is whitish and divided into a Dozen Cells filled with Stones as big as Chesnuts white and cordial It 's a Fruit nutritive and dainty and may be called an Epitome of all the best and rarest Fruits in the Orient Clark of Plants c. p. 201. 51. The Aree-Tree is almost as high as a Cedar but more like the Palmetto It is of fuzzy hollow substance adorned at every top with Plumes wherein the Fruit hangs in clusters It is in shape and bigness like a Walnut white and hard within hath neither taste nor smell They never Eat it alone but wrap it in a Leaf of Bettle and are frequently chawing of it Some add to it a kind of Lime made of Oyster-shells It cures the Chollick removes Melancholly kills Worms provokes Lust purges the Stomach and prevents Hunger It 's much used in the East-Indies Ibid. 52. The Palmeto-Tree is long straight round and soft without Leaf Bough or Branch save at the top and those are few green and sedgie under which Branches there appear certain codded Seed c. Ibid. 53. Dr. Edward Brown in his Discription of Larissa in Thessaly saith the Country produceth very large fair and delicious Figs Water-Melons the largest and most pleasant I have tasted as also fair and delicate Pomegranates Oranges Lemons and Citrons Vines which are low and not supported but the Branches and Clusters great and the Grapes as big as good Damsons and of a delicious taste The Wine of the Country is rich but hath a resinous taste or tang of the Boracho They Plant Tobacco and esteem it better than what is brought from other Parts as being more strong and pungent The Fields are spread with Sefamum and Cotton-Trees but the Trees grow low yet make a fair show The Country abounds in Almonds and Olives 〈◊〉 the Greeks delight most in ripe Olives pickled as we in the green Dr. Brown's Trav. p. 41. 54. The Gourds in the Hedges with their large yellow Flowers and the many sorts of green Thorns and ever-green Oaks make the ways pleasant Idem 55. The Hex Coccifera and Chermes-berry or the Excretion serving for Dying and making the Confection of Alchermes growing plentifully in these Countries 56. Garlick they use in most of their Dishes and their Onions are extraordinary as large as two or three fair ones with us and of a far better taste being sharp quick and pleasantly pungent and without any offensive smell Though I were no lover of Onions before yet I found these exceeding pleasant and comfortable to the Stomach They are used at most Collations and eaten with Bread in great quantity I asked a Chiaus then with us who had Travell'd through most of the Turkish Dominions Whether he had any where met with so good Chions as those of Thessaly who answered me That the Onions of Egypt were better which was the first time I sensibly understood the Expression in the Scripture and ceased to wonder why the Israelites lingred after the Onions of that Country Ibid. p. 42. 57. Coral grows like a Tree in the bottom of the Sea green when under Water and bearing a white Berry and when out turns red There is also a black and yellow kind of Coral Lindschot says That at the Cape of Good Hope there are Rocks on which Coral grows of all colours In the Mediterranean they gather great quantity of it and those of Massilia go yearly to Fish for it and draw it from the bottom of the Sea with Nets The Places for this Fishery are Arguiril near Sardinia Bosa near the Island of St. Peter and near the Bastion of France c. The times for this Fishery are from April to the end of July to which purpose there are imployed 200 Vessels more ot less yearly They never Fish above 40 miles from the Land where they think there are Rocks for fear of the Pirates Tavern Trav. in India In the East and West-Indies they Fish with two big Beams of Wood laid cross-wise with a good piece of Lead in the middle to make it sink casting about it course Hemp carelesly twisted and tying this Wood to two Ropes whereof one hangs at the Stern and the other at the forepart of the Boat The common Opinion That Coral is soft under Water is confuted by John Baptista de Nichole Overseer of the Gathering of Coral in the Kingdom of Tunis Yet Mr. Boyle affirms That whilst it grows it is often found soft and succulent and propagates its Species Georgius de Sepibus Kircher Wormius and Tavernier are of the same Opinion Ser Tho. Pope Blunt Nat. Hist p. 23. it is otherwise called the Stone-Tree CHAP. XLIII Strange Minerals Now we are going to draw off the very Skin and Surface of the Earth and Anatomize the very Sediment of the Creation and even there we shall find the Footsteps of the Almighty and Trace the print of his Divine Atributes For whither can we go from his presence he not only sits upon the Circle of the Earth but if we ascend up to Heaven he is there if we go down into the lower parts of the Earth he is there also Even the Materials that the Earth is made of are full of Wonder and very useful for the wants of Men. 1. Lime is no more than Chalk burnt of which heareafter it is a king of Earth drier than a Stone which after it is burnt is made more intense with Water and extinguished with Oil 'T is called Quick-Lime because it contains an occult Fire within it Stier Phys pars specialls Tract 4. c. 5. 2. Gypsum is a kind of Playster or Mortar viz. a white Earth clammy and light a-kin to Chalk but not so hot dug ot of the upper part of the Earth 4. Creta Chalk is white Earth chiefly dug in the Isle of Crete or Candy but there is much of it in other parts It kills Worms in Children and is good against Heart-Burnings and dries up Wounds 4. Oaker Ochra a light kind of Clay of which being burnt in new Pots bedawbed with Clay is made Ruddle It is naturally yellow discusses hard Tumours dried and binds 5. Argilla a kind of Potters Earth fat and clammy of which are made Earthen Vessels It is cold drying binding and abstersive 6. Terra Lemnia otherwise called Sigillata or sealed Earth because Diana's Priest taking upon him for the Honour of his Country offering for Expiation Wheat and Barley brought this into the City soked with Water and making it like Clay he dried it that it might be like soft Wax and when it was become so he sealed it with the sacred Seal of Diana Gal. l. 9. Simpl. Now it is digged up yearly not without Superstition on the 6th day of August only They that dig are Greeks the Pit sends forth a sweet smell It is digged after Sun-rising for 6 hours it is laid up in one Lump and it must see no light till a year be expired Then it is taken out and washt being washt
both in publick Repositories and in private Hands two such as these the one 10 foot long were presented not long ago to the King of Denmark being taken near Nova Zembla and I have seen some full 15 foot long some wreath'd very thick some not so much others almost plain some largest and thickest at the End near the Head others are largest at some distance from the Head some very sharp at the end or point others blunt My Honoured Father Sir Tho. Brown had a very fair piece of one which was formerly among the Duke of Curland's Rarities I have seen a Walking Staff a Scepter a Scabbard for a Sword Boxes and other Curiosities made out of this Horn c. But of these Unicorns the King of Denmark and his Father had so many that he was able to spare a great number of them to build a Magnificent Throne out of Unicorn's Horns Dr. Browns Trav. p. 101. c. CHAP. XXXIX Strange Fish I remember when I was a little Boy and went first a Angling I brought home two or three small Dace and Breams with no little Joy and a secret promise of Applause to my self for my Success in the Game but my Mother with some Indignation refused to give her consent fro the Dressing of them I have not served my Reader so here No the Watry Element is so stored with such abundance of these Animals and the Sea takes up so great a part of this lower World that I have passed by all the common Species and present my Reader with the Huge Leviathan the Loving Dolphin the great Manaty and others strange and admirable for some Property or other that I promise my self my Reader will not serve me now as my Mother did then 1. The Whale is the greatest and chief of all Fishes That Whale taken in the Scheld 10 Miles from Antwerp Anno 1677 was of a blackish blue colour he had a Snout on his Head wherewith he belch'd up Water with great force he was 58 foot long 16 foot high his Tail was 14 foot broad from his Eye to the tip of his Nose 16 foot his lower Chap 6 foot of each side armed with 25 Teeth and there were as many holes in the Upper Chap where Teeth had been the longest of his Teeth 6 Thumbs long A Whale taken at Sceveling near the Hague was 60 foot long Johnston Class 9. cap. 3. p. 290. In the 6th year of Queen Elizabeth in the Month of December at Grimsby in Lincolnshire was driven on shoar a Monstrous Fish in length 19 Yards his Tail 15 foot broad and 6 yards between the Eyes 12 Men stood upright in his Mouth to get out the Oyl In the 17th Year a vast Whale was cast upon Thanet Isle in Kent 20 Ells long and 13 foot broad from the Belly to the Back-bone and 11 foot between the Eyes one of his Eyes being taken out of his Head was more then 2 Cart with 6 Horses could draw the Oyl being boiled out of his Head was Parmacittee Bakers Chron. The ordinary Dimension of the Whale is 36 Cubits in length and 8 in thickness yet Nearchus in Arianus is said to have measured one in the Indian Seas 50 Cubits long and proportionably broad Pliny exceeds all bounds of Credibility when he tells of some 960 foot or 4 Acres long Heylin's Cosmogr p. 876. 2. The Dolphins are so swift that they swim faster then a Shp under Sail before the Wind saith Bellonius when they play on the calm Sea they foreshew which way the Wind will blow and when they cast up Water the Sea being troubled they foreshew a Calm Thomas thinks that Exhalations rising from the bottom of the Sea when a Storm is at hand in Winter is the cause of it and he thinks that the Dolphin feels heat thereby and so breaks forth the oftner but Rondeletius thinks they are affected in the Water with the motion of the Air as those that are Sick are wont to be when the South Wind begins to blow Johnston p. 294. The last Year of King Edward VI. was taken at Quinborough three Dolphins and at Blackwall 6 more the last of which was bigger then a Horse Baker 3. The Manaty is a great Fish taken in the Rivers of Hispaniola his Head is like an Ox-head or bigger his Eyes in respect of his body are small he hath two thick Feet like Wings in the place of Gills with which he swims he hath a thick Skin and no Scales He is so great that there needs a Yoke of Oxen to carry him sometimes he is 14 or 15 foot long and 8 hands thick he hath two stones or rather bones in his Head so great as little hand-balls he wants Ears but in their place he hath small holes by which he hears His Skin is like the Skin of a shrevell'd Ox a Finger thick Ash colour and thin of Hairs the Tail is all Nervous which being boiled or fryed it resolves into fat Johnston p. 296. 4. The Swordfish hath a beck on both Chaps but the lower of them is short and triangular the upper is more bony and harder and far longer sometimes two Cubits long In the Indian Sea they grow so great that they will pierce the sides of the strongest Ship a hand and a half in thickness sometimes Gesner writes that a faithful Friend of his saw a Man when he sailed to Syria thar swam by the Ships side and he was cut in the middle by the beck of this Fish Johnston p. 304. 5. The Torpedo has his name because he benums the Hands and he doth this so effectually that before he is taken he will do it by the Net or the Rod. Johnston p. 303. 6. The â—unies are chiefly caught about Constantinople for when they are past Chalcedon a certain white Rock appears to them and so terrifies them that immediatly they put over to the farthest Bank and being taken by the swift Current of the Waters turns their course to Constantinople so that they are tkane in their Snares in great numbers they are bred in the Lakes of Maeotis 9. The Remora is said to stay Ships Petrus Melaras of Bononia reports That the Ship of Francis Cardinal of Troas when he went by Sea out of France was held frst in the swiftness of its course Many have sought the cause but no Man hath certainly found it Saith Johnston Hist Nat. Class 9. c. 7. p. 331. 8. Tritons or Fishes having the Face Lineaments and shape of Man's body one was seen in the days of Tiberius another in the time of Augustus a third under Nero Aelian Theodor. Gaza Trapezuntius Alex. ab Alex. Scaliger and divers others affirm the Truth of this yet these Tritons or Nereides cannot be called nor are they Men though they have the outward shape for it is not the matter nor outward Lineaments but the form that gives Essence and Denomination Ross Arcana Microcosin l. 2. p. 18. In King John's Reign such a Fish was taken
blows first into a yellow Blossom which falling off there remains a Cod about the bigness of a Man's Thumb in which the substance is moist and yellow but as it ripens it swells bigger till it breaks the Cod and in short time becomes as white as Snow and then they gather it Purch Pilgr vol. 2. p. 1470. 35. Gum-lac comes from Trees like Plum-Trees out of which Trees comes a certain Gum which Pismires suck up and then they make the Lac round about the Branches of the Tree as Bees make Wax and when it is full the Owners come and breaking off the Branches lay them to dry and being dry the Branches shrink out and the Lac remains It comes from Pegu. Id. p. 1783. 36. The Herb Addad is bitter and the Root of it so Venemous that one drop of the juice will kill a Man within the space of one hour Ibid p. 850. 37. Sponges grow on the sides of Rocks 15 Fathom under water about the bottom of the Streights of Gibraltar Ibid. 38. The Resurrection-Tree grows in Manica which for the greatest part of the year is without a Leaf or Greeness but if one cut off a Bough and put it into the Water in the space of 10 hours it springs and flourisheth with Green Leaves but draw it out of the Water and as soon as it is dry it remains as it was before Ibid. p. 1537. 39. A Tree as big as an Oak of a middle size the Bark white like Horn-beam 6 or 7 yards high with ragged Boughs Leaf like the Bay-Leaf It beans neither Fruit nor Flower it stands on the side of an Hill in the day time it is withered and drops all night a Cloud hanging thereon so that it yields Water sufficient for one of the Gatary Islands wherein are 8000 Souls and above 100000 Cammels Mules and Goats c. The Water falls into a Pond made of Brick payed with Stone from whece it is conveyed into several Ponds through the whole Island for they have no other Water there except Rain Water The Pond hold 20000 Tun of Water and is filled in one night Many of our English that have been there attest the Truth thereof Idem p. 1369. 40. About Saffron-Walden in Essex grows great store of Saffron first brought into England in the Reign of Edward III. This in the month of July every third year being plucked up and after 20 days having the Root split and set again in the Earth about the end of September it putteth forth a whitish blue Flower out of the midst whereof comes â— Chives which are gathered in the morning before Sun-rising and being plucked out of the Flower are dried by a sort Fire and so great is the increase that cometh thereof that out of every Acre of Ground are made 80 or 100 pound weight of Saffron whilst it is most which being dried yield about 20 pound weight Cambd. Brit. p. 453. 41. The Assa-Fatida Tree is like our Brier in height the Leaves resemble Fig-Leaves the Root is like 〈◊〉 Radish-Root though the smell be 〈◊〉 paâ—e yet the taste is so pleasing that no Meat no Sauce no Vessel is pleasing to the Gusarat's Pallats where it grows except it relish of it Herbert's Travels 42. The Benjamin Gum issues from a high Tree smell and furnished with fruitless Branches the Leaves are not unlike to those of the Olive Pegu and Siam yield the best Clarks of Tree c. p. 199. 43. The Plantan-Tree is of a reasonable height the Body about the bigness of a Mans Thigh compacted of many Leaves wrapped one upon another adorned with Leaves instead of Boughs from the very ground which are for the most part about two Ells long and an Ell broad having a large Rib in the middle thereof The Fruit is a Bunch of 10 or 12 Plantans each a Span long and as big almost as a Man's Wrist The Rind being stripped off the Fruit is yellowish and of a pleasant Taste purch Pilgr p. 416. 44. The Palmeta-Tree yields a sweet and wholsome Wine by cutting or boring Holes in the Body of the Tree into which a Cane is put that receives the Sap and conveys it into Gourds It tasts like Whitewine but it ill not last above 24 Hours Purch Pilgr vol. 2. p. 1500. Vide more Numb 52. 45. The Tonal-Tree grows in New-Spain in whose Leaves breed certain smell Worms at first no bigger than a Flea at greatest about the bigness of our Lady Cows which they resemble which feeding on the Leaves are gathered by the Natives twice a year stifled with Ashes or Water and dried to Powder in the Shade Some call this Tree Tuna other the Prickle Pear bearing a Leaf of a slimy Nature and a Fruit blood-red and full of Seeds which give 〈…〉 like to Brasiletto Wood that will perish in a few days by the Fire But this Infect gives 〈…〉 â—â—â—manent Tincture and is Cochineel Sir Tho. Pope Blunt p. 75 76 c. Clark of Trees 〈…〉 pag. 201. 46. A Berry grows in Bermudas and New-England from a Plant called Red-Weed which is as Red as the Prickle Pear giving much the like Tincture out of which Berry come out first Worms which afterwards turn into Flies somewhat bigger than the Cochineel-Fly feeding on the same Berry in which we read there hath been found a colour no whit inferiour to that of the Cochineel-Fly and as to Medicinal Virtues much exceeding it Idem Sir Tho. Pope Blunt 47. Manguey grows in New-Spain it hath great and large Leaves at the end whereof is a strong and sharp point which they use for Pins and Needles and out of the Leaf they draw a kind of Thread which they use much to Sew with The Body of the Tree is big which when it is tender they cut and out of the hole proceeds a Liquor which they drink like Water being fresh and sweet This Liquor being sodden becomes Wine which being kept till sower makes good Vinegar Boil it a little more than for Wine and it makes a fine Syrup and Boil it till thick and it makes Honey Purch Pisgr v. 3. p. 957. 48. The Papiri Sedgie-Reeds grow in the Marines of Egypt whereof formerly they made Paper and from whence ours that is made of Rags assumed that Name They divide it into think flakes whereinto it naturally parteth then laying them on a Table and moistening them with the Glutinous Water of Nilus they press them together dry them in the Sun and then they are fitted for use Idem v. 2. p. 898. 49. Ananas ariseth from a Root like an Artichoke when they are ripe they shew themselves and are not above two foot high Without it is covered with a dry Rind hard and scaly within it is wholsom and pleasant and though a little of it seems to satiate the Appetite yet the Stomack likes it well and its easie of Digestion Idem 50. The Duroyen is in shape round at first opening it hath an unpleasant smell The Meat
Nat. Hist p. 210. c. 10. True Nitre is now little known which was anciently made of the Water of the River Nilus Albertus Magnus saith that in Goselaria was a Mountain that contained a very Rich Mine of Copper and that the Water that issued out at the bottom of it being dried became Nitre we know little also of Aphronitrum which is as it were the Froth of Nitre It is bitterer then Salt but less Salt Ibid. The Egyptians strowed their Rhadishes with Nitre as we with Salt 11. Salt-Peter is the means between them two and consists of very dry ad subtle parts it grows on the Walls of Old Houses and in Stables Cow-houses and Pidgeon-houses it will grow again in the same Earth it was taken out of if that Earth be thrown into Earth and not stirred and taken care of the use of it is well known in making Gun-powder Aqua Fortis it is used also in melting Mettle Ibid. It is disputed variously whether the Nitre of the Ancients be of the same Species with our Salt-Peter Ibid. 12. Alom is either Congeal'd or Liquid the Congeal'd is of many Figures that which is called Scissum is the Flower of Alom in Clods and is prest together like Plank or it flourishes severally like Gray-hairs round Alom like Bubbles or is like a Sponge by reason of the holes in it the Liquid Alom send out of it self such a Vapour that smells like Fire as Sones when rubb'd together to cause Fire when burnt it swells into bubbles and loseth something of its substance Johnston's Nat. Hist Clas 4 c. 5. 13. Amber has been reputed by some a Gum by others the Sperm or Dung of Whales hardned by the Sea but Dr. Heylin affirms it to be the juice of a Stone growing like a Coral in Poland in a Mountain of the North-Sea clean covered with Water and rent thence in the Winter and so cast into the Neighbouring Havens hardening like Coral when taken out of the Water burning like Pitch attracting Straws and Iron good for stopping the Blood Agues c. Tavernier saith that 't is a certain Congelation found only upon the Coast of Prussia in the Baltick Sea Farm'd out by the Elector of Brandenbourg for 20000 Crowns a Year or more Hevelius in a Letter to Mr. Oldenbourg from Dantzick July 5. 1670 saith he had received a piece of Amber so soft that he had Printed his Seal on it yellowish transparent and burning as other Amber but of a stronger seent yet had been cast up from the Baltick the year before In China their great Lords at their Feasts throw a vast quantity of Amber into persuming Pots set upon the Table burning it partly for the scent and partly because they adore the Fire there are several sorts of Amber pale black spotted c. The Shops know only the white which is best and the yellow Sir Tho Pope Blunts Nat. Hist p. 13. 24. Jet Gagates Obsidianus is a black Bitumen hardned in the Sea which the Floods use to cast upon the Shores of the Estyii with Amber Earthen Vessels that are glased with it are not defaced lin l. 36. c. 19. When burnt it smells like Brimstone it kindles with Water but is extinguished with Oyl it is found great and of a pale colour at the Town of Ganges in Licia Strabo saith creeping things flie from the scent of it it is called Earthy Bitumen otherwise burning Stone because it will flame it is called Ampelitis because it kills little Worms called Enipaes it is dug up in Scotland and in the Jurisdictions of Leids they make Chaplets of it to say their Prayers upon In Collaum a Province of Peru there is a place all bare not Tree nor Plant upon it the Earth being Bituminous out of which the Indians extract a Liquor good for many Diseases the way this they cut the Ground into Turss lay it upon Rods or great Reeds putting Vessels under it to receive it the Sun Melts this Bitumen and the dry Turfs are fit to make Fires 15. Coal or Sea-Cole so called because carryed by Sea from several places as Wales and New-Castle to other Parts for Fewel is dug out of Pits or Mines where it is found in manner of a continued Black-Rock or hard Bitumen well known in England there being no less then 50000000 Chaldrons yearly gotten in the Nation the greatest remarkable concerning them is that there is a Species of it in Cheshire and some other Parts of a more Fat and Unctuous substance called Cannal-Coal which gives a pleasant flaming Light in the Burning like a Lamp or Câ—ndle But there are often found in these subterrauean Vaults such Stagnations of Vapours that for want of a due Ventilation produce very strange and dangerous Damps of which we shall speak more hereafter 't is called Carbo petrae Lithanthaeax or New-Castle Coal the chief Fewel in England and Germany the Chymical Spirit or Oyl is no ways inferior to that of Amber healing Wounds softning Tumours c. 16. Sulphur or Brimstone is dug up in an Island by the Mountain Hecla and that without Fire It is yellow that is digged out of the Plain of Brimstone which is called in Campania Virgin-Brimstone because Women Paint their Faces with it It is so Friendly to Fire that pieces of it laid about the Wood will draw the Fire to it put into Fire it will by the Scent discover the Falling-Sickness Johnston's Nat. Hist Clas 4. c. 13. Mr. Salmon makes 5 kinds of Mineral Sulphures Brimstone Arsnick or Orpiment Amber-Grease Amber and Bitumen Sulphur Vive is a Resinous Fatness of the Earth full of a Vitriolick Acidity being Gray or Greenish inflamable with a Blue and Suffocating Fume An Artificial is made of Sulphur Vive being Porous and Yellow or boyled out of Sulphurous Water the Foeces of either of which is the Sulphur Cabaline or Horse-Brimstone besides which there are other Artificial Brimstones drawn out of Copper Cinnaber and Vitriol which as it is rarer so it is better For in Chimneys where Vitriol is commonly boyled you may find Flower of Sulphur elevated all Sulphur of Brimstone is hot and dry Aperitive Cutting Discussive c. 17. Arsnick is a Mineral coagulated Juice or Fat made of Combustible Sulphur and corrosive Salts being Natural or Artificial the Natural is either yellow or red the yellow is called Orpiment the red is called Risgalum Real-gal and Sandaracha the Artificial is white and is made of the yellow sublimed with Salt of each equal quantities and this is that which is properly called Arsnick which being pure hard heavy and white like Milk or Chrystal is good Unprepated it is one of the greatest Poysons and a perfect Enemy to the Balsom of Life causing Heat Thirst Torment Corrosion Vomitting Palpitation Cold Sweats Intollerable burning Pains Convulsions and Death Outwardly it is used in Amulets and Cauteries with good Success it eats away proud and dead Flesh takes off Hair Salmon Disp p. 400. Spirit and
