how they have been rewarded 119 Chap. 17. Of the envious Nature and Disposition of some men 120 Chap. 18. Of Modesty and the Shame-faced Nature of some men and women 122 Chap. 19. Of Impudence and the shameless Behaviour of divers persons 124 Chap. 20. Of Iealousie and how strangely some have been affected with it 125 Chap. 21. Of the Commiseration Pity and Compassion of some men to others in time of their Adversity 127 Chap. 22. Of the deep Dissimulation and Hypocrisie of some men 128 The THIRD BOOK CHap. 1. Of the early appearance of Virtue Learning Greatness of Spirit and Subtlety in some Young Persons 130 Chap. 2. Of such as having been extream Wild and Prodigal or Debauched in their Youth have afterwards proved excellent Persons 132 Chap. 3. Of Punctual Observations in Matters of Religion and the great regard some men have had to it 134 Chap. 4. Of the Veracity of some Persons and their great Love to Truth and hatred of Flattery and Falshood 137 Chap. 5. Of such as have been great Lovers and Promoters of Peace 139 Chap. 6. Of the signal Love that some men have shewed to their Country 140 Chap. 7. Of the singular Love of some Husbands to their Wives 142 Chap. 8. Of the singular Love of some Wives to their Husbands 144 Chap. 9. Of the Indulgence and great Love of some Parents to their Children 147 Chap. 10. Of the Reverence and Piety of some Children to their Parents 149 Chap. 11. Of the singular Love of some Brethren to each other 152 Chap. 12. Of the singular Love of some Servants to their Masters 154 Chap. 13. Of the Faithfulness of some men to their Engagement and Trust reposed in them 157 Chap. 14. Of the exact Obedience which some have yielded to their Superiours 159 Chap. 15. Of the Generosity of some Persons and the Noble Actions by them performed 161 Chap. 16. Of the Frugality and Thriftiness of some men in their Apparel Furniture and other things 164 Chap. 17. Of the Hospitality of some men and their free Entertainment of Strangers 165 Chap. 18. Of the blameless and innocent Life of some Persons 167 Chap. 19. Of the choicest Instances of the most intire Friendship 168 Chap. 20. Of the Grateful Disposition of some Persons and what returns they have made of Benefits received 171 Chap. 21. Of the Meekness Humanity Clemency and Mercy of some men 174 Chap. 22. Of the light and gentle Revenges some have taken upon others 177 Chap 23. Of the Sobriety and Temperance of some men in their Meat and Drink and other things 179 Chap. 24. Of the Affability and Humility of divers Great Persons 181 Chap. 25. Of Counsel and the Wisdom of some men therein 182 Chap. 26 Of the Subtilty and Prudence of some men in the Investigation and discovery of things and their Determinations about them 184 Chap. 27. Of the Liberal and Bountiful Disposition of divers Great Persons 186 Chap. 28. Of the Pious Works and Charitable Gifts of some men 189 Chap. 28. Of such as were Lovers of Iustice and Impartial Administrators of it 192 Chap. 30. Of such Persons as were Illustrious for their singular Chastity both Men and Women 195 Chap. 31. Of Patience and what power some men have had over their Passions 199 Chap. 32. Of such as have well deported themselves in their Adversity or been improved thereby 200 Chap. 33. Of the willingness of some men to forgive Injuries received 201 Chap. 34. Of such as have patiently taken free Speeches and Reprehensions from their Inferiors 203 Chap. 35. Of the incredible strength of Mind wherewith some Persons have supported themselves in the midst of Torments and other Hardship 205 Chap. 36. Of the Fortitude and Personal Valour of some famous Men. 207 Chap. 37. Of the fearless Boldness of some Men and their desperate Resolutions 210 Chap. 38. Of the immoveable Constancy of some Persons 213 Chap. 39. Of the great Confidence of some Men in themselves 214 Chap. 40. Of the great reverence shewed to Learning and Learned Men. 216 Chap. 41. Of the exceeding intentness of some Men upon their Meditations and Studies 218 Chap. 42. Of such Persons as were of choice Learning and singular Skill in the Tongues Chap. 43. Of the first Authors of divers famous Inventions 222 Chap. 44. Of the admirable Works of some curious Artists 224. Chap. 45. Of the Industry and Pains of some Men and their hatred of Idleness 229 Chap. 46. Of the Dexterity of some men in the instruction of several Crâ—atures 230 Chap. 47. Of the Taciturnity and Secrecy of some men instrusted with privacies 232 Chap. 48. Of such who in their raised Fortunes have been mindful of their low beginnings 233 Chap. 49. Of such as have despised Riches and of the laudable poverty of some illustrious persons 234 Chap. 50. Of such Persons as have preferred Death before the loss of thâ—ir Liberty and what some have endured in the preservation of it 237 Chap. 51. Of such as in highest Fortunes have been mindful of humane frailty 238 Chap. 52. Of such as were of unusual Fortune and Felicity 239 Chap. 53. Of the Gallantry wherewith some Persons have received death or the message of it 241 The FOURTH BOOK CHap. 1. Of Atheists and such as have made no account of Religion with their Sacrilegious actions and the punishments thereof 361 Chap. 2. Of such as were exceeding hopeful in youth but afterwards improved to the worse 363 Chap. 3. Of the rigorous Severity of some Parents to their Children and how unnatural others have shewed themselves towards them 364 Chap. 4. Of the degenerate Sons of illustrious Parents 366 Chap. 5. Of undutiful and unnatural Children to their Parents 368 Chap. 6. Of the Affectation of divine Honours and the desire of some men te be reputed Gods 370 Chap. 7. Of unnatural Husbands to their Wives 372 Chap. 8. Of such Wives as were unnatural to their Husbands or evil deported towards them 373 Chap. 9. Of the deep hatred some have conceived against their own Brethren and the unnatural actions of Brothers and Sisters 374 Chap. 10. Of the Barbarous and Savage Cruelty of some men 376 Chap. 11. Of the bitter Revenges that some men have taken upon their enemies 379 Chap. 12. Of the great and grievous oppressions and unmercifulness of some men and their punishments 382 Chap. 13. Of the bloody and cruel Massacres in several places and their occasions 384 Chap. 13. Of the excessive Prodigality of some Persons 385 Chap. 14. Of the Prodigious Luxury of some men in their Feasting 387 Chap. 15. Of the Voraciousness of some great Eaters and the Swallowers of Stones c. 390 Chap. 16. Of great Drinkers and what great quantities they have swallowed 391 Chap. 17. Of Drunkenness and what hath befallen some men in theirs 393 Chap. 18. Of the Luxury and Expence of some Persons in Apparel and their Variety therein and in their other Furniture 395 Chap. 19. Of Gaming
