shall deliver into their Hands take heed of them and cleave fast to Christ For they will leave no corner of his Conscience unsearched but will attempt by all guileful and subtle means to corrupt him and to cause him to fall from God and his Truth The Night after he had Subscribed he was greatly troubled and through Affliction of Conscience could not Sleep neither could his Mind be eased till he had procured his Subscription and tore out his Name Being Condemned to be Burned he thus said My Mind and Conscience I Praise God is now quiet in Christ and I by his Grace am very willing and content to give over my Body to the Death for a Testimony of his Truth and pure Religion against Antichrist and all his false Religion and Doctrine Ibid. p. 28. 7. In Suffolk among others there was one Peter Moon and his Wife who were Charged for not coming to Church and for neglecting other Popish Ceremonies Moon was first Examined Whether the Pope was not the Supreme Head of the Church Whether the Queen were not the right Inheritrix of the Crown Whether Christ's Body was not Really Present in the Sacrament c and being of a timorous Disposition he so answered as his Adversaries were satisfied His Wife also by his Example was drawn into the same Dissimulation and so they were dismissed But when they came home and began to bethink themselves what they had done they fell into such Trouble and Horror of Conscience that they were ready wholly to Despair And Moon seeing a Sword hanging in his Parlor was tempted to have slain himself with it which yet the Lord was pleased to prevent and afterwards upon their unfeigned Repentance to restore and comfort them Ibid. 8. Sir John Check who had been Tutor to King Edward VI. in the Reign of Queen Mary was cast into the Tower and kept close Prisoner and put to this miserable choice either to forego his Life or that which was more precious his Liberty of Conscience Neither could his Liberty be procured by his great Friends at any lower Rate than to Recant his Religion This he was very unwilling to accept of till his hard Imprisonment joyned with threats of much worse in case of his refusal and the many large promises made upon his Submission with what other means humane Policy could invent wrought so upon him whilst he consulted with Flesh and Blood as drew from him an Abrenuntiation of that Truth which he had so long Professed and still Believed upon this he was Restored to his Liberty but never to his Comfort for the Sense of and Sorrow for his own Apostacy and the daily sight of the cruel Butcheries exercised on others for their constant adherence to the Truth made such deep Impressions upon his broken Spirit as brought him to a speedy yet through God's Mercy and Goodness to a comfortable end of his Miserable Life A. C. 1557. ibid. p. 28. 9. There was one Ralph Allerton who coming into his Parish Church of Bently in Essex and finding the People idle or ill imployed he exhorted them to go to Prayers and after he had read to them a Chapter out of the New Testament for which being Apprehended he was carried before Bishop Bonner who by his subtle perswasions and flatteries so prevailed with this poor Man that he drew him to Recant his former Profession and so dismissed him But this base Cowardice of his brought him into such Bondage and Terrors of Conscience and so cast him down that if the Lord had not been exceeding gracious unto him he had Perished for ever But the Lord looking upon him with the Eyes of Mercy after he had Chastned raised him up again giving him not only hearty and unfeigned Repentance of his Back-sliding but also a constant boldness to profess his Name and Gospel even unto Death ibid. 10. In the City of Bristol there was one Richard Sharp a Weaver who being Apprehended for Religion was carried before Doctor Dalby the Chancellor who after he had Examined him about the Sacraments of the Altar so wrought upon him by Perswasions that he drew from him a promise to make a publick Recantation and the time and place were appointed for it But after this Promise Sharp felt such an Hell in his Conscience that he was not able to follow any Business and he decayed in his bodily Health and wholly lost his Colour Whereupon on a Sabbath going to his Parish-Church he pressed to the Quire-door and with a loud Voice said Neighbours bear me Record that yonder Idol pointing to the Altar is the greatest and most abominable Idol that ever was and I am sorry that ever I denied my Lord God For this he was carried to Prison and Sealed the Truth with his Blood Ibid. p. 29. 11. When Jerome of Prague came to the Council at Constance they sent him to a Town where they tied him fast to a great Block and set his Legs in the Stocks his Hands also being made fast unto them the Block being so high that he could not possibly sit thereon but his Head must hang downward where also they allowed him nothing but Bread and Water But within eleven days hanging thus by the Heels he fell very sick Yet thus they kept him in Prison almost Twelve Months and then sent to him requiring him to Recant and to Subscribe that John Huss was justly put to Death which he did partly out of fear of Death and hoping to escape their hands Yet they sent to Examine him again but he refused to Answer except he were brought in Publick before the Council and they presuming that he would openly confirm his former Recantation sent for him May 25. 1416. subborning False Witnesses to Accuse him But he so learnedly cleared himself and refuted his Adversaries that they were astonished at his Oration which he concluded with this That all such Articles which Wickliff and Huss had written against the Enormities Pomps and Disorders of the Prelates he would firmly Hold and Defend even unto Death And that all the Sins he had committed did not so much gnaw and trouble his Conscience as did that most Pestiferous Act of his in Recanting what he had justly spoken and to the consenting to the wicked Condemnation of Huss and that he repented with his whole Heart that ever he did it For this he was Condemned and Burned Ibid. p. 30. 12. Some of the Friends of Galcacius Garacciolus Marquess of Vico having promised to accompany him in his voluntary Exile but afterwards looking back and turning again to their Vomit they were Apprehended and cast into the Inquisition were they were forced publickly to Recant and to Abjure their Religion and so they became the Subject of Misery and Infamy and were equally Odious to both Parties Ibid. p. 30. 13. Tho. Bilney A. C. 1531. of Cambridge Professor of both Laws Converted Thomas Arthur and Mr. Hugh Latimer but after recanting his Principles for the space of two
of in this Disputing Age viz. That they are a Congestion of Vapours or Exhalations in the Clouds inkindled there by an Antiperistasis and so moving and diffusing themselves till they burst the Clouds and break forth with a loud Eruption and quickness of Flame to the Astonishment of us who live beneath But sure I am with the Psalmist They are the Voice of the Lord and bring mighty Things to pass sometimes to our Terrour and Amazement 1. In the time of Marcus Antonius the Philosopher we read that the Quadi his Enemies were stricken with Thunder at the Prayers of the Christian Soldiers whence the Christian Legion was called The Thundering Legion presently saith the Emperour of them in that Epistle as they lay upon their Faces and prayed to God I know not whom a cold Shower fell upon us but upon our Enemies Hail mingled with Thunder that we found immediately that the Hand of the mighty God affisted us Johnst Nat. Hist cl 3. c. 5. p. 79. 2. About Anno 105 in the Reign of Trajan who raised the 3d Persecution Octob. 22 there arose furious and violent Winds which tore up Trees by the Roots uncovered and overthrew many Houses c. Then followed Thunder and Lightnings which made the Night like Noon-Day then fearful Thunderbolts which brake down stately Buildings and slew many Men c. Clark's Mir. p. 489. Dion 3. July 1654 at Salisbury in New-England one Partridge was killed by Thunder and Lightning his House being set on Fire thereby himself with others endeavouring to quench it by a second Crack was struck dead and never spoke more Ten others were struck and lay for dead but they all revived except Partridge in whose Clothes and Skin were Holes found like Shot-holes Remarkable Providences p. 73. 4. Octob. 21. Anno 1638 at Withycomb in Devonshire being Sabbath-day whilst the People were attending the Publick Worship of God a black Cloud coming over the Church there was suddenly an amazing Clap of Thunder and with it a Ball of Fire came in at the Window whereby the Church was much damnified and many of the People struck down Some of the Seats in the Body of the Church were turned upside down yet they that sate in them received no hurt One Mr. Hill sitting in his Seat by the Chancel had his Head suddenly smitten against the Wall by which Blow he died that Night Another had his Head cloven his Skull rent in three pieces and his Brains thrown on the Ground whole The Hair of his Head by the Violence of the Blow stuck fast to the Pillar that was near him A Woman attempting to run out of the Church had her Clothes set on fire and her Flesh on her Back torn almost t the very Bone Clark's Examples Vol. 1. ch 104. p. 501. 5. Anno 1613 June 26 in the Parish of Christchurch in Hampshire one John Hitchell a Carpenter lying in Bed with his Wife and a young Child by them was himself with his Child burnt to Death by a Flash of Lightning no Fire appearing outwardly upon him and yet lay burning for the space of three Days till he was quite consumed to Ashes Clark's Prodigies p. 579. 6. Anno 1665 in February there was a great Tempest accompanied with Thunder and Lightning in divers places at which time the stately Spire of Coventry fell and beat down a great part of the Church killing one Man And in Hampshire a Justice of the Peace riding by t the way was slain and burnt by Lightning Ibid. p. 570. 7. Dr. Beard saith That a Man travelling between two Woods in a great Tempest of Thunder and Lightning rode under an Oak to shelter himself but his Horse would by no means stay under that Oak but whither his Master would or no went from that Tree and stayed very quietly under another Tree not far off he had not been there many Minutes before the first Oak was torn all to fitters with a fearful Clap of Thunder and Lightning Beard 's Theat p. 443. 8. Acosta saith That it seldom Thunders about Brasil but such Lightnings are frequent there as make the Night appear brighter than the Noon-day On some Snowy Mountains in Africa the Cracks of Thunder are so loud that they are heard 50 Miles off at Sea Mather's Remarkable Prov p. 131. 9. An Adversary of Mr. Bolton's riding abroad when it Thundred very dreadfully observing that his Wife a Pious Woman was not at all afraid when he himself trembled greatly answering That it was the Voice of her Heavenly Father c. Thereupon went to Mr. Bolton begg'd his Pardon and Prayers for the Wrong he had done him and desired to know what he should do to be saved Upon which he became a very reformed Man Ibid. 10. Meurerus in Comment Meteorolog speaks of a Man that going between Lipsia and Torga was suddenly carried out of sight by a Thunder-storm and never seen more Ibid. p. 128. When Matthew Cole was killed with the Lightning at Northampton the Demons which disturbed his Sister Anne Cole 40 Miles distant in Hartford spoke of it intimating their Concurrence in that terrible Accident Ibid. CHAP. LVI Earthquakes OUR Saviour hath told us That one jot of his Word shall not perish till all be fulfilled that Heaven and Earth shall sooner pass away And we have reason to suspect it when we find the Pillars of the Earth shake so terribly as sometimes they do and the Earth we tread upon which one would think firm in its Foundations tossed with such frequent and sometimes very dreadful Concussion̄s What Lesson methinks so natural in this Case as Arise let us go hence Let us cast Anchor within the Veil and place our Treasures in that City which hath lasting Foundations 1. Before the Birth of our Savour Plato mentions a wonderful Earthquake whereby in a Day and Night a vast Island without the Stroights of Gibralter called Atlantis and bigger than Asia and Africa together was wholly overwhelmed and afterward covered by a great Inundation of Water He also writes that by another terrible Earthquake the Continent of Africa was rent asunder from Europe and Asia as it is at this Day being not only contracted by a little Neck of Land at the Red Sea The famous Isle of Sicily was likewise formerly a part of Italy and by an Earthquake divided from it And our Island of Great-Britain is supposed to be broken off from the Centinent of France by that means Herodotus saith that Egypt in ancient time was a Gulph of the Sea and by an Earthquake made dry Land The River Indus in Asira which receives Fifteen other Rivers into it altered its Channel and the Neighbouring Country turned into a Wilderness by a lamentable Earthquake The Isle of Delphos famous for the Oracle and Temple of Apollo was wholly ruined by an Earthquake Strabo mentions a City situate about Sydon that was wholly swallowed up thereby Pliny writes of twelve Cities ruined in in one Night and St. Augustine is
his Creation nor attend his Master's Will nor pursue diligently his own Happiness Tho' our Feet are upon the Earth our Heads reach above the Clouds and we are near a-kin to the other World and have very great Concernments beyond the Stars and yet that we should let our Affections sink into the Earth and our Souls incline so strongly towards Hell For shame Sirs let us set forth the Glory of God a little better in our Generations than commonly we do Let us vie here upon the Earth by the Excellency of our Conversations with those twinkling Lamps that shine over our Heads let it never be said to our Disgrace that these sensless Creatures glorifie God better in their place than we Let our Faces our Graces outshine the Sun Let Men look on the Humility Honesty Sobriety Charity Piety and Patience of our Lives and give Glory to Him that hath given such Graces unto Men. And let these Graces never be darkned with any unworthy uncristian Practices let us appear glorious to the World and no Hypocrisie or Apostacy ever pull down our Professions or lay our Glory in the Dust It 's possible we may meet with strong with close Temptations O let not our shining Stars fall from Heaven nor Let our Moon be turned into Blood and then we shall be shortly removed from Grace to Glory and shortly shine like Stars in the highest Heavens yea as the Sun in the Firmament for ever 1 Cor. 15.41 As we shine in Grace now so in Glory hereafter 6. Of the Continuation of the Heavenly Bodies DAY unto Day uttereth Speech and Night unto Night sheweth Knowledge q. d. one Day informeth another and one Night gives in fresh evidence to another to prove the truth of it Not a Day nor a Night passeth over our Heads but the Heavens preach this Sermon to us We have a continual Rehearsal of this Doctrine from Age to Age from One Year to another from the beginning of the World to this present time This Preacher is never silent this Exercise never over All that I can think necessary to be said upon this particular may be referred to two Heads I. The Wonderfulness of this Continuation II. The Practical Lessons we should learn from it I. Wherein the Wonder of it lies 1. In the multitude of the Bodies concerned We observe of Mechanical Instruments made by the Hands of Men that an Engine consisting of very many Wheels or very many Motions or other Parts are the most difficult to be kept in order An Orchard with many Trees or Gardens with may Herbs and Flowers require more Culture and Dressing or some will decay A Society of many Members is apt to disorder 'T is a harder Task to manage a Nation than a Family The Hosts of Heaven are Thousands and the Appurtenances relating to them more and yet all keep still their appointed Courses We have lost none of the Stars out of their Orbs since their first coming there Some People tell us of some new ones as that in Cassiopea which was first discovered in the Heavens about the beginning of the Reformation what Salvo to give for that I know not it may be it was there before but not discovered But however 't was a Case extraordinary and no prejudice to the Order of the rest we have lost none of our Seasons Day and Night Summer and Winter have kept their times the Sun its Revolutions the Moon its due Changes the Stars their proper Periods and exact Motions the standing still of the Sun in Joshua's time and the going back of it on Ahaz Dial are miraculous Instances and not to be parallel'd other Ages 2. The Greatness of them Small Bodies are easily managed and apt to motion but great ones move slowly according to the course of sublunary Nature But they in the Aetherial Orbs are of so vast a bigness that that Consideration doth mightily accumulate and greaten the Wonder That the Sun Moon and Stars all of them so big should move continually without disorder or period is an Accent upon the Miracle 3. The various Qualities they are of and the different Motions they make do yet raise the Wonder to a higher strain to keep all one Motion especially if all of one Nature were not so very much But to move from East to West from West to East from North to South from south to North again as some of them do and this continually is an augmentation of the Wonder 4. Without Period Flowers wither Trees rot Stones decay Man dies the very Face of Things below will shortly cease to be and another succeed The Day dies and so doth the Year and Stones and Castles here decay every thing here is weary of Motion The Apostle tells us The whole Creation groans But here is groans and dies only what is a-kin more nearly to Heaven and borders upon that Court is of a more lasting Constitution or a more constant Motion of a more perpetual Duration Since the Fathers fell asleep all things of that kind relating to the upper Regions continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation 2 Pet. 3.4 7. For the Heavens are by the same Word of God by which they were created kept in store reserved unto Fire against the Day of Judgment 5. Without Interruption No faulter in their Courses no breach of Continuity in this long space of time Nothing hath been able to stop these great Bodies in the progress of their Motion or intermit the Exercise of their Vertues and Operation 6. Without Error or Mistake or Deviation Tho' great and many and various in their Qualities and incredibly swift in their Motions yet have they committed no remarkable Fault in all this Tract of Years and Revolutions They have all kept close to the Path chalk'd out for them by their Creator and have never leapt out of their Orbs. Nothing hath been able to tempt them from the faithful Execution of their Offices and Employments Who hath ever beckâ—n'd the Sun out of the Firmament or pusht the Moon out of its place Or made the Stars wander into strange Courses Or amidst all their divers Motions mingled them into Confusion or Disorder When was ever Day and Night jumbled together or the Seasons of the Year reversed or the Order of the Coelestial Bodies turn'd backward Illic justo foedere rerum verterem servant sidera pacem II. Practical Inferences Learn we then 1. To hold on from Day to Day from Night to Night in the excellent Offices of a Christian Life let Day to Day utter Speech and Night to Night shew Knowledge of our continual Goodness Mankind is born with his Eyes higher set than all the rest of the Creation besides his Looks are by Nature more sublime and lofty Let us look up earnestly towards those lucid Spangles those sparkling Globes over our Heads and use our Eyes to some good purpose Let us make thence some Practial Deductions for our Imitation at least Emulation and scorn