Dorsershire and also in Essex Colchester Dedham Coxal and other places abound in Bays Says and other new Drapery Appleby and Kendal in Cumberland for its great Cloth-Manufacture 17. Among the Woollen-Manufacture of England may be reckon'd the Weaving and Knitting of Stookings the use of which Woven and Knit Stocking hath not been in this Nation longer than the beginning of King James's Reign It being very memorable what Dr. Fuller relates of one William Rider an Apprentice at the Foot of London-Bridge called St. Magnes-Church who seeing in the House of an Italian Merchant a pair of knit Worsted-Stockins which he brought from Mantua and taking special Observation of them made a pair exactly like them which he presented to William Earl of Pembrooke and they are said to be the first of that sort worn in England and thenceforward they became more and more in use so that for many Years they have been very much and are now altogether worn and are a great part of the Trade in most places where there is any thing of Woollen-Manufacture especially at Norwich also the Isles of Jersey and Guernsey have a particular Name Present State of England Part 3. p. 74 c. The Silk-Stockin-Frame a curious Contrivance invented by an Oxford Scholar as Dr. Plot tells us was first used at Nottingham Ibid. The Weavers-Loom-Engine hath not been in use many Years in England especially the highest Improvement thereof call'd the Duck-Loom brought in a few Years since by Mr. Crouch a Weaver in Bishopsgate-street Ibid. 18. Bone-Lace which is the chief of the Ornamentals worn in this Nation tho not so totally as before Needlework came in fashion which tho brought to great Perfection yet hath obtained less esteem since those of Flanders and the Points of de Venice in Italy and Lorrain in France came into fashion yet Honyton in Devonshire is a noted Town for this sort of Workmanship as likewise Salisbury and Marleborough in Wiltshire Oldney in Buckinghamshire Amersham and Chesham in the same Shire Blandford in Dorsetshlre which last place also hath been famous for making of Band-strings and now Point-Laces it is said are much made there It is observed that the only Thread made in England till within a few Years was made at Maeidston in Kent Ibid. 19. The Blanketing Trade of Witney is advanced to that height that no Place comes near it the chief Material whereof is Fell-wool which they separate into five or six sorts viz. Long Fell Wool Head VVool Bay Wool Ordinary Middle and Tail Wool Long Fell VVool they send to Taunton c. for making VVorsted Stockins of Head VVool and Bay VVool they make the Blankets of 12 11 or 10 Quarters broad and sometimes send it to Keddermincter for making their Stuffs and to Evesham c. for making Yarn-Stockins or into Essex for making Bays of the Ordinary and Middle they make Blankets of 8 and 7 Quarters broad and of those mixt with the courser Locks of Fleece-wool a sort of Stuff they call Duffeilds of which and Blankets consists the chief Trade of Witney Nat Hist. Oxfordsh p. 278. These Duffields so called from a Town in Brabant otherwise called Shags or Trucking-Cloth are made in Pieces about 30 Yards long and one Yard and three Quarters broad and dyed Fâ—ed or Blue to please the Indians with whom the Merchants truck them for Beaver and other Furs c. of their best Tail VVool aremade Blankets call'd Cuts of 6 Quarters broad which serves Seamen for their Harnmocks and of their worst they make VVednell for Coller-makers VVrappers to pack Blankets in and Tilt-Cloths for Bargemen Ibid. 20. The Starch is made of the shortest and worst Bran steept in a VVater prepared for that Purpose by a Solution at first of Roch-Allum about a Pound to a Hogshead which will last for ever after for 10 or 14 Days in great Tubs then washt through an Ofier Basket over three other Tubs the sowre VVater of the second Tub washing it into the first and the sore of the third into the second and clear water from the Pump washing it into the third the fine Flowre thus wash'd from the Bran let stand in its own water for about a week then being settled at the bottom it is stirred up again and fresh pump-Pump-water added and strained from its smallest Bran through a Lawn-sieve then being left to settle again for one day the water is drawn off to a small Matter then standing two Days more it becomes so fixt that with a Birchen broom they sweep the water left at the top up and down upon it to cleanse it from Filth and then pouring it off they wash its Surface yet cleaner by dashing upon it a bucket of fair pump-Pump-water Then being cut out of the Tubs in great pieces with sharp Trowels it is boxed up in Troughs having holes in the bottom to drain the water from it always putting wet Cloaths between the wood and it within a day they take it out lay it on cold Bricks for two Days and dry it over a Bakers Oven four or five Days together to make Powder for Hair but if intended for Starch they then give it the Stove to give it the Starch grain Ibid. 21. Dr. Plot speaking of the Soles he met with in Oxfordshire he mentions these viz. Clay Chalk and others from their different Mixtures called Maum Red Land Sour Land Stone-brask Sandy and Gravelly For Clay it being most kindly for VVheat it is fallowed in May stirred in June or July when Manured their Manure is sometimes Dung sometimes with Sheep folded upon it Thus it â—es till the time of sowing VVheat in case of weeds they give it a second stirring before the last for Sowing In strong Clay the sowe Cone-wheat and the next year Beans and the next plowing in the Bean-brush at All-Saints Barley if the Land be rank Sprat-barley the fourth Year it lies fallow and then after a Summer till they sow it with VVinter Corn again c. For Chalk-lands when designed for VVheat it is tilled as the Clay only laid in four or six furrowed Lands and soiled with the best Mould or Dung but half rotten but Barley and Vetches are the most suitable Grain Ray-Grass mixt with None-such or Trefoild are most proper for the poorest sort For Maumy viz. White-clay Chalk and some Sand it is commonly sown with Wheat Miscellan Barly c. having the same Tillage kept high in Ridges Lying dry and warm as the Clay Rottennest Dung is most proper here Pease are best after Wheat a smart showre presently after the Sead-time within two Days is dangerous Red-Land is tilled before the Clay if moist when fallowed the better It requires no double stirring and if too fine it runs to May-weed Horse Cow and Sheepfold Dong agree well with it which must be plowed in for Wheat in the end of July for Barley slater this lies fallow every other year Sour-Land if of strong Swarth is Fallowed when
2. At the Mint of Segovia in Spain there is an Engine that moves by Water so artificially made that one part of it distendeth an Ingot of Gold into that breadth and thickness as is requisite to make Coin of It delivereth the Plate that it hath wrought into another that printeth the Figure of the Coin upon it and from thence it is turned over to another that cutteth it forth according to the Print in due shape and weight And lastly the several pieces fall into a Reserve in another Room where the Officer whose Charge it is finds Treasure ready coined Sir Kenelm Dighy's Bodies Chap. 23. Pag. 207. 3. Sir Chr. Wrenn invented an Instrument that measures the quantity of Rain that falls which as soon as 't is full empties it self so that at the Years end 't is easie to compute how much as fallen on such a quantity of Ground for all that time and this he contrived in order to the discovery of the Theory of Springs Exhalations c. And also other Instruments whereby he has shewn the Geometrical Mechanic of Rowing viz. that the Oar moves upon its Thowle as a Veeti on a yielding Fulcrum and found out what Degree of Impediment the Expansion of a Body to be moved in a liquid Medium ordinarily produces in all Proportions with several other Matters in order for laying down the Geometry of Sailing Swimming Rowing and the Fabrick of Ships Plot 's Nat. Hist Oxford Pag. 232. 4. Hither also belong the Locks and Turn-Pikes made upon the River Isis that 21 of King James when it was made Navigable from Oxford to Bercot which are absolutely necessary for that purpose on shallow Rivers that have great Falls to keep up the Water and give the Vessels an easie Descent For the first whereof provided the fall of Water be not great a Lock will suffice which is made up only of Bars of Wood called Rimers set Perpendicular to the bottom of the Passage and Lock-gates put down between every two of them or Boards put athwart them which will keep a Head of Water as well as the Turn-pike for the Passage of a Barge but must be all pulled up at its Arrival and the Water let go till there is an Abatement of the fall before the Boat may pass either down or upwards which with the Stream is not without violent Precipitation and against it at many Places not witout the Help of a Capstain at Land and sometimes neither of them without imminent Danger But where the Declivity of the Channel and fall of Water is so great that few Barges will live in the passage of them there are Turn-pikes whereof there are three between Oxford and Bercot and are thus contrived First There are placed a great pair of Folding-Doors or Flood-gates of Timber cross the River that open against the Stream and shut with it not so as to come even in a straight Line but in an obtuse Angle the better to resist and bear the weight of the Water which by how much the greater it is by so much the closer are the Gates pressed in each of which Flood-gates there is a Sluce to let the Water thro' at Pleasure without opening the Gates themselves Within these there is a large Square taken out of the River built up at each side with Free-stone big enough to receive the largest Barge afloat and at the other end another pair of Flood-Gates opening and shutting and having Sluces like the former which is the whole Fabrick of a Turn-pike At the uppermost pair of these Gates the Water is stopt which raises it in the River above and gives the Vessels passage over the Shallows which when it comes to the Turn-pikes the Sluces are first open'd and the Water let in to the Square or inclosed Space between the two pair of Gates where it must necessarily rise the lower Gates being shut till at length it comes to be level with the Surface of the River above When this is done the upper Steam then making no such pressure on the Gates as before they are eafily opened by two or three Men and the Vessels let in one at a time which done they shut those upper Gates and Sluces as before Then they open the Sluces or Gates at the other end of the Turn-pike and let the Water by degrees out of the inclosed Square till it be sunk down and the Vessel in it level with the River below and then open the Gates themselves and let the Vessel out the upper Gates all the while being drove too and keep so fast by the Water above that little of it can follow And thus the Boat goes down Stream But when they return they are first let into the inclosed space where the Water stands constantly level with that of the lower Channel at the lower Gates which as soon as shut again the Sluces are opened at the uppermost Gates and the Water let in till it rises with the Boat upon it to be equal with the River above This done the upper Gates are easily opened as before there being no pressure upon them and the Boat let out So that notwithstanding the Channel has much steeper descents where these Turn-pikes are set than at any of the Locks yet the Boats pass at these with much more ease and safety Ibid. 5. Dr. Wilkins late Bishop of Chester when Warden of Wadham-College contrived an Engine whereby of but four Gallons of Water forced thro' a narrow Fissure he could raise a Mist in his Garden wherein a Person placed at a due distance between the Sun and the Mist might see an exquisite Rainbow in all its proper Colours which Distance I conceive was the same with that assigned by Des Cartes viz. where the Eye of the Beholder is placed in an Angle of 42 Degrees 6. A Clock at Sir Ant. Copes at Hanwel moves by Water and shews the Hour by the Rise of a new guilded Sun for every Hour moving in a small Hemisphere of Wood each carrying in their Centers the Number of some Hour depicted black as suppose of one a Clock which ascending half way to the Zenith of the Arch shews it a quarter past One at the Zenith half an hour whence descending again half way toward the Horizon three quarters past One and at last absconding under it there presently arises another guilded Sun above the Horizon at the other side of the Arch carrying in its Center the Figure two and so of the rest 7. At the same place in a House of Diversion built in small Island in one of the Fish-ponds Eastward of his House where a Ball is rost by a Column of Water and Artificial Showers descend at pleasure within which they can so place a Candle that tho' one would think it must needs be overwhelmed with Water it shall not be extinguished c. Ibid. 8. But the most surpassing Water-works are those of Enston at the Rock first discovered by The Bushel Esq who cleansing the
the Countries all the several Ages and Generations of the World and set the scabbed lame blind and blemish'd out of the Flock and keep none there but the Male Firstling Fat and such as are pure and without spot blemish wrinkle and every such thing wash'd clean in the Blood of the immaculate Lamb and put these in Heaven with the blessed God the holy Angels and none but these and think what a lovely loving pleasant Society this will make An excellent Abraham a holy Isaac a plain Jacob a chast Joseph a meek Moses a devout David a patient Job a righteous Lot the holy Prophets the blessed Evangelists the humble Apostles the heavenly Martyrs and Confessors the learned and pious Fathers of the Church in all Ages Ignatius and Polycarp Cyprian and Nazianzen Augustin and Chrysostom all the good Men and good Women of all Countries of all Ages from Adam till the End of the World met together in a sacred sweet and indissolvable Knot of Communion All the best of the World pickt out of the common Lump of Mankind and taken off the common Stage and set fast in Heaven there to enjoy an Eternal Paradise together under the immediate Influence of the Great Jehova To put on their White Robes of Glory and enter upon their everlasting Inheritance and Reign all of them as Kings and Princes for ever and ever This must needs suppose an excellent State To have God Angels and good Men and those good Men washed from all their Enormities and Imperfections too none there but those that are perfectly good this must needs make an accession to the Happiness of the place Heb. 12. And to the Spirits of Just Men made perfect 5. The Sufferings of good Men for it There is nothing in the World within the reach and knowledge of Man that all Men so universally especially the wise and good have consented in a zealous Prosecution of as in the Joys of the other World Were it a particular Sect or one single Nation one Age only or the worst the wildest and most imprudent and vicious of Men only that agreed in this Article of Religion or did they believe it doubtfully and prosecute it coldly and indifferently there were some room for doubt But all Sects of Religion generally Pagans and Mahometans Jews and Christians of all Parts of all Ages especially the more solid wise and vertuous Men defecated from the Mud Debauchery and Vanity of Earth have still believ'd that there was something extraordinary of Happiness in the other World which was worth a warm and eager Contention and they have been willing to take their Hand pretty well off the present Pleasures of Sin and make Lust and Nature stoop low in Self-denial to the Dictates of Religion and do and suffer many Things hard to Flesh and Blood that they might at last be though worthy at least fit to be made Partakers with the Saints in that Glory I need not rip up the Bowels of History or the Martyrologies of the Church to tell you what Hardships Men have endured upon this Score Heb. 11. gives you a good Taste of that Notion v. 34. c. And of late Ages and in our own and Neighbour-Countries what Alms Prayers Fastings Mortifications Labours and Sufferings have Men undergone in prospect of the Reward before them Hear St. Paul give an Account of his own Travels in this kind 2 Cor. 11.23 with the Reasons for it ch 12.2 To read the extraordinary Patience of a Job the Travels of a Paul the indefatigable Pains of an Origen of an Austin St. James praying 'till his Knees were as hard as Camels Luther spending Three Hours every Day in his Devotions some giving almost all they had to the Uses of Piety and Charity others sacrificing their Lives for the sake of their Religion And to find that in Cases of Competition the best of Men are generally willing to throw all over-board for the Purchase of the heavenly Inheritance This must of necessity argue that they take Heaven to be a good Bargain at any rate 'T is the Saying of one That if there were no other way of coming to the Possession of that Blessedness he would be content not only to swim through a Sea of outward Troubles but he would wade through the Lake of Fire and Brimstone to be possess'd of God himself Rutherf Certain Men here and they wise too have lived and suffered at such a Rate upon the Score of Religion that we cannot in Reason but imagine they had somewhat extraordinary in their Eye And I am of Opinion that there is something of Truth in that Saying of Luther Homo perfecta credens si esse haeredes filium Dei omnium diu superstes manere sed statim immodico gaudio absorberetur Set but Canaan in the Eye and give the Man the Perspective of Faith in his Hand and let him see clearly the Landskip of that New Jerusalem and neither the Red Sea nor the Wilderness of Zin nor the Waters of Marah or Meribah nor the River Jordan nor the Moabites nor the Amorites shall fright him thence 6. The Author and Design of this State of Glory 1. The Great God who made the World who spake the Word and it was done who weigheth the Mountains in Scales and the Hills in a Ballance who governs all Things and hath all the Hosts of Heaven and Earth at his Command and can do his Pleasure and saith to one Angel Go and he goes and to another Come c. who maketh Angels of Spirits and Ministers of Flames of Fire Whose Power and Will nothing can resist but the very Pillars of the World stoop under him A God infinite in all Perfections of Wisdom as well as Power of Goodness as well as Wisdom and wants neither Skill nor Will nor Materials for the Work The Builder and Maker is God and therefore the Work like him 2. The Design of it to shew the Riches of his Glory Eph. 1.3 4-10 14 18. and ver 19. That ye may know what is the exceeding Greatness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. God hath shew'd all Men universally somewhat of what he can do He hath made a World and made them and an infinite Number of Creatures besides hath and daily doth such Wonders in the World that he must be blind and stupid that doth not admire them The Heavens declare the Glory of God c. Job 36.24 But all this is but ordinary Work his Master-piece is yet behind and he intends in the other World to unlook the Treasury of his Attributes and shew the Riches of his House and to his Elect Children his chosen Friends communicate his Glory in a more full free and immediate manner than ever he did to the Sons of Men in this World You shall see then as many of you as shall be found worthy the exceeding Riches of his Wisdom Truth Justice Power Goodness Greatness Blessedness and all his excellent Perfections You shall see
Discourses upon these Subjects and after all told me Sir the Lord hath given me Repentance for this Sin yea and for every other Sin I see the evil of Sin now so as I never saw it before Oh I loath my self I am a very vile Creature in my own Eyes I do also believe Lord help my unbelief I am heartily willing to take Christ upon his own Terms One thing troubles me I doubt this bloody Sin will not be pardoned Will Jesus Christ said he apply his Blood to me that have shed my own I told him Christ shed his Blood even for them that with wicked Hands had shed the Blood of Christ and that was a Sin of deeper Guilt than this Well said he I will cast my self upon Christ let him do by me what he pleases And so I parted with him that Night Next Morning the Wounds were to be open'd and then the Opinion of the Chyrurgeon were he would immediately expire Accordingly at his Desire I came that Morning and found him in a most serious frame I prayed with him and then the Wound in his Stomach was opened but by this time the Ventricle it self was swoln out of the Orifice of the Wound and lay like a live discolour'd Tripe upon his Body and was also cut through so that all concluded it was impossible for him to live however they stitch'd the Wound in the Stomach enlarged the Orifice and fomented it and wrought it again into his Body and so stitching the Skin left him to the Dispose of Providence But so it was that both the deep VVound in his Throat and this in his Stomach healed and the more dangerous VVound Sin had made upon his Soul was I trust effectually healed also I spent many Hours with him in that Sickness and after his return home received this Account from Mr. Samuel Hardy a Minister in that Town Part whereof I shall Transcribe Dear Sir I was much troubled at the sad Providence in your Town but did much rejoyce that he fell into such Hands for his Body and Soul You have taken much Pains with him and I hope to good purpose I think if ever a great and thorough VVork were done such a way it is now and if never the like I am perswaded now it is Never grow weary of such good VVorks One such Instance is methinks enough to make you to abound in the work of the Lord all your days Flavel's Divine Conduct CHAP. XXI Wants strangely supplied JOseph was sold into Egypt by the Envy of his Brethren to make Provision for them and their Father in a time of Famine Elijah is fed by an Angel when he was ready to starve with Hunger under the Juniper-Tree and found to his great Surprizal a Cake baked on the Coals and a Cruise of Water at his Head another time by a Raven who brought him Bread and Flesh Morning and Evening and a third time by the Wisdom of Zarepheth's Barrel of Meal and Cruise of Oyl which failed not so long as there was necessity of it What should I tell of Daniel and the three Children's Pulse and Water our Saviour's Loaves and Fishes of the Money found in the Belly of a Fish of the great Draught of Fishes that astonished St. Peter into Amazement God feedeth the young Ravens c. 1. Origen with his poor Mother and six Children after the Father's Death and the Confiscation of all his Goods to the Emperor procured a Sustenance for himself and them by teaching a Grammar-School and after being weary of that Profession he betook himself to the stndy of Sacred Scripture and Divinity and thus throwing himself upon Divine Providence it pleased God he was entertain'd by a Religious and Rich Matron together with his Mother and Brethren Clark's Marr. of Eccl. Hist 2. Mr. Samuel Clark in the Life of that painful and humble Servant Mr. John Fox records a memorable Instance or Providence and it is thus That towards the end of King Henry the Eighth his Reign he went to London where he quickly spent that little his Friends had given him or he had acquired by his own Diligence and began to be in great want As one day he sat in St. Paul's Church spent with long Fasting his Countenance thin and his Eyes hollow after the ghastful manner of dying Men every one shunning a Spectacle of so much horror There came one to him whom he had never seen before and thrust an untold Sum of Money into his Hand bidding him be of good Cheer and accept that small Gift in good part from his Country-man and that he should make much of himself for that within a few Days new Hopes were at Hand and a more certain Condition of Livelihood Three Days after the Dutchess of Richmond sent for him to live in her House and be Tutor to the Earl of Surrey's Children then under her Care 3. Mr. Isaac Ambrose a worthy Divine whose Labours have made him acceptable to his Generation in his Epistle to the Earl of Bedford prefixed to his last things gives a pregnant Instance in his own Case his Words are these For my own part saith he however the Lord hath seen cause to give me but a poor pittance of outward things for which I bless his Name yet in the Income thereof I have many times observ'd so much of his peculiar Providence that thereby they have been very much sweetned and my Heart hath been raised to admire his Grace When of late under an hard Dispensation which I iudge not mete to mention wherein I suffer'd conscientiously all Streams of wonted Supplys being stopt the VVaters of Relief for my self and Family did run low I went to Bed with some Staggerings and Doubtings of the Fountains letting out it self for our refreshing but e're I did awake in the Morning a Letter was brought to my Bed-side which was signed by a choice Friend Mr. Anthony Ash which reported some unexpected breakings out of God's Goodness for my Comfort These are some of his Lines Your God who hath given you an Heart thankful to record your Experiences of his Goodness doth renew Experiences for your Encouragement Now shall I report one which will raise your Spirit towards-the God of your Mercies VVhereupon he sweetly concludes One Morsel of God's Provision especially when it comes in unexpected and upon Prayer when wants are most will be more sweet to a Spiritual Relish than all former Enjoyments were Flavel's Divine Conduct p. 93. 4. Rochell was strangely relieved by a Shoal of Fish that came into the Harbour when they were ready to perish with Famine such as they never observed before nor after that time Ibid. p. 31. 5. Mr. William Garaway a Gentleman sufficiently known for his excellent Parts and Activeness and Fidelity to both King and Country in several Parliaments during these three last Reigns told me lately of another such a Special and Remarkable Providence as this was which happened to a certain Sea-Port Town in England
