Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	witness_n	woman_n	young_a	31	3	5.7423	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13830	The Spanish Mandeuile of miracles. Or The garden of curious flowers VVherin are handled sundry points of humanity, philosophy, diuinitie, and geography, beautified with many strange and pleasant histories. First written in Spanish, by Anthonio De Torquemeda, and out of that tongue translated into English. It was dedicated by the author, to the right honourable and reuerent prelate, Don Diego Sarmento de soto Maior, Bishop of Astorga. &c. It is deuided into sixe treatises, composed in manner of a dialogue, as in the next page shall appeare.; Jardin de flores curiosas. English	Torquemada, Antonio de, fl. 1553-1570.; Lewkenor, Lewis, Sir, d. 1626.; Walker, Ferdinand.	1600 (1600)	STC 24135; ESTC S118471	275,568	332

he vvould faine come foorth she her selfe liuing in pittifull extreamity and painfully gasping for life vvhich her seruants perceauing opened the wound a little more and tooke the Infant out causing him to be nourished the which prospered so vvel that he aftervvards cam to attaine the royall Diademe and raigned many yeeres And not much before our time a Gentleman called Diego Osorio of the house of Astorgo vvas borne in the selfe same manner but they tooke so little heede in cutting of his mothers belly that they gaue him a slash on the legge of which hee remained euer after lame and liued manie yeeres AN. Children to be borne toothed is a thing so common that we haue seene it often amongst the Auncients as Pliny and Soline writeth were Papinus Carbo and Marcus Curius Dentatus I can giue good testimony heereof my selfe as an eye witnes of some that haue been borne with teeth and that with those before vvhereby we may the better beleeue the antiquity LV. Some Greeke Authors write that Pirrhus King of the Epirotes in steede of teeth was borne with a hard massie bone onely one aboue and another beneath And Herodotus vvriteth that in Persia there vvas a whole linage that had the like Caelius Rodiginus in the beginning of his fourth booke de antiquis lectionibus bringeth for author Io. Mochius vvhich affirmeth that Hercules had three rowes of teeth which is passing strange but no doubt there haue happened many miraculous things in the vvorld vvhich for want of vvriters haue not come to our knowledge and if we could see those things which happen in other Countries we should not so much vvonder at these of which we novv speake neither neede we goe farre to seeke them for wee shall finde enough euen in our Europe and Countries heere abouts BER I will tell you vvhat I saw in a Towne of Italy called Prato seauen or eight miles off from Florence a child new borne vvhose face was couered with a very thick beard about the length of ones hand white and fine as the finest threeds of flaxe that might be spunne which when he came to be two moneths old began to fall off as it had peeld avvay through some infirmity after which time I neuer savv him more neither knovv I what became of him LV. And I once savv a little vvench which was borne with a long thick haire vpon the chine of her backe and so sharpe as if they had beene the brisles of a vvild Boare so that shee must continually euer after keepe it cut short or othervvise it hurt her vvhen shee cloathed her selfe AN. These are things vvherein Nature seemeth not farre to exceede her accustomed order Let vs therefore come to thē that are more strange and of greater admiration Pliny writeth that there was a woman called Alcippa deliuered of an Elephant and another of a Serpent besides he writeth that he saw himselfe a Centaure brought to the Emperour Claudius in hony to keepe him from putrefaction which was brought forth by a woman of Thessalia Besides these there are manie other such like thinges reported by vvise and graue Authors that such as neuer heard of them before vvould be astonished at theyr strangenes LVD And thinke you that this age and time of ours yeeldeth not as many strange and vvonderfull things as the antiquitie did Yes vndoubtedly doth it vvere vve so carefull to registre and to commit them to memory as they were I will tell you one of the which I am a witnesse my selfe of a woman that hauing had a very hard trauaile in the which she was often at the poynt of death at last was deliuered of a child and withall of a beast whose fashion was lyke vnto a Firret which came foorth with his clawes vpon the childes brest and his feete entangled within the childs legges both one and the other died in few houres BER Wee see and heare daily of many things like vnto these and besides we haue seene women in steede of chyldren bring forth onelie lumpes of flesh which the Phisitions call Moles I haue seene my selfe one of the which a woman was deliuered of the fashion of a great Goose-neck at one end it had the signe of a head vnperfectly fashioned and the woman told me that when it came into the world it moued and that therfore they had sprinkled water vpon it vsing the words of Baptisme In engendring of these things Nature seemeth to shewe herselfe weake and faint and perchance the defect heereof might be in the Father or mother the imperfection of whose seed was not