before the martyrdome of Peter and Paul When Seneca waxed old Nero calling to remembrance the punishment of the rod wherewith Seneca corrected him in his childhood admonished and commanded him to chuse what kind of death he would dye whereby Seneca understanding the Emperours will and pleasure desired that he might bee set in warme water and that his veines might bee cut and opened in it and so they were and he bled untill all his vitall spirits issued out of his body and thus he desired to finish his life because he thought it an easie kinde of death to lose his life in cutting of his veines To divers Nations in ancient times were obiected divers vices and deformities ENvy to the Iewes disloyalty and unfaithfulnesse to the Persians craftinesse to the Aegyptians Deceitfulnesse to the Grecians Cruelty to the Saracens Levity and lightnesse to the Caldeans Variety and changeablenesse to the Affricans Gluttony to the French men Vaine glory to the Lombards Unmercifull severity of the Hungarians The uncleannesse and and filthinesse of the Sâ—evians The foolishnesse of the Saxons The hardinesse of the Picts the luxury of the Scots the drunkennesse and vinolency of the Spaniards the anger of the Britains the rapacity and greedinesse of the Normans And as those vices were noted in these kindes of Nations severally so divers vertues and honest properties were attributed to them severally As Prudence to the Hebricians Stedfastnesse to the Persians Subtilty and wittinesse to the Egyptians Wisedome to the Grecians Gravity to the Romans Sagacity to the Caldeans Wit to the Assyrians Strength and Fortitude to the French-men Faithfulnesse to the Scots Subtile sophistry to the Spaniards Hospitality to the Britaines Mutuall particiâ—ation to the Normans These properties were of anâ—â—ent writers ascribed to divers Nations in old time the which â—ow in these our dayes seeme to â—e much changed and to have â—ad great alteration Sugar groweth in a part of Italy IN Calabria which is a part of Italy there groweth Sugar which is a kinde of Hony gatheâ—ed out of great canes or reeds â—irst of al it is like unto a kind of narrow resolved into liquour which some call white gum a â—hing easie to bee separated and â—ivided and afterward this liâ—uor being boyled and sodden â—fter the manner of Salt is reâ—olved into a spume of froth â—ntill at the length that which 〈◊〉 good falleth to the bottome and then the corruption and dregs may be cleane taken away by the froth A Mountaine alwayes casting forth flames and smoke THe Mountaine called Vesâ—vius Mons being nigh unto the great water Sarnum not far from Naples sendeth forth continually flames of fire and smoke like unto Aetna in Sicily This Hill in the Reigne of TITUS the Emperour being broken in the very top did cast forth so great flames that it set the Countries adjoyning on fire The Writers of Histories say such abundance of ashes and hot imbers to have beene throwne out of this Hill that the fields round about have beene filled with the said ashes even to the tops of the trees It is also found in ancient writings that Pliny the second being a very grave and wise man in the Reigne of Traianus the Emperour was suffocate and destroyed with the flames and ashes of this Hill when that for the desire he had to see and note the nature and motion of it hee presumed to goe too neare This Mountaine also burned with flames of fire when T. Vespasian and F. Domitian were Consuls and breaking out in the top first it cast forth stones aloft after that so great flames of fire followed that through the fervent heate thereof two Townes were consumed with Fire the smoke thereof was so thicke that it tooke away the light of the Sunne and in the day time made the darknesse of the night casting forth Pumice stones and divers other kinde of black stones Last of all ashes sprang out so thicke and such a multitude that the Countries hard by were covered therewith as it were with Snow and these ashes were driven by the force of the windes partly into Affricke and partly into Aegypt and Syria The which outragious burning as the elder Pliny did contemplate and behold the smoke did so obstruct and stop his winde-pipe that in the restraint of respiration he was suffocate and strangled The properties of the Eagle IN Italy there bee many Eagles this fowle is a rapacious cruell and a devourer of flesh she is so much given to greedinesse and to her prey that she doth not onely seeke for preys in necessity of food but also when shee hath enough shee seeketh for superfluities shee doth greedily invade and set upon Hares Harts Geese and Cranes the eyes of the Eagle be so sharpe and quicke of sight that being in the very highest part of the Ayre shee can easily see what falleth on the land Amongst all fowles onely the Eagle can move her selfe streight upward and downward perpendicularly with her flying without any collaterall declining The Egle is commended for his faithfulnesse towards other birds when he hath gotten meat or feeding for hee doth familiarly communicate the same unto