Children nearer to him and not to suffer them to live out of full Communion with his Church or else he would in his Anger leave them to such Abominations as shall cut them off from his Church And since this time many young People have by the Grace of the Lord been prepared for full Communion and have taken hold of the Covenant confessing that they have felt the impression of the Word upon that abashing Occasion spoken And thus the fall of one hath been the rising of many Where Sin abounds the Lord can make Grace to superabound Concerning some Personal Deliverances 1. There was a Young man endeavouring to subdue a Young Horse and a Rope at one end of it was fastened about the Horses Neck but the Horse running with great speed the other end of the Rope caught the Foot of this Young Man as in a snare and was so entangled therein that he was drawn Ten Rods upon his back in a very rough and uneven place of Land he being utterly unable to free himself and none at hand that could help him and thus it being come to this Extremity the Horse of himself stood still so long and no longer time than that the Young Man did clear his Foot out of the Rope and thus was delivered out of the danger and suffered not a broken Bone nor any considerable bruise or harm 2. There was another Young Man who sate upon a Plough-Beam and suddenly his Cattle moving his Plough turned and one of his Legs was Entangled within the Plough and the Plough-Irons pressing hard against some part of his Body but could not free himself and the more he called to the Cattle the more speedily they moved and thus was in danger of being torn in pieces but in this extremity it was not long before the Cattle of themselves stood still 3. There was another Young Man who did fall about Ten Foot from some part of the Mill Timber into deep Waters and a place of many Rocks a Stream very violent and he was carried about eleven Rods down the Stream where there was a great piece of Ice and while he was in this confounded and amazed Posture his hand was guided to take hold of that Ice and there to hold until one who saw him fall did adventure upon that Ice and drew him out of the Waters and thus they were both delivered Thus far Mr. Mather 4. Martin Bucer upon a Sermon Preached against the Impieties and Superstitions of the Church of Rome whilst he attended upon the Prince Elector Palatine in Belgium did so incur the ill will of the Monks and Friars that they said Snares for him but he having notice thereof fled secretly away and went unto Franciscus Sickingem by whom he was kindly entertained promising him safety till the times were better quieted in reference to Religion Ibid. p. 155. 5. I will here set down a Remarkable story of my Own Father William Turner a Private Man and disengaged from Parties who yet in the time of our late Civil Wars being requested by a Neighbour to assist him in the seecuing of a Gelding which he had in a Pasture not far from my Father's House upon the Expectation of an Army that was coming in that Road My Father readily without any excuse went along with him took the Horse out of the Pasture went along the Road so long till the Neighbour fearing danger diverted into the Feilds My Father being not far from his own House and trusting partly to the innocence of his cause kept the Road and bid Farewel to his Companion but by and by meeting with some Souldiers he passed by them and after them others till at last finding the lane narrow and the Souldiers come in greater multitudes to avoid the trouble of giving way to so many having a confidence in the swiftness of his Horse and the Knowledge of by-paths he turned back again but had not gone far till he was shot at once and again and at last shot through his Body between the Bowels and Bastard-Ribs and at last seized His Horse Boots Sword and Cloaths all taken from him and a tattered suit of Apparel from a common Souldier put upon him And at last brought to the General who passed this Sentence upon him that he should be hang'd the next Rendezvour Accordly he was driven before them to the next Market-Town Drayton in Shropshire put under the Table whilst the General and his Officers went to breakfast in order to be hanged by and by But upon a false report the General caused the Trumpeter to sound a March and so left my Father bleeding inwardly in the Inn. Three Chirurgeons that were sent for successively one after the other gave him over for desperate but at last a Gentlewoman related to the Earl of Shrewsbury looking upon his wound did believe it curable and accordingly undertook the Cure and in six Months at least effected it but so that my Father upon the least Surcharge of new Ale or Beer or any windy Liquor was obnoxious to Fainting-Fits till it pleased God after 20 Years or thereabouts to order it so that the Escharre broke out in way of an Issue which continued with him I think to almost the time of his Death which was in the 77th Year of his Age A. D. 1689 90. This I thought my self bound in point of Gratitude to the Divine Providence to Record 6. Beza being in France in the first Civil War and there tossed up and down for two and twenty Months Recorded six hundred Deliverances from Dangers in that space for which he solemnly gave God thanks in his last Testament Flavel's Divine Conduct p. 104. 7. Extracted from Mr. Aubery 's Miscellanies Anno 1670. A poor Widow's Daughter in Herefordshire went to Service she was Aged about 20 fell very ill even to the point of Death her Mother besought God to spare her Daughter's life and take her to him At this very time the Daughter fell into a Trance which continued about an Hour they thought she had been Dead When she recovered out of it she declared the Vision she had in this Fit viz. That one in black Habit came to her whose Face was so bright and glorious she could not behold it and also he had such brightness upon his Breast and if I forget not upon his Arms and told her That her Mother's Prayers were heard and that her Mother should shortly die and she should suddenly recover And she did so and her Mother died She hath the Character of a modest humble vertuous Maid Had this been in some Catholick Country it would have made a great Noise 8. T is certain there was one in the Strand who lay in a Trance a few Hours before he departed And in his Trance had a Vision of the Death of King Charles the II. It was at the very Day of his Apoplectick Fit 9. There is a Sheet of Paper Printed 16 concerning Ecstasies that James Vsher late Lord Primate
Stock Here I got Money and hired a Cellar where I laid up some other of my Goods When weary of my Slavery I formed a design for my Liberty and Communicated it to John Anthony Carpenter William Adams Brick-layer John Jephs Sea-man John a Carpenter and two others Men of able Bodies and useful in the intended Project which being formed in Parcels and afterwards put together might be the means of our Escape They approved the Proposal and in my Cellar we began our Work We provided first a piece of Timber of twelve Foot long to make the Keel but because it was impossible to convey a piece of Timber of that length out of the City but it must be seen and suspected we therefore cut it in two Pieces and fitted it for Joynting just in the middle Then we provided Ribs after which to make the Boat water-tite because Boards would require much â—ammering and that noise was like to betray us we bought as much Canvas as would cover our Boat twice over upon the Canvas of the Carine we provided also as much Pitch Tar and Tallow as would serve to make it a kind of Tarpawling Cere-Cloth to swaddle the naked Body of our Infant-boat of two Pipe-staves sawed a-cross from Corner to Corner we made two things to serve for Oars and for our Provision we had a little Bread and two Leather-Bottles full of fresh Water we also remembred to buy as much Canvas as would serve for a Sail. We carry'd out all these in Parts and Parcels fitted them together in the Valley about half a Mile from the Sea whither four of our Company carried the Boat on their Shoulders and the rest follow'd them At the Sea-side we stript put our Cloaths into the Boat and carry'd it and them as far into the Sea as we could all seven got in but finding she was overladen two of them were content to stay on Shoar having bid them farewel we lanched out June 30. 1644. The Bill of Lading was John Anthony William Adams John Jephs John Carpenter and William Okeley four of us wrought continually at the Oars the fifth was to free the Boat of that Water which by degrees leaked through the Canvas our Bread was soon spoiled with soaking in salt Water our fresh VVater stunk of the tanned Skins and Owze yet we complain'd not Three days with good Husbandry our Bread lasted us but then pale Famine stared us in the Face VVater indeed we might have but it must be salt out of the Sea or that which had been strained through our own Bodies and that we chose of the two but that we must not have after a while unless we would accept of the other first and the Misery was these did not asswage our Thirst but increase it The VVind too for some time was full against us but God rebuked it made it our Friend a second Inconvenience was that our Labour was without Intermission and a third the extremity of Heat by Day the Season raging hot the beginning of July and we wanted fresh VVater to cool the Heat our Labour made it insupportable to our Bodies and our little Hope made it as grievous to our Souls one Help we had a poor one he that emptied the Boat threw the VVater on the Bodies of the rest to cool them but our Bodies thus scorched and cooled rose up in Blisters all over Great pain we felt great dangers we were in great miseries we endured great wants we were under and had nothing left but Hope Food and Strength If any ask by what Directions we steer'd our Course to Mayork whither we designed for the Day a Pocket-Dial supplied the place of the Compass by Night the Stars when they appear'd and when not we guessed our way by the Motions of the Clouds four Days and four Nights were we in this woful plight on the fifth all hope that we should be saved was perished so that we left off our Labour because we had no Strength left only emptied the Boat of VVater when God sent some Relief to us as we lay hulling up and down we discover'd a Tortoise not far from us asleep in the Sea Had Drake discovered the Spanish Fleet he could not have more rejoyced VVe took up our Oars silently row'd to our Prey took it into our Boat with great Triumph we cut off her Head and let her bleed into a Pot we drank the Blood eat the Liver and sucked the Flesh It wonderfully refreshed our Spirits and we picked up some Crumbs of Hope About Noon we thought we discovered Land 't is impossible to express the Joy of our raised Souls at this Apprehension we wrought hard and after further Labour were fully satisfied that it was Land and it was Mayork we kept within sight of it all day the sixth of July and about Ten a Clock at Night we came under the Island and crept as near the Shoar as we could and durst till we found a convenient place where we might thrust in our Weather-beaten Boat When we were come to the Land we were not insensible of our Deliverance but tho' we had escaped the Sea we might die at Land we had no Food since we eat the Liver and drank the Blood of the Tortoise therefore John Anthony and my self were sent out to scout abroad for ftesh Water because we spake some Spanish we came to a Watch-Tower of the Spaniards spake to him on the Watch told him our Condition earnestly begging some fresh Water and some Bread he threw us down an old mouldy Cake but so long as it were a Cake Hunger did not consider its Mouldiness then he directed us to fresh Water which was hard by We stood not telling Stories we remembred our Brethren left with our Boat and observing the Sentinels Directions came to a Well where there was a little Water and eat a bit of our Cake but the Passage was so disused that we had much ado to force our Throats to relieve our Clamourous Stomachs We return to our Boat acquaint them with the good Success of our Embassy and all prepare to make to the Well so tying our Boat as fast as we could to the Shoat we left her to Mercy Now we are at the Well it hath Water and we have something to draw but God must give us a Throat to swallow for William Adams attempting to drink after many Essays was not able to swallow it but still the Water return'd so that he sunk down to the Ground faintly saying I am a dead Man but after much striving he took a little so refreshed with our Cake and Water we lay down by the Well-side till the Morning when it was clear Day we again went to the Watch-man intreating him to direct us to the next House or Town where we might find Relief he civilly pointed us to one about Two Miles off and long it was e're our blister'd Feet could overcome the tediousness of that little way When we came
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
Imprisoned under the Name of a Witch my Husband and Friends disowned me and seeing no hope of ever being in Credit again through the Temptation of the Devil I made that Confession to destroy my own Life being weary of it and chusing rather to Die than to Live This her lamentable Speech did astonish all the Spectators few of whom could refrain from Tears The Truth of this Relation saith my Author is certainly attested by a worthy Divine now living who was an Eye and an Ear Witness of the whole Matter 16. Mr. Showers in his Discourse of Tempting of Christ saith Many Instances might be named of a sinful limiting the Power of God One among others is that of rash Appeals to Heaven expecting that God by his powerful Providence should interpose to the Decision of doubtful Cases And this Men do in the use of such things unto which some notable Effects are ascribed which they were never inabled or appointed by Nature or Divine Institution to produce As when a Person was Indicted upon Suspicion or for a Fault that was secretly committed or upon the Testimony but of one Witness he was to purge himself by Ordeal Fire or Water that is to put himself upon GOD and Appeal to Him This was allowed by some of the Laws of Charles the Great and was in frequent use in this Nation in the Saxons time Many Instances in the ninth and tenth Century may be given of this as a common Practice in the Christian World when there was not sufficient Evidence of a Man's Guilt to put him on such Extraordinary Tryals expecting some miraculous Appearance of God to vindicate his Innocence or conclude against it In such doubtful Cases they said they would go ad Juaicium Dei they would Appeal to Heaven Many ways they had of this in different Forms and several Ceremonies and particular Prayers with Fasting and Adjurations in the Names of God to the particular Element various according to the Quality of the Person whether a Freeman or a Slave that is one of a mean and base condition the former was to be tried by Fire and the latter by Water hot or cold But what Ground have we to think that if Men are Innocent the Power of God will this way preserve them or if they be Guilty that He will leave them to suffer by it It is true He appointed under the Law a draught of bitter Waters for the Woman suspected of Adultery to discover her Innocency or Guilt this was peculiarly enacted by God himself who doubtless would assist such extraordinary Procedure as was of his own Institution But it is not for us to use such Methods of our own devising and expect the like success Philip de Comines tells us of Two Franciscan Friars at Florence who offer'd themselves to the Fire to prove Savonarola to be a Heretick But a certain Jacobine offer'd himself to the Fire to prove that Savonarola had true Revelations and was no Heretick In the mean time Savonarola preach'd and made no such confident Offer nor durst he venture at that new kind of Fire Ordeal But if all Four had past through the Fire and died in the Flames what would that have proved Had he been an Heretick or no Heretick the more or the less for the Confidence of two or three Zealots Thus far Mr. Showers 17. The Persians had a Law That if a Man were accused and found guilty he should not straitway be Condemned but after a diligent enquiry of his Life and Conversation And if the number of his praise-worthy Deeds did countervail the contrary he was fully quit of the Trespass Chetwind's Hist Collect. 18. Eustathius a Man famous for Preaching and Holiness of Life opposing the Arrian Heresie the Arrians suborned a naughty Strumpet to come with a Child in her Arms and Accuse Eustathius of Adultery and She Swore that he begat that Child of her Body which though he constantly denied yet he was put out of his place Howbeit his Innocency e'er long was made known for the Strumpet being struck with Sickness She was in such horrour of Conscience that She confessed the whole Practice and how She was hired to slander this holy Man and that yet She was not altogether a Liar for Eustathius the Handicrafts Man begat the Child though not Eustathius the Preacher See Mr. Nathanael Vincent 's Childs Catechism CHAP. XXIV Doubts strangely Resolved and the Weak Confirmed SAint Peter was resolved concerning the Divinity of our Saviour by a Miracle which so startled him that he â—ell down at Jesus Feet saying Depart from me for I am a sinful Man O Lord Thomas doubting of his Resurrection was resolved to accept no Satisfaction in the case but by his own Senses and it was granted him as a special favour And 't is strange to observe how low God stoops many times in condescension to Human Infirmities on this Score to help their Faith and clear their Doubts meeting his Children in their own way and sometimes Surprizing them when their Doubts are at full tide and they least expect them 1. That good Gentlewoman Mrs. Honeywood under a deep and sad Desertion refused and put off all Comfort seeming to Despair utterly of the Grace of God A worthy Minister being one Day with her and Reasoning against her desperate Conclusions she took a Venice-Glass from the Table and said Sir I am as sure to be Damned as this Glass is to be broken and there with threw it forcibly to the Ground but to the Astonishment of both the Glass remained whole and sound which the Minister taking up with admiration rebuked her Presumption and shewed her what a VVonder Providence had wrought for her Satisfaction and it greatly altered the Temper of her Mind O how unsearchable are all his ways and his paths past finding ouâ— Lo these are part of his ways but how small a portion do we know of him Flavel's Divine Conduct p. 73. 2. Mrs. Joan Drake of Emersham in her great Temptations had a custom of turning over the Bible to put her Finger suddenly upon some Verse saying Now whatsoever my Finger is upon is just my Case whatsoever it be and my Doom But the Lord did so order it that looking upon the Verse it was always found encouraging and comfortable She was much entreated to desist but she prayed that she might do it once more promising faithfully to leave off afterwards being permitted she open'd the Bible and put her Finger upon that excellent Text without looking or reading a word Isa 40.27 c. Why sayest thou O Jacob and speakest O Israel my way is hid from the Lord c. which being read and considered of so crossed her hopes that it made her blush Clark Exam. vol. 2. p. 357. 3. In the Life of Arch-Bishop Vsher we are told of a Lady wavering in her Religion who was resolved by occasion of a Jesuit's being disabled to proceed in a Disputation with the Bishop and leaving the place
word Opened his Bible and it opened in the 10. Heb. and the first word he cast his Eye on was that Text If a Man Sin willingly c. He reflected on himself by Examination and Conscience answered for him upon which the Cloud began to scatter presently and e're Night came he was comforted These Three Relations concerning Mrs. Polsted Mrs. Charlton and Mr. Nutkin of Okingham were all sent me by the Reverend Mr. Singleton now living in Hogsdon-Square near London and are Printed as I received them from him 9. Melancthon going onoe upon some great Service for the Church of Christ and having many doubts and fears about the Success of his business was much cheared up and confirmed by a Company of poor Women and Children whom he found together Praying for the labouring Church and casting it by Faith into Christ's everlasting Arms. Clark's Examp. vol. 1. c. 119. out of Seluccer 10. Andronicus the Emperor of Constantinople finding that all things went cross with him took a Psalter in his Hand to resolve his doubtful Mind and opening the same as it were to resolve his Doubts thereby and ask Counsel of the Oracles of God the first Verse he fixt his Eye upon was Psal 68.14 When the Almighty scatter'd Kings c. whereby he was comforted and directed what to do for his greater safety Turk Hist p. 164. 11. S. Augustine being in Trouble on the hinge of his Conversion and retired into his Garden pouring forth his Tears plentifully and not knowing what to do was warn'd by a Voice from Heaven saying Tolle Lege Take and Read And immediately having S. Paul's Epistles by him he open'd the Book and the first Text he turn'd to was Rom. 13. c. Not in riotting and Drunkenness c. with which he was satisfied and giving the Book to his dear friend Alipius he read on Him that is weak in faith receive but not to doubtful Disputations which gave a sufficient Direction to Alipius too August Conf. lib. 8. 12. Sarah Daughter of Mr. Tho. Wight sometime of the Auditor's Office in London about the Year 1643. was for four Years oft in great Doubt and Despair and tormented with divers Temptations viz. to believe that there was no God Devil Heaven nor Hell but what she felt in her own Conscience One day being violently assaulted with that Temptation that there was no Hell but what she felt within her self having a little white earthen Cup in her Hand she said that she was as sure to be damned as that was to break and therewithal threw it from her to break it but it brake not Again she said as sure as this Cup will break there is no Hell and threw it more violently against the fâ—rther side of the Chamber and yet it brake not Her Mother took it up and said See Child it is not broken She got it again and said and did the like four or five times only the fifth time a little nip brake out After her Recovery she still desired to drink out of that Cup to put her in Mind of God's Goodness toward her Notwithstanding she continued comfortless till April 10. 1647. About Midnight when all humane Help fail'd and former Means could not do it yet when she was made utterly uncapable of receiving Comfort that way For now the was stricken both blind and deaf her Eyes being fast closed up her first Speeches were My Soul thirsts for the Water of Life and I shall have it This with great Ardency of Spirit she repeated over four times then drank three or four little Cups of Water and then sitting up with a lowly cheerful Countenance much Brokenness 〈◊〉 Heart and Tears trickling down her Cheeks she spake with a low Voice Ah! that Jesus Christ should come from the Bosom of his Father and take the Nature of Man upon him and come in such a low Estate and lie in a Manger Christ came to the lowest Soul he lay is a Manger in a contemptible place Do you not see an Excellency in him I tell you There is more Excellency in Him in lowest State that in a World yea than in Ten Thousand Worlds _____ Do you not see an Excellency in Him who came here to die for even for Sinners yea for the greatest of Sinners for the chiefest Sinners A dying Christ for a denying Peter this she repeated three times Peter denied him yet he died for him Go tell Peter here she â—â—wsedâ— and admired For a Peter for a Mary Magdalen for a Theif on the Cross that none should despair c. Thus she continued till April 13. blind and deaf neither eating nor drinking any thing but a little Water nor speaking till at last starting up suddenly she said The Devil fights with me as with Michael and his Angels but the Angel shall prevail c. Nay she took nothing till May 19th except a little Water and once a little Broth which she cast up immediately and yet look'd better than for seven or eight Weeks before And at last after long Weakness and many gracious Expressions June 11th that Text came into her Mind Mark 5. v. last Damsel I say unto thee arise c. and was fully perswaded that so in should be to her self And accordingly it was for she eat heartily with Joy before them all call'd for her Cloaths rose up stood on her Feet Many Persons of all Ranks visited her in this time of her Visitation and were Ear and Eye-witnesses of these things at the time of her Recovery she was not full 16 Years old Clark's Examp. Vol. 2. p. 436. CHAP. XXV The Modest and Humble strangely advanced BEfore Honour is Humility saith Solomon Prov. 15.33 and tho' the Lord be high yet hath he respect unto the lowly Ps 138.6 'T is certain humble Men are best qualified for the favours of Heaven and that they have of oftentimes an Earnest given them here of the good things of this Life appears plainly in the Examples of the Primitive Disciples and Christians 1. Athanasius upon occasion of examining other Boys at Play and preparing them for Baptism was by Alexander Bishop of Alexandria observing the Sport first set to School afterwards made Deacon and at last when Alexander lay dying wished by him to be his Successor which he afterwards tho' unwillingly was 2. Dr. Vsher was noted for his Humility in stooping to the Capacity of the meanest in his high Thoughts of others and low of himself and when the Provostship of the Colledg of Dublin's as offer'd him he refused it at 30 Years of age yet was afterwards without any 〈◊〉 of his own by King James made Bishop of Meath and afterwards Arch-Bishop of Armagh c. See his Life 3. Cardinal Pool was a learned humble prudent and moderate Man and accordingly preferred to the Arch-Bishoprick of Canterbury upon receiving of the Pall he made a cold Sermon concerning the beginning use and virtues of the Pall without either Learning or Eloquence and tho
