by his successors and imprinted at Nuremberg in the yeare 1594. For in the 18. Chapter of the first Booke he saith that these apparitions are made in a Mosquee of the Turkes hard by Cairo There is a fault in the coppy and it should say Hillock or little Mountaine not on the banke of Nilus as BAVMGARTEN writes but halfe a mile of as we haue declared Satanicall Apparitions WHen I studied the lawe in the Vniuersitie of Wittenberge I heard my Tutors often tell that on a time one being attyred after a strange manner came and knocked at the dore of a great Diuine which then read in the same Vniuersitie and dyed in the yeare 1546. the seruant opened the doore and asked him what he would haue Speake with thy Maister quoth hee The Diuine willed him to come in and then this stranger propounded certaine questions touching the controuersies which were at that instant about matters of Religion wherevnto the Diuine hauing giuen a ready solution the stranger put forth harder thou dost somewhat trouble me said the Diuine for I had other things in hand and there-with rising out off his chaire shewed him in a booke the exposition of a certaine place where-about they contended In this strife he perceiued that the stranger in steede of fingers had clawes and tallents like a bird of prey Wherevpon hee began to say vnto him Is it thou then Hearken to the sentence pronounced against thee shewing him that place of the third of Genesis The Seede of the woman shall breake the Serpents head He added moreouer Thou shalt not swallow vs all vp The euill spirit mightely confounded enraged vanished away with an exceeding great noyse leauing such a stinke behind him in the Stoue that it stunke of it a long time after IOHN GEORGE GODELMAN Doctor of Lawe at Rostoch in the treatise De Magis Veneficis Lamijs c. booke 1. chap. 3. In the towne of Friburg in Misnia the Diuel presented himselfe in a humane forme to a certain sick-man shewing him a booke exhorting him to recon vp all his sins he could remember because he would note them down in that booke At the first the sick-man was some-what amazed but recouering his spirits he answered Thou saist well I will set thee downe all my sins in order but first write these words on the top in great Letters The Seede of the Woman shall breake the Serpents head The Diuell hearing this condemnation of his fled away leauing ths house full of an extreame stinke The same Author In the yeare 1534. Maist. LAVRENCE TONER Minister of a certaine Towne in Saxony imploying some time about Easter to conferre with some of his parishioners according to the custome touching scrupels of cōscience the Diuell appeared vnto him in the shape of a Man and intreated him to giue him leaue to confer with him whervpon he began to poure out horrible blasphemies against the Sauiour of the World TONER resists and confutes him so coragiously by authorities out of the holy Scripture as this wicked Spirit confounded leauing an intollerable stinke in the place vanished away IOB FINCEL in his first booke of miracles Diuers Apparitions in the Ayre IN the yeare a thousand fiue hundred there was seene in Alsatia neare to Sauerne a Bulls head and betwixt the hornes shined a very great star In the same yeare on the 21 of May there was seene ouer the Towne of Lucerne in Suisserland a fierie Dragon horrible to behold as big as a Calfe and twelue foote long the which did fly towards the bridge of the riuer of Russe which passeth there In the yeare 1503. in the Duchy of Bauiere ouer a little towne called Visoc was seene a Dragon crowned casting f◅rth flames of fire at his mouth Ouer the Citty of M◅lan in the day time the Heauens beeing cleare were seene many stars shining very brightly In the beginning of Ianuary in the yeare 1514. about eight of the clocke in the morning in the Duchy of Witemberg were seene 3. Suns in the firmament that in the middest was much bigger then the rest All three caried the forme of a long sword of a shining colour markt with bloud the points whereof d◅d stretch out far This happened the 12 day of the month The next day ouer the towne of Rotuil there was seene a Sunne shewing a terrible face enuironed with circles of diuers coulours Two dayes before and the 17. of March following were seene three Sunnes and three Moones also the 11. of Ianuary and the 17. of March IAMES STOSEL a Phisition of Memming made an ample discourse prognosticating vppon these apparitions which were followed by great troubles namely in Swaube In the yeare 1517. on Christmas day about the Abbey of Vinaire in Saxony at midnight the Heauens beeing cleere and bright there was seene a Crosse of a reddish coulour In September in the yeare 1520. at Vienna in Austria there were seene many prodigious signes in the heauen The first day from three of the clock afternoone vntill fiue the Sunne was seene enuironed with two great circles Three dayes after about noone there was seene a burning Forke The fift day in the morning there appeared three Sunnes with many Rayn-bowes of diuers fashions