Garden the Devil appeared to him in the shape of a Black Boar but he slighted him and so the Demon Vanished away Another time as he was sitting in a certain place on his Stool there was a great stone over his head in the Vault which being stayed up Miraculously whilst he Sate there so soon as he was up immediately it fell upon the place where he Sate being sufficient to have crushed him in pieces if it had light upon him Clark's marrow of Eccl. Hist p. 145. And again a young Man about Wittemberg being kept bare and needy by his Father was tempted by the Devil to give himself to him upon condition to have his wish satisfied with mony and thereupon an Obligation was made by the young Man VVritten with his own Blood and delivered to the Devil But presently after he began to decay in his Health so that the thing being suspected he was brought before Luther and Examined who at last made confession of the whole matter upon which Luther calling the whole Congregation together where he Prayed with so much Earnestness and Affection that the Devil was at last compelled to throw in his Obligation at the VVindow Ibid. 11. It is credibly reported that the Devil in the likeness of a faithful Ministers at St. Ives near Bosâ—on in Lincolnshire came to one that was in trouble of Mind telling her the longer she lived the worse it would be for her and therefore advising her to Self-murder An eminent Person still living had the Account of this matter from Mr. Cotton the Famous Teacher of both Bosâ—ons He was well acquainted with that Minister who related to him the whole Story with all the Circumstances of it For Mr. Cotton was so affected with the Report as to take a Journey on purpose to the Town where this happened that so he might obtain a satisfactory Account about it which he did Some Authors say that a Doemon appeared in the form of Sylvanus Hierom's Friend attempting a dishonest thing the Devil thereby designing to blast the Reputation of a Famous Bishop 12. Melancthon in his Epistle to Hubert Languetus saith Twelve years ago there was a VVoman in Saxony that never Learnt Letters and yet when she was Acted by the Devil after Torment she spake Greek and Latin of the future Saxon VVar. Sixteen years ago there was in that Market a Girl that when she pulled Hairs from Cloaths they were turn'd into Mark-mony which the Girl devoured with long and loud Gnashing of Teeth and those Figures or Shapes of Money sometimes suddenly snatcht out of her Hands were true Money which are yet kept by some and after the Girl felt great Torment But she was delivered from all that Disease after some Months and yet liveth in Health But frequent Prayers of Godly Persons were made for her and other Ceremonies were purposely then omitted Thus Melancthon Epist l. 2. p. 550 551. 2. In Modern times we have a Multitude of Instances as 1. John Winnick of Molseworth in Huntingtonshire being Examined April 11. 1646. Confessed as follows having lost him Purse with Seven Shillings in it for which he suspected one in the Family where he Lived he saith that on a Friday while he was making Hay-bottles in the Barn and Swore and Curs'd and Rag'd and wisht to himself that some wise Body would help him to his Purse and Money again there appeared unto him a Spirit in the shape of a Bear but not so big as a Coney who promised upon condition that he would fall down and Worship him he would help him to his Purse He assented to it and the Spirit told him to Morrow about this time he should find his Purse upon the floor where he made Bottles and that he would then come himself also which was done accordly And thus at the time appointed recovering his Purse he fell down upon his knees to the Spirit and said My Lord and my God I thank you This Spirit brought then with him two others in the shape the one of a white Cat the other of a Coney which at the command of the Bear-Spirit he Worshipped also The Bear Spirit told him he must have his Soul when he dyed that he must suck of his Body that he must have some of his Blood of seal the Covenant To all which he agreed and so the Bear Spirit leaping up to his shoulder pricked him on the head and thence took Blood After that they all three Vanished but ever since came to him once every twenty four hours and sucked on his Body where the Marks are found And that they had continually done thus for this twenty nine years together That all these things should be a meer Dream is a conceit more slight and foolish then any Dream possibly can be For that receiving of his purse was a palpable and sensible pledge of the truth of all the rest And it is incredible that such a series of Circumstances backed with Twenty Nine years Experience of being sucked and visited daily sometimes in the day time most commonly by Night by the same three Familiars should be nothing but the hanging together of so many Melancholy Conceits and Fancies More 's Antid against Atheism l. 3. c. 6. 2. To that of John Winnick it will not be amiss to add a more late and more notable Narration concerning one Ann Bodenham a Witch who Lived in Fisherton-Anger adjacent to the City of New Sarum in the County of Wilts who was Arraigned and Executed at Salisbury 1653. He that has a mind to read the Story more at large he may consult Edmond Bower But I shall onely set down here what is most material to our present purpose partly out of him and partly from others who were then at the Assizes and had private Conference with the Witch and spoke also with the Maid that gave evidence against her This Ann Bodenham it seems concealed not her skill in foretelling things to come and helping Men to their stolen Goods and other such like feats that the more notable sort of Wizards and Witches are said to pretend to and to practise Amongst others that resorted to her there was one Ann Styles Servant to Rich. Goddard Esq of the Close in New Sarum sent by Mr. Mason this Goddard's Son in Law he having a design to commence a Law-suit against his Father to Learn of the Witch what would be the event of the Suit Who being asked by the Maid who had three Shillings to give her for her pains she took her Staff and there drew it about the House making a kind of a Circle and then took a Book and carrying it over the Circle with her hands and taking a green Glass did lay it upon the Book and placed in the Circle an Earthen Pan of Coals wherein she threw something which burning caused a very noisome stink and told the Maid she should not be afraid of what she should then see for now they would come they are the
Toaklys Son Languished and Died calling and crying out upon her that she was the cause of his Death She also declared that about eight days before Susan Cock Margaret Landish and Joyce Boanes brought to her House three Imps which Joyce taking her Imp too carried them all four to Robert Turners to Torment his Servant because her refused to give them some Chips his Master being a Carpenter and that he forthwith fell Sick and oft barkt like a Dog and she believed those four Imps were the cause of his Death Rose Hallybread was for this Wickedness Condemned to be Hanged but Died in Chelmsford Goal May 9. 1645. Ibid. p. 16. Susan Lock was another of the Society concerning whom see more in the Chap. of Satans Permission to hurt the Innocent in their Estates 6. Much about the same time in Huntingtonshire Elizabeth Weed of great Catworth being Examined before Robert Bernard and Nicholas Pedley Esq Justices of the Peace March 31. 1646. Said that about Twenty one years before as she was one Night going to Bed there appeared to her three Spirits one like a young Man and the other two in the shape of Puppies one white and the other black He that was in the form of a youth spoke to her and Demanded Whether she would deny God and Christ which she agreed to The Devil then offered her to do what mischief she would require of him provided she would Covenant he should have her Soul after Twenty one years which she granted She confest further that about a week after at Ten a Clock at Night he came to her with a Paper asking whether she were willing to Seal the Covenant she said she was then he told her it must be done with her Blood and so prickt her under the left Arm till it bled with which she scribled and immediately a great lump of Flesh rise on her Arm in the same place which increased ever since After which he came to Bed and had Carnal Knowledge of her then and many times afterwards The other two Spirits came into the Bed likewise and suckt upon other parts of her Body where she had Teats and that the Name of one was Lilly and the other Priscil One of which was to hurt Man Woman or Child and the other to destroy what Cattel she desired and the young Man was to lye with her as he did often And saith that Lilly according to the Covenant did kill the Child of Mr. Henry Bedel of Catworth as she required him to do when she was angry tho she does not now remember for what and that about two or three days before she sent him to kill Mr. Bedel himself who returned and said he had no Power and that another time she sent the same Spirit to hurt Edward Musgrove of Catworth who likewise returned saying He was not able And that she sent her Spirit Priscill to kill two Horses and two Cows of Mr. Musgroves and Thomas Thorps in that Town which was done accordingly And being askt when the one and twenty years would be out she said To the best of my Remembrance about low Sunday next Being further demanded why she did so constantly resort to Church and to hear the Sermons of Mr. Pool the Minister she said She was well pleased with his Preaching and had a desire to be rid of that unhappy Burthen which was upon her VVitches of Huntington p. 2. 7. About the year of our Lord 1632. As near as I can Remember having lost my Notes and the Copy of the Letter to Serjeant Hutton but I am sure that I do most perfectly remember the substance of the Story near unto Chester in the street there lived one VValker a young Man of Good Estate and a Widower who had a young Woman to his Kinswoman that kept his House who was by the Neighbours suspected to be with Child and was towards the Dark of the Evening one Night sent away with one Mark Sharp who was a Collier or one that digged Coals under Ground and one that had been born in Blakeburn-Hundred in Lancashire And so she was not heard of for a long time and no Noise or little was made about it In the Winter time after one James Graham or Grime for so in that Countrey they call them being a Miller and living about two Miles from the place where Walker lived was one Night alone very late in the Mill grinding Corn and as about twelve or one a Clock at Night he came down the Stairs from having been putting Corn in the Hopper the Mill doors being shut there stood a Woman upon the midst of the Floor with her hair about her head hanging down and all Bloody with five large Wounds on her head He being much affrighted and amazed began to Bless him and at last asked her who she was and what she wanted To which she said I am the Spirit of such a Woman who lived with Walker and being got with Child by him he promised to send me to a private place where I should be well lookt to until I was brought to Bed and well again and then I should come again and keep his House And accordingly said the Apparition I was one Night late sent away with one Mark Sharp who upon a Moor Naming a place that the Miller knâ—w slew me with a Pike such as Men dig Coals withal and gave me these five Wounds and after threw my Body into a Coal-Pit hard by and hid the Pike under a Bank And his Shoes and Stockings being Bloody he endeavoured to wash but seeing the Blood would not wash forth he hid them there And the Apparition further told the Miller that he must be the Man to reveal it or else that she must still appear and haunt him The Miller returned home very sad and heavy but spoke not one word of what he had seen but eschewed as much as he could to stay in the Mill within Night without Company thinking thereby to escape the seeing again of that frightful Apparition But notwithstanding one Night when it began to be dark the Apparition met him again and seemed very fierce and cruel and threatned him that if he did not reveal the Murder she would continually pursue and haunt him Yet for all this he still concealed it until St. Thomas's Eve before Christmas when being soon after Sun-set walking in his Garden she appeared again and then so threatned him and affrighted him that he faithfully promised to reveal it the next Morning In the Morning he went to a Magistrate and made the whole matter known with all Circumstances and diligent search being made the Body was found in a Coal-Pit with five Wounds in the Head and the Pike and Shoes and Stockings yet Bloody in every Circumstance as the Apparition had related unto the Miller Whereupon Walker and Mark Sharp were both apprehended but would confess nothing At the Assizes following I think it was at Durham they were Arraigned and found guilty
was proved that Julian Cox came for an Alms to the house where this Maid was a Servant and that the Maid told her she should have none and gave her a cross Answer that displeased Julian VVhereupon Julian was angry and told the Maid she should repent it before Night and so she did For before Night she was taken with a Convulsion Fit and after that left her she saw Julian Cox following her and cried out to the People in the house to save her from Julian But none saw Julian but the Maid and all did impute it to her imagination only And in the Night she cried out of Julian Cox and the black Man that they came upon her bed and tempted her to drink something they offered her But she cried out she desired not the Devil's Drenches This also they imputed to her imagination and bad her be quiet because they in the same Chamber with her did not see or hear any thing and they thought it had been her Conceit only The Maid the next Night expecting the same Conflict she had the Night before brought up with her a Knife and laid it at her bed's head About the same time of the Night as before Julian and the black Man came again upon the Maid's bed and tempted her to drink that which they brought but she refused crying in the audience of the rest of the Family that she defied the Devil's Drenches and took the Knife and stabbed Julian and as she said she wounded her in Leg and was importunate with the Witness to ride to Julian Cox's House presently to see if it were not so The Witness went and took the Knife with him Julian Cox would not let him in but he forced the Door open and found a fresh wound in Julian's Leg as the Maid had said which did suit with the Knife and Julian had been just dressing it when the Witness came There was Blood also found upon the Maid's Bed The next Morning the Maid continued her out-cries that Julian Cox appeared to her in the House wall and offered her great Pins which she was forced to swallow And all the Day the Maid was observed to convey her Hands to the House wall and from the VVall to her Mouth and she seemed by the motion of her Mouth as if she did eat something But none saw any thing but the Maid and therefore thought still it might be her Fancy and did not much mind it But towards Night this Maid began to be very ill and complained that the Pins that Julian forced her to eat-out of the VVall did torment her in all parts of the Maids Body several great Swellings appeared and out of the heads of the Swellings several great Pins points appeared which the Witnesses took out and upon the Tryal there were about Thirty great Pins produced in Court which I my self handled all which were sworn by several Witnesses that they were taken out of the Maid's Body in manner as is aforesaid Judge Archer who tried the Prisoner told the Jury that he had heard that a Witch could not repeat that Petition in the Lord's Prayer viz. And lead us not into Temptation And having this occasion he would try the Experiment and told the Jury that where she could or could not they were not in the least measure to guide their Verdict according to it because it was not legal Evidence but that they must be guided in their Verdict by the former Evidence given in upon Oath only The Prisoner was called for up to the next Bar to the Court and demanded if she could say the Lord's Prayer She said she could and went over the Prayer readily till she came to that Petition Then she said And lead us into no Temptation but could not say And lead us not into Temptation though she was directed to say it after one that repeated it to her distinctly But she could not repeat it otherwise than is expressed already though tried to do it near half a score times in open Court. After all which the Jury found her guilty and Judgment having been given within Three or Four Days she was executed without any Confession of the Fact 14. In the Town of Beckington by Froome in Somersetshire liveth Mary Hill a Maid of about Eighteen Years of Age who having lived very much in the neglect of her Duty to God was some time before Michaelmas last past was Twelve Month taken very ill and being seized with violent Fits began to Vomit up Two Hundred crooked Pins This so stupendous an Accident drew a numerous Concourse of People to see her To whom when in her Fits she did constantly affirm that she saw against the VVall of the Room wherein she lay an old VVoman named Elizabeth Carrier who thereupon being apprehended by a VVarrant from a Justice of Peace and Convicted by the Oaths of Two Persons was committed to the County Goal About a Fortnight after she began to Vomit up Nails pieces of Nails pieces of Brass Handles of Spoons and so continued to do for the space of Six Months and upwards And in her Fits she said there did appear to her an Old Woman named Margery Coombes and one Anne Moor who also by a Warrant from Two Justices of tho Peace were apprehended and brought to the Sessions held at Brewton for the County and by the Bench committed to the County Goal The former of these died as soon as she came into the Prison the other Two were tried at Taunton Assizes by my Lord Chief Justice Holt and for want of Evidence were acquitted by the Jury The Persons bound over to give Evidence were Susanna Belton and Ann Holland who upon their Oaths deposited that they book'd out of the Navel of the said Mary Hill as she lay in a dead Fit crooked Pins small Nails and small Pieces of Brass which were produced in Court before the Judge and from him handed to the Jury to look upon them VVhereupon Mr. Francis Jesse and Mr. Christopher Brewer declared that they had seen the said Maâ—y Hill to Vomit up at several times crooked Pins Nails and Pieces of Brass which they also produced in open Court and to that end they might be ascertained it was no Imposture they declared they had searched her Mouth with their Fingers before she did Vomit Upon which the Court thought fit to call for me who am the Minister of the Parish to testify the knowledge of the matter which I did to this Effect that I had seen her at several times after having given her a little Small Beer Vomit up crooked Pins Nails and pieces of Brass That to prevent the supposition of a Cheat I had cause her to be brought to a Window and having lookt into her Mouth I searcht it with my Finger as I did the Beer before she drank it This I did that I might not be wanting in circumstantial Answers to what my Lord and Court might propose I well remember a Gentleman on a