such Fowles as do accompany him and when hee hath no more to make distribution of then he attacheth his guest and dismembreth and devoureth him All Fowle tremble when they see the Eagle having as it were some understanding of his tyranny against them Hee loveth his yong with great affection so that the Eagle putteth his owne body in danger for them bearing his yong on his back when hee perceiveth them to be assaulted with Arrowes When he laboureth to drive the Hart headlong to ruine hee gatheâ—eth much dust as hee flyeth â—nd sitting upon the Harts â—ornes hee shaketh the dust â—â—to his eyes and with his â—ings beateth him about the â—outh untill he bringeth him to all downe headlong Hee hath great conflicts with the Dragon and the Dragon most greedily coveteth â—he Egles Egges and for this â—ause they fight wheresoever â—hey meeâ—e It is said that â—he Eagle of all kinde of Fowles â—an keepe the sharpnesse of his â—ight and his eyes steadfast against the Sunne beames and â—hat hee is never hurt by lightâ—ing A Description of the Raven THe Raven is a fowle give to rapacity and devoâ—â—ring of flesh great of body slow in flight sharpe in sight and frequenteth much in Italy in the Alpes in Spaine and in Egypt And this is to be understood oâ— the great kinde of Ravens Thâ— skinne of the Raven is prepareâ— and dressed artificially of thâ— white tawyers with the featheâ— remaining upon it and that 〈◊〉 laid to a stomacke not well 〈◊〉 sickly doth marvellously helpâ— digestion This Fowle doâ—â— greatly above all other covâ—â— mens carcases and by a singulaâ— wit and naturall gift it underâ—standeth of mans death presâ—â—ging it few dayes before With his sharpe eye-sight also it perceiveth a farre off his most desired foode There bee some that writeth marvellous things
the one was with child the third woman comming suddenly upon them unlooked for thrust the heads of those two which were talking together so that they dashed and touched each other whereof the woman that had conceived already being made affraide through strong imagination gave and printed the signe of the rushing of their heads in her two children How scrupulous the Iewes be to doe any thing on their Sabbath day IT chanced that at Magdeburg in Germany about the yeare of our Lord 1270 a certaine Iew upon the Saturday fell into a Jakes out of the which hee could by no meanes deliver himselfe hee cryed therefore pittifully for the helpe of his fellows at the length some of his companions came and they with lamentable voyces shewed that it was their Sabbath day and therefore not to bee lawfull for them to use or exercise the labour of the hands Whereupon they exhorted him patiently to beare the thing untill the next day that it might bee lawful for them to travaile in the helping of him out This matter at the last came unto the eares of the Bishop of that place who was nothing favourable to the Iews The Bishop understanding that the stubborn Iews for the scrupulous observation of their Sabbath day would not helpe their brother out of the jakes commanded upon paine of death that they which did so curiously observe their owne Sabbath day should in like manner as religiously observe and keepe with the like solemnity the next day after being the Christians Sabbath day This was an hard case what should they now do upon paine of death they must obey In the meane time the miserable Iew in the jakes was enforced to abide two dayes and two nights in great filth and stinke and danger of his life The like History you shall finde in Fabians Chronicle The Famine of Ierusalem SVch was the Famine that this famous Citty and her people did endure in the 72 yeare after Christs time that an infinite multitude perished within the walls through Famine so many perished for food that they were not to be numbred for in every place where any Corne or other victualls was heard they presently resorted thither and by force of Armes assaulted their deerest kindred and friends and fought with them to take the food even from little infants even like madde Dogs greedy of meate and in that insatiate manner that they gathered together such things to eate as the most filthiest living creatures in the world would have loathed They did eatte he hides of Horses boyled in a little water to make the skinne a little tender their shooe soles they did eate and their Belts and Girdles from their Loynes they tooke and likewise the skinnes that covered their Targets or Shields did they mince and cut to satisfie their greedy stomacks A little bottle of Hay was sold weghing twelve pound at foure pieces of Silver But great and fearfull is it to relate of one Mary dwelling beyond Iordan the daugter o Eleazer of the town or village of Vitezotia and by interpretation the house of Hysop descended of noble and rich stocke flying with her Friends into Ierusalem for feare of the enemy Titus who besieged the City And in length of time shee wanting her naturall food was compelled to do that which nature abhorred and then through extreame want tooke her son whom she loved