For look you saith he my Conscience is now as tender as wet Paper torn upon every apprehension of the least guilt before God And as he had much studied the Nature of Repentance he would frequently complain That he had a great Jealousie upon himelf lest he had not yet conceiv'd an horror answerable to his past Exorbitancies of Life and had not made those smart and pungent Reflections upon himself that might become one that had so long and in such Exalted Degrees violated the Laws of his Maker and made himself so Obnoxious to the Vengeance of his Judgment and that if the cutting off one of his Hands with the other were but a proper or likely way through the anguish of such a Wound to give him a just horror for his sins he would do that as willingly as he ever did any one Action that had given him the greatest Pleasure of Life He also said that by the Grace of God he had such a sense of the Conviction and folly and unreasonableness of Sin that no Argument no Tentation should prevail upon him to do the like again Having taken notice that all my Lord Rochester's Religious Breathings were accounted by some the Raves and Delirances of a sick Brain he did resolve to have given the World a Publick Account of the Sentiments he had of Religion both as to the Faith and Practice of it but was prevented CHAP. CL. Testimonies of Ancient and Modern Infidels Heathens 1. AN Edict of the Emperor Maximinus after a violent Persecution of the Christians extorted from him upon this occasion following A Plague from above lighting on him first took Root in his Flesh and afterwards proceeded even unto his Soâ—â— A sudden Rutrefaction did seize upon his Bowels in his most Secret Parts He had a festered Ulcer in the bottom of his Belly an innumerable multitude of Worms crawled out he breathed out a deadly stink insomuch that divers of his Physicians not being able to endure his abominable savour were killed with the very Air. Being afflicted with so many Evils he began to have a sense of those Evils which he had inflicted upon God's Holy Servants And this he confessed to have been justly inflicted for his Impious Presumption and Fury against Christ Hereupon he made this Edict The Emperor Caesar Galerus Maximinus Puissant Magnificent Chief Lord Lord Thebais Lord of Sarmatia five times Conqueror of Persia Lord of Germany Lord of Egypt twice Conqueror of the Carpians six times Conqueror of the Armenians Lord of the Medes Lord of the Adiabeni twenty times Tribune nineteen times General Captain eight times Consul Father of the Country Proconsul And the Emperor Caesar Flavius Valerius Constantine the Vertuous Fortunate Puissant Noble Chief Lord General Captain and Tribune five times Consul Father of the Country Proconsul Among other things which we have decreed for the Commodity and Profit of the Common-wealth our Pleasure is first of all to Order and Redress all things according to the Ancient Laws and Publick Discipline of the Romans And withal to use this Proviso That the Christians which have forsaken the Religion of their Ancestors shuld be brought again to the Right Way For after a certain Humour of Singularity such an Opinion of Excellency puffed them up that those things which their Elders had received and allowed they rejected and disallowed devising every Man such Laws as they thought good and observed the same Assembling in divers Places great multitudes of People Wherefore whenas Our Edict was Proclaimed that they should return unto the Ordinances of their Elders divers standing in great danger felt the Penalty thereof and many being troubled therefore endured all kinds of Death And because We perceive many as yet to persist in the same Madness neither yielding due Worship unto the Coelestial Gods neither regarding the God of the Christians having respect unto Our Benignity and Godly Custom Pardoning all Men after Our wonted Guise We thought good in this Case to extend Our Gracious and Favourable Clemency that the Christians may be tolerated again and that they repair again to the Places where they may meet together so that they do nothing Prejudicial to Publick Order and Discipline We mean to prescribe unto the Judges by another Epistle what they shall observe Wherefore as this Our Gracious Pardon deserveth let them make Intercession unto their God for Our Health for the Common-wealth and for themselves that in all Places the Affairs of the Common-wealth may be safely preserved and that they themselves may live securely in their own Houses Euseb Eccl. Hist l. 8. c. 18. 2. The Emperor Adrianus receiving Letters from Serenius Granianus a Noble President signifying in the behalf of the Christians that it was very Injurious that for no Crime but only at the Outcry of the People they should be brought and executed wrote unto Minutius Fundanus Proconsul of Asia and commanded That none without grievous Crimes and Occasion should be put to Death Euseb l. 4. c. 8. 3. It may not be improper here to mention that Confession extorted from the Emperor Julian after his Persecution of the Christians He being suddenly slain in a War against the Persians throwing his Blood in the Air ended his wicked Life with this true Acknowledgment and Exclamation Vicisti Galilaee Thou hast overcome me O Galilean or O Jesus of Galilee This is attested by Theodoret and related by Sozomen l. 6. c. 2. p. 511. 4. This likewise gave occasion to another like Confession from another Heathen and yet proceeding from another Passion Quomodo Christiani dicunt Deum suum esse patientem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. How can the Christians truly say that they have a Patient God when we plainly see him so Angry and Impatient that he could not deferr his Anger so much as for a moment Hier. l. 2. in Habac. c. 3. Tom. 6. p. 243. 5. Antoninus Pius sent this Epistle to the Commons of Asia in behalf of the Christians The Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus Armenicus Pontifex Maximus fifteen times Tribune thrice Consul unto the Commonalty of Asia sendeth Greeting I know the Gods are careful to disclose hurtful Persons For they Punish such as will not Worship them more grievously than you do those whom you bring in Trouble confirming that Opinion which they conceive of you to be wicked and ungodly Men. It is their desire in God's Quarrel rather to die than live So that they become Conquerors yielding their Lives unto the Death rather than to obey your Edicts It shall seem very necessary to admonish you of the Earthquakes which have and do happen among us that being therewith moved ye may compare our Estate with theirs They have more Confidence to Godwards than you have You during the time of your Ignorance despise other Gods contemn the Religion of the Immortal God banish the Christians which Worship him and Persecute them unto the Death In the behalf of these Men many
any other Hand I was resolved to go on with it as being fully satisfied that a Work of this kind must needs be of Great Use especially to such pious Minds as delight to observe the Manifestations which God doth give of himself both in his Works of Creation and Providence the former are sufficient to render those who have no other Instructers inexcusable as we are taught by the Apostle Rom. 1.20 And the Excellency of the latter consists in this That they are the real Accomplishments of his written Word So that to Record Providences seems to be one of the best Methods that can be pursued against the abounding Atheism of this Age For by Works of Providence the Confession of a God and the Truth of his Word have been extorted from those very Persons who have boldly denied it Memorable is that Passage of Aeschyles the Persian in Traged who relating his Country-mens Discomfiture by the Greeks gives us this Observation That when the Grecians pursued them furiously over the great River Strymon which was then frozen but began to thaw he did with his own Eyes see many of those Gallants whom he had heard before maintain so boldly that there was no God every one upon their Knees with Eyes and Hands lifted up begging for Mercy and that the Ice might not break 'till they got over The Scepticks of this Age may possibly call such a Passage in Question but what can the most obdurate Atheist say to those Providences about the Jews which were so clearly foretold in the Scriptures and part of 'em are visible to their own Eyes Is not this sufficient to convince them of the Being of an Omniscient God that the Sacred Scriptures are his Revealed Will and that Christianity is the only true Religion We doubt not but those Men who are able to hold out against such a convincing Demonstration will flout at this Undertaking and expose it all they can but they may remember the Conquest which Truth made over their great Champions my Lord Rochester Sir Alan Broderick and Sir Duncomb Colchester all mentioned in the following Work Providences which merit their Thoughts and may serve to stop their Mouths To Name all my Authors would be tedious in the Front of the Book and the more unnecessary because the Reader will find most of them cited in the Work itself Which I believe will not be either unprofitable or unpleasant to any one that reads with Judgment nor unsatisfactory to any that reads without Prejudice I pray my Reader 's Candour if any particular Relation be not reduced to its proper Head or if there be any Repetition of the same Story without necessity or any other Error of the Press that is venial I crave that I may have but due Grains of Allowance made to me as are commonly made in such Cases For I am at least Forty Miles distant from the Press and cannot with any Conveniency to my other Concerns attend the Ingress of it into the World I grant the Work is not Omninibus numeris absolutum in every respect answerable to the first Proposals but so are almost all the Undertakings of finite Reason upon some Account or other short of the first Intentions To be perfectly Wise is the Property of God Almighty For my part I am very sensible of the Depths I have here taken upon me to fathom and do declare openly to the World That the Ways of God are unsearchable and his Footsteps cannot perfectly be traced He doth so tread upon the deep Waters and sometimes flies upon the Wings of the Wind and hides himself in Clouds from common view employing Spirits for his Angels and Flames of Fire at other times for his Messengers For so I think we may justly invert the Order of our common Translation that I declare freely my Comment is infinite short of my Text and my Paraphrase doth not and cannot reach my Subject And indeed who can by searching find out the Almighty to Perfection If some studious and skilful Reader would cause this Book to be Interleaved and add some New Heads of his own and make a Supply for the Defects of the Old Ones it might in process of time be made exceeding useful for Common Places In the mean time I desire my Reader only to look over all these Secondary Causes and little Instruments that are moved here below and look up to and fix his Eye upon the Spring and Original Wheel that gives Motion to all the rest And if there be any thing within the Cope of our Horizon that will give Satisfaction to the Brain on Man this will certainly do it And if it do not the next Step is a sinful Curiosity and dangerous and whatsoever is more than that comes of Evil. From which Evil the God of Heaven deliver us all Amen WILLIAM TURNER A Practical Introduction TO THE History of Divine Providence Being the Author's MEDITATIONS On On The Being of a GOD. On The Works of Creation and Providence On The Existence of a Separate Soul On The Ministry of Angels And On The Future State c. I. The Being of a GOD. NOtwithstanding the Being of a GOD is laid down as the First Principle of our Faith and Religion own'd acknowledged and believed by all yet because in this debauched Age there want not some Monsters that question this Article and are ready if not with their Tongues yet with their Hearts to deny the Lord that made them I shall by way of Introduction to the following History of Divine Providence 1. Prove That there is a God I confess I konw not any that I suspect guilty of profess'd yet since there want not Arguments to implead too many at least accessary to Pratical Atheism I go thô sadly to my ABC to lay down the First Rudiments of Christianity 1. Then I may prove it from the Book of Nature Come thy ways unbelieving Atheist and turn over this Great Volume of the Divine Creation see what a Bible Nature herself presents thee with unclasp'd and open'd the Letters for the most part capital and legible that he who runs may read a God in every Leaf in every Line in every Creature Go gaze a-while at the next little Fly or Flower or but Spire of Grass thou meetest with see the curious Workmanship Artifice Wisdom and Power there is discernable in the make of it and resolve me what Man with all his Wit and Skill is able to make the like to exceed or equallize it Job 12.7 8 9. Or if that will not do take but one of thy Fellow-Beings Man into a studious Disquisition dissect him in all his several Parts tell his Bones his Nerves Veins Ligaments with all the Branches Postures and Vses of them Trace his Nourishment from his Hands to his Teeth to his Palate to his Stomach to his Guts and Milkey Veins to his Liver to his Vena Cava to the right Ventricle of his Heart thence into the Vena Arteriosa and so
absolute blindness or if removed much farther off would not serve our Necessities But of this more hereafter 5. Motion Incredibly swift insomuch that as Lessius saith such Stars as are near the Equinoctial Line do move every Hour Forty millions of Miles every Million being 1000000 and so in one Hour move more than comes to 2000 times the Compass of the Earth The Sun saith the same Author in the compass of one Hour goes in its motion 1000000 Miles whereupon 't is certain that in the same space of time it equals the Compass of the Earth in its Course above Fifty times What an amazing Wonder of Omnipotence is this Let those Atheistical Sinners think of it that call daily for a Miracle to prove the Being of a God Here 's a Miracle that presents before us every Day And every Man that hath Eyes in his Head if he hath Brains too may see it and wonder Why what would Men have a God to do more than this If he should make a fresh Creation of a World every Hour Men might still wink and disbelieve and still call for fresh Miracles As if the Almighty Jehovah had nothing else to do than humour the silly Passions of Hard-hearted Sinners of pitiful incredulous Worms Well! it will not be long but God will justifie himself to these Men before Angels and Devils and shew that he did not leave himself without Witness in the World 6. Influences Which are divers and some of them not known to us or discoverable to us I shall mention some 1. Warming these sublunary Bodies and infusing such a Heat into them as is necessary for Life and Motion insomuch that without it there would be no Generation no Motion no Life in the Creatures of this World Take away but the Sun out of the Firmament and no Spring would appear Man would be no more the Acts of Accretion Growing Feeling Moving Seeing Living would all cease presently Sol Homo generant hominem Nay were the Sun removed but as far from us as the Fixed Stats England would be Ireland and all our Year prove a cold Winter our very Senses would prove chill and our Reasons follow hard after them For Temperamentum animi sequitur temperamentum Corporis What an excellent God have we to deal with who accommodates us so kindly seasonably suitably with Fire and Fuel from Heaven not only to ferment the Clouds in order to Rain to dissolve the Snow and Hail to warm the Air that pierceth our Bodies to foment the Earth and make it fruitful but also cherish our Human Bodies and makes our Souls more pleasant which dwell in such warm Stoves If all the Wood and combustible Matter on the Earth were heaped together to make one Pile in order to a great Bonfire for the benefit of the Earth it would not do so much good but would come infinitely short as the Stars and Planets of Heaven Besides if the Warmth of the lower Orbs be so friendly and beneficial to our Natures What is the Grace of God that comes down from the Inner Heaven the Light of his Countenance to our Inner Souls If the Sun with its pleasant Rays makes the sublunary World smile and laugh and sing shall not the Special Grace and Favour of the Almighty much more put Gladness into our Hearts And make us chearful in the Service of our Maker If the presence of the Hosts of Heaven the Sun Moon and Stars be so comfortable what is the Presence of the Lord of Hosts the blessed God the Communion of the holy Jesus the Influences of the Spirit of Grace the Company of Angels Cherubim and Seraphim Let us say as Psal 4. Many say who will shew us any good c. Besides if the outward Court of this World be so comforted with the Warmth of the outward Parts of Heaven is there nothing in the Emperial Orbs in the Inner Chambers to refresh and comfort the Church of God! Is the Atrium Gentium so pleasant and is the Sanctum Sanctorum the Holy of Holies devoid and desolate 2. The Flux and Reflux Ebb and Flowing of the Sea that indeed depends as generally concluded upon the Moon only But that is such a Wonder in Nature that it sufficiently illustrates the Power and Wisdom of God Psal 107.21 22 23. Oh that Men would praise the Lord c. Thus God who daily makes the great and wide Seas to Ebb and Flow is able also to make the like Changes and Vicissitudes in the World in the Church He turneth Man to Destruction again he says return ye Children of Men c. Psal 90.3 5 6. Psal 107.31 32. c. 3. Other secret Influences and Operations unknown to us as to Weather Health Plenty and it may be Wars and Peace Prosperity and Afflictions Life and Death For so far Astrologers go but I would be wise unto Sobriety and not peer too far lest I should be taxed for Curiosity in all this the Glory of God appears 5. Of Comets Thunder and Lightning Air and Winds Storms and Tempests Hail Rain Snow and Frosts extraordinary Signs and Apparitions I Shall here speak of the other inferiour Appurtenances of Heaven I choose to range them under that Notion because I intend not so much a Lecture of Philosophy as a plain Discourse of Divinity I mean the Comets Thunder and Lightning Wind and Air Vapours and Exhalations Storms and Tempests Hail Rain and Snow strange Apparitions and Phenomena I hope my time will not be quite lost nor I censur'd for impertinent in treating on these Things God himself therefore exhibiting them that we might duly meditate upon them and deduce Inferences thence for his Glory 1. Comets and Blazing Stars or whatever else of that Nature appears in the Heavens above us I pass over those Meteors of lesser moment Falling-Stars Burning Launces Flying Dragons Skipping Goats Ignes Fatui and Licking Fires as Exhalations of inferiour wonder Comets are the most stupendious I hope no Body amongst Christians is so silly as Democritus who took them for the Souls of the Saints triumphing in Glory or as others Fires carried thither by Spirits only to astonish the World Whatever they are generated of for I will not meddle here with the Physical Consideration their meaning is something the God of Nature who is so wise as to make nothing in vain without all doubt puts them in the Heavens for some Sign or other Nor dare I be peremptory to sign the particular signification I humbly conceive the most that we can read in those Coelestial Hierogliphicks is that God is going to do some great Thing in the World and that at the hanging out of those Flags it behoves Men to enquire into their Lives and search their ways more narrowly and prepare to meet their God who is coming to Judge the World in Equity and maketh these Flames of Fire his Harbingers to prepare his Way and give Notice of his coming I shall not trouble you with
an House eternal durable Riches and Righteousness Rivers of Pleasure for evermore there only is a continual Day a Light that suffers no Darkness a Sun always shining an everlasting Summer a long Eternity Bliss and Happiness This is easily demonstrable to any one that knows the present World and can but see the Skirts of the Holy Land the very Borders of Heaven Were it not Wisdom for us them to leave off Building with so much Anxiety here to take down our Scaffolds and get a Jacob's Ladder and climb up to that place of Angels to send our Hearts before us and cast our Anchor safe within the Veil and choose that other World for our Portion and think and speak of it and provide for it and account it as our own and pack up all our last Cares and Passions for it that whilst we live upon Earth we may have our Conversations above and then we shall be eternally safe from Hell beneath But especially at the approach of any unkindly stop or period in our worldly Comforts whether it be a black Night or a cloudy stormy Day or an ill Winter or Poverty or Shame or Sickness or Death let us then take the advantage of the opportunity and look up as high as the Firmament and further even beyond the Starry Orbs and say with our selves In those Countries in that World is no Night or Darkness or Sickness or Sea or Hell let us scorn to grovel here as we have done Let us pack hence our best Goods and be gone let that be our Home and the Lord of that Country our Father and let us live heavenly holily humbly as becomes Citizens of that heavenly Jerusalem the Metropolis of both Worlds 4. Let us live by Rule as those Coelestial Bodies all do even the Rule prescribed us by our Maker and fitted to our Natures and conducive to the Ends of our Being And this without stragling aside deviation or error on the one hand or the other without intermission or passion or weariness or any thing that may disturb our Motion I know as our Natures are more excellent than the Stars so we are upon greater Disadvantages upon the score of Sin that hath so enfeebled our Spirits and emasculated the Courage and Vigour of our Piety that as long as we live we shall be apt to flag but then let it be considered that our God hath offered to accommodate us with all the excellent Helps of the Gospel and the Assistance of his Spirit and therefore in the strength of these let us go on from Day to Day in the exactest Course of a Religious Piety making no considerable Blot or Faulter if possible in the whole Series of our Life or if that through the fraility of Human Nature may not be done let the Blot be presently washed off by the Tears of a sound Repentance and then by that means all the crookedness of our former ways being made streight let us take care for the time to come to move upright steady and streight according to the excellent Rules prescribed us in the Laws of God and Life of our Saviour Let us try not only to keep pace with the Sun but to out-vie all the Stars of the Firmament and let it be accounted no Disgrace to be thus watchful and curious about the keeping of our Orbs and observe our due Postures and modelling our Actions but rather our greatest Excellency and Glory Slight those who say amidst their sickly Healths Thou liv'st by Rule What doth not so but Man Houses are built by Rule and Common-wealths Entice the trusty Sun if that you can From his Ecliptick Line becken the Sky Who lives by Rule then keeps good Company 7. Of the Extensiveness of the Heavens The Stars and Firmament the expanded Sky and all the Hosts of the Aetherial Orbs speak expresly unto all the Nations of the Earth that there is a God to be worshipped and with such a Worship as becomes his Infinite Excellency Their words are so loud they may be heard to all the Ends of the World Then let us consider 1. WHether the most dark and distant Nations of the Earth have taken Notice of this Rule heard this Voice 2. What they have understood by it 3. What they might understand 4. What Inferences we may deduce from the whole for our own Vse 1. Whether the darkest Nations have heard this Voice Answ Yes Their Sound hath gone out to all the Ends of the World And it is very easily made out For 1. They had no other Bible to read in than that of Nature and this of the Heavens was the most legible Page in the whole Book They were without the Written Law but they were not without this Natural Light They had neither Moses nor the Prophets nor Evangelists nor Apostles and therefore whither else should they go but to the Word writ upon the Book of the Creation the Divine Handy-works in the Make of the World Rom. 1.20 2. We find them confessing it making use of this Book reading studiously amongst the Stars poring with an inquisitive Eye upon the Heavens and Firmament to gather some Scraps of a Religious Philosophy and trace the Principles of a Spiritual Divinity Seneca when he hath placed the Wise Man walking to and fro by the Contemplation of his Mind amongst the Stars Illic demum descit saith he quod diu quaesivit illic incipit Deum nosse And in the beginning of his Book of Natural Questions having undertaken some Philosophical Account of the Heavenly Bodies we find him no where in such a Rapture of Divinity as upon that Thesis Nisi ad haec the Study of Divine Things the Contemplations of the Heavenly Bodies c. admitterer non fuerat operae pretium nasci O quam contempta res est Homo nisi supra humana se erexerit Nay more than this they had generally the Original of all their Theology from the Firmament Their Gods were amongst the Stars nay the Stars were their only Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Even the Egyptians themselves are accounted to have lead the way to this Superstition And for this Reason it was chiefly that their several Priests Prophets and Magi amongst the Egyptians Chaldeans Assyrians Persians c. were so well skilled commonly in the Curious Arts of Astrology and Divination which have been since derived and diffused from them to us and the rest of the World Their Hermes Tresmegistus Ptolomy and Haly being Authors of great Request still with our Astrologers and Prognosticators 2. What did they learn from hence Truly a great deal more than some Christians learn from Nature and Revelation both I speak not of all the poor dark Heathen World but of some who were more serious and contemplative amongst them who took more Pains than their Fellows And I dare safely say that tho' their Eyes were dim and the Light they saw by but like the obscure Twilight or the first Dawning of the Morning
Wind But that heavenly Country above for many Hundreds of Years affords space for the swiftest Stars to travel in without let or molestation In short the very Natural Propensity of Mankind to enquire into those upper Regions and peer amongst the Stars is some Argument of our Concernment that way 4. Let us beware of Idolatry the fault of the old Pagan World Who when they saw those Lights hung out at the Windows of Heaven which should have been but ministerial to help them in the Search of him that made them fell down and worshipped the Servants instead of the Master the Candles at the Door instead of the Lord of the House Deut. 4.19 Yet the Jews themselves were so forgetful of this Precept that we find them often taxed for burning Incense to the Queen of Heaven and worshipping the Star Rempham And 't is too well known that the Heathens generally worshipped the Sun Moon and Stars becoming vain in their Imaginations and though they professed themselves Wise they became Fools changing the Glory of the incorruptible God into the Image of his corruptible Creatures 5. By this Law they who want a Special Revelation shall be judged Rom. 2.12 13 14 15. Let no Man then whether within or without the Pale of the Church think to shroud his Guilt under the Cloak of Ignorance There 's no Corner of the World so remote no People so dark where this Voice hath not been heard the Musick of the Spheres is soft and still but such as shortly will make even both the Ears of the guilty Sinner tingle The Language wherein these Sermons are preach'd to the World is temperate and equal it makes no great Noise at present to them who are busie digging low in the Bowels of the Earth but it hath a sharp and heavy Accent at the end Let no Man then upbraid the Almighty as if he were a severe Judge for calling all Men to the same Judgment for damning Men that never had the knowledge of his Laws Fear not God will be just he 'll vindicate his Righteousness from the foul Aspersions and Abuses of a scandalous World Hast thou sinned without Law without Law then thou shalt be tried And a Hundred to One but condemned too and yet God clear from thy Blood and just in all this What a black List of Sins doth the Apostle present thee with Rom. 1.29 c. all chargeable upon all Nations of the World Jew and Christian and Turk and Heathen and damnable by the very Law of Nature Vnrighteousness Fornication c. But that which affects us most in all this is that not only the poor Infidel is guilty in this Case but a great part of Christendom also not only they that have no other Law to read in no other Rule to go by but the Book of the Creation but they also who have the Bibles in their Hands and the Creed upon their Tongues-end and have all the Advantages of Nature and Revelation both When these very Sins and as bad or worse walk bare-fac'd within the Confines of the Church and Men of the best Creed and Profession in the World are not ashamed to commit the foulest Sins and sometimes accounteit their Glory to boast of such Vices which ought not so much as to be named amongst Christians There are several live amongst us it may be in this place now whose ordinary Conversations are stain'd with such Blots as both the Lights both that of Positive Religion and that of meer Natural Reason too do abhor and condemn And yet which is mighty strange these very Men do please themselves with the hopes of escaping safely the Sentence of the Judge at the Last Day And upon their Repentance they may but else I cannot think of any plausible Argument that will stand their Friend at the Day of Judgment And to drive the Nail farther yet It will not be enough for Men to plead their Interest in a Church or Party in such Cases let the Church be never so pure nor the Profession never so good nor the Advantages of Knowledge and Information never so great if under all these Pretensions thou shouldst play the Hypocrite and live ill thy own Mouth would condemn thee and a whole Cloud of Witnesses depose Evidence against thee And yet notwithstanding all this we may take up the Complaint of the Prophet Jer. 18.13 Ask now among the Heathen who hath heard such Things The Virgins of Israel have done very horrible Things Thy poor Men are tenacious of their superstitious Vanities 't is hard to make a Proselyte to Christianity amongst them they will dispute fight die for their meer Shadow of Faith but Christians will barter away thier Conscience their Creed their Heaven their God for meer Vanities Ver. 14 15. In short if it be true what some of the poor ignorant Gentiles fancied that the Sun Moon and Stars do all look upon us and are daily Spectators and Witnesses of all we do it were well for many If the Sun were indeed turned into Darkness and the Moon into Blood and the Stars would leave off their Shining and the whole Face of the Heavens were reversed than thus to stand over our Heads and remark our Actions in order to a Solemn Convictive Testimony against us Jer. 2.9 10 11. 8. Of the Glorious Body of the Sun COnsider we next the Sun 1. In its Motion 1. Its Terms à quo ad quem 2. It s Swiftness 3. Continuance 4. It s Light 5. It s Heat 1. It s Motion Concerning which and the rest of its Attributes I shall have the less to say now because I have spoken so much of it in the General Notion of the Heavenly Bodies Yet for Order-sake consider we 1. Its Terms or Bounds from whence and to which the Sun moves From the one end of the Heavens to the other i. e. according to our Apprehension and Common Sence of Things For in truth the Heavens have neither Beginning nor End but are of a perfect Round Figure Indeed this Notion was so long hid from the World that not many Hundred Years agone a German Bishop was Excommunicated for broaching this Doctrine viz. That there were Antipodes and that the Earth in answer to the Heavens was inhabited round whereas now 't is generally agreed upon with good Reason by all the Learned of late Ages 2. It s Swiftness I need say little more upon this Point than what I said before viz. That the Sun according to the Judgment of some Astronomers goes in its Motion 1000000 German Miles in the Judgment of others 261905 in one Hour Whether either of them are in the right or no I am not much concerned to determine This is certain 't is of a vast Body 166 times bigger than the Earth say Astronomers who by the Eclipses say they have found its Diameter and by its Diameter its Compass Periphery and by that its Motion Indeed its Course is so swift so incredibly quick that