Who upon the Eighth day of July 1657. went from this to a better World about four of the Clock the day before he Died a Matron who Died a little before and whilst living was Dear to Mr. Vsher appeared to him in his sleep and invited him to Sup with her the next Night He at first denyed her but she more vehemently pressing her request on him at last he consented and that very Night he Died. Dr. Stern's Dissertatio de morte p. 163. 14. I have also the fullest assurance that can be of the Truth of this following Narrative A Person yet living was greatly concerned about the welfare of his Dear Father and Mother who were both shut up in London in the time of the great Contagion in 1665. Many Letters he sent to them and many hearty Prayers to Heaven for them But about a fortnight before they were infected he fell about break of day into this Dream that he was in a great Inn which was full of company and being very desirous to find a private Room where he might seek God for his Parents Life he went from Room to Room but found company in them all at last casting his Eye into a little Chamber which was empty he went into it lockt the Door kneeled down by the outside of the Bed and whilst he was vehemently begging of God the Life of his Friends fixing his Eyes upon the Plaister'd Wall within side the Bed there appeared upon the Plaister of the Wall before him the Sun and Moon shining in their full strength The sight at first amazed and discomposed him so far that he could not continue his Prayer but kept his Eye fixed upon the Body of the Sun at last a small line or ring of black no bigger than that of a Text Pen circled the Sun which increasing sensibly eclipsed in a little time the whole body of it and turned it into a blackish colour which done the Figure of the Sun was immediately changed into a perfect Death's head and after a little while Vanished quite away The Moon still continued shining as before but whilst he intently beheld it it also darkned in like manner and turned also into another Death's head and Vanished This made so great an Impression upon the beholder's mind that he immediately awaked in confusion and perplexity of thoughts about his Dream and awakning his Wife related the particulars to her with much emotion and concernment but how to apply it he could not presently tell only he was satisfied that the Dream was of an extraordinary Nature At last Joseph's Dream came into his thoughts with the like Emblems and their Interpretation which fully satisfied him that God had warned and prepared him thereby for a sudden parting with his Dear Relations which answerably fell out in the same order his Father dying that day fortnight following and his Mother just a Month afterwards These Eight Relations the Transcribed out of Mr. Flavel's Treatise of the Soul 15. The Lady Rich gives this Relation of Mr. Tyro Minister from his own Mouth About seven weeks before his Death when there was hope of recovery he told me he had something to tell me that he had not imparted to any body and expressed it thus When I was one Evening returning to my Lodging then at Vngar from this House being then in a good Degree of Health and in a serious frame meditating by the way I heard a Voice say You shall dye and not pass your five and thirtieth year of Age. Which Voice Astonished me greatly and looking round about me seeing no body put me into great Consternation and Sweat all over me such as I never felt tho I dare not compare it to drops of Blood yet I cannot express how dreadful it was You know Madam my Principles and that I am no Enthusiast and how cautious I am as to Revelations But I am sure this was no Melancholy Fancy But an Articulate Voice After I had a little recovered my self I begged of God to discover to me if this were from him or a Delusion from Satan but still the Impression remained t ho I sought God by Prayer most part of that Night and you may remember in my next Visit I told you I should dye shortly but I did not tell you of the Voice I heard And then he added This is my Five and Thirtieth year of my Age in July next I shall be so old And many other Expressions he added which is too much for a Letter but he Died in January 1630. Hist Disc Appar Witches p. 199. 16. The Lady Ware 's Chaplain dreamt that such a day he should dye but having forgot it almost till the Evening before Supper there being thirteen at Table according to a fond conceit that one of these must soon dye One of the young Ladies pointed to him as the person He remembring the Dream fell into some disorder but being reproved for his superstition he said he was confident he was to dye before Morning It was Saturday Night and he was to Preach next day he went to his Chamber in perfect health sate up late prepared his Notes for his Sermon and the next Morning was found Dead See Mr. Parson's Sermon at the Earl of Rochester's Funeral 17. Sir Matthew Hale had some secreet presage of his Death saying that if he did not dye such a day he should live a Month longer and he died that very day Month. Nov. 25. See his Life by Dr. Burnet 18. It was observed that several Omens preceeded the Death of Arch-bishop Laud as the falling down of his Picture in his Parlour the Arms of his See the sinking of the Lambeth Ferry-Boat with the Arch-Bishop's Coach-Horses and Coach-Men to the bottom of the Thames Dr. Heylin in his Life and the Author of the Breviate of the Life of Arch-Bishop Laud p. 35. 19. One James Oxenham of Sale-Monachroum in the County of Devon a Gentleman of good worth and quality who had many Children one whereof was called John Oxenham a young Man in the Vigour Beauty and Flower of his Age about twenty two six Foot and a half high pious and well qualified this young Man falling Sick two days before his departure there appeared the likeness of a Bird with a white Breast hovering over him Attested by Robert Woodley and Humphrey King who justified it to the Minister of the Parish being examined by him at the appointment of Joseph Laud Bishop of Exeter this Person died Sep. 5. 1635. He was no sooner Dead in this Manner but the same Apparition did again shew it self to Thomazine the Wife of James Oxenham the younger a Woman of unspotted Life about eleven a Clock at Night And she died to the comfort of all about her Sep. 7. 1635. Attested by Elizabeth Frost and Joan Tooker who were examined by the same Minister Not long after Rebeccah Sister of the aforesaid Thomazine Aged about eight years about eleven a Clock at Night was presented with
All the Pastors of Caen and a good number of other Protestant Refugees belonging to the Town being in the Low Countreys Anno 1687 offered their unanimous and uniform Testimony to the Truth of this marvellous matter 16. There is likewise an undoubted Relation of a poor but a good Woman belonging to the Congregation of Mr. Daniel Burgess in London She had for many Years laboured under a Fistula in her Hip which had proceeded so far that the very Bone was tainted and she was turned out of the Hospital as Incurable This Person reading with Prayer over it that Passage in Mat. 15.28 Jesus said unto her O Woman Great is thy Faith be it unto thee as thou wilt And feeling her Soul by the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ carried forth unto a great Faith in him she found herself immediately and miraculously Cured of all her Malady I have not now the Relation of this matter at hand but this is as far as I can remember the Substance of what I received concerning it It was about the beginning of December 1694. 17. In a Letter from the Reverend Mr. John How I find the ensuing Passages which I take the leave to expose unto the Publick It gives among us writes that wort by Man some Reviving to the Languishing Interest of Christianity and some Check to the Infidel Spirit that under the falsely assumed name of Deism would turn all Revealed Religion and indeed all Religion into Ridicule that God is pleased to own it by some late miraculous Cures wrought upon the Acting of Faith in Christ 18. That excellent Person proceeding then to recite some of the Instances which we have already mentioned he adds A fourth I have late certain Knowledge of but the thing was done six Years ago a Blackamooryouth Servant unto a religious Baroner He lately dining at my House assured me That his Servant having a great Aversion to Christianity and refusing Instruction was struck with universal Pains in all his Limbs which continued upon him a Year and half like Rheumatical but relieved by none of the apt usual Means that are wont to give Relief in such cases At length in his Torments which were great he grew serious instructible penitent and by the frequent Endeavours of the Parochial Minister a good man known to me brought to an understanding Acknowledement of Christ upon which Baptism being promised to him he consented but pressed to be carried unto the Assembly that he might own Christ publickly Upon the doing whereof he was immediately Cured and hath continued well ever since These are great Things Hallelujah Preparatives I hope to the Revival of Christianity and I fear to terrible Acts of Vengance upon obstinate persevering Infidels 19. Susanna Arch was a miserable Widow for divers Years overwhelmed with an horrid Leprosie which the Physicians that saw it pronounced incurable but from that very time that they told her so a strange perswasion came into her Mind that the Lord Jesus Christ would Cure her That Scripture came frequently into her Mind Mat. 8.2 Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean and she found herself enabled to plead this before him with some degree of Confidence that at last she should prevail She resolved that she would rely on the Lord Jesus Christ who in the Days of his Flesh when on Earth cured all Diseases and Sicknesses among the People and who had still as much Power now that he is glorified in Heaven She felt many Temptations to weaken her Confidence but still there came in seasonable and agreeable Scriptures with a mighty force upon her to strengthen it as at one time that in Mark 11.22 Have Faith in God At another time that in Job 11.40 Said I not unto thee that if thou wouldest believe thou shouldst see the Glory of God At another time that in Heb. 10.35 Cast not away your Confidence which hath great Recompence of Reward Her Leprosie had been complicated with a Phtisick which for many Years afflicted her but in the Month of Novemb 1694. she had her Phtisick removed without any Humane Power and she took that as a Token for Good that she should also be cured of her Leprosie and the late Miracles upon others enlivened this her Hope exceedingly In December the Distemper of this Godly Woman grew worse and worse upon her and when her Mind was uneasie those passages came to mind I know O Lord that thou canst do every thing and Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us On December 26. at Night she was buffeted with some Temptations that her Faith for her Cure having proved but a Fancy her Faith for her Soul must be so too but she cried out unto the Lord Lord I have cast my Soul upon thee and my Body upon thee and I am resolved now to cast all my Diseases upon thee Her Mind was hereupon composed and the next Night putting up her Hand unto her Head first on the one side and then on the other she felt a new Skin on both sides which very much amazed her whereupon she cried out Lord Jesus hast thou begun Thou wilt carry it on She then taking off her Head-Cloaths found the Scurf gone off her Head and a firm Skin appearing there and her Distemper which had extended itself all over her Body from Head to Foot in putrifying Sores was in like manner suddenly taken away to the admiration of all that were Beholders Reader Do not now encourage thy self in a vain Expectation of Miracles to relieve thy particular Afflictions but improve these Miracles as Intimations of what the Lord Jesus Christ can and will quickly do for his afflicted Church in the World These Four last Accounts were Extracted from Mr. Cotton Mather in his Sermon called Things for a Distress'd People Extracted from the Miscellanies of John Aubrey Esq 20. OUR English Chronicles do Record That in the Reign of King Henry the Third a Child was born in Kent that at Two Years old cured all Diseases Several Persons have been cured of the King's-Evil by the Touching or Handling of a Seventh Son 21. Samuel Scot Seventh Son of Mr. William Scot of Hedington in Wilt-shire did when a Child wonderful Cures by Touching only viz. as to the King's-Evil Wenns c. but as he grew to be a Man the Vertue did decrease and had he lived longer perhaps might have been spent 22. 'T is certain the Touch of a Dead Hand hath wrought wonderful Effects e. g. One a Painter of Stowel in Somerset-shire near Bridgewater had a Wenn in the inside of his Cheek as big as a Pullet's Egg which by the Advice of one was cur'd by once or twice Touching or Rubbing with a Dead Woman's Hand 23. Mr. Davys Mell the famous Violinist and Clock-maker had a Child Crook-back'd that was cured after the manner aforesaid 24. In Somerset-shire 't is confidently reported That some were cured of the King's-Evil by the Touch of the Duke of Monmouth The Lord
for Bewitching Elizabeth Durent Anne Durent Jane Booking Susan Chandler William Durent Elizabeth and Deborah Pacy and the Evidences whereon they were convicted stood upon divers particular Circumstances II. Anne Durent Susan Chandler and Elizabeth Pacy when they came into the Hall to give Instructions for the drawing the Bills of Indictment they fell into strange and violent Fits so that they were unable to give in their Depositions not only then but also during the whole Assizes William Durent being an Infant his Mother swore That Amy Duny looking after her Child one Day in her absence did at her return confess That she had given Suck to the Child tho' she were an Old Woman Whereat when Durent expressed her Displeasure Duny went away with Discontents and Menaces The Night after the Child fell into strange and sad Fits wherein it continued for divers Weeks One Dr. Jacob advised her to hang up the Child's Blanket in the Chimney-corner all Day and at Night when she went to put the Child into it if the found any thing in it then to through it without fear into the Fire Accordingly at Night there fell a great Toad out of the Blanker which ran up and down the Hearth A Boy catch'd it and held it in the Fire with the Tongs where it made an horrible Noise and flash'd like to Gunpowder with a Report like that of a Pistol whereupon the Toad was no more to be seen The next Day a Kinswoman of Duny's told the Deponent That her Aunt was all grievously scorch'd with the Fire and the Deponent going to her House found her in such a Condition Duny told her She might thank her for it but she should live to see some of her Children dead and herself upon Crutches But after the burning of the Toad this Child recovered This Deponent further testified That her Daughter Elizabeth being about the Age of ten Years was taken in like manner as her first Child was and in her Fits complained much of Amy Duny and said That she did appear to her and afflict her in such manner as the former One Day she found Amy Duny in her House and thrusting her out of Doors Duny said You need not be so angry your Child won't live long and within three Days the Child died The Deponent added That she herself not long after was taken with such a Lameness in both her Legs that she was forced to go upon Crutches and she was now in Court upon them It was remarkable that immediately upon the Jury's bringing in Duny Guilty Durent was restored unto the Use of her Limbs and went home without her Crutches III. As for Elizabeth and Deborah Pacy and aged Eleven Years the other Nine the Elder being in Court was made utterly sensless during all the time of the Trial or at least speechless by the Direction of the Judge Duny was privately brought to Elizabeth Pacy and she touched her Hand whereupon the Child without so much as seeing her suddenly leap'd up and flew upon the Prisoner the Younger was too ill to be brought into the Assizes But Samuel Pacy their Father testified That his Daughter Deborah was taken with a sudden Lameness and upon the Grumbling of Amy Duny for being denied something where this Child was then sitting the Child was taken with an extream Pain in her Stomach like the pricking of Pins and shrieking at a dreadful manner like a Whelp rather than a Rational Creature The Physitians could not conjecture the Cause of the Distemper but Amy Duny being a Woman of ill Fame and the Child in Fits crying out of Amy Duny as affrighting her with the Apparition of her Person the Deponent suspected her and procured her to be set in the Stocks While she was there she said in the hearing of two Witnesses Mr. Pacy keeps a great stir about his Child but let him stay 'till he has done as much by his Children as I have done by mine And being asked what she had done to her Children she answered She had been fain to open her Childs Mouth with a Tap to give it Victuals The Deponent added That within two Days the Fits of his Daughters were such that they could not preserve either Life or Breath without the help of Tap and that the Children cry'd out of Amy Duny and of Rose Cullender as afflicting them with her Apparition IV. The Fits of the Children were various They would sometimes be lame on one side sometimes on â—other Sometimes very sore sometimes restored unto their Limbs and then Deaf or Blind or Dumb for a long while together Upon the Recovery of their Speech they would Cough extreamly and with much Flegm they would bring up crooked Pins and at one time a Two-penny Nail with a very broad Head Commonly at the end of every Fit they would cast up a Pin. When the Children read they could not pronouce the Name of Lord or Jesus or Christ but would fall into Fits and say Amy Duny says I must not use that Name When they came to the Name of Satan or Devil they would clap their Fingers upon the Book crying out This bites but it makes me speak right well The Children in their Fits would often cry out There stands Amy Duny or Rose Cullender And they would afterwards relate That these Witches appearing before them threatned them that if they told of what they saw or heard they would torment them more than ever they did before V. Margaret Arnold the Sister to Mr. Pacy testifi'd unto the like Sufferings being upon the Children at her House whether her Brother had removed them And that sometimes the Children only would see things like Mice run about the House and one of them suddenly snap'd one with the Tongs and threw it into the Fire where it screeched out like a Rat. At another time a thing like a Bee flew at the Face of the younger Child the Child fell into a Fit and at last Vomited up a Two-penny Nail with a broad Head affirming That the Bee brought this Nail and forced it into her Mouth The Child would in like manner be assauted with Flies which brought crooked Pins unto her and made her first swallow them and then vomit them She one Day caught an invisible Mouse and throwing it into the Fire it flash'd like to Gunpowder None besides the Child saw the Mouse but every one saw the Flash She also declared out of her Fits That in them Amy Duny much tempted her to destroy herself VI. As for Anne Durent her Father testified That upon a Discontent of Rose Cullender his Daughter was taken with much Illness in her Stomach and great and sore Pains like the pricking of Pins and then Swooning Fits from which recovering she declared She had seen the Apparition of Rose Cullender threatning to torment her She likewise Vomited up divers Pins The Maid was present at Court but when Cullender looked upon her she fell into such Fits as made her