he stood fair for the Pontifical Chair upon the death of Pope Paul III. and the Party for him had gain'd almost a sufficient number of Suffrages he seemed little concern'd at it and did rather decline than aspire to that Dignity Yea and when a full number had agreed and came to adore him according to the ordinary Ceremony he receiv'd it with his usual Coldness and that being done in the Night he said God loved Light and therefore advised them to delay it till Day came upon which the Italians among whom Ambition passes for the Character of a great Mind looked on this as an unsufferable piece of Dulness so the Cardinals shrunk from him before day and chose de Monte Pope who reigned by name of Julius the III. His first Promotion was very extraordinary for he gave his own Hat to a Servant that kept his Monkey and being ask'd the Reason of it He said He saw as much in his Servant to recommend him to be a Cardinal as the Conclave saw in him to chuse him to be Pope See Abridgment of the Hist. of the Reform l. 2. p. 121. And it is remarkable that notwithstanding he had such an humble Opinion of his own Parts yet he behaved himself so wisely at the Council of Trent that it raised his Esteem much and moved the Conclave of Rome to a Design of promoting him to the Popedom Ibid. See more in the Chapter of present Retribution to the Humble and Modest. CHAP. XXVI Persons strangely admonished of Sins or Dangers WE have to deal with so gracious a God and one so concern'd for our Welfare and Salvation that he seldom lets his Children run into Dangers without giving them a previous Notice and Admonition of it Thus the Persecution design'd by Herod against our Saviour was notified to Joseph in a Dream and withal a way directed for his Escape S. Peter was told plainly before-hand of Satan 's Defire to sift and winnow him Judas o his Temptation and all the rest of the Apostles of their stumbling and Offence And indeed all the Christian Disciples had fair warning of the Dangers that awaited them in the World after our Saviour's Ascension into Heaven and therefore they were to fore-arm themselves with Prudence and Innocency c. How S. Paul was admonished by Agabus of his being bound at Jerusalem See Act. 21.11 12. 1. We do elsewhere relate in this Book how a Gentleman in London whensoever he was drunk was continually molested with a Noise over his Head as he lay in his Bed c. 2. Some few Days before the Duke of Buckingham's going to Portsmouth where he was stabbed by Felton the Ghost of his Father Sir George Villiers appear'd to one Parker formerly his own Servant but then Servant to the Duke in his Morning-Chamber-Gown charged Parker to tell his Son that he should decline that Employment and Design he was going upon or else he would certainly be murder'd Parker promised the Apparition to do it but neglected it The Duke making Preparations for his Expedition the Apparition came again to Parker taxing him very severely for his Breach of Promise and required him not to delay the acquainting his Son of the Danger he went in Then Parker the next day told the Duke that his Father's Ghost had twice appear'd to him and had commanded him to give him that warning The Duke slighted it and told him he was an old doting Fool. That Night the Apparition came to Parker and said Thou hast done well in warning my Son of his Danger but tho' he will not yet believe thee go to him once more however and tell him from me by such a Token naming a private Token which no Body knows but only he and I that if he will not decline his Voyage such a Knife as this is pulling a Knife out from under his Gown will be his Death This Message Parker also delivered the next day to the Duke who when he heard the private Token believed that he had it from his Father's Ghost yet said that his Honour was now at Stake and he could not go back from what he had undertaken come Life come Death This Passage Parker after the Duke's Murder communicated to his Fellow-Servant Henry Ceely who told it to a Reverend Divine a Neighbour of mine from whose Mouth I have it saith Mr. Glaenvil in his Sadducism Triumph p. 410. 3. A Gentleman in Ireland near to the Earl of Orory's sending his Butler one Afternoon to buy Cards as be passed a Field he to his wonder espy'd a Company of People sitting round a Table with a deal of good Chear before them in the midst of the Field And he going up towards them they all arose and saluted him and desired him to sit down with them But one of them whispering these Words in his Ear Do nothing this Company invites you to do He thereupon refused to sit down and immediately the Table and all that belonged to it were gone and the Company are now playing and dancing And the Butler being desired to joyn himself with them but he refusing they fall all to work but he refusing to work with them they all disappeared The Man runs strait home and was no sooner entred his Master's House but down he falls and lay some time sensless but coming to himself again he related to his Master what had happened The Night following there comes one of this Company to his Bed-side and tells him that if he offer'd to stir out of Doors the next day he would be carried away Hereupon he kept within but towards the Evening having need to make Water he adventured to put one Foot over the Threshold several standing by Which he had no sooner done but the espy'd a Rope cast about his Middle and the poor Man was hurried away with great swiftness they following after him as fast as they could but could not overtake him At length they espy'd a Horseman coming towards them and made signs to him to stop the Man whom he saw coming near him and both ends of the Rope but no Body drawing When they met he laid hold on one end of the Rope and immediately had a smart Blow given him over his Arm with the other end But by this means the Man was stopt and the Horseman brought him back with him The Earl of Orory hearing of these strange Passages sent to the Master to desire him to send this Man to his House which he accordingly did And the Morning following or quickly after he told the Earl that his Spectre had been with him again and assured him that that day be should most certainly be carried away and that no Endeavours should avail to the saving of him Upon this he was kept in a large Room with a considerable number of Persons to guard him among whom was the famous Stroker Mr. Greatrix who was a Neighbour There were besides other Persons of Quality two Bishops in the House at the same
him he was to acquaint him with it that he might the better understand it when it should come to be heard in Court Upon which the Lord Chief Baron interrupted him and said He did not deal fairly to come to his Chamber about such Affairs for he never received any Information of Causes but in open Court where both Parties were to be heard alike so he would not suffer him to go on Whereupon his Grace for he was a Duke went away not a little dissatisfied and complain'd of it to the King as a Rudeness that was not to be endured But his Majesty bid him content himself that he was no worse used and said He verily believed he would have used himself no better if he had gone to sollicite him in any of his own Causes Another passage fell out in one of his Circuits which was somewhat censured as an Affection of an unreasonable Strictness but it flowed from his Exactness to the Rules he had set himself A Gentleman had sent him a Buck for his Table that had a Tryal at the Assizes so when he heard his Name he asked if he was not the same Person that had sent him Venison And finding he was the same he told him he could not suffer the Tryal to go on till he had paid him for his Buck To which the Gentleman answer'd That he never sold his Venison and that he had done nothing to him which he did not do to every Judge that had gone that Circuit which was confirmed by several Gentlemen then present but all would not do for the Lord Chief Baron had learned from Solomon that a Gift perverteth the ways of Judgment and therefore he would not suffer the Tryal to go on till he had paid for the present upon which the Gentleman withdrew the Record And at Salisbury the Dean nnd Chapter having according to the Custom presented him with six Sugar-Loaves in his Circuit he made his Servants pay for the Sugar before he would try their Cause Dr. Burnet in his Life CHAP. XXXII Remarkable Temperance in Meats THE Vse of a sober and moderate Diet is none of the least Virtues commended to us by our Religion The ancient Hebrews summ'd up their Victuals in that short Bill of Fare Bread and Water Flesh and Milk Wine and Oyl were extraordinary Daniel fed upon Pulse and so did the three Children and did well and appear'd plump and in good liking with such Food Solomon adviseth us when we were set down at the Table of Great Men and see Dainties before us to direct our Knife not to the Trencher but to our Throat especially if we have not got a Habit of Temperance but are Persons of a greedy Appetite and our Saviour bids us beware of Surfeiting and some Christians we may find not unskilful this way 1. Ambrose was very Abstinent full of Watchings and Prayer never dining but on the Sabbaths Clark's Marr. of Eccl. Hist. 2. Chrysostom seldom went to Feasts when invited Ibid. Luther grudged at the Expence of his time upon the same Score Fuller 3. S. Augustine's Diet was usually Broth and Roots using to say that he feared not the Vncleanness of Meat so much as the Vncleanness of Appetite for for his Guests and Kinsfolk he had better His Dishes for his Meat were of Earth Wood or Marble his Table was more for Disputation than rich Banquetting Clark's Marr. of Eccl. Hist 4. Gregory the Great was very abstenious in his Diet frequent in Fasting and Prayer and so studious of the Sacred Scriptures that he could scarce find leisure to eat his Food till necessity urged him thereunto and indeed his Abstinence was so great that he much impair'd his Health thereby yet would he not give over his Employments of Praying Reading Writing or Dictating to others Ibid. 5. Philippus Nerius at Nineteen Years of Age made it a Law to himself that he should refresh his Body but once a day and that only with Bread and Water and sometimes he would abstain even from these cold Delights unto the third Day Being made Priest his manner was to eat some small thing in the Morning and then abstain till Supper which never consisted of more than two poched Eggs or instead of these some Pulse or Herbs He would not suffer more Dishes than one to be set upon his Table he seldom eat of Flesh or Fish and of white Meats he never tasted his Wine was little and that much diluted with Water and which is most wonderful he seemed never to be delighted with one Dish more than another Drexel Oper. tom 2. de Jejun Abstin Part. 1. Chap. 11. Sect. 8. P. 796. 6. Cardinal Carolus Borromoeus was of that Abstinence that he kept a daily Fast with Bread and Water Sundays and Holydays only excepted and this manner of Life he continued till his Death He kept even Festivals with that Frugality that he usually fed upon Pulse Apples or Herbs Pope Gregory the Thirteenth sent to him not only to advise but to command him to moderate these Rigours But the Cardinal wrote back to him that he was most ready to obey but that withal he had learned by Experience that his spare-eating was conducing to Health and that it was subservient to the drying up the Flegm and Humours wherewith his Body did abound Whereupon the Pope left him to his Pleasure He persisted therein therefore with so rigid a Constancy that even in the heat of Summer and when he had drawn out his Labours beyond his accustomed time he would not indulge himself so far as to taste of a little Wine nor allow his Thirst so much as a drop of Water Ibid. 7. The Meat upon which Mr. Eliot lived was a Cibus Simplex an homely but a wholesome Diet rich Varities costly Viands and Poinant Sawces came not upon his own Table and when he found them upon other Men's he rarely tasted of them One Dish and a plain one was his Dinner and when invited to a Feast I have seen him sit magnifying of God for the Plenty which his People in this Wilderness were within a few Years risen to but not more than a Bit or two of all the Dainties did he take into his own Mouth all the while And for a Supper he had learned of his Loved and Blessed Patron old Mr. Cotton either wholly to omit it or make but a small Sup or two the utmost of it Cotton Mather in the Life of Mr. Eliot p. 32 33. 8. Fulgentius tho he had been tenderly and delicately brought up in his Youth yet after he entred into a Monastery he wholly abstained from Wine and Oyl and was so rigorous in Fasting that it much debilitated and weakned his Body and brought some Diseases upon him But his Heart being wholly set upon the working forth his Salvation with Fear and Trembling he committed himself to God's Providence saying The daintiest Feeders cannot prevent Sickness and having a while habituated himself to this course of
Life he recover'd his former Health and Beauty See Mr. Clark 's Lives of the Fathers p. 160. 9. Philip Melancthon was very sparing in his Diet In his Apparel he had Respect only to his Health and was well content with a small Stipend On a time Prince Maurice Elector of Saxony asked him if he wanted any thing for the Supply of his Necessities He said No. The Elector bad him ask what he would he answer'd That he had his Stipend with which he was well content The Elector wonder'd that he was so well pleased with so small Means Ibid. p. 571. 10. Dr. William Whitaker was always very Temperate in his Diet from his Childhood and afterwards he drank very little Wine and in the Summer time he mixed it with water He never overloaded his Stomach with Meat no not in the greatest Feasts but always used a sparing and moderate Diet. Ibid. p. 815. 11. Dr. Harris was exactly Temperate confining himself to hours for Diet Sleep c. He would often say That he would rather pour Liquor into his Boots than into his Mouth between Meals He was a strict observer of those Laws of Sobriety which St. Paul had Pressed upon Ministers and which himself in his Drunkards Cup had taught to others He used to Eat seasonably and sparingly which without question was one great means of preserving such vigourous Spirits to so great an Age. See his Life in Mr. Clark's 3 vol. of Lives 12. Bishop Joseph Hall saith thus of himself If I see a Dish to tempt my Palat I fear a Serpent in that Apple and would please my self in a wilful denial 13. Dr. Hopkins late Bishop of London-Derry in his Discourse of the Vanity of the World tells us That Epicurus himself the great Master and Servant of Pleasure who made it the highest Good and chiefest Happiness of Man set himself certain Days of Abstinence in course wherein he would but niggardly satisfie his Stomach well knowing that the pleasure of Gluttony could never be so much enhanc'd as an Interval of Hunger for that continues the same Author is a furnisht Table to him whose constant Meals overtake one another but only the heaping of Food upon Crudities and Indigestion What the Titles of Honour to a Person Born Noble They signifie no more to him than it doth to another Man when he hears himself called by his ordinary Name What is Respect and Honour to a Man long accustomed to it It brings him no great content when he hath it but torments him when he fails of it give these things to those that are unacquainted with them If you would have them valued Bring a poor Man to a Table of Delicates Invest an Ignoble Person with Honours and Dignities give Respect to a dispised Person and for the present you bless him but Time and Custom will wear of this Content and Tediousness even of such a Life as this will make them willing at least for their Divertisment and Recreation to retire to their homely Cells and Station For as it is with those that are accustomed to strong Perfumes they themselves cannot scent those Odours which to others that use them not are most Sweet and Fragrant So it fares with us in the long continuance of Worldy Engagements our Senses are so stuft and even Soffocated with them that we cannot perceive them and unless we purchase Pleasure by Alternate Sorrow they are but lost upon us Now how vain must the World needs be whose Comforts are not valuable while we have them but while we have them not And how vain are those Joyes for which we must pay down as much Grief as the Joyes themselves are worth So that upon Ballancing the Accompt there remains nothing to us And it had been altogether as good to have enjoyed nothing Thus far Bishop Hopkins 14. 'T is said of Martin Luther though he was big of Body and in very good Health that he would usually continue four Days together without Eating or Drinking any thing at all and that for many Days together he would content himself with a little Bread and one single Herring Melanchton in Vita Lutheri CHAP. XXXIII Remarkable Temperance in Drinks DRunkenness is a Vice not fit to be Named much less Practised among Christians nay we are forbid so much as to look upon the Wine when it is Red when it sparkles in the Cup or to rise early in the Morning to follow the Strong Drink and as to the Quantity these Sinners are marked with a Note of Infamy that drink Wine in Bowles When at the same time they are Incurious as commonly such Persons are about the Poverty and Afflictions of their Brethren And we have frequently in Sacred Scriptures the ill Effects of Intemperate Drinking intimated to us for which reason we find all along that the best Christians are generally the Soberest Persons 1. Pontanns writes that in his time there was a Woman who in all her Life time did never drink either Wine or Water and that being once enforced to drink Wine by Command of Ladislaus King of Naples she received much hurt thereby Marcel Donat. Hist Med. Mira. l. 6. c. 3. p. 306. But this seems a natural Infirmity rather than a Christian Virtue and the next hath some Affinity with it 2. A Noble Man of Piedmont being Sick of that kind of Dropsie which is called Ascites sent for Dr. Albertus Roscius who finding the Dropsie confirmed and the Patient averse from all kind of Remedies he said thus to him Noble Sir if you will be cured and perfectly freed of this mighty Swelling that is if you desire to live there is an absolute necessity that you Determine with your self to dye of that Thurst wherewith you are so Tormented if you will do this I hope to cure you in a short time The Noble Man at the hearing of this did so command himself that for a Month he refrained not only all kind of Drink but not so much as tasted of any thing that was liquid by which means he was restored to his former Health Fabi Obs Chirurg Cent. 4. Obs 41. p. 319. 3. Paul the Hermit St. Anthony St. Hierom Patroclus drank Water Alcibiades Martyr Water with Salt Amodeus the Spaniard Simeon of Antioch Sisinnius the Monk Serapion Nicolaus Torlentinas Maxentius the Abbot c. all drank Water 4. The Drink which Mr. John Eliot still used was very small he cared not for Wines or Drams and I believe he never once in all his Life knew what it was to feel so much as a noxious Fume in his Head from any of them Good clear Water was more precious as well as more usual with him than of those Liquors with which Men do so frequently spoil their own Healths while perhaps they drink those of other Men. When at a Stranger 's House in the Summer time he hath been entertained with a Glass which they told him was of Water and Wine he hath with a Complaisant Gravity
replied unto this purpose Wine is a noble generous Liquor and we should be humbly thankful for it but as I remember Water was made before it Yet he lived till near 90 Years of Age. Cotton Mather in his Life p. 33. 5. Abraames Bishop of Carras saith Theodoret lived with that rigorous Abstinence that Bread and Water Bed and Fire seemed superfluous to him It is said of this great Man that he drank not nor made use of Water wherein to boil his Herbs or any other thing but his manner was to feed upon Endive and Lettice and Fruits and such other things as were to him both Meat and Drink and from these also he used to abstain till the Evening Yet he was a Person of great Liberality to such as were his Guests these he entertained with the best Bread the most generous Wines the better sort of Fishes and all such other things as a generous Mind and a real Love could produce and himself would take upon him to be the Carver and to distribute to every Man his Portion Drexel oper tom 1. p. 796. 6. Pittacus made a Law that whosoever committed any Crime when drunk should be punished double Laert. 7. Solon made another That if any Prince were taken Drunk he should die for it Idem 8. Plato's Suppers were Frugal to a Proverb He despised delicate Banquets and sumptuous Feasts being himself content with his Academical Olives and Bread and Water Text. Offic. 9. Zeno drank Water instead of Wine and by his own Example invited his Scholars to Temperance insomuch that it became a Proverb More sober than Zeno. Idem 10. About Zurich notwithstanding their Neighbourhood to the Switzers Drinking is very little known amongst them Dr. Burnet's Letters 11. A. C. 1606. Mr. George Coldwel Mayor of Northampton having assembled the Aldermen of the said Town declared to them his Purpose to ordain these Acts That no Inhabitants should enter into any Ale-House to drink together upon pain of forfeiting the Inholder 3 s. 4 d. and Imprisonment during the Mayor's Pleasure the Tippler or Person offending 3 s. 4 d. and Imprisonment in like manner The Scourging of Tipplers by R. R. CHAP. XXXIV Remarkable Frugality and Humility in Cloaths Houshold-stuff c. NAture is content with a little Grace with less How many things are there said Diogenes standing in the Market and observing the Abundance of fine things and Knick-knacks that were to be sold there which I have no need of In truth 't is an excellent Lesson which S. Paul had learned in what State soever he was therewith to be content And when we consider our Saviour's Birth in a Stable and a Manger served him for a Cradle and that he had no settled Dwelling where to lay his Head and that his Coat was all of a piece woven from the top to the bottom and John Baptists Apparel made of Camels Hair and that girt about him with a piece of Leather 't is enough to mortifie our Pride and make us Frugal and Humble about these things The Reverend Mr. Alsop in his Sermon of Strange Apparel advises his Readers not to come near those Fashions whose numerous Implements Trinckets and Tackling requiring much time in dressing and undressing no Cost of Apparel is so ill bestow'd as that of precious time in Apparelling And if common time be so ill spent what is the solemn sacred Time laid out in such Curiosity how many Sabbaths Sermons Sacraments Prayers Praises Psalms Chapters Meditations has this one vainly devour'd Let me recommend the Counsel of Holy Mr. Herbert to you Church-Porch be dress'd Stay not for t'other Pin why hast thou lost A Joy for it worth Worlds Thus Hell doth jest Away thy Blessings and extreamly flout thee Thy Cloaths being fast but thy Soul loose about thee O ye wanton Folly of our times when as one expresses it it 's almost as easie to enumerate all the Tackling of the Royal-Soveraign as the Accoutrements of a capacious Lady And perhaps it requires not much more time to equip and rig out a Ship for the Indies as a whimsical Madam when she is to sail in State with all her Flags Streamers Pennons bound for a Court-Voyage With less Labour did Adam give Names to all the Creatures in Paradice than an Attire-Herald shall give you the Nomenclature of all the Trinkets that belong to a Ladies Closet And yet all this is but to consume a whole Morning to put on which must waste the whole Evening to put off But adds this Author in another place they that spend unmercifully must gain unconscionably The Mill will not grind unless some Lust brings grist unto it A Gentleman anticipates his Rents in the Country he comes up to Town to vamp his fine Lady and Daughter with the newest Fashion He ransacks the Court and City for the Fashion searches the Shops for Materials to furnish out the Pomp he retnrns home and then his poor Tenants go to rack the sweat is squeez'd out of their Brows the Blood screw'd out of their Veins the Marrow out of their Bones that they may pay the unconscionable Reckonings and monstrous Bills that his own Prodigality has drawn upon him Nor is it one single Sin that fills the Train of Pride Pride drinks the Tears of Widows and Orphans revels with the hard Labours of the Indigent feeds on the Flesh of Thousands Elegantly Tertullian A vast Estate is enclosed in one small Locket a Necklace hf almost 8000 l. hangs on one single String a slender Neck carries Lordships and Mannors and the thin Tip of the Eaer wears a Jewel or Pendent that wou'd defray the Charges of House-keeping for a Twelve-month Thus far Mr. Alsop But I shall prcceed now to give Instances of Remarkable Frugality and Humility in Cloaths 1. Holinshed saith that he knew some old Men who told him oft times in England that if the good Man of the House had a Matris or a Flock Bed and a Sack of Chaff to rest his Head on he thought himself as well lodged as the Lord of the Town For ordinarily they lay upon Straw Pillars cover'd with Canvas and a round Log of Wood under their Heads instead of a Boulster and why not that as well as a Stone which was Jacob's Pillow they said that soft Pillows were fit only for Women in Child-bed and in a good Farmer 's House it was rare to find four pieces of Pewter And it was counted a great Matter that a Farmer should shew five Shillings or a Noble together in Silver Clark's Mirr V. 2. P. 1. 2. John Duns Scotus Dr. Subtilis was noted as for his Meager Countenance and homely Aspect so for his mean and course Apparel and going barefoot Dr. Subtilis Nomen subtilia donant Quem vestis vilis pes nudus corda coronant Leigh in his Relig. and Learning 3. Primislaus King of Bohemia kept his Country Shoes always by him Dr. Jer. Taylor 4. Willigis Bishop of Mentz being the Son of