Soldiers that were they all alive were enough to subdue all the Barbarians round about us 10. Publius Scipio Africanus when he saw Carthage quite overthrown he wept much and being mindful of the mutability of humane affairs with tears he repeated that of Homer Iamque dies aderint quo concidat Hioningens Et Priamus Priamique ruat plebs armi potentis And time shall come when stately Troy shall fall With warlike Priam and his people all Polybius as it fortuned at that time stood by him his Guide and companion in his Studies and he enquired if he had any peculiar respect to any thing in those Verses Yes said he I mean it of Rome concerning which I cannot chuse but be solicitous as oft as I think of the inconsistency of all humane affairs 11. Titus Vespasianus at the overthrow of Ierusalem and the memory of its former Glory could not abstain from shedding tears cursing the perverseness and obstinacy of the seditious Jews who had compelled him against his will to lay in ruines so great a City and so famous a Temple as there was 12. C. Pompeius in one of his Consulships at the Dedication of the Temple of Venus exhibited in the Theatre twenty Elephants in fight encountred by divers Getulian Archers The Elephants seeing there was no way for slight began to move the compassion of the people with such unspeakable signs and lamentation that the people were so mov'd with it that they all rose up departed the Theatre bestowing many curses upon Pompey in lieu of this his Bounty and Magnificence CHAP. XXII Of the deep Dissimulation and Hypocrisie of some men MAud the Empress being besieged by the Forces of King Stephen in Oxford there happened to fall a great snow the Empress took the advantage hereof and by arraying her self and her followers in white she made her escape thence There are but too many that walk in white till their ends be attained make shew of much simplicity friendship and virtue for no other purpose than to train men within the compass of their privy snares then off goes the Angel that the Devil may appear 1. Caius Iulius Caesar was a great dissembler for whereas he pretended to be a mighty lover and admirer of Cn. Pompeius he did not only not love him but withal he privily sought to render him odious to the people by reason of the multitude of his honours When Cicero had several times taunted and reproached him he never so much as made answer to him that he might not seem to be offended with him in the least but privately he stirred up Clodius against him by whose means he got him banished from Rome And this was a quality ever inherent in Caesar that if any man had created him any trouble he would seem out of greatness of mind to despise him but then he would be revenged of him by others The same person as soon as he heard that Pompey was sled into Aegypt he also pursued him thither certainly for no other end but that in case he could any way get him in his power he might make sure of him And yet this man as soon as he saw the head of Pompeius brought unto him shed tears and said It is the Victory and not the Revenge that pleases me 2. Charles the Ninth of France was well practised in this art â—or a little before the massacre at Paris when he had invited the Admiral Coligni thither he was honourably entertained by the King who called him Father protested he would be ruled by his counsel and often averred that he loved him c. Yet shortly after he caused him to be basely murdered and unworthily insulted over him after his death 3. Richard Duke of Glocester was so cunning a Dissembler that he would accompany most familiarly and jest pleasantly with such as he hated in his heart and would pretend to refuse even the Kingdom it self when proffered whereas he had used all means to compass it and resolved to gain it at what rate soever 4. Tiberius the Emperour was also well skilled herein when Augustus was dead though he immediately possessed himself of the supreme command acted as a Prince and assured the Soldiers to himself yet with a most impudent mind he refused the Government when his Friends requested him to take it upon him he sharply took them up telling them that they knew not how great a Monster Empire was When the whole Senate entreated him and fell at his feet thereby to move him to accept it he gave them ambiguous answers and with his crafty ways of delay he left them in suspence insomuch that some grew out of patience to be thus dallied with and one in the Throng cryed out Let him take it or leave it Another told him to his face that others did slowly perform what they had promised but he on the other side did slowly promise that which he would perform At last as if he had been compelled and enforced and complaining that a miserable and burdensome servitude was imposed upon him he accepted of the Empire and yet no otherwise than as a man that pretended he would some time or other lay it down again His own words were Till I come unto that time when you shall think it meet to allow some rest and ease unto my old age The end of the Second Book of the Wonders of the Little World THE THIRD BOOK CHAP. I. Of the early appearance of Virtue Learning Greatness of Spirit and Subtlety in some young Persons URaba in Peru is of so rich a soil that the Seeds of Cucumbers and Melons sown will bear ripe fruits in twenty eight days after the Seeds of Virtue arrive to a marvellous improvement in the souls of some in a short time in comparison of what they do in others Indeed those persons who have been most remarkable in any sort of Virtue have been observed to give some early specimen and instance of it in their youth and a man that had considered of the dawning and first break might easily predict an illustrious day to succeed thereupon 1. Aemilius Lepidus while yet a youth did put himself into the Army where he slew an enemy and saved the life of a Citizen of Rome of which memorable act of his Româ—'s Senate left a sufficient witness when they decrâ—ed his young statue should be placed in the Capitol girt in an honourable Vest for they thought him ripe enough for honour who was already so forwardly advanced in virtue 2. M. Cato in his childhood bewrayed a certain greatness of spirit he was educated in the house of Drusus his Uncle where the Latine Embassadors were assembled about the procuring of the freedom of the City for their people Q. Popedius the chief of them was Drusus his Guest and he asked the young Câ—to if he would intercede with his Uncle in their behalf who with a constant look told him he would not