of her Child â—â—â—s cut in pieces and boiled Whereupon the two Witches were taken and being examined answered That if the Boiling had been finished such a Tempest of Rain and Hail would have followed that all the Fruits of the Earth in that Country should have been destroy'd but God prevented it by his just Judgment in causing the Witches to be put to Death Dr. Beard relates this Story but without Notation of the Time and Place and otheir Circumstances which will be enquired into in this incredulous Age in his Theatre of God's Judgments p. 419. I hope Authors will be more careful for the future in such Relations to obviate the Prejudices and Objections of Sceptical and Atheistical Men. CHAP. XCVII Satan hurting by Apparitions THO' the Devil hides sometimes behind the Curtain when he is intent upon Mischief and employs other Agents in a harmless Disguise to act for him yet it is not always so Sometimes he puts on some for midable Shape and appears in some dreadful Idea in the Prosecution of his Designs and is not concerned tho' his own Cloven Foot appear in the Figure and the Representation appear Genuine and truly Diabolical But what particular Reason to assign for these kind of bold Apparitions I acknowledge my self in the dark and I do believe it will not be easie for us Mortals to solve all the obscure Phaenomena 's of their Hellish Policy 1. Mr. Franklin Minister of a Town in the Isle of Ely had a Child to which a Spirit often appeared at his Father's House and grew so bold and free as very ordinarily to come in whilst Company was in the House and Mr. Franklin in the Room and sit down by the Body At due Years about the Year 1661 or 1662 he was bound an Apprentice to a Barber in Cambridge or at least as a Probationer One Night the Spirit appear'd to him in the usual Habit of a Gentlewoman and would have perswaded him to go home again asking him what he did there c. The Boy after some Treaty replied he would not go Upon which he received a great Blow on the Ear and grew very ill and continuing so his Master present took Horse and rid to acquaint his Father In the Forenoon of that Day the Boy sitting by the Kitchen Fire his Mistress being by suddenly cries out Oh Mistress look there 's the Gentlewoman The Woman turns to look sees nothing but while her Head was turned hers a noise as of a great Box on the Ear then turns again and sees the Boy bending down his Neck and he presently died About the same Hour so near as they could guess while the Master was sitting at Dinner in the Isle of Ely with the Father the Appearance of a Gentlewoman comes in looking angrily and taking a turn or two disappeared Attested by Mr. Baxter Mr. Cooper and Mr. Franklin himself Historical Discourse of Apparitions and Witches p. 64. 2. At Danbury-Church in Essex the Devil appeared in the Habit of a Minorite to the incredible Astonishment of the Parishioners and at that time there was such a terrible Tempest with Lightning and Thunder and Fire-balls that the Vault of the Church was broken and half the Chancel was carried away Speed's Hist p. 628. Wanley's Wonders c. 27. l. 6. 3. There is saith Aventinus a Town in Austria called Greinou near unto which there are huge and high Rocks through which the Danube passes foaming along and with a mighty noise Henry the III. was sailing this way and Bruno the Bishop of Witzburg his Kinsman in another Ship accompanied him As they passed by a high Rock there stood one in the form of a Negro which called to Bruno saying Ho! Ho! Bishop I am an evil Genius thou art mine and wheresoever thou shalt betake thy self thou shalt be mine I have at present nothingagainst thee but in short space thou shalt see me again All that heard this were astonished The Bishop sign'd himself with the sign of the Cross and adjuring the Spirit it vanish'd away Not far from thence I think about Ten Miles the Emperor and his Nobles were entertained at Bosenberg by Richilda the Widow of Adelbort then lately dead where the Widow besought the Emperor that Bosenburg and the Farms about it held byher late Husband gratis might be so held by Welpho her Brother's Son There were then present with the Emperor Bruno Alemannus President of Ebersperg and Richilda While the Emperor was reaching out his Hand as a Sign of his Grant the Floor of the Chamber fell down under them The Emperor fell into a Bathing-Vessel without hurt Bruno Alemannus and Richilda were thrown upon the sides of that Vessel in such a manner that they were fore bruised and in a few Days after died of that Fall Camerar Oper. Subcisio Cent. 2. c. 16. Wanley's Wonders c. 27. l. 6. Mary the Wife of Antonio Hortado dwelling near the Salmon-falls in New-England gave this Information Aug. 13. 1683. That in June 1682. she heard a Voice at the Door of her House saying What do you here About an Hour after standing at the Door she had a Blow on her Eye that struck her Head against the Door-post and two or three Days after a Stone as she judged about a Pound weight was thrown along within the House into the Chimney and going to take it up it was gone all the Family were in the House and no Hand appear'd which might be instrumental in throwing the Stone About two Hours after a Frying-pan then hanging in the Chimney was heard to ring so loud that not only they in the House heard it but others above an Hundred Rods distant Whereupon she and her Husband going in a Canow over the River they saw something like the Head of a Man newly shaved and the Tail of a white Cat about three Foot distance from each other swimming over before the Canow but no Body appear'd to join Head and Tail together and they returning over the River in less than an Hour the same Apparition follow'd them back again and disappeared at their landing A Day or two after the Woman was struck on the Head as she judged with a Stone which made it swell and become very sore she was then in the Yard And going back into the House she was bitten Black and Blue on both Arms and had one of her Breasts scratched the Impression of the Teeth being like those of a Man were seen by many Whereupon removing to sojourn with a Neighbour on the other side of the River there appeared to her in that House a Woman in a green Safeguard a short blue Cloak and a white Cap making an Offer to strike here with a Fire-brand but did not touch her The Day following the same Shape appeared to her again but now cloathed with a gray Gown white Apron and white Head-cloaths and seemed to laugh several times but no Voice was heard Since which time this Mary hath been freed from those Molestations
happened upon one John Duncalf of Kings-Swinford which is related more at large by others and I my self living in the next adjacent County at the same time can assure the Reader from the Information of several Friends that it is a real Truth In January 1677. this John Duncalf coming to the House of Humphrey Baby at Grangewel about Three Miles from Wolverhampton he begged of the Woman Victuals and Drink who formerly knowing him and compassionating his Condition freely gave it to him but while she was stooping to draw him some Drink he stole her Bible and sold it afterwards for Three Shillings to a Maid not far off whereby the Woman came to hear of it and paying her the Money received it again but could not hear what was become of the Man But a while after John Duncalf hearing it discoursed that he stole a Bible grew very angry and gave out threatning Words against a young Man that reported it but being severely charged with it he did not only deny it with some fierceness but execrated and cursed himself wishing his Hands might rot off if it were true Which Words he had no sooner uttered but by his own Confession to divers that came to see him in his miserable Condition he said That immediately thereupon he had an inward Horror and Trembling upon him a Dread and Fear of the Divine Majesty and Justice of God that within a few Days after his Cursing himself his Flesh began to look black at the Wrists of his Hands and so continued divers Weeks with faintness and fearing an Ague was going to his Acquaintance but not being able to go farther he laid himself down in a Barn and there continued two Days and Nights before he was found from whence he was removed to another Barn near Wolverhampton and had a Keeper appointed him His Flesh began first to rise in great Knots at his Wrists and Knees and to break and run with putrid Matter the Flesh shrunk from the Bones his Pain was exquisite the Smell very offensive Worms bred in the putrid Flesh and his Hands and Legs fell off And thus continued he begging the Prayers of those Divines that came to visit him and acknowledging the just Judgment of God for his Stealing Lying and Cursing c. for some Weeks a dreadful Spectacle of the Divine Vengeance See the printed Narrative or Abbreviations by others 8. Anno 1677. at Atherbury in Oxfordshire a Woman that kept a petty Ale-house having much addicted her self to Oaths and Curses one Morning a neighbouring Woman coming thither for some strong Drink she had occasion for and offering a piece of Money to pay for it she would have Two Pence or Three Pence more for a former Debt which the other resolutely deny'd The Hostess began to swear and use several profane and abominable Wishes and Imprecations as God-damn me and the Devil burn me if it be not so which last Words she often repeated thrusting the other Woman violently out of her House shutting the Door and locking it against her Her Husband not long after coming home wondred to find the Door fast but at last with one or more of his Neighbours he forced it open and to his great Surprizal finds in the midst of the Floor the Relicks of his Wife one side of her Body and the Cloaths on it from the Sole of her Foot to the Crown of her Head burnt to Ashes and nothing left but the Skeleton or part of the Bones whereas the other side remained whole and the Cloaths not so much as touch'd or sing'd tho' it was observed that the Flesh and Skin was all turned black See the Relation called God's Strange and Terrible Judgments in Oxfordshire Licensed May the 10th 1677. Rog. L'Estrange 9. Much the like Story was published not many Years ago concerning a Maid in Dublin CHAP. CV Divine Judgments upon Swearing c. THO' God hath allowed us for the Confirmation of a Truth in necessary and solemn Cases to use an Oath and make our Appeal to him yet in ordinary Conversation He requires us to keep close to our Yea and Nay a bare and simple Affirmation and Negation without proceeding any further For a common Vse of Appealing to Heaven in little and trifling Concerns would much invalidate the Strength and Authority of Sacred Oaths and contribute much to the Dishonour and Contempt of the Divine Majesty And therefore in the Third Commandment God doth not only forbid the taking of his Name in vain but threatens withal to have a watchful Eye upon those that do it and however Men may through Remissness of Discipline neglect their Duty and account such Customary Swearing no Sin yet God will not hold them guiltless that take his Name in vain 1. Bishop Ridly in a Sermon at Paul's Cross related a Story of a young Gentleman of Cornwal in the Days of King Edward the Sixth who riding in Company of other Gentlemen began to Swear and Swagger and being reproved for it he swore the more and raged worse To whom one Mr. Haines a Minister with gentle Words said That he should one Day give an Account thereof Whereat the Gentleman being in a Fume bade him take no thought for him but to prepare for his own Winding-sheet Well said the other Amend for Death gives no Warning God's Wounds said he care not thou for me still raging worse and worse till coming to a Bridge which passed over an Arm of the Sea the young Gallant so spurred and switched his Horse that he leaped over with him into the Water who as he was going cried Horse and Man and all to the Devil Act. and Mon. c. Clark's Mirr c. 129. 2. A Serving-man in Lincolnshire for every Trifle used to swear by God's precious Blood and would not be warned by his Friends till at length falling into a grievous Sickness he was again much perswaded by his Friends to Repent which Counsel he still rejected and hearing the Bell to toll in the very Pangs of Death he started up swearing God's Wounds the Boll tolls for me but he shall not have me yet Whereupon the Blood issued out in a most fearful manner from all the Joints of his Body from Muth Nose Wrists Knees Heels and Toes and other Parts thereof and so he died Mr. Perkins Clark's Mirrour c. 129. 3. Michael a Jewish Rabbin as he was swearing and blaspheming the Name of Jesus fell down and broke his Neck Socrat. Eccles Hist 4. One who for Twelve or Sixteen Years together used to swear by God's Arms in the end his own Arm being hurt with a Knife could not be healed by any means but it rankled and festered from Day to Day and at last so rotted that it fell away piece-meal and himself through anguish and pain thereof died Phil. Stubs 5. I my self knew a Woman near Whit-Church in Shrop-shire called the Widow Maurice by Profession a Mid-wife who in ordinary Conversation lifting up her two Hands towards Heaven and
two Guises the Duke and Cardinal were Assassinated by Command of King Henry the III. The Queen a few Days after them died of Grief lamented of none but hated by every Body as the Bishop of Rhodez affirms and the Duke of Anjou who after the King's Decease came to the Crown under the Name of Henry the III. was slain by a Stab from a Jacobin Friar Author of the Interests of Princes and States 6. Philip King of Spain the II. having once escaped a great Danger at Sea at his Arrival in Spain appointed two Days of Thanksgiving one at Validolid the other at Sevil whither he caused those in Prison for Religion to be brought from several Places of his Kingdom Upon which Days Scaffolds being made which a Distinction of Seats for Spectators according to their Quality the Prisoners were with triumphant Ceremonies and dress'd in Antick manner led to the Fires and burnt before them c. The King also himself put to Death his eldest Son Charles partly upon Suspicion of being a Favourer of them but he died also of Blood issuing from all the Passages of his Body with a continual Vomiting of Vermin as the Bishop of Rhodez in his History of Henry the IV. relates Ibid. 7. George Eagles Martyr hang'd at Chelmsford in Essex was cut down before he was dead and sadly mangled by the Bailiff William Swallow his Body opened his Heart pulled out and his Quarters set up in several Places But shortly after Swallow's Hair fell from his Head his Eyes were so closed that he could scarce see the Nails fell off from his Fingers and Toes a Leprosie overspread his whole Body and his Estate so wasted that he soon fell into Beggery and died wretchedly Fox's Martyrol 8. One Robert Baldwyn a Neighbour having searched the House of Will. Seaman and finding him at home very unneighbourly carried him to Sir Jo. Tyrrel in order to the Prosecuting of him but on the way a strange Light fell from Heaven betwixt them upon which Baldwyn though then in the Flower of his Age was so struck that he pined away till he died Ibid. 9. Mr. Swingfield a Deputy in Thames-street with three others carried one Mrs. Angel a Midwife from a Woman in Labour her self being with Child too to Bishop Bonner who put her into Lollard's Tower but within ten Weeks Swingfield and his three Companions were all dead Ibid. 10. Burton Bailiff of Crowland in Lincolnshire a Protestant in King Edward's Time a Papist in Queen Mary's goes to Church speaks to the Curate then Reading the English Service Sirrah will you not say Mass Buckle your self to it you Knave or by God's Blood I 'll sheath my Dagger in your shoulder Shortly after riding with a Neighbour over Fen-Bank a Crow flew over his Head with her usual Note voided her Excrements on his Nose which ran down upon his Beard and set him so a Vomiting that he hastened home and to Bed where he continued Vomiting Swearing and Cursing at the Crow till at last he died Ibid. CHAP. CX Divine Judgments upon Uncharitableness Covetousness c. WITH what Measure ye mete it shall be meted to you again saith our Saviour and 't is but just and reasonable that those People who shut up their Bowels and Streams of Charity from their Neighbours should suffer by a Retaliation Sometimes Man himself and sometimes God Almighty in a more immediate way remembers and recompenseth the Vnkindnesses of these Men and repays them in their own Coin As they sowed sparingly they shall reap so too and as themselves were not merciful so they shall find no mercy 1. John Cameron Bishop of Glasgow was a very Covetous Man given to Violence and Oppression especially towards his poor Tenants and Vassals but God suffered it not long to go unpunished For the Night before Christmas-day as he lay asleep in his House at Lockwood seven Miles from the City of Glasgow he heard a Voice summoning him to appear before the Tribunal of Christ and give an Account of his doings Whereupon he awaked and being greatly terrified he called to his Servants to bring a Light and sit by him he himself also took a Book in his Hand and began to read But the Voice calling the second time struck all the servants into an Amazement The same Voice calling the third time far louder and more fearfully the Bishop after a heavy groan was found dead in his Bed his Tongue hanging out of his Mouth A fearful Example of God's Judgment against the sin of Covetousness and Oppression Spotswood's History of the Church of Scotland See the Story of Gresham and Rich. Antonio under the Chap. of Discov of things secret by Omens c. Of Hatto Archbishop of Mentz under the Chap. of Divine Judgments upon Murder 2. Sir Walter Rawleigh a Man otherwise of Excellent Parts and a great Soul yet not being able to look Poverty in the Face when he was set at Liberty out of the Tower procures a Commission from King James to make a Voyage to Guiana in hopes of finding there Mines of Gold to enrich both the King and himself though at that time in the 76th Year of his Age sets out for the Indies where the Spaniards having notice before-hand had raised several Fortifications he with Sir Nicholas Kemish and others finding things otherwise than they expected Sir Nicholas kills himself and Sir Walter Storms the Town of St. Thomas where he lost his Son Walter returns home disappointed finds the Court disgusted the King offended and notwithstanding his Commission from the Royal Hand Anno 1618. Octob. 28. after some Months Imprisonment lost his Head Detection of the Court and State of England during the four last Reigns p. 56 57. 3. Cromerus an Author of good Credit tells us of a certain rich Man a Polonian who was very Covetous much given to Rapine and Oppression who falling Sick and being like to die was admonished by his Friends to sue to God for Mercy which he refused to do saying That there was no hope of Salvation for him no place of Pardon left No sooner had he thus spoken but immediately there was heard of the standers by a noise of most vehement Stripes and Blows which appeared manifestly upon the Body of this dying Wretch who presently gave up the Ghost to the great Terror and Amazement of all who were many then present Eye-witnesses of this Tragical Story Clark's Examples Vol. I. p. 115. Anno Christi 1570. at Rye in Sussex there was a strange Example of God's Judgment upon a Covetous Gentleman who living near the Sea had a Marsh wherein upon Poles Fishermen used to dry their Nets for which he received of them Yearly a sufficient Sum of Money But at length being not content with it he caused his Servants to pluck up the Poles not suffering the Fishermen to come upon his Ground any longer except they would compound at a larger Rate But it came to pass the same Night that