able to engender a creature of more perfection AN. Your opinion herein is not without some reason but withall vnderstande that there may bee aswell therein supersluitie which corrupting it selfe in steede of engendring a child engendreth these other creatures which you haue rehearsed as the Elephant the Centaure and the rest but the likeliest is that they are engendred of corrupted humors that are in the womans body vvhich in time wold be the cause of her death in steed of which Nature worketh that vvhich Aristotle saith in his Booke De communi animalium gressu that Nature forceth her alwaies of things possible to doe the best and vvhen she can create any thing of these corrupted humors whereby she may preserue lyfe shee procureth to doe it as a thing naturall LU. The one and the other may wel be true but yet in my iudgement there is another reason likelier then eyther of them both which is that all these thinges or the most part of them proceede of the womans imagination at the time of her conception For as Algazar an auncient Philosopher of great authority affirmeth The earnest imagination hath not onely force and power to imprint diuers effects in him which imagineth but also may worke effect in the things imagined for so intentiuely may a man imagine that it rayneth that though the wether were faire it may become clowdy raine indeed and that the stones before him are bread so great may be the vehemency of his imagination that they may turne into bread BE. I beleeue the miracle which Christ made in turning water into wine but not these miraculous imaginations of Algazar which truly in mine opinion are most ridiculous AN. In exteriour things I neuer sawe any of these miracles yet Aristotle vvriteth in his ninth Booke De animalibus that the Henne fighting with the Cocke and ouercomming him conceaueth thereof such pride that shee lyfteth vp her crest and tayle imagining that shee is a Cocke and seeking to tread the other Hennes vvith the very imagination whereof she cōmeth to haue spurres But leauing thys let vs come to Auicenna for in thys matter we cannot goe out of Doctors and Philosophers whose opinion in his seconde Booke is that the imagination of the minde is able to work so mightie a change in naturall things that it hapneth oftentimes

were thought of some to be Incubi because they were so luxurious Hence many tooke occasion to authorise that for truth which is reported of Marlyn that he was begotten of a deuill but thys is better said then affirmed for whether it be so or no God onely knoweth and besides this vvhich I haue said he speaketh of many other particularities secrets that are amongst the deuils which in truth it is best not to know nor vnderstand for the knowledge of them can be no way profitable and may perchance be some way hurtfull BER If the deuill can doe that which this Marcus sayeth perchance Lactantius Firmianus tooke thence occasion to vvrite that folly of his saying that the authority of Genesis vvhich saith As the sonnes of GOD sawe the daughters of men which were beautifull they tooke them for wiues and had children by them is vnderstood by the Angels vvhom God held heere in the world so that he attributeth to thē bodies with which they conuersed with women and begot chyldren AN. Truly you may rightly terme it his folly for there cannot be a greater as both S. Thomas all the other Docters of Theologie affirme vnderstanding by the sons of God men that serued him walked in the way of righteousnes by the sons of men those that followed their owne lusts and pleasures not regarding that which they ought to doe for it were absurd to thinke that the Angels should pollute themselues with such filthines as the deuils doe who also doe it not because they therin receiue delight but because of the sin and and offence which they therin make men to commit ioyntly with them for they cannot in truth howsoeuer they fashion their bodies exercise any vitall operation though there want not some who say that the deuils come to be enamoured of women pursue them in loue with lust and desire but I esteem this to be a meere mockery for it the deuill at any time make a shew of loue the same is dissembled that which he only seeks is the destruction of the soule without hauing any other respect for verification of which I will tell you what I saw in the Iland of Cerdinia in the citie of Caliar where at that instant was handled the inquisition of certaine Witches vvho they said had confederation did cōmunicate with those of Fraunce Nauarre of which many not long before had bin sought out punished at that very time there was a beautifull young mayden of the age of 17. or 18. yeres old apprehended accused to haue acquaintance and fleshly conuersation with the deuill brought to the same by the allurements and entisements of one of these Witches The deuill vsed oftentimes to resort vnto her in the likenes of one of the most beautifull young gentlemen in the world vsing so sweete and comely behauiour that the poore wench became so vehemently enamoured and so deepely inflamed in his loue that of all worldly felicities she accounted his company to be the greatest but he when he saw his time and thought her to be sure enough his tooke such order that the matter was