The sixt daye about nine of the clocke at night the Moone appeared full trauersed with a Crosse compassed in with a Circle and aboue it a halfe Circle On the seauenth at the breake of day were seene three Sunnes againe and from sixe of the clock vntill seauen a Rain-bowe with three Moones PAMPHILVS GENGENBACH caused these prodigious Meteors to bee cu◅te and published a discourse the which hee sent to the Emperour CHARLES the fift The same yeare the inhabitants of Wissenbourge a Towne seated vpon the Riuer of Rhine heard at noone day such a strange and horrible rushing of armes in the ayre and such a noyse of men fighting and crying as in a set battell that it strooke snch a terror and amazement in them as all runne to Armes thinking the Towne had beene beseeged and that the enemies were at theyr Gates When as the Emperor CHARLES the 5. was crowned in the Citty of Aix la Chapelle the Sunne was seene enuironed with a great Circle and a Raine bowe in the Heauens In the Town of Erfor'd there were three Suns seene Moreouer a burning Cheuron the which was terrible by reason of the greatnesse and length This Cheuron declining to the earth made a great spoile then mounting into the ayre it was conuerted into a cercular forme IOB FINCET in his Collection of the maruells of our Time notes that in the yeare 1523. a Peasant of Hungary going a iourney with his Wagon was be-nighted and forced to lie in the fields attending the breake of day Hauing slept a while he awaked and goes out off his Wagon to walke looking vp into the ayre he did see the resemblance of two Princes fighting with their swords drawn one against an other One was of a
of Malta caused to be published in the yeare 1532. Throughout al Europe a strange apparition which happened in Assiria that yeare which was this About the seuenth of March a Woman named RACHIENNE was brought in bed of a goodly Sonne which had the Eyes sparkling and the Teeth shining At the same instant that he was borne Heauen and Earth were strangely moued the Sunne did shine as bright at midnight as at noone-daye and in the day time it was so darke as from morning vntill night they could not see any thing in all that country Then afterwards he shewed himselfe but of an vnaccustomed forme with diuers newe starres wandring vp and downe Ouer the house where this infant was borne besides other prodigies fier fell from heauen which slue some persones After the eclipse of the Sunne there happened a horrible tempest in the Aire then there fell pearles from heauen The next day they might see a fiery dragon flie throughout all that Clymat Moreouer there appeared a newe Moūtaine higher then any other the which did presētly diuide it selfe into two parts and in the midest of them appeared a colomne or piller where there was a certaine writing in Greeke shewing that the end of the world approched then was there a voice herd in the aire exhorting euery one to prepare himselfe The Child hauing liued two moneths began to speake like one of yeares by diuers delusions growes into such credit as hee was adored worshiped as a GOD discouering it selfe to be an euill spirit the which had a great force of error in al those Countries Neere vnto Iuban a Towne of Lusatia was seene in calme cleere skie the day after Whitsōday in the yeare 1535. about two of the clocke in the afternoone troupes of armed mē aduācing frō the North to the part opposite there were cries heard in the aier like to men that were in battaile Ouer the towne of Vanaire in Saxony were seene three Cheurons of fire in the aire And the day before the taking of Munster there appeered ouer the towne in a cleere skie a Crosse a naked sword About the end of Iuly the same yeare in the Confins of Zurich in Suisserland there fell a furious and neuer herd of torment in the aire being all on fier with most horrible thunders There fell out of the aire great flames of fire the which did quite consume 5. houses nere vnto Adelsinge The same moneth as the Inhabitants of Smelwi◅ were in the Church at their mornings deuotiō there sodenly appeered a wonderful light in the aire then fell lightning which slue two men with the force of his exhalation ouerthrew thirty others to the ground halfe dead hauing burnt all their clothes but their bodies were preserued being more affrayed then hurt The 7. of February 1536 about two of the clocke after mid-night there was seene in the Element ouer one quarter of Spaine two armed men running one at an other with their swords drawne the one carried on his left arme a target on the which was painted an Eagle with this Motto about it Regnabo that is to say I will raigne The other had a great target with a starre a Cressant and this inscriptiō Regnaui I haue raigned He that Carried the Eagle ouerthrew the other The like Combate was seene in Hongary 20. yeares after the which we will note in order In the yeare 1537. the first of February there was seene in Italy an Eagle flying in the aire carrying in the right foote a bottle in the left a serpent wrethed vp