Simps 12. Constans the Emperor a Monothelite also was slain by one of his Servants in a Bath Simps 13. Constantius a great favourer of the Arian Heresie died suddenly of an Apoplexy 14. Sabinianus presently after the Death of St. Hierom denying the distinction of Persons in the Trinity wrote a Book for confirmation of his Heresie under the Name of St. Hierom Sylvanus Bishop of Nazareth reproving him sharply for it do detect his Falshood agreed with Sabinianus that if St. Hierom did not the next day by some Miracle declare his Falshood he would willingly die if he did the other should die The day came they went to the Temple at Hierusalem multitudes of People followed them to see the Issue the day drew towards an end and no Miracle appeared Sylvanus is required to yield his Neck to the Headsman he did and was ready to receive the blow but immediately somewhat like St. Hierom appeared and stay'd the blow and presently the Head of Sabinianus fell off and his Carkass tumbled upon the Ground This Mr. Clark in his Examples Vol. I. c. 63. tells us out of Cyril who he saith Records it of his own knowledge 15. Grimoald King of Lombardy an Arian bled to Death Ibid. viz. ex Clark 16. Mahomet that notorious Impostor died of the Falling-Sickness Ibid. 17. Some Donatists which cast the Elements of the Lord's Supper to Dogs were devoured by Dogs Simpson 18. John Duns Scotus Doctor Subtilis who obscured the Body of Divinity with his crabbed knotty subtil Questions and Distinctions died miserably being taken with an Apoplexy and buried before he was dead c. 19. Arminius a Pelagian if I may venture to put him into the Catalogue a Semi-Pelagian at least died of a complicated Distemper Cough Gout Ague Gripes Asthma Obstruction in his Optick Nerves his left Eye blind his right Shoulder swelled c. Hist of the Netherl 20. Olympius an Arian Blaspheming the Trinity in a Bath at Carthage was suddenly burnt with three fiery Darts of Lightning Ibid. ex Paul Diacon 21. Anno Christi 1327. Adam Duff an Irishman for denying the Incarnation of Christ the Purity of the Blessed Virgin the Truth of Sacred Scriptures and the Resurrection of the Dead as also the Trinity of Persons was burnt at Dublin Camb. Brit. Irel. p. 181. 22. John of Leyden a Taylor King of the Anabaptists in Germany presently after his Coronation invites 4000 Men and Women to a Feast and between the First and Second Course accuseth a Man of High Treason cuts off his Head returns merry to Supper and after Supper with the same Bloody Hands Administers the Lord's Supper He and his Courtiers continuing to Feast tho' a great Famine was then in the City viz. Munster one of his Fifteen Wives for saying She thought God was not pleased with their Feasting when others pined with Hunger died in the streets was brought into the Market-Place and her Head cut off and his other Wives commanded to Sing and give Praise for it to their Heavenly Father Hist Anabapt Within the space of Two Years John of Leyden and his Consul Knipperdoling were tied to a Stake and together with their great Prophet and their Flesh torn off with hot Pincers and being slain had their Bodies put into Iron Cages and hanged on the Steeple in St. Lambert Sleid. Comment l. 10. 23. Thomas Muncer another of the Tribe was put to the Rack by George Duke of Saxony where he roared most fearfully and at last had his Head cut off and set upon a Pole in the Fields Ibid. 24. Three Hundred Anabaptists that fell upon a Monastery in Friesland and rifled it were most of them either killed by the Ruines of the Monastery or put to Death by the Hangman Ibid. 25. Michael Servetus a Spanish Arian was burnt at Geneva 1551. For which Calvin is blamed as writing to the Magistrates and pushing them on to do it 26. Priscillian for confounding the Persons of the Trinity asserting Man's Soul to be of the same Essence with God pleading for Lying and Perjury as Lawful in Persecution was Executed at Trevers Clark's Exampl Vol. I. c. 63. 27. The first Generation of Adamites in Bohemia for going naked and lying promiscuously one with another were slain by Zisca Claver Hist Mund. 28. Anno Christi 1647. One Quarterman then Marshal of the City of London affirmed there was no more Holiness in the Scripture than in a Dog's Tail and within a few days after was smitten with a violent Disease whereof he died presently Clark's Examp. Vol. I. c. 63. 29. The same Year certain Sectaries in York-shire pretending a Divine Revelation to Sacrifice to God certain Creatures and among the rest their aged Mother whom they slew accordingly perswading her that she should rise again the third day were hanged at York Ibid. 30. Anno 1648. A Sectarian Preacher Gunne by Name in Southwark had lived in Adultery with another Man's Wife for about Nine Years and afterwards lay with one Green's Widow but at last grew Raving Mad and murdered himself Ibid. 31 Bolton one that by Separation made the first Schism here in England first made a Recantation at Paul's Cross and being still dog'd with a desperate Remorse hang'd himself Baily's Disswasive p. 13. c. Robins Justif c. 32. 1647. Some She-Anabaptists at Newbery pretended to strange Revelations and one had very strange Fits the like was seldom seen she gave out that such a Night she should be taken up into Heaven the Night came People assembled the Women took their leave of her with Tears expecting her Ascension 'T was a Moon shiny Night and a Cloud by chance covering the face of the Moon they all cry out Behold he come in the Clouds The Cloud vanished and Flock of Wind Geese appear a good way off they cry out again He comes he comes But when the Wild Geese were gone these tame silly Women return home again as wise as they came having made themselves a ridiculous Spectacle to may Ibid. 33. Anno 1611. One Bartholomew Legate in London for denying the Divinity of our Saviour whom me confessed to King James he had not prayed to for Seven Years together was burnt in Smithfield Fuller's Eccl. Hist p. 63. 34. The same Year Edw. Whightman for Ten abominable Heresies was burnt at Litchfield Ibid. 35. Anno 1653. John Gilpin of Kendal in Westmorland for joyning himself with the Quakers began to quake howl and cry out terribly was by the Devil drawn out of his Chair thrown upon the Ground all Night tempted to cut his own Throat in hopes of Eternal Life but at last by the Grace of God recovered out of this Snare of the Devil Attested by the Mayor and Minister c. of Kendal 36 William Facy Pastor of the Anabaptists at or near Tiverton in Devonshire after Suspension for his disorderly Life and readmission feigned himself Mad pretends to cut his Throat and calls for a Basin to receive the Blood offers to
and at last sacrificed his Right Hand for but tampering a little this way 'T is ill jesting with God and our own Consciences who will neither of them be mocked 17. Berengarius tried this and therefore though he retracted his Doctrine against Transubstantiation he relapsed again and retracted and relapsed again or rather returned and repented finding no Peace for his Conscience whilst he had not Truth in his Possesston CHAP. CXLI Great Effects wrought by weak means IT is pleasant to observe how God delights to shew his Power by using weak and contemptible Instruments and to werk â—â—eat Effects by little secondary Causes to make a World by speaking a Word or two to punish and subdue a slout-hearted Pharaoh with Frogs and Lice and Locusts and Darkness to baffle a Giant-like People in Canaan with a handful of Men to make the Walls of Jericho fall down and the Peoples Hearts quail with only a Shout and the Noise of Rams Horns to overthrow the two great Religions of the World Judaisin and Pagan Idolatry with the Foolishness of Preaching and the Piety and Patience of Confessors and Martyrs to turn Sinners Thoughts into a Case of Knives or a Nest of Wasps or Serpents to sting and torment them with 1. The Duke of Arcos Viceroy of Naples under the King of Spain having imposed many Gabels or Taxes both vendible and eatable at last imposed a Gabel upon Fruit also which more irritated and offended that Multitude than all the former Whereupon by the publick Cries and Lamentations of Men and Women they daily solicited the Viceroy as he passed through the Market-place to ease them of the said Burthen they used also the Mediation of others and not prevailing they were ready to raise a Mutiny Which so affrighted the Viceroy that he promised quite to take off the said Gabel but delaying to do it some of the enraged People one Night but fire to some Powder in the Market-place where the said Gabel was exacted and blew it up There were also from Day to Day bitter Invectives and fiery Protests against the publick Officers fixed up in sundry Places of the City The Viceroy being alarmed thereby often assembled the six Precincts of the City to consult about this Business But they were divided some perswading him to ease and please the People others advising him to Repair the Toll-house that was burnt down and continue the Gabel saying That they were but a few Tatterdemallions that had made that Noise Besides divers of the great Men and Merchants of the City had advanced upon the said Gabel above 600000 Crowns and were to pay 85000 Crowns of annual Rent This was noised abroad and the Report went That if this Tax was taken off there would be a new one set upon â—orn and Wine Whereupon the enraged People protested That they would never endure the same and whilst these Discontents were hot July 17. 1647. this Occasion suddenly presented it self A young Man of about 24 Years old being spritely pleasant and of a middle stature in Linen-Slops Blew Wastcoat and bare-foot with a Mariner's Cap on his Head happened to be in the Market-place His Profession was to angle for little Fishes as also to buy Fish and carry them about to sell He was vulgarly called Massianello and being naturally Crafty he observed the general Murmurings of the People and so went up and down to the Fruiterers Shops and advised them That meeting together the next Day in the Market-place they should tell the Country Fruiterers That they would buy no more gabelled Fruit. Upon this he listed many Boys under him to the number of Two Thousand giving every one of them a little Cane in their Hand Against a great Festival that was approaching a Feast that used to be made by the Boys and meaner fort of People in the Market-place he gathered to the number of Fifty Thousand Upon this Success the number of People encreased exclaiming aloud against their Oppressions protesting to pay no more Gabel crying out Let the King of Spain live and let the ill Government die Massianello being thus attended with his Boys and an infinite Company of loose People who were now armed with Pikes and Partizans he leaped up on a Table and with a loud Voice cried Be merry my dear Companions and give God Thanks that the Hour of your Redemption draws near This poor bare-footed Fellow as another Moses who freed the Israelites from Pharaoh's Rod shall redeem you from all Gabâ—ls Peter a Fisherman redeemed with his Voice Rome and with it all the World from Satan's Slavery to the Liberty of Christ Now another Fisher-man which is Massianello shall release Naples and with it a whole Kingdom from the Tyranny of Gabels c. Nor to effect this do I care a Rush to be torn in pieces and to be dragged up and down the Gutters of Naples let all the Blood in my Body spin out of these Veins let my Head skip from my Shoulders by a fatal Steel and be pearched in this Market-place on a Pole yet I shall die contentedly and gloriously It will be Honour enough to me to think that my Blood and Life perish in so glorious a Cause In short he afterwards brought the Viceroy to an Agreement but after some time falling into a Frensie by either Excess of Wine or Watching and Cares died See more in the printed Narrative or Clark 's Examples 2. The Inhabitants of Myons a City of Jonia were so pester'd with Gnats which were bred in a muddy Pond near them that they were constrain'd thereupon to leave the City and fly to Milerum This I read many Years ago when a Student in the University but took no care then to Record my Author 3. Luther by his Preaching and Disputing baffled the Arguments Arts and Power of two very potent Enemies the Pope and Emperor and procured a happy Reformation in the Church 4. Francis Spira was punished in this World for his Apostacy with the keen Reflections of a guilty Conscience and many others besides Our own Thoughts may be sufficient to make a Hell of 5. Some have been convicted of Murder by the Barking of a Dog the Flight of Birds the Shaking of Leaves Anacreon was choaked with a Grape-stone Adrian with a Gnat others with the Excrements of Birds flying over their Heads An Acquaintance of mine dislocated her Thigh-bone with only turning a Custard at the Fire and died upon it 7. This very Year a Woman near Hanmer going over a Hedge was hung to Death with her Head-string catching accidentally in the Sticks as was related to me by Mr. Henry of Broad-oak in Flintshire CHAP. CXLII Remarkable Passages relating to Sickness Death and Funerals WHat was long since decreed in Heaven God hath sent Warrants to execute on Earth Semel mori For us once to die Then be acquainted with Death betimes for through acquaintance Death will lose his Horror like unto an ill Face though it be as formidable as a
to carry my Soul to the Bosom of Jesus and I shall be for ever with the Lord in Glory And who can chuse but rejoyce in all this And now my dear Mother Brethren and Sisters Farewel I leave you for a while and I commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up and to give you an Inheritance among all them that are sanctified And now dear Lord my Work is done I have finished my course I have fought the good Fight and henceforth there remaineth for me a Crown of Righteousness Now come dear Lord Jesus come quickly Then a Godly Minister came to give him his last Visit and to do the Office of an inferiour Angel to help to convey his blessed Soul to Glory who was now even upon Mount Pisgah and had a full sight of that goodly Land at a little distance When this Minister spake to him his heart was in a mighty flame of Love and Joy which drew Tears of Joy from that precious Minister being almost amazed to hear a Man just a dying talk as if he had been with Jesus He died June 1657. Aged between 23 and 24 and was buried in Kelshall-Church in Hartfordshire For a larger Account of this Extraordinaay Person see his Life written by his Brother Mr. James Janeway 102. Mrs. Allein in the History of the Life and Death of Mr. Joseph Allein writes thus concerning his Death viz. About Three in the Afternoon he had as we perceived some Conflict with Satan for he uttered these words Away thou foul Fiend thou Enemy of all Mankind thou subtil Sophister art thou come now to molest me Now I am just going Now I am so weak and Death upon me Trouble me not for I am none of thine I am the Lord 's Christ is mine and I am his His by Covenant I have sworn my self to be the Lord's and his I will be Therefore be gone These last words he repeated often which I took much notice of That his Covenanting with God was the means he used to expel the Devil and all his Temptations The time we were in Bath I had very few hours alone with him by reason of his constant using the Bath and Visits of Friends from all Parts thereabouts and sometimes from Taunton and when they were gone he would be either retiring to GOD or to his Rest But what time I had with him he always spent in Heavenly and Profitable Discourse speaking much of the Place he was going to and his Desires to be gone One Morning as I was Dressing him he looked up to Heaven and smiled and I urging him to know why he answered me thus Ah my Love I was thinking of my Marriage-Day it will be shortly O what a joyful Day will that be Will it not thinkest thou my dear heart Another time bringing him some Broth he said Blessed be the Lord for these Refreshments in the way home but O how sweet will Heaven be Another time I hope to be shortly where I shall need no Meat nor Drink nor Cloaths When he looked on his weak consumed hands he would say These shall be changed This vile Body shall be made like to Christ's Glorious Body O what a Glorious Day will the Day of the Resurrection be Methinks I see it by Faith How will the Saints lift up their heads and rejoyce and how sadly will the wicked World look then O come let us make haste our Lord will come shortly let us prepare If we long to be in Heaven let us hasten with our Work for when that is done away we shall be fetch'd O this vain foolish dirty World I wonder how reasonable Creatures can so dote upon it What is in it worth the looking after I care not to be in it longer than while my Master hath either doing or suffering Work for me were that done farewel to Earth Thus far Mrs. Allein 103. Dr. Peter du Moulin Professor of Divinity at Sedan at his last Hour pronounced these Words I shall be satisfied when I awake c. and twice or thrice Come Lord Jesus come Come Lord Jesus come and the last time that Text which he loved so much He that believeth in Christ shall not perish but have everlasting life and a little after Lord Jesu receive my Spirit It being said to him You shall see your Redeemer with your eyes laying his Hand on his Heart he answered with an Effort I believe it and so departed 1658. aged 90. Out of the French Copy of his Death 104. Arminius in his Sickness was so far from doubting any whit of that Confession he had publish'd that he stedfastly judged it to agree in all things with the Holy Scriptures and therefore he did persist therein That he was ready at that very moment to appear with that same Belief before the Tribunal of Jesus Christ the Son of God the Judge of the Quick and Dead He died of a Disease in the Bowels which caused Fevers Cough Extension of the Hypochondria Atrophy Gout Iliack Passion Obstruction of the Left Optick Nerve Dimness of the same Eye c. which gave occasion to some Censures He died Oct. 19. In his Life by an unknown Hand 105. Simon Episcopius An. 1643. falling sick of an Ischuria for Eleven Days not being able to make a drop of Water continued ill two Months or more and at last for some Weeks was deprived of his Sight which Loss had been more grievous to him had not his deep and almost continual Sleeping lessened the same For he complained of it to his Friends that he should not be able to serve the Church of Christ any more He died April 4 at Eight of the Clock in the Morning the Moon being then eclipsed saith the Author of his Life p. 26. 106. Gustavus Ericson King of Sweden having lived 70 Years and reigned 38. gave in Charge to his Children to endeavour the Peace and maintain the Liberties of their Country but especially to preserve the Purity of Religion without the Mixture of Human Inventions and to live in Unity as Brethren among themselves and so sealing up his Will he resigned his Spirit to God An. 1562. Clark's Martyrol p. 370. 107. Edward the Sixth King of England in the Time of his Sickness hearing Bishop Ridley preach upon Charity gave him many Thanks for it and thereupon ordered Gray-Friars Church to be a House for Orphans St. Bartholomew's to be an Hospital and his own House at Bridewel to be a Place of Correction And when he had set his Hand to that Work he thank'd God that he had prolong'd his Life till he had finished that good Design About three Hours before his Death having his Eyes clos'd and thinking none near him he prayed thus with himself Lord God deliver me out of this miserable and wretched Life and take me among thy Chosen howbeit not my Will but thine be done Lord I commend my Spirit to thee O Lord thou knowest