discouered and the mayden taken who persisted so obstinatelie against the perswasions of those that willed her to repent to craue mercy that it was wonderfull thinking surelie that the deuill woulde helpe her as he had promised perseuering in such ardant loue and affection towardes him that with her passionate speeches she amazed and moued to pitty those that heard her speake and for conclusion willingly suffered herselfe to be put aliue into the fire and burnt still in vaine reclaiming the promised assistance of her abhominable Louer loosing thereby both her body and soule which so easily shee might haue saued in dying Christianlike and taking patientlie with repentance her bodily death in this world LU. Trulie her end was most pittifull and lamentable yet farre better did another of which I haue heard beeing lykewise a young mayden rich beautifull of good parentage who with extreame and vehement affection became to be inamoured of a young Gentleman liuing in the same Tovvne where shee remained but for her reputations sake she couered so warily this secrete feruent affection of hers that it was neyther perceaued of the Gentleman himselfe nor of any man else the deuill onely excepted who seeing occasion offered whereby as he thought to procure her damnation tooke vpon him the likenes habite and gesture of the Gentleman offring vnto her his seruice and loue with such artificiall perswasions that after solemne promise of marriage he came to haue the vse of her body to which otherwise her chast desire woulde neuer haue consented after which hee frequented many nights her companie lying in naked bedde with her as if hee had beene indeede the Gentleman vvhose shape he tooke vpon him and with whose loue the mayden was so ardently enflamed In this manner passed ouer manie monthes the deuill alwaies perswading her not to sende him any messages because it was for some respects conuenient to keepe the matter for a while secret withall that she should not conceaue any vnkindnesse if seeing her in publique hee vsed no outward semblance of loue towards her aduising her also to vse in all poynts the like strangenesse towardes him preuenting heereby the inconuenience that might haue hapned if she should haue found herselfe in company with the supposed Gentleman The matter continuing thus it fell out that the Mother of this mayden gaue vnto her a booke of deuout prayers to read which she often perusing the deuill had no more power at all to come in place where she was nor to abuse her any longer because she ware the same continuallie about her necke Whereupon at the end of three Moneths shee wondring much at his absence and withall hearing that he I meane the supposed Gentleman courted another Gentlewoman entring into a most vnpatient iealousie shee sent him one day word that by any meanes he should com speak with her about a matter most important The Gentleman without vnderstanding the cause beeing full of curtesie and good behauiour awayting a time when her mother was out came and founde her alone and after hauing curteously saluted her demaunded what her pleasure was The mayden seeing him speake as one that scarcely knewe her bathing her face with teares in wordes full of griefe complayned of his strangenesse and forgetfulnesse asking him for what demerite of hers he had left her so long vnuisited The Gentleman astonished at this manner of speech aunswered her as a man amazed and vtterlie ignorant of her meaning whereupon kindled with exceeding choller shee began to threaten him that seeing he had despoyled her of that which she held dearest that he should not now thinke to cast her of and that if he would not of his owne accord accomplish the promise of marriage vvhich he had vowed vnto her shee would besides her complaints to God and the world

the conquest of India who desiring to make triall of theyr fiercenes caused wilde Bores and Beares to be brought forth and to be thrust into an inclosed yarde where one of these dogs was turned loose who neuer stirred at sight of them but laying himselfe downe on the grounde let them passe by quietly so that Alexander thinking him to be but a fearefull and cowardly curre caused him presently to be killed which being vnderstood of those that had the charge to present them they came vnto Alexander telling him that the dog disdained so base a conquest as that of those beasts presented before him for proofe wherof they desired that some fiercer beast might be brought before the other which remained whereupon Alexander commaunded that a Lyon of exceeding cruelty shoulde be thrust in to him which presently without any difficulty hee slew then bringing him an Elephant he leapt and skipt wagging his taile making the greatest ioy that might be set so fiercely vpon him that at the first hee puld him ouer and ouer and vvould haue kild him but that they tooke him presently away King Lysimachus had also a dogge which seeing the fire wherin his dead daughter was to be burned according to the custome of that time after hauing accompanied the dead corps to the place where it was to be burnt and seeing it throwne thereinto cast himselfe also presently headlong into the midst therof refusing lothing and despising life after the death of his Mistresse