dearly which lay smiling on the bed with teares in his eyes like Diamonds glittering to see his Mother which he no way could relieve bewayling her hard fâ—â—tune said My deare but oh miserable child in this war famine and sedition for which of these shal I reserve or keepe thee for if the Romans overcome us thou then art a slave yet famine will prevent bondage or else sedition worse then them both She being then resolved tooke a Faulchion and strucke off her sonnes head and said Be thou food for mee which have formerly fed thee in my wombe therefore now thou shalt be meat for me a terrour unto the seditious a tragicall story to bee related of by posterity and that which is onely yet unheard of amongst the calamities of the Iews And after these words she cleav'd his body in twaine and did seeth or boyle the one halfe of him and did eate of it the other part she reserved in obscurity The souldiers smelling the sent of that execrable meate came to her house and threatned her with Death unlesse shee would relieve them as shee had done her selfe or shew them the way or meanes how they might come by some victualls to satisfie their hunger shee presently in a trembling manner told them shee had kept a good portion thereof for them and on a sudden uncovered the other part of her sonnes dead body which she had uneaten at which sight they were strucken with amazement and horrour But the woman said This is truely my son and mine owne act or doing taste of it for I my selfe have eaten sufficiently thereof Be not more effeminate and childish then a woman not more mercifull then a mother and if Religion or your Conscience cause you to refuse this my sacrifice I have with a good appetite eaten of it already and will eate the rest Then the seditious souldiers departed from her and bruted abroad in the Citty this hainous crime and every man having before his eyes this execrable fact â—rembled as though himselfe had done the deed and now all that were vexed with this scarâ—ity and famine hastened their owne deaths and cast lots dayly who should be the next to be sacrificed accounting himselfe most happy that dyed before he felt this famine Of wilde Bulls in Prussia THere be wilde Bulls in the Woods of Prussia like unto the common sort of Bulls saving that they have shorter homes and a long beard under the chinne They be cruell and spare neither man nor beast and when any snares or deceit is prepared to take them or they be wounded with arrows in the Woods they labour most vehemently to revenge their wounds upon them that gave them the which thing if they cannot doe rushing and stumbling on trees they kill themselves They be of such bignes that 2 men may sit betwixt their hornes Of Iseland IN this Countrey from the 10 of June for a moneth space or more they have no night at all and about the tenth of December they have no day at all The people live in Dens and hollow places in hills sides with them Mountaines and Hills are insteed of Townes and spring waters for delicate drinks An happy Nation whose poor estate none doth envy and so much the more that it hath receiued Christianity The Merchants of England and Denmark doe not suffer them to be content with their owne but by â—eason of the great fishing there â—hey repaire thither oftentimes â—nd with their Merchandize â—hey carry thither their vices and enormities They have learned now of â—ate to brew with malt and have â—eft
be borne of the Virgin and to have suffered all contumely and punishment of the Iews patiently for as much as that body conceived by Gods inspiration was made unpassible and also seeing that Christ did ascend into the Heavens and Iudas was crucified in his place The Turks admit onely three Prophets Mahomet their Law-giver Moses the Prophet of the Hebrews and Christ whom they deny to bee God Mahomet made a cursed Law that if any man should dispute against his mysteries that he should suffer death for it in the which Law he hath manifestly taught that there is no sincere or good thing in Alcoran the which he goeth about to defend by the sword onely Thus with Sergius hee made his booke full of wickednesse and corrupted the true Scriptures with counterfeit interpretations and that he might be accounted the Prophet and conservatour of both The manner of the Assyrians THe Assyrians feed upon Dates whereof they make both Wine and Honey They keep their haire long and binde it up with haire laces and fillets They anoynt themselves with fine ointments before they goe abroad Of their Lawes that they used this one is memorable that â—heir Maydens and Virgines beâ—ng ripe for Men were brought â—nto some open place and there were set to bee sold yeareâ—y for them that would marry â—ny Wives and first of all the most beautifull were set to sale â—hey which had not so comely â—eauty that no man would buy â—hem nor scantly take them freely were bestowed in Matrimony with that sum of mony which was gathered of selling the faire maids They had no use of Physitians but there was a Law among them that if any did fall sick hâ— should ask