being followed by an infinit number of others At the same time also there was a Bourguignon crosse of diuers collours seene in the aire 15. daies before there was seene in Franconia betwixt Bamberg the forest of Turinge a star of huge greatnesse the which declyning by degrees turned into a great white circle out of the which soone after proceeded great gusts of winde flasshes of fire which falling to the ground did melt the heads of pikes and the bitts of horses without hurting of man or house In the yeare 1538. there were seene in the aire ouer diuers parts of Germany armed men fighting and as it were killing one an other Towardes the East there did shine a Starre of an vnaccustomed bignesse hauing beames as red as bloud and neere vnto it a bloudie crosse and a flying Standard Two yeares after was seene an other starre in the clouds very bright as at the breake of day it appeared the 25. of December The next day there came out of the Moone two twinckling Starres shyning very bright There was seene in the yeare 1541. three Sunnes cōpassed in with a Rainbowe The yeare following there were seene in Saxony Rodds and Torches of fire In the yeare 1544. the 7. of April at eight of the clocke at night the skie being very cleere there were seene ouer a little Towne in Suissarland called Wilen Turgau in the face of the Moone a white crosse shyning very bright the foure ends whereof especially the nethermost did farre passe beyond the face of the moone Two daies after there was seene ouer Golaries in Suissarland an houre before Noone the skie beeing very cleere a great white circle shyning wherof the Center from the right part vnto the left was enuironed with a Rainbowe as it doth vsually appeere This circle turned at foure of the clocke right before the midest of the rondell of the Sunne The 29. of March 1545. about eight of the clock in the morning there fell about Cracouia a flash of lightning after a horrible thunder so as al Poland was troubled thereat Presently after there appeared three red crosses in the Element betwixt the which there was a man armed at all parts who with a burning sword did fight with an army the which he defeated and therevpon came a horrible draggō which swallowed vp this victorious man presētly the heauens did open as they had beene all on fire so continued for an houres space Then there appeered three Rain-bowes in their accustomed collours vpon the highest of which there was the forme of an Angell as they do represent them in the shape of a yong man that hath wings at his shoulders holding a Sunne in one of his hands and a Moone in the other This second spectacle hauing continued halfe an houre in the viewe of all those that would behold it certaine cloudes did rise which did couer these apparitions In base Hongary there was seene in the yeare 1546. for the space of a whole houre the heauens open from the which did fall great aboundance of fire vpon this fier there appeered a blacke Oxe the which seemed to pisse fire Aboue Belgeen a Towne in Misnia and the Country about was seene an other opening of Heauen the which continued two houres in the night the 10. of February and cast forth beames euen vnto the earth At the same time were seene three burning Cheurons and
appeared very bright at the rising and enuironed with a great circle as white as milke the which were crost with foure Rain-bowes the goodliest that euer was seene Ten dayes before betwixt seauen and eight of the clock in the morning were seene ouer the same Towne three Sunnes the right had his ordinary brightnesse the other two had a bloudy colour Hauing continued almost the whole day at night there appeared 3. Moones whereat all the Inhabitants of the place were much amazed they were of diuers colours and after they had continued some houres the two apparant Moones or Paralies became red as bloud then dispersing themselues into long streames in the end they vanished the right Moone which was in the middest retained her accustomed brightnes The same yere died Duke GEORGE Prince of Anhalt an excellent Diuine The day of his death there appeared in the night ouer the Towne of Wittenberg a blew Crosse. A few dayes before the battaile giuen betwixt MAVRICE Duke of Saxonie and ALBERT Marquis of Brandebourg there appeared the image of a great man in a place of Saxonie from the body of this man which appeared naked first there began bloud to fall from him drop after drop then they did see sparkes of fire come from him and in the end he vanished by little and little In Ianuary 1554. there appeared three Sunnes twise in Saxony The 1. of February following about Chalons in Champagne was seene a great flame of fire which went from the East to West like to a burning Torche bending as a Cressent the fire did crack and â—…ast out sparkes of all sides like vnto a barre of Yron comming out of the Furnaise which the Smiths did worke with their Hammers Some adde that this Torche appeared about the Moone and shewed the point of a Lance at one end The 19. of February were seene at