. 25. I haue knowne a Princesse adorned with all vertues of the minde and body that could not endure the sight of a Catte beeing other-wise of an actiue spirit and armed against all the difficulties of the world Shee imputed the cause of this feare to that which happened to her Mother beeing with Childe with her for on a time a Catte did so terrifie her as shee sounded and was long sicke of this accident Cattes did not feare her before that time when as shee did see them but this falling sodenly as it were in her lappe shee was much amazed THOMAS ERASTVS in his Disputations HIPPOLITVS LANZON a Mantouan Gentleman did so abhorre to see a Hedge-hog as if hee were not sodenly drawne away hee would sweate and faint MARCELLVS Dâ—…NATVS in his Admirall Physicall Histories lib. 6. Chap. 4. I haue knowne a Peasant in Normandie that had neuer eate Bread Flesh Fishe nor Cheese Egges were his onely foode and cheefest nourishment BRVGEMIN in his first Booke of Meate Chapt. 24. Wee haue also seene IHON de la CHESMAYE a Parrisien Secretarie to King FRANCIS the first who did so detest and abhorre the smell of fruit or Apples as hee was forced to rise from the Table when any one was brought And if they came but neere vnto his nose hee presently bled If hee did see any by chance and could not retire himselfe he sodenly stopt his nostrils with peeces of bread Wee haue heard that many issued out of the noble familie of CANDALES in Guienne haue bin of that disposition not to endure the smell of Apples The same Author IAMES of FARLI an excellent Phisition in his time doth testifie of him-selfe that it troubled him as much the eating of Garlike as if he had drunke poyson and he added that the same fittes which appeared in them that had drunke poyson came vnto him hauing eating Garlike Some learned men hold that this hatred proceeds of an opinion which wee haue conceiued that those things which we detest are bad eyther to all in generall or to vs in particular The same There was at Chauny in Picardie a Maide of an honest house about sixteene yeares olde the which vnto that age had neuer fed of any thing but of Milke She could not endure the sent of bread and if they had cast neuer so little of the crumme into her Milke shee smelt it a farre off the which I haue seene with mine eyes and carefully obserued The same BRVGERIN lib. 2. chap. 6. I haue knowne a man hating Cheese so much as if they did put neuer so little in his meate hee presently smelt it and did cast vp his gorge after a strange manner MARCELLVS DONATVS liâ—…er 4. of his Physicall obseruations There was an Italian Earle had a foote-man who if hee had eaten an Egge his lippes began presently to swell his face lookt of a purple hew markt with blacke spottes in diuers places foming at the mouth as if he had taken poyson The same Author An Italian Lady faire and vertuous named FRANCISQVINE wife to Count MATHEVV FRANGEPAN a Noble-man of great power and worth was foureteene yeares old before she could euer be drawne to eate any flesh A certaine Cardinall did abhorre the smell of Roses Late Physitions say that there was a whole familie at Milan to whom the vse of Cassia was so contrary as if any one of them tooke it hee dyed The number of those that cannot taste nor drinke any kinde of Wine with-out offence is infinite I haue a Sonne which doth abhorre Colewortes I my selfe if I see Pourslaine I lothe it Euery man hath some particular affection SCALIGER in the 153. Exercitation against Cardan Sect. 10. I haue knowne an olde woman that did flye the vse of Melons in a whote Countrie hosding that meate very agreeable to others of the same place but for them of her age the worst in the world My Father could neuer swallow any parte of a Hare nor of any Fowle Not long since a Noble-man of accoumpt dyed who could neuer eate nor swallow any meate if it were not some-what Salted MARANTA lib. 3. of the Methode to know Simples The youngest Daughter to FREDERIKE King of Naples a worthy Princesse whome I had some-times in cure for that cause that shee could not eate any flesh no not taste it If shee did but put
him and had renewed all that which was the cause of age the which made him to seeme younger then hee was The Admirall was desirous to knowe the truth and found that the was as it old man had sayd The same Author That aboue written is not impossible addes TORQVEMADO seeing that in our time wee knowe a verie admirable thing of a man mentioned by FERNAND LOPES of Castagneda Historiographer to the King of Portugall in the eight booke of his Chronicle where he sayth that NONNIO de CVGNE being Viceroye at the Indies in the yeare 1536. there was a man brought vnto him as a thing worthie of admiration for that it was auerred by great proofes and sufficient testimony that hee was three hundred and fortie yeares old Hee remembred that hee had seene that Cittie wherein he dwelt vnpeopled being then when he spake one of the chiefe of all the East-Indies Hee had growne young againe fouretimes leauing his white haire and hauing newe teeth When the Viceroy did see him hee had his haire and his beard black although hee had not much And as by chance there was a Physition present the Viceroy would haue him feele this olde mans pulce the which he found as good and as strong as a young mans in the prime of his age This man was borne in the Realme of Bengala and did affirme that hee had at times neere seauen