without Covering The whole Countrey round about where she dwelt will bear her Witness that she visited and relieved the Sick and cloathed the Naked She fed the Hungry and healed the Wounded Her Purse her Hand her Heart were all open for their Relief She bought many Precious Drugs and Cordial Waters She made several precious Salves and gave them all away to such as stood in need of them She spared not her best Pains being never weary of well-doing insomuch that in the extremity of her great Sickness such bowels of Compassion yearned in her she compounded several Medicines with her own Hands and applied them Thus will her Works praise her in the Gate and being dead she yet speaks Prov. 31.31 Heb. 11.14 for her precious Name lives The Lord will have the Name of the Righteous to be in everlasting Remembrance Psalm 112.6 and the Memory of the Just is blessed Clark's Examp. Vol. 2. c. 15. 4. Mr. John Bruen of Bruen-Stapleford for three years together whilst he lived in Chester maintained the Poor of his own Parish in the County allowing them all the Profit of his two Mills He relieved the Poor in Chester both daily at his Gate and otherwise Weekly as he was rated Ibid. 5. Mr. John Dod though his Means was very small yet was much given to Hospitality Scarce any Sabbath in the year but he dined both Poor and Rich commonly three or four Poor besides Strangers that came to hear him He had so large a Heart that upon occasion he hath given to some three Shillings to some five Shillings to some ten Shillings yea to some twenty Shillings and when the Poor came to buy Butter or Cheese he would command his Maid to take no Money of them Ibid. 6. Mr. Samuel Crook of Wrington in Sommersetshire was very bountiful to his Kindred that needed it and then he shewed it most when their Necessities swelled highest He was very charitable and open-handed to the poor Members of Jesus Christ And albeit his Charity shined most to those of his own Flock yet was it not shut up from Strangers but he was very liberal to them also upon good Occasions Yea when he went abroad to bestow the Gospel freely upon other Congregations adjacent such Poor as he found to be Hearers unless they were known to him to take up Hearing as a Cloak to cover their Idleness and Neglect of their Callings never went home empty-handed but he always warmed and cheered them with his Bounty as well as instructed them with his Doctrine Ibid. 7. Mr. John Carter sometime Minister of Delstead was very diligent in Visiting the Sick especily the poorer sort and he never went to the House of any poor Creature but he lest a Purse-Alms as well as a Spiritual-Alms of good and heavenly Advice and Prayer No poor body ever came to his Door that went away unhanded his Wife also looking unto that as well as himself Ibid. 8. Dr. William Gouge was very charitable especially to the Houshold of Faith He maintained some poor Schollars in the University wholly at his own Charge and contributed liberally towards the Maintenance of others He set a-part a Sacred Stock as he called it a Portion for the Poor proportionable to his Encoms which also he faithfully distributed Ibid. 9. Dr. Harris in his Works of Charity to the Poor was no less discreet than private When he met with fit Objects his Hand was more ready to give then his Tongue to proclaim it Indeed he was no Friend to idle lazy canting Persons who live on the Sweat of other Mens Brows Whosoever shall survey his Large Bills of Weekly and Quarterly Allowances besides considerable Sums given to poor Ministers and especially to poor Widows and Orphans who never knew whence it came and shall add thereunto his Legacies bequeathed in his Will to charitable Uses cannot but judge that his Charity exceeded the ordinary Proportions of his Revenues Ibid. 10. Mr. Ignatius Jordan of Exeter was famous for his Charity both in his Life and at his Death In his Life he was a free-hearted and open-handed Man He was a great Patron of the Poor another Job in that respect He could truly say with him as Job 30.25 Was not my Soul grieved for the Poor No doubt it was and did earnestly plead for them and especially for God's Poor honest poor Persons whose Hearts and Faces were set God-ward and Heaven-ward and his Hands were very open to relieve them He did that for them which many that had far greater Estates had not Hearts to do Ibid. He would often say That he wondred what rich Men meant that they gave so little to the Poor and raked so much together for their Children Do you not see quoth he what comes of it And hereupon he would reckon up divers Examples of such as heaped up much for their Children who within a short time had scattered and consumed all And on the Morth-side he often spake of such as had small beginnings and afterwards became rich or of a competent Estate giving a particular Instance in himself I came said he but with a Groat or Six pence in my Purse Had I had a Shilling in my Purse I had never been Mayor of Exeter Therefore leave Children but a little and they by God's Blessing upon their Labours and Industry may become Rich but leave them a great deal and they are in danger to become Beggars His Care for the Poor was most remarkable in the time of a great Plague in that City which was Anno Christi 1625. For in the absence of the Mayor he was chosen his Deputy and he seeing the sad and deplorable Condition of the City accepted of it and wrote his Letters to divers Towns in Devonshire and to some in Dorcet and Somersetshire by which means he procured several Sums of Money for the Supplial of the Wants of many Hundred of Poor that in that time were in a distressed Condition One that was an Eye-witness Related that he had seen Morning after Morning coming to his Door sometimes Thirty sometimes Forty yea Fifty Sixty or more wringing their Hands Some crying that their Husbands are Dead others that their Wives were Dead others that their Children are Dead and all that they had not wherewith to Bury them Some again cryed that their Families are Sick and they had not wherewithal to Relieve them others that they had divers Children but had neither Bread nor Money to Buy it for them Some cryed for Bread some for Physick others for Shrouds for their Dead and he not only heard them patiently but his Bowels yearned towards them and his Hands were stretched out for their Relief For standing in his Shop with his own Hands he ministred Supplies unto them all and so dismissed them for the present The next Morning when there was a renewal of their sad Complaints his charitable Care of them was renewed also And thus he continued Morning by Morning even for the space
in a strange Sickness that he had shrewdly buffeted and handled by him and not far from a Possession His Sickness was a Vertigo 40 Fits at least in an hour and every one of them accompanied with sore Temptations but by Prayer and Fasting they were removed and he recovered Strength and Courage and Comfort though the Devil had tempted him strongly to blaspheme threaten to make him the Scorn of Religion to torment and hinder him if he offered to fast or pray or preach Clark in his Life p. 71. 5. Mr. Tho. Tregosse for five Weeks was kept under by the Spirit of Bondage and Afflicting Tortures till at last he took up a Resolution of discovering some Sins which most burdened his Conscience and meeting with a comfortable Passage concerning God's Love to Mankind in some of our English Divines he was somewhat quieted and refrashed See his Life 6. Mrs. Elizabeth Wilkinson was much troubled with Temptations Doubts Fears and Sickness but imparting her Condition to some Christian Friends hearing Sermons and reading proper Books after many years she was much strengthned and comforted and on her Death Bed even ravished with Joy See her Life by Mr. Clark 7. Mrs. Katherine Bretterge was upon her Death-Bed assaulted with most greivous Temptations which made her cry out That a Roaring Wilderness of Woe was within her her Sins had made her a Prey to Satan wishing she had either never been born or made any other Creature than a Woman crying Wo wo wo c. a weak wretched woful forsaken Woman c. But at last through the Mercies of God recovered extraordinary Comfort See more in the Chap. of Earnests of a Future Retribution 8. Mr. Robert Glover for five years was so worn and consumed with Cares and Fears about his Soul and Reflections upon his Backsliding that he had no pleasure of Meat Drink Sleep nor Life itself but seemed as if he had been almost in the Pit of Hell yet before he died recovered his Comforts so that he lived as if already possessed of Heaven Clark 's Examp. vol. 1. c. 3. 9. I have already or shall have occasion hereafter to speak of the Afflictions and subsequent Comforts of Mr. Mackarnesse Mr. Rob Smith of Ludshelft Mr. Charles Langford all which have published a Narrative of their own particular Cases and following Cures to the World for the Caution and Encouragement of others 10. Mr. Timothy Rogers who is a very ingenious Gentleman of great Learning Candor and Moderation upon his Recovery after two years very heavy Sickness thought himself obliged to commemorate the Mercy of God to him in delivering him in a manner Miraculously from his Malady after the Fruitless Attempts of many Physicians of great Note to restore him in the Assemblies of his People on these words Psal 30.3 4. O Lord thou hast brought up my Soul from the Grave c. Sing unto the Lord O ye Saints of his and give Thanks at the remembrance of his Holiness They are of great use not only for Persons in his Case but for all in general since they not only contain grateful Remembrances of God's Mercies for Deliverance out of Trouble but necessary Directions for all Christians how to behave themselves which Precautions to acquit themselves so as to provide for the worst of Afflictions After Pathetical Acknowledgments of the great Mercies he received from God in his Affliction both for giving him Patience under it and Deliverance from it and to the People for their Kindness to him in his Distress he raises these two Observations from the Words 1. That God alone is the Soveraign-Disposer of Life and Death 2. That to be brought up from the Grave is a Mercy greatly to be acknowledged and for which we ought to be very thankful He afterwards proceeds to give a plain Relation of some part of his sore distress and I shall give it you in his own words I would desire says he to praise God my self for his great Mercy in my Recovery and also beg of you to praise him in my behalf I will give you a short Account of the Deplorablness of my Condition before I was delivered It will not be a very delightful Account but yet as Solomon says Eccl. 7.2 It is better to go to the House of Mourning than to the House of Feasting It is better some times to hear sad than always pleasant Things And in as much as Grief and Mourning is in it self a very grave and homely thing that requires not Ornament or artificial setting off I shall without affecting to be thought eloquent give You A plain Relation of some part of my sore Distress AFter an ill habit of Body that had for some years attended me together with some little Ilnesses now and then which were but as drops to the greater Storm that was to come upon me and which I could not foresee it pleased God at length in his just and righteous Judgments to suffer my growing Distemper to arrive to a most formidable height So that before I desisted from coming to this place my Sleepdeparted quiâ—e away and for several Nights in a Week I slept no more than I do at this time upon which there immediately followed a general Weakness and Decay of Spirits a general Listlessness and a total Indisposition and by feeling of this I had a strong Impression in my Mind that I shouldvery speedily die as strongly fix'd in my Apprehensions as if it had been said to me as to Hezekiah Thou shalt surely die I thought I was immediately to go to the Tribunal of God and the Thoughts of immediate appearance before him continued with me for about a year there was not a Day past wherein I did not think that I should be dead before Night and at Night I should be dead before the Morning I thought my self just at the entrance into the Grave And what a strange prospect that is and what a mighty Change it causes in a Man's Thought none know but those that have apprehended themselves so near it nor do they fully know it unless they have been near it for many Months together He adds in another place If at any time I rested a little that little Rest was all the while disturb'd with terrible and amazing Dreams and when I awaked I always sound my self in strange and unexpressible Pain in Anguish and Bitterness such as nothing in this World is able to represent even as to its lowest degrees And judge you into what Confusions and Disorders this alone would throw a Man if it were single My Disease and my Fears and sad Apprehensions came upon me as a Whirlwind like the rushing of many mighty Waters strange and horrible Pains and great Fears so that it was as an universal Storm from which there was no retreat Sometimes by the Greatness of my Trouble I was even stifled with Grief that I could not for a great while speak a Word and when I spoke it was in a mournful
continued in London Teaching and Preaching the Gospel so long as the Strength of his Body would permit and at length being old and stricken in Years he died comfortably and peaceably in the Lord being about Eighty Years old January 20. A. C. 1568. See his Life CHAP. L. Remarkable Silence or Reservedness of Men c. As also of Retirement SOme People love to make a loud Noise in the World but they are rarely the most wise and solid for the deepest Waters are generally the calmest and the emptiest Barrels in a Sea the greatest Sound and a Dear Friend of mine now Deceased Mr. J. Tutte no impolitick or irreligious Man commended this as his last Farewel-Admonition to his Step-Son upon his Death-Bed That he should fear God and endeavour to pass through the World without making any great Noise as he went 1. St. Basil affected a solitary Life 2. St. Hierom was in love with a Monastick Life that he might have more freedom to attend his Studies with a good Library and Heliodorus for his Companion retired into Syria and afterwards Heliodorus leaving him he betook to a Wilderness between the Syrians and the Saracens where he continued Four Years in great Solitude Clark's Marr. of Eccl. Hist 3. Bonosus Hierom's Fellow-Student having settled his Affairs forsaking his Country Parents Friends and onely accompanied with a few Books departed into a solitary Island to extricate himself from the Snares of the World and enjoy more Freedom in the Service of Christ Ibid. 4. Fulgentius a Year before his Death retired with some Brethren into the Island of Circina and there lived a most strict Life but the Necessities of his People requiring and their Importunity prevailing he returned to them and then fell into most grievous Sickness Ibid. p. 94. 5. Gregory the Great after his Father's Death having given his Estate to the Relief of the Poor betook himself to a Monastical Life first under Hilarion and afterwards under Maximianus both famous for Learning and Piety Ibid. p. 96. 6. John Picus of Mirandula Three Years before his Death retired himself from the Pleasures Profits and Honours of the World that he might live a more private Life and made over almost all his Estate in the Earldoms of Mirandula and Concordia to his Brother's Son and distributed a great part of his Money Plate and Jewels amongst the Poor Clark in his Life 7. Thomas Aquinas was called Bos or Ox by his School-fellows because he was also silent Textor 8. Mr. Samuel Daniel the English Poet being a Servant in Ordinary to Queen Anne and thereupon having a fair Salary allowed him kept a handsome Garden-House in Old-street near London where as a Tortoise burying himself in the Ground all Winter long he lay obscure some Months together that he might in Retirement enjoy the Felicity he aimed at and then afterwards he would appear in Publick to enjoy and converse with his Friends whereof the Two principal were Dr. Cowel and Mr. Cambden In his Old Age he turned Husbandman and Rented a Farm in Wiltshire nigh the Devises it is thought not so much for the hopes of Profit as to enjoy the Retiredness of a Country-life No question he pleased himself with Contentedness and Freedom from the Troubles of City and Court his Fancy being too fine and sublimated to be wrought down only for private Profit Select Lives of Worthies in England p. 338. 9. Mr. Michael Drayton another famed English Poet was very temperate in his Life and slow of Speech and inoffensive in Company Ibid. p. 341. 10. Mr. Abraham Cowley another excellent Man to make up the Triumovirate thô he took well at Court yet seems to resent the Inconveniences that attended it for he makes this his serious Wish To retire from the Buz and Noise of the City into some place of privacy where he might enjoy the pleasant Correspondence of many Books and a few Friends and one Wife and a pleasant Garden Thus he delivers himself in one of his Poems and in a Letter to Mr. Evelyn Author of the Kalendarium Hortense he declares it more at large professing that he had been then a pretty while aiming at it but was not yet arrived at that State of Mortal Happiness 11. One of the Cato's having attained to the Age of Eight and fifty Years gave over his Publick Charge and Travel in Affairs of the Roman Common-wealth and went to wear out the remainder of his Days near to Naples in a Country Village which then was called Picenum but now it is named Marca de Aâ—â—a where he maintained his Faculties and nourished himself with such Conveniences as his poor Lands and Living afforded him This Good and Vertuous Cato keeping a simple Cottage one while perusing his Books and other whiles looking to his Vines and Plants His Neighbours had written 〈◊〉 a Coal over his Door these words How happy a Man art thou O Cato because thou only knowest what it is to live in this World amongst other Men. Treasury of Anâ— and Modern Times p. 735. 12. Lucullus the Consul and Roman Captain continued at the Wars against the Parthians Sixteen Years together during which time he won much Honour to Rome many Provinces to the Common-wealth great Renown to himself and mighty Treasures for his Houses This Man after his Return from Asia to Rome found the State full of Partialities and Dissensions through the Quarrels between Marius and Sylla he resolved to leave Rome which forthwith he did put in effect causing certain places of sumptuyous Workmanship to be builded near Naples along by the Sea-side in a place now called Castello di Lupo There he made his Sojourning for the space of Eighteen Years in quite Repose and silent Pleasure free from all the Turmoils and Travails of State and in this Contentment he ended his Days Ibid. 13. Dioclesian after he had governed Rome 18 years and had attained to very old Age he gave over the Empire from whence he dismissed himself into Nicomedia with no other Intention but only to return home to his own House and there in Peace and Quiet to spend the rest of his Life and accordingly at Salon he dealt in Husbandry 12 years together After two years spent in this Retirement the Romans sent two worthy Ambassadors to entreat him to return to Rome again The Ambassadors found him in his Garden weeding his Beds of Lettis and other Herbs whom he answered thus My Friends do not you think it more honest and better that he who digged and planted these Lettis should eat them peaceably and quietly in his own House than to forsake such wholesome Fare and return to the Tumults and Rumors of Rome I have now made good proof both what it is to command and what Benefit ensueth by labouring and deliving in the Ground Leave me then to my self I entreat you in this private State of Life for I much rather affect to maintain my Life by the labour of my Hands than to be
unto them but the Servant thinking himself wiser than his Master gave them but two Crowns not knowing what occasions they might have for Money before they got home Not long after some Noble-men meeting the Bishop and knowing him to be a very charitable Man appointed two Hundred Crowns to be paid to the Bishop's Servant for his Master's use The Servant having received the Money presently with great Joy acquainted his Master therewith whereupon said the Bishop Thou mayest now see how in wronging the Poor of their due by keeping back the third Crown which I intended them thou hast likewise wronged me if thou hadst given those three Crowns I commanded thee to give thou hadst received three Hundred Crowns whereas now I have but two Melanc apud Job Manlium in Loc. Com. 6. Suitable likewise to this point is the Story of one John Stewart Provost of Aire in Scotland who was eminent for Piety and Charity He had a considerable Estate left him by his Father of which he gave a great part to the Poor and other charitable Uses To pass by many I shall mention only one His Heart on a time being much affected with the Wants and Necessities of many of God's People who were in a suffering Condition he sendeth for divers of them to Edinburgh where being met and some time spent in Prayer he made them promise not to reveal what he was about to do so long as he lived and then told them He was not ignorant in what a low Condition many of them were and therefore he had brought some Money with him to lend each of them yet so as they should never offer to repay it till he required the same soon after this such a Plague brake forth in Aire the place of his abode that Trade much decayed and he himself with others were reduced to straits Whereupon some of the Prophane in that place derided him saying That Religion had made him poor and his giving so much to others like a Fool had brought him to want But mark what followed Having borrowed a little Money he departs from Aire to Rochel in France where Salt and other Commodities being exceeding cheap for want of Trading he adventured to fraught a Ship loading her upon Credit and then went back again through England to Aire in Scotland having ordered the Ship to come thither but after long expectation he was informed for certain that his Ship was taken by a Turkish Man of War the Report whereof did exceedingly afflict him not because he knew not how to be abased as well as how to abound but out of fear that the Mouths of wicked Men would be the more opened to the reproaching of his Profession and Charity But soon after Tidings was brought him that his Ship was safely arrived in the Road and upon his going forth saw it was a Truth And through God's good Providence as a Reward of his Charity he made so much of the Commodities in the Ship that after the Payment of his Debts he had Twenty thousand Marks left for himself Though his Bread was cast upon the Waters and to appearance lost yet after many Days it returned to him with great advantage This Story Hately relates in a Book called The Fulfilling of the Scriptures 7. Daniel Waldow Esq Citizen and Mercer who was chosen Alderman of London is a further proof of this Doctrine before laid down I could from-mine own Experience speak much of his Bounty and Charity as also of that plentiful Estate wherewith God blessed him thereupon but I shall rather give it you in the Words of that holy Man and blessed Servant of Christ in the Work of the Ministry Mr. James Nalton now with God who was more intimately acquainted with Mr. Waldow and therefore the more fit to Preach his Funeral Sermon and to set forth his Life for our Imitation his Words are these He was a Man eminent and exemplary in the Grace of Charity as appeared by his great Bounty manifested on every occasion Never any good Man Minister or other came to propound any Work of Charity publick or private that needed to do any more than to propound it for his Heart was so set upon Works of Mercy that he prevented Importunity by his Christian and Heroick Liberty He made no more of giving Ten Pounds to a Work of Charity than many other rich Men make of giving Ten Shillings His Charity had two singular Concomitants which made it remarkable and praise-worthy 1. He did good while he lived He carried his Lanthorn before him He made his own Hands his Executors and his own Eyes his Overseers Some will part with their Riches when they can keep them no lo nger This is like a Cut-purse that being espied or pursued will drop a Purse of Gold because he can keep it no longer but to be doing Good in our Life-time while we have Opportunity this is an Act of Faith and an Evidence that we can trust God with our Estates and our Children that he will provide for them when our Heads are laid in the Grave 2. He dispersed his Charity so secretly without any Self-seeking or Pharisaical Vain-glory that his Left-hand did not know what his Right-hand did Therefore did he often go with an Hundred Pounds under his Cloak to some Godly Friends desiring them to distribute it amongst such honest poor People as stood most in need of his Relief In brief he did so much good while he lived as if he meant to have nothing to do when he died and yet he gave so largely when he came to die as if he had done no Good when he lived Many I know are apt to say They have many Children and therefore cannot give so had Mr. Waldâ—â— He had Nine Children alive at his Death but the providing for them was no obstruction to his Charity nor prejudice to his Children but did rather entail a Blessing upon them 8. Mr. John Walter Citizen and Draper of London was signally charitable not only at his Death but in the whole Course of his Life even from his younger Years For the avoiding of Vain-glory his manner was to send considerable Sums of Money to poor Families by the hands of others in whose Faithfulness he could confide Whereupon God did not only bless him with a large Estate but likewise gave him such Contentedness therein that he sat down abundantly satisfied and made a solemn Vow and Promise unto God That he would give the Surplusage of his Estate whatever it was that for the future should accrue unto him from his Calling to charitable Uses See his own Expressions transcribed out of his Last Will and Testament I thought fit to declare that about Twenty Years past when the Lord had entrusted me with a convenient Estate sufficient to maintain my Charge and afford fit Portions for my Wife and Children after my Decease I resolved that what further Estate the Lord should be pleased to intrast me with to bestow the