his Brother who had recommended the care of his Daughter unto him and had also shewed him where he had hid a great quantity of Gold under ground wherewith he should defray his Funeral Expences While he was speaking in this manner to the admiration of all that were present there came a messenger with the news of his Brother's death and the Gold was also found in the very place as he had said 2. Plutarch in his Book de anima writes of one Enarchus who being accounted and left for dead by the Physicians not long after return'd to life affirming that those spirits who had withdrawn him from this life were severely reproved by their Chief for that through their mistake they had brought him instead of Nicauda the Tanner who the same day and hour being sick of a Fever died in his Bed Besides this as a testimony of his return to life he told Plutarch who was then sick that he should speedily recover of that disease as indeed he did 3. A like case with the former is set down by Gregorius thus There was saith he one Reparatus a Roman who being stiff and cold was given over by his Relations as one who undoubtedly dead when soon after he return'd to life and sent to the Shrine of S. Laurence in Rome such as should enquire concerning Tiburtius the Priest there if any thing had newly befallen him In the mean time while the messenger was gone he told them that were with him that he had seen that Tiburtius tormented in Hell with terrible flames The messenger he had sent return'd with this news that Tiburtius was that very hour departed this life and soon after Reparatus himself died 4. Stephanus a Roman a person of great virtue and very wealthy went to Canstantinople about the dispatch of some Affairs he had there where he died And for as much as the day was far spent and inclining towards Evening so that preparations for his Funeral could not be conveniently made in that short time he was therfore laid out and kept in the house till the morrow at which time he arose from the dead and said that he was brought before a certain Judge where he heard them loudly reprehended and rated by whom he was thither brought for that the Judge had given them order not to bring him but one Stephanus a Blacksmith who was one of his Neighbours they sent therefore to that Blacksmith and it was found that he died in that very hour And this saith Gregorius I have heard related by the mouth of Stephanus himself 4. Near unto this is that which S. Augustine saith was seen by himself in the person of one Curina this man liv'd in a Village near unto Hippo in Africa where S. Augustine was Bishop â—alling into a grievous sickness he was reputed by almost all persons as dead having lost all his senses and receiving no kind of nourishment when he had lain some days in this posture that which detain'd his Friends from the burial of him was that some of them thought some little breath was yet in his Nostrils but when these also were now of the mind that he was departed on the sudden he opened his eyes and bade them send speedily to Curina a Smith and his Neighbour to see how he did and when word was brought back that he was newly dead he told them that he was brought before a Judge who sharply rebuked the spirits that had brought him instead of the other Curina that thereupon he was restored to life that in this extasie he had seen Paradise and many other things he related amongst others that hâ— was admonished to be baptized by S. Augustine at Hippo being therefore restored to his health he did as he was advised 6. While Narses was in Italy there was a great Plague in Rome whereof in the house of Valerianus the Advocate a young man fell sick he was his Shepherd and a Liburnian by Nation and when he was supposed to be dead he straight returned to himself and calling his Master to him told him that he had really been in Heaven and had there understood how many and who they were that should die out of his House in that great plague and having named them told his Master that he should survive his servants To confirm the truth of what he said he added that he had learned all kind of Tongues and in the same hour discoursed with his Master in Greek he also made trial with others that were skilled in other languages whereas before he only understood the Latine When he had lived thus two days he grew into a Frenzy and striving to bite his own hands he died as many as as by name he had said should die followed him soon after but his Master remain'd free from infection according as he had predicted 7. Everardus Ambula a German Knight fell sick in Germany in the time of Pope Innocent the Third and when he had lain for some time as one dead returning to himself he said that his Soul was carried by evil spirits into the City of Ierusalem thence into the Camp of Saladine who then reigned in Aegypt from thence it was conveyed to Lombardy where in a certain Wood he had spoken with a German Friend of his lastly he was brought to the City of Rome the site the form of places and Buildings of which together with the features of divers Princes there he most exactly described as they were whereas this is matter of admiration yet that encreases the wonder that he with whom he said he did converse in the Wood affirmed that he had there at the same time and hour discoursed with this Everardus according as he had declared 8. Acilius Aviola was concluded dead both by his Domesticks and Physicians accordingly he was laid out upon the ground for some time and then carried forth to his Funeral Fire but as soon as the flames began to seise his body he cryed out that he was alive imploring the assistance of his Schoolmaster who was the only person that had tarried by him but it was too late for encompassed with flames he was dead before he could be succored 9. Lucius Lamias had been Praetor and being departed this life he was carried after the Roman manner to be burnt being surrounded with flames he cryed out that he lived but in vain for he could not be withdrawn from his Fate 10. Plato tells of Erus Armenius how he was slain in Battel amongst many other when they came to take up the dead bodies upon the tenth day after they found that though all the other carcases were putrid this of his was entire and uncorrupted they therefore carryed it home that it might have the just and due Funeral Rites performed to it two days they kept it at home in that state and on the twelfth day he was carryed out to the Funeral Pile and being ready to be laid upon