Nebre two Crosses of a blew coulour And the same day at Greisen in Turinge they did see in the Sunne which shined brightly a blew Crosse so great as it couered all the face of the Sunne on either side it had a great Cheuron of fire with diuers Circles The 9. day of Aprill aboue Sultzfield halfe a dayes iourney neere vnto Schuinfort an Imperiall Towne there appeared two Moones in the night In Marche before were seene Sunnes of diuers greatnesse with some Circles in Bauaria and the Countrie about First the 6. of Marche betwixt eyght and nine of the clock in the morning were seene two Sunnes with a Rainebowe The 23. of the same moneth about an houre after-noone those of Nuremberg did see as much and moreouer a Raine-bowe towards the West and the Sunnes enuironed with white Circles continued three houres together with a long burning Cheuron The eight day following there were three Sunnes seene at Reinsbourg Their beginning was about an houre after noone betwixt two and three they did shine brightly and ended at foure of the clocke They did cast out beames of the one side like vnto a Commet that in the middest towards the North and the other two towards the East and West In Marche the same yeare were seene ouer diuers Townes in Germanie betwixt foure and fiue of the clock at night diuers Bourguignon Crosses but most white and in a manner touching one another The 23. day of the same moneth a little before Sunne sett were seene two Parelies enuironed with the Sunne by a great Circle ouer the Village of Blech Not farre from Noremberg the eleuenth of Iune there appeared a Rodde of a bloudie colour through the Sunne with Starres or Boules of Azure Presently after there were seene two Squadrons of armed men the which had blew Cornets who for the space of two houres incountred together furiously to the great amazement of many which did see the beginning the continuance and end of this apparition The 13. of Iune about fiue of the clocke in the after-noone ouer the Towne of Iene the Sunne was seene of a bloudie colour to whom there approched presently from the South and West great and many boules of fire the which did darken the light of it And then appeared two Cheurons of a very red colour crossing through the Sunne The 24. day of Iuly about ten of the clock at night there appeared in the ayre in that quarter of the Country which is called the high Palatinat of Rhine Towards the forrest of Bohemia two men armed with all peeces the one being of a farre taller stature then the other hauing on his brest a bright shining starre and a flaming sword in his hand as also the lesser had They began a furious combate buâ—…in in the end the lesser was beaten downe and could not stirre whervpon a chaire was brought vnto the Victor in the which being set and remained some time still menacing with his sword in his hand him that lay at his feete as if he would strike him In the end they both vanished away The 5. of August following at 9. of the clock at night neere vnto Stolpen in the South part of Heauen there appeared troupes of warlike men who with great cryes and noise of armes charged one another furiously when the first charge was ended there came aboundance of fire out of the clouds which hindred the sight of these troupes This fire vanishing they returned to the second charge then the fire kindling againe you would haue said it had beene a kind of retreat to rally themselues againe together on either part which ended they returne againe to a third charge the which being done they all vanished The same yere at Fribourg in Misnia was seene in the open day the representation of our Lord IESVS CHRIST as many Painters are accustomed to represent him sitting in a Rain-bow the colours whereof were exceeding liuely And about another towne called Zopodee the Sun rising appeared as red as bloud hauing about it a stately Pallace the which was all on fire On either side of the Sunne was seene a high columne very artificiall fashioned and of the coulour that the Raine-bowe It seemed that their foundations did touch the ground and were very large The next day the Sunne did rise with a pale coulour and this Pallace was aboue it shining very brightly The columnes or pillers also appeared but not so faire and long as the day before The 10. of February 1555. there were three Sunnes seene at Vinaire in Saxonie And the 13. of March there appeared in the ayre about Turinge a flâ—…ming sword The eleuenth of Ianuary 1556. towards the Mountaines which compasse in the Citty of Ausbourg of the one side the element did open and seemed to riue whereat all were wonderfully amazed especially by reason of the pittifull accidents which followed for the same day the messenger of Ausbourg slue a Captaine at the Citty gates with a Pistoll The next day the wife of one that made sword blades thinking to get a great booty slue a Marchant in her house and presently after her seruant