the Reign of King James Dr. George Abbot Arch-bishop of Canterbury being a Hunting in a Park and shooting at a Deer his Arrow by mischance glanced and killed a Man upon which Fact it was much debated whether by it he were not become irregular and ought to be deprived of his Archiepiscopal Function as thought against his Will having his Hands embrued in Blood but Dr. Andrews Bishop of Winchester standing much in his Defence as likewise Sir Henry Martin the King's Advocate gave such Reasons for the mitigation of the Fact that he was cleared from all Imputation of Crime and thereupon judged Regular and in State to continue in his Archiepiscopal Charge Yet himself out of a Religious Tenderness of Mind kept that Day of the Year in which the mischance happened as a solemn Fast all his Life after Sir Rich. Bak. Chron. p. 446. 7. The Constables coming to serve a Warrant upon Mr. Thomas Tregoss for Preaching publickly one of them mere violent and furious than his Fellows whilst he reasoned with Mr. Tregoss holding the Mittimus in his Hand sunk down in the place seeming at the present to be dead but by the diligent Endeavours of those about him he was brought to himself again whereupon he departed without executing the Warrant And that which made this the more remarkable was for that this Constable was a lusty strong Man and never fainted in all his Life before And though they came again some Days after to execute the same Warrant yet had they not power to carry him to Prison for which as it was reported the other Constable was fined at the next Session See his Life 8. One Mr. Burgess late Minister of Graffam in Sussex being put to some trouble at his first coming to that place through the unkindess not to say dishonesty of some Neighbours made a Journey London for the better securing himself in the possession and returning home came late to the outward Skirts of the Parish where being apprehensive of Danger partly by reason of the great Darkness of the Night and partly by reason of the Waters and Ditches which are thereabouts somewhat formidable to a Stranger he did by some secret Ejaculations earnestly beg of God so to direct and preserve him in the way that he might not miscarry before he got to his own then a new Home and presently a Light shone about him to his great surprizal and comfort and did accompany him closely as the Pillar of Fire did the Israelites either going before him or surrounding him for I dare not be positive through the defect of my Memory 'till he got safe to his own House This hath been attested to me by his own Son an honest sober Man now living at Graffam and one Mr. Cockrill a near Neighbour who saith He heard Mr. Graffam the elder often speak of it with wonder 9. A pious Gentlewoman yet living when a Child fell into a Pond where she was like to perish a Man who was left alone in the House reading of a Book was suddenly so troubled though he knew not for what that he could read no longer upon which he walked out saw a Straw-hat swim upon the Pond and by and by the Child rise to the top of the Water he catches hold of the Child drew her out and so saved her Life Clark's Exam. Vol. 1. C. 83. 10. Mr. Sam. Fairclough one Evening after a Day spent with his Wife in Fasting and Prayer on her behalf being then great with Child and she walking abroad to meditate on the Promises of God fell over Head and Ears into a Pond heard a great Shriek goes out hastily to the Pond finds his Wife after twice sinking and laying sudden hold upon her before the third time saved her Life and Health and Little One with which she was pregnant without any hurt See his Life CHAP. LXXXI Persons strangely fitted for Great Employments 'T IS weak Evidence and Proof of the Divine Conduct and Government of the World to observe the strange Methods sometimes used in the Accomplishment of Men for Weighty and Sacred Offices to see the Turns of Providence the suprizing Catastrophes the removal of Difficulties the opening of Doors unexpectedly to make way for some Persons to Studies and Employments in Church and State 1. How strangely are things wheeled about by Providence Not what we or our Parents but what God designed shall take place Amos was very meanly employed at first but God designed him for a more honourable and comfortable Calling Amos 7.14 15. David followed the Ewes and likely never raised his Thoughts to higher Things in the Days of his youth but God made him the Royal Shepherd of a better Flock Psal 78.70 71. Peter and Andrew were imployed as Fisher-men but Christ calls them from that to an higher Calling Mat. 4.18 19. To be Fishers of Men. Pareus when he was Fourteen Years old was by the instigation of his Step-mother placed with an Apothecary but Providence so wrought that he was taken off from that and fitted for the Ministry wherein he became a fruitful and eminent Instrument to the Church James Andreas was by reason of his Fathers inability to keep him at School designed for a Carpenter but was afterwards by the perswasion of Friends and assistance of the Church-stock sent to Stutgard and thence to the University and so arrived to a very eminent Station of Service to the Church A Master-builder Oecolampadius was by his Father designed for a Merchant but his Mother by earnest Entreaties prevailed to keep him at School and this Man was a blessed Instrument in the Reformation of Religion Flavel's Divine Conduct p. 80. 2. Mr. Ben. Johnson was first bred in a private School near St. Martin's-Church then in Westminster-School under the Learned Mr. Cambden afterwards admitted into St. John's-College in Cambridge where his Continuance was but short for his Maintenance failing he was fain to return to the Trade of his Father-in-Law who was a Bricklayer He was one who helped in the Building of the New Structure of Lincoln's-Inn where having a Trowel in his Hand he had a Book in his Pocket that as his Work went forward so his Study went not backward Some Gentlemen pitying that such rare Endowments should be buried under the Rubbish of so mean a Calling did by their Bounty Manumise him freely to follow his own ingenuous Inclinations England's Worthies by W. Winstanley p. 342. 3. Dr. Donne first of Hare-Hall in Oxford then removed to Cambridge thence to Lincoln's-Inn at last he went to Travel with the Earl of Essex to Cales and thence to Italy and Spain Returning home he was chief Secretary to the Lord-Keeper Elsemore and marrying with the Lady Elsemore's Niece Daughter to Sir George Moor for which he was discharg'd of the Secretary's place which he held and cast into Prison by his incensed Father-in-Law But being set at liberty again by occasion of a Discourse upon the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy he
a Staff only And now he is greatly increased in Strength feeds moderately sleeps well and his Intellects and Faculties are become exceeding clear and strong His Wife behaved herself toward him all the while he lay under this great Affliction with great Care and Affection and by an honest and industrious course of Life supported him and his Children Attested by Rich. Parr D. D. of Camerwel Tho. Gale D. D. Will. Perry M. A. N. Paget M. D. Elias Ashmole And. Needham Curate of Lambeth c. 6. In the Year 1676 about the thirteenth or fourteenth of this Month October in the Night between one and two of the Clock Jesch Claes being a Dutch Woman of Amsterdam who for fourteen Years had been Lame of both legs one of them being dead and without feeling so that she could not go but creep upon the Ground or was carried in peoples Arms as a Child being in Bed with her Husband who was a Boatman she was three times pulled by her Arm with which she awaked and cryed out O Lord What may this be Hereupon she heard an Answer in plain Words Be not afraid I come in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Your Malady which hath for many Years been upon you shall cease and it shall be given you from God Almighty to walk again But keep this to your self till further Answer Whereupon she cryed aloud O Lord that I had a Light that I might know what this is Then had she this Answer There needs no Light the Light shall be given you from God Then came Light all over the Room and she saw a beautiful Youth about ten Years of Age with curled yellow Hair Clothed in White to the Feet who went from the Beds-head to the Chimney with a Light which a little after vanished Hereupon did there shoot something or gush from her Hip or diffuse it self through her Leg as a Water into her great Toe where she did find Life rising up felt it with her Hand crying out Lord give me my Feeling now which I have not had in so many Years And further she continued crying and praying to the Lord according to her weak Measure Yet she continued that Day Wednesday and the next Day Thursday as before till Evening at six a Clock at which time she sate at the Fire dressing the Food Then came as like a rushing Noise in both her Ears with which it was said to her Stand your going is given you again Then did she immediately stand up that had so many Years crept and went to the Door Her Husband meeting her being exceedingly afraid drew back In the mean while she cryed out My dear Husband I can go again The Man thinking it was a Spirit drew back saying You are not my Wife His Wife taking hold of him said My dear Husband I am the self-same that hath been Married these thirty Years to you The Almighty God hath given me my Going again But her Husband being amazed drew back to the side of the Room till at last she claspt her Hand about his Neck and yet he doubted and said to his Daughter Is this your Mother She answered Yes Father this we plainly see I had seen her go also before you came in This Person dwells upon Princes Island in Amsterdam This Account was sent from a Dutch Merchant procured by a Friend for Dr. R. Cudworth and contains the main Particulars that occur in the Dutch Printed Narrative which Monsieur Van Helmont brought over with him to my Lady Conway at Ragley who having enquired upon the spot when he was there at Amsterdam though of a genious not at all credulous of such Relations found the thing to be really true As also â—hilippus Lambergius in a Letter to Dr. Henry Moor sent this Testimony touching the Party cured That she was always reputed a very honest good Woman and that he believed there was no Fraud at all in that Business Glanvile's Saducism Triumph p. 427. 7. In this place may be accounted the strange way of curing the Struma or Scrophula commonly called the Evil which took its Derivation first of all from King Edward the Confessor and hath in after Ages been effected by the Kings of England and of France Concerning which take only this Story discoursing upon a time with Mr. Philip Caryll of Shipley in Sussex a Roman Catholick concerning Miracles done in this last Age in this Nation he produced this for an Instance That his Son being affected with that Distemper he having no Faith in the case was earnestly perswaded to address himself to King Charles the Second for a Touch of his Hand which having procured his Son was restored to perfect Health which he declared to me calling his Son into company and shewing him perfectly healed 8. Galen had a Man in Cure that had an Artery in his Ankle-bone half cut in sunder whereby he lost all his Blood before any Remedy could be applyed to him He writeth That he was advertised in his Sleep by some God or Angel that he should cut the Artery quite in sunder and the Ends would retire to each side and so lock together again When he awaked he executed what his Dream had represented to him and by that means cured the Man Treas of Ancient and Modern Times l. 5. p. 475. 9. A young Woman Married but without Children had a Disease about her Jaws and under her Cheek like unto Kernels and the Disease so corrupted her Face with Stench that she could scarce without great shame speak unto any Man This Woman was admonished in her Sleep to go to King Edward and get him to wash her Face with Water brought unto him and she should be whole To the Court she came and the King hearing of the matter disdained not to undertake it but having a Basin of Water brought unto him he dipped his Hand therein and washed the Womans Face and touched the diseased Part oftentimes sometimes also signing it with the Sign of the Cross When he had thus washed it the hard Crust or Skin was softned the Tumors dissolved and drawing his Hand by divers of the Holes out thence came divers little Worms whereof and of corrupt Matter and Blood they were full The Kings still pressed it with his Hand to bring forth the Corruption and endured the Stench of it until by such pressing he had brought forth all the Corruption This done he commanded her a sufficient Allowance every day for all things necessary until she had received perfect Health which was within a Week after and whereas she was ever before Barren within one Year she had a Child by her Husband This Disease hath since been called the Kings Evil and is frequently cured by the Touch of the Kings of England Stew's Annals p. 98. 10. Sir John Cheeke was once one of the Tutors to King Edward the Sixth afterwards Secretary of State much did the Kingdom value him but more the King for being once desperately
went of Church leaving their only Daughter Alice at home and whilst they were there the said Alice heard a Noise in the Yard and looking out at the Window she saw a Man of a middle stature with light flaxen Hair standing at the Stable-door upon which she called out at the Window and demanded of him what he did there he returned that he came for a Horse which he borrowed of her Father She made him answer again that she knew nothing of it and that he should have none 'till her Father came home He received the Answer and went away for that day The next day her Father and Mother being gone to Sleeford Market she saw him again at the Stable-door and demanded of him as before he told her she might go look then he asked her where the Horses were she answered him as short told him he might go look Upon this he began to sooth and flatter her and gave her many softning Words going towards the Door as he spake as if he intended to go in to her which she observing she hastened and bolted the Door fast upon which he threatned her what these Threats were she cannot recal but some body knocking at the Door on the other side of the House and she understanding it was a Neighbour opened the Door and told her Neighbour all that had passed and upon it they both â—an together into the Yard to see if he were there but they could not find him neither knew they which way he went After this she was quiet for some time only about two Weeks before Shrove-tide one Follet a Cobler and suspected to be the occasion of all that happened came to the House and they did set him to work moved thereto I suppose by Fear for he had threatned the Daughter but for what I cannot learn Whilst he was working he began to discourse to the Mother to this effect That her Daughter should die that Year that he had examined some Books which he had and that he understood so much by them And when he had done his Work he bid them farewel telling them He was sure they would think of Follet when they did not see him Soon after this Alice fell sick and her Mother was somewhat doubtful of her recovery but as it pleased God she was restored again to her former health and continued undisturbed 'till May the Week before Whitsuntide And them as she was drawing Water at a Well in the Yard she saw the same Person again which I first described at the House-door with a great Club endeavouring as she thought to break the Door open Upon this she called to him and as'd him what he did there upon the speaking he flung down the Club among a great many earthen Milk-pans or Panchins as they call them and with so great Violence that she could not conceive but that he had broken many of them but afterwards upon Examination she found them all whole As soon as he had done this he went away and she leaving her Pail at the Well followed him and saw him go down the Street but at the turning of the Lane lost the sight of him and could not recover it This was on Monday and she saw him every Day that Week but nothing passed between them and several times she called her Father out that he might see him but he never could On Saturday he appeared to her in a more dreadful manner at the Hall-window when she saw him she ask'd him what his business was there he told her he would speak with her She ask'd him what he had to say and desired him to speak it but he said he would not yet tell her then he shewed her a Knife and that passed between them then On the Sunday she saw him again run by the Window with a Knife in his Hand as before and she told her Father and Mother of it and they both ran out but could not see him On the Monday whilst she was Milking she saw him with his Knife as before and thus he often afterwards appeared to her especially at the Parlour-Window having opened it which had not they think been opened for many Years before and holding a Knife only sometimes it was a shorter and sometimes a longer but always bloody and so was the Hand that held it In the Week also before Whitsuntide one Richard Cosins a Youth about eighteen or nineteen Years old and then living with Goodman Medcalfe and now most commonly working for Sir William York having heard Alice describe this Man which she so often saw as he was walking towards Rocksome a little place belonging to Lessingham Parish he met a Man which he thought to he very much like the Man which she described He went home and told his Master upon which he and his Daughter walked out that way to see if they could meet him they were not gone far but the Daughter saw him and told her Father and pointed which way he went that he might see him but still as he went one way to see him the Daughter presently saw him go the contrary way so that he never could obtain the sight of him Once coming from Milking she had a good Club in her Hand and he met her and asked her what she did with that Club she being more then ordinary couragious told him she had a good mind to lay it about his Pate He made her no answer but went away Another time in July as near as they can remember Alice made her a mess of Furmety for her Breakfast in was made as she tells of new Milk which I take notice of because of what follows As soon as she had began to eat it the fore-mentioned Follet came to the Door and asked whether they had any Shooes to mend she told him she thought they had though indeed she knew of none but spake it out of fear but that her Father and Mother being gone out she knew not where they were So he went away and she returned designing to fall again to her Breakfast but found it turned to a hard Curd at which she was much surprised and resolved to set it by to shew her Father and Mother but she had no sooner turned her Back but the Dish danced about on the Table 'till it fell on the Ground and spilt all in the Floor which a Neighbours Dog as they thought coming in lick'd up The same day as she was raking Hay she was taken Lame and continued so a quarter of a Year After this she was quiet again for a while and the next time she saw him was when going behind the Barn upon some occasion she espied him standing at some distance from her and a sudden blast of Wind took her Hat from off her Head and carried it to his Feet but she was not much daunted at it but ran to him and took it up and then he disappeared One Sunday in the middle of all her Troubles as she was stooping to
and Compotations But this Error cost him dear for being on a time at a youthful Meeting one of his petulant Convivators poured a Cup of cold Water on his Head Which Affront he took so hainously that he went home and died Mr. Jo. Hales of Eaton 3. A. C. 1470. George Nevil Brother to the Great Earl of Warwick at his Instalment into his Archbishoprick of York made a Feast for the Nobility Gentry and Clergy wherein he spent 300 Quarters of Wheat 330 Tuns of Ale 104 Tuns of Wine one Pipe of spiced Wine 80 fat Oxen 6 wild Bulls 1004 Wethers 300 Hogs 300 Calves 3000 Geese 3000 Capons 300 Pigs 100 Peacocks 200 Cranes 200 Kids 2000 Chickens 4000 Pigeons 4000 Rabbits 204 Bitterns 4000 Ducks 400 Hernsews 200 Pheasants 500 Partridges 4000 Woodcocks 400 Piovers 100 Curlews 100 Quails 1000 Egrets 200 Rees above 400 Bucks Does and Roe-bucks 1506 hot Venison-Pasties 4000 cold Venison-Pasties 1000 Dishes of Gelly parted 4000 cold Custards 2000 hot Custards 300 Pikes 300 Breams 8 Seales 4 Propoises and 400 Tarts At this Feast the Earl of Warwick was Steward the Earl of Bedford Treasurer the Lord Hastings Comptroller with many more noble Officers Servitors 1000 Cooks 62 Kitchiners 515. Fuller's Hist of the Church But Seven Years after the King seized on all the Estate of this Archbishop and sent him over Prisoner to Callis in France where vinctus jacuit in summà inopiâ he was kept bound in extream Poverty Ibid. l. 4. cent 15. p. 193. 4. Cleopatra's Luxury in dissolving a Pearl which she took from her Ear in Vinegar to the Value of Fifty Thousand Pound and drinking it off at one Draught out of Vain-glory is well known and yet she was afterwards notwithstanding all her Bravery taken Prisoner and deprived of her Royal State and the other Pearl cut in twain and hung at both the Ears of the Statue of Venus in the Pantheon in Rome Plin. Nat. Hist l. 9. Fulg. Ex. l. 9 c. 5. Heliogabalus filled his Fish-ponds with Rose-water supplied his Lamps with the precious Balsam that distilled from the Trees in Arabia wore upon his Shooes Pearls and Precious Stones engraven strewed his Dining-room with Saffron and his Portico's with Dust of Gold he never wore the same Garments twice and yet they were of the richest silk or Cloth of Gold near the Sea he would eat no Fish in the Midland no Flesh his whole Meals were made often of the Tongues of Singing-Birds Peacocks or the Brains of costly Creatures he gathered in Rome 10000 weight of Spiders to shew the Greatness of his City his Bed was covered with Gold and Silver his Statue whilst he was living was worshipped for a God he set up a Senate of Women gave great Estates to wicked Bawds Panders Jesters c. But at last being generally despised he was slain by his Soldiers in the Fourth Year of his Reign his own Body and his Mother 's dragged along the Streets and cast into the common Laystall Imp. Hist Sabell Ex. l. 8. c. 7. Time's Store-house l. 10. c. 12. 6. Vitellius another Roman Emperor had 20000 Dishes of Fish and 7000 Fowl at one Supper and yet commended his own Temperance in a set Oration before the Senate and People of Rome In the time that he reigned which had need to be but short he wasted Nine Hundred Millions of Sesterces i. e. saith Budaeus 2500000 Crowns or as another 31250 l. Sterling For after he had reigned but Eight Months and a few Days he was slain in the midst of the City Joseph de Bell. Jud. l. 5. c. 13. Tacit. Hist l. 2. 7. Mahomet the Great Sultan at the taking of C. P. had one Helana a very beautiful Person presented to him with whom he was so taken that he spent all his Time with her and seemed quite to have emasculated his Spirit Upon which his Janisaries and Captains began to murmur and threatened to Depose him and put one of his Sons on the Throne One of his Courtiers with great Submission admonished him of it Whereupon he goes presently to his Paragon spent the whole Night with her appointed a Feast next Day sets his Curtezan at Table dressed in the most Princely Robes After Dinner having charged all his Nobles to appear together he brings her before them in his Left Hand and immediately with his Faulchion at one Blow struck off her Head saying Now judge by this whether your Emperor be not able to bridle his Affections Knowles 's Turk Hist 8. The Romans were so given to Pleasure and Luxury in their Apparel Food Ornaments Attendance and Retinue c. before the Decleâ—â—â—on of their Grandeur that Juvenal spends several Satyrs in exposing them to the Laughter and Reproach of the World So effeminate were they that they had a Distinction in their Rings and had some of massie Gold to wear in the Winter others more light for Summer-wear Lucullus had 5000 Cloaks Incredible Summs were expended upon Entertainments 9. The Monks before the Reformation and the Judgments that followed in Germany were grown to that heighth of Luxury that several Pens were exercised in publick Reflections and Censures upon them Among the rest an Author whom I have now by me and who stiles himself Frater de Viridi Valle in Prussia complains pathetically of the Pride of their Habit their Silk Gowns and Cloaks trailing behind them on the Ground their Pearls and Jewels in their Shooes and for a pleasant Jest I suppose tells a Story of one Monk who through extream Poverty was not able to purchase a Cloak with so long a Tail at last got a Mat upon his Back and went about strutting with that and looking on a time behind him to see how finely it trailed after him espied the Devil sitting upon the hinder end of it who laughed in his Face and cryed out saying Aha! plus velles si plus posses 10. Zaleucus the Law-giver of Locris made a Law That no Woman should be attended with more than one Maid in the Streets but when she was drunk nor walk out in the City by Night but when she was going to commit Adultery nor wear Gold or Embroidered Apparel but when she designed to set up for a common Strumpet nor that Men should wear Rings or Tissues but when they went a Whoring Heyl. Geogr. p. 158. This proved an effectual Restraint upon their Luxury that way CHAP. CXXVI Divine Judgments upon Pride Ambition c. HOW vain an Attempt it is for Men to lift up themselves and aspire above the Limits of their own Orb in despite of Him that rules in the Heavens and hath prescribed for wise Reasons the Rules of Humility to us Men threatning to resist the Proud and give Grace to the Humble may appear evidently from these following Examples 1. Colonel James Turner executed at Lime-street London 1663. being a Man of a high Spirit and not having an Estate answerable thereto wherewith to keep up that State and Grandeur
