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
had not chewed well he swallowed it This morcell sticking to the orifice of the throate did so stop the passage as it was not possible for him to swallow any thing no not cleere water Hee could scarce breath the slimie flesh did stick so fast as the Surgions could not possibly drawe it vp nor thrust it downe After seuen dayes being rotten and dissolued it fell into the stomack so as the patient was freed from suffocation But for all this hee escaped not for his throate being inflamed with paine and the application of yrons besides his weakenesse growing through the want of nourishment by the space of seauen dayes had subdued all the forces and faculties of his life so as the foureteenth day he dyed MARCEL DONAT lib 2. of his Admirable Historics Chap. 8. An other learned Phisition doth iustifie that hee had seene one who being tormented with a pointed bone which stucke in his throate after two moneths it came forth through the skinne A Barber being to Tent a woman in the bottome of her mouth hee vnaduisedly let it slippe so as it went by her throate into her stomacke which caused such an indisposition in the poore woman as being wasted and dryed vp after shee had languished many yeares shee dyed I remember that a young man of Harlem who had swallowed Guernettes aliue they be little Fishes of the Sea which some call Squilles or Primotheres hee felt so great paine in his stomack as in the end he dyed of a consumption An other hauing swallowed three Gogions aliue was choaked with the third and dyed A certaine woman hauing vnaduisedly swallowed a needle could not be cured but in despight of all remedics hauing languished sometime in the end shee dyed all wasted and consumed CHARLES SODERIN was some-times troubled with an ague without any apparent cause whereof in the end he dyed being 35. yeares old Being opened they found a steele Needle sticking in his liuer BAZANCE a Surgion drew it forth all eaten and wasted with age and shewed it me CHARLES being but three yeares old had swallowed it by chance NERVEE a Phisition of Florence in his obseruations Barbarous People made milde and gentle through wisedome ROBERT of Saint Seuerin a very valiant Captaine in his time making a voyage into Syria and going towards Mont Sina to accomplish a certaine vowe made by him according to the deuotion of those times hauing descouered certaine troupes of horse which came towards him he demanded of them which did conduct him from the Sultā what people they were Whē they had answered him trembling that they were Arrabians the most dāgerous theeues in the world with out any shewe of amazement but incorraging his companie hee said vnto them that they must vnlade their carriages to the ende that those which came might finde dinner readie as soone as they were arriued whereof they had great neede considering that they had beene much tormented with heat and dust And whilest his people did what he had commanded he went to meete them and saluted them after a gratious manner being by nature a goodly personage both for his stature and countenance making much of them and seeming to haue no distrust of them but with a smiling countenance he tould them by his truch-man that they were wel-come Which words beeing pleasing to these Arrahian theeues they did willingly accept the offer which he made them so as they dined cheerefully with him and after they had receiued some small presents they went their way hauing forgotten all their barbarous crueltie and giuing him many thankes for his good cheere In this report wee see of the one part an act of great Iudgement hee falling sodenly and vnawares into the hands of men without mercie and on the other side an act of great humanity of men which seemed to haue nothing humaine but the face and in crueltie receyuing the nature of Lions Tigers and other sauage Beastes So as in my iudgement the Poets would not haue giuen much lesse commendations to this Captaine then they gaue to ORPHEVS for that with the sweete sound of his harpe hee had mollefied the hearts of cruell and sauage Beastes Conformitie of ancient wonders with moderne Light Hurts proued mortall A Brother of mine called Captaine Saint Martin being three and twenty yeares old who had made sufficient proofe of his valour playing at Tenis hee receiued a blowe with a ball which did hit him a little aboue the right eare without any shewe of contusion or hurt He did neyther set downe nor tooke any rest for it but fiue or sixe houres after he died of an Apoplexie which this blowe did cause A quarrell beeing betwixt two young men the one gaue the other a boxe vnder the eare wherevpon hee fell into an Apoplexie and died within fewe houres after He that strooke him was presently put in prison and the Physitions were called for to knowe their opinions vpon the cause of this yong mans death Some did attribute it to the blowe it selfe saying that the matter had beene mooued there-with others imputed it to repletion and superfluity of humors caused through excesse of eating and drinking others to the humidity of the place whereas death had before long slept This diuersity of opinions stayed the Iudge from pronouncing of a definitiue sentence We haue also knowne a fuller of cloth called PETER who slue a young man with his fist hitting him on the stomacke ANT. BENIVENIVS in the 110. Chap. of his Physicall examples ARDOVIN du FERRIER a yong youth of 13. yeares age was lightly hurt with a ◅allowe staffe on the head being cast by chance out at a garret windoe There was no fracture nor breach to bee seene at all but the sixt day there grewe an inflamation in the wound the next day a Convulsion and a palsey in the right thigh and left arme with a feuer and a fenzie and the eleuenth day hee died FR. VALLERIOLA in the. 1. obseruation of his 3. booke Wounds cured FRANCIS of Lorraine Earle of Aumale and after-wards Duke of Guise s◅aine before Orleance was sore wounded before Boulleyne with a Lance the which entred vnder the right eye declyning towards the nose past throgh betwixt the nape of the necke the eare with such violēce as the head with a peece of the Lance was broken and stucke in his head so fast as they could by no meanes drawe it out but with a Smithes pincers Notwithstanding all this great violence which was not without some fracture of bones sinewes Veines Artieres other parts yet he was cured and liued many yeares after hee was afterwards slaine at the seege of Orleance in the end of the first ciuill warres in our time in France The Historie of our time HENRY of Lorraine his Sonne in an incounter nere vnto Dormans in the yeare 1575. hauing had the better and pursuing some that fled receiued a shot with a pistoll in the cheeke some sayd it was with a harguebuse
from Coymbra in Portugall dwelt a Knight the Father of a Damsell called MARY PACHECO who being come to the age that Maidens are accustomed to haue their Flowers insteed of them issued a virill member which had laine hidden within vntill then so as of a woman she became a man went apparreld like a man changing name aswell as Sex and was called EMANVEL PACHECO This new man went into the East Indies and returned very rich with the reputation of a braue Caualiero marrying afterwards a Noble Dame That which I haue read in HYPOCRATES in his sixt Booke of the popular diseases of PITHVLIA the wife of PYTHEVS and in PLYNIE 7. Booke 4. Chap. hath imbouldned mee to set before you a History that I would neuer tell any body of thinking it had beene a tale made for pleasure A friend of mine of good authority and worthy of beleefe hath told me that in a certaine place of Spaine a young woman being married to a poore labourer entred into some difference with him eyther through iealousie or some other cause This diuision grew so hotte that the wife finding one night the clothes of a young man that lay there apparrelled her selfe in them and away shee went to gette her liuing as a man In this case whether it were the powerfull working of Nature in her or the burning and excessiue imagination shee had to see her selfe so well and orderly fitted like a man was the cause of this effect but she became a man and married another wife keeping it secret vntill it chanced that a certaine man that before had knowne her comming to the place where shee was and comparing the resemblance of this man with the woman he had knowne before Hee said vnto her Am not I your brother Then this woman made man putting her trust in him discouered vnto him what had happened praying him to keepe it secret IOVIANVS PONTANVS writes of a woman of Gaiette in the kingdome of Naples who after that shee had liued forty yeares married to a poore Fisher-man was changed into a man who because he was mockt with it entred into a Monastery of Monkes where he reports to haue knowne him and dying he was buried at Rome in the Church of our Lady called Minerua Hee addes moreouer that another called AEMELY hauing beene married to one called ANTHONY SPENSE for the space of 12 yeares was in the end changed into a man married a wife hauing first by the commandement of FERDINAND King of Scicilia restored her dowry In our time there hath beene one seene at Bruxels in Brabant called PETER that before was called ELIZABETH for that before she had beene a woman The French forces passing at Vitry I saw a mā whom the Bishop of Soysons at confirmation called GERMAINE whom all the Inhabitants had knowne to haue bin a woman for 22. yeares space was called MARY making saith he some extraordinary leape the virill members came forth there is yet a Song in vse among the Maidens of that place that warneth them that they make no extraordinarie leapes least they become boyes as MARY GERMAINE did MONTAIGNE in the first booke of his Essayes Bodily strength THere hath beene in our time in the kingdome of Galitia one called the Marshall PETER PARDO of Ribabadineira who was at deadly enmity with a certaine Bishop the reason could not be knowne yet at the mediation of certaine friends who sought to take vp the matter and make them friends hee consented to an enter-view As they drew neere together this Marshall feigning that he had forgot all that was past and that he would be friends with the Bishop hereafter ranne to imbrace him But it was a deadly imbrace to the Bishop for it was so rude locking him so fast in his armes as hee brused his sides crusht his Heart and Intrailes so as hee left him dead in the place I haue seene a man in the Towne of Ast who in the presence of the Marquis of P◅scara handed a Piller of Marble three foote long and one foote in Diameter the which he cast high into the ayre then receiued it againe in his armes then lasht it vp againe sometime after one fashion some time after another as easilye as if he had beene playing with a Ball or some such little thing Hee brought from the Shambles certaine Oxe feete newly cut off set a Knife vpon one of them and with a blow of his fist cut it a crosse in two pecces he tooke another Oxe-foote and brake it against his fore-head as if it had beene against a peece of Marble without hurting him-selfe at all In my presence he tooke another and with his fist broke it into diuerse small peeces There was at Mantoa one named RODAMAS a man of a little stature but so strong as hee wreathed and broke with his hands a Horse-shooe and a Cable as big as a mans arme as easily as if they had beene small twine threds mounted vpon a great horse and leading another by the bridle hee would runne a full Carire and stop in middest of his course or when it liked him best SIMON MAIOLVS an Italian Bishop in his Canicular dayes Col. 4. In the yeare 1582. in the months of May and Iune at a solemne feast of the circumcision of MAHVMETT the sonne of AMVRATH Emperor of the Turkes was seene amongst many other actiue men one among the rest most memorable a lusty man and wonderfull strong worthy to bee compared with that most famous MILO of Crotonne who for proofe of his prodigious strength lifted vp a peece of wood that twelue men had much a doe to raise from the earth which he tooke and put vpon his shoulders where hee caried it without any helpe of his hands and afterwards lying downe flat his shoulder and his thigh tyed together he bore vpon his brest a great waighty stone that ten men had rowled thether making but a iest of it And which is a thing yet more wonderfull foure men stood leaping with long peeces of wood vpon his belly Besides this hee brake with his teeth and hands a Horse-shoe with such force that one part remained betweene his teeth and the rest in two peeces in either hand one At the third blow with his fist he brake a Plow-share hee lickt the Plow-share with his tongue being taken red hotte out of the fire he was couered with a great pile of stones but he neuer sturd one iot but remained firme and inuiolable as if he had beene planted there The same man with his teeth onely sadled bridled and harnest a Horse with many other wonders which got him much money and praise of all by reason of his extraordinary force GEORGE LEBELSKI a Polander in his Description of things done at Constantinople at the Circumsition of the Sonne of AMVRATH 1582. Amongst the Germaines of our time there are two recorded for strength GEORGE Baron of Fronsberg and IOHN Baron of Schuartzbourg they easily broke