in Ireland without a Foe By their own barbarous Hands the Mad-men die And Massacre themselves they know not why Whilst the kind Irish howl to see the Gore And pious Catholicks their Fate deplore If you refuse to trust Erroneous Fame Royal Mac-Ninny will confirm the same We have lost more in injur'd Capel's Heir Than the poor Bankrupt Age can e're repair Nature indulg'd him so that there we saw All the choice strokes her steady hand cou'd draw He the Old English Glory did revive In him we had Plantagenets alive Grandeur and Fortune and a vast Renown Fit to support the lustre of a Crown All these in him were potently conjoyn'd But all was too ignoble for his Mind Wisdom and Vertue Properties Divine Those God-like ESSEX were entirely thine In his great Name he 's still preserv'd alive And will to all succeeding Times survive With just Progression as the constant Sun Doth move and through its bright Ecliptick run For whilst his Dust does undistinguish'd lie And his blest Soul is soar'd above the Sky Fame shall below his parted Breath supply 4. WILLIAM Lord RVSSEL THE next who fell under their Cruelty and to whose Death Essex's was but the Prologue was my Lord Russel without all Dispute one of the finest Gentlemen that ever England bred and whose Pious Life and Vertue was as much Treason against the Court by affronting them with what was so much hated there as any thing else that was sworn against him The Last Speech and Carriage of the Lord Russel upon the Scaffold c. ON Saturday July the 21st 1683. about Nine in the Morning the Sheriffs went to Newgate to see if the Lord Russel was ready and in a little time his Lordship came out and went into his Coach taking his Farewel of his Lady the Lord Cavendish and several other of his Friends at Newgate In the Coach were Dr. Tillotson and Dr. Burnet who accompanied him to the Scaffold built in Lincoln's Inn-Fields which was covered all over with Mourning Being come upon the Scaffold his Lordship bowed to the Persons present and turning to the Sheriff made this following Speech Mr. Sheriff I expected the Noise would be such that I should not be much heard I was never fond of much speaking much less now therefore I have set down in Paper all that I think fit to leave behind me God knows how far I was always from Designs against the King's Person or of altering the Government And I still pray for the Preservation of Both and of the Protestant Religion Mr. Sheriff I am told that Captain Walcot Yesterday siad something concerning my Knowledge of the Plot I know not whether the Report be true or not Mr. Sheriff I did not hear him name your Lordship Writer No my Lord your Lordship was not named by any of them Lord Russel I hope it is not for to my knowledge I never saw him nor spake with him in my whole Life and in the Words of a dying Man I profess I know of no Plot either against the King's Life or the Government But I have now done with this World and am going to a better I forgive all the World heartily and I thank God I die in Charity with all Men and I wish all sincere Protestants may love one another and not make way for Popery by their Animosities I pray God forgive them and continue the Protestant Religion amongst them that it may flourish so long as the Sun and Moon endures I am now more satisfied to die than ever I have been Then kneeling down his Lordship prayed to himself after which Dr. Tillotson kneeled down and prayed with him which being done his Lordship kneeled down and prayed a second time to himself then pull'd off his Whig put on his Cap took off his Crevat and Coat and bidding the Executioner after he had lain down a small moment do his Office without a Sign He gave him some Gold Then embracing Dr. Tillotson and Dr. Burnet he laid him down with his Neck upon the Block The Executioner missing at his first stroke though with that he took away his Life at two more severed the Head from the Body The Executioner held up the Head to the People as is usual in cases of Treason c. Which being done Mr. Sheriff ordered his Lordship's Friends or Servants to take the Body and dispose of it as they pleased being given them by His Majesty's Favour and Bounty His Body was convey'd to Cheneys in Buckinghamshire where 't was buried among his Ancestors There was a great Storm and many loud Claps of Thunder the day of his Martyrdom An Elegy was made on him immediately after his Death which seems by what we have of it to be writ with some Spirit and a great deal of Truth and Good-will only this Fragment on 't could be retriev'd which yet may not be unwelcome to the Reader 'T is done he 's crown'd and one bright Martyr more Black Rome is charg'd on thy too bulky score All like himself he mov'd so calm so free A generall Whisper question'd Which is he Deckt like a Lover tho' pale Death 's his Bride He carne and saw and overcame and dy'd Earth wept and all the vainly pitying Croud But Heaven his Death in Thunder groan'd aloud His CHARACTER For his Character if we 'll believe the best Men and those who knew him best 't is one of the most advantageous the Age or indeed our Nation has yielded Those are great words which Mr. Leviston Gower speaks of him on his Tryal but yet not a Syllable too big for his Merit tho' they are very expressive of it That he was one of the best Sons the best Fathers the best Husbands the best Masters the best Friends and the best Christians By other That he was a most Vertuous Prudent and Pious Gentleman A Man of that Vertue that none who knew him could think him guilty of such a Conspiracy A Man of great Honour and too Prudent to be concern'd in so vile and desperate a Design A Person of great Vertue and integrity One whom those he had long convers'd with never heard utter so much as a word of Indecency against the King And others of the highest Quality who had been often in his Company say That they had never heard any thing from him but what was Honourable Just and Loyal His Person was tall and proper his Temper even and aggreable and such as rendred his Vertues even more lovely than they did him His Piety and Devotion as unaffected and yet as remarkable as his Love to the Church of England The True Church of England as he himself calls it not those Tumours and Wens that grow upon it and pretended to be not only part but all of it in our late bad Times to whose Heighths and Extravagancies he thinks it no shame in his Speech to confess he could never rise He was of a Noble Courage which he did not express by
of the Provincial Presidents have written heretofore unto Our Father of Famous Memory whom he answered in Writing again That they were not to be longer molested unless they had practised Treason against the Roman Empire And many have given Notice unto Us of the same Matter whom We answered as Our Father did before Us. If any therefore hereafter be found thus busied in other Mens Affairs We Command that the accused be absolute and free though he be found such a one I mean faulty and that the Accuser be grievously punished This Edict was proclaimed at Ephesus in the hearing of the great Assembly of Asia Euseb l. 4. c. 13. 6. Dr. Heylin in his Cosmography tells us That some of the Natives of America would say to some of the English at their first going over to those Foreign Plantations That King James was a good King and his God a good God but their Tauto naught 7. In the City of Aleppo a handsome French Slave a Young Man of Eighteen Years Old being tempted to Sodomy by his Master's Steward and upon his denial being threatned with immediate Death if he disputed any longer The vertuous Slave finding himself destitute of all other Remedies nimbly seized upon a Scymetar which hung upon the Wall of the Chamber and at one blow with it smote off the Turk's Head To escape Death for this Fact which was the lightest Punishment he could expect he takes an Arabian Horse out of his Master 's Stable with a design to make for Scandaroon to the English Factory there But unhappily meeting his Master upon the way he was stop'd brought back again and upon discovery of the Murther brought before the Basha by whom upon the Importunity of the Turks he was condemned to be beheaded The Slave then as brought to the Place of Execution which is a Field without the City where being come he appeared though very modest yet undaunted and fearless of Death And having prayed with much Fervour and Devotion and having particularly acknowledged his Fault and begged Almighty God's Pardon for telling his Master that his House was robbed when he met him upon the Road he was strip'd stark naked according to the Custom of that Place and discovered a lovely Body in which inhabited a more lovely Soul And immediately before his Death he did aver that he died a Christian depending wholly for his Salvation upon the Merits of our Saviour and that he killed the Steward for no other reason but to avoid being polluted by him and that he hoped God would shew some sign upon his Body to attest his Innocency and the Truth of what he said After having said this his Head was struck off from his Body and both left unburied according to Custom Many rebellious Turks were executed at the same time in the same place whose Bodies were quickly torn in pieces and devoured by a certain sort of great Dogs kept at Aleppo who were allowed no other Sustenance almost but the Carcasses of Malefactors But it was observed that none of those Dogs would touch the Body or Head of this Martyr of Chastity And which is more strange yet though this Young Man's Body lay in the Field unburied Ten or Twelve days and no other Execution in all that time and the Dogs so extreamly pinched with Hunger that they were ready to devour living Men yet they would not touch this Body And which is more Remarkable yet though it lay exposed all this time to the heat of the Sun in that very intemperate Climate yet did it not stink corrupt or change colour And this Circumstance moreover is affirmed as Remarkable that after Ten days there being another Execution in the same Place that Carcass was immediately devoured in the sight of the People But the Turks to bury their own shame were necessitated at last to dig a Grave and entomb this chaste Martyr See the Narrative Printed with License at London Anno Christi 1676. 8. The Testimony of Cublay the Emperor of the Tartars concerning Christ upon occasion of a Victory obtained by him over the Great Province of Mangi A. C. 1286. THis Day I cannot deny but that the Victory which I have obtained over mine Enemies is by especial Grace from my great God the Sun Moon and Stars abiding in this Glorious Vault of Heaven To whom I purpose to render Thanks to Morrow even in this open Field to which purpose I give Order that the Places be avoided of Humane Bodies here slain as also of the dead Beasts and decent Altars purposely erected As for the Prisoners being most part of them Christians whom I behold despoiled of their Arms shouted at mocked despised and jested at by the Jews Mahometists and others upbraiding them with their God Jesus Christ who was sometime fastened to a Cross by the said Jews for not aiding and helping them to the Victory as wanting such Power because so many of their Ensigns are here prostrated at my feet From this present hour forward I forbid all manner of Persons of what Quality or Religion soever they be to use any more such Derisions of themm on pain to be deprived of their Arms and well whipped with Rods at two several times yea on the very greatest pain beside that can be imagined And so much the rather because their God Jesus Christ is esteemed of Us to be one of the very greatest Coelestial Deities full of all Right Equity and Justice For he knowing these Christians to make War against Us unjustly being Our Subjects that never gave them occasion but revolted of themselves and adhered with Our Enemies therefore hath he permitted that I should win the Day albeit I have heard him to be called the God of Battels Over and besides this I Pardon all them that have followed my unkind Nephews Naiam and Caydve as being meerly deceived by them in making them believe they were levied for my Service and therefore I receive them again into my Protection Giving further to understand that all such as have any Prisoners they are not to offer the least harm whatsoever but immediately to set them at Liberty delivering them their Arms and all other Equipages to them belonging on pain to pass through the danger of the Army even he the proudest that shall make denial Our Charge imposed on the Christians is to Pray unto their God for Our Prosperity and to do Us Nine Months Service by taking Wages of Us in Our Instant War against the King of Nixamora who denieth to pay Us Our Tribute and strives to equal himself with Our Greatness Treasur of Ancient and Modern Times l. 2. p. 130. 9. The Testimony of Sidan King of Morocco concerning Jesus Christ in a Letter to James the First King of England WHen these Our Letters shall be so happy as to come to Your Majesty's sight I wish the Spirit of the Righteous God may so direct your Mind that you may joyfully embrace the Message I send presenting to you the means
as please This Relation is attested by many Religious Persons whose Names follow Ericus Westergard Rotalph Rakestat and Thor. Venes Coadjutors of the Pastor in the Parish of Niaess That Anno 1639 upon the 20th Day of May by Command of the Lord President in Remerigi the Lord Paulus Tranius Pastor in Niaess we went to receive an Account of the monstrous Birth in Sundby brought forth by an honest Woman Anna the Daughter of Amandus the Wife of Gandbrandus Erlandsonius who had already been the Mother of Eleven Children the last of which she was delivered of upon March 4. 1638. This Anna in the Year 1639 upon the 7th of April began to grow ill and being in great Pains in her Belly her Neighbours were called the same Day at Evening in the presence of her Neighbours she brought forth an Egg in all respects like that of an Hen which being broken by the Women then present Anna Grim Elen Rudstad Gyro Rudstad and Catharina Sundby they found that in the Yolk and White it answered directly to a common Egg. Upon the 18th Day of April about Noon in the Presence of the same Persons she was delivered of another Egg which in Figure differed nothing from the former This was the Confession as well of the Mother as of them that were present we do Artest by our Seals in the Presence of the Lord President in the Parish of Niaess the Day and Year abovesaid Bar. Hist Anat. c. 1. n. 4. p. 10. 8. Anne Tromperin was delivered of a Boy and two Serpents upon St. John's Day Anno 1576. She said That in a very hot Day she had drunk of a Spring where she suspected that she had drank of the Sperm of Serpents The Child was so lean as that he was scarce any thing but Bones The Serpents were each of them an Ell in length and thick as the Arm of an Infant both which alive as they were were buried by the Midwife in the Church-yard Sennert Pract. Med. l. 4. par 2. sect 4. cap. 10. p. 327. 9. The Concubine of Pope Nicholas the Third was delivered of a Monster which resembled a Bear Martin the Fourth in the First Year of his Popedom entertained this Lady and fearing lest she should bring forth other Bear-Whelps he caused all the Bears which were painted or carved in the Pope's Palace whilst the Family of Vrsini bore sway in Rome to be blotted out and removed Camer Hor. Subs Cen. 10. At a Procession in Bois le Duc in Brabant some of the Citizens were disguised according to the Custom of the Place some in the Habit of Angels and others in the Shape of Devils as they are painted One of these Devils ran home to his House in that Attire took his Wife and threw her upon a Bed saying He would get a young Devil upon her He was not much deceived for his Wife bore a Child in that Shape which at his coming into the World began to run and skip up and down all over the Chamber Ibid. 11. Anno 1678 upon the 17th Day of January at Eight of the Clock after Noon there was at the Town of Quiro an honest Matron who was then deliver'd of a Child which had upon its Head five Horns opposite each to the other and like unto those of a Ram also from the upper part of his Forehead there hung backward a very long piece of Flesh that covered most part of his Back in Form like a Woman 's Head-Tire about his Neck there was a double Row of Flesh like the Collar of an Horse at the end of his Fingers were Claws like to those Tallons in Birds of Prey his Knees were in the hinder part of his Leg his Right Leg and Foot were of a shining red Colour the rest of his Body all swarthy He is said to come into the World with a great Cry which so frighted the Midwife and the Women present that they ran immediately out of the House Paraeus de Mons l. 24. 12. Lithgow tells of a Monster that below the Middle Part there was but one Body and above the Middle there were two living Souls the one separated from the other with several Members their Heads both of one bigness the belly of the one join'd with the Posterior Part of the other and their Faces looked both one way as if the one had carried the other on his Back Their Eyes were exceeding big and their Hands greater than an Infant of three times their Age. The Excrements of both issued forth at one place and their Thighs and Legs were of a great Growth not agreeable to their Age which was but 36 Days Their Feet like the Foot of a Camel round and cloven in the midst They eat insatiably and continually mourn'd when one slept the other waked Lithg par 2. p. 52. 13. A Woman at Prague having felt a Commotion in her Bowels while the Inwards of a Calf were taking out brought forth a Boy whose Liver Intestines Stomach and Spleen with the greatest part of the Mesentery hung out beyond the Navel Fabrit Obs Chir. Cen. 3. Obs 55. p. 239. 14. At Cracovia was born a Child terrible to behold with flaming and shining Eyes the Mouth and Nostrils were like to those of an Ox it had long Horns and a Back hairy like a Dog's It had the Faces of Apes in the Breast where the Teats should stand it had Cats Eyes under the Navel fasten'd to the Hypogastrium and they looked hideously It had the Heads of Dogs upon both Elbows and at the Whire-Bones of each Knee looking forwards It was Splay-footed and Splay-handed the Feet like Swans Feet and a Tail turn'd upwards that crook'd up backwards about half an Ell long It lived four Hours from its Birth and near its Death it spake thus Watch for the Lord your God comes This was Anno 1543. Lycosten de Prod p. 582. 15. Anno 1573 at St. Lawrence in the West-Indies was a Child born that had two Horns on the Head like those of Kids long Hair on the Body a Fleshy Girdle about his Middle double from whence hung a piece of Flesh like a Purse and a Bell of Flesh in his Left Hand white Boots of Flesh on its Legs doubled down In brief the whole Shape was horrid and diabolical and conceived to proceed from some Fright taken from the Antick Danceâ— of the Indians among whom the Devil sometimes appears Dr. More 's Immortality of the Soul l. 3. c. 7. p. 173. 16. At Boston in New-England Anno 1637 Mrs. Dyer was delivered of a Monster which had no Head the Face on the Breast the Ears like Apes Ears growing on the Shoulders the Eyes and Mouth stood far out the Nose hooking upward the Breast and Back full of Prickles the Navel and Belly where the Hips should have been in stead of Toes it had on each Foot three Claws upon the Back it had two great Holes like Mouths above the Eyes it had four Horns and