hundred wiâ—…es whereof some were dead and some hee had put away The King of Portugall aduertised of this wonder did often inquier and had yeerely newes by the fleete which came Hee liued aboue three hundred and seauentie yeares The same Castagnede addes that in the time of the same Viceroy there was also found in the Cittie of Bengala an other man a Moore or MAHVMETAN called XEQVEPIR borne in a Prouince named XEQVE who was three hundred yeares olde as hee sayd all those which did knowe him did also certefie it for that they had great presumptions and testimonies This Moore was reputed amongst them for a holie man by reason of his austernes and abstinence The Portugals did conuerse famyliarly with him and besides that the Histories of Portugall are faithfully collected and certefied by verie autenticall witnesses there were in my time both in Portugall and in Castille many witnesses which had seene these old men The same ALEX. BENEDICTVS reports in his practise that hee had seene a woman called VICTORIA who had lost all her teeth and beeing growne bald other teeth came againe at the age of eighteene yeares AMB. PARE Booke 24. Chap. 17. I haue heard Mistris DESBECK saie that shee had knowne a woman seauentie yeares olde the which in certaine monethes for some yeares had her monethly courses verie orderly In the ende comming downe into great abondance shee died Shee reported vnto mee an other memorable Historie that shee had seene and knowne an honorable woman being then a hundred and three yeares olde and soone after died who beeing a hundred and one had her monthly courses very orderly where-with shee felt her selfe wonderfully eased and as it were restored the which continued from the hundred and one yeare vntill her death which was at the age of a hundred and three The Marshalls wife of Pleatenbourck a gentlewoman of the noble famelie of Ketlercks in Wesphalia hauing past seauentie yeares returned to haue her monthly purgations very orderly and was as lustie as shee had beene long before These orderly courses continued foure yeares but in the ende they came in greater abundance then before and yet shee was helthfull vntill the age of eightie foure Shee liued yet sixe yeares and died in the ninetie yeare of her age R. SOLENANDER Booke 5. of his Physicall Obseruations Cons. 15. sect 41. 42. 43. Strange Fearefull and horrible Visions IN the liues of DION and BRVTVS in PLVTARKE wee read of horrible apparitions which appeared vnto them a little before their deaths and wee read in the Histories of Scotland in the life of King ALEXANDER the third a strange cause of a fantosme which appeared vnto him the day of his third marriage presaging his death the same yeare But omitting ancient Histories besides those that wee haue represented in the first Booke wee will adde some in this There is a Noble and ancient familie at Parma called TORTELLES hauing a Castell in the which there is a great Hall vnder the Chimney wher-of there doth sometimes appeare an ancient Woman seeming to be a 100. yeares old This signifieth that some one of the familie shall dye soone after I haue heard PAVLA BARBIANO a worthy Lady of that family report supping one night together at Belioyeuse that a young Maide of that house being sick the old Woman appeared which made all to thinke that the Maide should soone dye but the contrarie happened for the sicke Maide escaped but an other of the same family which before was in very good health dyed sodenly They say this old woman whose shadow appeares was some-times a riche Lady who for her money was slaine by her Nephews which cutte her body in peeces and cast it into the Priuies CARDAN liber 16. Chap. 93. of the diuersitie of things ANTHONY 〈◊〉 of whose despaier I haue spoken else-where the lastnight of his life being layed he imagined to see a very tall man whose head was shauen his beard hanging downe to the earth his eyes sparkling and two torches in his hands whome ANTHONY demanded what art thou who alone like a furie doest walke thus out of season when euery one doth rest Tell mee what seekest thou What doest thou pretend In saying so ANTHONY cast himselfe out of his bedde to hide him-selfe from this vision and died miserably the next day BARTLEMEVV of Bolonia in his life IAMES DONAT a rich gentleman of Venice beeing in bedde with his Wife hauing a waxe candle light in the Chamber two nurses sleeping by in a pallet with a little Childe hee did see one open the Chamber doore verie softly and an vnknowne man putting his head in at the dore DONAT riseth takes his sword causeth two great Lamps to be light goes with his Nurses into the hall where hee findes all shut where-vpon hee retiers backe to his Chamber much amazed The next daie this little Childe not full a yeare olde and who then was well died CARDAN in the same Booke and Chapter Two Italian Marchants being vpon the way to passe out of Piedmont into France did incounter a man of a far heigher stature then any other who calling them vnto him vsed this speech returne to my Brother LODOVVIK and giue him these letters which I send him They being much amazed aske what are you I am sayd he GALEAS SFORZA and so vanished sodenly They turned head towards Milan and from thence to Vigeneue where LODOVVIK was at that time They desire to speake with the Duke saying that they had letters to deliuer him from his Brother The Courtiers laugh at them and for that they