A CATALOGUE OF MANY Natural RARITIES WITH Great Industry Cost and thirty Years travel in Foraign Countries COLLECTED BY ROBERT HVBERT alias FORGES Gent. and sworn Servant to His Majesty And dayly to be seen at the place called the Musick House at the MITER near the West end of St. Pauls Church London Printed by Tho. Ratcliffe for the Author 1664. A CATALOGUE OF MANY Natural RARITIES I. Rarities HVMAN A Giants Thigh-bone more than 4. feet in Length found in Syria A Mummy intire and adorned with Hieroglyphicks that shew both the Antiquity and eminent Nobility of the Person whose Corps it is taken out of one of the Egyptian Pyramids II. Rarities of BEASTS and Parts of them A Hahut or Sloth a fourfooted Animal of America in the Head and Neck somewhat resembling a Man It hath 3. Clawes one each foot but the Clawes are like a Boares tuskes it is of Florida and is the slowest of all Beasts from whence it hath its Name It was given by Esq Scott an ingenious Gentleman and a great traveller in America A Haget which sleepes six months it is a creature of the Island Mayonto in the Lake Yondarro two hundred miles from Hudsons river in America it hath a Costly furre and is held for excellent meat in that Country A Linx it is a fierce creature with an excellent furre it is as big as an ordinary water Spaniel and is a very quick sighted creature this beast leap't from a tree and had almost kill'd a Woman but that she was speedily delivered by a Moor who shot him to death It was given by Mr. Linzey Chirurgion of Popler An Ermine which living had rather suffer death then to be defiled as some Authers testifie A Monstrous Catt with two bodies one head eight leggs and two tayles it was presented by worthy Mr. Thornton Chaplaine to the right honorable the Earle of Bedford A Muske Ratt of Russia this Creature lives in fresh rivers and has a large long tayle and duck-feet behinde the better to swimme withall Parts of Beasts The Hornes of a Dog of a Land near China The Hornes of a Hare which were the Prince Electors of Saxony A Rinoceros Horne that was also given by his Highnesse the Duke of Holstein The Claw and Scale of a Rinoceros which is esteemed the Vnicorne A very long winding Horne of a Ram in Germany The Black hornes of a Russia Ram four growing together two streight and two crooked A strange horne of a Virginia Deere A strange horne of a German Raine Deere Another sorte of Raine Deeres horne A pair of Antlopes hornes A Male and Female Barbarouses heads either of them are as big as a Swines head it is a strange beast of the Deserts of East India it hath two tusks like a Boare in the lower jaw and two great tusks growing upon the nose A Guinney Bats-skin larger then a great Coney skin A soft Ball of haire bigger then a mans fist found in the maw of a Calf in Holland A Black Ball with a hard shell found in the stomack of a wilde Bull in Brasil A little Orbicular Ball hard and light found in the stomack of a strange beast of India A strange Tuske of a great Boar. A great Tooth of an Hippopotamus Besides the things above mentioned there are in a chest great variety of strange bones teeth and clawes of many different Creatures III. BIRDS A Phenicopter or Passoflamingo given by the Ingenious Lover of Rarities Mr. Povey Treasurer to his Highnesse the Duke of Yorke This bird is good meat and was much esteemed by the delicate-mouthed Romans A Manncodiata or Bird of Paradise with feet for it hath great feet to shew that it perches on trees in a land as yet unknown for they are never seen alive but are found always dead in the Moluccos Islands by reason of a continual wind that bloweth six months one way six months the other way and because of their sharp head little body and a great feathered tayle they are blown up so high that they fall dead in another climat or Countrey A Bird called the Alcion of East India A Tropick-bird this Bird is called so because that kind is seen near the Tropick or under the line for when the Mariners see them fly in the aire they then can conjecture where about they are It is a Sea foule of a gray colour but the quills of the feathers of his wings are black and the feathers white and his bill like a crow but very red and his feet like a duckes but of two colours An Arcuata Coccinea a sort of Sea Curlew highly esteemed by the Natives of Brasile who call it Guaro It changes the colour of its feathers thrice viz. from black to ash-colour and then to white but the second year put on new ones of a scarlet which the longer the bird lives it growes more bright and orient It is found in Marahoon and Rio de Janciro Given me together with the full Relation of it by the learned Dr. Charlton one of the Kings Majesties Physitians in ordinary and excellently knowing in Natural Rarities A strange Sea-fowle as big as a Goose it is called the Sea Pinguin it cannot fly for his wings are like finnes and is so thick of feathers that one cannot shoote him unlesse behinde against the growth of his thick down or feathers he is found threescore leagues from the Coast of Canada A Sea-Crow it is as big as a Raven it hath feet like a Duck