there did I dictate Latin Greek and Barbarous names some significant others not so many and so different having not the least dependance one upon the other that I was weary with dictating the Boy with writing what I dictated and all the rest with hearing and expectation of the issue We thus diversly wearied he alone call'd for more But when I my self said it was fit to observe some measure and that I should be abundantly satisfi'd if he could but recite me the one half of those I had caus'd already to be set down He fixing his eyes upon the ground with great expectation on our part after a short pause began to speak In brief to our amazement he repeated all we had wrote in the very same order they were set down without scarce a stop or any hesitation and then beginning at the last recited them all backwards to the first then so as that he would name only the first third fifth and in that order repeat all and indeed in what order we pleas'd without the least errour Afterwards when I was more familiar with him having often try'd him and yet never found him speaking otherwise than the truth he told me once and certainly he was no boaster that he could repeat in that manner 36000 names and which was yet the most strange things stuck in his Memory that he would say with little ado he could repeat any thing he had instrusted with it a year after For my own part I made tryal of him after many days and found he said true He taught Franciscus Mâ—linus a young Patrician of Venice and who had but a weak Memory in the compass of but seven days wherein he had learn'd of him to repeat five hundred names with ease and in what order he pleas'd 26. Francis King of France excell'd well nigh all those of his time in the firmness and readiness of his Memory what every particular Province ought to contribute what Ways and what Rivers were most convenient for their passage out of what Winter Quarters a party of Horse might be most speedily drawn all these and the like matters even concerning the remotest Cities he did comprehend with that singular Wit and Memory that the Nobles who were improved in those affairs by daily and constant imployments thought he held them in his Memory as if they lay there in an Index CHAP. III. Of the Sight and the vigor of that sense in some and how depraved in others IN Cilicia near unto the Town of Cescus there is saith M. Varro a Fountain that hath the name of Nus the Waters whereof have this admirable quality that they render the Senses of all such as taste of them more exquisite and subtile It may be suspected that some of those who are mentioned in the following Examples had cleared their eyes with the Waters of this Fountain or some other of the like quality thereby attaining to a quick-sightedness not inferiour to that of the Lynx it self 1. There was not many years since a Spaniard call'd Lopes at Gades who from an high Mountain call'd Calpe would see all over the opposite strait out of Europe unto the Affrican shore the passage from whence as Cleonardus witnesseth is no less than three or four hours sail in a calm Sea he could â—rom the top of this Mountain discern all that was doing in that far distant Haven or upon the Land near unto it and did discover it so that by the industry of this notable spy they of Gades did oftentimes avoid those designs which the Pyrates had upon them This was told me by a person of great Honour and Dignity who there receiv'd it from himself in the presence of others and amongst other things he said of him that his Eye-brows had hair upon them of an extraordinary length 2. We find incredible examples of the quickness of eye-sight in Histories Cicero hath recorded that the whole Poem of Homer call'd his Iliads was written in a membrane or piece of Parchment in so small a Character that the whole was to be couched and inclosed within the compass of a Nut-shell 3. The same Writer makes mention of one that could see and discern out right 135 miles and saith he Marcus Varro names the man calling him Strabo Of whom he further adds that during the Carthaginian War he was wont to stand and watch upon Lilybaeum a Promontory in Sicily to discover the Enemies Fleet loosing out of the Haven of Carthage and was able at that distance to count and declare the very just number of their Ships 4. Tiberius the Emperour had eyes of an extraordinary bigness and those such which is the wonder that could see even in the night and darkness but it was so only for a small time at the first opening of them after sleep by degrees they aâ—terwards grew dull and he could see no more than others 5. Iosephus Scaliger in the life of his Father writes both of him and himself that both of them having blewish eyes they could sometimes see in the night as well as we can in the twilight and that this continued with him from his childhood to the twenty third year of his age 6. Even in our age saith Pierius I have heard Marcus Antonius Sabellicus while he studied Greek with us affirm of himself that as oft as he was wak'd in the night he was able for some time very clearly to discern the Books and all other furniture of the Chamber where he lay 7. Hieronymus Cardanus in the beginning of his youth had that in common with Tiberius and the rest that he could see in the dark as soon as he wak'd all that was in the room but soon after all that ability did desert him he says the cause was the heat of the brain the subtilty of the spirits and the force of imagination 8. Caelius having related out of Pliny the History of Tiberius his seeing in the dark saith moreover that the same thing had sometimes happened to himself calling God to witness that he spake nothing but the truth 9. Gellius writes that in the remotest parts of the Country of Albania the Inhabitants there do grow bald in their childhood and that they can see much more clearly in the night than in the day for the brightness of the day dissipates or rebates the edge of their sight 10. Fabritius ab Aquapendente relates the History of a man of Pisa who had such a constitution of the eye that he could see very well in the night but either not at all or else very obscurely in the day 11. Sophronius in his Book of Spirits tells of Iulianus a Monk that for the space of seventy years he never lighted nor had a Candle who nevertheless was used to read Books throughout in the darkness of the night 12. Asclâ—piodorus the Philosopher and Scholar of Proclus was able in the thickest of the darkness to discern