out of the Earth which consumed all their Engines and Instruments And last of all there fell drops of Blood imprinting upon their Cloaths Crosses with so deep a stain that they were not able to wash them out and both the same Night and the Night after was seen by them in the Air the sign of a bright Cross whereupon the remainder of them fled and returned home acknowledging That him whom their Fathers had nailed to the Cross was God indeed Theod. When the Foundation was laying there was a Stone amongst the rest to which the bottom of the Foundation was fastened that slipt from its place and discovered the Mouth of a Cave which had been cut in the Rock Now when they could not see the bottom by reason of its depth the Overseers of the Buildings being desirous to have certain knowledge of the Place tied a long Rope to one of the Labourers and let him down into it He being come to the bottom found Water in it which took him up to the mid-ankles and searching every part of that hollow Place he found it to be four-square as far as he could conjecture by feeling Then returning towards the Mouth of it he hit upon a certain little Pillar not much higher than the Water and lighting with his hand upon it found a Book lying there wrapt up in a piece of thin clean Linen Having taken it up into his hands he signified by the Rope that they should draw him up which when they had done he shewed them the Book which struck them with Admiration especially seeming so fresh and untouch'd as it did being found in so dark and obscure a hole The Book being unfolded did amaze not only the Jews but the Grecians also holding forth even in the beginning of it in great Letters In the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God To speak plainly saith the Historian that Scripture did manifestly contain the whole Gospel which the Divine Tongue of the Virgin Disciple had declared This together with the other Miracles which at times were proclaimed from Heaven did demonstrate that not any word of our Lord should fall to the Ground which had fore-told the utter Desolation both of the City and Temple Socrat. Eccles Hist l. 3. c. 17. Theod. l. 4. cap. 20. Sozom. l. 5. c. 21. See the Chap. of Miraculous Cures c. CHAP. CXLIX Attestations to the Truth of Christianity from such as were formerly Enemies to it or careless in the Practice of it I Make this a particular Head because the Testimony of Friends is capable of Fraud and is often suspected as proceeding from a Principle of Flattery or Partiality or Self-Interest But the Attestation of Adversaries even in the judgment of the severest Philosophers and the gravest Judges and Lawyers is generally accounted valid and weighty as being extorted by the force of Truth it self and gives as convictive a Suffrage to the Cause as can in common Reason and ordinary Cases be desired 1. Julian the Apostate having led the Roman Army into Persia in the Winter time in a Battle against the Persians was wounded with an Arrow from an unknown Hand with which Wound losing his Scâ—ses he fell upon his Horse Neck and by his Soldiers was carried into his Tent where after means used coming to himself again and recovering Strength he called for his HOrse and Arms that he might return again into Battle but afterwards finding his Strength fail him in extream Pride he took his Blood in his Hands and holding it up to Heaven he used these Words against our Saviour Vicisti Galilaee Vicisti i. e. Thou hast conquered me O Galilean thou hast conquered me For so he used in scorn to call Jesus Christ Clark is vit Jovian 2. The Earl of Marlborough whose two most Devout Penitential Letters are herewith Published was a Person of great Understanding and Wit The Scene of his Life lay chiefly in Voyages and Expeditions by Sea whereby he made many laborious Attempts to repair the collapsed Estate of his Ancestors but it pleased not God to give him that Success he hoped for therein It is wholly unfit for any Writer to touch upon any irreligious Principles or Practices that were as Stains in his Life since he hath by his own noble Pen in the following Letters acknowledg'd them and by his most exemplary Repentance washed them off Mr. Roger Coke in a Volume of his Detection p. 142. mentions That the Fight wherein the Duke of York beat the Dutch and Opdam was blown up was the Third of June 1665. and that in this Fight the English lost the Renowned Earl of Marlborough who tho' Admiral in King Charles the First 's Time died here a private Captain But it pleased God in the Naval Expedition to work in him such a Sense of his Sins as did infinitely make amends for the former Disappointments he met with by Sea or Land The Date of his first Letter being the 24th of April and that of the second the 23d of May following will satisfie any candid Reader that the new Birth in him was accompaied with many Pangs and Efforts of great Consideration during the firmness of his Bodily Health and much transcending the low nature of poor Death-bed Repentances which are so justly suspected by our Practical Divines of all Perswasions And here it is necessary to acquaint the Reader that these two Letters of distant Dates were sent by his Lordship from the Royal Navy enclosed in other Letters to Mr. Tredewy his Lordship's Agent in London with a particular Instruction both as to that to Sir Hugh Pollard and that to Mr. Glascock that each of them was to be delivered when Mr. Tredewy was credibly informed of his Lordship's Death His Design being that his Pen should preach Repentance to the World in case he lived not to be a personal Adviser thereof himself The Publisher hereof assures the Reader that both the Letters had a happy Influence on the Lives of the two Persons to whom they were directed and that Sir Hugh Pollard having lent the Original Letter which was sent to him to Sir William Davenant to shew it to whom he pleased Sir William shewed it to the Publisher among many others and that Mr. Glascock permitted the Publisher to take a Copy of that Letter directed to him The Reader may then awaken his most serious Thoughts to consider the two following Letters A Letter from the Right Honourable James Earl of Marlborough a little before his Death in the Battle at Sea on the Coast of Holland 1665. To the Right Honourable Sir Hugh Pollard Comptroller of His Majesty's Houshold SIR I Believe the Goodness of your Nature and the Friendship you have always born me will receive with kindness this last Office of your Friend I am in Health enough of Body and through the Mercy of God in Jesus Christ well disposed in Mind This I premise that you may be satisfied that
the strongest of them when she hath them aloft she lets them fall and then she flies and meets them and takes them up again When they are old enough she drives them out of her Nest and Quarter The Female is so salacious that being trod 30 times in a day if the Male come to her again she will run to him She is so quick-sighted that flying over the Sea out of man's view she will discern the smallest Fish and smells Carcasses 500 miles distant When she is become extream hot she plunges into the Water then she flies to her Nest grows fevorish casts her Feathers is fed by her young ones and renews her self but sooner if she can find Serpents to feed on Jonston Hist Nat. p. 168. 2. The Hawk is of divers Magnitudes according to its Sex and Country the Females are the greater it casts its Feathers four times it is so venerious that the Female will return 30 times a day She flies from Carrion In the Air she will turn on her Back and stretch out her Tail Back and Wings and lies upon them She seems to lament the Death of a Man and will cast Earth on his Eyes The Thigh Bone of it pat towards Gold doth draw it to it with Delight Pigeous so soon as they hear its noise fly away Hens Eggs if they sit will be spoiled Small Birds are so frighted at the sight of her that you may take them off the Hedge with your hands Ibid. 3. The Manucodiatae or Birds of Paradise are said by Aldrovandus to be of five Kinds Their Bodies not being much bigger than a Swallow and their Heads like to them They are said to live always in the Air and to rest firm without any but a Tonick Motion for they want Feet and never come to the Ground but when they are Dead This is a Fable for they could hardly sleep there when their Senses are bound up for all their exercise is in a Tonick Motion It is likely that there is a hole in their Back in the Muscles where the Female that hath a hollow Belly lays her Eggs. Aldrovandus who saw these Manucodiatae never found any such thing The Mahumetans are perswaded that they came from Pardise as tokens of the delights of that place Johnston's Hist of Nat. Class 6. p. 184. Our later Writers say that they have found these Birds on the Ground dead and their Legs eaten off with some Vermin which is supposed to give occasion to the aforesaid fabulous Tradition 4. The Ostrich hath a small Head like a Goose not covered with Feathers with cloven Feet he is too big to flie yet sometimes he runs swiftly the Wind entring under his Wings and extending them like sails he will out-run a Man on Horseback he will swallow pieces of Iron he makes a Nest of Sand that is low and hollow and fenceth it against the Rain She lays above 80 Eggs yet the Young ones are not hatcht all at one time the Eggs are as big as a Young Childs Head weighing about 15 pounds and are extream hard the Young are bred of them by heat of the Sun she is wonderful simple when she hides her Neck in a Bush she thinks she is all hid Ibid. Class 6. cap. 32.191 5. The Heron if they dung upon a Hawke they burn and corrupt its Feathers they swallow Shell-fish shells and all but when they think their heat hath opened them they cast them up again and eat the Fish They lie in wait to catch Fish cunningly for they stand so against the Sun-beams that their shadow may not be seen to drive them away some say they have such a force that if they put but a foot into the Water they will draw the Fish to them as with a bait Ibid. p. 169. 6. The King's Fisher is reported to build their Nests of the hardest Fish-bones and to breed about the middle of Winter Wherefore when it is a calm Winter they call it Halcyon days the Nest is made like a Pine Apple it is so Artificially made that it cannot be easily cut with a Sword That the Water may not enter into it she makes her hole of a spungy matter that will swell and the swelling shuts up the entrance when they go in they press against it and so press out the Water and find passage Johnston's Class 6. p. 171. 7. The Cranes are great Travellers when they flie they keep a Triangular sharp-angled Figure that they may the easilier pierce through the Air when they light on the Earth to feed the Captain of them holds up his Head to keep watch for the rest and they feed securely before they take rest they appoint another Centinel who may stand and ward with his Neck stretched forth whilst the rest are asleep with their Heads under their Wings and standing upon one Leg the Captain goes about the Camp and if there be any danger he claries Lest they should sleep too soundly they stand upon one foot and hold a Stone in the other above Ground that if at any time being weary they should be oppressed with sleep the Stone falling might awaken them Johnston's Hist Nat. Class 6. cap. 18. p. 180. 8. Swallow's where they live in Winter is diversly described some say that in hollow Trees many lying close together they preserve themselves by mutual heat But Olaus Magnus Episcop Vpsal saith that in the Northern Parts where Men die of Cold in Winter the Swallows live in the Water yet in these parts Swallows are often drawn up by Fishermen by accident like a congeal'd Mass and then have united themselves together bill to bill foot to foot wing to wing after the beginning of Autumn to go amongst the Reeds c. When that Mass is drawn forth and put into a Hot-house the Swallows are thawed by heat coming to them and so begin to flie but they last but a very short time because they are not made free but Captives by being taken too soon Johnston's Hist Nat. Class 6. c. 20. p. 182. 9. The Ospreys or Sea Eagles are said to have one foot like an Engle and hooked the other plain like a Goose to swim withal that it hath also a costly Fat in his Tail and that he flies in the Air and hangs there as it were and le ts drop some of this Fat into the Water whereby the Fish are astonished that they turn upon their back and so he catcheth them Ibid. p. 183. 10. The Ibis is a Bird so loving to Egypt that it will live no where else so soon as it is hatcht if it be weighed it weighs two drams Plutarch de avib l. 4. c. 9. The Heart is greater then is proportionable to the body The Gut is 96 Cubits long and that in the Wain of the Moon of pressed together till the Light of it increaseth again saith Gaudentius Merula The Lakes of Arabia send forth Multitudes of winged Serpents these Birds by a kind of foresight are stirred up and
near Orford in Suffolk in all parts like a Man and for 6 Months was kept in the Castle whence after he escaped and went again to the Sea Others do add that he was kept with raw Flesh and Fish and because he could not speak was thrown into the Sea again Bakers Chron. He uttered not any Speech though to try him he was hung by the Heels and grievously Tormented he would get him to his Couch as Sun-set and rise again at Sun-rising one day they brought him to the Haven and let him go into the Sea but to prevent his escape they set 3 rows of very strong Nets before him to catch him again at pleasure but he diving to the bottom crept under their Nets and shewed himself again to them and so often diving he still came up and as it were mocked them at length he came back to them of his own accord and remain'd with them two Months after But afterwards being not carefully lookt to he went to the Sea and was never after seen or heard of Fabians Chron. Anno Christi 1404. Some Women of Edom in the Low-Counties as they were going in their Barks to their Cattel in Purmer-meer they often saw at the Ebbing of the Water a Sea-Woman playing up and down where at the first they were afraid but after a while encouraging one another they made with their Boats towards her and the Water at that time being not deep enough for her to dive in they took her by force and drew her into the Boat and so carried her to Edam where in time she grew familiar and fed of ordinary Meats and being sent from thence to Harlem she lived about 15 Years but never spake seeking often to get away to the Waters Belg. Common Wealth p. 102 Captain Richard Whithurn in his Description of Newfoundland writes That Anno Christi 1610. early in the Morning as he was standing by the Water side in the Harbour of St. John's he espied a strong Creature swimming very swiftly towards him like a Woman looking chearfully upon him her Face Eyes Nose Mouth Chin Ears Neck and Forehead were like a Woman it was very beautiful and in those parts well proportioned having Hair hanging down round about the Head he seeing it come within a Pikes length of him stepped back whereupon it dived under the Water swimming to another place whereby he beheld the Shoulders and back down to the middle which was as square white and smooth as the back of a Man from the middle to the hinder part it pointed in proportion like a broad hooked Arrow afterwards it came to Boat wherein some of his Men were attempting to come in to them till one of them struck it a full blow on the Head others of them saw it afterwards also Clark's Geogr. p. 208. Purchas saith many Meer-maids and Women are seen about Brasile who sometimes catch embrace kiss and crush the Indians to death Vol. 4. p. 1315. Purchas adds that many Women-Fishes are found near Soffala which from the Belly to the Neck are very like Women from the Belly downward they are like Dolphins I my self when a Young Man at Oxford saw a couple of such Fishes as these taken as was reported by them who brought them singing upon a Rock in the Irish Seas 9. The River-Horse Hippotamus the Morse found in Soffala is as big as two of our Horses living in the Water but feeding on Grass by Land with thick and short hinder Legs five Claws on each fore-foot and four on the hinder the Mouth wide and full of Teeth 4 of which are above two spans long apiece the two lower stand upright the two upper turned like Bears Tushes they have Teats thick Hides are of an Ash-colour with white Strakes on their Faces or Stars in their Fore-heads Purch Pilgr Vol. 2. p. 1544. 10. The Dog-Fish found in the River of Goa big as a Cur-dog hath a Snout like a Hog small Eyes two holes for Ears 4 feet like an Elephant flat Tail Body Head Tail and Legs covered with broad Scales as hard as Iron snorting like a Hog and rolling himself round like an Urchin Ibid. p. 1774. 11. Toad-Fishes are about a span long Painted with fair Eyes snorting and swelling much out of the Water the Poysonous Skin being flayed off the Indians eat them Ibid. p. 1314. 12. Cuttle-Fish hath a Hood always full of black Water like Ink which when she is pursued by other Fishes that would devour her she casts forth and so darkens the Water that she thereby escapeth Ibid. 13. The Flying-Fish hath Fins instead of Wings and a delicate Skin interlaced with fine bones they are like Pitchards only a little rounder and bigger they flie best with a side Wind but no longer then their Wings are wet seldom above a quarter of a Mile The Dolphins and Bonitoes do continually hunt after them by Water and the Alcatrace a Fowl much like a Heron hovers in the Air to seize upon them 14. The Eagle-Fish found in the Indian Sea hath Eyes 5 quarters asunder from the end of one Fin to the end of the other are above 4 yards its Mouth and Teeth resemble a Porcullise has a small Tail and it s rather wondred at then eaten 15. The Carvel comes of the Fome of the Sea is a kind of a Sea-Spider of a round form floating upon the surface of the Ocean throwing abroad her string like so many lines to Angle for small Fishes When she sees her Web too weak she can blow a deadly infectious Breath or put forth such a Sting as if she had borrowed it from a Scorpion Herb. Trav. 16. A. Shark taken by Mr. Herbert's Men in his East-India Voyage was 9 foot and a half long they found in her Paunch 55 young ones each of them a foot in length all which go out and in at their pleasures she was armed with a double row of Venemous Teeth and is guided in her Prey by a little Musculus or Pilot-Fish that she sends to and fro do bring Intelligence the Shark for its kindness suffering it to Suck at pleasure Herb. Trav. p. 26. 17. A certain Fish or Sea-Monster in le Maire's Voyage with a Horn struck against the Ship with such violence that it shook it whereupon the Master looking over-board saw the Sea all Bloody but knew not what should be the cause till coming into Port Desire where they cleansed and trimed their Ship they found 7 foot under water a Horn sticking in the Ship for bigness and fashion like an Elephants Tooth yet not hollow but all of solid hard Bone which had pierced through three double Planks and was entered into a Rib of the Ship it stuck above half a foot deep into the Ship and by great force was broken off which caused the Monster to bleed so much as discoloured the Water Purch Pilgr vol. 1. p. 90. 18. Dr. Edward Brown in his Description of Vienna speaking of the Danube saith it affords
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
Gryllus Acheta the Cricket It is a Winged Insect like a Locust or Grashopper lives in Chimneys and warm Places and sings almost continually 18. â—â—mica Murmos the Pismire or Ant. It is a small but wise Creature gathering its Food in Summer in the Full Moons and resting in the New Moons They are like a Commonwealth and gather Corn which they dry and bite at both Ends that they may not grow they wear away Stones by their Assiduity and make beaten Road-ways they help one another in drawing their Burthens dam out Water and bury their Dead The Greater lead the way and the Lesser drag the Corn and when dirty they cleanse themselves before they enter into their Habitations They teach their Young to labour but expel the Idle and when they carry their Grain it is said to be a sign of foul Weather They cast up the Earth over the Mouths of the Caves that the Water may not enter in wherein they have three Cells in the first they live in the second they breed and bury and in the third they keep their Corn. They generate in Winter bring forth Eggs which in Spring are Ants when old they grow Winged and then suddenly after die Salmon's Disp l. 2. p. 260. 19. Hirudo Sanguisuga the Horse-Leach The Great are best with a Line on their Back They are used to draw Blood with but they ought fisrt to be cleansed of purged with clean Water and then applied to the Part it being first rubbed with Sal Nitre Blood Milk Clay or Honey then apply them To remove them cast upon their Mouth Salt Ashes Aloes Vinegar c. and they will fall off In the River of Mauretania they are said to be seven Cubits long 20. Julus Centumpeda the Gally-Worm They are a short kind of Scolopendra's exceeding in number of Feet all other Insects 21. Locusta It was formerly used as a Food in the Eastern Countries and John Baptist fed upon them It is an Insect which has a Head like a Horse six Legs and Wings being of divers Colours Anno 852 they wasted France 20 Miles in one Day going in Troops the Leaders with a few more went before to take up Quarters the next Day at the same Hour they all arrived In the Sixth Year of the Emperour Argyropolus they drove the Inhabitants of certain Provinces of the East to such Necessity that they sold their Children and passed into Thrace next Year they returned again and having spoiled the Provinces three Years perished at Pergamos In some Places the Magistrate appoints them to be killed thrice a Year and he that refuseth is punished Johnston's Nat. Hist p. 254. 22. Musca the Fry 23. Papilio Compilo Avicula Isiodori the Butterfly They generate in May June and July and lay Eggs. 24. Pediculus the Louse breeds first in the Skin of the Head and abounds in Hectick Feavers not so in Putrid Feavers It leaves those that are dead Eating of Figs is said to produce them but 't is certain it breeds Warts on the Skin Johnston 25. Pulex the Flea they are generated by Dust as also of putrified Sweat The only Remedy to destroy them is the Pulp or Decoction of Coloquintida Salmon Some say Silk-Yarn put into the Bed will gather them together into it 26. Ricinus Redivivus the Tike is a filthy Creature or kind of Louse that troubles Oxen Goats Sheep Dogs c. 27. Scarabeus the Beetle the smell of Roses is said to kill them 28. Scincus the Sea-Skink 29. Scolopendra they differ from a Galley-Worm as a Lobster from a Crevise They are Poisonous and their Poison causes Putrifaction 30. Scorpio it is almost like a Craysish having little Eyes Oval form eight Feet and two Arms. Of great use in Physick especially for the Stone and Gout 31. Stella Mariana or the Sea-Pad is of great use in Physick 32. Tabanus Asilus Musca Caballonia the Ox-Fly 33. Teredo the Wood-Worm breeds and feeds in many Trees except the Oak and some others The Frygians are said to eat of them thence called Xylophagi Elian writes that the King of the Indies used for a second Course a Worm breeding in Plants which was broiled at the Fire Johnst Nat. Hist p. 263. 34. Vespa the Wasp breeds most when Wolves kill Horses or Oxen Sometimes they are found in a Stags Head One brought one of these formed Wasp-Houses wonderfully made to Pierius Valerianus at Belunum from some Wood in a Desart which he describes thus There are seven Rounds one above another at two Fingers distance distinguished by little Pillars between that every one might have space enough to go and come to his House the Diameter of the Rounds unto the fifth was about 12 Digits the others narrowed by degrees The first Round or Chamber was hanged to a Bough of an old Tree guarded with a Crust against Wind and Weather beneath were six angled Cells close together so that the other Chambers were all overcast with the same Crust c. All these Creatures flew out of the upper Stations those in the lowest Rooms seemed like to Embrio's c. part their Belly from their Breast and they will live long and will sometimes prick one that touches their Sting an Hour after A Swarm of Wasps among the Romans was accounted an ill Omen Johnst Nat. Hist p. 267. 35. We will conclude this Chapter with a general Discourse of Worms especially such as are bred in living Creatures for they are found in Cattle and in Men as well as Plants or in the Earth Anno 1549 there were many Men about the River Thaysa in whose Bodies were found Creatures called Lutrae and Lizards Wierus saw a Country-man that voided a Worm 8 Foot long with Mouth and Head like a Duck. Wier de Praestig Daemon l. 3. c. 15. A Maid at Lovain saith Cornelius Gemma voided many prodigious Creatures amongst the rest a living Creature a Foot and half long thicker than a Man's Thumb like an Eagle but the Tail hairy Forestus out of Hostim Obs Med. p. 1. obs 2. shews that at beneventum in Italy there was a great Mortality which much troubled the Physicians not knowing the Cause thereof till they opened one of the dead Bodies in whose Brain they found a red Worm yet alive this they tried to kill by divers Medicaments but nothing was effectual At last they boiled some slices of Rhadish in Malaga Wine and with this it was killed He shews also that one being cured of the french Malady was still tormented with the Head-ach till his Skull by Advice was open'd under which upon the Dura Mater was found a black Worm which being taken out and killed he was cured Brassavola records in 16 Aphorism l. 3. Hippocr that an old Man of 82 Years by a Potion made of Scordium and Sea-Moss voided 500 Worms Alexander Benedict speaks of a young Maid who lay speechless 8 Days with her Eyes open and upon the voiding of 42 Worms recovered her Health Alexand. Bened. lib.