and a bill like a Crow A Sea-Parret or Coppernose of Greeneland the bill is of several colours but the feet of a scarlet and like a Duck. A Great Bird of Guiney called the Guiney Wake it resembles something a Pea-cocke on the head and hath a tuffe like the bristles of a Hog on the top of his head and hath a scent like musk and as ill-favored feet as the Peacock Several Tominci or Humming Birds of several countries which live by the dew that they suck from the flowers with their little long tongues A very rare little Bird. The Nest and the Bird altogether do not weigh 24. graines it is a lesser species of humming Bird then ordinary The Head and Bill of the Bird Ibis of Aegypt it is the bird that taught the use of Glysters and in that Countrey there is a Law that condemnes any to death who kills one of them For they devoure the Serpents in those parts An Indian Storkes head and bill An Acoras head and bill of Brasil A Pelicans head bill and bag with the feet to prove that it is a water fowle he does not make himself to bleed a purpose for his young ones but by accident by carrying of shellfishes in his thin bag makes it to bleed A Toucans head and bill of Peru the head and bill of that bird are bigger then all his body it is a very rare one and did belong to the King of Spain The Head and Legge of an
for the Master of these Rarities in his travells never saw more then two peeces and this was one of them A Flint and Copper grown together Several sorts of Talkes Several sorts of Sulphur Several sorts of Earths out of Mines Several sorts of other Minerals as Cinabaris Antimonium Saffor Murienum Flores Martis and divers other Metals and Minerals and the like Precious STONES Amethist in the Mine Granates in the Mine A sort of rich Diamond in the Mine Chrysolits in the Mine Jasper from the Mine Lapis Lazuli from the Mine Malaguita from the Mine Turkeise from the Mine Rubies from the Mine Vermilions from the Mine Emerauld from the Mine Hyacinths from the Mine And divers other sorts of precious stones and different sorts of Pearls for their colours and shapes with several Toad stones and Eagle stones and such like A Bohemian Topaz on a rich pedestal of Ebony An other rare Topaz that hath in it a representation of a forrest or bushy-hills A peece of Ambar that hath in it a representation of a rising vapour or Cloud Divers other peeces of transparent Amber that have all something or other in them as Flies Spyders Ants or the like Divers Stones of strange shapes and regular formes Several Lapides Ammonis or stones like Serpents Several Glosopetrat or Tongue stones Several stones like unto Cloak buttons Several Lapides Lincei Several Lapides Judaici Lapis Hamatites of Numidia Lapis Nephriticus of India Stones like Caps Stones like Hearts Stones like Starres Stones like Wheeles of Watches Stones like little Pillars Stones like Crosses Stones like Screws Stones like Pease Stones like Darts-heads Stones square like Dice Stones in shape like Tobaco rowls Stones with well formed impressions A Stone that is hollow and does appear as if it had a hole quite thorough but it has not A Stone like a Dogs tooth Agate Stones like the eyes of fishes A Stone like a little eare A Stone like ones gummes with teeth A Stone like the little Toe of ones left foot A Stone like the secret parts of a Woman Several Stones like unto Sugar plums Sweet-meates March-pane Sugar-candy Sugar-cake and the like and divers other sorts of stone of the like nature V. Things of strange Operation A Hard white Stone that if one puts it in the fire doth suddenly turn to dust Stones that being put into a glasse of water crack into small peces so that one may hear them crackle A Stone that if one blows on it it smells but if one does not blow it will not smell at all and the harder one blowes the stronger it sents A Stone that if one puts it on the fire gives an excellent smell A Stone that is hard and heavy yet being put in the water does sent odoriferously like a hat-full of violet flowers A good Load-Stone that is as rare as any other thing though common for his sudden attraction of Iron A Stone being held in a moist hand gives a sent like a nasty hog and therefore is called the swine stone A peece of Wood as bad for being scraped and a little worme smells like a stinking Jakes A peece of Wood being scrapt in a glasse of water it makes the water appear of two colours for if one hold the glasse betwixt two men the one will say it is yellow and the other will say that it is of a darke blew A peece of wood that is not heavy yet sinks suddenly under water A stone so hard that can it scratch steel yet being cast in the water does not sink but swimes on the water A Mineral stone that rubbing of it to a peece of bright Iron or Steele turns it suddenly into Copper Stones from the West India that are hard yet being put in vineger stirs to and fro and seemes to creep or go Other sorts of Stones that have the like property of stirring in vineger But above all these Stones for admiration is a little stone like a gray coloured Agate called by some Oculus Mundi it being put in a