counsaile of those that had beene visited and troubled with the same sicknesse Some say that their sick folkes were carried abroad and that by the Law they which had beene sick at any time should visit such as were now sicke and teach them by what meanes and remedie especially they were delivered from their sicknesse They had for their Priests men of great knowledge in Astronomy who could faithfully interprete dreames and monstrous things and these were not taught nor learned abroad but the children tooke their discipline and learning as inheritance from their parents With long and ancient observation of the Stars they did prognosticate to mortall men many things to come they did attribute great strength to the Planets but others especially to Saturne They therefore told many things to Princes as to Alexander his victory which he had against Darius and to divers other in like manner The manner of the Persians THe Persians would not wash them in any river nor never make Urine in the water nor cast any Carcasse therein nor so much as spit in it for they did most religiously reverent the Water Their Kings they alwaies created of one Family and hee that did not obey the King lost his head and his armes and was cast away unburied they had many Wives for the increase of their stock and many Concubines also they gave great rewards to them that had gotten many Children in one yeare the Children after the were borne came not into their Fathers sight for five years space but were kept amongst Women for this cause if any dyed in the bringing up that the Father should take no griefe of the losse their Marriages were solemnized about the tenth day of March. From five yeares of age untill they were twenty foure they learned to ride to cast the Dart to Shoote and especially to speake well They did practise to passe over brooks and waters to suffer heate and cold They continue in harnesse and in moyst garments they feed upon acorns and field-peares after their exercise they had very hard bread and water for their drinke Their beds and cups were adorned amongst the common sort with Gold and Silver They never consulted of any great matters but in the middest of their banquets thinking that to be a more surer consultation then that which was had of sober men Familiers and such as were of acquaintance when they meete they kissed together they which were of a baser calling did worshippe him that they met withall They buried dead bodies in the ground enclosing them in waxe They thought it an hainous offence to laugh or spit before the Prince Some say that they carryed their dead bodies out of the Citty and there laid them in the fields to bee devoured of dogs and Fowles of the ayre They would not have the bones of dead bodies to bee buried or reserved and when any dead body was not immediately consumed of Dogs or wilde beasts they thought it an ill signe and that he was a man of an uncleane minde and therefore not to bee worthy to be in Hell and his next Friends did marvellously lament him as one that had no hope of happinesse after this life but if he were quickly devoured of beasts they thought him happy The Emperour of the Persians is at this day called Sophy who with his noble acts getteth great empire and glory Of the Panther and Tyger THe Panther is a beast like unto a Lybard he hath variety of colours and is very fierce and wilde so that some call him a Dog-wolfe and yet he is gentle enough if hee be filled Hee sleepeth three dayes and after the third day he washeth himselfe and cryeth out and with a sweete sent that commeth from him hee gathereth all wilde beasts together which are led and moved with his favour and hee is friendly to all wilde beasts saving the Dragon and the Serpent The shee Panther is said to be a beast differing from the male because she is cruell and full of spots Some say that all beasts are marvellously delighted with the sent of them but by their horrible lookes they are made affraide and therfore hiding their heads they take and catch other beasts allured with the pleasantnesse of them as Goats and such like which being taken with a fond desire of their pleasantnesse commeth neerer and neerer but the Libard leaping out of her Den flyeth upon them In Caria and Lybia the Panthers be of a good length and somewhat timerous and not so full of agility in leaping but they have so hard a skinne that you can hardly pierce it the Female is more common to be found The Tygre is a beast of a wonderfull swiftnesse it bringeth forth many yong the which many doe steale away upon Horseback very swift But when the Female seeth her yong gone for the Males take no care of the yong shee runneth headlong searching by smelling the taker of her yong hearing her comming neare with raging casteth downe one of the yong the which she taketh away with her mouth after that shee returneth againe with marvellous celerity so that shee getteth another and so the third time and untill that hee hath gotten into a ship and then shee seeing her fiercenesse frustate rageth on the banks Saint Austine