Neither is that lesse wonderfull which hapned in Rome in the Consulship of Appius Iunius and Publiꝰ Silus to a gentleman condemned to death for a greeuous crime by him committed after whose execution a dog which hee had nourished young and that had borne him alwaies companie in his imprisonment seeing his deade bodie carried along the streete followed after with so pittifull cries and howlings that he mooued all those which heard him to compassion some of thē giuing him to eate thinking therby to appease him he tooke the bread and offred the same to his dead Maisters mouth perswading him as it were to eate therof and lastly the body beeing according to the sentence of condemnation cast into the Riuer of Tyber the dog plunged himselfe into the water and putting himselfe vnder the body heaued it vp and brought it to the shoare not without exceeding wonder and admiration of all the beholders But leauing apart these old matters what shall wee thinke of that dogge called the little Lyon which passed ouer with a Souldiour when Colona began his discouery of the Occidentall Indies who in theyr battailes accustomed to fight vvith such incredible fiercenes that the Indians confessed theyr feare to be greater of the dogge then of twentie Christians together and which is more if any Indian prisoner were broken loose and runne away in telling the dogge thereof hee vnderstood presently theyr meaning and followed after him as fast as he could by the track neuer leauing till he had found him out and which is strangest of all he knewe him amongst a thousand other Indians going directly to him would take him by the bosom bring him along if he resisted not without hurting him at all but if he striued to defend himselfe do the other Indians what they could he neuer left till he had torne him in peeces but commonly hee found small resistance for they were generally so terrified at his sight that happy vvas he that had the best heeles BER Truly mee thinkes these thinges are such that they could neuer be done without vnderstanding for confirmation whereof wee need not goe so farre to seeke examples hauing had in this our towne one so notably strange as that of the Earle Don Alonsos dog called Melchorico which dyd many things almost vnpossible to be done of any vnreasonable creature and scarcely credible but that there are so many witnesses of them so that the Earle tooke such exceeding pleasure in him that hee would neuer suffer him to be out of his sight giuing on his deathbed commaundement that the dogge should bee well kept and nourished bequeathing to that effect a yeerely pension but the dogge missing the Earle after his death began to droupe in so strange and mourneful a sort as though nothing had wanted to expresse his extreame griefe but only speech for the space of 3. dayes would neuer receaue any sustenaunce at all till at last those of the house taking pittie of the silly dog endeuoured by deceauing him if it were possible to preserue his life There was in the house a Iester which counterfeited the Earle so in his speech and gesture and resembled him so neere in fauour that beeing attired in his apparrell hee seemed in a manner to be the Earle indeed Vpon whose backe they put on a sute of apparrell which the Earle had been accustomed to weare causing him therewith to enter into the Chamber and to call the dogge by his name and to whisle and cheere him vp as the Earle was wont to doe The dogge beeing at the first sight deceaued presentlie sprang vp leaping and fawning on him making the greatest ioy that hee possibly might and fell incontinent to his meate but within awhile perceiuing the deceite he returned to his former drouping refusing vtterly to eate and continuing so a few dayes at last died LU. This is a matter verie large that yeeldeth manie arguments to perswade vs that there is also in other beasts some sparke of reason vnderstanding for what cōmon wealth of the world can be better gouerned then that of the Bees hauing one onely King their soueraigne and superior whom they obey folow how strange is it to see the order agreement they hold in gathering their hony bringing it to their hiues And as Plinie writeth there are some amongst them who serue onely for discouerers or skouts guiding the rest to those parts that are commodious for the gathering of their hony Besides what artifice can be greater thē that which they vse in building their combs or little lodgings wherein they lay their hony which when the cold winter commeth when the flowers are faded gone serueth to them for for sustenance The selfe same do the Emets laying vp while the somer endureth in their caues storehouses prouision for the winter which being for the most part corne seeds they knip bite the graines in sunder least otherwise through the moistnes of the earth they might come to sprout and shoote forth Neither is their art with which they stop dresse their Cabbins lesse exquisite defending themselues thereby from the wind water infinit other things are written of them of which we may take example yea be ashamed that we cannot so wel gouerne order our selues as do those feeble and silly beastes Let vs also marke the diligent vigilance of the Cranes which for their security by night while they sleepe