about the Judgment of Sodom to Jacob to Moses to Balaam to Joshua Gideon Manaoh Elijah to our Saviour often and to his Disciples to Philip to Cornelius to St. Peter So that we may upon the whole conclude safely that Angels are Ministers ordinarily employed about the Concernments of us Men especially for our Salvation 2. That they have a Love for us upon the account of the similitude and resemblance of Nature The great Difference is our Souls are younger Brothers born last and put in Prison for the time Both Spirits both immortal both intelligent both able to exist and live and act without the help of a dull Organical Body both active busie Creatures and both accomplished in the Fruition of the same God the Father of Spirits and therefore no wonder if these Angels thô of a different Species from the Separate Souls of us Men have a dear Affection for us The truth is our Souls are here upon their Probation for Eternity and so long as they have any Time to spend and the Sentence is not passed upon them the Angels of both Worlds are Competitors for them and the Rivalry is importunate and the Soul is courted with much eagerness and contention on both hands The Angels of the bottomless Pit tug hard and bid fair for the greatest part of Souls and no doubt but all those who are immersed deep in Flesh and prefer the ditty Pleasures of Sin to the Light and Purity of the blessed Spirits will all fall to the share of those impure fiends A Man cannot be at his Duty but a Devil is at his Elbow If he goes to Church Satan will meet him there too Job 1. Jesus himself shall not escape without an Assault and after extraordinary Devotion also And as they that are against us are many so they that stand our Friends are many too Psal 68.17 The Chariots of God are Twenty thousand even Thousands of Angels In short the Soul of Man is a Wager staked down between these two divided opposite Armies and the Battle is strong and the Victory doubtful III. The Angels assist in our Second Birth and therefore we may reasonably expect that they will not be wanting in our Third likewise They help on our Conversion and they rejoyce at it Luke 15.10 There is Joy in the Presence of the Angels of God over one Sinner that repenteth The Angel of the Lord appeared to Cornelius Acts 10.3 7. In a word Heb. 1.14 Are they not all Ministring Spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sent forth to Minister for them who shall be Heirs of Salvation It is generally agreed upon by all Religions in the World that every Man hath a Guard appointed him of the Angelical Host to be the Guide of his Actions and the Preserver of his Life Menander the Heathen Poet saith That every Man from his Nativity hath his peculiar Daemon assigned him for his Conduct The Egyptians and some of the Platonics assigned Three Many Christians as well Jews as Mahometans are of Opinion That every Man hath some One or more for that purpose However 't is we have great Reason to believe that our God and Saviour hath provided better for the Concerns of our Salvation and allows us a stronger Guard for our safe Convoy through the Temptations and Dangers of this World than the Devil hath to seduce and ruine us And if the Angels as some believe take us at the First Gate of our Nativity but especially at the Second of our Regeneration the Birth of Grace is it probable that they will be wanting to us at the last our Birth of Glory 4. It is but very meet that the Man should have some such Assistants ready at hand to receive the Soul upon its going out of the Body and carry it to its place of Eternal Abode tot he Mansion and Company it is appointed for And that because 't is so in all other the like Cases When the Man is born out of the Womb into the World there must be some of those People present that are already Inhabitants of that World When the Man is Regenerate and Born anew there must be some Members of the Church acquainted with Spiritual and Ecclesiastical Matters to receive it out of the World of Nature into the Assembly of the Church and at the Birth of Glory 't is very requisite also that there be some of those Spiritual People which belong to that place ready to embrace and introduce it to the whole Society of departed Spirits We may not be incorporated into any Society or admitted to any Court without some such Friends related to that Society or that Court to introduce and bring us thither And we may assure our selves that when once these souls of ours are dismissed out of these Earthly Mansions emancipated from the Body and dispeopled out of this World and have left off to converse with Corporeal Beings the Change will look mighty strange and amazing and the naked Spirit will be at first very modest and unskilful to appear immediately and intrude hastily and without Company into that Spiritual Corporation Why thô we grant that the Soul upon the pulling down of the Corpreal Prison is cloathed with a much greater Light and Intelligence and knows more and seeth more clearly into the Affairs of the Spiritual World than ever it did when it only peeped through the Key-hole of the Prison-door yet still it 's the first time it ever appear'd upon that Ground or ever saw such People and its Acquaintance being so new its Introduction is more necessary And besides I doubt not but as long as the Soul is on this side Canaan the Enemy is at his Heels whilst not possess'd actually of the State of Bliss the Evil Spirits challenge him for thier own and threaten to Arrest him and carry him to their own Home And again we find 5. The Proposition true in Fact the Angels attend Lazarus and carry him to the Bosom of Abraham We find the Angels attend at the Ascension of our Saviour into Heaven We find abundance of Stories of this Nature in Modern Ages of Dying People sublimated to that pitch and their Souls so elevated and refined that they have seen the Spiritual Harbingers and Guard prepared for them before the House of Clay was pull'd down or themselves turn'd out God doth sometimes whether for the sake of the Soul itself to chear it with a Cordial or for the sake of us that remain alive put Dying Men sometimes in a Rapture and present them with a Scene of Spirits arrayed in Light and Glory For this Cause Tertullian calls the Angels Evocatores Animarum the Callers forth of Souls and such as shew to them Paraturam Diversorii the Lodging and Entertainment provided for them And thus the Souls of wicked and good Men are both called out and conveyed away I 'll give you one Instance or two Gregory the Great tells of a Boy ill Educated by an ill Father of a vicious
or Four times as before and then coming to Wallace said Friend I percieve that thou art not well Wallace replied No truly Sir I have not been well these many Years Then he asked what his Disease was â— A Deep Consumption and our Doctors say 't is past Cure answered Wallace To which the old Pilgrim replied They say well but what have they given thee for it Truly nothing said he for I am very poor and not able to follow the Doctor 's Prescriptions and so I have committed my self into the Hands of Almighty God to dispose of me as he pleaseth The Old Man answered Thou say'st very well But I will tell thee by the Almighty power of God what thou shalt do only observe my words and remember them and do it but whatsoever thou dost Fear God and serve him To Morrow Morning to into thy Garden and get there Two Red Sage Leaves and one Leaf of Bloodwort put these into a Cup of Small Beer let them lie there for the space of Three Days together drink thereof as oft as need requires but let the Leaves still remain in the Cup and the Fourth Morning cast them away and put Three fresh ones in their room and thus do for 12 Days together neither more nor less I pray thee remember what I say and observe and do it But above all Fear God and serve him And for the space of these Twelve Days thou must neither drink Ale nor Strong Beer yet afterwards thou mayest to strengthen Nature and thou shalt see that before these Twelve Days are expired through the great mercy and help of Almighty God thy Disease will be cured and the frame of thy Body altered c. With much more to this purpose adding withal that he must change the Air and then his Blood would be as god as ever it was only his Joints would be weak as long as he lived But above all said he Fear God and serve him Wallace asked him to eat some Bread and Butter or Cheese he answered no Friend I will not eat any thing the Lord Christ is sufficient for me neither but very seldom do I drink any Beer but that which comes from the Rock And so Friend the Lord God in Heaven be with thee At parting Samuel Wallace went to shut the Door after him to whom the Old Man returning half way into the Entry again said Friend I pray remember what I have said and do it But above all Fear God and serve him Wallace said he saw him pass along the Street some half a Score Yards from his Door and so he went in But no Body else saw this Old Man though many People were standing in their Doors near Wallace's House Within Four Days upon the use of this Drink a Scâ—rf arose upon his Body and under that a new fresh Skin and in Twelve Days he was as strong as ever he had been and healthful except only a little weakness in his Joynts And once in the Twelve Days by the importunity of some Friends drinking a little Strong Drink he was struck speechless for 24 Hours Many Ministers hearing the report of this wonderful Cure met together at Stamford and considering and consulting about it for many Reasons concluded the Cure to be done by the Ministry of an Angel 8. Monsieur Jurieu a Banished Minister of France wrote in one of his Pastoral Letters out of Holland to the Persecuted Protestants in France a very surprising Relation of Songs and Voices heard in the Air A. C. 1685 in these Words This Year 1685 hath been as abundant in Prodigies as any for a long while wherein we have heard of extraordinary Storms Fires falling from Heaven others coming out of the Earth Signs in the Air and Insects of unknown Shapes which have been believed to have fallen from Heaven and particularly the Singing of Psalms and Voices in the Air. It is near a Year since we heard any Speech concerning it and they told us that these Singings had been heard in Bearn the first Province whether the Dragoons were sent Behold our Witnesses every one will judge of what worth they are Monsieur Magâ—udy Pastor of the Church of Orthez having been questioned concerning this Affair hath interrogated divers Persons according as it appears by his Certificate I do declare that Monsieur Bazin a Younger Brother and an Inhabitant of Bearn hath told me that walking with some of his Friends after Mid-day near the City of Orthez he heard Voices which sung Psalms and as he imagined that it might be some Women that washed Linnen he ran to demand of them whether it was they that sang they told him no and that they themselves had for a long time heard the same singing of Psalms This happened some Months before the Interdiction of our Church The said M. Bazin is a very Honest Man very Judicious and of Integrity I add that Madamoiselle de Casenaue of Orthez being not able to believe that which was said concerning Singing of Psalms a Woman said to her that if she had the Curiosity to hear them sing she would call on her at her own House at a time convenient which she did For this Woman being at Eleven at Night in the uttermost part of the City with Multitudes of other Persons to hear those Voices which sung in the Air the Praises of God having heard this singing of Psalms she ran to Madamoiselle de Casenaue who immediately gets out of her Bed causes one of her Neighbours to rise and they ran to that Quarter of the City which was far from her House where they found Multitudes of Persons who were ravished with that pleasant Melody which they heard in the Air they themselves returned to their Houses with this great Consolation to have heard those Psalms sung in the Air which they could no more sing in their Church which had been interdicted for some Months past They added that they seemed to hear them sing in the same manner which they used to sing in their Church and after the Singing ceased there was a Voice which spake but in an articulate and confufed manner so that they could not distinguish what was said This Gentlewoman is very well worthy of Credit Mâ—reover I attest that an infinite number of Persons of Orthez do say that they heard the singing of Psalms which they call the Singing of Angels And that they exhorted each other in the Day to be present in the Night in certain Places of the City to satisfy this holy curiosity which was the reason that the Magistrates of Orthez published an Ordinance whereby they forbad all Persons from going out of their Houses or assembling themselves by Night to hear these Voices which filled this poor afflicted People with Joy and extraordinary Consolation This is that which hath been told me concerning this singing of Psalms to which I find no difficulty to give a full assent because the Persons that reported it are of great sincerity
and out of the Town and heard a mighty noise like the Discharging of Canons Two years after which General Wallestein Assaulted this Town with Souldiers and great Guns but was so stoutly entertained by those within that after the loss of a great many of the Imperialists he was forced tho he had besieged it above Twenty Months to break up his siege and depart Surprizing Mirac of Nature p. 108. 2. In King Henry the VIII's Days there was one Mr. Gresham a Merchant of London setting Sail homewards from Palermo where dwelt at that time one Antonio called the Rich who had at one time two Kingdoms Mortgaged to him by the King of Spain and being Crossed by contrary Winds Mr. Gresham was constrained to Anchor under the Lee of the Island off from Bulo where was a Burning Mountain Now about the Midday when for a certain space the Mountain forbore to send forth Flames Mr. Gresham with eight of the Sailors ascended the Mountain approaching as near the Vent as they durst where amengst other Noises they heard a Voice cry aloud Dispatch dispatch the Rich Autonio is a coming Terrified herewith they hasted their return and the Mountain presently broke out in a Flame But from so dismal a place they made all the haste they could and desiring to know more of this matter the Winds still thwarting their course they returned to Palermo and forthwith enquiring for Antonio they found that he was Dead about the very Instant so near as they could guess when that Voice was heard by them Mr. Gresham at his return to London reported this to the King and the Mariners being called before him confirmed the same upon Mr. Gresham this wrought so deep an Impression that he gave over all his Merchandizing distributed his Estate partly to his Kinsfolk and partly to good uses retaining only a Competency for himself and so spent the rest of his days in Solitary Devotion Sands Relat. 248. 3. Knocking 's Extracted from the Miscellanies of John Aubrey Esq Mr. Baxter's Certainty of the Worlds of Spirits A Gentleman formerly seeming Pious of late Years hath fallen into the Sin of Drunkenness and when he has been Drunk and slept himself Sober something Knocks at his Beds-head as if one knock'd on a Wainscot when they remove the Bed it follows him besides loud Noises on other parts where he is that all the House heareth It poseth me to think what Kind of Spirit this is that hath such a care of this Man's Soul which makes me hope he will recover Do good Spirits dwell so near us Or are they sent on such Messages Or is it his Guardian Angel Or is it the Soul of some Dead Friend that suffereth and yet retaining Love to him as Dives did to his Brethren would have him Saved God keepeth yet such things from us in the Dark Three or four Days before my Father died as I was in my Bed about Nine a Clock in the Morning perfectly awake I did hear three distinct Knocks on the Beds-head as if it had been with a Ruler or Ferula Mr. Hierome Banks as he lay on his Death Bed in Bell-yard said Three Days before he died that Mr. Jennings of the Inner-Temple his great Acquaintance Dead a Year or two before gave Three Knocks looked in and said Come away He was as far from believing such things as any man 4. Mr. Brograve near Puckridge in Hertford-shire when he was a young man riding in a Lane in that Contrey had a Blow given him on his Cheek or Head He look'd back and saw that no body was near behind him anon he had such another Blow I have forgot if a Third He turn'd back and fell to the Study of the Law and was afterwards a Judge This Account I had from Sir John Penrudock of Compton-Chamberlain our Neighbour whose Lady was Judge Brograve's Neice 5. Newark has Knocking 's before Death And there is a House near Covent-Garden that has Warnings 6. At Berlin when one shall Die out of the Electoral House of Brandenburgh a Woman Drest in white Linnen appears always to several without speaking or doing any harm for several Weeks before This from Jasper Belshazer Cranmer a Saxon Gentleman Thus far I am beholding to Mr. Aubrey's Collect. CHAP. VII Discovery of Things Secret or Future by Prodigies Comets Lights Stars c. HERE I propound only to shew how God Almighty when he is doing or going to do any thing extraordinary in the World to put Nature out of its usual Course and make some greater and more remarkable Steps in his Providence He often hangs out some Flag makes some Flame of Fire his messenger or so Ruffles the Elements of the Visible World in such an unusual manner as is enough to startle Men not out of but into their Wits and make them serious and inquisitive into the Counsels of Heaven and their own Merits and Behaviour towards God and so to Humble them into Sorrow and Penitence when they see the Hand of God thus lifted up or concern'd for them 1. Before the Destruction of Jerusalem there was often seen in the Air Armies of men in Battle-array seeming to be ready to charge each other the Brazen Gate open'd of it self without being touched by any Body Joseph de Bell. Jud. l. 7. Gaffarella Part 2. c. 3. 2. A little before the time that Xerxes cover'd the Earth with his million of men there appear'd horrible and dreadful Meteors as Presages of the Evils that afterwards happened as there did likewise in the time of Attila who was call'd Flagellum Dei God's Scourge Gaffarrel unheard of Curios Part 2. Ch 3. 3. When Ambrose was a Child a Swarm of Bees settled on his Face in the Cradle and flew away without hurting of him whereupon his Father said Si vixerit infantulus ille aliquid magni erit viz. If this Child live he will be some great man Clark's Mart. of Eccl. Hist 4. In the time of Gregory the Great A. C. 600 c. The River Tsber swell'd to such an unmeasurable height that it ran over the Walls of Rome and drowned a great part of the City and brake into many great Houses overthrew divers antient monuments and Gravaries belonging to the Church carrying away many thousand measures of Wheat Presently after which Innundation came down the River an innumerable Company of Serpents with one monstrous great one as big as a Beam which when they had swam into the Sea were there choaked and their Carcasses being all cast upon the Shoar there rotted which caused such an Infection of the Air that presently a great Plague followed at Rome so that many thousands died of it Yea Arrows were visibly seen to be shot from Heaven and whosoever was stricken with them presently died amongst whom Pelagius was one then Bishop of Rome Ibid. p. 97. What the consequences of those Prodigies were I leave to the Consideration of the ingenious Reader who may easily find in Church-History
Brugis for W. Thackery at the Angel in Duck-Lane Let part of France and part of Germany and Spain look to it for they either offensively or defensively shall batter themselves or some other People and in as much as it is gotten into Capricorn I pray God keep the Dominions of Great Britain in Peace because under Capricorn is the North part of Sotland for it is much to be feared the Scots may once more Rebel against England c. And at last I shall now conclude with this Astrological prediction that within this five years all Europe shall go near to be up in Arms. Multi multa sciunt sed nemo omnia Thus far my Author too truely 12. A Neighbour and Friend of mine in Shropshire with whom I have had several discourses about the Lawfulness and certainty of Astrology always asserted the Lawfulness of it because he saw nothing but what was natural in it but confessed the uncertainty of it in many cases as others have done before him not through default of the Art but the Weakness and Unskilfulness of the Artist And he mentioned some particular Instances of his own Experiments wherein he had hit upon the Truth as particularly when one Captain C. near Salop had lost a Horse out of his Stable he was sent for and desired to cast a Figure which he accordingly did and gave such a particular description of the Man that had stole him and the way he was gone that by Virtue of his Directions the Horse was presently found His other Instances I remember not but he was reputed an honest Farmer a good Neighbour and a very facetious Man I suppose he is stil lliving 13. Prophesies Extracted from the Miscellanies of John Aubrey Esq to pass by the Prophesies of Holy-Writ the Prophesies of Nostraedamus do foretel very strangely but not easily understood till they are fulfilled The Book is now common In a Book of Mr. William Lilly's are Hieroglyphick Prophesies Viz. Of the great Plague of London expressed by Graves and Dead Corps and a Scheme with II ascending the Sign of London and no Planets in the XII Houses Also there is the Picture of London all on Fire also Moles creeping c. Perhaps Mr. Lilly might be contented to have People believe that this was from himself But Mr. Thomas Flatman Poet did affirm that he had seen those Hieroglyphicks in an old Parchment Manuscript Writ in the time of the Monks 14. There is a Prophecy of William Tyndal poor Vicar of Welling in the County of Hertford made in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's Reign I have seen it It is in English Verse two Pages and an half in Folio It fore-told our late Wars I know one that read it Forty Years since 15. Before the Civil-Wars there was much talk of the Lady Ann Davys's Prophesies for which she was kept Prisoner in the Tower of London She was Sister to the Earl of Castlehaven and Wife to Sir John Davys Lord Chief Justice in Ireland I have heard his Kinsman Counsellor Davys of Shraftsbury say that she being in London I think in the Tower did tell the very time of her Husbands Death in Ireland Thus far Mr. Aubrey CHAP. XII Of ORACLES ALL that I propound to my self under this Head is to shew not what Illusions and Impostures were used by the Priests to Cheat the poor Votaries with that Addressed to them much less to vindicate them from the Frauds of Ambiguity and Vanity but to evince this That by them God Almighty permitted sometimes Things otherwise Secret and Future to be made known and this by the mediation of invisible Spirits as the Agents that some Responses were given by Oracles which could not be imputed to the Artifice of a Mechanical Statue nor yet to the Wit of the Priest that officiated As for Instance among the Heathen Oracles for such only I mean this place 1. The Oracle of Delphos the most Famed of all other being consulted for a Resolution of this Question Who was the most happy Man The Answer was made Phedius who died but a while before in the Service of his Countrey The same Question being sent a second time by Gyges one of the greatest Kings in those days of all the Earth viz. Who was the happiest Man next to Phedius The Answer was made Aglaus Sophidius This Aglaus was a good honest Man well stricken in Years dwelling in a very narrow Corner of Arcadia where he had a little House and Land of his own sufficient with the yearly Profits thereof to maintain him plentifully with ease out of which he never went but employed himself in the Tillage and Husbandry of it to make the best benefit he could in such manner that as it appeared by that course of Life as he coveted least so he felt as little Trouble and Adversity while he lived Plin. Nat. Hist l. 7. c. 46. 2. Julian the Apostate Op. p. 181. Ep. 38. makes frequent mention of Oracles in his time particularly in an Epistle to Maximus the Cynick concerning whose Trouble he had by another though at a great distance Consulted the Oracle and received an Apposite Answer Doctor Tenison against Hobbs The Doctor adds also that which is to my purpose viz. I cannot prevail upon my Mind to think that the Priests had no Assistance from Daemons 3. Extracted from the Miscellanies of Mr. Aubrey Hieronimus Cardanus Lib. III. Synesiorum Somniorum Cap. XV. treats of this Subject which see Johannes Scotus Erigena when he was in Greece did go to an Oracle to Enquire for a Treatise of Aristotle and found it by the Response of the Oracle This he mentions in his Works lately Printed at Oxford and is quoted by Mr. Anthony à Wood in his Antiquities of Oxen in his Life 4. Concerning the Oracles of the Sybils there hath been much Controversie and many Discourses spent but after all we have little of their Writings to rely upon excepting only those of the Cumaean Prophetess and those especially which are Recorded by Virgil yet that very same Year that Jerusalem was taken by Pompey it was noised abroad in the World That Nature was with Child for the People of Rome of a King that should Reign over them Whereupon as Suetonius writeth in the Life of Augustus the Senate being affrighted made Order That none Born in that Year should be brought up They who had Wives great with Child promising themselves some hopes thereupon took care lest this Decree of the Senate should be carried to the Treasury The same Year P. Cornelius Lentulus was stirred up therewith conceiving some hopes for himself as both Appian Plutarch Salustius and Cicero in his third Oration against Cataline testifie c. The Verses of the Sybils which gave occasion to these Thoughts and Counsels were these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
the aforesaid Memoirs Vnder this Stone the Matchless Digby lies Digby the Great the Valiant and the Wise This Age's Wonder for his Noble Parts Skill'd in six Tongues and Learn'd in all the Arts. Born on the day he died th' Eleventh of June On which he bravely fought at Scanderoon 'T is rare that one and self-same Day should be His Day of Birth of Death of Victory 13. I had a Maternal Uncle that died the Third of March last 1678. which was the Anniversary day of his Birth and which is a Truth exceeding strange many Years ago he foretold the day of his death to be that of his Birth and he also averr'd the same but about the Week before his departure 14. Of the Family of the Trevours six successive principal Branches have been born the Sixth of July Same Memoirs 15. Meekren in his Medico Chirurgical Observations gives an Account of a Man that had a Septenary-Fever and Pliny if we may believe him tells us of one Antipater a Sidonian that also had a Fever or as some call it an Ague every Year upon his Birth-day As for the Nature of such Fevers or Agues they are as unaccountable as the Revolution of Sevens a Year in which it 's observ'd a great part of the World that get out of Childhood die in and we read of one Family that never escapes it Whether an Anniversary Ague is curable I dare not pretend since we want Examples perhaps from the Fewness of ' em 16. In the Family of the Hastings Earls of Pembrooke it is memorable that for many Generations together no Son ever saw the Father The Father being always dead before the Son was born Chetwind's Historical Collections I shall take particular Notice here of the Third of November both because 't is my own Birth-day and also for that I have observ'd some remarkable Accidents to have happen'd thereupon I had an Estate left me in Kent of which between thirty and forty Acres was Marsh-Land very conveniently flanking its Up-land and in those Days this Marsh Land was usually lot for Four Nobles an Acre My Father died 1643. Within a Year and half after his Decease such Charges and Water-scots came upon this Marsh-land by the Influence of the Sea that it was never worth one Farthing to me but very often eat into the Rents of the Up-land So that I often think this Day being my Birth-day hath the same evil Influence upon me that it had 580 Years since upon Earl Godwin and others concern'd in Low Lands 18. The Parliament so fatal to Rome's Concerns here in Henry VIII's time began the Third of November 26th of his Reign in which the Pope with his Authority was clean banish'd the Realm See Stow's Annals and Weaver p. 80. 19. The Third of November 1640. began that Parliament so direfully fatal to England in its Peace its Wealth its Religion its Gentry Nobility nay it s King 20. The Third of September was a remarkable Day to the English Attila Oliver 1650. He obtain'd a memorable Victory at Dunbar another at Worcester 1651. And that day he died 1658. 21. The Third of September was Dismal and Unhappy to the City of London and consequently to the whole Kingdom I come now to the Days of the Week 22. I. Tuesday Dies Martis was a most remarkable Day with Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury as Weaver 201 observes from Mat. Paris Upon a Tuesday he suffer'd upon a Tuesday he was Translated upon Tuesday the Peers of the Land sate against him at Northampton upon Tuesday he was Banished upon Tuesday the Lord appear'd to him at Pontiniac saying Thomas Thomas my Church shall be glorified in thy Blood Upon Tuesday he return'd from Exile upon Tuesday he got the Palm or Reward of Martyrdom upon Tuesday 1220. his Venerable Body receiv'd the Glory and Renown of Translation fifty Years after his Passion Thus my Author 22. II. Wednesday is said to have been the fortunate day of Sixtus Quintus that Pope of Renowned Merit that did so great and excellent Things in the time of his Government See The just Weight of the Scarlet Robe p. 101. his desired Praises On a Wednesday he was born on that Day he was made Monk on the same he was made General of his Order on that also was he successively created Cardinal elected Pope and also Inaugurated See Heylin speaking of the Temple of Jerusalem 23. III. Thursday was a fatal Day to Henry VIII as Stow 812. and so also to his Posterity He died on Thursday Jan. 28. King Edward VI. on Thursday July 6. Queen Mary on Thursday November 17. Queen Elizabeth on Thursday March 24. 24. IV. Friday was observ'd to be very fortunate to the Great Renowned Capt. Gonsalvo he having on that day given the French many Memorable Defeats 25. V. Saturday was a Lucky Day to Henry VII Upon that Day he atchiev'd the Victory upon Richard III. being August 22. 1485. On that day he entred the City being August 29. Correct Stow who mistakes the Day and he himself always acknowledged he had experienced it fortunate See Bacon in his Life 26. At Feltwell in Norfolk which lies East and West a Fire happen'd to break out at the West end which the West Wind blew and burn'd all the Street On that Day Twenty Years another Fire happened there which began at the East end and burn'd it to the Ground again This I had from a Reverend Divine 27. Collonel Hugh Grove of Wiltshire was beheaded at Exeter together with Coll John Penrudock on the Ninth day of May 1655. On that very day Three Years his Son and Heir died at London of a Malignant Fever and about the same Hour of the Day 28. A very good Friend of mine and old Acquaintance was born on the 15th of November his eldest Son was born on the 15th of November and his Second Son's First Son on the 15th of November Thus far I 'm beholding to Mr. Aubrey's Collections CHAP. XVI Premonitions of particular Changes or Accidents of Life FOR God to take notice of and concern himself with Particulars was an Article of Religion which Epicurus could not allow of because it seemed Inconsistent with the Majesty of the Supream Being to interrupt his own Peace and Quiet with so many little Punctilioes But for us Christians to doubt of it were very unreasonable since we find in Sacred Scripture that He was concerned about the Sin of Adam the Murder of Abel the Punishment of Cain the preservation of Noah the Production of Isaac the Correction of David the safety of Daniel and the Three Children and to pass over many more Instances the Death of his Son and St. Peter his Apostle 1. Sir Henry Wooton speaking of the Duke of Buckingham's Death takes notice of these Ominous Presagements before his end being to take his Leave of my Lord's Grace of Canterbury the only Bishop of London whom he knew well planted in the King 's unchangeable Affection by
God first a wonderful preservation of his Life in a publick tumult at Lyons in France must make way which forces from him the Acknowledgement of a Deity Then his Father sends for him home and with much gentleness perswades him to read the Scriptures he lights upon the first of John and with it he feels a Divine Supernatural Majesty and Power seizing his Soul which brought him over by a compleat Conversion to Jesus Christ Thus as the Woman of Tekoa told David doth God devise means to bring back his Banished Flav. Divine Conduct p. 61. 4. Lavater tells us that many Spanish Souldiers going into the Wars of Germany were there converted to Christ by falling into the Cities and Towns where Godly Ministers and Christians were Ibid. 5. A Minister of Wales who had two Livings but took little care of either being at a Fair bought something at a Pedlars standing and rent off a Leaf of Mr. Perkin's Catechism to wrap it in and reading a line or two in it God set it home so as it did the work Ibid. 6. The Marriage of a Godly Man into a Carnal Family hath been ordered by Providence for the Conversion and Salvation of many therein Thus we read in the Life of that renowned English worthy Mr. John Bruen that in his second Match it was agreed that he should have one Years Diet in his Mother-in-Laws House During his abode there that year saith Mr. Clark the Lord was pleased by his means Graciously to work upon her Soul as also upon his Wifes Sister and half Sister their Brothers Mr. William and Thomas Fox with one or two of the Servants in that Family Ibid. p. 62. 7. Augustine once Preaching to his Congregation forgot the Argument which first he proposed and fell upon the Error of the Manichees beside his first intention By which discourse he converted one Firmus his Auditor who fell down at his Feet Weeping and Confessing he had lived a Manichee many Years Possidonius in vita Augustini c. 15. Flavel's Div. Conduct p. 63. 8. I knew one saith Mr. Flavel who going to Preach took up another Bible than that he designed in which not onely missing the Notes but the Chapter also in which his Text by was put to some loss thereby But after a short pause he resolved to speak to any other Scripture that might be presented to him and accordingly read that Text 2 Pet. 3.9 The Lord is not slack concerning his Promise c. And tho he had nothing prepared yet the Lord helpt him to speak both Methodically and Pertinently from it By which discourse a Gracious change was wrought upon one in that Congregration who hath since given good Evidence of a sound Conversion and Acknowledged this Sermon to be that first and onely means thereof Mr. Flavel's Div. Conduct p. 63. 9. One who had lived many Years in a Town where Christ had been as clearly and as long Preached as in any Town of England when he was about Seventy Six Years of Age went to visit a Sick Neighbour A Christian Friend of mine saith mine Author came to see him also and finding this Old Man there whom he Judged to be one that lived upon his own Stock Civility good Works c. He purposely fell into that Discourse to shew how many Persons lived upon their Duties but never came to Christ The Old Man sitting by the Bed-side heard him and God was pleased to convince him that he was such a Parson who had lived upon himself without Christ to that day and would say afterwards had I died before Threescore and Sixteen I had perisht for I knew not Christ Mr. Firmin in his Real Christian p. 97 98. 10. In the Year 1673. There came into this Port saith Mr. Flavel meaning Dartmouth a Ship of Poole in her return from Virginia in which Ship was one of that place a lusty Young Man of Twenty Three Years of Age who was a Chirurgeon in the Ship This Person in the Voyage fell into a deep Melancholly which the Devil greatly improved to serve his own design for the ruin of this Poor Man however it pleased God to restrain him from any attempts upon his own Life until he arrived here But shortly after his arrival upon the Lords Day early in the morning being in Bed with his Brother he took a Knife prepared for that purpose and cut his own Throat and withal leapt out of the Bed and tho the wound was deep and large yet thinking it might not soon enough dispatch his wretched Life desperately thrust it into his Stomach and so lay wallowing in his own Blood till his Brother awaking made a cry for help Hereupon a Physician and a Chirurgeon coming in found the wound in his Throat mortal and all they could do at present was onely to stitch it and apply a Plaister with design rather to enable him to speak for a little while than with any Expectation of cure for before that he breathed through the wound and his Voice was Inarticulate In this condition I found him that morning and apprehending him to be within a few Minutes of Eternity I laboured to work upon his Heart the sence of his condition telling him I had but little time to do any thing for him and therefore desired him to let me know what his own apprehensions of his present condition were He told me he hoped in God for Eternal Life I replyed that I feared his hopes were ungrounded for that the Scripture tell us No Murderer hath Eternal Life abiding in him but that was self-murther the grossest of all murthers And insisting upon the Aggravation and Heinousness of the Fact I perceived his vain Confidence began to fall and some Moltings of Heart appear'd in him He then began to lament with many Tears his Sin and Misery and asked me if there might yet be hope for one that had destroy'd himself and shed his own Blood I reply'd the Sin indeed is great but not unpardonable and if the Lord gave him Repentance unto Life and Faith to apply Jesus Christ it should be certainly pardon'd to him And finding him unacquainted with these things I open'd to him the Nature and Necessity of Faith and Repentance which he greedily suckt in and with great Vehemency cried to God that he would work them upon his Soul and intreated me also to pray with him and for him that it might be so I pray'd with him and the Lord thaw'd his Heart exceedingly The Duties of the Day necessitating me to leave him I briefly summ'd up what was most necessary in my parting counsel to him and took my leave never expecting to see him any more in this World But beyond my own and all Men's Expectation he continued all that day and panted most ardently after Christ Jesus no Discourses pleased him but Christ and Faith and in this Frame I found him in the Evening He rejoiced greatly to see me again and entreated me to continue my