They enter mildly into discourse GRINEVS shewes him his errors grauely and plainely and puts him in minde what POLICARPVS a Disciple to the Apostles was accustomed to doe if he chanced to heare any vntrueth or blasphemy in the Church exhorting him in the name of GOD to thinke of his conscience and to leaue his erronious opinions The Preacher cuts him off short seeming to haue a desire to conferre more priuatly as hauing hast to goe home to his house He demands GRINEVS name and surname and his lodging in◅iting him to see him the next day to discourse more amply together and makes great shew to affect GRINEVS friendship adding that the publicke should receiue great profit by this their conference Moreouer he shewes GRINEVS his house who resolued to visit him at the houre appointed and so retires to his Inne But the Preacher distempered with his censure deuised in his thoughts a prison a Scaffold and death for GRINEVS who dining with many worthy men reported vnto them what speeches hee had had with this Preacher Therevpon one calls for Doctor PHILIP beeing set at the Table neere vnto GRINEVS who goes out of the Stoue and findes a graue olde man of a louely countenance well apparelled and vnknowne who with a graue and pleasing speech began to say That within one houre there would Officers come into the Inne sent from the King of the Romaines to carrie GRINEVS to prison The old man addes there-with-all a commandement to GRYNEVS to dislodge speedily out of Spire exhorting PHILIP not to deferre it And then the olde man vanished away Doctor PHILIP who hath reported this History In his Comentarie vpon the Prophet Daniel Chap. 10. addes these wordes I came vnto the companie and deliuered what the olde man had sayd vnto me willing them to rise from the Table Presently we crost the Market place hauing GRINEVS in the middest of vs and went directly to the Rhine which GRINEVS past speedily with his seruant in a Boate. Seeing him in safety we returned to the Inne where it was told vs that presently after our departure the Sergeants were come to seeke for GRINEVS GOD be praised who hath giuen vs his Angels for Gardiens that with more peacefull thoughts wee may doe our duties in the vocation where-vnto he hath called vs. In the yeare 1539. in the beginning of Iune an honest widow-woman charged with two Sonnes in Saxony hauing not where-with-all to liue in a time of great famine attyred her selfe and her Sonnes in their best clothes going towards a certaine Fountaine to pray vnto GOD to haue pittie of them and to releeue them Comming forth shee meetes with a graue man who salutes her courteously and after some speech hee demands of her if shee thought to finde any thing to eate at that Fountaine The woman answered Nothing is impossible to GOD. If it were not difficult for him to feed the Children of Israell forty yeares in the desert should it bee troublesome to nourish mee and mine with water Speaking these words with a great courage this man whome I holde to haue beene an Angell sayd vnto her Seeing thy faith is so constant returne to thy house and thou shalt finde three laden with meale shee rerurned and did see the effect of this promise Doctor ANDREVV HONDORF in his Theater of Examples In the yeare 1553. the 18. of Nouember it hapned at Sehilde a little Towne in the Diocesse of Torge that VRBAIN ERMTRAVT an inhabitant of that place hauing a deepe Well but halfe drie by reason of certaine stones that were falne out of the wall did bargaine with a Mason called VRBAIN HEMBERG to put those stones into their places Hauing fitted himselfe with peeces of wood and a scaffold in the Well he goes downe lower with a Ladder to take vp a Hammer which hee had left among the stones Hee was scarce gone downe but the earth and stones shake and fill vp the Well and couer the Mason who was at the foote of the Ladder All runne thether and hold the man to bee smothered adding that they must fill vp the Well and that should be his graue The Iustice resolued that they should pull out all this rubbish and ordaines that the Masons body should be buried among other Christians in the common Church-yard According to this decree they begin to worke the 11. of the same moneth About two of the clocke after noone the worke-men labour to drawe out a great stone and finding that it was hollow vnderneth they put downe a long pole to sound the depth They pricke the poore Mason on the nose with the end of this pole who beganne to crie and to intreate them to drawe him out The workemen hearing this confused sound labour with more courrage then before and about ten of the clocke at night they espie him standing right vp behinde the Ladder beeing vp to the knees in the myer Beeing all glad they prepare to drawe him forth But behold an other fall of Earth which couers him aboue the head Then euery man thinking that hee was dead was readie to leaue the worke but by the aduice and commandement of the Bourguemaster called IAMES le FEVRE they returne to their worke and hauing taken awaie the Earth about mid-night they finde him aliue and without anie hurt and drawe him out of the well Where hee had beene almost