by Mecaenas the great favourite of Augustus Caesar ad celeritatem scribendi for the speedier dispatch of writing Isidor ascribes it to Aquila the freedman of this Mecaenas and to Tertius Persâ—nnius and Philargius who had added to this invention yet had all they their chief light in it from Tullius Tito a freedman of Cicero's who had undertaken and compassed it in the propositions but went no further At the last it was perfected by Seneca who brought this Art into order and method the whole Volume of his contractions consisting of five thousand words 15. The boyling and baking of Sugar as it is now used is not above two hundred years old and the refining of it more new than that first found out by a Venetian in the days of our Fathers who is said to have got above 100000 Crowns by this invention and to have left his Son a Knight before which our Ancestors not having such luxurious pallats sometimes made use of rough Sugar as it comes from the Canes but most commonly contented themselves with honey 16. That Paper which was first in use was the invention of the Aegyptians for on the banks of the River Nilus grew those sedgy weeds called Papyri which have since given name to Paper By means of this Invention Ptolemy Philadelphus was enabled to make his excellent Library at Alexandria but understanding that Attalus King of Pergamus by the benefit of this Aegyptian Paper strove to exceed him in this kind of Muniâ—icence he prohibited the carrying it out of Aegypt Hereupon Aâ—talus invented the use of Parchment made of the Skins of Calves and Sheep from the materials called Membranae and Perganiena from the place where it was invented The convenience hereof was the cause that in short time the Aegyptian Paper was worn out of use in place whereof succeeded our Paper made of Rags the Authors of which excellent invention our Ancestors have â—orgotten to commit to memory My Lord Bacon reckons this amongst the singularities of Art so that of all Artificial matters there is scarce any thing like it It derives its pedigree from the Dunghil Vsque adâ—o magnarum sordent primordia rerum 17. Amongst all the productions and inventions of Humane wit there is none more admirable and useful than writing by means whereof a man may copy out his very thoughts utter his mind without opening his mouth and signifie his pleasure at a thousand miles distance and this by the help of twenty four Letters and fewer in some places by various joyning and combining of which letters all words that are utterable and imaginable may be framed For the several ways of joyning and combining these Letters do amount as Clavius the Jesuite hath taken the pains to compute to 5852616738497664000 ways so that all things that are in heaven or earth that are or were or shall be that can be uttered or imagined may be expressed and signiâ—ied by the help of this marvellous Alphabet which may be described in the compass of a farthing It seems this miracle hath lost its master being put down with the inventa Adespota by Thomas Read and thus sung by him Quisquiâ— erat meruit senii transcendere metas Et fati nescire modum qui mystica primus Sâ—nsa animi docuit magicis signare figuris that is Who er'e he was that first did shew the way T' express by such like Magick marks our mind Dâ—serv'd Reprieve unto a longer day Then Fate to mortals mostly has assign'd 18. Archimedes the Syracusan was the first Author of the Sphere of which instrument he made one of that Art and Bigness that a man standing within might easily perceive the motions of every Celestial Orb and an admirable agreement betwixt Art and Nature this rare invention is celebrated by the praises of many but especially by Claudian in an Epigram he hath on purpose compos'd upon it of which this is part Iupiter in parvo cum cernerat Aethera vitro Risit ad superos talia dicta dedit Huccine mortalis progressa potentia curae Iam meus en fragili luditur orbe labor c. CHAP. XLIV Of the admirable Works of some curious Artists WHen Learning as to the generality was at a kind of lower ebb in the world it was ordinary for such as had a more than ordinary knowledge in the Mathematicks to pass amongst the vulgar sort as men that were devoted to conjuration and necromancy The illiterate rout could not believe that to be any lawful Art which trod so near upon the heels of nature and whose wonderful productions transcended the measure of their reason Since then the times have been more favourable to learning and thereby Art improved to that height as some of the following examples will discover 1. Petrus Ramus tells us of a wooden Eagle and an iron Fly made by Regiomontanus a famous Mathematician of Norimberg whereof the first slew forth of the City aloft in the Air met the Emperour Maximilian a good way off coming towards it and having saluted him â—eturned again waiting on him to the City gates The Second at a feast whereto he had invited his familiar friends slew forth of his hand aâ—d taking a round returned thither again to the great astonishment of the beholders both which the excellent Pen of the noble Du Bartas rarely expressed Why should I not that wooden Eagle mention A learned German's late admir'd invention Which mounting from his fist that framed her Flew far to meet an Almain Emperour And having met him with her nimble Train And weary Wings turning about again Followed him close unto the Câ—stle Gate Of Norimberg whom all their shews of State Streets hang'd with Arras Aâ—ches curious built Gray-headed Senate and Youths Gallantise Grac'd not so much as only this dâ—vice He goes on and thus describes the Fly Once as this Artist more with mirth that meat Feasted some Friends whom he esteemed great From under 's hand an iron Fly â—lew out Which having stown a perfect round about With weary Wings return'd unto her Master And as judicious on his Arm he plac'd her O! Divine Wit that in the narrow Womb Of a small Fly could find sufficient Room For all those Springs Wheels Counterpoise and Chains Which stood in stead of Life and Spur and Reins 2. The Silver Sphere a most exquisite piece of Art which was sent by the Emperour Ferdinand to Solyman the Great Turk is mentioned by Paulus Iovius and Sabellâ—cus It was carried as they write by twelve men unframed and reframed in the Grand Seignior's presence by the maker of it who likewise delivered him a Book containing the mystery of using it of which Du Bartas thus Nor may we smother or forget ungrately The Heav'n of Silver that was sent but lately From Ferdinando as a famous work Vnto Bizantium to the Greatest Turk Wherein a Sprite still moving to and fro Made all the Engine orderly to gâ— And