time who were consulted touching the use of a Medicine the Spectre or Ghost prescrib'd of which mention will be made anon but they determined on the Negative But this by the by Till part of the Afternoon was spent all was quiet but at length he was perceived to rise from the Ground Whereupon Mr. Greatrix and another lusty Man clapt their Arms over his Shoulder one of them before him and the other behind and weighed him down with all their Strength But he was forcibly taken up from them and they were too weak to keep their hold and for a considerable time he was carried in the Air to and fro over their Heads several of the Company still running under him to prevent his being hurt if he should fall At length he fell and was caught before he came to the Ground and had by that means no hurt All being quiet till Bed-time my Lord order'd two of his Servants to lie with him and the next Morning he told his Lordship that his Spectre was again with him and brought a wooden Dish with grey Liquor in it and bad him drink it off At the first sight of the Spectre he said he endeavour'd to awake his Bedfellows but it told him That that endeavour should be in vain and that he had no cause to ear him he being his Friend and he that at first gave him the good Advice in the Field which had he not followed he had been before now perfectly in the power of the Compan he saw there He added that he concluded it was impossible but that he should have been carried away the day before there being so strong a Combination against him But now he would assure him that there would be no more Attempts of that Nature but he being troubled with two sorts of sad Fits he had brought that Liquor to cure him of them and bid him drink it He peremptorily refusing the Spectre was angry and upbraided him with great disingenuity but told him That however he had a kindness for him and that if he would take Plantine Juice he should be well of one sort of Fits but he should carry the other to his Grave The poor Man having by this time somewhat recover'd himself ask'd the Spectre whether by the Juice of Plantain he meant that of the Leaves or Roots It replied The Roots Then it askt him whether he did not know him He answer'd No. He replied I am such a one The Man answer'd He hath been long dead I have been dead said the Spectre or Ghost seven Years and you know that I lived a loose Life and ever since have I been hurried up and down in a restless condition with the Company you saw and shall be to the day of Judgment Then he proceeded to tell him that had he acknowledged God in his ways he had not suffer'd such severe things by their means And further said You never pray'd to God that day before you met with this Company in the Field and also going about an unlawful Business and so vanish'd Mr. Glanvil's Sadducism Triumph p. 423. 4. Mr. Alexander Clogie Minister of Wigmore in the County of Hereford aged Fourscore Years published a Set of Sermons A. 16â—4 under this Title Vox Corvi or the Voice of the Raven that thrice spoke these Wards distinctly viz. Look into Colossians the 3d. and 15th Licensed according to Order London Printed by W. B. c. The occasion of it was as we are told in the Epistle to the Reader On the 3d. of Feb. 1691. about Three in the Afternoon this Reverend Divine a Persons of the Venerable Age of Eighty Years and Forty of those a laborious Teacher of God's Word in the Parish of Wigmore being in the Hall of his own House with his Wife some Neighbours and Relations together with two small Grand-children of his in all to the number of eight Persons Thomas Kinnersley one of the said Grandchildren of 10 Years of Age starting up from the Fire-side went out of the Hall-door and sate himself down upon a Block by a Wood-pile before the Door cutting of a Stick and in ress than a quâ—â—ter of an Hour return'd into the Hall in great Amazement his Countenance pale and affrighted and said to his Grandfather and Grandmother Look in the 3d. of the Colossians and the 15th with a great Palsion and Earnestness repeating the Words no less than three times telling them with a mighty Ardency that a Raven had spoken them three times from the Peak of the Steeple and that it look'd towards W. W.'s House and shook its Head thitherward directing its Looks and Motions still towards that House All which Words he heard the Raven distinctly utter three times and then saw it mount and fly out of Sight The Grandfather turning to the Text in the Bible and reading the Words Let the Peace of God rule in your Hearts c. The Child was fully satisfied and his Countenance composed again The Family to which the Raven seemed to direct her Voice were by means hereof perfectly Reconciled I doubt not but this Relation will seem incredible in an Age of so little Faith but I have not time to plead for the Credibility of every particular and strange Story that I relate Sure I am Mr. Clogie doth not Preach or Write like a Man fallen into his Dotage or like a weak and unskilful Divine 5. Dwelling at Leeds in Kent saith Mr. Batman Professor in Divinity a glowing Light like unto a quick Cole appeared at my Bed's Feet at the sudden sight whereof I was as well in doubt as afraid taking view thereof twice or thrice to the end I would not be deceived of that Appearance and desiring God's Assistance from Evils it vanished away Shortly after I was in present danger of being Slain in the House of him whom I took to be my Friend c. Not many Years after I fell into the Hands of Inconstant Men whose double Deâ—lings I referred to God and one of them was struck Blind another fell into a Dropsie a Third ask'd Forgiveness c. There happened to me in Kent also a sudden Fire in the House wherein I then dwelt so that the House was consumed to the Ground whether because before that time I greatly reproved Witchery of those that then were Suspected or for my secret Sins against God from the which no Flesh is clear I appeal before the Throne of thy most magnificent Grace c. Doâ—n's Warning to the Judgment p. 410. I could add many more Instances of this kind but having already mentioned some others in other Chapters I shall forbear lest I cloy my Reader and provoke him to a nauseate or loathing Nequid nimis CHAP. XXVII Remarkable Faith THE Graces of the Spirit of God found to be Sincere but especially in an excellent degree in Christians are called frequently in the Gospel The Earnest of the Spirit and the Earnest of the Future Iâ—heritance as if God never bestowed these
Qualities upon any but as Dispositions to Eternal Glory and a Token of special Love and everlasting Favour I shall therefore in the next place proceed to enquire after a few Remarkable Instances of this Nature and first of all of Faith that Grace that is so mightily commended under the Oeconomy of the New Testament 1. Luther was a Man of great Faith and Resolution as appears by these Passages in his Sermons Sir Devil I gear not thy Threatenings and Terrors for there is one whose Name is Jesus Christ in whom I believe He hath abolished the Law condemned Sin vanquished Death and destroyed Hell And again Good Mrs. Death Dost thou know this Man Christ Come and bite out his Tooth Hast thou forgotten how little thy Biting prevailed with him once Faith kills Reason that Beast and Monster that all the World cannot kill and Laughs at all the Iniquiry Rage and Fury of the World c. 2. Arch-Bishop Vsher though he fore-told in the time of his greatest Prosperity that he should die in Poverty yet made little Provision for the Storm and though his Losses in Ireland upon the turn of the Times were great and his Straits in England very considerable yet when two several Offers were made him from Foreign Nations the one from Cardinal Richlieu in relation to his great Learning with a promise of large Maintenance and Liberty to live where he listed in France among the Protestants the other from the States of Holland who proffered him the Place of Honorarius Professor at Leyden which had an ample Stipend belonging to it yet he refused both and chose rather to put himself upon Divine Providence in his own Countrey Clâ—rk in his Life 3. Mr. Heron on his Death-bed being minded of his young Children whom he had made but slender Provision for made this Answer which my Author saith was Censured for too light by some Persons That he did not fear but He that fed the young Ravens when they cried unto him would likewise take care of and provide for the young Herons Dr. Fuller in his Meditations 4. Mr. Lancaster being by Birth a good Gentleman and sometime Fellow in King's College in Cambridge he was but little of Stature but eminent as for other things especially for his living by Faith His Charge being great and his Means so small his Wife would many times come to him when she was to send her Maid to Banbury Market to buy Provision and tell him that she had no Money his usual Answer was Yet send your Maid and God will provide and though she had no Money yet she never returned empty for one or other that knew her to be Mr. Lancaster's Maid either by the way or in Banbury Town meeting her would give her Money which still supplied their present wants Mr. Clark in the Life of Dr. Harris 5. Mr. Edw. Lawrence formerly Minister of Basckarth in Shropshire but refusing to comply with the Act of Vniformity and thereupon being in danger of being turned out of his Living being ask'd How he would maintain his VVife and so many small Children as he had Made Answer I intend to live and maintain my Family upon the Fifth Chapter of Saint Matthew CHAP. XXVIII Remarkable Courage and Boldness FEar not thou them saith our Saviour that can destroy the Body and after that have nothing that they can do c. certainly a good Christian Courage in a good Cause and under the Conduct of an humble Prudence is the Gift of God and Blessing of Heaven and one of those Graces that bespeak the person endowed therewith to be somewhat more than common Man Our dear Saviour was taken notice of for one that Preach'd with Authority and the Apostles with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a liberty of Speech and boldness of Spirit which their Adversaries were not able to resist And sometimes we may pick up such Examples of boldness in succeeding Ages of the Church as these that follow 1. Ignatius being required to be present at the Gratulatory Sacrifices appointed by Trajan after the Parthian War which were to be offered in every City before Trajan's Face did justly and sharply reprove the Idolatry for which cause he was delivered to ten Soldiers to be carried to Rome Clark's Mar. of Eccl. Hist 2. Polycarp would not flie when in danger of Persecution and Martyrdom saying The will of the Lord be done and coming to the Searchers he communed with them very chearfully and commanded that the Table should be spread for them intreating them to eat and dine well requesting but one Hours space for his Prayers which was granted him Ibid. 3. Origen was in his early Years desirous of Martyrdom and would have thrusted himself into the Persecutors Hands had not his Mother in the Night time privily convey'd away his Cloathes on purpose to restrain him and when he could do no more he stoutly Exhorted his Father then â—â—â—â—rison by Letters that he would not alter his purpose of Suffering for his Son's sake Dr. Cave Prim. Christ Clark Marrow of Eccl. Hist. c. 4. Valentinian Jun. compassing the Church where Ambrose was in a great rage with a great number of Armed Souldiers commanded him to come forth but he nothing terrified answered That I will never willingly do neither will I betray the Sheepfold of my Sheep to the Wolves nor deliver up the Temple of God to the Authors of Blasphemy but if thou pleasest to kill me here 's my Breast peirce it as thou pleasest with Spear or Sword I am willing to embrace such a Death Upon which resolute Answer the Emperor with-drew ibid. 5. Luther's Courage and Boldness is well known when disswaded from going to Dispute at Worms for fear of his Enemies If I thought saith he there were danger of our Cause I would go tho' there were as many Devils in Worms as Tiles upon the Houses And another time to his Friends quaking for fear of future troubles Come saith he let 's sing the 46th Psalm and let all the Devils in Hell do their worst Pref. to his Sermons 6. John Frith to certain Messengers sent by the Arch-Bishop to bring him before him and they disswading Frith from stiffness in his Opinion about the Sacrament made answer I most heartily thank you for your Good-will and Councel whereby I see your Good-will to me yet my Cause and Conscience is such that in no wise I may or can without danger of Damnation start aside and fly from the Truth whereof I am convinced and which I have Published concerning the Lord's Supper so that if I be askt what my Judgment is about it I must needs declare my Judgment and Conscience therein as I have formerly written tho' I was sure to lose Twenty Lives if I had so many Clarks Eccl. Hist p. 158. 7. King Arthur to increase the Courage of his Soldiers Instituted the Order of Knights of the Round Table that he might reward the well deserving with Titles of Honour None
means he should be delivered from such unrighteous Governours and be sooner sent home to his Heavenly Father Justin M. 4. John Picus Mirandula was of a chearful Countenance and of so composed a Mind That he was scarce ever seen angry Clark in his Life 5. By reason of our strange and wonderful Courage and Strength saith Lactantius new Additions are made to us for when the People see Men with infinite variety of Torments torn in pieces and yet maintain a Patience unconquerable and able to live out its Tormentors they are convinced what the Truth is that the Consent of so many and the Perseverance of dying Persons cannot be in vain nor that Patience it self were it not from God could hold out under such Racks and Tortures Thieves and Men of a robust Body are not able to bear such tearing in pieces they groan and cry out and are overcome with Pain because not endued with Divine Patience but our very Children and Women to say nothing of our Men do with Silence conquer their Torments nor can the hottest Fire force the least groan from them Dr. Cave out of Lactant. 6. Justin Martyr by the force of such Arguments turned from being a Platonic Philosopher to be a Christian I thought saith he it was impossible for such Persons to live in Vice and Luxury c. Apoâ— 1. c. 50. 7. Liâ—sâ—â—â— to 〈◊〉 of his Friends who minded him on his Death-bed of his Stoical Philosophy whose Principle of Patience was Fate and Necessity made Answer De mihi Christianem Patientiam Give me the Christian Patience 8. Reproaches said Luther are my Meat and Feeding I am afraid of Praises glad of Slanders and Reproaches 9. Socrates was observed Semper eodem incedere vuleu to go Abroad and return Home with the same composed Countenance he bore the outragious peevishness of his Wife with great Patience calling her his School Mistress c. 10. Dr. Sandes his Stable being Robb'd and an Inventory taken of all his Goods and he set on a lame Jade and carried through London in scorn at Bishopsgate a Woman throwing a Stone at him hit him so full on the Breast that he was near falling from his Horse to whom he mildly said Woman I pray God forgive thee See his Life by Mr. Clark Page 8. 11. Cassianus tells of a Devout Gentlewoman desirous to exercise the Vertue of Patience that came to Athanasus upon that score to advise with him who at her Request placed a poor Widow with her so VVayward Cholerick Peevish and Insolent that she gave sufficient occasion for the practice of Patience S. Franc. Sales Introd 12. Bishop Bonner gave this Testimony of Cuthert Sympson's Patience I say unto you That if he were not an Heretick he is a Man of the greatest Patience that ever came before me for I tell you he hath been thrice Rack'd in one Day in the Tower and in my House he hath felt some Sorrow yet I never saw his Patience broken Fox Martyrol 13. 'T is said of Calvin and Vrsin that they were both Cholerick by Nature yet had so learned the Meekness of Christ as not to utter one Word under the greatest Provocation unbeseeming Religion Joh. Flavel 14. Greenham that Saint of ours can lye spread quietly upon the Form looking for the Chyrurgeons Knife binding himself as fast with a resolved Patience as others with strongest Cords abiding his Flesh carved and his Bowels rifled and not stirring more than if he felt not while others tremble to expect and shrink to feel the pricking of a Vein Bish Jos Hall Medit. c. 15. I never heard saith Dr. Walker speaking of the late Countess of Warwick That she was blamed for more than two Faults by the most curious Observers of her Disposition and Behaviour viz. Excess of Charity and Defect of Anger For as to the latter though I confess saith he she could not rage and storm and discover her Anger as some Persons do who verisie the Saying Anger is a kind of Madness for her sedate compos'd serene Mind and sweet and amicable Disposition was scarce forcible to what was so conttary to her Nature yet would she make deeper Impressions of her Displeasure for great Faults than those who appeared most furious like a still soaking Shower which will wet more than a driving Storm and therefore it was observed that if any Servant had been faulty they had rather have passed the Gantlet of their Lords most furious Expressions than have once been sent for to their Lady's Closet whose Treatment was soft Words but hard Arguments against their Faults and like that silent Lightning which without the Noise of Thunder melts the Blade and singeth not the Scabbard her Reproofs were neither the frightful hissing nor the venom'd Sting but the penetrating Oil of Scorpions Dr. Walker in her Life Page 114. 16. Bishop Cowper's Wife being a froward Woman she lest her Husband should prejudice his Health by his over much Study when he was Compiling his famous Dictionary one Day in his Absence got into his Study and took all the Notes he had been for Eight Years a gathering and burned them whereof when she had acquainted him he only said Woman thou hast put me to eight Years Study more See the Treatise call'd Mankind Displayed CHAP. XXX Remarkable Prudence THough the Simplicity of the Dove be an excellent Grace in Christians yet we are required to joyn with it the Wisdom of the Serpent the one removes away our Gall and Sting and makes us inoffensive to others the other gives us Brain and Prudence to save our selves and this is the more necessary because of the Enemies and Dangers we have to encounter with And in Truth though the Divine Providence is sufficient to Guide and Protect and Provide for us yet we are no where commanded to lay a side the Man to illustrate the Christian Piety makes us shifty for the Honour of God Charity for the good of our Neighbours but Prudence tells us We must not be quite careless at home nay the very Substanâ—e of our Religiou requires us to love our Neighbours as our selves and therefore presupposeth a Care of our own Preservation before our Care for the welfare of others But yet so that Self alone must give place to a Society of Men which is made up of many particular Selves and the Glory of God is not to truckle to our Temporal Felicity See some Instances 1. Mr. Tindal living with one Mr. Welch in Gloucestershire as Tutor to his Children Discoursing about Matters of Religion sometimes in the House and being answered by Mrs. Welch Such a Doctor is worth 100 l. per Annum and such a one 200 and such a one 300. And is it Reason think you that we should believe you before them He replied nothing at that time because he saw it was in vain to make a personal Answer where the Authority of his own Person was of so little value and therefore fell upon
no ways related to him but a constant Eye and Ear-witness of his Godly Life and Honourable and Cheerful Death from whom I received this Information 12. Of a notorious wicked Child who was taken up from begging and admirably converted with an Account of his holy Life and joyful Death when he was Nine Years old A very poor Child of the Parish of Newington-Butts came begging to the Door of a Dear Christian Friend of mine in a very lamentable Case so filthy and nasty that he would even have turned ones Stomach to have looked on him but it pleased God to raise in the Heart of my Friend a great pity and tenderness towards this poor Child so that in Charity he took him out of the Streets whose Parents were unknown who had nothing at all in him to commend him to any ones Charity but his Misery A Noble Piece of Charity And that which did make the kindness far the greater was that there seemed to be very little hopes of doing any good upon this Child for he was a very Monster of Wickedness and a thousand times more miserable and vile by his Sin than by his Poverty But this Sin and Misery was but a stronger Motive to that gracious Man to pity him and to do all that possibly he could to plack this Firebrand out of the Fire The Lord soon struck in with his godly Instructions so that an amazing Change was seen in the Child in a few Weeks space he was soon convinced of the Evil of his Ways no more News now of his calling of Names Swearing or Cursing no more taking of the Lord's Name in vain now he is Civil and Respective and such a strange alteration was wrought in the Child that all the Parish that rung of his Villany before was now ready to talk of his Reformation his Company his Talk his Employment is now changed and he is like another Creature so that the Glory of God's Free Grace began already to shine in him He was made to cry out of himself not only for his Swearing and Lying and other outwardly notorious Sins but he was in great horrour for the Sin of his Nature for the Vileness of his Heart and Original Corruption under it he was in so great anguish that the Trouble of his Spirit made him in a great measure to forget the Pains of his Body Being informed how willing and ready the Lord Christ was to accept of poor Sinners upon their Repentance and Turning and being counselled to venture himself upon Christ for Mercy and Salvation he said He would fain cast himself upon Christ but he could not but wonder how Christ should be willing to die for such a vile Wretch as he was and he found it one of the hardest things in the World to believe But at last it pleased the Lord to give him some shall hopes that there might be Mercy for him The Wednesday before he died the Child lay 〈…〉 for about half an Hour in which time be thought he saw a Vision of Angels 〈◊〉 he was out of his Trance he was in a little Pett and asked his Nurse Why she did not let him go Go whither Child said she Why along with those brave Gentlemen said he but they told me they would come and fetch me away for all you upon Friday next And he doubled his Words many times upon Friday next those brave Gentlemen will come for me And upon Friday Morning he sweetly went to rest using that very Expression Into thy Hands Lord I commit my Spirit He died punctually at that time which he had spoken of and in which he expected those Angels to come to him He was not much above Nine Years Old when he died This Narrative I had from a Judicious Holy Man unrelated to him who was an Eye and Ear-witness to all these things 13. Of a Child that was very serious at Four Years old John Sudlow was born of Religious Parents in the County of Middlesex whose great Care was to instil Spiritual Principles into him as soon as he was capable of understanding of them whose Endeavours the Lord was pleased to Crown with the desired Success so that to use the Expression of a Holy Man concerning him scarce more could be expected or desired from so little a one The first thing that did most affect him and made him endeavour to escape from the Wrath to come and to enquire what he should do to be saved was the Death of a little Brother when he saw him without Breath and not able to speak or stir and then carried out of Doors and put into a Pit-hole he was greatly concerned and asked notable Questions about him but that which was most affecting of himself and others was Whether he must die too which being answer'd it made such a deep Impression upon him that from that time forward he was exceeding serious and this was when he was about Four Years old When any Christian Friends have been Discoursing with his Father if they began to talk any thing about Religion to be sure they should have his Company and of his own accord he would leave all to hear any thing of Christ and creep as close to them as he could and listen as affectionately though it were an hour or two When he was Reading by himself in Draiton's Poems about Noah's Flood and the Ark he ask'd Who built the Ark It being answered That it was likely that Noah hired Men to help him to build it And would they said he build an Ark to save another and not go into it themselves Another Question he put was this Whether had the greater Glory Saints or Angels It being answered That Angels were the most excellent of Creatures and it 's to be thought their Nature is made capable of greater Glory than Man's He said He was of another Mind and his Reason was Because Angels were Servants and Saints are Children and that Christ never took upon him the Nature of Angels but he took upon him the Nature of Saints and by his being Man he hath advanced Human Nature above the Nature of Angels In the time of the Plague he was exceedingly concerned about his Soul and Everlasting State very much by himself upon his Knees This Prayer was found written in Short-hand after his Death O Lord God and merciful Father take pity upon me a miserable Sinner and strengthen me O Lord in thy Faith and make me one of thy Glorious Saints in Heaven O Lord keep me from this poisonous Infection however not my Will but thy Will be done O Lord on Earth as it is in Heaven but O Lord if thou hast appointed me to die by it O Lord fit me for Death and give me a good Heart to bear up under my Afflictions O Lord God and merciful Father take pity on me thy Child teach me O Lord thy Word make me strong in Faith O Lord I have sinned against thee Lord pardon my Sins I had been
of parting with Possessions for Christ's sake are applied by St. Hierom to the Words of Solomon Prov. 11.24 There is that scattereth and yet encreaseth because saith he they receive an hundred fold in this World This saith he I am resolved on 't is want of Belief and nothing else that keeps Men from the Practice of this Duty Could this one Mountain be removed the lessening of our Wealth that Alms-giving is accused of Could that one Scandal to Flesh and Blood be kicked out of the way there is no other Devil would take the unmerciful Man's part no other Temptation molest the Alms-giver And let me tell you that you have no more Evidence for the truth of Christ's coming for all the Fundamentals of your Faith on which you are content your Salvation should depend then such as I have given you for your security in this point Arch-bishop Tillotson tells us in his Sermon upon Acts 10. v. 38. That to do good is the most pleasant Employment in the World It is natural and whatever is so is delightful We do like our selves when ever we relieve the Wants and Distresses of others And therefore this Virtue among all other hath peculiarly entituled it self to the name of Humanity We answer our own Nature and obey our Reason and shew our selves Men in shewing Mercy to the Miserable when ever we consider the Evils and Afflictions of others we do with the greatest Reason collect our Duty from our Nature and Inclination and make our own Wishes and Desires and Expectations from others a Law and Rule to our selves And this is pleasant to follow our Nature and to gratifie the importunate Dictates of our own Reason So that the Benefits we do to others are not more welcome to them that receive them then they are delightful to us that do them We ease our own Nature and Bowels when ever we help and relieve those who are in Want and necessity As on the contrary no Man that hath not divested himself of Humanity can be cruel and hard-hearted to others without feeling some Pain in himself There is no sensual Pleasure in the World comparable to the Delight and Satisfaction that a good Man takes in doing good This Cato in Tully boasts of as the great Comfort and Joy of his old Age That nothing was more pleasant to him than the Conscience of a well spent Life and the remembrance of many Benefits and Kindnesses done to others Sensual Pleasures are not lasting but presently vanish and expire But that is not the worst of them they leave a Sting behind them as the Pleasure goes off Succedit frigida cura Sadness and Melancholy come in the place of it But the Pleasure of doing good remains after a thing is done the thoughts of its lie easie in our Minds and the reflection upon it afterwards does for ever minister Joy and Delight to us In a word That Frame of Mind which enclines us to do Good is the very Temper and Disposition of Happiness Solomon after all his Experience of worldly Pleasures pitches at last upon this as the greatest Felicity of Human Life and the only good Use that is to be made of a prosperous and plentiful Fortune Eccl. 3.12 I know that there is no good in them but for a Man to rejoyce and do god in his Life And a greater and wiser then Solomon had said That it is more blessed to give then to receive Thus far Arch-bishop Tillotson I now proceed to Instances of present Retribution to the Charitable 1. St. Alban whom Mr. Fox in his first Tome mentioned amongst the Martyrs who suffered for the Name and Cause of Christ having received a poor persecuted Minister into his House was by his godly Life and gracious Exhortations so wrought upon that he turned from Heathenism to Christianity and at last suffered as a Martyr for the Truth of Jesus Christ as Beda and others write of hâ—â— His kindness to a poor persecuted Minister was recompenced not only with his Conversion to the true Religion but likewise with the honour of Martyrdom 2. St. Austin having set forth the mercifulness an liberality of Constantine the Great saith Bonus Deus Constantinum magnum tantis terrenis implevit muneribus c. God gave Constantine that merciful Prince more Wealth than Heart could wish for his bounty to the Poor Aug. de Civitate Dei l. 5. 3. Dr. Hammond in his forementioned Treatise mentioned an ancient Story out of Cedrenus of a Jew who upon reading those words of Solomon Prov. 19.17 He that hath pity on the poor lendeth unto the Lord and that which he hath given will he pay him again resolved to try whether God would be as good as his word thereupon gave all that he had but two pieces of Silver to the Poor and then waited and expected to see it come again But being not presently answered in that Expectation grew angry and went up to Jerusalem to expostulate with God for not performing his Promise And going on his way found two Men a striving engaged in an unreconcileable Quarrel about a Stone that both walk together had found in the way and so had both equal right to it but being but one and not capable of being divided they could not both enjoy and therefore to make them Friends he having two pieces of Silver doth upon contract divide them betwixt the Contenders and hath the Stone in exchange for them having it he goes on his Journey and coming to Jerusalem shews it the Goldsmith who tells him it was a Jewel of great Value being a Stone fallen and lost out of the High Priests Ephod to whom if he carried it he should certainly receive a great Reward He did so and accordingly it proved the High Priest took it of him gave him a great Reward and withal sharply reproved him for questioning the truth of God's Promise bidding him trust God the next time 4. The Story of Tiberius the Second is pertinent to this purpose which take in the Words of that Reverend Person before-mentioned in his Sermon at the Spittle This Tiberius was very Famous for his Bounty to the Poor insomuch that his Wife was wont to blame him for it and speaking to him once how he wasted his Treasury that way he told her He should never want Money so long as in obedience to Christ's Commands he did supply the necessity of the Poor And presently see how Providence ordered it Immediately after he had given much this way under a Marble Table which was taken up he found a great Treasury and news was brought him too of the Death of one Narses a very rich Man who had given his whole Estate unto him 5. Famous is the Story of that charitable Bishop of Millain who as he was Travelling with his Servant overtook some poor People who begged an Alms of him whereupon he asked his Man what Money he had about him who answered Three Crowns which he commanded him to give