happen to bee with child shee should presently be found guilty of Adultery Lib. 1. Of the conference of Antient wonders with moderne I haue seene with mine eyes a Gentle-man sitting by a Gentle-woman an honest Widdow whom hee sought to marrye as afterwards hee did Discoursing with her one day at Dinner a Veyne of the Temple neere vnto his Eare opened of it selfe from the which there issued and came very much blood the which he thought to stoppe with his Hand-kercher I was sitting at the table with them in a Castle whether I was called to cure a Gentleman that was sicke MAT. CORNAX lib. 1. Of his consultations of Physicke chap. 3. A yong mayden being kept from marriage grewe so sad as shee wept continually and would admit no comfort whereof followed an extreame paine in her head which bread a falling sicknes whereof soone after she died The same Author A certain Knight an Albanois hauing after great su◅e obtayned an honest Italian Widowe to his wife beeing one of the fairest women of her time after some months he grew iealous of her without any cause with a wonderfull strang passion For he had no opinion of her that shee eyther had or would wrong her honor but only he was trobled what should become of her after his death fearing least any other should enioye so rare a beauty Vpon this passion which did torment him continually he takes a furious resolution One night which was the last hauing shewed all the loue he could deuise vnto his wife who loued him sincerely in the ende he drew a naked Dagger from vnder his beds head and imbracing his wife with the one hand hee stabbed her with the other Which done he strikes himselfe to the heart and dies presently The wife not quite dead reports the whole history to such as came running ◅n at the crie of her chamber-maide and that the Knight had discouered his strange and cruell Iealousie a little before hee strooke her and then she died quietly Hist. of Italy A young Gentleman in the Emperor CHARLES the fift his Court beeing in loue with a Gentle-woman wrought so as partly by loue partly by force he had her maiden-head the which beeing knowne and hauing cōmitted this act in the Emperors Court he was committed to prison and condemned to loose his head and hauing notice giuen him ouer night that the next day should ende his life that night was so terrible vnto him and wrought such an impression as the next day comming out off prison to go before the seate of Iustice heare the sentence of death no man did know him no not the Emperor him-selfe For feare had so chaunged him that whereas the day before hee had a Vermillion hewe of a flaxen hayre and of a pleasing aspect hee was now like vnto a bodye taken out off the Graue hauing the hayre of his head and beard like to one of seuentye yeares olde and hee had the resemblance more of one that had beene hanged then of a lyuing man The Emperor thinking there had bin some fraud vsed and that some other offender had beene foysted into this Gentlemans place who was not yet 28. yeares old hee caused a search to bee made whence this wonderfull and sodaine change should come and then beholding wistly this poore offender thus terrefied the desire of iust vengeance was conuerted and turned into mercye and as it were reuiued out of a deepe amazement hee said vnto him I pardon thy offence commanding that they should let him goe adding withall that hee had beene punished sufficiently for his fault without the losse of his head LEVINVS LEMNIVS lib. 2. chap. 2. Of the complexion of mans body Where-vnto hee dooth adde certaine reasons of this strange alteration The which I heere set downe adding some words for the better explaning thereof Beeing demanded of a great personage the cause of this prodigious change I answered that wee must impute it to the deepe apprehension and attentiue thought of approching death peercing through the heart for the affection and passion of the minde beeing amazed was so violent and so bitter to the young Gentleman as the vitall spirits were almost quencht and suffocated in him all the parts of the bodye loosing their liuely and pleasing colour did wither and fade sodainely so as the rootes of the hayre nourished and watred by the fuming vapour that is betwivt the skinne and the flesh as the herbes in the ground that are toucht with a cold and drie quality they did wither and presently loose their naturall beautye for euen as the leaues of Trees and Vines in the heate of Sommer growe some times y◅alow and pale by any excesse of heate hayle rayne or a cold Northerly wind euen so the vigour of the bodye the colour the outwarde shewe the hayre which is no part but simply a dependance of the bodye takes the colour of gray or white because that which did maintayne them is quencht The which wee doe see happen to most men that haue beene in dangers in the Warres or in hazard at Sea or that haue beene toucht with dangerous diseases for then they thinke but of one thing which is that Death hath taken them by the throat if not perchance through long custome solide instruction and good resolution by the precepts of true Philosophie and by the assistance of more then a humane spirit they bee not accustomed nor vsed to feare so much The which wee see is ordinary and common in manye olde Souldiars and Martiners in regard of their long and continuall practise When as the horrour of Death surpriseth anye one or that the imagination thereof more bitter then death it selfe is framed in the thought they die sometimes before they are dying as it hath happened vnto many or else the Senses are dulled and mortefied so as the offenders feele not the stroakes as we haue seene in many that haue beene be-headed and broken vppon the Wheele resembling men that haue Apoplexies Lethargies falling-Sicknes Sowndings or like to others which open their eyes yet neither see nor knowe any man The dangers incident to Sea and Land whereas the Image of Death appeares before their eyes and doth fixe it selfe more strongely in the thought make them that are in them to tremble and looke pale the blood retires it selfe and flies from all parts towards the fortresse of the heart all the parts of the body in an instant want their norishment not any one doth discharge his due function but the feete stagger the sight growes dymme the force fayles the vnderstanding becomes blunt the spirit dull the cheekes leane and withered the tongue fumbling and the teeth shaking in the head To conclude there is no man how strong and confident so euer that is not amazed when any mortall danger surpriseth him sodainely True it is that a Christian fixing his hope in the grace of GOD recouers his spirits by little and little shakes of feare assures himselfe and becomes
cardes and seeming also to bee verie desirous to haue still newe Companie and to shewe him selfe stately hee made himselfe to bee visited by them that were newely arriued in the Cittie And as soone as they were entred after that hee had performed the vsuall complements of the place hee would set him downe to plaie with them commanding in the meane time that they should make readie dinner supper or a banket according to the hower of the daie But in steede of preparing it FRANCISQVINO had a theefe or murtherer who stood hidden behinde and prepared to beate him downe that drempt not of it when as FRANCISQVINO should giue him a signe Hee continued this traine so long as they say when they were taken and had confessed all there were found in Priuies foureteene or fifteene bodies of such as had bin thus slaine by FRANCISQVINO and his murtherer In the end this was their punishment After they had beene pincht with hot burning pincers their brests were opened and their hearts sodenly pulled out the which were shewed vnto them Conformitie of ancient merueills with Moderne lib. 1. An other theefe in our time called VILLEVINEVF of the Coūty of Tonerre had with him a seruant which serued him for a murtherer a Laquay Al three were taken in the end and punished at Paris the Laquay was whipt the murtherer burnt aliue and the maister broken vpon the wheele In the same booke A certaine Hermit lyuing in a mountaine of Suisserland where for certaine yeares he had liued austerly and with reputation of holinesse among them of the Countrie came one day to Lucerne and lodged with a certaine widow whom he approched nere vnto either to depriue her of her honour or to take her purse shee crying out a seruant of hers came whom the Hermit slue presently with a Dagger The widow running speedily out of the house cryed out for helpe A countryman comes in to succour her and is slaine as her seruant was then a Bourges of the Towne and after him his seruant Some others running thether but better aduised by the example of the former surprised this theefe who falling to the ground spake no other words but Ictz hav ichs offder teaschen that is to say Now I haue past the game A Weauer borne at Basil giuen to ryot and gourmandise and not able by reason of his small meanes to continue this wicked course of life hee practised a notable villanie Remaining in the territories of Soleure he resolued to go visit a Kinsman of his at Basil called ANDREW AGER a Binder of bookes a very honestman who had beene Tutor and as it were a Father to this lewd young man called PAVL who determined to kill his Kinsman and Tutor and to spoile his house The 15. of Februarie 1563. he came early in the morning and knockt at his Kinsmans doore the maide who knew him well and suspected no harme opened him the doore Hee enters into ANDREVVS Chamber who was yet in bed being an aged and a sickly man After the manner of the country ANDREVV asked him courteously the cause of his voyage and how his wife and children did For answer this Theefe takes vp a Binders Hammer and kils the good old man The seruant which had opened the doore being an honest young maide called SARA FALCKISE allyed to ANDREVV and which gouerned his house who the day before had beene promised in Carriage and made sure to IOHN HOSPINIAN a professor in Philosophie at Basill Shee running vp at the noyse was beaten downe by the theefe with the same hammers and then he cut her throate with a knife which booke-binders doe commonly