glasse of clear water becomes as clear as crystal and then taken out in a little time returnes to its first opacity this Rarity was presented to the better adorning of the forementioned curiosities by worthy Sr. Francis Peters A mineral substance that being put in a glasse of wine makes infinite bubbles like atomes that rises in the middle of the Wine to the delighting of the beholders An other mineral substance like silke called Amianthus and also Asbestos it being put in the fire does not consume A Crustated Sponge a little of it dryed and applyed to ones wrist makes it to itch for eight dayes together A fruit that being stuck on a forke and then held over a candle makes a very pleasant fire work A Rose of Jerico that is drawn up together a little bigger then a tenis ball and is an hundred years old Besides these above mentioned things there are Chests and Boxes furnished with many hundreds of Rarities as several shells stones bones marcasits mineralls fruits Nutts excrescences and such like things all different in shapes and operations and of divers countries Their Names and Natures being omitted for to avoid prolixity But if the owner of this collection of Rarities does sell them to any Noble minded party he then God willing will write at large a more ample declaration to the expressing of each thing in particular to honour that vertuous person that shall buy them A Catalogue of the Names of those Great Princes and persons of Quality whose Love of Vertue Learning and of the admirable workes of God in Natural Rarities has been shewed by their Bountifull adding of something to the increase of the forementioned Collection CHARLES the First King of Great Britaine France and Ireland c. CHARLES the Second King of England Scotland France and Ireland Ferdinand the third Emper. of Germany c. Elionora Empresse c. Ferdinand the fourth King of the Romans c. Elleonora Queen Dowagere of Sweade c. Christina Queen of Swede c. John Philips Archbishop of Mentz and Prince Elector c. Charles Lewis Palsgrave of the Rhein and Prince Elector c. John George Prince Elector of Saxony c. Maximilianus Henry Archbishop of Collen and Prince Elector c. Christian Lewis Duke of Lunemburg and Brunzwich c. Frederick Duke of Holstein c. William Landgrave of Hessen Prince of Hersefeild c. Gaston Duke of Orleans c. Philip Earl of Pembrooke Monsieur de Believre Great Prresident of France The Honorable Sr. Thomas Row His Majesties Ambassadour to the Great Mogor in India and also Embassador to the Emperour of the Turks at Constantinople and to the Emperour of Germany and also to divers other Kings Princes and Free States Sr. Thomas Wardner General for the Caribea Islands and Governour of St. Christophers and one of the Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber to King Charles the first Sr. Francis Peters a friend to Ingenuity and Rarities Frederick Shink Governour of Selle and Privy Councellour to the Duke of Brunzwich The Learned Petrus Carisius Resident for the King of Denmark in the united Provinces Sr. Theodore de Mayerne Physitian to Queen Mother Heneretta Maria. Esquire Courtine a lover of vertue and Ingenuity Mr. Povey Treasurer to his Royal Highnesse the Duke of Yorke Dr. Saltzman Physician and Professor in the University of Strasburgh Dr. Fausius Professor in the University of Hidelberg Dr. Moretus Professor in Astronomy in the University of Prague Dr. Cornelius van der Lingon Physician in the University of Utrecht Dr. Housewetel Physician to the King of Sweden and Cheif Physician in Hamburg Dr. Bezler Cheif Physician in Nuramberg Dr. Brown Physician in Ausburg Dr. Dewit Physician in the Country of Liefland Dr. Eastgate Physician in Poplar Mr. Thornton Chaplain to the Righ Honorable Earl of Bedford Mr. Cornelius Middlegest Clerk to the Company of the Royal Adventurers of England Trading into Africa FINIS
in the linnen not to be washed out A Limpet which sticks also to the rocks and is an Insect of the Sea having a flat shell but the creature within is something like a snaile with little hornes and is very good meat A Needle-fish it is a small little long fish of the forme of of a needle A Sea Louse is also an insect of the Sea in Greenland and sticks to the Whale for food Some Sea-fleas when the sea is at a low Ebbe they are found by hundreds under some Rocks and after stormes on the sands by the shore side Some Sea-Scorpions they are insects of the Sea and have six feet like a Scorpion and a long tayle Some Mint fishes they are little round creatures but when they are dry they are flat and mark'd like money A Sea Eye it is a species of the Mint fish round and clear like Gelley but venemous A Paraquito fish of the Adriatic Sea it is a little green fish like a Paraquito but hath small teeth afore like unto a Mouses A little Burre-fish it is green and like a burre that sticks to ones cloathes it is one of the species of Icus Marinus A little fish found in moarish grounds in Swedland it hath a little prickle on the back that is venemous A little Sea Serpent something resembling a Conger but the head is bigger for the proportion of its