the Earls of Worcester Pembrook and Montgomery with a numerous Train of the Nobility and Gentry where at the Entry they were accosted with a Gratualtory Speech and Musick and afterwards the Feast served up by the choicest Citizens and after Supper with a Wassail two pleasant Masques a Play and Dancing And after all the Bride and Bridegroom invited to a noble Banquet with all the noble Train and at Three in the Morning returned to White-hall And before this Surfeit of Pleasure was well digested the Gentlemen of Grey's Inn invited them to a Masque But before the end of the Year who would think it for this was in the Christmas-Holidays and lasted till a few Days after all this Joy was turned into Sharp and Sowre For afterward the Murder of Sir Thomas Overbury was discovered some of the chief Instruments employed to Poyson him were hanged the Earl of Somerset and his Countess imprisoned their Persons convicted and Estate seized except only four Thousand Pound per Annum allowed him for Life only by the King's Favour after some time he was set at Liberty but never more returned into Favour at Court Detection of the Court and State of England during the Four last Reigns p. 39 40 c. 6. In the Reign of Charles the V. a young Gentleman of noble Parentage in the Court of that Emperor for deflowering a young Gentlewoman whom he greatly loved was committed to Prison where expecting nothing but the Rigour of the Law he took on with such Grief of Mind that the next Morning his Face appeared very wan his Beard drivelled his Hair turned perfectly gray and all his fresh and youthful Vigour was quite vanished which coming to the Emperor's Ears he sent for him and for the strangeness of the thing pardon'd him accounting the great Fear he had undergone and the Effects of it a sufficient Punishment Doom warning to the Judgment p. 346. out of Levin Lemn 7. In Germany a Gentleman of note finding his Wife in Bed with another Man slew first the Adulterer and then his own Wife Luth. Coll. 8. A nobleman of Thuringia being taken in Adultery the Husband of the Adultress bound him Hand and Foot cast him into Prison kept him fasting only causing daily hot Dishes of Meat to be set before him to tantalize him with the Smell In this Torture the Letcher continued till he gnawed off the Flesh from his own Shoulders and on the 11th Day he died Clark out of Luther 9. Mary of Arragon Wife to the Emperor Otho the III. carry'd a young Fornicator along with her in Woman's Habit but he being discovered was burnt to Death Afterwards solliciting the Count of Mutina and not able to draw him to her Lure she accused him to the Emperor of attempting a Rape upon her for which he was beheaded But the Emperor at last finding out his Wife's Wickedness caused her to be burnt at a Stake Clark's Examp. Vol. I. chap. 2. 10. Luther tells us of a Great Man in his Country so besotted with the Sin of Whoredome that he was not ashamed to say That if he might live for ever here and be carried from one Whore-house to another there to satisfie his Lusts he would never desire any other Heaven This vile Fellow afterwards breathed out his wretched Soul betwixt two notorious Harlots Ibid. 11. Venery was the Destruction of Alexander the Great Of Otho the Emperor called for his good Parts otherwise Miraculum Mundi Of Pope Sixtus the IV. who died of a wicked Wast Of Peope Paul the IV. of whom it passed for a Proverb Eum per eandem partem animam profudisse per quam acceperat Ibid. So true it is which Solomon saith many strong Men have been slain by her 12. 'T is notoriously known how far this Sin prevailed in England amongst the Lazy Monks and Nuns what Skulls of Infants were found near their Religious Houses before the Dissolution of them in Henry the VIII's Days And much about the same time viz. at the beginning of the Reformation as I have read in a Letter writ by the Pope's Notary to a Gentleman in Germany there was a Nunnery visited in the outer Skirts of Italy and Thirteen of the Nuns found with Child at the same time all by the Confessor for which Cause by order of the Pope it was put down 13. Thomas Savage frequenting the House of Hannah Blay a noted Bawdy-house spending upon her such Money as he could get to satisfie his own Lust and her craving Appetite is tempted first to stealing and purloining from his Master and at last to the murdering of a Maid his Fellow-Servant For which he was afterwards brought to the Gallows See the Printed Narrative 14. Mr. Robert Foulks of Stanton-Lacy first an Adulterer and then a Murderer of his Bastard Child ended his Days very ignominiously at Tiburn tho' penitently See the Narrative or the Abbreviation in the Compleat History of Dying Penitents 15. John Allerton Bishop of Waterford in Ireland for unnatural Concupiscence came to a very disgraceful End being Arraigned and Executed at Dublin It were endless to enumerate all the sad Examples of Divine Judgment that might be brought under this Head CHAP. CXXV Divine Judgments upon Voluptuousness and Luxury THE Love of sensual Pleasure is to this Day a Blot upon the Memory of Epicurus tho' he were but a Heathen Philosopher How much more Disgraceful is it for Christians whose Profession it is to deny themselves and take up the Cross and be mortified to the World and crucifie the Flesh which the Affections and Lusts And the Reason why God hath laid such a Restrain upon our Appetites is because Voluptuousness is a Thief of our Time and Affections It steals the Heart from God and so debaucheth the Mind of Man that it cannot relish spiritual Delights and the Sweets of a Holy and Devout Life and therefore no wonder if God Almighly doth so resent this Alienation of the Mind from him that he punish it often with some Remarkable Judgments to shew his Detestation of it and to Detert others from it 1. Charles the II. King of Spain having wasted his Spirits with Voluptuousness and Luxury in his old Age fell into a Lethargy and therefore to comfort his benummed Joints he was by the Advice of his Physicians sowed up in a Sheet steeped in Aqua-vitae The Chirurgeon having made an end of sowing the Sheet wanted a Knife to cut off the Thread whereupon he took the Wax-Tapor that stood by to burn it off But the Flame running by the Thread caught hold of the Sheet in an instant which according to the nature of Aqua-vitae burned so violently that the old King ended his Days in the Flame Clark's Mirr Vol. I. p. 492. 2. Petrus Crinitus a great Clerk in the Days of our Grandfathers thought it fit forsooth when he was old to do as Socrates did under colour of Free Teaching to converse with Youths in the Streets in the Tennis-Courts in the Taverns
again and again that they would not fail to remember him in their Publick Assemblies and Private Duties At last he tells us that before this Desertion he had prayed very earnestly and vehemently that God would deliver him from the World being froward and dissatisfied with his Condition troubled in his Thoughts and weary of the World whereas he should have prayed for Submission and Patience See the Narrative Printed by himself at London 1676. 2. Mary Cook executed for the Murder of her own only Child 1670. declared that the occasion was a great Discontent which she had conceived in her Mind grounded upon an apprehension of exceeding unkindnesses of Relations to her tho' she had never been undutiful to them alledging her Relations slighted her she was weary of Life and afraid the Child should come to want when she was gone See the Narrative 3. One Tho. Holt of Coventry a Musician having Nineteen Children and a Competent Estate but not a contented Mind fearing Poverty made a Contract with the Devil and on Feb. 16th 1641. after a very Tempestuous day and mighty Wind which blew down several Houses and Reeks of Corn and Hay was himself by one in Humane shape at Night after he had called to his Wife for Pen Ink and Paper to make his last Will killed in his Bed whilst his Wife almost at her Wits end was calling her Neighbours and there found by them in a wretched manner with his Neck broken to their great astonishment after his Death they opened a Chest which he would never suffer his Wife or any Child to look in whilst living wherein they found Gold up to the top as they thought but upon touching of it it fell at to dust This was attested and published by one Lawrence Southern of Coventry Anno 1642. And tho' it may seem incredible to a Reader of ordinary size yet compared with many other Relations as that of Young Sandie mentioned before who received Money from the Devil and lost it again before Morning c. it is not so very strange CHAP. CXXXI Divine Judgments upon Idleness and Evil Company I Put Idleness and ill Society together because they are near a-kin one to the other and both of them give an occasion to vitiousness The one betrays us more immediately to the Snare of the Devil and the other by the Mediation of his Agents exposeth us with a greater violence and a stronger Torrent than the Corruption of our own single Natures In Idleness our own Hearts are in danger of being too hard for us but in ill Company they meet with their Seconds to abet them And when several vitiated Natures meet together like so many dry sticks they are easily enkindled with a little Fire and blown up into a great Flame and therefore seldom do any good Effects or Consequences follow upon such precedent Causes 1. The Egytians made a Law that he that could not shew by what means he maintained himself should be put to Death Plut. Laert. in vita Periandri 2. St. Augustine tells us of Alipius his dear Friend who went to Rome to study the Law where there were usually those Gladiatory Pastimes wherein Men kill'd one another in sport Alipius could not be perswaded by his Companions to see those Sports They oft desired him but by no means would he go At last saith St. Augustine by a famillar Violence they drew him to go Well saith he I will go but I will be absent whilst I am there I will not look on it He went but when he came there amongst others he shut his Eyes and would not see any of those Sports till at length there was a Man wounded at which the People shouted He heard the shout and would see what was the matter he looked about and seeing the wounded Man he desired to see a little more Thus saith St. Augustine he grew at last not to be the same Man as he was when he came thither For after that time he desired to see it a second and third time and at last he came to be not only a Companion of those that went thither but would be a Guide to them and one of the forwardest till it pleased God by a mighty hand to deliver him from this Vanity Let those amongst us that adventure to go to the Meetings of Hereticks out of Curiosity to see and hear learn Wisdom by these Examples Vid. August Confess and Clark's Examples c. 3. Mat. Hunniades King of Hungary when one brought him a Wooden Coat of Mail wherein was not one Ring wanting a Work of Fifteen Years commanded him to Prison for Fifteen Years more to expiate for so much Time and Parts mispent Author of Education of Young Gentlemen 4. Few or no Beggars are found in China for a young Beggar hath the Whip The whole Country is well Husbanded and though the People are generally great spenders yet they first get it by their hard Labour Idle Persons are much abhorred in this Country and such as will not Labour must not eat amongst them for there are none that will give Alms to the Poor If any be Blind they are put to Grind in Horse-Mills If Lame Impotent Bed-rid c. the next of their Kin is forced to maintain them if they be not able the King hath Hospitals in every City wherein they are sufficiently provided for Sir Tho. Herb. Travels P. Pil. 15.3 5. The Lacedaemonians brought up their Children in Labour from their Infancy whereby it grew into a Proverb That only the Lacedaemonian Women brought forth Men. Alex. 6. The Cretans brought up also their Sons from their Childhood in daily and difficult Labours lest when they grew Old they should think it was not unseemly to waste themselves in Idleness Idem 7. The Gymnosophists to reclaim their Scholars from Idleness Enacted a Law that Young Men should neither eat nor drink any day before they had given an Account to the Elder what Work they had done that Morning Idem 8. Amasis made a Law that the Egyptian Youth should no day eat and Food till they had run One Hundred and Eighty Furlongs Judging them unfit either to eat or drink till by honest Labour they had deserved it Diod. Sic. 9. The Aethiopians anciently accustomed their Youth daily to fling great Stones or Darts that thereby they might understand that Man was born to Labour not to Idleness Alex. ab Alex. 10. In the City of Casan in Parthia an Idle Person is not suffered to live amongst them 11. Sir Philip Sidney as one writes in the extream Agony of his Wounds so terrible the sense of Death is adds my Author requested the dearest Friend he had living to burn his Arcadia Will. Winstanley's Worthies p. 219. 12. I have read formerly that Mr. Abraham Cowley on his Death-bed made it his Request that this Poems called The Mistress might undergo the same Fate be burnt Mr. Herbert on his Death-bed commended his Poems to the Press 13. And I
declared himself Innocent caused his Tongue to be cut out and cast to them again seized upon any that stood near when he wanted Game for the Wild Beasts suborned Persons to go into the Senate-House and declare him whom he had a mind to murder as a Publick Enemy would Command the Executioner so to strike that Persons might feel themselves die Disannulled Persons Wills because they had not made him their Heir Slew many Rich Men confiscated the Estates of others levied unheard-of Taxes would with an Artificial Engine vie with the Thunder of Heaven throw up a Stone at such times saying Either do thus kill me or I will kill thee Wished all the People of Rome had but one Neck that he might cut them off at one blow At last two of the Tribunes conspired against him slew him and his Wife Caesonia and took his younger Daughter and dashed her Brains against the Walls In his Closet were found two Books one called the Sword the other the Dagger containing the Names of all those he designed for Slaughter and a great Chest stored with all sorts of most deadly Poisons Ibid. in ejus vit 5. Andronicus who Traiterously murdered the Son and Heir of Emanuel the Emperor causing him to be tyed in Sack and so drowned in the Sea then by Violence took Possession of the Empire of Constantinople and proceeded to Rapes and Debaucheries not abstaining from his own Sisters murdering most of the Nobility was afterwards besieged taken degraded despolied of all his Ornaments his Eyes pluck'd out and he upon an Asse's back with his Face towards the Tail and the Tail in his Hand and a Rope about his Neck led through the Streets of Constantinople the People shouting throwing Dung Dirt and Chamber-Pots upon him then carried to the Gallows and there hanged Beard 's Theater 6. Charles King of Navarre a cruel Oppressor and Tyrant over his Subjects as also a great Letcher doting upon a Whore which he kept at Threescore Years of Age one day returning from her and entring into his Chamber went quaking to Bed and half frozen with Cold they tried by blowing upon him with Brazen Bellows Aqua-vitae and hot Blasts to revive Nature but it happening that a spark of Fire flew between the Sheets and inflamed the dry Linen and Aqua-vitae so that in an instant his late quivering Bones were half burnt He lived in great Torment for Fifteen days after and then miserably died Ibid. 7. Julian the Apostate and Persecutor nubecula fuit citò transivit as Athanasius said of him 8. King John of England by his Exactions gathered much Money the Sinews of War of his Subjects but lost his People's Affections the Joints of Peace 9. Richard the Third and Queen Mary as they had the bloodiest so the shortest Reigns of any since the Conquest 10. The fearful Judgment by Rats inflicted upon the Archbishop of Mentz for burning up the Poor of the Country in his Barn is related before 11. Novellus Carrarius Lord of Pavia after many Cruel Murders and Bloody Practices at last falling in Love with a Virgin of Excellent Beauty and Chastity and her Parents refusing to send her to him at his Command he took her out by violence forced her to his Lust and then chopt her into small pieces and sent her in a Basket to her Parents Her poor Father carried it to the Senate of Venice to consider of the Fact and revenge the Cruelty The Venetians made War upon him seized him and hanged him up with his two Sons Beard 's Theater 12. John Pontanus and Budaeus both tell of a Devilish Fellow that for a Spleen taken against his Master for some rough Usage in his Master's absence broke in upon his Mistress bound her Hand and Foot takes her three Children carries them up to the Battlements and when his Master came first threw down one then another to the Pavement and dashed them to pieces the Father begging upon his Knees for the Life of the other he tells him the only way to Ransom it was by cutting off his own Nose The poor Father doth so and disfigured his Face strangely This Limb of the Devil with a loud Laughter tumbles down the other and last of all most desperately cast himself after Beard 's Theater c. CHAP. CXXXVIII Divine Judgments upon Hereticks Schismaticks c. BY Heresie I mean an obstinate Assertion and Defence of some Doctrine contrary to the Essential Truth of our Religion By Schism an uncharitable Separation from our Brethren upon unnecessary and unwarrantable grounds And surely if we are bound to pursue after those things that make for Peace and Vnity in our Civil much more in our Religious Societies And 't is hard to offend in these cases without incurring the Indignation of Heaven God seldom permits the Authors and Principal Fomentors of such Division to go unpunished even in this World 1. Antioch being overspread with the Arian Heresie was punished with a terrible Earthquake and Fire mixt with it which consumed Multitudes of Persons Evagr. 2. Arius himself the Author as he was easing Nature his Bowels gushed out and he died miserably Theod. 3. Simon Magus attempting to shew his Power by flying in the Air fell down and broke his Thigh and so died Isaack's Chron. p. 186. 4. Manes or Manichaeus was slain by the King of Persia and his Skin stuff'd Chaff Simps 5. Emeritus Bishop of the Donatists at a Council held at Caesarea being challenged by St. Augustine to a Disputation could not be perswaded thereto by Parents or Friends through a distrust of his own Cause tho' in his own City and in the midst of his Friends Which through the Mercy of God turned much to the Advantage of the Church Clark's Mirr of Eccl. Hist 6. Nestorius being in the Council of Ephesus summoned by Theodosius Minor was condemned to Banishment in Oasis for the Blasphemous Opinions he had vented against the Deity of our Saviour Christ was struck with an Incurable Disease whereby his Tongue rotted and breeding many Worms was devoured by them so that he ended his Life miserably Ibid. p. 87. 7. Cerinthus the Heretick being at a Bath at Ephesus the Apostle St. John seeing him called upon those that were with him to depart lest the House should fall upon their Heads and immediately after their departure it fell upon Cerinthus and his Associates and killed them Euseb Eccl. Hist 8. Montanus despaired and hanged himself Niceph. Centur. Magdeburg c. 9. The Emperor Valens an Arian Heretick was burnt by the Goths in Village leaving no Successor behind him Sozom. 10. Benchocab the Famous Pseudo-Messiah under the Reign of the Emperor Adrian who drew many Disciples after him was himself and all his Followers slain called therefore by the Jews Bencâ—zby the Son of a Lye Euseb 11. Heraclius the Emperor a Monothelite having raised great Army against his Enemies in one Night 50000 of them died and himself fell presently sick and died also
this Affair more and more cleared up to me God hath given God hath taken blessed be his holy Name that hath enabled me to be willing to suffer rather than to put forth my hand to Iniquity or to say a Confederacy with those that do so I am heartily and sincerely troubled for what hath happened many mans Lives being lost and many poor distressed Families ruin'd the Lord Pardon what of sin he hath seen in it He in his wonderful Providence hath made me and others concerned Instruments not only for what is already fallen out but I believe for hastening some other great Work he hath to do in these Kingdoms whereby he will try and purge his People and winnow the Chaff from the Wheat the Lord keep those that are his Faithful unto the end I die in Charity with all the World and can readily and heartily forgive my greatest Enemies even those that have been Evidences against me and I most humbly beg the Pardon of all that I have in the least any way injured and in a special manner humbly ask Pardon of the Lady Lisle's Family and Relations for that my being succoured there one Night with Mr. Hicks brought that worthy Lady to suffer Death I was wholly a Stranger to her Ladiship and came with Mr. Hicks neither did she as I verily believe know who I was or my Name till I was taken And if any other have come to any loss or trouble I humbly beg their Pardon and were I in a condition I would as far as I was able make them a requital As to my Faith I neither look nor hope for Mercy but only in the Free-Grace of God by the Application of the Blood of Jesus my dearest and only Saviour to my poor sinful Soul My distresses have been exceeding great as to my Eternal State but through the infinite goodness of God tho' I have many sins to answer for yet I hope and trust as to my particular that Christ came for this very end and purpose to relieve the Oppressed and to be a Physician to the Sick I come unto thee O blessed Jesus refuse me not but wash me in thine own Blood and then present me to thy Father as Righteous What though my Sins be as Crimson and of a Scarlet Dye Yet thou canst make them as white as Snow I see nothing in my self but what must utterly ruine and condemn me I cannot answer for one Action of my whole Life but I cast my self wholly upon thee who art the Fountain of Mercy in whom God is reconciling himself to the World the greatest of Sins and Sinners may find an All-sufficiency in thy Blood to cleanse them from all sin O dearest Father of Mercy look upon me as Righteous in and through the imputed Righteousness of thy Son he hath payed the Debt by his own Offering up himself for sin and in that thy Justice is satisfied and thy Mercy is magnified Grant me thy Love O dearest Father assist me and stand by me in the needful hour of Death give thy Angels charge over my poor Soul that the Evil One may not touch nor hurt it Defend me from his Power deliver me from his Rage and receive me into thine Eternal Kingdom in and through the alone Merits of my dearest Redeemer for whom I praise thee To whom with thy self and holy Spirit be ascribed all Glory Honour Power Might and Dominion for ever and for ever Amen Dear Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Amen R. NELTHROP Newgate Octob. 29. 1685. 6. Mrs. GAVNT ONE of the great Reasons why Mrs. Gaunt was burnt was 't is very possible because she lived at Wapping the honest Seamen and hearty Protestants thereabouts being such known Enemies to Popery and Arbitrary Government that the Friends of both gave all who oppose it the Name of Wappingers as an odious Brand and Title She was a good honest charitable Woman who made it her business to relieve and help whoever suffered for the forementioned Cause sparing no Pains refusing no Office to get them Assistance in which she was the most Industrious and Indefatigable Woman living Among others whom she had thus relieved who were obnoxious Persons was one Burton whom with his Wife and Family she had kept from starving for which may the very Name of them be register'd with Eternal Infamy they swore against her and took away her Life Tho' she says in her Speech there was but one Witness against her as to any Money she was charg'd to give him and that he himself an Outlawed Person his Outlawry not yet revers'd he not being Outlawed when she was with him and hid him away That which she writ in the Nature of a Speech has a great deal of Sense and Spirit Were my Pen qualified to represent the due Character of this Excellent Woman it would be readily granted That she stood most deservedly entituled to an Eternal Monument of Honour in the hearts of all sincere Lovers of the Reformed Religion All true Christians tho' in some things differing in Persuasion with her found in her an Universal Charity and sincere Friendship as is well known to many here and also to a multitude of the Scotch Nation Ministers and others who for Conscience-sake were formerly thrust into Exile These found her a most refreshing Refuge She dedicated her self with unwearied Industry to provide for their Supply and Support and therein I do incline to think she out-stripped every individual Person if not the whole Body of Protestants in this great City Hereby she became exposed to the implacable Fury of Bloody Papists and those blind Tools who co-operated to promote their accursed Designs And so there appeared little difficulty to procure a Jury as there were well-prepared Judges to make her a Sacrifice as a Traytor to the State Her Judges the King's Counsel the Solicitor-General the Common Serjeant c. rackt their Inventions to draw Burton and his Wife to charge Mrs. Gaunt with the knowledge of his being in a Plot or in the Proclamation but nothing of that could be made out nor is here any sort of Proof that Mrs. Gaunt harboured this ungrateful Wretch or that she gave him either Meat or Drink as the Indictment charges her but notwithstanding that her Jury brought her in Guilty The Sentence was executed upon this Excellent Woman upon Friday then following being the 23d of October 1685. when she left her Murderers the following Memorial Newgate 22d of October 1685. Mrs. Gaunt's Speech written the Day before her Sufferings NOT knowing whether I should be suffered or able because of weaknesses that are upon me through my hard and close Imprisonment to speak at the Place of Execution I writ these few Lines to signifie That I am well reconciled to the way of my God towards me though it be in ways I looked not for and by terrible things yet in Righteousness having given me Life he ought to have the disposing of it when and how he pleases
Limb for every Town in Christendom ☞ Thus Reader having given thee a Faithful Account of the Behaviour and Dying Speeches of the most Eminent Persons who suffered in Scotland I shall return again for London where the last Person of Quality that suffered was the Duke of Monmouth whose Expedition Sufferings and Dying Speech next follows 9. JAMES Duke of MONMOVTH THE last Person with whom we shall conclude this Mournful Tragedy and the greatest in it is the late James Duke of Monmouth one indeed who if he had been a little less might have been at this time one of the greatest Men both in England and the World By reason of some Passages in his Life not so defensible 't was thought at first better to draw a Veil before that unfortunate Prince and say nothing at all of him But what Allowances are made for Custom and Education God only knows I remember a shrewd Answer given to an Objection of this Nature Where said one should he learn any better But however where there has been any time to think soberly of past Actions or none of that Nature reiterated Charity is obliged to judge favourably And besides the good West-Country-men would be very angry if they should not find their Master that they loved so well and suffered so much for among the rest of these Noble Hero's None can deny but he was a great General a Man of Courage and Conduct and great Personal Valour having signaliz'd himself both at Mons and Maestricht so as to gain an high and just Reputation He was all along true and firm to the Protestant Interest in and out of Parliament tho' abhorring any base way of promoting it as well as his Friend my Lord Russel This is intended as a Character rather or very short Compendium than any History of his Life He was all along the Peoples Darling whose hearts were entirely his by his Courtesie and Affability as other Persons lost them by their sourness and haughty Pride After Russel's Death he went into Flanders whence had he prosecuted his Design and gone as 't is said he intended into the Emperor's Service how many Lawrels might he have won and how many more would now have been growing for him But his Fate was otherwise He came over into England After the defeat of his Army at Sedgemoor he fled with the Lord Gray who was first taken and he himself a little after brought up to London and on his Attainder in Parliament beheaded on Tower-Hill 'T is said a certain brave Old Officer who then came over with him and since with the Prince offered with a small Party of Horse to have ventured through all the Guards and took him off the Scaffold But they could not be got together his time was come Providence had designed other things that our Deliverance should be more Just and Peaceable and Wonderful and that the Glory thereof should be reserved for His Sacred Majesty King William Whom God grant long to Reign The Last Speech and Carriage of the Duke of Monmouth upon the Scaffold THE late Duke of Monmouth came from the Tower to the Scaffold attended by the Bishop of Ely the Bishop of Bath and Wells Dr. Tenison and Dr. Hooper which four the King sent him as his Assistants to prepare him for Death The Duke himself entreated all four of them to accompany him to the Place of Execution and to continue with him to the last The two Bishops going in the Lieutenant's Coach with him to the Bars made Seasonable and Devout Applications to him all the way and one of them desired him not to be surprized if they to the very last upon the Scaffold renewed those Exhortations to a particular Repentance which they had so often repeated before At his first coming upon the Scaffold he looked for the Executioner and seeing him said Is this the Man to do the Business Do the Work well Then the Duke of Monmouth began to speak some one or other of the Assistants during the whole time applying themselves to him Monmouth I shall say but very little I come to die I die a Protestant of the Church of England Assistants My Lord if you be of the Church of England you must acknowledge the Doctrine of Non-resistance to be true Mon. If I acknowledge the Doctrine of the Church of England in general that includes all Assist Sir it is fit to own that Doctrine particularly which respects your Case Here he was much urged about that Doctrine of Non-resistance but he repeated in effect his first Answer Then he began as if he was about to make a premeditated Speech in this manner Mon. I have had a Scandal raised upon me about a Woman a Lady of Vertue and Honour I will name her the Lady Henrietta Wentworth I declare That she is a very Vertuous and Godly Woman I have committed no sin with her and that which hath passed betwixt us was very Honest and Innocent in the sight of God Assist In your Opinion perhaps Sir as you have been often told i. e. in the Tower but this is not fit Discourse in this Place Mr. Sheriff Gostlin Sir were you ever married to her Mon. This is not a time to Answer that Question Sher. Gostlin Sir I hoped to have heard of your Repentance for the Treason and Bloodshed which hath been committed Mon. I die very Penitent Assist My Lord it is fit to be particular and considering the Publick Evil you have done you ought to do as much Good now as possibly you can by a Publick Acknowledgment Mon. What I have thought fit to say of Publick Affairs is in a Paper which I have signed I referr to my Paper Assist My Lord there is nothing in that Paper about Resistance and you ought to be particular in your Repentance and to have it well grounded God give you True Repentance Mon. I die very Penitent and die with great Chearfulness for I know I shall go to God Assist My Lord you must go to God in his own way Sir be sure you be truly Penitent and ask Forgiveness of God for the many you have wronged Mon. I am sorry for every one I have wronged I forgive every Body I have had many Enemies I forgive them all Assist Sir your Acknowledgment ought to be particular Mon. I am to die pray my Lord I referr to my Paper Assist They are but a few words that we desire We only desire an Answer to this Point Mon. I can bless God that he hath given me so much Grace that for these two Years last past I have led a Life unlike to my former course and in which I have been happy Assist Sir was there no Ill in these two Years In these Years these great Evils have happened and the giving Publick Satisfaction is a necessary part of Repentance be pleased to own a Detestation of your REBELLION Mon. I beg your Lordship that you would stick to my Paper Assist My Lord as I
is a certain way by which some Men make Trial what Death is but for my own part I cou'd ne'er yet find it out But let Death be what it will 't is certain 't is less troublesome than Sleep for in Sleep I may have disquieting Pains or Dreams and yet I fear not going to Bed I hope these Thoughts will put a gloss upon the Face of Death and to make Death yet the easier to thee think with thy self I shall not be long after thee for 't is but t'other Day I came into the World and anon I am leaving it I now take my leave of every Place I depart from There is says Feltham no fooling with Life when 't is once turned beyond Thirty Silence was a full Answer of him that being ask'd what he thought of Humane Life said nothing turn'd him round and vanish'd Abraham see how he beginneth to possess the World by no Land Pasture or Arable Lordship the first thing is a Grave The first Houshold-stuff that ever Seleucus brought into Babylon was a Sepulchre-stone a Stone to lay upon him when he was dead that he kept in his Garden and you know my Dear a Friend of ours tho' in perfect Health that 's now making his Coffin as a daily Monitor of his own Mortality Life at best is uncertain yet as to outward Appearance I am likely to go first But should'st thou die before me But what a melancholy thing wou'd the World then appear I 'll retire to God and my own Heart whence no Malice Time nor Death can banish thee The variety of Beauty and Faces I shou'd see after thy Decease tho' they are quick Underminers of Constancy in others to me wou'd be Pillars to support it since they 'd then please me most when I most thought of you I 've graved thy Picture so deep in my Breast that 't will ne'er out till I find the Original in the other World Don't think my Dear that conjugal Affection can be dissolved by Death The Arms of Love are long enough to reach from Earth to Heaven Fruition and Possession principally appertain to the Imagination If we enjoy nothing but what we touch we may say Farewel to the Money in our Closets and to our Friends when they go to Agford Part us and you kill us nay if we wou'd we cannot part Death 't is true may divide our Bodies but nothing else We have Souls to be sure and whilst they can meet and caress one another we may enjoy each other were we the length of the Map asunder Thus we may double Bliss stol'n Love enjoy And all the Spight of Place and Friends defie For ever thus we might each other bless For none cou'd trace out this new Happiness No Argus here to spoil or make it less 'T is not properly Absence when we can see one another as to be sure we shall tho' in a State of Separation For sight of Spirits in unprescrib'd by space What see they not who see the Eternal Face The Eyes of the Saints shall out-see the Sun and behold without Perspective the extreamest Distances for if there shall be in our glorified Eyes the Faculty of Sight and Reception of Objects I could think the visible Species there to be in as unlimitable a way as now the intellectual The bright transforming Rays of Heavenly Light Immense Immortal Pure and Infinite Does likewise with its Light communicate The Spirit exalt and all its frame dilate St. Augustine tells us The Saints of God even with the Eyes of their Bodies closed up shall see all things not only present but also from which they are corporally absent for then shall be the Perfection whereof the Apostle saith we Prophecy but in part then the Imperfect shall be taken away Whether this be so I cannot say yet sure I am that nothing can deprive me of the Enjoyment of the Vertues while I enjoy my self Nay I have sometimes made good use of my Separation from thee we better fill'd and farther extended the Possession of our Lives in being parted you lived rejoyced and saw for me and I for you as plainly as if you had your self been there But sure I dream for lo on a sudden all the Arguments I use to sweeten our parting are as so many Daggers thrust into my Heart and now it comes to the push I can't bear the Thoughts on 't Part bless me how it sounds 't is impossible it shou'd be so it does not hang together What part after so many Vows of never parting here or scarce a Minute in the other World 'T is true we first came together with this Design to help and prepare one another for Death but now the Asthma is digging thy Grave and thy Coffin lies in view I am fainting quite away methinks I feel already the Torments to which a Heart is expos'd that loses what it loves never did Man love as I have loved my Sentiments have a certain Delicacy unknown to any others but my self and my Hearts loves Daphne more in one Hour than others do in all their Lives Say dear Possessor of my Heart can this consist with parting No With Gare on your Last Hour I will attend And least like Souls should me deceive I closely will embrace my new-born Friend And never after my dear Pithia leave 'T is my Desire to Die first or that we expire together in thy tender Arms I wou'd imitate herein the Mayor of Litomentia's Daughter who leaping into the River where her Husband was drowned she clasped him about the middle and expires with him in her Arms and which is very Remarkable they were found the next Day embracing one another I likewise admire the Resolution of the Indian Wives who in Contempt of Death scorn to survive their Husbands Funeral Pile but with chast Zeal and undaunted Courage throw themselves into the same Flames as if they were then going to the Nuptial Bed As Remarkable is that of Laodomia the Wife of Protesilaus who hearing that her Husband was killed at Troy slew her self because she would not out-live him Neither is Artemisia to be less valued who after the Death of her Husband lived in continual Mourning and dy'd before she had finished his Tomb having drunken the Bones of her Husband beaten into Powder which she buried in her own Body as the choicest Sepulchre she cou'd provide for him And if we look back into ancient Times we find there was hardly a (g) (g) Dr. Horneck's Lives of the Primitive Christians Widow among the Primitive Christians that complained of Solitariness or sought Comfort in a Second Marriage Second Marriage then was counted little better than Adultery their Widows were the same that they were whilst their Husbands lived Neither are the Men without Ancient and Modern Instances of this Nature For C. Plautius Numida a Senator having heard of the Death of his Wife and not able to bear the Weight of so great a Grief thrust his Sword into