vse Then he opens the Chests findes some goblets of siluer with little coine the which he carries away To hide this horrible fact he setts fier of the Stoue hoping that the house being fired both these bodies should be consumed to ashes But the fier beeing soone quenched by the neighbors they found these two bodies thus miserably murthered This wicked wretch was so tormented with the reuenging furies and prickt with remorse of Conscience as hee could not flie away that day but was taken in a village nere vnto Basil and brought backe vnto the Cittie where by reason of his theft murther and burning the house hee was executed aliue by three punishments by the wheele the gibet and by fire the last day of the same moneth THOMAS RODOLPHE of Schafouse one of those who vnder the name of students giue themselues more liberty then they ought hauing descouered that IOHN SCHVANFELDER and his Wife in whose house hee had formerly frequented were gone to Francfort he went presently to Sprendeling a nere village whereas the aboue named remayned and giues them to vnderstand that they were returning and neere at hand with good companie with them and that hee was come before to make readie dinner He therefore sent the seruant to fetch some fish and then hee beganne to intreate the Daughter of the house called AMELIE to drawe him some wine Shee saying that they must stay for her Fathers comming hee growes into choller and demands a knife to pill an aple with this knife he kills a yong Child of foure yeares old grand-chid to IOHN SCHVANFELDER and then AMELY who would haue defended her Nephew Hee then flies away and the Peasants runne after him ouertake him bring him to the Castell of Ofenbach where hee confesseth the fact But one night following by an extraordinary meanes he vnchaines himselfe getts out of a Dongeon and enters cunningly into the Earles Chamber beeing then absent there he remaines hidden two daies pickes a Cofer and takes out a bag with fiue hundred florins of the Rhine and castes it vpon the banke of the Riuer of Min which runnes along that Castell then hee slides downe by a windowe that was grated with the helpe of the roape of a boate which hee found tied there and so flies to Francfort where being descouered by the Countrymen vnto the Magistrate the two and twenty of February 1570. hee was pincht and broken vpon the wheele Not long since there were two English men lodged together nere to Saint Marceaux gate at Paris whereof the one had good stoore of Crownes and a great Chaine of gold with some other rich Iewells which hee commonly carried about him His Companion intending to bee Master of these Iewells drewe him out to walke towards Bois de Vincennes and beeing in the vygnes hee fell vpon him and cut the wind-pipe the mouth of the stomack giuing him cer◅aine stabbes with his dagger and thinking that hee had slaine him he left him in a manner naked Hauing committed this trecherous Act he returned presently to the Cittie He that was wounded making shewe to haue beene dead rises vp afterward and creeps to peasants house who for pitty caused him to be drest He was carried to Paris where soone after one of his Companions sent for me to haue him in cure and I found that
she was sick she made no account neither of children kinsfolkes friends nor of any other thing in the world And when her husband many times brought their children vnto her she sayd nothing but God blesse you God be your Father and Mother and to the yongest of them Hah little Souldiar She neuer commended them but once vnto her husband And after that shee beheld them with a regardlesse eye A quarter of an houre before her departure she called for her Petti-coate to rise and as she was about to go out of her bed she desired to be made vnready and being laid downe againe she sent for her husband and vsed these words vnto him Behold the end of my desire and the beginning of my felicitie IESVS CHRIST is my hope Good husband I desire but one thing of you Pray vnto GOD for me Her husband and children being prostrated on their knees after an earnest praier vnto GOD she closed her eyes as if she had been going to sleepe died with a sweeter countenance then euer she had had in al her life before Extracted out of my Memorials Demoniacks Examples of diuers illusions of Sathan ALthough there be many times some naturall causes of phrensie or madnesse yet is it without question that the Diuill entreth into certaine persons and in them causeth furies torments either with naturall causes or without them seeing such as are so diseased be often cured by remedies which are not naturall Many times also such spectacles are so many prodigies and predictions of things to come Some do◅en yeares since a woman in the country of Saxony which could neither write nor read being tormented of the Diuill and her fit being past she talked both in Greeke and Latin of the warre of Saxony that happened afterward and pronounced words in Greeke and Latin the sence whereof was that there would be great trouble vpon earth and sedition among the people PH. MELANCHTHON in one of his Epistles Foure yeares before that there was a Maide in the Marquisate of Brandebourg who pulling away the haires from the Furre of any ones garment that came before her those hayres were presently turned into peeces of the country money which this maid gnawed on with an horrible grating of her teeth There were diuerse that hauing snatched some of those peeces out of her hand found them to be very money indeed and do keepe them still This maide was very much tormented at times but within a while after she was thoroughly cured and euer since liued in good health She was often-times prayed for and neuer any other ceremonie was vsed The same I haue heard that in Italy there was a woman a very idiot possessed of the Diuell who being demanded of LAZARVS BONAMI a very learned personage accompanied with his Schollers which was the best verse in VIRGIL suddenly answered Discite institiam moniti non temnere Diuos This sayd shee is the best and worthiest verse that euer VIRGIL made get thee gone and come no more to tempt me PH. MELANCHTHON in his epistles G. PRVCER in the 1. booke of his Comentary of Diuinations Chap. 9. P. BOVISTAV in 26. Chap. of his Prodigious Histories ANTHONY BENIVENIVS in the 8. Chap. of his booke of the hidden causes of diseases writeth that hee sawe a young woman of the age of 1◅ yeares whose hands bowed very strangely backwards assoone as a certaine paine tooke her in the bottom of her belly At her fearefull cryes her belly swelled so big that one would haue thought shee had beene gone 8. moneths with child finally she lost her breath and not able to continue in a place shetumbled from one side of the bed to the other putting her head many times betweene her legges as if she would haue plaid some tumbling trick Then being questioned concerning that which had be falne her she neuer remembred any such matter But searching saith he the causes of this disease we were of opinion that it proceeded from a suffocation of the Matrix and from malignant vapours fuming vpward to the detriment of the heart and braine Whervpon we endeuoured to ease her with medicines but that seruing to no purpose she became more outragious then before and at last began to vomit long crooked Yron nailes tagges of points filled within with waxe and wound all about with hayres and so great a portion of her breakfast that it was not possible for any man whatsoeuer to swallowe it whole Hauing sundry times began such manner of vomitings in my presence I mistrusted that shee was possessed of an euill spirit which charmed the eyes of the assistants whilst he cast those things abroad As presently therevpon it was verified by more apparent signes proofes for afterward we heard her making predictions doing other things which surpassed all vehemencie of sicknesse yea all humaine vnderstanding I WIER in the 4. Booke of diabolical impostures Chap. 6. MEINOR CLATH a Gentleman dwelling at Boutenbrouck a Castle in the Duchie of Iuilliers had a seruant named WILLIAM who 14. yeares together was tormented of the Diuill One day swelling mightily about the throate and looking very pale so that they were affraid he would haue falne downe IVDITH his Mistresse a very honest Gentlewoman gathering her folkes together began to call vpon GOD where-vpon there suddainly issued out of this WILLIAMS mouth amongst other trash all the fore-part of a Shepheards breeches Flint-stones some whole some broken little bottoms of thred a false head of haire needles a peece of a boyes silke doublet and a Peacocks feather Being demanded concerning the cause of his sicknesse hee answered that he met with a woman hard by Camphuse which blowed in his face from whence he thought it proceeded But afterward when he was well he confessed that this accusation was not true and that he was induced by the diuill to say so Furthermore he added that all those prodigious things came not out of his body but were throwne against his mouth by the Diuell whilst they saw him vomit One day being more carefully looked vnto by reasō they were afraid he would haue done himselfe some mischiefe his eyes remained so fast closed together that it was impossible to open thē At length GERTRVDE CLATHS eldest daughter of some 12. yeares of age comming vnto him exhorted him to pray to GOD that it would please him to restore his sight againe wherevpon WILLIAM desired her to pray which she did and her eies were immediatly opened to the great amazement of all that were present The Diuil often perswaded him not to giue eare eyther to his Mistresse or any other that troubled his head with talking to him of GOD who could not helpe him seeing hee was once dead as hee had heard it publickly preached Another time striuing to put his hand vnder the Kitchin-maides clothes and shee rating him for it by his name hee answered in a big voice My name is not WILLIAM but BEELZEEVB wherevnto his Mistresse
replied Thinkest thou therefore that wee feare thee He in whom wee trust is of farre more infinite power and strength then thou art Then CLATH incited with a holy zeale in the presence of all his house commanded Sathan in the name of IESVS CHRIST to come forth of him reading the 11. Chapter of the Gospell of St. Luke where mention is made of a dumbe Diuill cast out by the power of our Sauiour as also of BEELZEBVB Prince of Diuils In the end WILLIAM began to take some rest and slept till morning like a man in a traunce then taking a little broth and feeling himselfe through well hee was carried home to his friends hauing first thanked his master and mistresse and desired GOD to recompence them for the paines they had taken with him during his affliction After that he maried and had children and was neuer tormented more of the Diuill I. WIER in the booke c. before mentioned Vpon the 18. day of March 1566. a very memorable matter happened in the towne of Amsterdam in Holland whereof Maister ADRIAN NICHOLAS Chancellor of Gueldres makes a publicke discourse containing this which ensueth Some two moneths agoe or thereabout saith he thirty children in this Towne began to bee tormented after a strange manner as though they had beene lunatick or madde By fitts they threw themselues against the ground and this torment lasted halfe an houre or an houre at the most When they rose againe they neuer remembred any paine they had felt nor any other thing they had done in their fitte but thought they had slept The Phisitions to whom they had recourse did them no good because they were of opinion that their disease proceeded not from naturall causes Wherevpon their Parents imagining they were bewitched resorted vnto Witches but they preuailed as little with all their sorcery Finally they