body A Sea Insect called the Sea-chairs it hath many scales like a wood louse two long hornes and a forked tayle A Water Insect called squilla Fluviatilis or the water Cricket Also many hundred of very rare and beautifull fish shells all different in their formes works or colours and other things belonging to Animals in Chests and Boxes Amongst some of them a very rare Mother of Pearle or the Pearle oyster with an oriential Pearle in the midst and a Carvall fish shell of the Red Sea and two or three species of shells that grow contrary to the nature of all shells in general for they grow towards the left hand Another sort called the Antipathio shell for the Center is on the bottome and the other shells in generall has the Center on the top Parts of FISHES A Ribb of a Triton or Mereman taken by Captain Finny upon the shouts of Brasil five hundred Leagues from the Maine given by Doctor Esgate Physitian The Vein of the tongue of that Whale that was taken up at Greenwich a little before Cromwel's death it is like a vein stocke that is withered A peece of the Skin of the Whale the pizzle eight or nine foot long the Drum-â—panne a tooth a finne of one of the Gills some twelve foot long and the bone that the Whale spouts the water out withall and a neck bone The Tayle of a Sea Cat or stingray it will saw like an iron saw A very great Saw or Weapon of a Saw-fish A Round flat bone of a fish like a pancake An Extraordinary great Lobsters Claw A Great Jawe of a large Tabourein it is a Species of Sharke and hath four or five tyre or rows of teeth it was sent the Master of these Rarities from the West Jndia V. SERPENTS c. A Serpent above twenty foot long of the East India it hath in the upper chap four rowes of teeth this Serpent when he was living could swallow men or beasts A long Narrow Serpent like a peece of narrow hair-coloured Satten edged with white Satten A Beautifull Serpent called Ibaboca of Brasil some ten or twelve foot long A Spotted Serpent of the Island Jamaica this with the three following Serpents was given to the increase of these Rarities by worthy Mr. Powey one of the Royal Society of Philosophers and Treasurer to his highnesse the Duke of Yorke A Gray Coloured Serpent this Serpent being held before the light the skin appears like Net-work A Gold Coloured Serpent for this Serpent skin is like cloth of Gold An other Serpent of India like Cloth of Silver with black spotts A Black Serpent of Virginia it is eaten for good meat A Boitininga or Rattle Snake Nature has formed him with a rattle at his tayle that men might avoyd the danger of his biting for being once bittten by him a Man dyes in halfe an houre unlesse he hath of the rattle snake roote for to apply alittle of it to the offended place and by eating a little of it also therefore the Savages of Virginia seldom travel without it A Viper of Italy A Viper of Germany An Adder of England A little Serpent of Germany A Slow-Worme of Hessen An other coloured little Serpent An Aspe A great Tatoo or Armadillo of the Duke of Orleans it lives under ground like a Mole and is as big as a pretty big dog it is a great Rarity in the East India and a noble present of so great a Prince An Armadillo of the West India that is esteemed good meat there An other sort of Armadillo of the East India that was presented King James for a Rarety A great Crocodile given by Noble Squire Courtine a lover of vertue and ingenuity A little Spotted Crocidile of Egypt A very litle Crocodile as it first came out of his egge A little Aligater of Brasil it is a species of Crocodile A great Lizzard of Africa that is said to be so loving to Man that if the Man be a sleep and in danger of some other creature he will then awake him A great Spotted Lizzard skin that his Highnesse the Landgrave of Hessen gave as a Rarity An other species of Lizard of Numidia or of Arabia it is called by some the land Crocodile A Bâ—â—gelugey it is a creature of some parts of Africa a kind of Lizard that hath great scales like a fish A Câ—â—â—lâ—on of Barbary it is said to live only by the air but it is not so for he lives by slyes and yet he can live long without food his skin being so nervous and very little porous A True Salamander is said to live in the fire as has been too often reported but will live longer in the fire then any living creature of his bignesse for the matter or moisture that proceeds from him condenses and so smothereth the fire as milk or glew doth A Guaena of America it is a sort of Lizard as big as a good Rabett but in those parts held for better meat it lives by the fruits of trees and is so harmelesse that one may take him by the tayle as he is on a tree A Black land Tortoise full of little yellow speeks such as those in Germany or Greece A little land Tortoise of Canada with many other different land Tortoises out of the East and West Indies they are all generally good meat A fair Sincus Terrestris of Egypt it hath four feet like a Lizard but resembles a fish though it be a land creature it is said that one part of his body is cooling but the other part is provocative to man or woman A Coale