if those Princes were truly such as the Historians represented them they had well deserved that Treatment And others who tread their Steps might look for the same For Truth would be told at last and that with the more Acrimony of Style for being so long restrained It was a gentle suffering to be exposed to the World in their true Colours much below what others had suffered at their Hands She thought that all Sovereigns ought to read such Histories as Procopius for how much soever he may have aggravated Matters and how unbecomingly soever he may have writ yet by such Books they might see what would be probably said of themselves when all Terrors and Restraints should fall off with their Lives Ibid. 20. She did hearken carefully after every thing that seemed to give some hope that the next Generation should be better than the present with a particular Attention She heard of a Spirit of Devotion and Piety that was spreading itself among the Youth of this great City with a true Satisfaction She enquired often and much about it and was glad to hear it went on and prevailed She lamented that whereas the Devotions of the Church of Rome were all Shew and made up of Pomp and Pageantry that we were too bare and naked And practised not enough to entertain a serious Temper or a warm and an affectionate Heart We might have Light enough to direct but we wanted Flame to raise an exalted Devotion Ibid. 21. She was â—o part of the Cause of the War yet she would willingly have sacrificed her own Life to have preserved either of Those that seemed to be in Danger at the Boyne She spake of that Matter two Days after the News came with so tender a Sense of the Goodness of God to her in it that it drew Tears from her and then she freely confessed That her Heart had trembled not so much from the Apprehension of the Danger that she herself was in as from the Scene that was then in Action at the Boyne God had heard her Prayers and she blessed him for it with as sensible a Joy as for any thing that had ever happened to her Ibid. 22. The Reflections that she made on the Reduction of Ireland looked the same way that all her Thoughts did Our Forces elsewhere both at Sea and Land were thought to be considerable and so promising that we were in great Hopes of somewhat that might be decisive Only Ireland was apprehended to be too weakly furnished for a concluding Campaign Yet so different are the Methods of Providence from Humane Expectations that nothing memorable happened any where but only in Ireland where little or nothing was expected Ibid. 23. When sad Accidents came from the immediate Hand of Heaven particularly on the occasion of a great Loss at Sea she said Tho' there was no occasion for Complaint or Anger upon these yet there was a juster Cause of Grief since God's Hand was to be seen so particularly in them Sometimes she feared there might be some secret Sins that might lie at the Root and blast all But she went soon off from that and said Where so much was visible there was no need of Divination concerning that which might be hidden Ibid. 24. She was sorry that the State of War made it necessary to restrain another Prince from Barbarities by making himself feel the Effects of them and therefore she said She hoped that such Practices should become so odious in all that should begin them and by their doing so force others to retaliate that for the future they should be for ever laid aside Ibid. 25. She apprehended she felt once or twice such Indispositions upon her that she concluded Nature was working towards some great Sickness so she set herself to take full and broad Views of Death that from thence she might judge how she should be able to encounter it But she felt so quiet an Indifference upon that Prospect leaning rather towards the desire of a Dissolution that she said Tho' she did not pray for Death yet she could neither wish nor pray against it She left that before God and referred herself entirely to the disposal of Providence If she did not wish for Death yet she did not fear it Ibid. 26. We prayed for our selves more than for her when we cried to God for her Life and Recovery both Priest and People Rich and Poor all Ranks and Sorts joyned in this Litany A universal Groan was Ecchoed to those Prayers through our Churches and Streets Ibid. 27. But how severely soever God intended to visit us she was gently handled she felt no inward depression nor sinking of Nature She then declared That she felt in her Mind the Joys of a good Conscience and the Powers of Religion giving her Supports which even the last Agonies could not shake Thus far Bishop Burnet 28. In the Publick Worship of God she was a bright Example of solemn and unaffected Devotion She prayed with humble Reverence heard the Word with respectful Silence and with serious Application of Spirit as duly considering the infinite Interval between the Supremacy of Heaven and Princes on Earth That their Greatness in its Lustre is but a faint and vanishing Reflection of the Divine Majesty One Instance I shall specifie in this kind When her Residence was at the Hague a Lady of Noble Quality coming to the Court to wait on her on a Saturday in the Afternoon was told she was retired from all Company and kept a Fast in Preparation for the receiving the Sacrament the next Day The Lady staying 'till Five a Clock the Princess came out and contented herself with a very slender Supper it being incongruous to conclude a Fast with a Feast Thus solemnly she prepared herself for Spiritual Communion with her Saviour Dr. Bates 's Sermon upon the Death of the Queen 29. She had a sincere Zeal for the healing our unhappy Divisions in Religious Things and declared her Resolution upon the first Address of some Ministers that she would use all Means for that Blessed End She was so wise as to understand the Difference between Matters Doctrinals and Rituals and so good as to allow a just Liberty for Dissenters in things of small moment She was not fetter'd with superstitious Scruples but her clear and free Spirit was for the Union of Christians in Things essential to Christianity Ibid. 30. In her Relation to the King she was the best Pattern of Conjugal Love and Obsequiousness How happy was her Society redoubling his Comforts and dividing his Cares Her Deportment was becoming the Dignity and Dearness of the Relation Of this we have the most convincing Proof from the Testimony and Tears of the King since her Death Solomon adds to many Commendations of a vertuous Woman as a Coronis That her Husband praises her The King 's declaring that in all her Conversation he discovered no Fault and his unfeigned and deep Sorrow for his Loss are the Queen 's
by the force of his Love and Loss as having lost the most certain and faithful Companion of his Fortune of his Counsels this Cares his Labours and his Thoughts who far exceeded all the Excellencies of the Female Sex that hardly the Vertue of any Woman in any Age can be compar'd to hers For that Reason perhaps in was that Heaven deny'd her Off-spring lest she should bring forth a worse than herself and here Husband seeing Nature could go no further Ibid. 68. Thou best and greatest of Queens thou departest this Life in the Flower of thy Age but what remorsless Death has abstracted from the Number of thy Years Men will add as much and more to the Eternal Glory Fame and Remembrance of thy Name This Life will prolong thy Consecrated Memory to after Ages Nor Marble Mausoleum nor Golden Urn shall hide thee thy Tomb shall be our Breasts Ibid. 69. Being once put in Mind of her approaching End with an undaunted Countenance she return'd this Masculine and truly Royal Expression I am not now to prepare for Death it has been my Study all the Days of my Life Francius 's Oration upon the Death of the Queen 70. Upon the Death of the Queen His Majesty 's otherwise invincible Courage gives way to raging Grief and he who had so often contemn'd the Bullets and Swords of his Enemies he who dreaded neither Flames nor Steel nor Death itself languishes falls and swoons away upon the Death of his dearest Queen He remembers himself to be but a King finds himself a Man and not unwilling acknowledges the Excess of his Grief Miserable Man that I am said he I have lost the best of Women and the most pleasing Companion of my Life Ibid. 71. When she was sometimes forc'd to rise at Midnight by reason of the urgent Affairs of the State and could not afterwards Sleep she commanded either the Holy-Scripture or some other pious Book to be brought her If any Persons came to visit her in a Morning before she had pour'd forth her Prayers she sent 'em back with this Expression That she was first to serve the King of Kings If any Persons were said to seek her Life by Treachery and Conspiracy her Answer was That she submitted to the Will of Heaven Ibid. 72. When any new-fashion'd Garment or costly Ornament was shewed her she rejected 'em as superfluous and answered The Money might be better laid out upon the Poor Ibid. 73. The Mind of Man is better discern'd by his Death than by his Life for Man is apt in his Life-time to conceal and dissemble his Affections but at his Death the Mask being remov'd he appears what he is What was more noble and signal than the Death of this Queen What more becoming a wise Man and a Christian than that Saying of hers This is not the first time that I prepar'd my self for Death Ibid. 74. When the more solemn Duties of Religion were over she never gave her Mind to the frivolous Stories of Amadis and impertinent Fictions of Amad. but attentively studied the Volumes of those Authors by which she might improve her Knowledge and her Prudence I shall relate not what I gathered from the common Reports of Fame but from the Lips of a most worthy Person and my Friend who being admitted in the Morning to kiss her Hands found before her Cambden's Annals of Queen Elizabeth and Doctor Burnet's History of the Reformation But Piety is never to be accounted solidly accomplish'd unless accompanied with Liberality otherwise it would be Piety only in Words and not in Deeds as she herself would say upon the approach of her expiring Minutes Ortwinius's Oration upon the Death of the Queen 75. While Her Majesty was sick the King refus'd to stir from the languishing Queen's Bed-side assiduous to serve her and careless of the Infection that many times accompanies the Malady she had and being often requested to spare His Royal Person and not to inflict another Wound upon suffering Europe made answer That when he Marry'd the Queen he Covenanted to be the Companion not only of her Prosperity but of whatever Fortune befel her and that he would with the Hazard of his Life receive from her Lips her last expiring Gasps All hope of Recovery now was fled away and the most Reverend Father in God the Arch-bishop of Canterbury being admitted into the Room in order to perform the last Duties of his Function Such harsh and disconsolate News would have struck another Person with Horrour and Trembling But what said the Queen to this Full of Faith and Constancy she receiv'd the Tidings with a chearful and undaunted Countenance saying withal That she did no way seek to shun the Stroke of Death but was ready prepar'd for the dark Mansion of the Grave for that she had always so led her Life that whenever Death gave her his last Summons she should be a Gainer by it Ibid. 76. In the first Years of her Youth this Princess display'd the best Natural Disposition in the World a sweet Humour agreeable and always equal a Heart upright and sincere a solid and firm Judgment and a Piety beyond her Age. And it was upon this sincere Report that the great Prince who espous'd her desired to be united to her declaring That all the Circumstances of Fortune and Interest did never engage him so much as those of her Humour and Inclination Funeral Orations upon the Queen recited by the Learned Author of The Collection of Canons Printed at the Hague 77. They who had the Honour to be acquainted with the Character of this great Queen well knew that the Lustre of a Crown did never dazle her 78. She has been heard to say and I have heard her myself when she was congratulated upon her Advancement to the Crown That many times so much Grandeur was a Burthen That in such Stations People liv'd with less Consent to themselves than others and that she should wish she were in Holland again And indeed she had Reason to say so For it may be said of those that Govern that they resemble the Stars that shine with a bright Luster but are never at rest Ibid. 79. I have let no Day pass said the pious Queen when they told her what a dangerous Condition her Life was in I have let not Day pass without thinking upon Death So that she did not look upon it as the People of the World are wont to look upon it with dread and horrour but she look'd upon it after a most Christian-like manner as the end of her Time and the happy Entrance into Eternity She had frequently thought upon that Sentence which will be pronounced to every one of us at the Hour of Death You shall be no more Ibid. 80. With what Goodness did she still inform herself of the Wants and Necessities of those that were in Affliction With what Care did she order 'em to be provided for Her Alms had no other Bounds than those
which God had given to the Grandeur of her Power We have seen Tears in her Eyes for sorrow that she could not do so much as she desir'd With what Goodness I will not say of a Princess and a Queen but of a Mother did she take particular Accompts and make particular Enquiries for the succour of poor Families Ibid. 81. 'T was this Charity that made her shut her Ears against Calumny and Backbiting Never durst any one speak ill of any Body before the Queen Neither Flattery nor Calumny two of the most dangerous Pests of Sovereign Courts durst never open their Mouths in her presence Slander was utterly banish'd from her sight and hearing Lord says David who shall abide in thy Tabernacle He that is pure in his Life whose Actions are just who speaks always according to Truth who slanders not his Neighbour and who lends not his Ear to the Backbiter This is then one more Encomium which it behoves us to give the Queen and which you who had the Honour to be near her Person knew that she most justly deserved Ibid. 82. There was something admirable in the Diligence of this excellent Queen and very extraordinary in a Person of her Sex her Age and Degree For she spent every Hour of the Day to profit and advantage She was wont to rise by Six a Clock in the Morning Winter and Summer far different from most People who covetous of many Things are so prodigal of that little time which is so burthensome to 'em that they seek always to waste it Ibid. 83. The Queen concern'd herself for all those who had quitted their Country for the sake of Religion Piety and the Glory of God which she had always before her Eyes made her continually wish That Persons who had shew'd their Zeal and Affection to the Service of God might do nothing but what became the Character of that Zeal which had inclin'd ' em Let us fulfil these Wishes so just and so Christian-like The incorruptible Crown of Glory shall not be given to him that begins but to him that perseveres Let us therefore labour our Zeal and Fervency while we may to the end we may find Grace and Mercy at the Day of our Death and that we may be made Partakers of that Bliss and Eternal Glory which now the Queen enjoys That Queen who because she was a Woman that truly feared the Lord deserves far greater Praises than we have been able to give her Ibid. 84. I remember one Day this pious and pensive Princess recalling to Mind her Father who had so lately Rul'd most flourishing Kingdoms but gone astray from that Faith whch the Laws of God and Man had establish'd ever since the Reign of Edward VI. the Josiah of his Age and which his Father and Grand-Father had subscrib'd to I remember I say that being admitted into her private Chappel after she had let fall a Showre of Tears she gave Thanks to God the Supream Parent of all Things who sometimes forsook the Sons and Grand-Children of Hero's sometimes in them supply'd what was wanting in their Parents correcting the Vice of Nature by the Benefit of Grace Which when I had confirmed by the examples of herself and her Great Grand-Father James the Son of unfortunate Mary and that it was done by the same Miracle of Grace as we daily see Nature produce Gold and Diamonds out of stony and craggy Mountains and sweet Juices out of bitter Roots I added by way of Consolation of her afflicted Piety that perhaps the Father of so many Tears and Sighs would not be lost in Heaven Ibid. 85. When first the News was brought of the inauspicious but certain Nuptials of James the Father with Mary of Modina by the Mediation of Lewis not only she together with Anne her Sister with a cast-down Countenance and watry Eyes receiv'd the Tidings attended with a Deluge of Tears which Doctor Thomas Doughty then Domestick Chaplain could by no means put a stop to but our Mary also after she somewhat alleviated her Sorrow with Weeping brake forth into these Expressions worthy to be engrav'd in Cedar However things fall out said she I hope we shall preserve immaculate to God our Faith and our Religion let all other things pass away which we shall look upon as of little consequence Ibid. 86. From these Exercises of her Youth she was called to greater and higher Things and to lay the Foundations of Empire and Council under the Conduct of William Henry Her Mind being capable of Great Things beyond her Sex she profited so well by the Company of so Great a Prince not only by his Instructions but by his Example that she was taught to Reign before she could know herself I will faithfully relate what I only heard my self and therefore can attest While she staid at the Hague after the Expedition for England expecting a Wind I was admitted to the Presence of the Royal Princess and found her turmoil'd with many Cares and deep Cogitations At what time she who was never wanting in any measure of Familiarity casting a propitious Look upon the Interpreters of the Holy bible deliver'd herself in these Expressions to me What a severe and cruel Necessity said she now lies upon me either to forsake a Father whom my Grand-Mother first ruin'd hence France the Author of our Parents Calamity or to forsake a Husband my Country nay God himself and my Soul my nearest and my dearest Pledge 'T is a cruel Necessity indeed Madam answer'd I but not to be avoided Heaven not enduring divided Duty nor divided Affections Heaven that has not only joyn'd you by an Eternal Tie to William but calls you to succour your labouring if not perishing Country the Church of God your Religion and these your Batavians over whole Necks the Sword or Bondage hang. You forsake a Father Madam 't is true but who first forsook himself Nature his Children Kingdoms Religion Laws his Word and the Hopes of his Subjects who departed himself from the Government that he might serve the Conveniences of those who under the pretence of false Religions measure all things Divine and Human by their own Advantages And when I added that she was called by the Voice of Heaven from a most delightful Ease to be the Companion of William in his Cares and Toyls and unless our Wishes fail'd us to the Government of one of the greatest Empires in the World I said the very Image of Modesty itself I govern a People and wield Scepters I who only learnt to handle next the Sacred Bible Books that either may instruct or recreate the Mind then to handle my Needle Pen or Pencil or to mind my Flowers Garden or whatever else belongs to my Family-Affairs or calls off our Sex from the Contagion of Idleness And therefore be not deceived in your Opinion continued she smiling as if the Prince by his Society had instructed me in the Arts of Peace and War 'T is true after hard
a Child well shap'd and as long as a Man's Finger voided by the Mouth and conceived in the Stomach of a young Woman an abominable Taylors Wife Sometimes the Testicles are Treble sometimes the Pains double c. CHAP. XI Of Pigmies PIgmies are a kind of Dwarfs but by Report of Authors there is a whole Nation and Race of them and why Mankind may not be shriveled through the Propriety of the Climate into a Degenerous and Small Dwarfish Stature as well as Horses Kine Trees c. It will not be very casie to assign a Reason That there is such a Nation as Pigmies Authors ancient and modern affirm as Philostratus out of Apollonius Homer Aristotle Sir John Mandevile in his Travels cap. 64. Jovius in Muscovitâ legatione Olaus de Gent. Septent lib. 2. The Portugals have discovered many Dwarfs in Tartary Neiremb in Hist Nat. Odoricus de rebus Indicis says he found among the Indians Pigmies of three Palms high Delrio saith that Anno 1600 in Peruvio there was found a Province of Dwarfs Gemma Frisiu◠writes of a Boat of Pigmies that were seen being driven by a Tempest to the Kingdom of Norway Photius out of Cresias saith there are Negroes in the midst of India whom he calls Pigmies who are at the most but two Cubits high and most of them but one Cubit long few exceeding the Altitude of one Cubit and an half of which the King of that Countrey entertaineth 3000 for his Guard They are very Just and use the same Laws as the Indians do They Hunt Hares and Foxes not with Dogs but with Crows Kites Rooks and Eagles Jonston p. 226. CHAP. XII Of Dwarfs c. ALL Extremes are Wonderful but those of Littleness or Defect do oftentimes dispose to Contempt and Ridicule as if Nature had bestowed her Operations and Favours in too sparing and niggardly a manner yet even in this case the want of Stature is often supplied with a Compensation by inward Endowments which are quicken'd and made more intense by a kind of Antiperistasis like the Sun-beams contracted in a Burning-glass or which comes nearer to purpose like the Animal Faculties in a little Ant or Bee or Wasp or Spider 1. Julia the Neice of Augustus had a Dwarf called Canopas he was not above two Foot and an Hands breadth in height and she had a freed Maid of the same height Plin. l. 7. cap. 16. p. 165. 2. Marcus Varro reporteth that Marius Maximus and Marcus Tullius were both but two Cubits high and yet were both Gentlemen and Knights of Rome and Pliny testifies that he saw their Bodies embalmed Pliny l. 7. p. 165. 3. In the time of Theodosius there was seen in Egypt a Pigmey so small of body that he resembled a Partridge yet did he exercise all the Functions of a Man and could Sing Tuneably he lived to the Age of 25. Niceph. Hist Ecclesiast lib. 12. cap. 37. p. 379. 4. John de Estrix of Mechlen was brought to the Duke of Parma in Flanders Anno 1592. he was Aged 35 he had a long Beard and was no more then 3 Foot high he could not go up Stairs much less could he get up a Form but was always lift up by a Servant he was skilled in three Tongues Ingenious Industrious and play'd well at Tables Plater Obs. l. 3. p. 581. 5. There was a Dwarf at the Court of Wirtemberg at the Nuptials of the Duke of Bavaria the little Gentleman armed Cap-a-pee girt with a short Sword and with the like Spear in his Hand was put into a Pie that he might not be seen and the Pie set upon the Table at last raised the Lid and breaking loose thence he stepped out drew his Sword and after the manner of a Fencer Traversed his Ground upon the Table to the equal Wonder and Laughter of them that were present ibid. 6. Anno 1610. John Ducker an English-man who was about 45 years of Age had a long Beard and was only two Foot and a half high he was of streight and thick Limbs and well proportioned ibid. 582. 7. Augustus exhibited in his Plays one Lucius a young Man he was not full two Foot high he weighed but 17 Pounds yet had he a great and strong Voice Sucton p. 81. in Augusto 8. In the time of Jamblicus lived Alipius of Alexandria a most excellent Logician and a famous Philosopher but of so small and little a body that he little exceeded the Stature of those Pigmeys who are said to be but a Cubit high such as beheld him thought he was scarce any thing but Spirit and Soul so little grew that part of him that was syable to Corruption that it seemed to be consumed into a kind of Divine Nature Zuing. Vol. 2. p. 278. 9. Caracus was a Man of exceeding small Stature yet was he the Wisest Counsellor that was about Saladine that great Conqueror of the East ibid. 10. Anno 1306. Vladislaus Cubitalis that Pigmey King of Poland Reigned and Fought more Battels and obtained more glorious Victories therein then any of his long-shank'd Predecessors Vertue refuseth no Stature but commonly vast Bodies and extraordinary Statures have sottish dull and leaden Spirits Burtons Melan. p. 2. sect 3. p. 290. 11. Cardan says that he saw a Man in Italy not above a Cubit high carried about in a Parrots Cage And a Gentleman of good Reputation told Mr. Sandys that he saw a Man at Siena not exceeding the same Stature he was a French-man of the Countrey of Limosins with a formal Beard who was also shewn in a Cage for Money at the end whereof was a little hutch into which he retired and when the Assembly was full came forth and played on an Instrument Sand. in Ovid. Met. lib. 6. p. 114. 12. Philippa French born at Milcomb in Oxfordshire Aged 36 or 37 years of perfect Symmetry and Parts wanted half an Inch of a yard in height being then married c. Dr. Plot in his Nat. Hist of Oxfordsh p. 195. One of much the same Stature is to be seen by all Travellers that pass that way at the upper end of Guilford in Surrey 13. There was one Hans a Swiss brought over into England but a few years since Aged 38 but two Foot and 7 Inches high 14. A little Woman was here at Chichester in Sussex lately whom I saw my self not above two Cubits in height but her Legs were not very perfect CHAP. XIII Persons of a Wonderful Stature Giants WE are apt in the Ideas and Conceptions we frame to our selves of Natural Bodies to set and prescribe certain bounds to them beyond which they may not exceed not considering that there are many Reasons for which Nature may extend her Dimensions and stretch her Lines in the Structure or Augmentation of Bodies beyond the Reach of our common Apprehensions either in the first Seeds of Generation or the Food and Aliment they are Nourished with or the Climate and present Constitution of the Air or some
had such Testimonies about her that pleaded she was no longer a Woman that she thereupon altered her Name and Apparel into those of a Man Cuelmanus relates this upon the Credit of a Physician in the Lecture of Anatomy Cellarius and Wolphius eminent Physicians being present Sch. Obs Med. l. 4. obs 6. p. 503. 8. That is wonderful which is told by Pontanus of a Woman who after she had been deliver'd of a Son became a Man which yet he confirms by the Testimony of Antonius Colotius the Vmbrian and saith he this fell out about Anno 1496. Donat. Hist. Mirab. l. 6. c. 2. p. 297. 9. Antonius Diuna tells of a Nun of St. Dominick's Order in the City of Vbeda her Name was Magdalena Magnoz This Woman in the 7th Year after she had taken upon her the Profession of a Nun was from a Woman turned into a Man Being hereupon expelled the Nunnery she put on Man's Clothes a Beard grew upon her Chin and she was called Franciscus Magnoz This very Francis saith he was my Client and I pleaded for him in a Cause of Rape for a certain Woman accused him that she was known by him by Violence and got with Child John Choker Fax Hist. cent 1. cap. 23. 10. Ausonius tells of a Boy at Beneventum who suddenly became a Girl 11. Bartholinus discourseth more upon this Point and shews the Possibility of it in his Anatomy 12. Dr. Burnet in his Letters relates a Story which he had from Cardinal Howard at Rome of two Nuns which were in a few Years converted into the Masculine Gender but having not the Book by me I must leave it to my Reader 's further Inquiry for the Particulars CHAP. XV. Instances of Skill in Physiognomy WHen Socrates was told by a Physiognomist his natural Inclinations to Vice and some of the Company that were then present laugh'd at the Error he very ingenuously rebuked them saying That there was more Truth in it than they were sensible of Nature disposing him strongly to those Immoralities which he had by Culture and his own Improvements conquered in great measure and corrected There is certainly somewhat in the Faces and Gestures and Aspects of Persons that may be an Index of the Mind according to that Proverbial Saying Ex Oculo Poculo Loculo cognosciter Homo but especially Oculus est Animi fenestra 1. Gregory Nazianzen by observing Julian's Physiognomy when he was at Athens his running Head wagging Shoulders rolling Eyes staring Countenance sliding and limping Pace scornful Visage immoderate Laughter c. declared That he saw not one good Sign in him but cried out Good God what a Monster the Empire of Rome doth nourish When I uttered these Words saith he I desired of God that in this Matter I might be found a Lyar. Clark's Mar of Eccl. Hist 2. Gaffarel tells us if a Man endeavour to counterfeit any other Man's Countenance and that he fancy himself to have his Hair Eyes Nose Mouth and all other Parts like him he may by this means come to know what his natural Inclinations and what his Thoughts are by what he finds in himself during the time of his making of Faces This Opinion saith he is grounded upon the Experience of Campanella who expresseth himself in these Words Cum quis hominem videt statim imaginari oportet se nosum habere ut alter hebet pilum vnltum frontem locutionem Et tunc qui affectus cogitationes in hac cogitatione illi obrepunt judicat homini illi esse proprios quem ita imaginando contuetur hoc non absque ratione experientià Spiritus enim format corpus juxta affectus innatos ipsum fingit exprimitque I always thought saith Gaffarel that the Opinion of Campanella was That a Man should only imagine himself to have the same Countenance with the other as his Words seem to mean But when I was at Rome understanding that he was brought into the Inquisition I did out of Cariosity to be satisfied in this Particular take the Pains to visit him there Being therefore in Company of some Abbots we were brought to the Chamber where he was who as soon as he perceived us came to us and entreated us to have a little Patience till he had ended a little Note which he was writing to Cardinal Magaloti When we were sate down we observed him oftentimes to make certain wry Faces which we conceived to proceed either from Folly or else from some Pain that the Violence of the Torments which he had endured put him to The Calves of his Legs being all beaten black and blue and his Buttocks having hardly and Flesh on them it having been torn from him by piece-meal to make him confess what he was accused of One of our Company asked If he felt no Pain He smiling answered No. And supposing that we had been something troubled at the wry Faces which he made he told us That at our coming in he fancied himself to be Cardinal Magalotti as he bad heard him described And he asked us withal If he were not a hairy Man So far my Author Gaffarel's unheard of Curiosities par 2. ch 6. 3. One Mrs. Powel Wife to Mr. Powel of Forrest-Hill near Oxford a Justice of Peace at that time told me about Five and twenty Years ago when I preached in the Parish That a young lusty Fellow coming to her Door for an Alms she looking sharply upon him told him He was a guilty Person upon which the Fellow run away from her to the Gate But she calling upon him to stay he turned back again and asked her In the Name of Christ who told you so She making Answer Christ whom you have Offended by your ill Actions and therefore turn back again make an ingenuous Confession of thy Crime and upon my Reputation I 'll make no Discovery of it to thy Hurt c. Upon which he returned in a very submissive manner and acknowledged That he was as I remember a Devonshire-man and coming one Night in Drink from a Fair and asking a Fellow that he met Which was the way to such a Place he answering He should follow his Nose Upon that they went to hard Words and thence to Blows till at last he kill'd the Man for which he was upon Suspicion committed to Prison but sufficient Evidence being wanting he was discharged Whereupon she advised him to this purpose Well! thou art uneasie under the Remorse of a guilty Conscience at home and therefore thinkest to allay thy Troubles abroad Assure thy self thou wilt be in danger of ill Company and fresh Temptations and more guilty by Travel and therefore do take my Advice return home use thy Endeavour to get an honest Livelihood and shew thy self as kind as possible to the surviving Relations of the murder'd Person And if thou wilt promise so to do I will give thee somewhat towards bearing thy Charges and accordingly she gave him a Crown Another Story of