repaired vnto Exorcists by reason they were perswaded their children were possessed because vpon the suddaine they said many things which surpast their capacitie and age These Exorcists emploied all their cunning and lost their labour During their exorcismes the children vomited a great sort of Needles Pinnes Thimbles lumpes of Cloath pieces of broken Pottes Glasse Haire and other such things for all which not-with-standing they were neuer the better but at times fell into the same extremitie againe to the great astonishment of all men for the rarenesse of so strange a spectacle I. WIER in his 4. Booke chap. 8. The like happened at Rome the yeare 1553. for in the Hospitall of the Orphans about seuenty Girles were possessed in one night and continued in that estate aboue two yeares CARDAN in the 4. Booke de variatate Chap. 176. IOHN LANGIVS a very learned Physition writeth in the first Booke of his Epistles that in the yeare 1539. this which followeth happened at Fungestall a Village in the Bishoprick of Eysteten verified by a number of good witnesses VLRIC NEVSESSAR a labouring man dwelling in that Village was miserably tormented with a paine in his hips One day the Chirurgion hauing made an incision in the skinne drew out a great Yron Nayle the paine abated not for all that but contrarily so encreased that the poore man became desperate and with a sharpe knife cut his owne throate As hee was carrying forth to be buried two Chirurgions in the presence of a great many people opened his stomack and there found some round pieces of wood foure Steele Kniues some very keene and some dented like a Sawe also two Yron barres of 9. inches long a peece and a great lumpe of hayre I wonder how that Yron could be contained within the capacity of his stomach but no question it was a deuise of the Diuill who cunningly supposed all those things for to make himselfe be feared I. WIER in his 4. Booke Chap. 9. The torments where with the Diuill afflicted certaine Nunnes at Wertet in the County of Horne are meruailous and horrible Which came first as it is reported by the meanes of a poore woman who in the Lent time borrowed a Quarte of Salte of the Nunnes weyghing three pounds or there-about and payde them twise asmuch againe a little before Easter After that they found little white Pellets in their Dortor like to round Sugar Plummes and Salte in taste whereof not-with-standing none of them did eate nor knew not from whence they came Shortlye there-vpon they heard a thing which seemed to grone like a sicke man they likewise vnderstood a voyce willing certaine of the Nunnes to come to one of their Sisters that was sick but there was no such matter when they came If at any time they chaunced to make water in their Chamber-pot it was suddainely snatched away so that they all berayed their beddes They were often drawne about the house by the heeles and so tickled in the soles of their feete that they swouned with laughing Some had pieces of their flesh plucked away and others had their legges armes and face turned back-ward Diuers of them beeing thus tormented vomited a great quantity of black licor like vnto incke although they had eaten nothing in seauen weekes before but a little iâ—…yce of rapes without bread some were hoisted vp in the aire to the highth of a man and presently throwne downe against the ground As certaine of their friends came to the Couent for to make merry with them who seemed to be almost well on a suddaine some of them fell backward as they sate at table quite depriued of speach and sence the rest lay all along as though they had bin dead with their armes and legges bowed back-ward One amongst them was hoisted vp in the aire and albeit those that were present stroue with all their might to hinder it yet was shee snatched vp spight of their teethes and then so throwne against the ground that shee seemed to be dead but rysing vp againe within a while after as if it had beene out of a sound sleepe she went out of the refectory hauing no hurt Some went vpon their knees as if they had no feete Others climbed vp to the toppes of trees and came downe againe as lightly as if they had beene Catts This torment of the Nunnes continued three yeares openly knowne but afterward it was kept close I. WIER lib. 4. Chap. 10. With this same agrees that which happened to Saint Brigitts Nunnes in their Couent hard by Xante Sometimes they skipped and bleated like sheepe or rored in most horrible manner Sometimes they were thrust out of their pues in the Church or had their vailes pulled of their heads and many times their throtes was so stopped that they were not able to swallowe any meate This strange calamitie endured the space of ten yeares in some of them And it is reported that a young Nunne surprised with the loue of a young man was cause thereof for her parents hauing denyed her him in mariage the Diuell taking the forme of that young man vpon him appeered vnto her in her
afterwards discouered and proued against him hee was first of all laied starke naked on a bare planke so drawne through the chiefest streetes of the towne then hee had his flesh plucked away in foure principall places of his body with hot burning pincers lastly hee had his bones broken and was left so a liue on a cart wheele where hauing languished in grieuous torments the space of nine houres with great acknowledgement and detestation of his damnable fact he gaue vp the ghost GASPAR HEDIO in the 4. part of his Chronicles On Sattarday the last sauing one of September 1565. it happened that IOHN GVY the Sonne of EME GVY an Haberdasher of hattes and cappes in the Towne of Chastillon vpon Loire being a very lewd vnruly youth stayed forth according to his custome and came not home till it was very late in the night Whereat his Father being much offended told him that if he continued in those fashions he should be constrained to turne him out of dores Wherevnto the Sonne answered very sawcily that it should not neede for hee would goe of himselfe and that forth-with if hee might haue his clothes Therevpon the Father went to his Chamber and being a bedde was faine to threaten his Sonne for to make him hold his peace he was so lusty with his tongue At length seeing hee but lost his labour and not able any longer to endure his proud and sawcy answeres hee rose in an anger out of his bedde for to go and Chastice the arrogancie and disobedience of this vnruly youth who seeing his Father comming to beate him caught a sworde which hunge in his Chamber and rebelling against his Father ranne him quite through the bodie Wherewithall he fell presently downe crying out he was slaine The neighbors flighted with his crie came running in and found the poore Father lying all along on the floore ready to giue vp the Ghost as within a little while after he did and his Sonne standing by him with the sword all bloudie in his hands who notwithstanding that his Father mooued with compassion and forgetting his vnnaturall cruelty towards him had willed him to saue himselfe and that his Mother had also perswaded him therevnto yet had not the power to stirre a foote So that apprehended and examined at first he excused himselfe saying that his Father ranne vpon the sword himselfe But his excuses found friuolous hee was condemned to haue his right hand cut of then to haue his flesh plucked away in foure places of his body with burning pincers and finally to bee hanged by the feete on a gibbet and there strangled with a stone of a hundreth and twentie pounds weight which should be tyed about his neck All which hauing confessed his fault hee patiently endured calling vpon GOD for mercy euen to the verie last gasp In the Historie of our time A friend of mine a man of a great spirit and worthie of credit beeing one night at Naples with a kins-man of his heard the voice of a man crying out for helpe in the streete Whereat he arose lighted a candle and ranne out to see what it was and comming into the streete hee sawe an horrible fantosme of a dreadfull and furious aspect which would haue carried away a young youth that cried out and struggled with him aswell as he could but seeing him comming hee ranne suddainely vnto him and caught him fast about the middle and after his feare was some-what past hee beganne to call vpon GOD whereat the fantosme vanished presently away My friend carried this young man to his lodging and after hee had comforted him hee would haue sent him home but hee could not get him to go by any meanes for the youth was so frighted that hee shaked euery ioynt of him through the apprehension of so hideous an encounter At last being some-what come to himselfe hee confessed that till then hee had lead a very wicked life that hee had beene a contemner of GOD and disobedient to his Father and Mother whom he had so intollerably misused that they had cursed him Wherevpon hee went forth of dores and was presently encountred by that fiend ALEXANDER of Alexandria in the 4. booke of his geniall daies Chap. 19. A young man borne at Gabies not farre from Rome being of a wilde and vnruely nature and verie lewdly giuen hauing abused his Father diuers and sundry waies got him in a rage out of dores and went towardes Rome entending to plot some newe villany there against his sayd Father Vpon the way hee met the Diuell in the likenesse of a desperate ruffian with long haire and ragged apparel who comming to him demanded the cause of his discontent The young man answered that hee had beene at some wordes with his Father and determined to be meete with him some way or other Whervnto the Diuell replyed that such an inconuenient had befallen him and therefore desired him they might keepe company togither for to deuise some meanes to bee reuenged of the wrongs they had sustained Night approching they went into an Inne and lay togither in one bedde But the wicked fiend when the young man was a sleepe caught him by the throate and had strangled him if hee had not awaked and called to GOD for helpe Wherevpon the Diuell vanished away and in his departure so shaked the Chamber that both the roofe and walles crackt in sunder Whereat this young man was greeuiously terrified with such a soddaine spectacle and almost dead with feare repented him of his wicked life and guided from thence forward by a better spirit became an enemy to vice past the rest of his life farre from the rumors of people and serued for a good example to his neighbors In the same booke and Chapter Children brought vp among Wolues GOD repented that he had made man saith MOYSES Gen. 6. And Philosophers Bookes are full of complaints touching the malice of mans heart PLATO in the 7. Booke of his lawes saith That a child is the wildest beast the vnruliest and hardest to bee tamed of all other and that it cannot be too neerely looked vnto ARISTOTLE also in the first Bookes of his Politickes confirmes the same Lyons Beares and other sauage beasts are vntractable but yet not so much as children left to themselues and destitute of good direction It is reported that a childe of a village in the Landgrauiat of Hesse was lost through the rechlesnesse of his Father and Mother who sought him a long time after but could not finde him This Village was full of Trees and Gardens hard by a Forrests side wherein were a great number of Wolues Certaine yeares after there was perceiued among the Wolues which came into the Gardens to seeke their prey a creature not altogether like a Wolfe nor nothing so nimble as they which seene many and sundry times with great meruaile by the Country-folkes and thinking it was a beast of some other kinde they went and reported it to the