foure daies and foure nights without meate or drinke IOB FINCEL lib. 2. of the collection of wonders of our time In the yeare 1552. FRANCIS PELVSIEN a maker of Wels of the age of 60. years digging the 5. of February a Well at Liōs in a farme of LEVVIS d'HEXE on the side of St Sebastians mount towards the red Crosse this wel being made fortie foote deepe the earth falls and fills it vp The poore man beeing in the botome shrowds himselfe vnder aplanke by meanes whereof he was preserued from this heauy waight of earth which else would haue smothered him hauing some meanes to breath thrusting his fist into the Earth some-times to haue the more aire He continued thus couered in the botome seauen daies without eating satisfying his stomake with his vrine and hoping onely in GOD for his deliuery He cryed out sometimes for helpe but they heard him not yet hee heard them that walked and the noyse they made aboue yea the speaking of Men the striking of the clocke and the sound of Bels. The seuenth day when they thought to finde him dead and that they prepared his graue they that wrought heard his voice in the botome of the well which made them to hasten their worke hearing him to crie for helpe In the ende they descouer him and hauing made him to take a glasse of wine they drewe him out with a rope the which hee held lustely without bynding or the helpe of any person Beeing out and sound of Bodie and minde after that hee had giuen thankes vnto GOD hee opened his purse in the presence of manie and after
Suisse had three Sons at one birth they alliued to the age of marriage I. RVEF lib. 5. of the conception generation of man ch 4. Some fewe yeares past the wife of an Artificer called BRANDIMART 26. yeares olde beeing eight monethes gone with Childe not able to beare her burthen anie longer was deliuered of foure Children well proportioned two Sonnes and two Daughters the which soone after they were Baptized died and the Mother lyuing All the people of Mantoua did ru◅ne to see this woman and her foure Children The Dutchesse her selfe did honour this poore woman with her presence and gaue her great ◅eleefe MARCEL DONAT lib. 4 of his Physicall Histories Chapter 24. A woman in the Towne of Leyden in Holland lyuing yet in the yeare 1597. and then about 38. yeares old had had eighteene Children at foure birthes wherof foure then liued Memories of our Time Children deliuered at diuers times of one bignesse by superfetation NOt long since in the Coūtry of Agenois there were three Childrē at one birth and one deliuered eight daies after an other They write of a woman of ALEXANDRIA which was seene at Rome in ADRIANS time with fiue Sonnes whereof the fift was borne forty daies after the other foure borne at one time M. L. IOVBERT lib. 3. of popular errors Chap. 1. At Beaufort in Vallee a Countrie in Aniou a young Wife Daughter to MACE CHAVMERE was brought in bedde of a Child and eight or ten daies after shee fell in labour of an other which they were forced to pull out of her Bodie whereof shee died M. AMB. PARE lib. 24. Chapter 5. A great Ladie of Spaine beeing in trauell of Childe deliuered one the newes whereof beeing carried to her Lord and husband his answere was to them which made the report returne all is not done she will haue more He spake the truth for some houres after by fitts shee was deliuered of fiue Children more A. TORGVEMADO in the first Iourne of his Hexameron The Wise of ZACHARIE of Scarparia being brought in bedde of a Sonne three monethes after was deliuered of another and both liued the one being a G◅ocer at Florence in Saint Lawrence streete NICHOLAS in the 6. discourse tr 1. chap. 22. A certaine woman was first deliuered of a goodly Sonne and the next day of a very ◅oule one It was thought she had trespassed against her honour GORDOINVS in his booke intituled Lilium sect 7. cap. 2. Although the birthe of Monsters bee rare yet supertation is more yea so rare as some hold it impossible yet not-with standing wee haue had one example in an honest mans wife shee was brought in bed of a Sonne at her full time the 7. of December 1570. at ten of the clocke at night with the deliuery of all that which is accustomed to come after a happy birthe the next day at the same houre contrary to any apprehension of her selfe or of the Mid-wife shee was deliuered of an other Sonne the which had not gone halfe the time for that the eyes nostrils and mouth had no vents or opening DODONEVS in his Obseruations vpon the 3. chap of Anth. Beniucnius The wife of Monsier GAILLART President in the Chancerie of Valence foure moneths after the death of her husband was brought in bed of one Sonne and fiue moneths after of another PE. PAVL PEREDE I haue seene a Gentlewoman with childe with two Twinnes whereof the first came forth dead the first day of the ninth moneth the seuenth daye following shee was brought in bed of the other which was liuing A. LAVRENT lib. 2. of his Anotomie quest 32. The Lady MARIE of Neufchastell hauing had nine Children by the Baron of Cremaille