the like Nature she told me CHAP. XVI Great Sleepers THE Essence of Sleep according to Dr. Willis consists in this That the Corporeal Soul withdrawing it self a little and contracting its Irradiation into a narrower Sphere leaveâ— the Cortex of the Brain for some time destitute and in the mean while the Nervous Liquor distilled from the Blood rushes in for new Supplies In Natural Sleep he saith these two Causes conspire together by some mutual Compact of Nature viz. at the same time the Spirits recede and the Nervous Humour enters In Non-natural or Extraordinary Sleep sometimes this Cause sometimes that is first But in Praeternatural or Insatiable Sleep there is a greater Energy of the same Causes so that the Brain is flooded with the Influx of Nervous Serous and other Vicious Humours 1. Timon's Nurse used Yearly after the manner of some wild Beasts to lie hid for two Months together without any other evidence of Life all that while save only that she breathed Plut. Symp. l. 8. qu. 9. p. 780. 2. Epimenides of Creet when he was a Boy being wearied with Heat and Travel laid him down in a certain Cave and there slept 57 Years being awaked he returned home wondring at the Changes he found in the World and was at last difficultly known by his younger Brother growing old It is said that he lived in all 175 Years And from him it was that the Sleep of Epimenides became a Proverb Plin. Nat. Hist l. 7. c. 52. p. 184. But this Story I offer rather for the sake of its Antiquity than Credibility 3. Platerus tells of one that slept three Days and three Nights together upon foregoing weariness without the occasion of precedent Drunkenness or the taking of any Soporiferous Medicine Plat. Obs l. 1. p. 6. 4. William Foxly Potmaker for the Mint in the Tower of London fell asleep on Tuesday in Easter Week and could not be waked with pinching or burning till the First Day of the next Term which was full 14 Days and when he was then awaked he was found in all points as if he had slept but one Night He lived 40 Years after This Matter fell out in the 37th Year of King Henry the Eighth's Reign Baker's Chron. 5. Crantzius tells of a young Scholar of Lubeck who that he might sleep without Disturbance betook himself to a Chest There passed 7 Years from the time of his lying down there till that one determined to see what was in the Chest where he found this young Man asleep there whom he shook with such Violence that he awaked him His Face was without change he was easily known to his Acquaintance who were amazed at what had passed he supposing that he had slept but one Night and some part of a Day Cran. Vâ—ndal l. 8. c. 39. Donat. Hist. Mir. l. 4. c. 12. p. 214. 6. M. Damascen speaks of one that slept a whole Autumn and Winter under a Rick of Hay and then arose as a Man half dead and distracted Zuing. Theat Vol. 2. l. 5. p. 415. 7. The Lucomorians in the further part of Samaria are reported to die as it were in the manner of Swallows and Frogs from the 27th of November to the 24th of April following and then again awake and arise This was witnessed to Henry the Third when in Poland by several Princes worthy of Credit divers Nobles of France many Physicians of the Court particularly the famous Pidâ—xius being present 'T is related also by Alex. Guagninas of Verona Colonel of Foot in the Castle of Vitelaska in the Frontiers of Muscovy in his Description of Muscovy Mers Qu. Com. in Gen Qu. 30. p. 1222. Joh. Licat l. 1. c. 6. Hen. Kornman de Mirac Mort. par 2. c. 41. Delr Disq Mag. c. Zacch Qu. Mad. Leg. l. 4. tit 1. qu 11. p. 241. Treas l. 6. c. 10. p. 565. Schot Phys Curios l. 1. c. 36. p. 176. 8. The Story of the Seven Sleepers who to avoid Martyrdom fled into a Cave and slept from the Reign of Decius till the 30th Year of Theodosius the Younger i. e. 196 Years will seem incredible and yet 't is mentioned by Nicephorus Eccl. Hist. l. 14. c. 45. By Lonicer Theatr. p. 230. Schot Phys Curros l. 3. c. As also by Mahomet in his worshipful Alcoran tho with some Addition and Variation for he saith they slept 300 Years CHAP. XVII Instances of such as have used to walk and perform strange things in their Sleep 'T Was the Opinion of some of the Ancient Philosophers that our Natural Life was but a Sleep and all our Actions are perform'd in a Dream and that we did not awake till Death came and pluck'd our Souls out of the Cradle and sent us rubbing up our Intellectuals and shaking our Spirits into the other World And surely such instances as follow here seem to make a fit Emblem for such an Hypothesis where Men Sleep by halves and employ at the same time some of the Animal Spirits as Cursitors of the Brain to move and act and discharge their Functions whilst â—hers of them sleep and rest and refresh themselves 1. A young Man arose from his sleep took a Sword opened the Doors and muttering to himself went into the Street where he quarreled alone and fancying that he was in Fight with his Enemy he made divers passes till he fell down and through an unhappy slip of his Sword gave himself such a Wound on his Breast that was like to be his Death Hereupon being awaked and affrighted and dreading greater dangers he sent for me to be his Physician and was cured saith Zacutus Lusitan in his Prax. admirand l. 1. Obs. 43. p. 33 c. 2. John Poultney would in his sleep usually rise out of his Bed dress him open the Doors walk about the Fields and return to his Bed not awaked he would rise in his sleep take a Staff Fork or other Weapon and therewith lay about him now striking now defending himself as if charged with an Enemy ot knowing when awaked what had passed He was of Leicestershire Fullers Work p. 133. Leicestershire 3. Henricus ab Heere 's saith he knew a young Student who having certain Verses to finish while awake rising in the Night hath opened his Desk he hath writ and often read over what he hath written which done he hath applauded himself with Laughter called to his Chamber-fellow to praise him also then putting off his Shooes and Cloaths shutting his Desk and laying up his Papers he returned to his Bed and slept till called up utterly Ignorant what he had done in the Night In the Morning returning to his Studies not having yet seen his Papers and being careful how to fill up the Gap in his Verses taking his Papers when he found them supplied to his desire and that with his own hand he hath been strangely amazed and would not believe his Companions who waking had seen what he did The Night after his Companions
after his waking led him to another Bed lay his Head on a Pillow on the Beds-feet and in his Gown they commit him to his Rest when he waked in the Morning they stood by him and when he denied that he had risen and read and written such things they convinced him by so many circumstances 'T is wonderful that he remembred nothing that he read and writ in his Sleep he saith he observed him for 3 or 4 hours at a time walking in the Night reading and writing and which was more wonderful his Pronounciations was the same as in the day Having left the Schools a long time he married a Vertuous Wife yet concealed it from her he would rise take his Child walk about his House his Wife following him being asked by her he would answer to her demands and discover the Secrets of his Heart with exact Truth c. Henab Heer 's Obs. Med. l. 1. Obs. 2. p. 32. 33. 4. Platerus saith that Johan Oporinus an excellent Printer Night growing on was shut out of the City together with his Father and that they might pass the Night the better they set upon the Correction of a Greek Copy Opirinus read the Text and though falling asleep yet â—â—e continued reading being afterwards awaked he remembred nothing that he had read although it was an intire Page Plater Obs. l. 1. p. 12. 5. Horstius writes of one in his Sleep that rose up in his Cloaths Boots and Spurs got up into the Window where he sate stradling smiting the Walls with his Spurs till he awaked Schenck Obs. l. 1. p. 65. 6. Schenchius writes of a Man at Helmestadt who rose in his Sleep went down the Stairs into a Court from thence towards the Kitchin near which there was a deep Well into this he went down holding fast to the Stones by his Hands and Feet but when he touched the Water with the Cold thereof he was awaked and finding in what danger he was made a pitiful Out-cry which awaked those in the House who having found him got him out and brought him into his Bed where he lay many days Speechless and immoveable being extreamly weakned with Fear Cold and Crying ibid. 7. Strange is the Story of a young Gentleman who in his sleep arose Naked carrying his Shirt in his Hand and by the help of a Rope clambered up to a high Turret in the Castle where he was at that time here he found a Nest of Magpies which he Robbed and put the young ones into his Shirt and so by the same Rope descended and returned to his Bed The next morning being awaked he told his Brother how he dreamed that he had Robbed a Pies Nest and withal wondred what was become of his Shirt rose and found it at his Beds-feet with the young-ones wrapt up in it Schenck Obs. l. 1. Obs. 1. p. 65. 8. Horstius tells of a Kinsman that dwelt with him at Wittenberg who came home in the Evening somewhat in Drink to bed he went slept till Midnight then he got up in his Sleep walked to and fro for a while then hastily went to the Window and got out He lying in the same Chamber awoke called his Servant and asked him if the young-man was in Bed with him who replying no they got up went to the Window hoping to have found him sticking there and to have pulled him back but just as they came he fell into the Paved Street below 14 Ells high where he lay for sometime Speechless and Immoveable and though much hurt yet after sometime he was recovered Fabrit Obs. Chirurg t. 2. Obs. 84. p. 159. CHAP. XVIII Persons remarkable for Waking long HEre certainly the Causes must be contrary to those of the foregoing Chapter and therefore there is less necessity of Descant and Commentary for Opposites set one against the other give a mutual Illustration one to the other and methinks this may suggest to us an occasion of Complaining that we spend too much of our Life in unnecessary repose Nature certainly would be content with much less than we take Lust is a Great Tyrant and an unmerciful Devourer of our Time and Spirits 1. Fernelius speaks of one who lived without sleep 14 Months but this Man was possest with Madness and his Brain it should seem being heated with Melancholy did beget Animal Spirits without much wasting of them Schenck Obs. Med. l. 1 p. 64. 2. Arsenius the Tutor of Arcadius and Honoricus the Emperours being made a Monk did satisfie Nature with so short a sleep that he was used to say that for a Monk it was enough if he slept but one hour in a Night Zuing. Tha. Vol. 2. l. 5. p. 415. 3. George Castriot called Scanderberg was content with so little sleep that it is reported of him that for the whole time he Governed Epirus he never slept above two hours in one Night yet he died in the 63 year of his Age. ibid. 4. Seneca reports of Maecanas Augustus's Favourite that he lived three years entire without sleep and was at last cured of the Distemper by Musick Sen. de Providentiâ 5. It is reported of Nizolus the Treasurer of Ciceroes Words and Phrases that he lived 10 years without sleep Schenck Obs. l. 1. p. 64. Heurinus prax l. 2. c. 7. Ross arcan Microcosm p. 99. 6. We Read of a Noble Lady saith Schenkius that for 35 years lived without sleep and in good Health as her Husband and Family could and did Witness but we leave this to the Faith of the Reader who may take his liberty ibid. CHAP. XIX Abstainers from Drink THE two Grand Precepts of the Stoick Philosophers were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sustine Abstine â—eaâ— and forbear or abstain certainly 't is worthy of Remark how far Powers of Nature and â—â—â—will will go with a Man even upon the Stock of Common Gâ—ace The Government of the Sensitive Appetite especially in respect of Drinks is none of the easiest â—asks incumbent upon Humane Nature and yet we shall find some in this respect commanding themselves to Admiration thô sometime it must be confest the very Texture and Mixtion of Humours with their Constitutions gives an Advantage and sometimes fear of some imminent Danger adds a Spâ—r to their Nature 1. A Noble Man of Piedmont being Sick of the Dropsie sent for Doctor Albertus Roscius who finding the Dropsie confirmed and the Patient averse from all Remedies he told him that he must abstain from all Liquors The Nobleman at the hearing of this did so far abstain from all kind of Drinks that he did not so much as tast of any thing that was Liquid for a Month's time by which means he was restored to his former Health Fab. Obs. Chirurg Cent. 4. Obs. 41. p. 319. 2. It is said of Abraames Bishop of Carras that he drank not nor made use of Water wherein to boil his Herbs but his manner was to feed on Endive Lettuce and Fruiâ— and from these also he used
to abstain till the Evening yet was he a Person of great Liberalit to others Drex Oper. Tom. â— p. 796. 3. Theophrastus tells of one Philinus who in the whole course of his Life never made use of any manner of Drink or Food except Milk only Celi Rhod. l. 11. c. 13. p. 500. 4. Pontanus writes of a Woman who in all her Life time did never Drink either Wine or Water and being once inforced to Drink Wine by the Command of Ladislaus King of Naples she received much hurt thereby Bow Hist Med. Mir. l. 6. c. 3. p. 306. 5. There was one in Naples of the Family of Fernacelli that never Drank c. Rhod. l. 13 p. 309. CHAP. XX. Immoderate Drinkers 'T IS strange to observe how a Continuation of Acts begets a Habit and that Habit by Custom becomes so fixt and inâ—eterate that Nature it self seems at length to Challenge it as her own for which Reason the Wise Solomon forbids us to look upon Wine when it is Red when it sparkles in the Cup and Moralists to give the least Countenance to the first Principles and beginnings of any Vice for 't is much easier to Prohibit the first entrance of a fore-seen Disease and shut the Door against a Rude Guest then to Cure the Disease when it hath seized us or restrain the Exorbitant Humours of an Ill Guest when he is entred 1. In that Publick drinking before Alexander one Promachus drank 4 Congii that is 40 pound we Read the same of Protcus of Macedonia in Athanaeus Nov. Torquatus of Milan drank 30 Pints at one Draught Tiberius the Emperor stood by to see the Wonder Pliny says that he never failed of his Speech nor did he Vomit nor did he Sleep he drank most at one Draught and drank many more little ones Bonaesus as Spartianus says drank more then any Man Aurelianus said of him he was not born to live but to drink Yet he Honoured him for military Affairs He drank with barbarous Ambassadours to make them drunk and so would know their Secrets he drank what he pleased and was always Sober A certain Man drank 6 Gallons at a Nobleman's Marriage in the days of Lipsius Jobnst Clas 10. p. 312. 2. Maximinus often drank in one day an Amphora of the Capitol which is 9 Gallons our measure Capitolin p. 602. 3. Lipsius tells of one at a Noble Bavarian's Wedding that to exhilarate the Guests drank little less then 6 Congies in a short space that is 60 pound Lips Epist Misc Ep. 51. p. 456. 4. The Son of Marcus Tullius Cicero would ordinarily fetch off the quantity of two Congies at once that is to say 2 Gallons and a Quart Din. Mem. l. 6. p. 448. 5. Bartholinus tells of one Pâ—â—â—us of Malta who from place to place made Tryal of his Artifice he having drank 20 or 30 Cups of Water at the pleasure of the Spectators he would suddenly restore them all by Vomit and Water running out of a Fountain he would orderly fill up the Cuâ—s as he drank them off at other times he would suddenly spout out the whole quantity at the distance of 20 Foot or more besides if the Company desired it he would not only restore the clear Water but so as that it should be of different both Colour and Taste one while Rose-water another Spirit of Wine Sack Claret White wine c. and thus he filled several Cups with several sorts of drinks at the same time He confessed that he could do this with the most ease when he was Pasting and his Stomach empty for if soon after Dinner he was called by great Persons to see this Tâ—yal he used to Vomit up his Meat before his Ventricle would be rightly disposed for the Reception of such a quantity of Water when he was to discharge himself of the Liquor he had drunk up he performed it only with the pressure of his Hand on his Stomach or Breast that he might not be suspected of Magick and to obtain Licence of shew his Art Publickly he revealed his Secret to Pope Vrban VIII at Rome to Cardinal Richelieu at Paris and to the Prince of Orange at the Hague when some suspected that the Glasses gave the several Colours he caused them first to be clearly washed with Water and to shew he had no such Fraud he not only received Glasses at the Hand of the Spectators themselves but also offered his several Vomits as well to the Taste as to the Eye of any that desired to make the Experiment Barâ—h Hist Anat. Cent. 1. Hist 39. p. 54 55. 6. And Aelian tells of a Woman too much addicted to this desire of drinking to her Eternal Infamy that not only she used to contend with her own Sex in drinking but also used to provoke Men thereunto with such success in her Bestiality that she was known to be able to drink and bear away a greater quantity of drink then any Man she could meet with Ael var. His l. 2. c. 41 p. 82. CHAP. XXI Great Fasters MR. Reynold's well observes that the long Finger of Powerful Providence is to be observed in these wonderful Effects and Doctor Willis that the Parent of Nature orders Natural Principles as to their Quantity Mixture and Operations and 't is as evident when higher Causes put asunder what Nature hath joyned together very astonishing results appear upon the Stage of Humane Nature Now to supply the Defect of Aliment it is observable that at such Times and Cases aâ— these are the Expences of the â—â—crocosm by Stool Vrine Spittle Menses and it may be Transpiration are in great measure Retrench'dâ— the Igneous Parts of the Body restrained from Excursion and a fresh supply made by the continual entrance of Breach and Air together with Pituitous Humours and a Viscous Oyl produced by a Colliquation of the Emaciated Parts but I leave it to my Reader to judge of 1. In St. Austin's days one lived 40 days without eating any thing another in the time of Olimpiodorus the Platonish for so long as he lived he neither slept nor fed but only stood in the Sun to refresh himself The Daughter of the Emperor Cloturius fasted eleven years Petrus Aponus saw one fasted 18 years Rondeletius saw one fasted 10 and afterwards became a fruitful Mother Hermolus knew a Priest who lived in Health 40 years without any thing but by sucking in the Air. One Nicholaus Helvetius Anno 1640. after that he had 5 Children by his Wife lived a solitary life and neither eat nor drank in 15 years he predicted several things that came to pass and by his austere Life made the belief of his fasting unquestionable Certain it is that the Bishop of Constantia in whose Diocess he lived went to him on purpose to see him and after diligent Observation confirmed the Truth of his Report by his Letters and for the greater certainty compel'd him to taste some food thô very little which caused him to have extream Pain in
extraordinary Carps Trouts Tenches Pikes c. There is that substantial large Fish called Scheiden or Silurus Gesneri larger than Pike Salmon or any of our River Fishes but the great Fishes called Hausons or Husons in Jonston for largeness exceeds all others some being 20 foot long Some think this to be the Fish which Aelian names Antacetus and speaks largely of the Fishing for them in Ister I was saith he at the Fishing places for Hausons in Schiit Island between Presburg and Comora for they come not usually higher especially in Shoals and it is much that they come so high for they are perceived to come up the Stream out of the Euxine Sea They Eat them both fresh and salted they taste most like Sturgeon It is a Cartilaginous Fish consisting of Gristles and they have a hollow nervous chord the down the Back which being dried serves for a Whip When they Fish for them they blow a Horn or Trumpet and know where they go by the moving of the Water Dr. Browns Trav. p. 154. 19. Chatagne de Mer or Sea Chest-Nuts found in Canada of New France are the most delicious Fish that possibly can be Nova Francia p. 265. CHAP. XL. Strange Serpents THere is no kind of living Creature that we have a greater Antipathy against then this of Serpents and the Reason will easily appear to the Reader upon perusal of this Chapter so that they seem to me very fit Emblems of Satans Malice and Cunning and fit Engines for that Evil Spirit to make use of in the Delusion and Destruction of Human Nature insomuch that a due consideration of the Resemblance will serve pretty well to solve the difficulty of the History of our Fall 1. The Asp Their Poison is so great that they are not used in Medecines That of Chalidonia is the most Poisonous Death straight-way following The Cure of their Poison is by Incision Cauteries Cuppings and Cocks Rumps applied c. It is like to a Land-Snake but broader on the Back their Teeth are long and full of holes which are covered with a Skin that slides up when they Bite letting out their Poison Salmons Dispensatory p. 247. 2. The Ammodite its Poison is not inferiour to that of the Asp some dying within 3 hours after the Wound received none living above 7 days The Biting of the Female is most Venemous It is a kind of Viper of a Cubit long having black spots on the Skin small lines on the Back and hard Wart like a Horn on the upper Chap and very fierce Ibid. 3. Amphisbaena It is a venemous Serpent making a Wound so small that it can scarce be discerned causing Inflammation and a lingring Death It s Body is of an equal thickness the Eyes commonly shut the Skin rough hard spotted and of an Earthly colour They go both ways Ibid. 4. The Boa It is a Serpent which goes upon its Belly and grows to be above an hundred foot long It kills not Cattle till their Milk is dried up and then it Eats them destroying Herbs It s Poison causes Tumours Swellings and Iastly Death Ibid. 248. 5 Caecilia The Slow-Worm is a Creature which has a very strong Poison If their Wound swell prick and apply a Cataplasm of Fullers Earth and Vinegar It is called the Blind-Worm but it hurts not unless provoked Ibid. 6. Cenchrus the Millet It is a Serpent about two Cubits long of a dark colour spotted like the Millet-Seed They go strait and are avoided by an oblique Motion It is a dangerous and strong Beast when it seizes its Prey it sucks the Blood whilst it beats the Body with its Tail Ibid. 7. Cerastes the Horned Serpent 'T is a yard long of a sandy colour with two Horns and Teeth like a Viper its Poison is deadly It make the patient made Eyes dim Nerves immoveable causes a pricking like Needles Ibid. 8. Chelidrus Druina Hicinus Querculus Cheresidial the Druin it s among the first Ranks of Serpents for Poison 'T is about a yard long full of Scales under which breed a sort of Flies which destroy it The Back is blackish Head broad and flat Their Captain hath a white Crown or Comb on his Head It s very smell stupifies and almost strangles Ibid. 9. Coluber the Adder is a hotter Serpent than a Snake of a dark blacker colour of about a Cubit long Their Biting causes Swelling Paleness and Swounding The Cure is Venice-Treacle or Mithredate with Wine or Juice of Rice c. Ibid. 10. Dipsas Ammoatis Situla Melanurus Causon It is a burning fiery Serpent insomuch that they that are bit thirst most intolerably and drink so much till they burst It is less than a Viper but kills sooner about a Cubit long the Head and Tail are very little small and black the other parts whitish with black and yellow sports Ibid. p. 249. 11. Draco the Dragon It hurts more by its Biting and Tail than by its Poison 12. The Haemorrhe Affodius Sabrine is about a Foot long of a sandy colour spotted all over with black flaming Eyes small Head with the appearance of Horns having Scales rough and sharp making a noise as he goes Its biting causes a continual bleeding sweat violent torture Pain in the Stomach difficulty of Breathing Convulsions c. The Cure is by Scarification c. Ibid. 13. Lacerta the Lizard is of a changeable colour and an Enemy to the Spider and Toad The Eggs kill speedily except a sudden remedy be exhibited made of Falcons Dung and Wine If they Bite they leave their Teeth behind them which cause continual aking till taken out The Green Lizard living in Meadows are not Venomous Ibid. 14. Lacerta Aquatica the Neute is Venemous and hardly dies by blows but Salt kills them presently Their Eggs are about the bigness of Pease If provoked they shut the Mouth and stand upon their hinder Legs till their Body be all white or pale by which is shown their ill Nature Ibid. 15. Pelias by Biting causes Putrification but such as is easily Cured by drinking Poisan with Oil and anointing with Balm of Perue Ibid. 16. Prester That which Junius and Tremelius think to be the fiery Serpent in the Wilderness is a hot and fiery Beast and goes panting with open Mouth of a very malignant Poison The Cure is by the Juice of Pursley and Castorcum Drunk with Opoponax and Juice of Rue in Canary Ibid. 17. Plyas the most Poisonous Asp kills by Spitting Touch or Smell wounding almost invisibly They Prick not much bigger that the stinging of a Bee without swelling it causes heaviness of the Eyes pain of the Body with some kind of Pleasure Stupidity Deafness Convulsion Vomiting and Death 'T is about a yard long ash-colour flaming and greenish 18. Regulus Sibulus Basiliscus the Cockatrice is the King of al Serpents infecting the Air round about so that no Creature can live near it It is said that he kills both by touching and sight casting forth a burning
Fume whereby the Beams of the Eyes they corrupt the Visive Spirit They go half upright and have a Comb like a Cock fear'd by all other Serpents if seen or heard but they themselves fear the Weasel Ibid. 19. Sagitta Jacularis Serpens volens the Dart so called because he will leap or shoot himself at least 10 yards he is about 3 or 4 foot long Its Poison is present Death scarce Curable Ibid. 20 The Salamander is a four footed Creature a kind of a Lizard black and full of yellow specks with a great Head It is a bold Creature delights in moist places and clear Springs They are reported to live in Fire but that is a Story for they no otherwise live there but by quenching it by a cold moist humour which issues from them when that is exhausted if the Fire continues they are subject to destruction They have as many Venoms as colours If they once Bite they never let go The Cure is by Decoction of Frogs drink Milk c. Ibid. 21 Seps Sepidon Selsi◠has a broad Head slender Tail of many colours about a yard long He causes the part to Rot which he bites For the Cure wash with Vinegar and Oximel Ibid. 22. The Serpent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a kind of Snake a crafty Creature lying all the Winter under the Earth or Roots of Birch or Hasel casting its Skin every Spring and Autumn They are best in the Spring when they have cast their Skins and recruited their Flesh with Food The Head Gall and Tail and to be cast away The Heart Liver Flesh and Bones are a precious Treasure in Physick concerning which see more in Salmon's Dispensatory l. 2. c. 5. p. 252. 23. The Snake Anguis Chersydrus the Water Snake their Poison is not inferiour to that of other Serpents when they Bite there ensueth great Pain Inflammation blackness in the Wound the Vertigo and Death within four days The Water Snake has a fiery Poison which disperses it self over the whole Body which when it comes to the Heart the Creature immediately falls down dead Therefore it is best if a part be bitten presently to cut it off otherwise to apply Organy beaten with Oil of Tartar and Oil Olive or Oak-Ashes mixt with Barly-Meal Pitch Water and Honey boiled to Poultis 1. The Liver of a Snake breaks the Stone in the Bladder 2. The Flesh eaten cures the Leprosie and Pox applied it helps Wounds 3. The Skin boiled in Wine and that Wine Dropt into the Ears easeth the Pains of them Ibid. p. 247. 24. The Viper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Creature that brings forth alive exceeding other Serpents in Venom sleeping all the Winter under the Earth in Rocks The young Females are the best being taken in the Spring Vipers have stronger Virtues than Serpents and they have also the same preparation In the Viper there is nothing Venemous but the Head and Gall. Concerning its excellent Virtues in Physick See Salmon's Dispensatory p. 253. Having given this Account of the Particular Species of Serpents out of Mr. Salmon we will conclude with some general Remarks out of Jo. Jonston's History of the wonderful things of Nature In the Province of Caraia under the King of Tartary some Serpents are 10 yards long and 10 hands broad some want fore feet but have Claws in the room of them their Eyes are as great as two small Loaves for which he cites Paul Venetus Americus Vespasius saw some in the Indies which Men did Eat as big as Kids a yard and an half long with long feet strong claws of divers colours nosed like Serpents having from the Ears to the Tail a certain Bristle going quire through the Back Ludovic Rom. Sais Calicut breeds the like as great as Boars with fore-feet no Venom yet biting dangerously Anno 1543. there appeared four footed Beasts in the Borders of Germany near to Styria like Lizards with Wings whose Biting was incurable Anno 1550. about St. Margarets-Day in Hungary near Zisca about the River Theysse they were found in the Bodies of many They killed about three thousand men Some came out of Men's mouths but they went in again It is almost incredible what is reported of those places that multitudes of them were found in piles or handfuls of Wheat and when the Countrymen thought to burn them there came a great many more forth and charged them with Man's Voice to forbear saying That they were not bred naturally but sent by God to punish Men for their Sins Johnston's Nat. Hist Class 7. c. 33. This puts me in mind of a Story related by Matt. Paris which is this Anno 1234. Walter Grey Archbishop of York having 5 years Corn under hand would not thresh it out for the Relief of the Poor in three year Famine hoping still that the price would encrease being told by his Officers it was greatly to be fear'd least the Corn were consumed by Mice he willed them to deliver it to Husbandmen who dwelt in his Mannor upon Condition they should pay him as much new for it after Harvest They attempting to take down a great Mow of Corn which he had at Rippon saw the heads of many Snakes Toads and other Venemous Creatures peering out at the end of the Sheaves The Bishop hereupon forces certain poor Men to go up with Ladders they were scarcely up when they saw a great Smoak rising out of the Corn and felt withall a loathsome Stink which compelled them with all haste possible to hasten down again Moreover they heard an unknown Voice saying unto them Let the Corn alone for the Archbishop and all that he has belongs to the Devil In fine saith the Story they were fain to build a Wall about the Corn and then set it on Fire fearing least such a huge number of Venemous Creatures should impoison or annoy the whole Country Charles Fitz-Jeffery's Curse of Corn-holders p. 24. Schiltbertus a Hollander tells a Story of a Combat between Sea and Land Serpents thus In the Kingdom of Genyck there is a City called Sampson where Water-Snakes and Land Serpents innumerable did surround it for a Mile about These came forth of the Woods which are many in the Countries adjoyning and these forth of the Sea Whilst these met for 9 days no man for fear durst stir forth yet they hurt neither Man nor any other living Creature On the 10th day these two kinds of Serpents began to fight early in the morning and continued till Sun-set and then the Water-Serpents yielded to the Land-Serpents the next day 8000 of them were found dead It is most certain that there are Serpents in the Sea Aristotle says they will overthrow Gallies and kill Men. Olaus Magnus writes That about Norway when the Sea is Calm Serpents will shew themselves that are an hundred or two hundred foot long and sometimes will catch Men from their Ships Johnst Nat. Hist c. 9. c. 18. Jacob Hollerius writes that by the frequent smelling of the
Which Transformation is such as might be placed among the Miracles of Nature considering the great difference there is between those two Forms Which makes a Question Whether the Silkworm becoming a Butterfly did not change its Species As certainly it would were it not that every Thing produces its like and the Silkworm deriving its Birth from the Seed of the Butterfly it is an Argument that both are of the same species The Seeds of these Worms are like Pins Heads but black and flat put between two warm Pillows or in the Sun in April Worms are produced black but small which pass through certain little Holes made in a Paper wherewith they are covered and fasten themselves on the Mulberry Leaves which are also placed on the same Paper full of little Holes upon which Leaves the best Seeds being hatch'd within five or six Days go creeping after the first Worm that gets out of her Shell these laid upon little Boards in a temperate Place a spacious and lightsome Room are entertained with fresh Leaves twice a Day White Mulberry makes finer Silk than the black in want of them Rose-Bush Leaves and Lettice are used In 40 Days it becomes grey and changes Colour four times not eating for some Days before its Change The Worm is subject to certain Diseases the Cure is removal into another Room Perfume Vinegar Wine the smell of dried Bacon c. They are to be kept clean from Flies and Pismires on Boards rubb'd with Wormwood Leaves or sprinkled with Wine All Moisture harsh Sounds as of Bells Muskets c. and strong Breaths destroy them When the Time of their Spinning draws nigh which is about 6 Weeks after their being first alive at which time they are about the bigness of a Man's Little Finger more transparent than they use to be and the Little Snout so lengthened as that it represents the form of Nose the Animal by extraordinary Motion expresses the Inconvenience it endures by reason of its Burthen Then it is cleansed oftner and there is much less given it to eat and afterward dried Branches of Birch Heath Broom or Vines are set on the Boards Then they fasten their first Threads which are course and afterwards finer in one continued Thread accompanied with the Gum which makes it stick one to another shutting her self at last up in the Clue there stayeth 15 Days till the Skin is broken Then the Silkworm breaks through its Web and comes out in the form of a white-horned Butterfly Then the Male coupling with the Female which is bigger the Latter sheds her Seed upon a clean Paper spread under her The Seed is either kept in a Box for the next Year or sold by the Ounce The Webs about 15 Days after they are compleated are cast into warm Water and there stirr'd with a Handful of Birch till they have fastened on 7 or 8 Ends of Silk which done they wind it up into Skains and that 's the Raw Silk Philos Confer of the Virtuosi of France Vol. 2. p. 402 403 c. Moufet affirms that in the Transmutation of the Worm into a Fly the Tail of the Fly is made of the Head of the Worm but that 's not likely One of the Oval Cases drawn out into all the Silken Wire it was made up of appeared to be by Measure above 300 Yards and yet weighed but two Grains and a half Rob. Boyle of Effluv p. 11. 7. Buprestis Eulprestis the Burn Cow it is of the Nature of the Cantharides causing Heat and Exulceration They cause Lust being drunk and are good against Leprosie Ringworm and Canker Salmon's Dispens p. 258. 8. Cantharides the Spanish Fly is produced from a Worm like Eruca they are Hot and Dry in the fourth Degree being Caustick Whereby they Corrode and draw Blisters are Diuretick and kill Worms They are bred from a Worm in a spungy Substance especially of the Sweet-brier Fig-tree but most fruitfully in the Ash Their Venom is most tart Johnston's Nat. Hist a. 8. c. 5. p. 248 c. Salmon's Dispens p. 258. Their Antidote is Milk or Oil and Clysters with fat Broth. 8. Cicada the Grashopper is a Creature having no Mouth only a Pipe in the Breast by which it sucks in Dew of which it lives and of which it seems to be bred for in those little Dobs of Frothy Dew which appear upon Bushes and Leaves in the beginning of Summer which are commonly called Cuckow-Spit you shall find them always in Fieri or Generation The Ancients used to eat them 10. Cicindela Noctiluca Nitedula Noctuvigila the Glow-worm hath Wings and shines in the Dark their Light is under their Wings and they likewise are said to be generated of Dew It hath a Belly with Roundles divided with many Segments in the end whereof are two Spots very light like to Fire shining most when her Belly is pressed Adrianus Junius when in Bononia drew the Liquor of them upon Paper that shined like Stars what is writ therewith in the Day may be read in the Night The way to do it is by cutting their Tails from their Bodies and taking care that nothing mingle with the shining Parts and then grinding it on a Porphyry-Stone bury it for it for 15 Days in a Glass Vessel under Dung the Parts of the Worm hanging in the Vessel and not touching the Sides Then take the Glass and put it in a hot Oven or hot Water receive the distilled Water underneath and keep it in a fine Chrystal-Glass hanging it in your Room or Chamber and it will so enlighten the Air that you may see by it Johnston's Nat. Hist cl 8 c. 5. our of Bapt. Porta 11. Cochinila the Lady-Bird is the delicate little Bird with red hard Wings and black Spots which Children play with and is an excellent Cordial a wonderful Alexipharmic and Antifebrifick curing the most malignant Feavers Small-Pox c. The Powder of its Body is a deep Purple and omits its Tincture into Water Wine and Spirit of Wine not inferior to Saffron c. Dose a Grain v ad xv vel xx Salm. Dispens p. 259. 12. Cochlea Limax the Snail They have Eyes in the Top of their Horns and pull them in when any thing comes near them and put their Horns into their Heads and their Heads into their Bodies 13. Cimex the Chink Wall-Louse Wood-Louse or Bugg haunts Beds is flat red and stinking and sucks Man's Blood greedily but is used in Physick 14. Crabro the Hornet is said to breed out of the harder Parts of Horse-Flesh as Wasps out of the softer The very Decoction of them dropt on the Skin makes it swell The Cure for the Sting is Venice-Treacle inwardly and Cow-Dung with Fasting-Spittle outwardly Salmon Ibid. 15. Culex the Gnat ariseth of Putrefaction is useless in Physick and is driven away by the Fume of Wormwood Fleabane or Sulphur 16. Eruca Brucus Tinea Agrestis the Catterpillar or Canker-Worm They are destroyed by the Fume of Brimstone 17.