this acte This was on Easter-day 1556. The Incision began on the right side of the belly a finger lower then the Nauill and aboue foure fingers distant from it and so descending directly vnto the priuy parts without touching the Muscles on the right side from the which it was distant aboue about three fingers and beneath some-what lesse The incision beeing made with-out much bleeding the wombe appeared plainely the which hee also cut some-what largely that the wound might be sufficient to drawe forth the child beeing yet aliue with his skin that wrapt him in the wombe more easilye Then hee stitcth it vp after the vsuall manner of wounds not the Matrix but the Muscles and the skinne ouer the bowels with fiue stitches as I did well obserue going thether to visit her presently after my recouery The which I haue oftentimes noted in her since to cure a rupture which she hath had euer since eyther for that it was not well stitcth vp or for that she did rise so soone And you must note that this Barber was ignorant both of the Muscles and skinne that couereth the bowels Proceeding in this action as if hee had launced an Impostume or cut out some peece of flesh with a sharpe knife as Maist. MAVRICE CORDE doth obserue in his Commentary vpon Hipocrates treating of womens diseases lib. 1. text 11. About a yeare and a halfe after her husband beeing dead and she married againe to PETER CHANCLOV she conceiued and was deliuered of a daughter naturally liuing nowe at Nangeuille where there are yet many witnesses of this strange Spectacle The same Author At Vri in Biere neere vnto Fontainbleau two leagues from Nemours COLLETTE BERANGER wife to SIâ—…ON 〈◊〉 GARDE passing the 10. month after her conception and carrying her fruite long in her bodye dead the lower parts neuer opening to deliuer it forth in the ende she sent for VINCENT VALLEAVA Surgion of Nemours who hauing no other apparent meanes to helpe her in the end of Ianuary hee cut her in the yeare 1542. not on the right side but on the left a litle higher then the womaÌ„ of Nangeuille first cutting the Abdomen or outward part of the belly and then the Matrix from whence he drew the dead child swelled and stincking with the skinne that wrapt him already rotten Then without sowing the Matrix by chance or catelesly he gaue fiue stitches in the skinne and some small part of the Muscles as it appeared plainely long after hauing nothing but a very skin cicatrized vpon her bely Her lying in was but a month and a halfe Two yeares after the which time she had a daughter naturally and two yeares after that a son called PETER DE LA GARDE afterwards a Smith by his profession Shee became afterwards a Mid-wife at Vri seruing other women aud receiuing their children The same AGNES BOYER wife to IOHN COMPAN a Laborer at Villereau nere vnto Neufuille in Beause after shee had beene for the space of foure dayes broken with the importunity of Mid-wiues and nothing eased she was opened on the right side by PHILIP MIGNEAV a Barber of Neufuille in the yeare 1544 and then the Muscles and the skinne were grosly sticht vp as hee could Of which incision shee was soone cured but the contusions which the Mid-wiues made in the priuy parts troubled the Surgion aboue seuen months to cure them shee had also a fayre Daughter which liued healthfully aboue seuen moneths but on the eyght shee fell sicke beeing at nurse in the same Village whereof shee died A while after shee grewe great and bigge againe carrying the child hanging alwayes towards the rupture which remained as in others but without any paine But shee could not be deliuered no more then before for one of the aboue named causes as it is to be presumed And therefore she did voluntarily desire to haue an incision made as before the which shee could not obtaine by any intreaty of two yong Surgions sent thither expresly from Neuffuille wheras they kept after PHILIP who died of the plague which was the cause that both she and her fruite dyed pitifully together through theyr faintnesse if the weakenesse of the Woman or some other pittifull accident did not stay them from doing it The same In the yeare 1576 the 22 of Iuly at Ambedoye nere to S. Brisson in the territorie of Gien ANTO INETTE ANDRE Wife to LEVVIS GARNIER a Handi-crafts man was also opened by Maister ADAM AVBRY borne at Pithuiers a Surgion remaining at Aubigny who made the report vnto mee Afterwardes hauing conceiued againe shee was naturally deliuered of an other liue child The same And of latter dayes in the yeare 1578. the first of February IONE MICHEL borne at Argent Wife to GEORGE RENAVLD liuing in the sub-vrbes of Aubigny hauing beene big with child aboue ten moneths she carryed her fruite along time dead not leauing notwithstanding to follow her businesse till in the ende she was forced to betake her selfe to her bed where after shee had beene long tormented in vaine by Mid-wiues in the end she sent for the aboue named ADAM AVBRY and for WILLIAM COLLAS a learned Surgion who hauing cut of the childs arme beeing al blacke and dead which came forth long before by the Mothers nature but not able to take hold of the rest of the body they made an incision on the right side something bending and with a small Orifice to spare the mother which caused her to feele great paynes in the extraction of the child for that the Matrix could not deliuer the child for the straitnesse of the ouerture which paynes notwithstanding ceassed presently when as the child and that which followes were deliuered So after the ordinary discharges of a woman in child-bed which came as well as if she had bin naturally brought in bed within a while after shee did rise and had her termes accustomed at the ende of fiue weekes and presently after shee conceiued againe in the ende of May beeing somewhat troubled with the fresh remembrance of that was past taking care what might happen of her beeing nowe with child at which time she was deliuered naturally And although the child did at the first present but one of the legges which was a bad beginning yet the same beeing put backe by the Mid-wife all succeeded happely Since which time beeing with child againe shee had a happy deliuery and was afterwards very healthfull The same About the yeare 1582. IOHN IAOOT a Surgion dwelling in a Village neere to Auxerre called Tirouaille meeting with Maister IOHN ALIBOVX a Phisition of Sens going to practise desired him to turne a little out of his way to a nere village called Marry to ease a poore woman from whom some fewe houres before hee had drawne a child by section of the Bellye ALIBOVX amazed at the boldnes of this Surgion called the Seigneor of Vaux Bailiffe of Auxerre and his wife to visite this woman lying in Child-bed their Castle beeing
Algadefie was wholie ruined the houses and buildings beeing layd flat with the ground The fiue and twenty of May 1566. about three a clocke in the afternoone a clap fell vpon the Castle of Misnia burnt a floore of a Chamber melted kettles and Pannes spoiling all the Chambers entring and going out at the windowes then downe into the cellars to the great amazement of all but hurt not any person Three yeares after the nineteeneth of Iulie the thunder hauing rored from eight a clocke in the morning till foure in the afternoone the boult about one a clock light vpon the Colledge Church of the Towne-house Much Cattell and some men were found dead in the ficildes amongest other memorable accidents the lightning ceized vpon a Country fellowe who burnt all his Bodie ouer three daies after and then died The Mother of IEROME FRACASTORIVS an excellent Philosopher admirable Poet and happy Physition of our time hauing him in her armes giuing him suck was strooke with a thunder-clap and kild without any touch or hutt to the little Childe which was a presage of the glory that this excellent personage who liued long after and then died of an Apoplexie should bee crowned with Horrible fury IN the memory of our Ancestors a Carpentar of Wilsmarse a famous towne in Saxony some-times possest with a Phrensie traueling one day with some of his owne condition with out saying a worde tooke his hatchet and went towards his house where being entred he cloue in two two of his Children his Wife being great with childe hearing the noise ran to saue the third which hee left falling vpon his Wife and cut her and the fruite she bare in peeces And so being couered with bloud he returned to his companions being askt how he came so he came to his senses And then remembring what he had done he went againe to his house snatcht a knife and gaue himselfe a blow on the brest and fell downe dead vpon the ground CRANTZIVS in his 10. booke of Vandalia Of Giants IN the yeare 1511. the Emperor Mâ—…XIMILIAN 1. being at Ausâ—…ourg at an Assembly of the States they presented a man vnto him of an vnreasonable height greatnesse who at a fewe month-fulls and without any stay did eate a whole Sheep or a Calfe not caring whether it were rost or raw saying that it did but sharpen his appetite SVRIVS in his Commentary of the memorable things of our time IOACHIM the 2. of that name Elector of Brandebourg had a peasant in his Court called Little MICHEL by ANTIPHRASIS for he was eight foot high which is a great stature of a man in our time but little and small in comparison of great men in old time namely of Goliath and others about Iudea MATHEVV HORST in his collection of the combate betwixt DAVID and GOLIATH I haue seene a young mayden of a Giant-like stature whom they did carry from Towne to Towne to shewe her as a prodigious thing for the sight of whome euery man gaue some thing wherewith her Mother that conducted her and she were entertained She was in a hired Chamber by her selfe and there suffred her selfe to be seene with admiration Going as others did I inquired carefully of euery point and did learne both from herselfe and her Mother who was a woman of a meane stature that the maidens Father was not tall that in all their stocke there was not any one that exceeded the height of other persones that her Daughter vntill shee was twelue yeares olde was very little but falling at the same time into a quarten ague which had held her some monethes comming to leaue her shee beganne then to growe all her members beeing proportionable to that height so as when I did see her shee was about fiue and twenty yeares olde neither could I note from the head vnto the sole of the foote any disproportion in any of her members but a fit measure in euery one of them At this age of 25. yeares shee had not yet had her monethly Termes nature seeming to haue required and restrayned this excrementall bloud for the norrishment and preseruation of so great a body Shee was helth-full ill faced black simple and grosse writted and heauy of all her Body for the vitall vertue infused at the beginning into this body according vnto the measure due to the greatnesse of an ordinary person dispersed afterwards into so great a Masse could not with equall power shew the efficacie of his worke as in a meane bodie and experience doth shewe that vertue restrained shewes it selfe more vigorous then when it is two much dispersed for the regard of naturall causes of this extraordinary greatnesse by the meanes of the quarten ague wee will leaue the decision vnto Physitions and will not dispute with them but in a word if a person that is about the age of twelue or twentie yeares comes to growe through a sicknesse so as in proportion of Bodie shee comes to bee twise as heigh as anie other wee must confesse that this force of nature is extraordinarie and admirable We haue drawne this Historie out of MARCELLVS DONATVS a learned Physition Lib. 3. Chap. 14. Whereas he treats amply of the causes of the Giant-like height as his profession did require After the victorie which King LEVVIS the twelfth obtained at the Battaile of Lode beeing gone to Milan I found a young man in the hospitall so great as hee could not stand right vp hauing not suffycient norrishment of nature for the thicknesse of his Bodie and the proportion of his forces Hee was therefore layd vpon two beddes the one ioyned long waies vnto the other the which hee did fill with his length The Samogitiens which inhabite betwixt Prusia and Liuonia are verie talle and yet some-times they ingender Children which come to age are of a verie small stature and some-times others which growe wonderfull great SCALIGER in the 63. exercitation against CARDAN There was in our time in Bourdelois a man of an vnmeasurable heigth and greatnesse by reason whereof he was called the Giant of Bourdeaux King FRANCIS amazed to see so long a body commanded hee should be one of his Guarde Hee was a peasant of a grose spirit so as not able to applye himselfe to a Courtiers life after some dayes hee gaue ouer his Halbard and returned to his Village An honourable person who had seene him Archer of the Guarde did assure mee that hee was of such a heigth as any other man of an ordinarie stature might goe right vp betwixt his legges when hee did stride I. CHASSAGNON in his Treatise of Giants Chap. 6. In the yeare 1571 there was a Gyant seene at Paris whome euery man did runne to see Hee kept himselfe very close in an Inne and no man could haue the sight of him but in paying to see him Entring into the Chamber where hee was kept they did see with admiration a man of a strange height sitting in a Chaire but their wondring