in her second marriage with the Seigneour of Malortie shee was with Childe of three Sonnes with which number being but small of stature shee was so ouercharged as about the 5. moneth shee was deliuered of one onely And shee thinking as M. THIBAVT a famous Physition at Chasteautierry did also that they were but burthens he prescribed her a strong purgation to make her voide those things the which brought down the other two children so whole and liuely as the Physition him selfe repenting him said that without doubt they would haue gone out their full time notwithstanding the miscarrying of the other if the purgation had not done them wrong Afterwards shee was oft with childe and almost alwaies with Twins some-times with sonnes some-times with daughters in the one of them shee was so hurt with a dogge as finding her selfe presently ill shee feared that her fruit was dead so as fifteene daies after shee was brought in bed of two children whereof the one was dead beeing very apparent that it had beene long before suffocated the other was aliue but so weake by the communication of his brothers harme that for 3. daies he could not sucke yet he was so carefully tended as he recouered was since a Page of the Kings Stable M. FRANCIS ROVSSET in his Commentarie of Children that are cut out of the mothers wombe cap. 7. sect 6. As for naturall superfetations it is certaine that two children conceiued at seuerall times one after another proue it sufficiently the which I did once obserue at Pithuiers in a woman that was deliuered of a second child three weekes after the first The same Author The wife of IOHN PLIE◅E of a village called Rixheim two houres iourney from Basil hauing carried two Twins her full terme the first liued a yeare the second came into the world sixe weekes after his brother hee liued long was married and had eight children Master GASPAR BAVHIN in his Obseruations CHRISTIAN SCHLECHTIN hauing had tenne children by her first husband shee married againe with MICHAEL VOGEL Prouost of Bollickhein a village three houres iourney from Basil and beeing with childe about the fiftieth yeare of her age and the thirtieth of her marriage in the yeare of our Lord 1575. one Sonday in Aprill shee fell in labour and was deliuered of a daughter named MARIE which died within fifteene daies Beeing vp and labouring about the house fiue weekes and fiue daies after this first deliuerie shee had had newe throaes so as shee was deliuered of a sonne called PHILIP by his fathers name who liues yet after that she had not any more children The same Author In the yeare 1584. there died at Hirshorn a little town of the Pallatinate neere to Heildelberge a gentleman Lord of that place called PHILIP LODOVIC of Hirshorn leauing no heires of his body but a widowe with childe those which pretended to be his heires if the widow miscarried or that the fruit of her wombe did not liue began presently to molest and trouble her pulling the keyes of chambers coffers cabinets caues and greniers from her by force the which did so much afflict her as laying her hands vpon her heade shee began to crie out amaine and within fewe daies after shee was deliuered of a sonne but dead
neere the Village they found the child in the cradle crying and calling for meate but the poore Mother beeing opprest with payne a Feauer and with watching neither thought of her selfe nor of her little one The Phisition layes open the woman sees the section grosly sowed vp with ten or twelue stitches and prouided so well for the mother and child as both liued long after Extract out of Maist. d' AL◅EOVX letter written the 20. of December 1585 About the yeare 1550. ELIZABETH ALESPACHIN wife to IAMES NVFER a Surgion remaining in a Village called Sigers in Suisserland beeing great of her first child at the time of her deliuery beeing prest with extreame paines she called many Mid-wiues and Surgions to helpe her but all was in vaine The husband seeing his wife in that extremity tells her his minde in her care She alloweth it he goes to the Baylife of Frauvenfele acquaints him with the estate of his family and his resolution to ease his wife and craues leaue to execute what hee had determined In the ende the Bayliffe knowing his Industry and the loue hee bare vnto his Wife grants his request Hee returnes speedily to his house speakes to the Mid-wiues exhortes the most couragious to assist him and intreats the most fearefull to depart least they should faint and trouble the company for that hee did vndertake a thing which indeede was dangerous but hee hoped for a happy issue with the fauorable assistance of Almighty GOD. These women amazed at his resolution went out all except two which remayned with the Surgions to assist the Patient Her Husband hauing first called vpon GOD with an earnest prayer and shutte the Stoue carefully hee takes his Wife and layes her vpon a Table and with a sharpe Rasor makes an Incission in her belly so happily as presently the Child was taken forth without hurt to the Mother or to the