the Nuts falling off Nature supplies the lost ones by immediately putting forth another Cluster and this it does from Month to Month so that some are Ripe when others are in the Blossom The Coco Fruit is very extraordinary making a good Drink called Lanha while the Nut is green arrived to a greater Consistence they eat it with Spoons and call it Cosanha come to the last Perfection it is eaten and is savoury and well tasted but some part of it hot and unwholsome The thin Rind that covers the Kernel is Medicinal a kind of Meat called Cuscus is made of the Nut grated The Gratings steeped in Water and squeezed make a delicious Broth. Much more might be said of the Fruit of this Tree for they make an Oil of the dried Kernel c. The utmost Rind called Cairo well macerated and drawn into Threads afford all sorts of fine Thread and Ropes big enough for the greatest Ships which will not rot in Salt-water The second Rind when green is eaten like Chardons when ripe 't is called Charetta and made up for divers Uses charked it admirably tempers Iron In short the Palm-Tree alone is sufficient to build rig and freight a Ship with Bread Wine Water Oil Vinegar Sugar c. I have sailed in Vessels says my Author where the Bottom and the whole Cargo hath been from the Munificence of the Palm-Tree Relation of the River Nile c. Translated into English by Sir Peter Wyche p. 70 71 c. 4. The Cabbage-Tree growing in the Caribbe-Islands is as Dr. Stubbs assures us a sort of Palm-Tree All that Part that is eaten as the Cabbage is what sprouted out the Year and so is tender If eaten raw it is as good as new Almonds and if boiled it excels the best Cabbage When that Top is cut off the Tree dies The Doctor saith There was one of those Trees at Barbadoes above 300 Foot high This Tree will never rot and when 't is dried grows so hard that you cannot drive a Nail into it Sir Thomas Pope Blount's Nat. Hist p. 357. 5. The Stinking-Tree growing in the East-Indies naturally smells like the strongest Humane Excrements especially as upon the emptying of a House of Office Sir Philberto Vernatti sent an Arm of this Tree of the Royal Society at Gresham-College where thô it hath now been preserved many Years yet seems to give as full and quick a Scent as ever Yet in burning it yields no Smell 't is ponderous hard and of the Colour of English Oak and as that hath large Air-Vessels yet but few Ibid. p. 356. 6. The Cocao-Tree the Bodies of the largest are in Bigness thô not in Tallness equal to our English Plum-Trees They are in every part smooth and much resemble our Heart-Cherry-Tree there is little difference in their Leaves these being pointed but smoother on the Edges and of a darker Green more like the Leaves of an Orange-Tree It bears Fruit every Year twice delights in the Shade The Fruit called the Cacao-Nut shaped like a Cucumber about four or five Inches long and two broad chiefly used in making Chocolate Those Trees grow in America A Bearing-Tree yielding from two to eight Pound of Nuts a Year and each Cod twenty or thirty Nuts The Cods grow only out of the Body or great Limbs and at the same time there are Blossoms Young and Ripe Fruit. These Kernels being well pounded in a Mortar with Sugar and Spices are commonly made up in Cakes or Rolls and so brought Spain and other Parts Dr. Stubbs is of Opinion that 't is the best Diet for Hypochondriacal and Chronical Distempers Scurvey Gout Stone Women lying in and Children new born c. Sir Tho. Pope Blout 's Nat. Hist p. 91 c. 7. Thee or Tea is a Shrub growing in most Parts of China and Japan it is about the bigness of our Garden Rose and Currant-Trees The Roots are Fibrous and spread near the Surface of the Earth the Flowers are like those of Rosa Sylvestris the Seeds are round and black which being sow'd come to perfection in three Years time but that Crop is little valued the great and only Virtue of this Plant consisting in the Leaves of which there are five sorts the largest at Bottom being sold at a Penny-halfpenny the Pound the smallest at the Top for Fifty or a Hundred Crowns the Pound 'T is supposed of Virtue to rectifie the Ferment of the Blood and to strengthen and confirm the Tone of the Parts in assisting Nature in her Operations Warm Water is lookt upon as the best Vehicle for it Ibid. p. 100. 8. Coffee or Cauphe grows in Arabia Faelix like our Cherry-Trees but scarce so big It bears a Berry about the bigness of a small Bean used much in Turkey in the City of Cairo Barbary c. Monsieur Thevenot says If it be drank very hot it clears the Head of Vapours moderately hot it binds and cold it is laxative The Lord Bacon says it comforts the Brain and Heart and helps Digestions Dr. Willis confirms the same but saith it disposes to the Palsie The Persians think it allays the Natural Heat and hinders Procreation Ibid. c. p. 110. 9. Lignum Aloes is most in Malacca in the Islands Sumatra Camboia Siam and the Adjoyning Countries the Trees are like Oliver Trees but larger the drier the Wood is the better it smells the innermost part of the Wood is the best the finest is called Columba and the other Palo d'Aquilla The Wood that is very heavy with black and brown Veins and yieldeth much Oyl which is found by the Fire is the best and the greater and thicker the better it is Of this Wood they make many costly things and it hath so curious a smell that it is greatly esteemed the Calamba if good is sold by weight against Silver and Gold the Palo D'aquilla is next accounted of There is another kind called Aquilla Brava the Indians use to burn therewith the bodies of their Bramen's and Men of account this Wood beaten to Powder and taken in Broth or Wine fortifies the Stomach stays Vomiting and Cures the Plurisie and Bloody-Flux c. Ibid. p. 70. 10. The Lentisk-Tree bears the Mastick which is a Gummy Rosin of a whitish yellow well scented and in Grains the best comes from Chio three Leagues from that Island upon a Mountain to the South there grows a peculiar sort of Trees the Leaves are like Myrtle their Branches so long that they creep on the Ground but which is wonderful that when they are down they rise again of themselves From the beginning of May to the end of June the Inhabitants take great care to keep the Earth under the Tree very clean for during those two Months there Issues out a certain Gum from the Joints of the Branches which drops upon the Ground this is that we call Mastick and the Turks Sakes according to the Islands Name Here grows great store of this Mastick which in the
Iron First it is like a thick Liquor and by degrees it grows hard when it is boiled it becomes moist like Water afterwards is broke into Sponges The more tender Iron Instruments are steeped in Oil to quench them Water makes them too hard and brittle Plunged fiery hot in Vinegar it will endure no Hammering but will sooner break than draw In Furnaces where they make it into Bars there rise such Vapours from it in the Hammering that certain Powder sticks to the Walls Ibid. 6. Tin Stannum Plumbum Album or Jupiter is found and discovered in Cornwal by certain Tin Stones which are somewhat round and smooth lyng on the Ground which they call Shoad If the Load of the Tin lie right down the Tinners follow it sometimes 40 or 50 Fathoms their Labour is so redious that they cannot work above four Hours in the Day A good Workman will scarce be able to hew above a Foot of hard Rock in a Week The Tin Stone being brought above ground out of the Work is broken in pieces with Hammers and then stamped in a Mill into smaller Pieces and then it is ground into fine Sand. Then this Sand being laid in Water that runs over it hath all the Earth washed from it and then it is called Black Tin which is carried to the Blowing-House where it is melted by Charcoal-Fire blown by a great pair of Bellows moved by a Water-Wheel and then it is coined There is Hard Tin and Soft but the Soft is most worth A Foot of Black Tin is in Measure two Gallons and is in Weight according to its Goodness A Foot of good Moor Tin will weigh about 80 Pounds a Foot of Mine Tin 52 Pounds of the worst 50. Two Pounds of Black Tin melted will yield one Pound of White Britan. Baconica Cornwal p. 8. 7. Lead Plumbum Nigrum or Saturn In the Peak of Darbyshire Lead Stones lie but just within the Ground next to the upper Crust of the Earth Ibid. It is heavier than Silver yet will swim upon it being melted When Silver is boiled out of it Fire consumes it all 8. Antimony or Stibium is a Mineral Body consisting of 1. A Mineral Sulphur partly Golden partly Combustible 2. An undigested Mercury of the Nature of Lead being more concocted than Quick-silver 3. Of a Saline and Earthly Substance It is found in Germany but the Hungarian and Transilvanian is the best having a Golden Ore in it of an obscure Red from the great quantity of Sulphur with bright long Flakes This has divers Names Basil calls it Oriental Paracelsus the Red Lion Some a Wolf because it devours all Metals but Gold some Proteus because it changes it self into all Colours by Fire others the Philosophers Saturn because like Lead The crude Antimony is drying and binding Medicines are made of it of excellent Use 9. To these might be added the Native Excrements of Metals as Chalcilis Cobalt Marcasite Misy and Sory The Artificial Excrements of Metals as Litharge Plumbage Ceruse and Minium of Lead Diaphryges Cadmy Tuty Pompholix and Spodium Which I mention only to present the Reader with a General Scheme and Idea not to satisfie the curious Inquisitor into Natural History CHAP. XLV Precious Stones I Take these much more than Metals to be the very Flowers of the Earth the Quintessences of Metals the Virtue of Terrene Matter concocted and contracted into Epitome Thô I am not so fond as the Ancient Naturalists who attributed almost all the Properites of the Deity to them as if they were effectual Preservatives against Danger Cordials against Griefs Antidotes against Poison Amulets against Witcheraft and the Malice of Devils c. 1. Achates Sardocates Haemacates the Agate is of several kinds as the Black Coral-like Indian and that of Crete Veins and Spots do so run up and down it that represents several Forms as of a Turtle a Horn a Tree c. In the Agate of King Pyrrhus there were the Nine Muses naturally with Apollo Johnst Nat. Hist cl 4. c. 23. It is so called from the River Achates in Sicily near which it was first found 't is the hardest of Semiperspicuous Gems and grows in India Germany and Bohemia used for Sword-Hilts Knife-Hafts Beads Cups c. Grew's Muss Reg. Soc. p. 287. 2. Adamas the Diamond is the most precious and hard of all Gems There are several kinds of it the Indian the Arabian and Cenchros It is never given inwardly but only worn as in Rings c. and so it 's said to take away Fears and Melancholy The principal Diamond Mines are in the Indies sometimes above Sixty thousand Men Women and Children are at work in one of them Sometimetimes they are found in the Sand of the River Some of them will take up Straws like Amber and Mr. Boyle had one which by Water made little more than luke-warm he could bring to shine in the dark Boyl of Gems p. 112. 'T is the property of all true Diamonds to unite the Foyle a mixture of Mastick and burnt Ivory closely and equally to it self and thereby better augment its Luster than any other Gem. The Great Duke of Tuscany's Diamond weighing 139 Carats clean and well shaped cut in Facets every way is valued by Tavernier at 2608335 Livres That of the Great Mogul weighing 279 Carats is valued at 11723278 Livres Tavernier's Travels in India Part 2. l. 2. c. 12. 3. The Amethyst Gemma Veneris is brought from India Arabia Armenia and Egypt and is of an Attractive Nature the best are those of a Purple Colour shining and sparkling those of India are of an exact Phaenician Purple 4. The Beryl is either Common or Golden but the best are of a Sea-green Colour They fortifie Nature and are useful in Physick 5. The Calcedony is both Male and Female the Male best and brightest having as it were shining Stars within it 6. The Chrysolite a Gem of a Golden Colour is either Oriental or Occidental the Oriental is the best which being laid together with Gold makes it look like Silver It is of a Solar Nature and is though to expel fearful Dreams and Melancholy The Occiedenal is found in Bohemia 7. The Chrysophrase is of Fiery Gold-like Colour and is reported to be of a Pale Colour by Day but Glorious by Night 8. The Crystal is so called from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because supposed to be only Water condensed with Cold and is found in India Scythia Spain Germany and Asia the softest of all Gems except the Turquois most usually of a Sexangular Figure There is a massy piece of it now in possession of the Royal Society of a roundish Figure near a Yard in compass weighing more than 39 Pounds It is of a binding Nature good against Diarrhoea's 9. The Cornelian come from Malabar Narsinga and Cochinchina called in Latin Sardius Corneolus Corperina It is of various Colours Red Fleshy Yellowish Red. The Babylonish and those found in Sardinia
Magellanic Sea continually belching forth its Flames called therefore Terras de Fuego In the Northern America are observed 7 formidable Vulcanoes three in New-Spain one in Nicaragua three in Callifornia 4. In Europe 5 chief ones are noted viz. Aetna in Sicily by the Monuments of all Writers most famous Strongulus and some other of the Liparitan Islands not very remote from Sicily especially that Notorious Vulcana to which is adjoyned another called Vuleanilla said all to have burnt heretofore called the Vulcanian Islands The Mountain Hecla in Izland is the furthest North and Chimer a in Greece besides many others in each particular Country at least Fire Wells Pits and Orifices c. Among all which Italy throughout all Ages is the most Notorious for such under-ground Hearths and Aestuaries Neither are Germany France Spain and other Countreys wholy destitute of theirs where though there be none answerable to the other yet the frequent Sulphurous Craters Vomiting forth Smoâ—â— and Flames and the innumerable multitude of hot Bathes and Wells every where do betray some Store and Work-houses of Subterraneous Fire creeping between the Conservatories and Abysses of Water In Misnia in Germany the Mountain Carbo ever and anon rages with Fume and Fire c. In the farthest Tracts of the North toward the Poles in the Region of Tinsci in Tartary are reckoned four In Lapland high Mountains belch forth Flames like Aetna In Izeland the Famous Hecla and in Greenland next to the Pole is a huge Vulcanian Mountain c. Not to mention the particular Eruptions of other Vulcanoes we will take notice only of the Burnings of Aetna It is said to have broke forth A. M. 2600 witness Berosus afterwards in the time of Janigena In the time of the Arganauts A. M. 2714. In the time of Aeneas his expedition A. M. 2768 again about A. 3180 till near 3600 Witness Thucidides who lived at that time In the time of the Roman Consuls there were four remarkable Burnings that about 3830. was prodigious another in the time of Julius Caesar another in the time of Caligula another in the time of St. Agatha the Martyr other in these following years A. C. 812 1160 1284 1329 1408 1444 1536 1554 1633 1650 1669 1687. CHAP. L. Strange Winds and Hurricanes BEing got upon the Tops of Hills the next thing that presents before us is the Wind which blowern as our Saviour saith where it listeth but mostly upon the highest Grounds and greatest Plains whether of Earth or Sea and this Meteor is so strong sometimes so strange so always invisible that is may well go for one of the Wonders of Nature enough to astonish and terrifie When the Sun by some particular Occurent raiseth great Multitudes of Atoms from some one place and they either by the Attraction of the Sun or some other occasion take their course a certain way the Motion of those Atoms we call a Wind which according to the continuance of the Matter from whence these Atoms arise endâ—re a longer or shorter time and goeth a longer or shorter way like a River or those Eruptions of Waters they call in the Northern part of England Gypsies which flow out at certain times upon uncertain Causes and with an uncertain duration 1. In some of the Caribbe Islands the word Hurrica signifies the Devil whence Hurricanes took its Name it being commonly called in Latine Tempestas Diabolica we seldom hear of any Hurricanes but between the Tropiques and within the Jurisdiction of the General or Trade Wind which blowing perpetually from the Eastern Points if it chance to be repell'd by a Land Breeze or any contrary Wind from the West this must needs occasion strange Conflicts and Seditions in the Air and were our Senses fine enough to discern the invisible Commotions of the Atmosphere we shou'd see it oftentimes disturbed and Fluctuating no less then the most Tempestuous Seas Hurricanes are most Terrible near high Shoars and Islands that lie Eastward from the Continent so that they infest the Philippine and Caribbe Islands more then any other part of the Habitable World 'T is strange that they should be so dreadful in some of the Caribbes that Mevis and St. Christophers have several times been almost depopulated by them when they never reach to Jamaica on the one side nor on the other beyond Barbadoes where they have seldom more then the Tail of an Hurricane We have most Incredible Relations of the Storms in the way to Japan which have carried Ships a considerable distance from the Sea up the dry Land some have been miserably Wrackt and buryed in the Waves others split in a Thousand pieces against the Rocks that scarce one Ship in five escapes these Disasters in the Tempestuous Months about Autumn or at the Change of the Monsoons Bohun's disc of the Orig. and Prop. of Wind. p. 255. Hurricanes are the True Images of the last Conflagration of the World formerly happening one in five or seven years now more frequent the manner thus ordinarily the Sea becomes Calm on a sudden and smooth as Glass then presently after the Air is darkned and fill'd with thick and gloomy Clouds after which it is all as it were on a Fire and opens on every side with dreadful Lightnings that last a considerable time after which follow wonderful Claps of Thunder that seem as if the Heaven were rent asunder The Earth trembles in many places and the Wind blows with so great an Impetuosity that it Roots up the Tallest and the greatest Trees which grow in the Woods beats down almost all the Houses and tears up the Vegetables destroying every thing that grows upon the Earth and very often compells Men whilst this dreadful Tempest lasts to catch hold of the Trunks of Trees to secure themselves from being carryed away with the Winds some lie in the Caves of the Rocks or retire into the Hutts of the Negroes and Caribbians which are built exceeding low on purpose to elude the Shocks of these Tempests But that which is most dangerous of all and which causes the greatest Mischief is that in 24 hours and sometimes in less space it makes the whole Circle of the Compass leaving neither Road nor Haven secure from its raging Force so that all the Ships that are at that time on the Coast do Perish most Miserably At St. Christophers several Ships being Laden with Tobacco were all cast away by an Hurricane and afterwards the Tobacco Poisoned most of the Fish on their Coasts When these Storms are over a Man may behold the saddest Spectacles that can be imagined There may be seen pieces of Mountains shaken by the Earthquakes and Forrests overturn'd Houses beaten down by the Winds many People undone by the Loss of their Goods and Merchandise of which they can save but little there may you see poor Seamen drowned and Rowling in the Waves with many brave Ships broken in pieces and batter'd against the Rocks 't is a thing so Woful and
infinite terrour and the top appeared all in Flames this trembling of the 9th was felt in the Cities of Mineo Palaonia Ragosa Licodia and most of the South parts of Sicily at the same instant with that of Catania but the most tremendous shake of all happened on the 11th of January under which dismal Calamity the antient City of Catania pleasantly seated and full of Inhabitants of Quality with an University and about 24000 People in a Minute was sunk out of sight with a noise as loud as if thousands of Cannons had been discharged at once In the place where Catania stood some heaps of Rubbish and a great Lake of Water appear at a distance Under the same dismal Calamity fell the antient City of Syracuse so famous in History that it was formerly reckoned one of the greatest in the World having in it about 16000 Inhabitants By the Earthquake of the 9th many principal Houses and the Castle were torn in divers Night and so escaped the horrible Devastation of the 11th wherein two thirds of the Buildings were thrown down and above 7000 People buried in the rubbish Neither did Noto though built upon a very high Rock almost inaccessible on all sides but one narrow way partake of a less dismal Fate The trembing of the 9th did very much affect it and on the 11th laid it in heaps in a Minute all the Inhabitants except some few who fled from thence on the 9th were Buried in the Ruins of their own Houses being reckon'd about 7000 very little Buildings standing in the whole Town Augusta a City in a Peninsula on the East of Sicily with a large prospect to the Sea Safe-Harbours and considerable Trade was much damaged by the Earthquake of the 9th instant and about 600 People killed by the downfal of the Houses and the following day the rest of the Town and the remaining Inhabitants by another dreadful shake were utterly destroyed and buried in rubbish so that of 6000 People none were left alive Lentini the antient Leontium a Town of about 3000 Families was burnt to the ground on the 11th Calatgirone a Town well-built of Free-Stone by the shake on the 11th had the fifth part of the Buildings and two Monasteries demolished but of 7000 People 5000 made their escape Mineo was shaken both the 9th and the 11th on the former the Heavens were Serene without the least Cloud but on the latter was a terrible Storm of Lightning and Thunder for 6 hours together At both times several Houses and a large Church were overthrown and it was judged about 4000 People perished Pasceni of about 200 Inhabitants was so entirely ruined that not one House or Person was saved The spacious Valley adjoyning which was formerly full of excellent Vines being turned into a new Lake whose Water is of a brackish taste and like Brimstone In Patuzolo a place of about 1000 People all were swallowed up Furla another Town of about the same number of Souls had the like fate Sciorti a bigger Town was totally demolished and the Inhabitants about 2000 so utterly destroyed that none was left to tell the News In Militello where of 6000 People no one is left to give tidings how or when its Calamity happened The Country People who dwell in the Mountains about it affirm that for 3 days before they could not discern the Town by reason of a thick Fog that surrounded but that on the 11th in the morning it was no more seen A great part of the Mountain on the North-side is torn asunder and one half overwhelmed the Town leaving a deep Gulph betwixt that and the other part of the Mountain THE Curiosities of Art PART III. By WILLIAM TVRNER M. A. Vicar of WALBERTON in SUSSEX And Moses said unto the Children of Israel See the Lord hath called by Name Bezaleel the son of Vri the son of Hur of the tribe of Judah And he hath filled him with the spirit of God in wisdom in understanding and in knowledge and in all manner of workmanship and to devise curious works to work in gold and in silver and in brass And in the cutting of stones to set them and in carving of wood to make any manner of cunning work Exod. xxxv 30 31 32 33. LONDON Printed for John Dunton at the Raven in Jewen-street MDCXCVII THE PREFACE TO THE Curiosities of Art WHen God made us He instamp'd his own Image upon us which Image is most clearly apparent in those two great Distinguishing Faculties of Humane Nature the Vnderstanding and Will The one disposeth us to a subtilty and sublimity of Knowledge the other to a Goodness of Temperance and Beneficence in our Actions And 't is worthy a sober Remark and pretty to observe how Man hath exercised these Two Faculties in pursuit of these Ends from the first Creation how his Intellectuals have mounted above the Sphere of Sense tranigressed the common Limits and Horizon of the dull unthinking Multitude and peer'd about with a Sagacity of Reason into all the Crevisses and secret Recesses of Nature to find out the utmost Bounds of Humane Power and see how far the Wit of Man might be stretch'd and extended without a Fault or Fracture I have already shew'd somewhat of the Divinity conspicuous in the Great World now I am to shew somewhat of it in the Microcosm in Man the Epitome of the World the Top and Master-piece of the visible Creation and that only in part too viz. his Soul and Mind for I have spoken of his Body elsewhere But the Mind being the more Noble and Excellent part of the Man and of it self so Spiritual and not subject to Sense I have no other way left to give the Anatomy of it but by summing up and presenting to view its Operations and Effects We admire the Industry and Skilfulness of the Bee in gathering Honey out of the Flowers carrying it home and disposing it in several Cells ingeniously contriv'd for the Purpose the Wisdom of the little Ant in a hundred particular Instances of her Polity and Managery of Business the curious Embroidery and Net-work of the busie Spider in making Webs and pursuing her Game for the catching of Flies the strange and almost stupendious Artifice of the poor Silk-worm which by the Impulse of meer Nature works her self out of Breath and spends her self to cloath Nobles Let us sit a while at home and call back our Rambling Thoughts to contract our Meditation and Prospect and view our selves and take notice of a more lofty Design and we shall certainly find the Humane Intellectuals flying at a higher Game pitching upon more Noble Objects propounding more excellent Ends pursuing them with proper Means ingenious and apt Methods And I am confident upon a solid Speculation we shall find our selves astonish'd at our own Powers and admire the wisdom of Him that made us and be provoked to Aemulation by observing how others have out-stript us When I consider how many wonderful Pheanomena of both
Nature and Art the World is furnish'd with and we set as the principal Spectators of them in order to be High-Priests to offer the Sacrifices of Praise for the Rest of the visible Creation methinks I am ready to complain that our Lives are contracted to so short a Span that we can hardly have time to look about us and admire and give due Praise but we must be gone off the Stage Oh! think I if we might but live now to a Mathusalem's Age or at least a Nestor's or John of the Times or but so long as my Country-man Part what brave Schemes might we draw of Architecture What high Scaffolds might we raise What wonderful Projects might we contrive What ingenious and subtle Ideas might we form The Quadrature of the Circle the perpetual Motion the scaling of the Skies and a perfect Discovery of the Lunar World the Philosopher's Stone Flying Diving Any thing Every thing would be but mean and ordinary to imploy our Wits upon But God hath wisely prevented our Projection of these Babels by reducing our Time to a short Scantling of but a Span long and confounding our Thoughts with a Thousand Cares and Abbreviating our Necessities to a little Compendium of Fearing God and heeping his Commandments as the whole of Man Notwithstanding we have all of us almost some spare Minutes left from our necessary Offices which we might if we would spend in a more noble way upon more generous Exercises either of Veiwing or Doing of Speculation or Action or which were much better both I am not so fond as to conceit that I have given here a due Account of all or most of the Wonders and strange Improvements of Art 't is enough to my purpose if tanquam canis ad Nilum I have exhibited a short Specimen enough to beget Admiration and Emulation Let my Reader read and wonder and fall into an honest Indignation with himself that he hath suffer'd his Sands of Time to run so fast in his Glass and his Blood stagnate in his Veins and his Brains gather Flegm and Water whilst himself doth nothing or nothing to purpose or next door to nothing in comparison with those brave Intellectuals he is endowed with I am not for Domitian's pricking Flies with a Pin nor the Hungarian 's wooden Coat of Mail the work of fifteen Years nor Myrmerides 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coach with four Horses so little you might hide them under a Flie's Wing nor Collicrates 's Elegies writ so small that a Cherry-stone might hold them nor Mark Scaliot 's Lock spoken of hereafter c. These are all certainly but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a laborious Loss of Time an Ingenious Profusion of one of the best Talents we are intrusted with and more than that perhaps of Two viz. Our Time and Wit Let People know their Strength what they can do and consider the Price of Time they have allowed to act in and act accordingly with a due Aim and direct Tendancy to the Divine Honour their Neighbour's Benefit and their own Happiness and I do not doubt but Men will find better Work and at last receive a Better a more Comfortable and Satisfactory Reward Curiosities of Art PART III. CHAP. I. The English Tongue Improved THE Art of Speaking is none of the least Extellencies of Humane Nature the Confusion of Tongues introduced a great Obscurity in delivering the Sense of our Minds and Men were many Ages blundering and unskilful in expressing themselves properly Where Learning prevailed the Languages were sooner ripen'd to a Perfection and Purity The English Tongue by occasion of frequent Intermixtures with other People lay a long time corrupted with a variety of Dialects How it hath been improved of late Ages we may guess by comparing the Old Dialect with the New Of the old take these few Parcels out of Richard a Religious Hermit in the Earl of Exeter 's Library for a Specimen 1. His Te Deum begins thus We heryen ye God we knowlecnen ye Lord Alle ye erie worschips ye everlasting Fader Alle Aungels in Hevens and alle ye poures in yis VVarld Cherebin and Seraphin cryen by be voice to ye unstinting 2. His Benedictus thus Blessyd be ye Louerd God of Israel for he has visityd maad buying of his puple 3. The Magnificat thus My Soul worschips ye Louerd and my gost ioyed in God my hele for he lokyd ye mekeness of hys honde mayden So for i â—en of yat blissefulle Schal sey me all generaciouns For he has don to me grete yingis yat myrty is and his Nome hely 4. Nunc dimittis Louerd you leuest nowe yi Servaunt in pees astir yi word yat you hast seyde byfore for now I am ripe to die for mine eghen hau seen yin owen Son Christ yat is yin owen he le to Men. 5. Mat. Cap. 1. The Bok of ye Generacoun of Jhu Crist Sone of Dauid Sone of Abraham Abraham gendryde Isaac Isaac forsoye gendride Jacob Jacob forsoye gendride Judas and hys breyren 6. Acts 1. Ye dedis of ye Apostlis Theofile fyrst I maad a Sermon of all yingis yat ittu began to do and to teche into the day of his assencioun in whych he commandide in ye hoolst to his Apostlis whyche he hadde chosen to whyche he schewide hymselfe alyve aftyr his passioun by many Argumentys appering to hem fourti dais 7. Rem 1. Paul ye Servaunt of Jhu Crist clepid an Apostle depromptyd into the Gospel of God whyche he hadde behote tofore by hise Profetis in hooli Scriptur of his Sone Apoc. 1. Apocalipis of Jhu Crist whyche God 3 as to him to maak open to hys Servauntis whyche yingis hit behouey to be maad soone c. 8. Pater Noster thus Ure Fadir in Hevene riche Thy nome be haliid everliche Thou bring us to thy michilblisse Thi wil to wirche thu us wisse Al 's it is in Hevene ido Euer in Erth ben hit also That heli bred yat lastyth ay Thou send hious yis ilke day Forgive ous all yat we haueth don Al 's we forgive ych oder mon He let ous falle in no founding Alt scilde ous fro ye foul thing Amen 9. The Creed thus I beleive in God Fadir Almighty Shipper of Heven and Erth and in Jhesus Crist his onle thi Son ure Louerd that is iuange church the hooli gost bore of Mary maiden tholedepine undyr Pounce Pilat picht on rode tre dead and yburiid licht into helle the thrid day fro death arose steich into Heuene sit on his Fadir richt honde God Almichty then is comminde to deme the quikke and the dede I beleue in the hooli Gost alle hooli Chirche mone of Allehallwen forgiuenis of sine fleiss uprising lif withuten end Amen Wevers Fun. Men. p. 152. Of the New or Modern Dialect there is no necessity of giving any Specimen at all CHAP. II. Blind Persons Improved by Art and Industry WHere Nature is defective there the Assistance of Art
is required Nothing makes us more Ingenious than Necessity Rather than Men will suffer all the Inconveniencies consequent upon a Total Eclipse of any of their Senses especially that of Sight and the comfortable use of the Sun they will set their Brains upon the rack and use the greatest intention of Thought to procure a Compensation 1. Esther Elizabeth Van Waldkirk Daughter of a Merchant of Shaffhausen Residing at Geneva aged Nineteen Years having been Blind from two Months old by a Distemper falling on her Eyes nevertheless hath been put on to the Study of Learning by her Father so that she understands perfectly French High-Dutch and Latin she speaks ordinarily Latin with her Father French with her Mother and High-Dutch with the People of that Nation She hath almost the whole Bible by Heart is well skill'd in Philosophy plays on Organs and Violin and which is wonderful in this condition she hath learned to write by an Invention of her Fathers after this manner There was cut for her upon a Board all the Letters of the Alphabet so deep as to feel the Figures with her Fingers and to follow the traces with a Pencil till that she had accustomed her self to make the Characters Afterwards they made for her a Frame which holds fast her Paper when she writes and which guides her Hand to make strait Lines She writes with a Pencil rather than with Ink which might either foul her Paper or by failing might cause her to leave VVords imperfect 'T is after this manner that she writes often in Latin to her Friends as well as in the other two Languages This is an Extract of a Letter written from Lyons by M. Spon M. D. c. From the Journal des Scavans set forth March 25. 1680. 2. John Ferdinand born in Flanders being blind yet overcame that which most learned Men find hard For he was at once a very Learned Poet and Philosopher he was also an excellent Musician and play'd skilfully on divers kinds of Instruments Camer Hor. Subscis p. 171. 3. Vldaricus Schonbergerus a Doctor in Philosophy though blind yet he was Learnedly skill'd in the Latin Greek Hebrew and Syriack Languages an excellent Naturalist an Acute Disputant in Philosophy Skilful in Musick Studious both in Picture and Sculpture he would discharge a Gun with that dexterity that the Builet should oft hit the Mark he died of late Years at Regioment of which unusual Example Simon Dachius hath left to Posterity an Elegant Elegy Barthol Hist Anatom Cent. 3. Hist 44. p. 87 88. 4. James Vsher Lord Primate of Ireland was taught to read by his two Aunts who were Blind from their Cradles yet were they admirably vers'd in the Scriptures being able suddenly to have given a good Account of any part of the Bible Clarks Lives p. 190 191. 5. Count Manifield though Blind yet with the touch alone was able to distinguish white from black Barthol Cent. 3. Hist 44. p. 87. 6. Schenckius tells of one that though Blind yet received visible Species through his Nostrils Zacch quest Med. Legal l. 5. Tit. 3. p. 325. Schen Obs p. 1. 7. Sir Kenelme Digby says he saw one so blind that he could not discern when the Sun shined yet would play well at Cards and Tables Bowls and Shovel-Board discern the Gestures of his Scholars by their Voice walk in a Chamber or long Alley strait and turn exactly at the ends and by an effect of the Light upon his Body but chiefly on his Brain know when the Sun was up and distinguish exactly between a clear and cloudy Day Sir Kehelme Digby's Treatise of Bodies c. 28. p. 253 254. CHAP. III. Persons Deaf and Dumb much Improved by Art ONE would think this Defect of Nature very deplorable and hardly capable of any Alleviation for by it is barr'd and obstructed all Correspondence with the Reasonable Soul no information can be taken in no Communication permitted without The Ears are stopt so that the Person cannot learn from others nor he express the Sense of his own Mind to others So that what remains in such a case where all the Intercourse of Reason is damm'd up but the Expectation of a Bruitality and Sottishness of Nature to follow yet even here the Wit of Man hath found out something like a Remedy to Cure or in some measure to alleviate and assist this great Malady by finding out some uncommon way of conveying Intelligence to the immured Soul and pumping it of its own Sense and Conceptions 1. Mr. Increase Mather of New-England tells us of a Man and of a Woman at Weymouth both of them Deaf and the Woman so from her Infancy and yet that she understands as much concerning the State of the Country and of particular Persons therein and of observable Occurrences as almost any one of her Sex and which is more wonderful tho she is not able to speak a Word she has by Signs made it appear that she is not ignorant of Adam's Fall nor of Man's Misery by Nature nor of Redemption by Christ and the great Concernments of Eternity and of another World and that she her self has had experience of a Work of Conversion in her own Soul I have made Enquiry about this Matter of some that are fully acquainted therewith and have from a good Hand receiv'd this foregoing Account 2. Matthew Prat aged about Fifty-five Years was in his Minority by his godly Parents educated Religiously and taught to read when he was about Twelve Years old he became totally deaf by Sickness and so hath ever since continued after the loss of his hearing he was taught to write his Reading and Writing he retaineth perfectly and makes much good Improvement of both but his Speech is very broken and imperfect not easily intelligible he maketh use of it more seldom only to some few that are wonted to it He discourseth most by Signs and by writing He is studious and judicious in Matters of Religion hath been in Church Fellowship a Partaker of all Ordinances near Thirty Years hath approved himself unto good Satisfaction therein in all ways of Church-Communion both in publick and private and judged to be a well-wrought Convert and real Christian 3. Sarah Prat his Wife being about Forty-three Years old was also quite deprived of Hearing by Sickness when about the third Year of her Age after she could speak and had begun to learn Letters having quite lost her Hearing she lost all Speech doubtless all remembrance and Understanding of Words and Language her Religious Parents being both dead her godly Brother Ephraim Hunt yet surviving took a Fatherly Care of her she also happily fell under the Guardianship and Tuition of the Reveread Mr. Thomas Thatcher who laboured with design to teach her to understand Speech or Language by Writing but it was never observed that any thing was really effected she hath a notable Accuracy and Quickness of understanding by the Eye she discourseth altogether by Signs that they that