four Rabbets which number would have sufficed an hundred threescore and eight men allowing to each half a Rabbet he suddenly devoured eighteen yards of black pudding London measure and when at once he had eat threescore pound weight of Cherries he said they were but wash-meat He made an end of a whole Hogg at once and after it for fruit swallowed three pecks of Damsons after he had broken his fast having as he said eaten one pottle of Milk one pottle of Pottage with Bread Butter and Cheese He eat in my presence saith Taylour six penny wheaten Loaves three six-penny Veal Pies one pound of sweet Butter one good dish of Thorne-back and a shiver of a peck houshold loaf of an inch thick and all this in the space of an hour the house yielded no more and so he departed unsatisfied One Iohn Dale was too hard for him at a place called Lenham he laid a wager he would fill Woods belly with good wholsom victuals for two shillings and a Gentleman that laid the contrary wag'd that when he had eaten out Dales two shillings he should then forthwith eat up a good Sirloin of Beef Dale bought six pots of mighty Ale and twelve new penny white loaves which he sopp'd in the Ale the powerful fume whereof conquered this conqueror and laid him in a sleep to the preservation of the roast Beef and unexpected winning of the wager He spent all his Estate to provide provant for his belly and though a Landed man and a true labourer dy'd very poor about the year 1630. 14. Cornelius Gemma speaks of a woman in his time who for one moments space was not able to forbear eating or drinking if she did it would be with her as if she were strangling This distemper which she had almost from her childhood encreased upon her with her age Being dead her belly was opened and thence almost twenty pounds of sat taken her Liver was found turgid with blood and spirits intensely red and of an incredible bigness 15. Tobias Fisher an eminent Physician saith he knew a man of fifty years of age who from his youth was wont with a strange kind of greediness to take in all sorts of food and as speedily to eject them He adds that this kind of hunger did seise him at stated times that his strong appetite lasted not above twenty daies that for so many daies after he had a loathing of all things and that the rest of the year he eat sparingly and lived in good health 16. Anno 1606. there was at Prague a certain Silesian who for a small reward in money did in the presence of many persons swallow down white stones to the number of forty six they weighed well near three pounds the least of them was of the bigness of a Pidgeons egge so that I could scarce hold them all in my hand at four times this rash adventure he divers years made for gain and was sensible of no injury to his health thereby 17. Not long ago there was here in England a private Souldier who for ought I know is yet alive very famous for digesting of stones and a very inquisitive man that gave me the accuratest account I have met with concerning him assures me that he knew him familiarly and had the curiosity to keep in his company for twenty four hours together to watch him and not only observed that he eat nothing but stones in that time or fragments of them of a pretty bigness but also that his grosser excrement consisted chiefly of a sandy substance as if the devoured stones had been in his body dissolved and crumbled into sand 18. Crantzius tells of a certain Stage-player who commonly eat at once as much as would suffice ten men by which means he had attain'd to a mighty corpulency the King of Denmark being informed of him and that he could do no more than another man caused him to be taken and hanged up as a devourer of the labourers food and a publick annoyance 19. Firmius Seleucius the same through whose conduct Aegypt revolted from the Emperour Aurelianus did in one day eat up a whole Ostridge which is the greatest of all birds that fly he cat up several of those Horse-fishes that are found in the River Nilus and used to swim with safety amongst the Crocodiles having first his body all over anointed with the fat of them 20. Anno 1594. being called from Collen to Reinback to the care of a Noble person there who lay sick of a grievous disease continuing there for a Months space I was well acquainted with the Minister of the place a man of forty years of age very strong and of a good habit of body This man told me in good earnest and upon his faith that for seven years space he had been troubled with an intolerable hunger that was so insatiable that oftentimes he was constrain'd to go into the Field wanting food at home and thence cut up herbs and grass and devour them raw as they were he found no help from Physick in this his distemper but at last in the seventh year by a critical evacuation which then befell him he was delivered of it CHAP. XVI Of great Drinkers and what quantities they have swallowed THe infusion of too great a quantity of Oyl immediately extinguishes the Lamp the light of Reason yes and the Lamp of life it self are frequently suffocated and put out for ever by such immoderate potations as we shall hereafter read of If some have survived those infamous victories they have this way gain'd the greatest of their rewards were but mean compensations for their hazards nor is the valour of such men to be admired who have dared to out-live their own vertue 1. Firmius was Deputy of Aegypt under the Emperour Aurelianus he being challenged by Barbarus a famous Drinker though he used not to drink much Wine but most water yet took off two Buckets full of Wine and remained sober all the time of the Feast after 2. That of the Emperour Maximinus is almost incredible that he often drank in one day an Amphora of the Capitol which is nine Gallons our measure counting a Gallon and a pint to the Congius whereof the Amphora contained eight 3. In the Reign of Aurelianus there was one Phagon who drank out in one day plus Orcâ What measure this Orca held I cannot well determin saith Dr. Hackwell neither could Lipsius himself yet thus much confidently he affirms of it I know for certain saith he that it was a Vessel of Wine and that bigger than the Amphora but how much I know not 4. That was a right beast in this kind whose Epitaph was found at Rome without the gate of Capena saith Camerarius Heus hic situs est Offellius Buratius Bibulus qui dum vixit aut bibit aut minxit abi praeceps So hoe here lies Offellius Buratius Bibulus who while he lived