a keye which hee held in his hand but this folly turned sodenly into fury for hee would haue beaten vs all running vp and downe and tearing all that came in his hands being so strong in this fit as sixe able and lusty men could hardly hold him hauing applied some remedies I retyred my selfe and came the next daye to visite him beeing the last of Aprill 1538. I found him reasonable quyet but after dinner hee had so great a desire to sleepe that such as did assist him could by no meanes keepe him from it First the whot matter caused the frenzie and then the cold had his turne Beeing freed from this sound sleepe hee hegan by fits to beate his sides and continued foure houres in an extasie running like one that were possest with an euill spirit During this time he counterfetted the voyces of birds and of foure-footed beasts hee spake betwixt his teeth and had extraordinary motions so as it rather seemed a miracle then any thing proceeding of a naturall cause Hee was thus tormented twise a daye and the entry of this motion came from the flanks his greefe â—…aking him at the fayling of the body which past you would haue sayde that the young man had suffered no paine Hee would not vse any more Physicke his seruants saying that hee had beene bewitched and causing him to vse preseruatiues against witch craft the which did him no good Then they changed their opinions giuing it out that he had the Diuell in his body causing him to bee exercised but in vayne for it was a disease which is expelled by good remedies or through continuance of time As it happened that after eyght months hee recouered his health and so hath continued since BRASAVOLE in his coment vpon the 65. Aphorisme of the 5. booke of HIPPOCRATES I did lately see a man who might serue for a patterne to any one that would paint Melancholie it selfe Hauing marryed about the beginning of Iuly a lusty young Woman hee abandoned himselfe with such vehemency to the acte of Venerie as after some dayes hee fell mad I caused him to bee chayned vsing many lotions for his head to refresh his braine and to prouoke him to sleepe and with the helpe of a good dyet I restored him but not in such sort as I would haue trusted him much for his heauy eyes presaged nothing but furye IACCHIN in his Coment vppon the ninth Booke of Rasis cap. 15. There are three kindes of sharpe rauings the one is when as in the extremity of a Feauer the sicke person doth raue and speake strange things The other called frenzie is alwayes accompanied with folly for although the sicke body hath respites lesse troublesome at one time then at any other yet hee hath alwayes his vnderstanding carried away by fantasies The third is more dangerous when as the folly hath no respittes but doth all things furiously and with violence A young Gentle-woman beeing fallen into this third kinde of rauing I was called about mid-night to visite her and found her in that same fury so as shee leaped violently sometimes of one side sometimes of another and all that shee could lay holde of shee pulled in peeces or tare it with her teeth were it the hayre the armes or hands of her selfe or of any other or what-soeuer she laid hold on shee carried awaye the peece so as they were faine to chayne her that she might doe no more harme to her selfe nor to any other After some houres this tempest being some-what appeased shee fell into a sound sleepe In the ende through diuerse remedies the which shee did take with great difficultie she recouered her former health But after the manner of women especially of Gentlewomen not caring to follow those directions that were prescribed her for the preseruation of her health but liuing at pleasure a moneth after shee fell into the same disease and within 24. houres after dyed not-with-standing any meanes that could be vsed BENIVENIVS chap. 99. of his booke Intituled The hidden causes of things A man being some-what aboue thirty yeares old in the day time was very well hauing his vnderstanding good and his Iudgement perfect but night being come if hee went to bed and slept presently hee entred into a frenzie some-times he cryed out with all the force he could he flourished with his armes and his legges sometimes hee did rise leape and runne vp and downe the house if he were not stayed Being awake and day come he returned to his perfect sence managed his affaires discreetly of a setled spirit hating solitarinesse and louing to discourse with his friends and familiers DODONEVS in his obseruations DANIEL FREDERICK a maker of Kettles dwelling at Fribourg in Brisgaw of the age of 27. yeares was dangerously possest being carried ouer tops of houses where hee did clime vp and runne without any apprehension of the hazard of his life They were forced to tye him with chaines After some moneths GOD did ease him mercifully by the helpe of the great veynes which did appeare in his thighes the which being wonderfully swelled and in the end opened he was eased And since euery yeare vnto the 50. of his age which was in the yeare 1581. vsing a fit incision in the said veines he hath peuented a relapse without the which remedy he could not haue conâ—…inued in health SCHENâ—…IVS in the 240. obseruation of the first booke of his learned and diligent Annotations To the former Histories we will ioyne some touching the Licanthropes and mad-men the which wee will consider of two sorts For there be Licanthropes in whom the melancholike humor doth so rule as they imagine themselues to be transformed into Wolues This disease as AETIVS doth witnesse lib. 6. Chap. 11. and PAVLVS lib. 3. Chap. 16 with other late writers is a kinde of melancholic but very black and vehement for such as are toucht there-with goe out of their houses in Februarie counterfet Wolues in a manner in all things and all night doe nothing but runne into Church-yardes and about graues so as you shall presently discouer in them a wonderfull alteration of the braine especially in the imagination and thought which is miserably corrupted in such sort as the memorie hath some force as I haue obserued in one of these melancholike Licanthropes whom we call Wolues for he that knew mee well being one day troubled with his disease and meeting me I râ—…tired my selfe a part fearing that he should hurt me Hauing eyed me a little hee passed on being followed by a troupe of people Hee carried then vpon his shoulders the whole thigh and the legge of a dead man Beeing carefully looked vnto hee was cured of this disease Meeting mee another time hee asked mee if I had not beene afeard when as hee incountred mee in such a place which makes mee to thinke that his memorie was not hurt nor impayred in the vehemencie of his disease although his imagination were much DONAT de HAVTEMER
of his repulse and that during his life CONTAREN must neuer hope to be aduanced Being possest with a violent passion of choller and despight hee watcht a time when as the Duke came downe into the golden Chappell to heare Masse Hee staies vpon the staires makes shewe to haue some businesse of importance to impart vnto him Those did accompanie the Duke went aside that CONTAREN might haue the more libertie to speake vnto him Then hee drewe forth a poinard from vnder his cloake with the which hee had slaine the Duke if the Ambassador of Sienna had not staied CONTARENOS arme so as insteede of striking him into the bodie hee did hit him in the cheeke neere the nose Presently manie Senators runne thether they saue the Duke and seize vpon CONTAREN who sought by all meanes for to saue himselfe Afterwardes hee had his hand cut off vpon the same staiers and then was hanged in the accustomed place Such was the rewarde of his violent passion SABELLICVS Booke 1. of his 3. Decade The violence of despaire was strange in LAVRENCE LEVRENTINIAN a learned Physition at Florence Hauing bought a house and paied a third part of the price with a condition that if hee payd not the rest with in sixe months it should be lost The time beeing come hauing no money to satisfie he was so troubled as without any further aduice he cast himselfe head-long into a deepe Well at what time PETER SODERIN great Gonfalonier of Florence gouerned the Common-weale before the Rule of the Medicis P. IOVIVS in the Life of famous men I haue seene a man which grewe fearefull and amazed of him-selfe crying out some-times like a Child though otherwise he had as much Force and courage as any man could haue It is reported also of a Noble-man of Spaine that hee was so full of feare that if they did but shutte any doore of the house where-in hee was at a certaine howre in the night hee conceyued such a feare and was so troubled as often-times hee would cast himselfe out at the Windowes ANT. TORQVEMADO in the third iourney of his discourses I haue seene a woman my neere k◅ns-K◅ns-woman trobled with a certaine Melancholike humour which some terme Mirrachie the which doth some-times cause frenzie and madnesse in them that are toucht with it so to helpe her selfe with discretion and reason as it could neuer vanquish her It was strange to see the combate betwixt Reason and Melancholie in this Woman which cast her-selfe groueling vppon the ground in the extremity of her fitte tare her clothes cast stones at them that lookt on her fought with them that met her and committed many such other follies but through reason shee continued so constant as in the end this humour left her remayning as sound and perfect of iudgement as before In the same Author In the yeare 1558. the Curate of Curpre in Scotland seeing that his Parishoners to the contempt of the authoritie which hee thought to haue ouer them were in despight of him entred into his Parish Church and beaten downe all the Images hee fell into such a choller melanchollie and despayre by reason of this acte as hee slew him-selfe with his owne hands BVCHANAN liber 6. of his Historie of Scotland A certaine man did so abhorre all Phisicke as the verye smell of a potion did so mooue him as hee was forced to goe seuen times to the stoole instantly whereas hee that had taken the same po◅ion should goe but thrice Maister AMBROSE PARE in his Introduction to Surgerie Chap. 22. A Groome of the Lord of Lansacs Chamber reported that a French Gentleman beeing in Poland had a quarten Ague and walking