being visited with the Small Pox when he was about six Years old his Tongue putrified and was quite consumed after which the Vvula in his Mouth being longer than it was before he could by the help of the other Organs of Speech discourse as plainly as if he had never lost his Tongue These things are Marvellous 13. And yet I have lately met with a passage more strange than any of these Related There is or was in the Year 1679 living near Kerchem in Germany a Man his Name is John Algair who suddenly lost the use of his Speech the case has been so with him that fourteen Years together he could never speak but at one hour of the Day just as the Sun comes to the Meridian he has the liberty of his Speech for an hour and no more so that he knoweth exactly when it is twelve a Clock because then he can speak and not a Minute before that nor a Minute after One. This is Related in the Germanic Ephemeridies of Miscellaneous Curiosities for the Year 1679. Observat 188. It is evident that the Sun has a marvelous Influence as to some Diseases which the Bodies of Men are subject unto For in Egypt tho' the Plague rage the Day before on that very day when the Sun enters into Leo it ceaseth when also the Floods of Nilus increase as Geographers inform us Moreover it is possible by Art to Teach those that are by Nature Deaf and Dumb to Speak The Dectilogy of Beda is pretty whereby Men speak as nimbly with the Fingers as with the Tongue taking five Fingers of the one Hand for Vowels and the several Positions of the other for Consonants But that Deaf Persons may learn to speak happy Experience hath proved and that by many Instances 14. Acustre has given an Account of the Method by him successfully observed in Teaching a Boy to Speak that was Born Deaf After the use of some Purgative Medicines he caused the Hair to be shaved off from his Head over the Coronal Suture and then frequently anointed the shaven place with a mixture of Aquavitae Salt Petre Oil of Butter Almonds c. having done this he began to speak to the Deaf Person not at his Ear but at his Coronal Suture and then after the use of Unctions and Emunctions the sound would pierce when at his Ears it could not enter so did he by degrees teach him to speak Vide Ephem German Anno 1670. Observation 350. But others have with good Effect followed another kind of Method 15. There was a Spanish Noble Man Brother to the Constable of Castile who being Born Deaf and also Dumb from his Infancy Physitians had long in vain tried Experiments for his relief At last a certain Priest undertook to teach him to speak his Attempt was at first laughed at but within a while the Gentleman was able notwithstanding his Deafness still remained to Converse or Discourse with any Friend He was taught to speak by putting a Cord about his Neck and straining or losening the same to advertise him when to open or shut his Mouth by the Example of his Teacher Nor was there any difference found between his Speech and that of other Men only that he did not regulate his Voice speaking commonly too high Vide Conferences of Virtuosi p. 215. 16. Not long since Fran. Mercur. Helmont designing to teach a Deaf Man to speak concluded it would be more easily practicable if the Experiment were made with an Eastern wide Mouth Language which does remarkably expose the Eye to the motion of the Lips Tongue and Throat Accordingly he cried with the Hebrew Tongue and in a short time his Dumb Schollar became an excellent Hebrician Others have lately been as Successful in their Attempts to cause Deaf Persons to speak and understand the Europaean Languages We need not go out of our own Nation for there we find living Instances 17. In the Philosopical Transactions for the Year 1670. Num. 61. an Account is given concerning Mr. Daniel Wâ—aley of Northampton in England who by an Accident lost his Hearing when he was about five Years of Age and so his Speech not at once but by degrees in about half a Years time In five Years 1661. the Learned and Ingenious Dr. Wallis of Oxford undertook to teach the Deaf Gentleman to speak and write Nor did the Doctor fail in attaining his end â—or in the space of one Year the Dumb Man had read over great part of the English Bible and had attained so much skill as to express himself intelligibly in ordinary Affairs to understand Letters written to him and to write Answers to them And when Forreigners out of curiosity came to Visit him he was able to pronounce the most difficult words of their Language even Polish it self which any could propose unto him Nor was this the only Person on whom the Doctor shewed his skill But he has since done the like for another a Gentleman of a very good Family who did from his Birth want his Hearing Likewise Dr. Holder in his late Book about the Natural Production of Letters giveth Rules for the Teaching the Deaf and Dumb to speak 18. Edward Bone of Ladock in Cornwall was Servant to Mr. Courtney also He was Deaf from his Gradle and consequently Dumb Nature cannot give out where she hath not received yet could learn and express to his Master that was stirring in the Country especially if there went any news of a Sermon within some Miles distant he would repair to that place with the soonest and setting himsef directly against the Preacher look him stedfastly in the Face while the Sermon lasted To which Religious Zeal his honest Life was also answerable assisted with a firm Memory he would not only know any Party whom he had once seen for ever after but also make him known to another by some special Observation and Difference There was one Kemp not living far off deffected accordingly on whose meetings there were such Embracings such strange often and earnest Tokenings such hearty Laughters and other passionate Gestures that their want of Tongue seemed rather a hinderance to others conceiving them than to their conceiving one another Fullers Worthies p. 206. in Cornwall Other Defects of Nature supplyed by Art 1. The Indians presented Augustus with a young Man with Shoulders or Arms that could perform with his Feet what others did with their Arms and Hands could bend a Bow shoot Arrows and sound a Trumpet Xiph. in August p. 55. 2. My self and others says Camerarius being once at Lombourg in the House of Erasmus Neustetetur he sent to a place not far off for one Thomas Sckiveiker a young Man of one and thirty Years of Age descended of a Worshipful House and Born without ever an Arm who did with his Feet all that a ready Man could do with his Hands Having seated himself in a place equal with the highth of the Table whereon the Meat was placed he took a Knife
with his Feet begins to cut Bread and Meat which he carried with his Feet to his Mouth and likewise the Cup with as much ease as another would have done with his Hands After Dinner he wrote Copies in Latin and German Letters so fair and so straight that every one of us desired to have some of them to keep as a special Monument Being requested he did with a Pen-Knife make Pens very good to write with which he gave us While he was thus doing I observed the make of his Feet and saw that his Toes were long fit to lay hold of things This sight as it was pleasing to us so it was at another time to the Emperor Maximilian the II. who passing that way desired to see the Man and having observed the strange recompence of Nature dismissed him with a Princely Gift Camir Hor. Subsi Cent. 1. ch 37 p. 169.170 Keckerm in Phys l. 1. c. 4. p. 1370. 3. Of late there was a Man Born without Arms that went about Germany who had learned by Custom turned into Art to handle a Sword and flourish it about his Neck to fling Javlins and do other things so nimbly and withal so surely that he would commonly hit the Mark. All other the Duties of the Hands he performed with his Feet he was after broken upon the Wheel for sundry Robberies and Murthers by him Committed Cam. Hor. Sub. Cent. 1 Cap. 37. p. 170. 4. I have seen a Woman in Basil Spinning Artificially with her Feet Sweeping the House and performing all other the Offices of a good Houswife Plat. Obs 1.3 p. 593. 5. The said Platerus saith He saw a Man who with his Head and Shoulders would take hold of things and use them after various manners with Instruments and Weapons held in that fashion to Cleave Cut off Dig and Strike with a wonderful Force and yet both he and the Woman before mentioned were without Arms. Plat. Ob. Ibid. 6. A Suedish Woman call'd Magdalene Rudolph Thuinby was here of late at Hasnia she was Aged Fourty Two Married to a German Solider she was born without Arms and that there might be no suspicion of Fraud by her Consent I saw that she had nothing but Shoulders yet though she thus was maimed she perform'd all Offices with her Feet with that dexterity and readiness that she is deservedly the wonder of the Spectators and may seem to have no want of her Hands with her Feet she Spins and Threads her Needle she Weaves she Charges and Discharges a Gun with Scissars and a Knife she cuts Paper into divers artifical Figures she plays at Tables and Dice she drinks and Swathes her little Infant she knows how to bring her Feet to her Breast and Head so as to take her Child to her Breast as if she did it with her Hands She Feeds both her self and her Child she combs her Hair to conclude without trouble she doth all that is sufficient for her own necessity and to gratifie others Curiositly Barthol Hist Anat. Cent. 3. Hist 26. p. 61. 7. There is a Woman of Britain who was born with Arms and Legs distorted in so strange and unusual a manner that she might well seem unfit to any Man that saw her to do any thing yet she had acquired from officious Nature such a dexterity that she could Spin with her Tongue with the same she could Thread a Needle of the smallest size with great Expedition with the flexure of her Tongue only she could readily tye that fast Knot which we call the Weavers Knot and with the same Tongue she would Write and that in a fair Character amongst others she so wrote the Name of my Son Petrus Talpius which I yet keep by me Nicho. Talpii Obs. Med. l. 3 cap. 5. p. 273. 8. Pictorius Villinganas gives an Account of a Spaniard born without Arms that with his Feet could Spin and use the Needle with great curiosity He shot from a Bow in such manner that he seldom did miss the Mark and would with an Ax give so strong a Blow as to cut in sunder at one stroak a reasonable piece of Wood. Kecker in Physic Lib. 1. c. 4. p. 1370. 9. Keckerman also speaks of a Scholar that had but one little Finger on each hand and his Feet were triangular without any Toes yet had he more force in one Finger than others had with Five he wrote curiously and swiftly and stood so firm that in very slippery places he would seldom slip Johnst Nat. Hist cl 10. c. 5. p. 335. CHAP. IV. Improvements in Physick and Experimental Philosophy c. HVmane Wit hath arriv'd in this last Age to so high a degree of Daring that without any limits to the Modesty of their Disquisition they have laid open all the Secrets of Nature and so dissected all the Bodies they have met with and separated their parts with so strict and Chymical Anatomy as to unravel the whole Texture and dissolve all natural Bodies into their first Principles and by that means have made such excellent Discoveries as former Ages cannot Parallel and future Times have scarce room left to be imployed in 1. A. C. 1669. Mr. Wills of Trin. Col. Oxon. To know in what measure Herbs might perspire took two Glass Vials with narrow Necks each holding one Pound eight Ounces and two Drams of Water filled these with Water put a Sprig of Mint weighing an Ounce in one and set both the Glasses in the Sun after ten Days he found in the Bottle where the Mint was only five Ounces four Drams of Water remaining so that one Pound two Ounces and six Drams were spent the Mint weighing scarce two Drams more than at first From the other Glass the Sun had exhaled near one Ounce of water so that there was in those ten Days spent by the Mint one Pound one Ounce six Drams of Water that is each Day above an Ounce and an half which is more than the weight of the whole Mint So that he concluded the same of all Plants which Malpighius did of the Silk-worm That those Animals will eat in a Day more than the weight of their Bodies Ibid. 2. There hath been lately found out a curious way of Grafting different Vines one upon the other for Example in the Physick Garden at Oxford the white Frontiniac grafted upon the Parcely Vine grows and bears very well also the early red Cluster or Currant Grape upon that Luxuriant Vine called the Fox Grape Ibid. 3. The Improvements made of late Years in Chymistry are very great though the first Essays made in that Art were hissed at as very ridiculous and contemptible It must be confessed That many unskilful Men have derived much Disgrace upon the Study Notwithstanding many pretty and admirable Effects have been at last found out which hath abundantly satisfied all Judicious Men that there is something more in the Principles of it than the World would a good while believe 'T is an Element I have been
Heart into several Muscles and assigning to it a Muscular Motion and thereby showing several ways whereby it may be impeded or disturbed he hath done good Service to the Pathalogical Part of Physick 16. Whether Walaeus Bartholin or any other were the first that found out the Circulation of the Blood I cannot say but Dr. Lower's Computation of the Frequency of the Bloods Circulation through the Heart is very ingenious and the Cause he assigns of the florid Colour of it when emitted seems new and probable 17. Dr. Majo hath lately taught us That the Air is impregnated with a Nitro-acrial Spirit and that it difused almost throughout the whole System of Nature and that Fire it self as to its Form and Effence is nothing else but the same Spirit put into Motion and that all Fermentations whether tending to Generation Perfection or Corruption depend on this Spirit 18. Mr. Tyson hath lately observed that many other strong Scented Animals besides the Hycena Odorifera the Civet-Cat the Castor or Beaver the Gazella Indica or Capra Mosci from whence our Musk and the Fishes Sepia Loligo Purpura have sollicular Repositories or Bags near the Exit of the Intestinum Rectum wherein they keep those Humours or Liquors that are the Vehicles of their Scents This he hath observed in Pole-Cats Foxes Weasels Cats c. Which Vessicles or little Bags are found by pairs one on each side of the Gut proportional to the bigness of the Animals To Instance in all the particular Discoveries and Improvements made in Anatomy Physick c. would be a Task sufficient to make up a large Volume by it self CHAP. IV. Improvements in Musick IN Musick it would be too tedious to determine Whether the Improvement or Alteration hath been greater Certain it is That several old English Instruments are laid aside as the Orpharian the Polyphone an Instrument surely not to be despised considering its rare Structue and the esteem had of it by Learned and therefore most Judiciously Musical Persons of this Age viz. Sir F. Pruscan and Dr. Rugely The Bandore the Ghittern Cittern c. The Treble Viol also is much out of Doors since the Violin came so much in request The Base and Lira Viol in the making whereof Wroth was without dispute the best Workman that ever wrought keep pretty well in repute especially the first because it cannot be wanted well in Consert c. 1. The Lute is not wholly laid aside but within this 20 or 30 Years much neglected to what it was formerly notwithstanding the great Improvement of this Instrument among us within a hundred Years by reason of the diversity of Tunings received from France some of whose best Lute-Masters brought over not only these Harp-Tunings but themselves also and by their active Hands and airy Fancies obliged the Musick-Lovers of our Nation with Transcendant Harmony 2. The Fine easie Ghittar whose Performance is soon gained at least after the brushing way hath at this present over-topt the noble Lute Nor is it to be denied but that after the pinching way the Ghittar makes some good work 3. The Theorbo which is no other than an Arch-Lute keeping to the old Tuning is still generally made use of in Consorts And there are yet some among the Judicious who think it the most agreeable and becoming Associate to Vocal Musick The Organ hath been wonderfully advanced of late Years by the addition of several Melodious Stops 5. The Harpsicon is of late mightily Improved by the Invention of the Pedal which brings it so near to the Organ that it only seems to come short of it in Lungs 6. Here may not be unfitly mentioned that Musical Automaton a kind of Harpsicon which by a Clockwork-motion discharges a certain set number of Tunes according as it is would up to this or that Tune Of this sort of Automata there is to be seen a very neat Piece of Art of Reed-work at a House at St. Mary-Overs-Dock the Artificer thereof Mr. Tho. Hill of Westminster His Pitch-Pipe for the Tuning of Musical Instruments to Consort which is particularly worthy note for exactness variety and curious Work above any thing that is to be seen elsewhere of this Nature 7. The Harp is increased in repute and though the Welsh Gut-string formerly gave place to the Irish Wire-string now the Spanish Gut-string comes up with it 8. The Violin is now arrived to a great Perfection of Performance 9. The Flagiolet within this 20 or 30 Years and since that the Flute have been highly in vogue and frequented in use Present State Eng. Part 3. p. 90. c. 10. In Musick to pass by a Harpsecord that I met with at Sir Tho. Penystons with Cat 's Gut-string it hath been lately observed here at Oxford that though Viol or Lute-strings rightly Tuned do affect one another yet most of them do it not in all places alike as has till now been supposed For if the lesser of two Octaves be touched with the Hand or Bow each half of the Greater will answer it but will stand still in the middle and if the greater of the two Octaves be touched on either of its halves all the lesser will answer it but if touched on the middle the lesser will not stir c. Dr. Plot 's Nat. Hist Oxfordsh c. 9. p. 288. Dr. Marsh hath offered a Solution of this Phaenomenon in all its cases Concerning which vide Ibid. One Hooper of Oxford could so close his Lips as to fing an Octave at the same time And I know saith Dr. Plot two other Persons now living here that can do it though their Lips be set in that posture yet they shut them so close that they can by no means pronounce any thing articulate But he that excells them all and indeed to a miracle is one Mr. Jos Dring a young Gentleman of Har-Hall who sings a Song articulately ore Patulo and all in Octaves so very strongly and yet without much straining that he equals if not excells the loudest Organ He performs it in the lower part of his Throat and it came casually on him at first upon over-straining of his Voice Ibid. CHAP. V. Improvements in Astronomy ONE would think the Heavenly Bodies were out of Man's reach or that the Ancient Inhabitants of Phoenicia Egypt Chaldea Greece c. had in so many Thousand Years made so many Observations upon them that nothing more could be added and yet we have made fresh remarks here and useful Discoveries and Improvements not to speak of the World in the Moon which some have asserted and undertaken to make out for very probable or the Foramina and Cavities in others or the new Star in Cassiopea The Fleet Astronomer can bore And thread the Spheres with his quick-piercing Mind he views their Stations walks from Door to Door Surveys as if he had design'd To make a Purchase there he sees their Dances And knoweth long before Both their full-eyed Aspects and secret glances Herbert 1. The
professed he had Joy in parting with them Yet now their outward Distress and Danger was become greater since the Skipper's two Sons were the only help he had in working the Vessel Not long after another of the Company viz. Caleb Jones Son to Mr. William Jones one of the worthy Magistrates in New-Haven fell sick and died also leaving the VVorld with comfortable Manifestations of true Repentance towards God and Faith in Jesus Christ Thus the one half of their Company was taken away none remaining but the Skipper himself one Mr. Augur and a Boy He himself was still sickly and in a very weak Estate yet was fain to stand at the Helm 36 Hours and 24 Hours at a time in the mean time the boisterous Sea overwhelming the Vessel so as that if he had not been lasht fast he had certainly been washed overboard In this Extremity he was at a loss in his own Thoughts whether they should persist in striving for the New-England Shoar or bear away for the Southern Islands He proposed that Question to Mr. Augur they resolved that they would first seek to God by Prayer about it and then put this difficult case to an Issue by casting a Lot So they did and the Lot fell on New-England By that time a Month was expired they lost the Rudder of their Vessel so that now they had nothing but God alone to rely upon In this deplorable State were they for a Fortnight The Skipper though infirm as has been expressed yet for six Weeks together was hardly ever dry nor had they the benefit of warm Food for six Weeks together was hardly ever dry nor had Weeks in the Morning betimes the Vessel was driven on the Tailings of a Ledge of Rocks where the Sea broke violently looking out they espied a dismal Rocky Island to the Leeward upon which if the Providence of God had not by the Breakers given them timely warning they had been dashed in pieces And this extremity was the Lord's opportunity to appear for their Deliverance they immediately let go an Anchor and get out the Boat and God made the Sea calm The Boat proved leaky and being in the midst of Fears and Amazements they took little out of the Vessel After they came ashoar they found themselves in a rocky desolate Island near Cape Sables where was neither Man nor Beast to be seen so that now they were in extream danger of being starved to Death But a Storm arose which beat violently upon the Vessel at Anchor so as that it was Staved in pieces and a Cask of Powder was brought ashoar receiving no damage by its beiâ—g washed in the Water also a Barrel of Wine and half a Barrel of Molosses together with many things useful for a Tent to preserve them from cold This notwithstanding new and great distresses attended them for though they had Powder and Shot there were seldom any Fowls to be seen in that dismal and desolate place excepting a few Crows Ravens and Gulls These were so few as that for the most part the Skipper shot at one at a time Many times half of one of these Fowls with the Liquor made a Meal for Three Once they lived five Days without any Sustenance at which time they did not feel themselves pincht with Hunger as at other times the Lord in Mercy taking away their Appetites when their Food did utterly fail them After they had been about twelve Weeks in this miserable Island Mr. How 's dear Friend and Consort Mr. Augur died so that he had no living Creature but the Lad before-mentioned to Converse with And on April 2. 1677. that Lad died also so that the Master was now left alone upon the Island and continued so to be above a Quarter of a Year not having any living Soul to Converse with In this time he saw several Fishing Vessels Sailing by and some came nearer the Island than that which last took him in but though he used what means he could that they might be acquainted with his Distress none came to him being afraid for they supposed him to be one of those Indians who were then in Hostility against the English The good Man whilest he was in his desolate State kept many Days of Fasting and Prayer wherein he did confess and bewail his Sins the least of which deserved greater Evils than any in this World ever were or can be subject unto and begged of God that he would find out a way for his Deliverance At last it came into his mind That he ought very Solemnly to Praise God as well as Pray unto Him for the great Mercies and signal Preservations which he had thus far experienced Accordingly he set apart a Day for that end spending the time in giving Thanks to God for all the Mercies of his Life so far as he could call them to mind and in special for those Divine Favours which had been mingled with his Afflictions humbly blessing God for his wonderful Goodness in preserving him alive by a Miracle of Mercy Immediately after this a Vessel belonging to Salem in New-England providentially passing by that Island sent their Boat on shoar and took in Skipper How who arrived at Salem July 18. 1677. and was at last returned to his Family in New-haven I have seen a Manuscript wherein many memorable Passages of Divine Providence are Recorded And this which I shall now mention amongst others 13. About the Year 1638. A Ship fell foul upon the Rocks and Sands called the Rancadories sixty Leagues distant from the Isle of Providence Ten of the Floating Passengers got to a Spot of Land where having breathed a while and expecting to Perish by Famine eight of them chose rather to commit themselves to the Mercy of the Waters two only stood upon the Spot of Land one whereof soon died and was in the Sands buried by his now desolate Companion This Solitary Person in the midst of the roaring Waters was encompassed with the Goodness of Divine Providence Within three Days God was pleased to send this single Person who now alone was Lord and Subject in this his little Common-wealth good store of Fowl and to render them so tame that the forlorn Man could pick and chuse where he list Fish also were now and then cast up within his reach and somewhat that served for Fewel enkindled by Flint to dress them Thus lived that Insulary Anchorite for about two Years till at last having espied a Dutch Vessel he held a rag of his Shirt upon the top of a Stick towards them which being come within view of they used means to fetch him off the said Spot of Sand and brought him to the Isle of Providence The Man having in so long a time conversed only with Heaven lookt at first very strangely and was not able at first Conference promptly to Speak and Answer 3. Princes and Magistrates delivered from Plots c. THE Mercy of God is of a very extensive Nature and his Goodness
reacheth to all Mankind but is most illustriously visible in watching over Kings and Princes those Great Instruments of Good to Mankind and so we find it Recorded in more Capital and Legible Characters by the Pen-Men of S. Scripture and so we may find it too in Humane Histories It would be too wide a Field to walk in to take a Prospect of Foreign Nations I shall in this place confine my self to my Own and Remark a little what signal Deliverances our Princes have received since the Reformation I. In the Reign of Queen Elizabeth 1. Pope Paulus Quintus a Man of a fierce Nature and Disposition A. C. 1569. was so far wrought upon That in the most Solemn manner that could be he Excommunicated and Anathematized our Blessed Queen and caused a Brief thereof with his Leaden Bull annexed thereto to be fastned to the Gate of the Bishop of London's Palace near Pauls Church by one John Felton who being Apprehended confessed the Fact and received the reward of his Treason on a Gibbet before the said Gate This Excommunication caused much Trouble on Man's part but manifold Preservations and Deliverances on God's part 2. A C. 1563. Arthur Poole of the Race of George Duke of Clarence of the House of York with sundry of his Kindred and Alliance Conspired to set on foot again the Title of Mary Queen of Scots and to bring an Army out of France into Wales to back the same but before they could bring their Plot to maturity it was discovered and themselves Condemned 3. A. C. 1570. the Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland encouraged by Promises of Aid from the Pope and Spaniard raised a Rebellion against the Queen in the Northern Parts but the Fire was soon quenched the Earl of Northumberland being taken and Beheaded and the Earl of Westmoreland flying beyond Sea ended his Days in a poor and mean Condition 4. A. C. 1570 John Story Doctor of Law a Spy to the Duke de Alva Conspired with one Prestol a Man much addicted to Magick and a Subject to the King of Spain against the Life of Queen Elizabeth He gave Intelligence to the said Duke how he might Invade England and cause Ireland to revolt But God brought this Treason to light Story and Prestol were by the Parliament Condemned for Treason and accordingly Executed 5. A. C. 1571. The Bishop of Rosse practised with sundry English Men to intercept Queen Elizabeth and to trouble the Parliament then sitting that so another Queen might be set up instead of Elizabeth but there fell out such mutual Mistrust amongst the Conspirators that their Plot turned to their own Confusion 6. A. C. 1578. Thomas Stukely an English Fugitive plotted with Pius V. and Gregory XIII to Lead Forces into Ireland to Assist the Rebels and to Conquer it for the Pope's Natural Son for which purpose he was made General of 8000 Italian Soldiers but by the persuasion of Sebastian King of Portugal he first led his Troops into Mauritania and was there Slain 7. A. C. 1580. Nicholas Sanders an English Priest had a Consecrated Banner given him by the Pope and an Army of Spaniards wherewith he entred Ireland and joyning with the Rebels caused a great Insurrection but it proved the Ruin of himself and of all his Accomplices 8. A. C. 1581. Robert Parsons Edmond Campion with other Seminary Priests were sent by the Pope from Rome to England to with-draw the Queen's Subjects from their Allegiance and to prepare them to take part with Foreign Powers when sent into England but their design was frustrated Campion Shâ—rwin Kirby and Bryant were Convicted Condemned for High Treason and accoadingly Executed 9. A. C. 1583. John Somervil was Apprehended as he came in a desperate manner to have killed the Queen being moved thereto as himself confessed by the Reading of certain Popish Books published by certain Priests After his Condemnation he Strangled himself in Newgate 10. A. C. 1585. Will. Parry Doctor of Law made a promise to kill the Queen upon promise of Absolution from the Pope but through Terror he deferred till his Treason was discovered and he received a due Reward for the same A. C. 1586. John Ballard a Romish Priest persuaded some Gentlemen to kill the Queen as she was going to take the Air which they vowed to do but being discovered before the Effect Fourteen of them were Executed as Traitors A. C. 1587. William Stafford a young Gentleman and one Moody a desperate Ruffian were Suborned by a Foreign Ambassador then in England to kill the Queen but were prevented 13. A. C. 1588. Philip formerly of England then King of Spain endeavoured by his Invincible Armado to recover England the Strength of which take out of Ranzovius's Com. Bell. l. 1. c. 8. The Navy consisted of 130 Ships and carried 57868 Lasts Soldiers c. 19295. Sea-Men 8052. great Guns 2441. Pilas seu glandes Tormentarias I know not well whether my Author means Mortar-Pieces or Cannon-Bullets 123090. Hundreds of Powder 1151. a great quantity of fresh Water Dishes Candles Lamps Clubs Leather Tow Flax and Straw to stop the chinks of the Ships great Plenty Shields Wax-Candles Tallow-Candles long Sacks a great Number for carrying of the great Guns 40 Mules together with Wagons Wheels c. Field-Pieces 1500. long Guns 7000. Forked and Crooked at the Handle 1000. Halbards and Axes 1000. Short Pikes 6000. Pioneers 700. Persons needful for such an Expedition Stipendiary Soldiers Gunners Physicians Chirurgeons Priests Monks Nobles Servants Governours Judges Admirals Mariners Seamen Cooks c. almost 30693. Provision for 6 Months thus Hundreds of Bisket 11000 Barrels of Wine 21255 Hundreds of Salt Flesh 6000 Hundreds of Cheese 3433 Hundreds of Salt Fish 8000 Hundreds of Oats 3000 Hundreds of Beans c. 6320 Baths of Oil 11398 Baths of Vinegar 13687 Pipes of Potable Water 11870 Paid to the Soldiers for Stipend 12000 Ducats besides a great quantity of Gold and Silver for carrying on and maintaining the War And yet saith my Author the English discharged upon this Fleet 10000 Guns Pant. Attic. Bellar. par 2. p. 208 209. ex Comment Bell. Ranzov l. 1. c. 8. 14. A. C. 1593. Patrick Cullin an Irish Fencer was hired by English Fugitives in the Low Countries to kill the Queen and with that purpose came over but Intelligence being given thereof he was Apprehended and Executed 15. The same Year Edmond York and Richard Williams were hired in like manner to kill the Queen and to burn her Navy with Balls of wild Fire but the mischief was prevented and they deservedly Executed 16. A. C. 1598. Edward Squire being in a Ship on the Sea was taken by the Spaniards and by them carried into Spain where he was suborned and directed by Richard Whalepool and English Fugitive and a Jesuit to destroy the Queen by laying a strong Poyson which the Jesuit then gave him on the pummel of the Sadle whereon the Queen should ride that she laying her Hand thereon might carry the
Herb Basil an Italian had a Scorpion that bred in his Brain Hol. de Morb. intern l. 1. c. 1. Camerarius tells a Young Nobleman in Germany who being in a Mortal Disease was desired to leave his Effigies Painted or Engraven to Posterity because of his Beauty refused but gave them leave after a few days to open his Tomb and as they found his Body then to have it pourtray'd ' but when they opened it they found his Carkass half consumed with Worms and many Serpents about his Diaphragma and back-bone His Monument it yet to be seen in Gentilitio Sacelio saith Camerarius who himself was an Eye-witness It a Natura quasi-digito antorem Calamitatum nostrarum Corruptionum monstrat scilicet Serpentem CHAP. XLI Strange Insects IF saith Lessius Pythagoras finding out a Demonstration in Mathematicks did so immoderately rejoyce that for the time he did not perfectly enjoy himself then how much Joy would so clear Knowledge of so many and great Mysteries bring which are in themselves discoverable in making of the least Fly such as may entertain a most sweet and serious Speculation of them for the space of many Years And I remember Gazeus in his Pia Hilaria spends a whole Poem in admiring and describing the Singing of a Grashopper near one of their Saints Cells concluding the whole with this short Epiphonema O quam magnus est in parvis Deus viz. Oh! how great is God in little Things 1. Apis the Bee is of a protuberant Oval Figure black and drilled full of innumerable Holes like a Grater or Thimble only the Holes are of a square Figure like an Honey-comb and stuff'd full of small Hairs If you divide the Bee near the Neck the Heart which is a white pulsing Vesicle may be seen without a Glass to beat most lively The Sting in all Bees are hollow and tubulous like a Shoemaker's Punch so that when they prick the Flesh they do also through that Channel transfuse the Poison into it For if you take a Bee Wasp or Humble-Bee especially and gently squeeze her Tail so that you may see the Sting you shall perceive a drop of Diaphanous Liquor at the very end of it which if you wipe off you shall distinctly see it renewed again that Humour passing down the Cavity into the end thereof The Sting of a Bee seems to be a Weapon of Offence and is as great an Instance that Nature did really intend Revenge as any and that 1. Because there seems to be no other use of it 2. By reason of its admirable Shape which seems to be designed for that very end 3. From the Virulency of the Liquor it ejects and the sad Effects that follow it Through the Microscope it appears to consist of two Parts a Sheath and a Sword or Dart The Sheath without a Chape or Top almost like the Holster of Pistol hollow of several Joints armed near the Top with several Crooks like Cats Claws The Sting or Sword appears quite through at the smaller End sharp pointed armed likewise with Claws as the Sheath These Crooks or Claws can be closed up or laid flat to the sides of the Sword when drawn into the Scabard and serves for drawing in and holding the Sting in the Flesh They seem to sting thus 1. They enter the Crooks and lay hold on the Skin on either side which keeps the Sheath from sliding back and then throughout the top of the Sting by an alternate and successive retracting and emitting it out of the Sheath and thereby also perhaps does force out the poisonous Liquor and make it hang at the end of the Sheath in a Drop The Crooks are supposed to the cause why these angry Creatures being in haste leave then Sting behind Hook's Microg p. 163 164. In windy Weather Bees often hold a little Stone in their hinder Feet for Ballast Mouf de Insect c. 1. The Honey-Bag is the Stomach which they always fill to satisfie and to spare vomiting up the greater part to be kept against Winter They have a King who is so much honoured that he never goes forth but they all attend him when he cannot fly they carry him saith Aristotle They are so Chaste that they will sting those that smell of Copulation and love to stall themselves in Virgins Sepulchres saith Plutarch Augustinus Gallus saith That at Verona they crept into the Sepulchre of two Sisters that were Virgins they made abundance of Combs in the dead Bodies of them both The Matter two Years after their Burial was made manifest by the fall of Thunder without any hurt to the Carcases of the Bees and Combs There were some found also in the Tomb of Hippocrates 2. Araneus the Spider is a poisonous Insect which hurts by Stinging being of divers sorts as the Asterius Caeruleus Lyeos Myrmerion Phalangium and Tarantula 1. They that are hurt by the Asterius presently rage are heavy and sleepy and have a Relaxation of the Nerves 2. The Ceruleus causeth a Pain at the Heart deep Sleep and Vomiting 3. The Myrmerion causeth a Swelling in the Wound by Pain and want of Breath 4. The Phalangium affects the whole Body by Heat Cold Horror Tumor Inflamation Trembling and a Diabetes 5. The Tarantulus causeth Singing Trembling Fear Phrenzy and Madness The Cure is done by bathing with Decoction of Stinking Trefoil and Oil fomenting the Parts with a Sponge dipt in Vinegar c. Against the Tarantula some use Musick Salmon's Dispen p. 257. Spiders have six or eight Eyes eight Feet are Insects of Prey hairy of thirty sorts in England in projecting a Thread cross a Room in plano Horizontalis raise themselves on their Legs and turning themselves up on their hinder Parts shoot out a Thread at a great distance 3. Asellus Millipedes Multipedes Tilus Sows or Hog-Lice they breed in most Places under Stones c. any being touched gather themselves up round They are of thin Volatile Parts digesting cleansing opening and a great Resolver of all Tartarious Matter of great Use in Physick for the Stone all Obstructions especially of the Urine Jaundice c. Ibid. 4. Auricularia Forficula Mordella Vellicula Fallo the Earwig in Powder with Hare's Urine cures Deafness Ibid. 5. Blatta Tinea the Moth hurts Books Bee-hives and Woolen Clothes and may be gathered together by Moth Mullen Ibid. 6. Bombyx the Silkworm differs not from the Caterpillar save that the Caterpillar is a little hairy and the Silkworm is stronger than the Web of the Caterpillar and of another Colour but as to the Figure and Bulk there is little difference between them Whereto may be added that their Production is much at one as being as it were hatched of certain Eggs living on Leaves inclosing themselves in certain Webs out of which they make their way after which they become a kind of Butterflies by a strange Metamorphosis which forces them from one Extremity to another i. e. from the Nature of Reptiles to that of Volatiles