no less than marvellous cure which at St. Madernes in Corâ—wall was wrought upon a poor Creeple whereof besides the attestation of many hundreds of the neighbours I took a strict and impartial examination in my last Visitation This man for sixteen years together was fain to walk upon his hands by reason the sinews of his legs were so contracted And upon monitions in his dream to wash in that Well was suddenly so restored to his limbs that I saw him able both to walk and get his own maintenance I found here was neither Art nor collusion The name of this Creeple was Iohn Trelille 13. The night before Polycrates the Tyrant of Samos departed thence to go to Oraetes the Lieutenant of Cyrus in Sardis his Daughter dreamed that she saw her Father lifted up in the air where Iupiter washed him and the Sun anointed him which came to pass for assoon as he was in his Power Oraetes caused him to be hang'd upon a Gibbet where his body so remaining was washed of the rain and the Sun melted the fat of it 14. Alexander the Philosopher a man known to be free of superstition reporteth of himself that sleeping one night he saw his Mothers Funerals solemnized being then a days journey from thence whereupon he waking in great sorrow and many tears told the dream to divers of his acquaintance and friends The time being punctually observed certain word was brought him the next day after that at the same hour as his dream was his mother expired 15. Iovius reporteth that Anno 1523. in a morning slumber Sfortia dreamed that falling into a River he was in great danger of drowning and calling for succour to a man of extraordinary stature and presence who was on the further side upon the shore he was by him slighted and neglected This dream he told to his Wife and Servants but no further regarded it The same day spying a child falling into the water near the Castle of Pescara he thinking to save the child leapt into the River but over-burdened with the weight of his Armour he was choak'd in the mud and so perished 16. The Mother of Scanderbeg dreamed she saw a Serpent that covered all Epiruâ— his head was stretched out into the Turks Dominions where he devoured them with bloody jaws his tail was amongst the Christians and in the Government of the Venetians all which very exactly prefigured her Son 17. A Citizen of Millain was demanded a debt as owing by his dead father and when he was in some trouble about it the image of his dead father appears to him in his sleep tells him the whole process of the business that the debt was by him paid in his life time and that if he looked in such a place he should â—ind a Writing under the hand of his Creditor wherein he did acknowledge himself satisfied Awaking therefore from his sleep and reflecting upon his dream he searched and found all things agreeable to what he had dreamed St. Austin saith that this very Writing was seen by him 18. When Galen had an inflammation about the Diaphragma he was admonished in his sleep that if he purposed to be freed from it he should forthwith open that vein which was most apparent betwixt the thumb and the forefinger and take a quantity of blood from thence he did as he was advised and was presently restored to his former health 19. I remember saith Coelius when I was two and twenty years of age being busied in the interpretation of Pliny and while as yet the learned emendations of Hermolaus Barbarus upon that excellent Author had not performed to him almost all that was requisite I light upon that place which we have in his seventh Book concerning such as grow up beyond the usual proportion which Nature hath assigned and they are called by the Greeks Ectrapeli That word was some trouble to me I knew I had read something concerning it but could neither recal to my memory the Author from whom nor the Book wherein Fearing the censure of unskilfulness I laid my self down to rest the best remedy for a perplexed mind where while my thoughts were still employing themselves about it methought I remembred the Book yea the page and place of the page wherein that was written I sought for When I awaked I recalled what was offered to me in my sleep but valued all as a mere illusion yet being stil haunted with the apprehensions of being reputed an Ignoramus that I might leave nothing unattempted I caught up the Book of which I had dreamed and there found it accordingly 20. When St. Bernards Mother was with child of him she dreamed she had a little white and barking Dog in her Womb which when she had communicated to a certain religious person he as by a Spirit of Prophecy reply'd Thou shalt be the mother of an excellent Dog indeed he shall be the Keeper of Gods House and shall incessantly bark against the Adversaries of it for he shall be a famous Preacher and shall cure many by the means of his medicinal tongue 21. Francis Petrarch had a Friend so desperately sick that he had no expectation of his life when therefore wearied with grief and tears he was fallen into a slumber he seemed to see his sick Friend to stand before him and to tell him that he could now stay no longer with him for there was one at the door that would interrupt their discourse to whom he desired that he would recommend his weak estate and that if he should undertake him he should be restored Presently enters into Petrarchs Chamber a Physician who came from the sick and had given him over as a dead man He came therefore to comfort him But Petrarch with tears recounts to him his dream and with great importunity prevails with him to return to the care of his Friend he did so and e're long the man was restored to his wonted health 22. Two Arcadians of intimate acquaintance travelled together to the City of Maegara where when they were arrived the one goes to lodge with a friend of his and the other betakes himself to an Inn. He that was at his friends house saw in his sleep his Companion beseeching him to assist him for he was circumvented by his Host and that by his speedy resort to him he might deliver him from a very imminent danger Awaked with what he had seen he leaps from his bed and intends to go to the Inn but by an unhappy Fate he desists from his compassionate purpose and believing that his dream had nothing in it he returns both to his bed and his sleep When the same person appears to him a second time all bloody and requested him earnestly that seeing he had neglected him as to the preservation of his life at least he would not be wanting to him in the revenge of his death That he was killed by his Host and that at this