along the Riuer of Vistula in the beginning of his fitte hee was thrust by a friend of his in iest into the Riuer where-with hee was so terrified that although hee could swimme very well and the other also that thrust him yet hee neuer after had any feuer The same Author Chap. 23. At the Campe at Amiens King HENRIE the second commanded mee to goe to Dourlan to dresse many Captaines and Souldiars which had beene hurt by the Spaniards at a sallie Captaine Saint AVEIN lying neere to Amiens as valiant a Gentleman as any was in his time in France although hee had when the Alarum was giuen a fitte of a quarten Ague risse out of his bed and went to Horse to command a parte of his company where hee was shot through the necke with a Harguebuze the which made him to apprehend death so much as hee presently lost his Ague and was afterwardes cured of his wound and liued long after The same Author FRANCIS VALLERIOLA a most famous Physition at Arles writes in the 4. obseruation of the 2. booke of his obseruations of an Inhabitant of the said Towne of Arles called IOHN BERLE who had lyne manye yeares bed-ridde by reason of a palsey It happened that the chamber whereas hee did lye was on fire burning the bordes and some stuffe neere vnto his Bedde Hee seeing him selfe in danger to bee burnt with much payne got vnto a Window out at the which hee cast him-selfe and beganne presently to walke and was cured of his palsey The same VALERIOLA writes in the same Obseruation a strange History of a Kins-man of his called IO◅N SOBIRAT who laye at Auignon lame of both his Legges hauing had his Hammes shronke vp with a Convulsion about sixe yeares One day he grewe into so great a choller against his seruant as reaching at him to strike him the Sinewes stretcht forth presently and grewe supple so as his Legges recouered their strength and he went right vp so cōtinued euer after The same Author The Arch-Bishop of Bourges a verye olde Man who had not gone of fowre yeares before hearing that a certaine troupe of horse which the Earle of Montgommery had brought from Orleans had surprized Bourges and knowing howe much hee had wronged and offended them that were then at that instant the strongest carried away with this apprehension he found his legges so well as he went on foote from his Chamber into the street and so to the great Towre causing all his money and plate to bee carryed with him The History of the first troubles of France vnder CHARLES the 9. lib. 7. At the same time neere to Issoudun in Berry the Seigneor of Condray whose Castle was beseeged by the Lord of Yuoys troupes hauing a little before taken certaine poore men and deliuered them to the Seigneor of Sarzay then commanding in Yssoudun who had commanded them to bee hanged hee fearing to bee taken saued himselfe in a farme house of his called Roueziers where he dyed of Feare In the same Historie and in the same booke In a Towne in Italy called Eugubio there was a Man much tormented with Iealousie who seeing that hee could not descouer if his Wife abandoned her selfe to any other hauing threatned to doe her a shrewd turne hee gelded himselfe that if afterwards shee should
night all the baggage of his foote-men stayed by a wood side in the Reere of his Men at Armes where the Gun-carts and seruants made all things ready thinking they should haue camped there making aboue 4000 Fyres not seeing the Prince retyre by reason of the night Some of the Duke of Anious Army set to incounter the Prince seeing this great number of fires thought certainely that it was the Princes Army and that they should haue battle the next day which made them the more carefull to fortefie their Campe Captaine GARIES offered to go and descouer what it was but they wold not hazard any thing against these braue souldiers who talked song and made great cheare about their Fires without any apprehension at all they left feare to the others who imagined that which was not History of our Time About six and twenty yeares since there was a false brute of the comming of the Turkes Armie to inuade Austria so as both Cittizens and Country men without knowing the Author tooke a strange alarum saying one vnto another that the Turke approched with so many thousand men and had no more to doe but to enter into the Country The feare was so great as all abandoning their Houses Villages and Townes began to dislodge in great troupes with their Wiues and childrē some on horse-backe others in Cartes and the most part on foote running as fast as the could to Townes and places of strength in such great hast as many children falling to the ground were there miserably slaine vnder the Horse feete and the Cart-wheeles running with all speed The Barronesse of Rosestin an honourable Lady and of singular piety hath tolde mee that her husband beeing then at Lints the Captaine of the Castle of Schallenbourg seated vpon the side of a rocke where as shee then was aduertised her that manie troupes of Men Women and Children came running thether ward Shee putting her head out at a windowe and seeing these poore people runne like scattered sheepe sent one of her seruants on horse-backe vnto them to knowe the cause of this amazement Beeing returned hee sayd that all these poore people did assure him that the Turkish squadrons were verie neere at their heeles Vpon this report the Baronesse receiued all them that fled so as the Castell the base Court and the ditches were all verie full with them This sodaine feare did runne from Vienna vnto Lints which is about some thirtie howers iorney The trumpet of Lints that stoode in a watch Tower which descouered a farre of gaue the Alarum as if the Turkes had beene hard euen at hand so as all they of the Towne ranne presently vnto their armes But beeing soone after knowne that it was a troupe of Hungarian Oxen which had raysed a great dust euery man retired and those that had fled beeing dispersed in diuers places recouering their spirits by little and little returned home to their houses M. IAMES HOST a Physition in his History of the golden tooth of a Child in Silesia In the yeare 1592. an other feare did shake all the Cittie of Labac the chee◅e Cittie of Carnia some one hauing reported that a mightie Turkish armie approched so neere as without anie worde speaking all both young and olde great and small beganne to take an alarume and to trusse vp their baggage making vp their packes and lading of Cartes with the best stuffe they had the poorer sort carried what they could vpon their shoulders and Women bare theyr yong children in theyr armes and the bigger they ledde in their handes The streetes did eccho againe with sighes lamentations and miserable cries mingled with a strange confused noyse through-out all the Cittye To conclude it was a pittifull spectacle So as the newes continuing and remayning still that the Turkes approched and drewe nere there was nothing to bee expected but a horrible flight of all in generall with such blinde disorder and tumultuous violence as in the presse of the people of Horses and Carts many Children and some Women lost their liues beeing smothered this feare continued 3. daies being impossible to assure and bring backe them that fled who in the end otherwise perswaded by diuers Aduertisements and Messages returned to their howses The same Author ALDANA a Spanish Captaine Lieutenant to King FERDINAND in Transiluania fearing least MAHOMET BASSA of BVDA should come and beseege him in Lippe was so surprised with this Feare as he resolued to ruine both the Towne and the Castle Two Men at Armes beeing sent to descouer hauing heard noe newes of the BASSA comming neere the place began to runne their Horses to g◅ue him notice that there was no cause of Feare They were followed by a great Troope of Cattle ALDANA imagining and thinking that it was the Turkish Armye before the which the two Men at Armes did flie hauing not the patience to attend and staye for theyr comming transported with great feare hee set fire to a trayne of Gun-powder which did ouerthrowe the Castle the Towers and brake the Cannon to the great griefe of his souldiars condemning his basenes which done hee fled into Transiluania The BASSA seazed presently vpon the ruines and of a Castle that was inexpugnable called Soliman abandoned by these amazed Christians whome hee followed with such speede as he ouertooke them and cut them in peeces Then hauing seised vpon Transiluania hee made it subiect to the yoake ALDANA beeing imprisoned and conuicted of base cowardise was condemned to loose his head but by the intercession of MARY Queene of Bohemia Daughter to CHARLES the 5. wife to MAXIMILIAN the 2. his life was saued ASCANIVS CENTORIVS lib. 5. 6. of his Commentary of the Warres of Transiluania SOLIMAN the Turke hauing beseeged Vienna in Austria the 26 day of September in the yeare 1529. the beseeged made a salley of 8000. Men the sixt of October with an intent to chase the Enemy out of the sub-urbes and to blowe vp their Mynes They chased awaye the Turkes that were towards the Castle-gate and cut many in peeces that were neere the Towre of Carinthia Beeing ready to proceed further aduancing couragiously one cryed with a loud voice that the should retire put them-selues in battle This crie did put the souldiers into such a sodaine feare as they beganne to leaue theyr rankes and to flye towardes the Citty in such disorder as some thrust violently by the rest fell into the Ditches and Trenches where-as many were hurt and slaine with their owne Armes Captaine WOLFGANG HAG seeking to rally his Souldiers againe together and put them in minde of the valour of the ancient Germaines was compassed in by the Turkes and abandoned by his owne men died fighting Historie of the siege of Vienna AVSVN a Gentleman of Gaseonie valiant and of great experience in Warre of whome they had made such esteeme in Piedmont as his prowesse was commended of all men being at the Battaile of Dreux in the first ciuill Warres in the
beeing charged againe vpon new presumptions shee was drawne to the Rack where shee confessed certaine light faults as shee had done before But feeling her selfe tormented shee beganne to crye out and say Take mee from hence else I shall poyson you all with the stincke of my excrements the which I can no longer holde There were harde by certaine Vaultes or Priuies whether some of the assistance were of opinion they should suffer her to goe Others that were better aduised would by no meanes haue her let loose least there should fall out some new difficultie worse then the former But by the pluralitie of voyces shee was vnbound and ledde where shee pretended to goe where shee stayed aboue halfe an houre without returning not-with standing that shee had beene called twise or thrise In the ende shee was forced to come from thence to bee layde againe vpon the Racke the which they began to straine more then before Shee with-out any lamenting or crying out as shee did before began to laugh and knocking with her fingers shee began at the Iustice saying You my Maisters and thou wicked Hang-man doe what you will your crueltie cannot preuaile against mee Most of the assistants thought that the Diuell had made her impassible For that shee would not aduowe any thing of that where-with shee was charged by new informations but beeing stretcht out vppon the Rack shee did eyther laughe or sleepe So as beeing vnbound shee was carryed againe to her accustomed place Afterward some other witnesses were heard and newe proofes allowed Wherevpon it was ordeyned that shee should bee the third time tortured But before shee was layde vpon the Racke wee caused her to bee powled and all her hayre to bee shauen then was shee layde vppn the Racke againe and tortured verye sore Continuing still thus obstinate