Operations which ought to attract our Thoughts to particular Disquisitions and Meditations especially in Cases where we our selves are more nearly concerned 1. Zoroastres Laughed the same day wherein he was Born his Brain also did pant and beat that it would bear up their Hands that laid them on his Head Solinus cap. p. 181. 2. M. Tullius Cicero is said to have been Born without any of those Pangs usual in Child-bearing Plut. par in Cicerone 3. Nero was Born with his Feet forwards Plin. Nat. Hist l. 7. c. 8. p. 160. 4. M. Curius Dentatus and Cnâ— Papyrius Carbo were Born with Teeth in their Mouths Ibid. 5. Scipio Affricanus was cut out of his Mother's Womb So was Julius Caesar Thus saith Schenck was that Manlius Born who entred Cartbage with an Army And so was that Mackduff Earl of Fife who slew Mackbeth the Usurper of Scotland Edward VI. of England is said by Baker to be so but that 's doubtful Also Buchardus Earl of Lintsgow c. Anno 959. Also Gebbardus Son of Otho Earl of Brigentz Anno 1001. Cornelius Gemma saith He hath cut out of the Womb six living Children Schenck Obs Med. p. 580. 6. I saw saith Horatius Augonius a poor Woman of a fleshy and good habit of Body who for nine months had an Exulceration of the Ventricle and for twenty days together Vomited up all she took and so Died a living Boy being taken out of her Womb afterwards Ibid. 7. When Spinola Besieged Bergopsoma a Woman near her Reckoning going forth to draw Water was taken off in the middle by a Cannon Bullet so that the lower part of her fell into the Water those that were by ran to her and saw there a Child moving it self in the Bowels of the Mother which was afterwards Baptized by the Infanta Isabella at Antwerp by the name of Alb. Ambrosius one of her Fathers Captains Barth Hist Anat. Cer. 2. Hist 8. p. 159. 8. Lewis the 9th King of Hungary c. was Born without a Skin Crown'd in his second year Married a Wife at nine took upon him the Government at ten had a Beard before his time was Grey before eighteen and Slain at twenty Anno 1526. Camerar Hor. Subscis Cen. 1. c. 55. p. 241. 9. Anno. 1647. Jacob Egh in the City of Sarda in Belgia had a Bull which he fed tying him in a Close near his House but provoked by the Boys he brake his Bonds and ran to the Cows the Herdsman endeavoured with his Staff to return him to his former place The Bull â—ing incens'd with his blows ran upon him and with his Horns born him to the ground His 〈◊〉 being now in the last month of her Count seeing the danger of her Husband ran into his assistance The Bull with his Horns hoisted her up into the Air the heighth of one Story and tore the Belly of the Woman From the Wound in her Belly forthwith came the Birth with its Secondine and was thrown at some distance upon a soft place was carried home diligently lookt after by a Midwife and was Baptized and lived to be a Man Bartholin Ibid. Cent. 2. Hist 8. p. 157. 9. Gorgias a Gallant Man of Epirus is said to be Born in the Coffin while his Mother was carrying to the Grace Val. Max. l. 1. c. 8. p. 20. 10. Carsias King of Navarre being with Vrracha his Queen at Larumbe was surprized by Moors and Slain they wounded the Queen in the Belly with a Lance who being put to flight The Queen at the wound was delivered of a Son and Died the Child to all Men's wonder was safe and was named Sasias Garsia who succeeded his Father in the Kingdom Anno 918. Zuing. Theat vol. 2. l. 1. p. 270. 11. Schenckius speaks of a Woman that voided a Child a Finger long at her Mouth CHAP. XXVII Monstrous Animals I Do not pretend here to give a new Edition of Aldrovandus nor write a large Voluminous Treatise of of all the Monsters within ken of a well-read Historian but to give a few of the latest Instances of the greatest Errors of Nature in this kind that I could meet with just enough to awaken and put a man's Brains into Fermentation and dispose him to some Gravity and Seriousness and Sublimity of Thought 1. At Rome in the River of Tyber a Monster was found with a Man's Body an Ass's Head one of whole Hands was like a Mans but the other like an Elephants Foot one of his Feet was as the foot of an Eagle the other resembled another Beast He had a Womans Belly trimly set out with Breasts and his Body was covered all over with Scales except his Belly and Breast having in his hinder parts an old Man's Head bearded and another besides spitting out Flames like a Dragon Doom's Warning to Judgment p. 288. This happened Anno 1496. 2. Anno 1530. in January a Monstrous Serpent with seven Crowned Heads like a Dragon was brought out of Turkey to Venice and afterwards given to Francis the French King and for the rareness was valued at 6000 Ducats Batmans Doom p. 312. 3. A Butcher having killed a Cow at Limington in Hampshire found she was big with a Calf which began to be hairy its hind Legs had no joints and its feet were divided like the Claws of a Dog his Tongue was tripple and after the manner that Cerberus's is described one in the middle of its Mouth and two others on the sides Between the fore and hind Feet there was a great Stone upon which it was laid This Stone weighed 20 pound and a half its colour was greyish like to a cut Stone which is commonly called the Grison the Superficies thereof was unequal and full of little Cavilia's When it was broken they perceived small Grains of Stone of an Oval Figure and its colour was mixed with yellow and black Veins which are all over it Dr. Haughton of Salisbury keeps this Stone of which he hath sent a part to Mr. Boyle who communicated it together with a Letter to the Royal Society The Young Students Library p. 210. 4. At Burdham near Chichester in Sussex about 23 years ago there was a Monster found upon the Common having the Form and Figure of a Man in the fore-part having two Arms and Hands and a human visage with only one Eye in the middle of the Forehead the hinder part was like a Lamb. A young Man of the Neighbourhood was supposed to have Generated this Monster by a Bestial Copulation and that the rather because he was afterwards found in the like Beastly Act with a Mare upon discovery whereof he fled out of the Country This young Monster was nailed up in the Church-Porch of the said Parish and exposed to publick view a long time as a Monument of Divine Judgment Attested by Henry Read of Barnham an Eye witness 5. Anno 1511. At Ravena a Monster was Born with a Horn on his Head He had Wings no Arms one Foot as a
Bird of Prey an Eye on his Knee and both Kinds Ypsilon amidst his Breast and the form of a Cross This I have read saith my Author in John Multi Vallis and Gasper Hedio in the History Synopsis after Sabellicus I have seen another Portracture of the like Monster but somewhat differing and not answering the first in all Points with the Interpretation set out in Verse Batman's Doom p. 294. 6. Anno 1531. At Ausburg a Woman brought forth three Monsters first a Man's Head wrapt in a Caul secondly a Serpent with two Legs which had a great Head like unto a Pike the Body and Feet of a Frog and the Tail of a Lizard thirdly a Pig whole in all Parts Batman's Doom p. 315. 7. In the same year a horrible Monster very wild having four Feet a Man's Head Bearded and Combed Eagles Feet Hands almost like a Lions Paws a Dogs Tail and his Body of a dark yellow colour somewhat shining was taken in the Lordship of the Bishop of Saltsburg in the Forest of Hanesberg He did fly Men's sight and hid himself in dark Corners and length when he could be neither compelled nor allured to Eat he Died for Hunger Ibid. 316. 8. Anno 1540. At Milan a Cow brought forth a Calf with two perfect Heads with Tongue Teeth Eyes and Ears but the Heads were joined together in the Nap the one a Bull 's Head the other a Cow's Head Idem ex Cardan l. 14. c. 37. 9. Anno 1543. in Flanders upon the day of St. Paul's Conversion others write at Cracovia their was Born a Child of honest and gentile Parents very hideous and horrible to behold with turning and sparkling Eyes having a Mouth and Nostrils standing out with the form of a Horn and a Back rough with Dog's Hair Ape 's Faces appearing on his Breast where his Dugs should stand Cats Eyes under the Navel cruel and currish Dog's Heads at both Elbows and Knees looking forward the form of Toads Feet a Tail bending upward and turning again crooked of an Ell long he is said to have lived four hours after he was Born and at length after he had uttered these words Vigilate Dominus Deu vester advenit that is Watch your Lord is a coming to have Died. Batman ibid. p. 537. Out of Gasper Pucer and Munster's Cosmography 10. Anno 1546. At Bitterfield a Calf was found in the Field with Man's Eyes Nostrils and Ears having his Head shaven and as it were covered with Vermilion in Mouth and Breast like a Calf his fore Legs like a Calf and his hinder like a Man and very short but both were partly Hoved like a Calf and partly Toed and Fingered like a Man which Fingers were under the Hoof and hung out severally This Monster Gasper Pucerus describeth in his Book Teratascopia Ibid. p. 346. 11. The same Author writeth That he saw in the year 1553. a Calf fearful and horrible to behold looking like a Cat having a great swelling hanging from under his Jaw long like a Bladder white and soft his Hair was black like a Dogs his Stones were of no common greatness like unto them of a Ram double Codded Ibid. p. 36. 12. Anno 1534. At Stetin a Monster was Born having this Form In the place of his Head was a deformed lump moveable as the Intrails of a Sheep in the place of one of his Ears stood an Arm in the place of the Face curled Locks like to Cats Hair and sticking thereon like the Spawn of a Pike through which beneath there appeared glassy bright little Eyes his Mouth was a very small hole without Lips his Nose little and without a Neck The other Arm grew out of his side but there was no likeness of Breast nor Back He was of no Kind his Arms and long Feet had Houghs whole Bone through without Joints Elbows and Hams his Hands and Feet tender and hanging down as it were twice broken like unto crooked and bending Claws Batman Ibid. Ex Fincelio 13. Anno 1551. Febr. 18. A Lamb was yeaned at Halberstadt with a round Head and with three Eyes three Mouths two Noses with his Ears hanging to his back ward like to Dogs Ears but which is to be accounted a great Prodigy in his three Mouths he had a great Eye greater than the other and there he put forth a long Tongue He lived one day with continual crying Ibid. Ex Fincelio p. 372. 14. Anno 1554. In Marchia not far from Regemont a Mare brought forth a Monstrous Colt having the Skin gagg'd every where hanging Breeches and Dublet cut like to the fashion of the Lance Knights Batman p. 373. Ex Fincelio 15. Anno 1556. The day before the Nones of January in Germany at a Village belonging to the Bishop of Dilling called Overhassen a Cow brought a Calf that had but two hinder Feet yet of so great swiftness that running with the Body upright he surpassed all other Calves on foot Batman's Doom p. 375. 16. The same year July 24. at Clesdorf 3 miles from Pabenberg a Cow brought forth a Calf with a man's-Man's-head a black Beard two Mens Ears indifferently well haired likewise a Man's Breast with Dugs Idem ex Fincelio 17. The same year a Child was Born of a Woman by Copulation with a Dog having a Man's shape in the upper part but in the lower the full form of a Dog and to purge the Sin he was brought to the Pope Cardan de Varietate Rerum l. 14. c. 64. 18. Anno 1563. A monstrous Fish was cast on shore at Grimsby in Lincolnshire in length 19 yards his Tail 15 Foot long and 6 yards between his two Eyes Batmans Doom p. 391. out of Dr. Coopers Chron. 19. Anno 1577. in June was seen in London a Mare having a Colt brought from the Parish of Emeley in Worcestershire the Mare was 22 years old and Foaled such a Colt as forthwith gave Milk which my Author saith he saw adding that one Mrs. Dawson endeavouring to take away the House of the Poor Man and the Man having spent almost all that he had in defence of his own Right this abundance of Milk continually flowing from the Colt was for the time a great cherishing to him Ibid. p. 403. 20. Anno 1581. Feb. 1. One Annis Fig an Adultress of Chichester in Sussex brought forth a monstrous Child of little shape of Body trussed together the Head very great bigger than the Body the Body in compass 9 Inches the Arm an Inch long and two Inches about the Face on the Cheek and Chin the likeness of a black Beard the Legs wanted Thighs the Toes crooked Idem p. 415. 21. Anno 1680. May 19. in Somersetshire near Taunton Dean a Woman was brought to Bed of two Children They grew together side to side from the Armpits to the Hip Bone they had two Fundaments whereby to avoid their Excrements they had also two passages for their Urine yet had they but one Navel by which both were nourished while
the Skin was married to the Bones with so close a conjunction that their Bodies seemed all Boney and tied together only with Nerves truly saith he you would have taken them for the very Images of Death The Younger of them walked well enough for he seemed not much unlike an Ape yet in walking the Bones cracket together very like the dry shells of Nuts Their Father continually attended the Furnace Symph Campej l. 4. c. 13. c Narat Histor Galeni 40. Worms have been found sometimes breed in the Heart which hath caused Palpitation and the Lunatick Passion and consquently Death 41. Arculanus relates that he saw a sharp Bone that stuck in the Throat of one at two months end come out through the Skin Forest l. 15. c. 42. A certain Student in the Colledge of Preleum who had swallowed down a branch of Grass voided it afterwards whole through the intercostal space Parcus l. 24. c. 19. 43. A certain Shepherd being forced to swallow a Knife with a Horn handle half a Foot long after a fortnights space and much pain upon an Aposthume breaking out of his Groins voided it there Idem Dr. Brown tells us That either this Knife or another is to be seen in the Emperor of Germany's Library I say this or another for there is the like Story of a Boy in Prussia that swallowed his Knife and had it taken out again by a Chirurgion Several Persons have swallowed Pins most of which they have voided again by Urine One Mrs. Skâ—ymsher of Aqualat in Shropshire near Newport as it was related to my Lord Paget in my hearing after she had swallowed down a Pin took it out of her Arm many years 44. Sudor Anglicus or the Sweating-sickness was a Pestilent kind of Fever which either killed or delivered the Patient in a day or two mostly peculiar to England but by its Contagion communicating it self sometimes to Holland it ended commonly in Sweating and there was hopes of Recovery by no other Medicines but Sudorificks This arose first of all Anno 1486. in the Summer time and in one day with an excessive Flux of Sweat would carry away many thousands They that were seized with it would be Sowed presently up in the Sheets and Blankets and earnestly intreat their Friends not to leave them till their 24 hours were out which Friends perhaps being seized presently after and thrust into the same Bed to them where being mightly covered with heaps of Cloaths they cried out wretchedly earnestly imploring the Favour of God and Man Gemma Cosmo l. 1. c. 8. 45. Lues Pannoniae or the Hungarian Fever Theriodes vulgarly the worm of the Brain began in the Expedition of the Emperor Maximilian II. against Soliman the Turkish Emperor Anno 1566. in Hungary and carried away a vast number of People insomuch that you might see dead Bodies lie in the Streets of Vienna whither the Army hastned daily First they were taken with a light rigour and coldness within less than an hour with extream heat and pain of the Head and Breast and unsatiable Thirst so that you might see them out of their Tents at Pitchers and Bowls of cold Water drinking till they had Breathed their last The 2d or at most the 3d day they grew Delirious sometimes there was attending a Disentary or Flux of the Liver sometimes the Colick and pain of their sides Matter thrown out by Stool or out of the Head into either Ear causing Deafness gave hopes of Recovery They all had spots like Flea-bitings upon their Body especially their Breast and Back Arms and Shoulders Jordanus de Pestis Phaenomini c. 19. Tract 1. 46. Febris Stigmatica otherwise called Lenticula or Punticula appeared first Anno 1505. and 1528. in Italy especially Cyprus and the Neighbouring Islands it was contagious upon contact at first it was easie and pleasant enough but afterwards was attended with uneasiness and weariness of Body heaviness of the Head or dulness of the Senses Delirium redness of Eyes Talkativeness red Spots about the seventh day in the Arms Back and Breast little or no Thirst c. few Women were taken with this Fever very sew old Men almost no Jews c. Tracaster l. 2 3. c. 6 7. de Contag Morb. 47. Morbus Gallicus was brought first by the Spaniards out of the Indies and shewed it self first in the Camp of Charles V. at Naples it spared none of what degree so ever Kings Lords or Ladies infected the Head Eyes Nose Pallat of the Mouch Skin Flesh Bones Ligaments and inward parts of the Body produced a lumpish heaviness in the Members wandring Pains faint Complexions Sadness Tumours Pustules Ulcers Buboes c. Barrow's method of Physick l. 6. c. 1 2 3. 48. Brunnae Lues of Lues Nova Moraviae not very mortal yet of an unusual form and strange Symptoms and very Contagious it began about Anno 1577. upon occasion of going into the Baths near Brunna The hurt did not appear until a formight or a month after Afterwards these Symptoms followed sluggishness and torture of Body a dejected Mind a sad Countenance pale Face a brown Circle about the Eyes a frowning Forehead an extraordinary heat in such places where they had used Cupping glasses in the day it produced Ulcers and much Corruption sometimes a kind of Scab all over the Body like the Small-Pox Callouses in the Head which broke and run pricking Pains all over the Body no rest perpetual crying out roaring tears avoiding all Conversation and sight of Men c. Jordanus de Lue Nova Moraviae CHAP. XXXVII Strange Birds I Do not intend to present my Reader here with a Complete Aviary or to tell him only what he knows already though perhaps the Book may fall into the hands of some who know more than I can tell them but only to speak of some of those Inhabitants of the Airy Region these Winged People of the Sky that common Eyes are least acquainted with and which we do not see every day whereof there is so great a variety and wherein there is such a pleasant sight of the Creator's Infinite Wisdom and Workmanship as is enough to allure our Eyes to a further Prospect and Disquisition of what there is above these 1. The Eagle is justly esteemed King of Birds The right Foot is reported greater than the left the Brain is so hot that mingled with Hemlock Juice and drank in Powder it will make one Mad. It drinks not because the Blood of what it Preys upon sufficeth it But in old Age when the Beak is crooked with dryness it preserves it self by drinking Aelian They have been seen a Cubit in largeness and some young ones whose Wings stretched out would reach 7 Ells the Claws were bigger than a great Man's Fingers and the Thighs greater than a Lions When the young ones are hatcht she holds them in her Talons against the Sun and having proved them to be Legitimate she takes them on her Wings and carries them