overthrown the pernicious plot and design of the wicked Tyrant and preserved Timoleon but had also at the same time executed its Justice upon a Murderer 22. An. Dom. 1552. about the Nones of February Franciscus Pelusius one of sixty years of age while in the Mannor of Lewis Dheiraeus and in the Hill of St. Sebastian he was digging a Well forty foot deep the earth above fell in upon him to thirty five foot depth He was somewhat sensible before of what was coming and opposed a plank which by chance he had by him against the ruines himself lying under it By this means he was protected from the huge weight of the earth and retained some air and breath to himself by which he lived seven days and nights without food or sleep supporting his stomach only with his own urine without any pain or sorrow being full of hope in God in whom alone he had placed it Ever and anon he called for help as being yet safe but was heard by none though he could hear the motion noise and words of those that were above him and could count the hours as the Clock went After the seventh day he being all the while given for dead they brought a Bier for his Corps and when a good part of the Well was digged up on a sudden they heard the voice of one crying from the bottom At first they were afraid as if it had been the voice of a subterranean Spirit the voice continuing they had some hope of his life and hastned to dig to him till at last after he had drunk a cup of wine they drew him up living and well his strength so entire that to lift him out he would not suffer himself to be bound nor would use any help of another of so sound sense that jesting he drew out his purse gave them money saying he had been with such good Hosts that for seven days it had not cost him a farthing Soon after he returned to his work again and was then alive when I wrote this saith Bartholomaeus Anulus 23. A certain Woman saith Iordanus had given her Husband poyson and it seems impatient of all delay gave him afterwards a quantity of Quick-silver to hasten his death the sooner but that slippery substance carried along with it the poyson that lay in the Ventricle and had not yet spread it self to the heart through the bowels away from him by stool by which means he escaped Ausonius hath the story in an Epigram of his the conclusion of which is to this purpose The Gods send health by a most cruel wife And when Fates will two poysons save a life 24. At Tibur An. Dom. 1583. two years before I wrote this Book there was one who diging in a subterranean Aquaduct by a sudden fall of the earth which store of ruine had caused he was overwhelmed and buried alive yet such was the vigour of his spirit that night and day though he could not distinguish either working with hands feet head and back he hollowed the earth that lay about him and dug as it were a Coney-hole so that working as a Mole into the part of the Aquaduct that was beyond the place where the earth fell he at last reached it and from thence upon the seventh day he had scratched himself out and was safe and sound though all the time without meat and drink only his fingers ends bruised and wore away CHAP. XXXIV Of such persons as have taken poyson and quantities of other dangerous things without damage thereby PVrchas tells of the herb Addad that it is bitter and the root of it so exceedingly venemous that a single drop of the juyce of it will kill a man in the space of one hour This nimble Messenger of death makes its approaches to the Fortress of life so speedy and withal so sure that it is not easie for the virtue of any Antidote to make haste enough to overtake it or to over-power and counterwork it yet of the like dangerous drugs taken without sensible harm see the following Histories 1. Mithridates that warlike King of Pontus and Bithynia when in the War with the Romans he was overcome in Battel by Pompey determined to finish his life by poyson and therefore drank a draught of it himself and gave others to his Daughters who would needs accompany their Father in death They overcome by the force of the poyson fell down dead at his foot but the King himself having formerly accustomed his body to the use of Antidotes found that the poyson he had taken was of no use to him in this his last extremity and therefore gave his throat to be cut by his Friend Bystocus who with his Sword gave him that death which he in vain expected from the poysonous draught he had swallowed 2. Conradus Bishop of Constance at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper drank off a Spider that had fallen into the cup of wine while he was busied in the Consecration of the Elements yet did he not receive the least hurt or damage thereby 3. While I was a Boy saith Fallopius and was sick of the Colick I took a scruple of Scammony and yet had not one stool by it And I saw a German Scholar at Ferrara who took at once a whole ounce of Scammony I say of Scammony not Diagridium and yet was no way stirred by it 4. Theophrastus tells of Thrasyas who was most excellently skilled in all sorts of Herbs that yet he would often eat whole handfuls of the roots of Hellebore without harm and he also tells of one Eudemus a Chian that in one day he took two and twenty Potions of Hellebore and yet was not purged thereby and that supping the same night as he used he did not return any thing he had taken by Vomit 5. Schenckius relates the History of a Woman from an eye-witness of the truth of it that she intending to procure abortion to her self swallowed down half a pound weight of Quick-silver in substance and though she had done this more than once or twice yet it always passed through her assoon almost as she had taken it and that without hurt 6. A certain man condemned for a capital crime was set free by Pope Leo the Tenth of that name for that without taking any previous Antidote he had swallowed down almost an ounce of Arsenick and received no hurt thereby 7. The weight of thirty grains of Antimonial glass prepared hath been taken without any harm as Schenckius reports from Albertus Wimpinaeus 8. I knew a man saith Garsias ab Horto who was Councellor to Nizamoxa he would daily eat three shivers of Opium which weighed ten drams and more and though he seemed always to be stupid and as one ready to sleep yet would he very aptly and learnedly discourse of any thing propounded to him so much is custom able to perform 9. Albertus Magnus saith he hath seen