some of the companie remembred that they had not shauen the hayre vnder her Arme-pittes and in some other places which I name not They called certaine Women who laying hand on her found little scrowles of Parchment thrust into her priuie partes conteyning certaine names of euill spirites and some Crosses betwixt both These scrowles beeing deliuered vnto the Iustice were the cause that shee was stretcht againe vppon the Racke where-as then shee beganne to crye at the first pull and to confesse euery pointe of that where-with shee was charged by three Informations Beeing demanded the cause of her obstinate perseuerance in her former denialls shee sayde that if they had not shauen away all her hayre and depriued her of those breuets the trueth had neuer come out of her mouth for that the force of the euill spirit was such as with the helpe of her haire and those billets shee was impassible as it appeared Some condemned her to bee burnt aliue others for the most part to doe a rigorous penance publicklye and then to bee banished for euer vppon paine of burning According to this last aduise and counsell shee was set vppon a Scaffolde and a false Periwigge made for her the which was taken from her head by the Hang-man and cast into a great fire made to that ende and shee was ledde by two Senators and the Aduocate of Bruges out of the Territorie So shee retyred out of the Countrie of Flanders into Zeland remaining some certaine weekes at Middelbourgh where shee returned presentlye to her first trade FLORENT DAM Iudge of the Towne was aduertised presently by vs of all the cause that had past in the processe of this woman and in fauour of Iustice there was sent vnto him a coppie of the Informations of her confession vpon the Racke and of the sentence that was giuen against her By meanes whereof he had a watche ouer her and discouering by diuerse apparent presumptions that shee did continue in her diuilish sorceries caused her to bee apprehended and put in prison who hauing straightly examined her by her voluntary confession and according to the former Iudgement he condemned her to be burnt the which was executed Then he sent Letters of aduice to the Councell of Bruges of all that had past by mouth made a large discourse to DAMHOVDERE from whom we had this relation I GEORGE GODELMAN in his Treatise of Witches and Witchcraft lib. 3. Chap. 10. sect 38. About the yeare 1545. there was discouered at Cordoa a very famous and renowmed Towne in Andalousia in Spaine that which followeth A Childe of a poore familye called MAGDELINE de la Croix of the age of fiue yeares was put by the Parents or Tutors into a Couent of Nunnes It is not knowne whether it were for deuotion or for pouertie Beeing thus young and ignorant as yet what euill was they say not-with-standing so inscrutable are the Iudgements of GOD that the Diuell appeared vnto her in the forme of a blacke and hideous Moore Although at the first sight shee were greatly terrified yet this enemie did so flatter her and did promise her so many pretty workes where-in Children take delight as shee did accustome her selfe to talke familiarly with him but alwaies inioyning her that she who was fearefull should discouer nothing of this association In this time the child seemed to haue a wonderfull witte quicke and differing in disposition from others so as shee was much esteemed of the ancient Nunnes and of other young Maides Beeing come to the age of 12. yeares or there-abouts shee was sollicited by the Diuell to marry her-selfe vnto him and for her dowrie he promised her to worke so as for thirty yeares or there abouts shee should liue in such opinion of Holynesse through-out all Spaine as there had neuer beene the like Whilest that MAGDELEINE vnder the opinion of this contract spent the time in her Chamber with this vncleane spirit who entertained her by his illusions An other Diuell tooke the forme and resemblance of MAGDELEINE was in the Church in the Cloyster and in all the assemblies of Nunnes with great shew of deuotion Besides after that hee had done MAGDELEINS seruice in the Church he let her vnderstand all that was done in the world whereof giuing aduertisment to those that had her already in great reputation shee was esteemed to bee a Holy Virgin and began to haue the name of a Prophetesse By reason whereof although shee were not yet of full age shee was chosen Abbesse by a general consent of the Monkes and all the Nunnes When as the Nunnes receiued the Sacrament on dayes accustomed among them the Priest did alwayes cry out that they had taken away one of his Ostes the which was carryed by the aboue-named Angell to MAGDELEINE who was in the middest of her Sisters the which she put into her mouth shewed as a great miracle They say moreouer that if by chance MAGDELINE was not present when Masse was sayde although there were a Wall betwixt them yet when the Priest did lift vp the Corpus Domini this Wall did riue in two that MAGDELINE might see it and eate it
cholerick humor with the which shee voyded three Wormes the which were wolley and like in forme colour length and greatnesse to Catter-pillers but that they were blacke the which afterwards laye eight dayes and more with-out any norrishment They were brought by the Barber of Saint Maur to Mounsier MILOT Doctor and reader in the Physick schooles who then had the sayd CHARTIER in cure and shewed them to me to many others AMB. PARE Booke 24. Chap. 16. Let vs adde some Histories of wormes comming forth in diuers partes of mans bodie to shewevs more plainly our miserable vanity Hauing a soldiar in cure in Piedmont who had beene foote-man to Mounsier de Goulaines deceased and had beene hurt with a sword vpon the parietall boane after some weekes dressing him I did see a number of wormes come from vnder this rotten boane by certaine hoales in the rottenes which made me vse the more speede to drawe out and raise the sayd boane the which did shake long before and vpon the Duramater I found where nature had ingendred 3. hollowe places in the flesh to put in ones Thombe full of moouing and crawling wormes euery one of the which was about the bignesse of a points tagge hauing blacke heads â—…MB PARE Booke 9. Chap. 22. Manie learned Physitions of our time and amongest the rest I. HOVLIER in the first booke of inward diseases Chap. 1. L. IOVBERT Cap. 9 in his treatise of wounds in the head MONTVVS and VEGA hold that many times wormes are seene in the braine of diuers men as also in other partes of the bodie BALTHAZAR CONRADIN Chap. 10. Of his booke of the Pestylent feuer in Hungary writes that hee had seene wormes comming out of diuers partes of bodies toucht with the sayd feuer and some of a good length which tooke their issue by the eares the which of necessity bred in the Ventricles of the braine And therefore the Hungarians in diuers places did tearme this feuer the worme of the braine COR. GEMMA in the Apendix of his Cosmocritia makes mention of a woman in the Lowe Countries who being dead of a pestilent Ague they opened her head where there was found a great quantity of stinking matter about the substance of the braine with an incredible number of little wormes and punaises I. HOVLIER writes in his practise that hee had giuen Physicke to an Italian that was tormented with an extreame paine in his head whereof hee died And hauing caused him to be opened there was found in the substance of the braine a beast like vnto a Scorpion the which as HOVLIER thinkes was ingendred for that this Italian had continually carried and smelt of the herbe called Baselisk A young girle about eight yeares of age beeing fallen into a very great trance remained seauen daies without speaking feeling or with any moouing breathing stronglie and taking no norrishment but some broth or decoction of pourpie The Mother seeing her Daughter so violently toucht in the head gaue her a suppositarie which drewe from her by the seege two and fortie wormes wrethed togither like to a bowle whereby the Childe was cured ALEX BENEDICT Booke 1. Chap. 26. of the cure of diseases A little Sonne of mine three yeares olde called IOHN CONRARD beeing fallen into a verie troublesome trance and presently helpt with Treacle and Vinager applyed to his mouth and nostrills being a sleepe and afterwards awake wee found in the sheete wherein hee was wrapt a worme which had a sharpe mussell markt with redde hairie and crawling in the clothes I. SCHENCK in his Obseruation Booke 1. section 242. It happened to a young Childe of three yeares olde which was very well this wonderfull and memorable alteration which followes As she was playing by certaine women there beganne sodenly to appeere in the great corner of the eye within it the head of a worme whose bodie almost couered the eye The woman being amazed drewe neere and one of them did gently drawe out this worme which was aliue and long as an ordynarie point and some-what bigge without any hurt to the string or that the comming of it forth had any way offended the eye AMATVS a Portugall Centur. 5. Cure 63. I haue seene come forth at a young mans eares that was tormented with a violent feuer three wormes like to the kirnells of Pyne-aples and some-what bigger VELASQVE Booke 4. Chap. 30. FERNELIVS Booke 5. Chap. 7. of his Pathologia writes of a soldiar who was so flat nozed as hee could not blowe it so as of the excrement which was retained and putrefied there ingendred two wormes which were wolley and had hornes of the bignesse of halfe a finger the which were the cause of his death after that hee had beene madde for the space of twentie daies AMB. PARE Booke 19. Chap. 3. In the yeare 1561. the fifth of Maie a young woman giuing suck to her boye but sixe monthes olde stooping to tie her shoe shee voided belowe a little beast as bigge as a Caterpiller and hideous to behold It liued three daies beeing fedde with milke Beeing dead it was found full of cholericke matter greene and venimous especially about the head The young woman felt no discommodity after this voyding The Sonne of one named IOHN MICHELLACH dwelling at Metz did voide at his fundement very haire I did see one of thirtie and three yeares of age Sonne to N. ROCKELFINGER who in pissing voyded little wormes which did crawle like vnto those that breede in rotten cheese but they had blacke heads I haue seene others that had wormes comming out at their eares A certaine Gentleman named CAPELLE hauing beene so wretched and wicked as to beate his Father fell sicke and had wormes come out at his eyes A woman of Dusseldorp hauing beene very sicke for a long time in the ende a certaine Impostume growing vpon her bellie aboue her flanke it brake by wormes which were ingendred therein out of the which there came a great number black and reddish R. SOLENANDER in the 5. section of his Physicall Councells in the 15. Councell art 2. 3. 4. 24. In burning feuers especially in those that be contagious and pestilent we see that diseases cast forth wormes by the taile and other beasts of horrible and strange shapes Of late a poore woman a widowe of Reinspourg hauing beene long tormented with a cough a shortnesse of breath and a paine at her heart and head in the ende after diuers remedies shee tooke the quintessence of Turbithe which I gaue her by meanes whereof after that she had beene discharged of certaine vicious excrements she voided by the seege a liue Lizard and then shee was cured I doe not speake of a number of frogges which PAVL FISCHER studying in the Colledge of the Abbaye of Saint Esmeran did voide hauing beene long tormented with strange paine at his stomake But after this discharge hee was very well MARTIN RVLAND a Physition in his opinion touching the golden tooth of the Childin
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