the strongest of them when she hath them aloft she lets them fall and then she flies and meets them and takes them up again When they are old enough she drives them out of her Nest and Quarter The Female is so salacious that being trod 30 times in a day if the Male come to her again she will run to him She is so quick-sighted that flying over the Sea out of man's view she will discern the smallest Fish and smells Carcasses 500 miles distant When she is become extream hot she plunges into the Water then she flies to her Nest grows fevorish casts her Feathers is fed by her young ones and renews her self but sooner if she can find Serpents to feed on Jonston Hist Nat. p. 168. 2. The Hawk is of divers Magnitudes according to its Sex and Country the Females are the greater it casts its Feathers four times it is so venerious that the Female will return 30 times a day She flies from Carrion In the Air she will turn on her Back and stretch out her Tail Back and Wings and lies upon them She seems to lament the Death of a Man and will cast Earth on his Eyes The Thigh Bone of it pat towards Gold doth draw it to it with Delight Pigeous so soon as they hear its noise fly away Hens Eggs if they sit will be spoiled Small Birds are so frighted at the sight of her that you may take them off the Hedge with your hands Ibid. 3. The Manucodiatae or Birds of Paradise are said by Aldrovandus to be of five Kinds Their Bodies not being much bigger than a Swallow and their Heads like to them They are said to live always in the Air and to rest firm without any but a Tonick Motion for they want Feet and never come to the Ground but when they are Dead This is a Fable for they could hardly sleep there when their Senses are bound up for all their exercise is in a Tonick Motion It is likely that there is a hole in their Back in the Muscles where the Female that hath a hollow Belly lays her Eggs. Aldrovandus who saw these Manucodiatae never found any such thing The Mahumetans are perswaded that they came from Pardise as tokens of the delights of that place Johnston's Hist of Nat. Class 6. p. 184. Our later Writers say that they have found these Birds on the Ground dead and their Legs eaten off with some Vermin which is supposed to give occasion to the aforesaid fabulous Tradition 4. The Ostrich hath a small Head like a Goose not covered with Feathers with cloven Feet he is too big to flie yet sometimes he runs swiftly the Wind entring under his Wings and extending them like sails he will out-run a Man on Horseback he will swallow pieces of Iron he makes a Nest of Sand that is low and hollow and fenceth it against the Rain She lays above 80 Eggs yet the Young ones are not hatcht all at one time the Eggs are as big as a Young Childs Head weighing about 15 pounds and are extream hard the Young are bred of them by heat of the Sun she is wonderful simple when she hides her Neck in a Bush she thinks she is all hid Ibid. Class 6. cap. 32.191 5. The Heron if they dung upon a Hawke they burn and corrupt its Feathers they swallow Shell-fish shells and all but when they think their heat hath opened them they cast them up again and eat the Fish They lie in wait to catch Fish cunningly for they stand so against the Sun-beams that their shadow may not be seen to drive them away some say they have such a force that if they put but a foot into the Water they will draw the Fish to them as with a bait Ibid. p. 169. 6. The King's Fisher is reported to build their Nests of the hardest Fish-bones and to breed about the middle of Winter Wherefore when it is a calm Winter they call it Halcyon days the Nest is made like a Pine Apple it is so Artificially made that it cannot be easily cut with a Sword That the Water may not enter into it she makes her hole of a spungy matter that will swell and the swelling shuts up the entrance when they go in they press against it and so press out the Water and find passage Johnston's Class 6. p. 171. 7. The Cranes are great Travellers when they flie they keep a Triangular sharp-angled Figure that they may the easilier pierce through the Air when they light on the Earth to feed the Captain of them holds up his Head to keep watch for the rest and they feed securely before they take rest they appoint another Centinel who may stand and ward with his Neck stretched forth whilst the rest are asleep with their Heads under their Wings and standing upon one Leg the Captain goes about the Camp and if there be any danger he claries Lest they should sleep too soundly they stand upon one foot and hold a Stone in the other above Ground that if at any time being weary they should be oppressed with sleep the Stone falling might awaken them Johnston's Hist Nat. Class 6. cap. 18. p. 180. 8. Swallow's where they live in Winter is diversly described some say that in hollow Trees many lying close together they preserve themselves by mutual heat But Olaus Magnus Episcop Vpsal saith that in the Northern Parts where Men die of Cold in Winter the Swallows live in the Water yet in these parts Swallows are often drawn up by Fishermen by accident like a congeal'd Mass and then have united themselves together bill to bill foot to foot wing to wing after the beginning of Autumn to go amongst the Reeds c. When that Mass is drawn forth and put into a Hot-house the Swallows are thawed by heat coming to them and so begin to flie but they last but a very short time because they are not made free but Captives by being taken too soon Johnston's Hist Nat. Class 6. c. 20. p. 182. 9. The Ospreys or Sea Eagles are said to have one foot like an Engle and hooked the other plain like a Goose to swim withal that it hath also a costly Fat in his Tail and that he flies in the Air and hangs there as it were and le ts drop some of this Fat into the Water whereby the Fish are astonished that they turn upon their back and so he catcheth them Ibid. p. 183. 10. The Ibis is a Bird so loving to Egypt that it will live no where else so soon as it is hatcht if it be weighed it weighs two drams Plutarch de avib l. 4. c. 9. The Heart is greater then is proportionable to the body The Gut is 96 Cubits long and that in the Wain of the Moon of pressed together till the Light of it increaseth again saith Gaudentius Merula The Lakes of Arabia send forth Multitudes of winged Serpents these Birds by a kind of foresight are stirred up and
near Orford in Suffolk in all parts like a Man and for 6 Months was kept in the Castle whence after he escaped and went again to the Sea Others do add that he was kept with raw Flesh and Fish and because he could not speak was thrown into the Sea again Bakers Chron. He uttered not any Speech though to try him he was hung by the Heels and grievously Tormented he would get him to his Couch as Sun-set and rise again at Sun-rising one day they brought him to the Haven and let him go into the Sea but to prevent his escape they set 3 rows of very strong Nets before him to catch him again at pleasure but he diving to the bottom crept under their Nets and shewed himself again to them and so often diving he still came up and as it were mocked them at length he came back to them of his own accord and remain'd with them two Months after But afterwards being not carefully lookt to he went to the Sea and was never after seen or heard of Fabians Chron. Anno Christi 1404. Some Women of Edom in the Low-Counties as they were going in their Barks to their Cattel in Purmer-meer they often saw at the Ebbing of the Water a Sea-Woman playing up and down where at the first they were afraid but after a while encouraging one another they made with their Boats towards her and the Water at that time being not deep enough for her to dive in they took her by force and drew her into the Boat and so carried her to Edam where in time she grew familiar and fed of ordinary Meats and being sent from thence to Harlem she lived about 15 Years but never spake seeking often to get away to the Waters Belg. Common Wealth p. 102 Captain Richard Whithurn in his Description of Newfoundland writes That Anno Christi 1610. early in the Morning as he was standing by the Water side in the Harbour of St. John's he espied a strong Creature swimming very swiftly towards him like a Woman looking chearfully upon him her Face Eyes Nose Mouth Chin Ears Neck and Forehead were like a Woman it was very beautiful and in those parts well proportioned having Hair hanging down round about the Head he seeing it come within a Pikes length of him stepped back whereupon it dived under the Water swimming to another place whereby he beheld the Shoulders and back down to the middle which was as square white and smooth as the back of a Man from the middle to the hinder part it pointed in proportion like a broad hooked Arrow afterwards it came to Boat wherein some of his Men were attempting to come in to them till one of them struck it a full blow on the Head others of them saw it afterwards also Clark's Geogr. p. 208. Purchas saith many Meer-maids and Women are seen about Brasile who sometimes catch embrace kiss and crush the Indians to death Vol. 4. p. 1315. Purchas adds that many Women-Fishes are found near Soffala which from the Belly to the Neck are very like Women from the Belly downward they are like Dolphins I my self when a Young Man at Oxford saw a couple of such Fishes as these taken as was reported by them who brought them singing upon a Rock in the Irish Seas 9. The River-Horse Hippotamus the Morse found in Soffala is as big as two of our Horses living in the Water but feeding on Grass by Land with thick and short hinder Legs five Claws on each fore-foot and four on the hinder the Mouth wide and full of Teeth 4 of which are above two spans long apiece the two lower stand upright the two upper turned like Bears Tushes they have Teats thick Hides are of an Ash-colour with white Strakes on their Faces or Stars in their Fore-heads Purch Pilgr Vol. 2. p. 1544. 10. The Dog-Fish found in the River of Goa big as a Cur-dog hath a Snout like a Hog small Eyes two holes for Ears 4 feet like an Elephant flat Tail Body Head Tail and Legs covered with broad Scales as hard as Iron snorting like a Hog and rolling himself round like an Urchin Ibid. p. 1774. 11. Toad-Fishes are about a span long Painted with fair Eyes snorting and swelling much out of the Water the Poysonous Skin being flayed off the Indians eat them Ibid. p. 1314. 12. Cuttle-Fish hath a Hood always full of black Water like Ink which when she is pursued by other Fishes that would devour her she casts forth and so darkens the Water that she thereby escapeth Ibid. 13. The Flying-Fish hath Fins instead of Wings and a delicate Skin interlaced with fine bones they are like Pitchards only a little rounder and bigger they flie best with a side Wind but no longer then their Wings are wet seldom above a quarter of a Mile The Dolphins and Bonitoes do continually hunt after them by Water and the Alcatrace a Fowl much like a Heron hovers in the Air to seize upon them 14. The Eagle-Fish found in the Indian Sea hath Eyes 5 quarters asunder from the end of one Fin to the end of the other are above 4 yards its Mouth and Teeth resemble a Porcullise has a small Tail and it s rather wondred at then eaten 15. The Carvel comes of the Fome of the Sea is a kind of a Sea-Spider of a round form floating upon the surface of the Ocean throwing abroad her string like so many lines to Angle for small Fishes When she sees her Web too weak she can blow a deadly infectious Breath or put forth such a Sting as if she had borrowed it from a Scorpion Herb. Trav. 16. A. Shark taken by Mr. Herbert's Men in his East-India Voyage was 9 foot and a half long they found in her Paunch 55 young ones each of them a foot in length all which go out and in at their pleasures she was armed with a double row of Venemous Teeth and is guided in her Prey by a little Musculus or Pilot-Fish that she sends to and fro do bring Intelligence the Shark for its kindness suffering it to Suck at pleasure Herb. Trav. p. 26. 17. A certain Fish or Sea-Monster in le Maire's Voyage with a Horn struck against the Ship with such violence that it shook it whereupon the Master looking over-board saw the Sea all Bloody but knew not what should be the cause till coming into Port Desire where they cleansed and trimed their Ship they found 7 foot under water a Horn sticking in the Ship for bigness and fashion like an Elephants Tooth yet not hollow but all of solid hard Bone which had pierced through three double Planks and was entered into a Rib of the Ship it stuck above half a foot deep into the Ship and by great force was broken off which caused the Monster to bleed so much as discoloured the Water Purch Pilgr vol. 1. p. 90. 18. Dr. Edward Brown in his Description of Vienna speaking of the Danube saith it affords
Gryllus Acheta the Cricket It is a Winged Insect like a Locust or Grashopper lives in Chimneys and warm Places and sings almost continually 18. â—â—mica Murmos the Pismire or Ant. It is a small but wise Creature gathering its Food in Summer in the Full Moons and resting in the New Moons They are like a Commonwealth and gather Corn which they dry and bite at both Ends that they may not grow they wear away Stones by their Assiduity and make beaten Road-ways they help one another in drawing their Burthens dam out Water and bury their Dead The Greater lead the way and the Lesser drag the Corn and when dirty they cleanse themselves before they enter into their Habitations They teach their Young to labour but expel the Idle and when they carry their Grain it is said to be a sign of foul Weather They cast up the Earth over the Mouths of the Caves that the Water may not enter in wherein they have three Cells in the first they live in the second they breed and bury and in the third they keep their Corn. They generate in Winter bring forth Eggs which in Spring are Ants when old they grow Winged and then suddenly after die Salmon's Disp l. 2. p. 260. 19. Hirudo Sanguisuga the Horse-Leach The Great are best with a Line on their Back They are used to draw Blood with but they ought fisrt to be cleansed of purged with clean Water and then applied to the Part it being first rubbed with Sal Nitre Blood Milk Clay or Honey then apply them To remove them cast upon their Mouth Salt Ashes Aloes Vinegar c. and they will fall off In the River of Mauretania they are said to be seven Cubits long 20. Julus Centumpeda the Gally-Worm They are a short kind of Scolopendra's exceeding in number of Feet all other Insects 21. Locusta It was formerly used as a Food in the Eastern Countries and John Baptist fed upon them It is an Insect which has a Head like a Horse six Legs and Wings being of divers Colours Anno 852 they wasted France 20 Miles in one Day going in Troops the Leaders with a few more went before to take up Quarters the next Day at the same Hour they all arrived In the Sixth Year of the Emperour Argyropolus they drove the Inhabitants of certain Provinces of the East to such Necessity that they sold their Children and passed into Thrace next Year they returned again and having spoiled the Provinces three Years perished at Pergamos In some Places the Magistrate appoints them to be killed thrice a Year and he that refuseth is punished Johnston's Nat. Hist p. 254. 22. Musca the Fry 23. Papilio Compilo Avicula Isiodori the Butterfly They generate in May June and July and lay Eggs. 24. Pediculus the Louse breeds first in the Skin of the Head and abounds in Hectick Feavers not so in Putrid Feavers It leaves those that are dead Eating of Figs is said to produce them but 't is certain it breeds Warts on the Skin Johnston 25. Pulex the Flea they are generated by Dust as also of putrified Sweat The only Remedy to destroy them is the Pulp or Decoction of Coloquintida Salmon Some say Silk-Yarn put into the Bed will gather them together into it 26. Ricinus Redivivus the Tike is a filthy Creature or kind of Louse that troubles Oxen Goats Sheep Dogs c. 27. Scarabeus the Beetle the smell of Roses is said to kill them 28. Scincus the Sea-Skink 29. Scolopendra they differ from a Galley-Worm as a Lobster from a Crevise They are Poisonous and their Poison causes Putrifaction 30. Scorpio it is almost like a Craysish having little Eyes Oval form eight Feet and two Arms. Of great use in Physick especially for the Stone and Gout 31. Stella Mariana or the Sea-Pad is of great use in Physick 32. Tabanus Asilus Musca Caballonia the Ox-Fly 33. Teredo the Wood-Worm breeds and feeds in many Trees except the Oak and some others The Frygians are said to eat of them thence called Xylophagi Elian writes that the King of the Indies used for a second Course a Worm breeding in Plants which was broiled at the Fire Johnst Nat. Hist p. 263. 34. Vespa the Wasp breeds most when Wolves kill Horses or Oxen Sometimes they are found in a Stags Head One brought one of these formed Wasp-Houses wonderfully made to Pierius Valerianus at Belunum from some Wood in a Desart which he describes thus There are seven Rounds one above another at two Fingers distance distinguished by little Pillars between that every one might have space enough to go and come to his House the Diameter of the Rounds unto the fifth was about 12 Digits the others narrowed by degrees The first Round or Chamber was hanged to a Bough of an old Tree guarded with a Crust against Wind and Weather beneath were six angled Cells close together so that the other Chambers were all overcast with the same Crust c. All these Creatures flew out of the upper Stations those in the lowest Rooms seemed like to Embrio's c. part their Belly from their Breast and they will live long and will sometimes prick one that touches their Sting an Hour after A Swarm of Wasps among the Romans was accounted an ill Omen Johnst Nat. Hist p. 267. 35. We will conclude this Chapter with a general Discourse of Worms especially such as are bred in living Creatures for they are found in Cattle and in Men as well as Plants or in the Earth Anno 1549 there were many Men about the River Thaysa in whose Bodies were found Creatures called Lutrae and Lizards Wierus saw a Country-man that voided a Worm 8 Foot long with Mouth and Head like a Duck. Wier de Praestig Daemon l. 3. c. 15. A Maid at Lovain saith Cornelius Gemma voided many prodigious Creatures amongst the rest a living Creature a Foot and half long thicker than a Man's Thumb like an Eagle but the Tail hairy Forestus out of Hostim Obs Med. p. 1. obs 2. shews that at beneventum in Italy there was a great Mortality which much troubled the Physicians not knowing the Cause thereof till they opened one of the dead Bodies in whose Brain they found a red Worm yet alive this they tried to kill by divers Medicaments but nothing was effectual At last they boiled some slices of Rhadish in Malaga Wine and with this it was killed He shews also that one being cured of the french Malady was still tormented with the Head-ach till his Skull by Advice was open'd under which upon the Dura Mater was found a black Worm which being taken out and killed he was cured Brassavola records in 16 Aphorism l. 3. Hippocr that an old Man of 82 Years by a Potion made of Scordium and Sea-Moss voided 500 Worms Alexander Benedict speaks of a young Maid who lay speechless 8 Days with her Eyes open and upon the voiding of 42 Worms recovered her Health Alexand. Bened. lib.