little one The Mid-wiues which did hearken at the doore hearing the Child crye did knocke to enter but they forced them to stay vntill the little one was clensed and drest and the wound stitcht vp the which was closed in few dayes without any feauer or any troublesome accident to the mother who afterwardes had two Sonnes at a burthen one of the which was called IOHN NVFVR hee liued in the yeare 1583. threescore yeares olde Prouost of Sigers-Hausem Shee was brought in bedde afterwards of foure other Children As for the Sonne which was cut out of her belly he liued vnto the yeare 1577. They do yet at this day in those Quarters see the children of this Woman vnto the third and fourth generation GASPAR BAV◅IN a learned Phisition at Basill in his histories of the Caesarian deliuery I did thinke to finde in other histories which I haue among my papers that which I promised you of a Caesarian deliuery but it is among my other remembrances at my house in France I will cause it to bee brought to Montbelliard where I nowe am to send it vnto you I remember the Name of the place and of the Surgion and the yeare and month when it happened but I haue forgotten the names both of the Father and Mother The Village is in the Duchye of Bourgundy called Marsillie neere vnto Mont S. Iohn The Surgion ANTONIE ROBIN borne at Beaune and liuing at Renele Duke a man verye expert in his profession It was in Aprill in the yeare of our Lord GOD 1582. The Woman being yong and strong had beene in sore trauell two whole dayes together and yet did couragiously endure an incision the which succeeded happily The Child liued not long The mother recouered and continued long after The same Seditious Commotions caused by Exactions IN the yeare 1548. the Commons of Guyenne Santonge and Angoulemois fell into a rebellion by reason of the extorsions of the Customers and Farmers of Salt In a fewe weekes they grew to the number of fortye thousand men armed with clubbes and staues ioyning with the Ilanders By a generall consent they ran vpon the Customers and Farmers of salt although the King of Nauarre sought to appease them executing their deseigne with extreame furye against all that they could take The Commons of Gascoigne rise in diuers places the killing of certaine Officers of the Kings that had abused their places being the cause The Maior Iurates and others that bare office in Bourdeaux and the Lord of Monneins in place of the Kings Lieutenant there insteed of remedying these tumults at the beginning temporised to much especially the L. of Monneins for that he gaue way to the insolence of one of the cheefe of these Rebells called La VERGNE who grewe so bold that shortly after hee raised all the common people by the Tocsaine or larum bell Beeing shut vp in the Castle of Ha now then he sent forth certaine Harguebuziers to make the people affraide But this deuise tooke not effect for such issuings did so heate the Cittizens that hauing found la VERGNE ESTONNAC MAQVANAN and others men according to their desire they presently to armes the Customers or Exactors beeing they they sought for vnder which collour pretending they sought for the Exactors many honorable houses were spoiled vpon this the Commons being receiued into the Towne they rung the Alarum Bell no man daring to bee seene but armed and in company of some of these rebelles for otherwise they kild all they met The Counsellers of the Court of Parliament were constrained to leaue their Gownes and betake them to their Dublet and hose and Capt after the fashion of Marriners to carry a pike and march amongest the rude multitude They constrained the Lords of Saulx brethren the one Captaine of the Towne the other of the Castle called Trompette to bee chiefe and assist at the spoile of certaine of their fellowe Cittizens friends houses massacring thē before their faces The Towne-house furnished with an innumerable quantity of armes was spoiled MONEINS Lieutenant for the King verie vnaduisedly left his forte to come and make an oration to this inraged multitude where hee was by them slaine and the Carmelites in danger to haue their house spoiled for that they had buried him in their Church shortly after these spoilers beeing charged beganne to retier and the Parliament began to take courage executing some of the principall of this commotion and amongest the rest La VERGNE who was drawne in peeces by foure horses The King aduertised of this disorder writ to the Commons assuring them with speede hee would prouide for their greeuance Commanding them to cease their armes by meanes whereof euery one retired L' ESTONNAC was happely chaced out of the Castle called Trompette During this FRANCIS of Lorraine Earle of Aumale followed by foure thousand Suisses and the force of the French horse entred into Saintonges pacifying it without resistance or punnishment ANNE of Mommoran◅ie heigh Constable of France with all the forces of both armies ioyned togither in one entred by an vnaccustommed way
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