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
like Amber and is found in Germany c. an excellent Lithontriptic and Vulnerary 17. Lapis Humanus or the Stone found in the Reins or Bladder of a Man open Obstructions and expels the Stone c. 18. Marcasita Lapis Moralis the Mill-Stone in Powder with Rosin drys up Milk in Womens Breasts 19. Marble is either white black green red c. Alablaster Ophites and Porphyrites are certain Species of it 'T is good for the stone Cholick Pleurisie c. 20. Nephritic-Stone is green sometimes whitish green yellowish pale found in Spain and Bâ—hemia The Superficies always sweats with Fat and is good against the Stone and pain of the Reins 21. The Ophite is a kind of very hard Marble of a dark green having spots like a Serpent eminently good against Head-aches and stinging of Serpents 22. Ostiocolla Ossifragus Sabulosus the Bone-Binder is almost like a Bone white or ash-coloured and sometimes like Coral found in Germany c. speedily Knitts Bones together 23. Phrygice Lapis the Phrygian Stone mixed with Wax it helps burning and is profitable against putried Ulcers used as Cadmia 24. Porphâ—ry-Stone or Red-Marble taken inwardly breaks and expels the Stone c 25. Pumex Lapis Bibulus the Pumice Stone It is a white light dry spongey porous Stone full of holes easily broken and free from Sand found chiefly in Germany It cools drys cleanses Uclers Incarnates and Skins The Clax is used in Eye-Medicines c. 26. Pyrites Lapis Luminis Lapis Aeraâ—ius it is two-fold viz. a Golden or Silver colour doth heat dry discuss Humours and soften Swellings Is found in Persia Cypus Gâ—slaria 27. Samnius Lapis the Samian-Stone the best is hard and white is good to polish Gold Is cold and astringent being Drunk it helps them which cannot digest their Food but Vomit it up again 28. Schistus Iscistus Isidori the Cleaving-Stone 't is a king of Talc of the Nature of the Blood-Stone it is brought to us out of Germany 29. Silex Lapis Tiliceus and Vivus the Flint is harder than Marble some black some cloudy some white and some with a thick white crusty out-side which when broken have been as transparent as Crystal Flints are hot and dry discussive digestive and resolutive They open Obstuctions and dissolve the Stone and Tartarous Humours outwardly they cleanse the Teeth 30. Smyris a Stone which Glasiers use to cut Glass is found in the Earth of Samot the Powder of it serves to polish Gems withal 31. Spongites the Spunge Stone breaks the Stone in the Reins and Bladder and discusses Tumours of the Kings-Evil mixt with Sal Gem and Tartar and Drunk in a Man's Urine every morning Fasting 32. Talcum Phengites Stella-Terrae Talc is brought from Muscovy and Venice and is almost like the specular Stone but thinner scaly greenish resisting Fire and fixed That which is greenish is best It s used for a Fucus for the Face 33. Vnicorn Stone is of the colour smoothness and form of an Horn found in Germany c. It has been often found so great and thick as could never be produced from an Animal Sometimes hard sometimes soft always stoney brittle close without pores sticking to the Tongue and of a pleasant scent It is drying binding cardiac and sudorifick CHAP. XLVII Strange Stones and of Admirable Figures or Signatures As the Psalmist saith of the Heavens That they declare the Glory of God and the Firmament shews his handy-work there is neither Speech nor Language where their Voice is not heard So I may say of the very Stones of the Earth that if all the other Preachers of Nature were suspended from their Office and commanded to be silent the very Stones would speak and declare the Wisdom and Power of their Creator And it is not in my opinion credible that the variety which appears in these works of Nature is altogether accidental or fâ—rtuitous but the effect of a wise Providence which leads on all things to their end and which makes nothing but to some purpose I shall take notice of their Figures called by some Gamahes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chamaiâ—u from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chemaia as Gaffarel thinks signifying as the waters of God because saith he you shall see some Agats streaked in such a manner as that they perfectly represent the figure of Waters The Word God being added according to the Hebrew Idiotisim which speaking of any thing excellent usually add the Holy Name after it as the Paradise of God for an excellent Garden the Army of the Lord for a great Army the Cedars of God for tall Cedars c. Some of these Figures or Gamahes are Natural others Accidental others Artificial The two former ate either embossed rising up or hollowed engraved or only painted Among the Painted ones the Agats are well known That of King Pyrrhus where the nine Muses richly apparell'd were represented Dancing with Apollo in the midst of them playing upon a Harp seems mighty strange and served to puzzle Cardan and yet is swallowed glibly by Gaffarel Card. de Subl 1.7 Gaffarel unheard of Curios part 3. c. 5. That which M. de Brevâ—s reports That he saw in his Voyages into the Levant of a Crucisix represented on a Marble-Stone and the other at St. George's in Venice where the Figure of a Crucifix was represented on Marble with so much Life as that you might distinguish in it the Nails Wounds and drops of Blood and in a word all the particulars that the most curious Painter could have expressed As also another of a Death's-Head so exactly drawn upon an Altar of Jasper coloured Marble in the same Church at Venice seem to me to have been made by the Art of the Painter though Gaffarel believes them to be meerly Natural and therefore breaks out upon the mention of them into those Words How prodigiously full of Wonder the Effects of Nature are which shews herself admirable in all her Ways Gaffar Ibid. I dare hardly impose upon my Readers Faith that which he relates afterwards of a kind of Stones found in Mauritania which naturally represent all the Words of the Ave-Maria written at length As for Example In one you shall have Ave-Maria in another Gratia Plena in others Dominus Tecum That is more Credible which he reports of a company of little Flint-Stones that had been presented to the late King of France that by the Letters naturally figured on them did make up his Name at large Ibid. In the Imperial Repository at Vienna is a large Stone of Agate on the outside and a Bed of large Amethysts naturally in the middle of it which is an extraordinary and pleasant Rarity Dr. Brown's Trav. p. 148. Selenites the Moon-Stone represent the Image of the Moon in all its Phases Asteria or Star-Stone is formed like a Star the Thunderstone c. CHAP. XLVIII Strange Hills THO' the Earth of late Ages be acknowledged to be a round Globular Figure yet the unevennesses of it and
cited for what is more strange That in an Earthquake an hundred Cities in Lybia were destroyed tit Livius Hist Josephus records that about 29 Years after the Birth of Christ there happened a tremendous Earthquake in the Country of Judea whereby divers Beasts were slain many People overwhelmed in the Ruins of their Houses and perished to the number of about 30000. 2. To relate those Earthquakes that have happened since our Saviour's Birth as I find them mentioned by several Authors of which that which happened at his Crucifixion is said to be the greatest that ever was which shook not only one part of the Earth as in other Cases but the whole World trembled at once if famous Authors may be credited In the tenth Year of Christ was a great Earthquake in Cyprus which overthrew many Cities and in the 17th Year thirteen Cities in Italy were destroyed and the River Tyber overflowed Rome In the Year 59 was a great Earthquake in Rome at which time Nero's Supper was burned with Lightning 3. In the Reign of Trajan the Emperour Anno 105 there happened a most terrible Earthquake at Antioch which destroyed many Cities and People and extended it self very far with fearful Lightnings which made the Night as light as Day preceded with dreadful Thunderbolts that threw down stately Buildings killed many People strong and unusual Storms of Wind the Sea wrought the Waves swelled the Earth shaken Trees pluck'd up by the Roots multitudes buried in the Ruins of their own Houses In Anno 107 a very great Earthquake happened in Asia with many prodigious Sights in the Air as fighting of Men c. Another in Galatia and Rome where Lightning from Heaven consumed the Temple of their Gods with strong Winds and horrible Noises in the Earth In Anno 120 an Earthquake in Nice and two terrible Ones in Palestina In Anno 162 was a very great Earthquake in Bithynia the Waves of the Mediterranean Sea in a Calm elevated themselves to the top of a Mountain far distant from it and cast the Foam a great way upon the main Land 4. In Anno 244 the Sun was totally Eclipsed and there was so horrid an Earthquake that certain Cities together were swallowed up and exceeding great Darkness happened for many Days together In the Year 300 there were great Earthquakes by one whereof 13 Cities in Campania were overthrown and another in Asia Many Cities in the East fell to the Ground by an Earthquake and Neo Caesarea was overturned and all its Inhabitants perished except only such as were saved with the Bishop in the Church Dyracchium was demolished by an Earthquake Rome trembled for three Days and three Nights successively And indeed it was to General that all Europe and Asia were shaken at once 5. In the Year 366 in the Reign of Julian the Emperour who was first a Christian and after revolted to Paganism for which he was hamed the Apostate in despight and contempt of our blessed Saviour who had prophesied the Temple of Jerusalem should be destroyed and never rebuilt he impiously resolved to invalidate the same and designed to build it magnificently with excessive Cost and Charges when they had digged up the Remainders of the old Buildings from the lowest Foundation and had cleared the Ground so that there was not a Stone left upon a Stone according to our Blessed Saviour's Prediction The next Day coming to the Place there was a great Earthquake insomuch that the Stones were cast out of the Foundation so that many of the Workmen were slain The publick Buildings which were nearest the Temple were likewise loosen'd and falling down with great Violence buried those who were in them in their Rains some who attempted to fly away were found half dead The Earthquake was scarce over but those who remained fell to work again but when they attempted it the second time sudden Flashes of Fire came violently out of the Foundations and other Fire fell furiously from Heaven and destroyed more than before the Flame continuing a whole Day together 6. In the Year 367 in the Reign of Valens and Valentinian Emperours of Rome there happened such horrible Earthquakes throughout the Western Empire A little after the Day-dawning there was a great Tempest of Thunder and Lightning which was followed by such a dreadful trembling of the Earth that the Sea was shaken therewith and deserted the Shore and its ancient Bounds for a great space many Ships were left on dry Ground and swarms of People flew thither to catch Fish when suddenly the Sea as disdaining to be imprisoned returned to its former Station with such Impetuosity that it over-ran its former Bounds and with the Fury thereof overthrew a multitude of Towns and Houses with many Thousands of People 7. In the Year 430 a great Earthquake reged in divers places and overturned many Cities some Authors affirm it was so terrible as to affect almost the whole World the Earth gaped and swallowed up many Villages Fountains were dried up and Waters brake forth in places formerly dry Great Trees were torn up by the Roots heaps of Trees were so shaken together that they were raised into Mountains The Sea threw up dead Fishes many Islands sunk and overwhelmed Ships sailing on the Sea were suddenly left on the dry Ground In short many places in Bythinia the Hellespont and both the Phrygia's were distressed thereby This continued six Months without intermission and the People of Constantinople not daring to stay in the City for fear of the fall of their Houses continued together with their good Emperour and their Patriarch in the Fields instant in Prayers to the Almighty for the Removel of so dreadful a Judgment 8. In the Year 454 a great Earthquake at Rome another at Vienna Wolves and other Beasts wander all the Year through the City and devour Men. An Earthquake in Russia and at Constantinople with two wonderful Blazing-Stars In the Year 458 a great Earthquake happened at Antioch which the Citizens had cause to remember Before it began some of the Inhabitants were seized with extraordinary Madness such as seemed to exceed the Fury of Wild Beasts and to be the Presage of that Calamity which followed soon after For about the fourth Hour of the Night in September almost all the Buildings of the new City were overturned which was well People and none of it forsaken or empty being curiously built by the Magnificence of divers Emperours who strove to Excel each other in the Adornment of it 9. In the First Century was a terrible Earthquake in Arabia another in Palestina and a third at Constantinople six Weeks together 10. In the sixth seventh and eighth Centuries an Earthquake at Antioch another at Palestina another in England and Normandy and divers dreadful Prodigies About the same time there was a violent Earthquake in Constantinople which lasted many Days and every Hour the City suffered extraordinary Shocks Many Houses were thrown down but the People betook themselves to Prayer
Fasting and Repentance and the Almighty had Compassion on them Many Cities in the East were ruined by it and the City of Alexandria was sore shaken therewith which was the more Astonishing because it seldom happens in those Parts Some Years after Constantinople was shaken so violently that not only the Walls and Churches but all Greece trembled therewith In the Year 801 whilst Charles the Great was in Italy there was an Earthquake with great Noises which shook all France and Germany but especially Italy It overthrew several Towers and Mountains and the Church of St. Paul at Rome was destroyed by it 11. In the ninth tenth and eleventh Centuries an Earthquake happened in Scotland another in France a very great one in Asia several terrible ones with Whirlwinds in Germany also a great Earthquake in England where five Suns appeared at once and after four Moons at once In the Reign of King William the Conquerour Anno 1086 happened an Earthquake with a dreadful Noise In Anno 1100 in the Reign of King Henry the First the Earth moved with such Violence in England that many Building were shaken down in divers places an hideous Noise was heard and the Earth through several Rifts cast forth Fire for many Days together which neither by Water nor by any other Means could be suppress'd In Lumbardy in Ita◠about the same time was an Earthquake which lasted about six Weeks and removed a Town from the place where it stood a great distance In the Year 1179 on Christmas-Day at Oxenhall near Darlington in the County of Durham the Earth was lifted up almost like a Tower and so continued all that Day as it were immoveable till Evening and then fell with so horrible a Noise that it affrighted the Inhabitants thereabouts and the Earth swallowing it up made in the same place three Pits of a wonderful depth which were afterwards called Hell-Kettles 12. In the Year 1180 an Earthquake ruined a great part of the City of Naples The City of Catania in Sicily is destroyed with 19000 People by an Earthquake The K. of Iconium is swallowed up by an Earthquake and in England many Buildings were thrown down by the same means amongst which the Cathedral Church of Lincoln was rent in pieces 13. In the Year 1222 there were such Earthquakes in Italy and Lumbardy that the Cities and Towns were forsaken and the People kept abroad in the Fields in Tents many Houses and Churches were thrown down much People thereby crushed to Death the Earth trembled twice a Day in Lumbardy for 14 Days together besides two Cities in Cyprus and the City of Brescia were this Year destroyed by Earthquakes In the Year 1176 about the same time that Adrian the Fourth was made Pope was a dreadful Earthquake at Millain and the Country round about In Italy there was likewise a great Earthquake and another in England and a third in Germany 14. In the Year 1300 there was such an Earthquake in Rome as never was before and 48 Earthquakes happening in one Year whereby all Lumbardy was shaken A great Earthquake in London which shook down many Buildings Anothe Earthquake did much mischief about Bath and Bristol and two more happened in England not long after In the Year 1348 a terrible Earthquake happened at Constantinople which endured six Weeks and reached as far as Hungary and Italy 26 Cities were overthrown by it 15. In the Year 1456 there arose upon the Sea of Ancona in Italy together with a thick gloomy Cloud that extended above two Miles a Tempest of Wind Water Fire Lightning and Thunder which piercing to the most deep Abysses of the Seas forced by the Waves with a most dreadful Fury and carried all before it upon the Land which caused so horrible an Earthquake some time after that the Kingdom of Naples was almost ruined and all Italy carried the dismal Marks of it A Million of Houses and Castles were buried in their own Ruins and above 30000 People crushed to pieces and a huge Mountain overturned into the Lake De la Garde Soon after was a dreadful Earthquake in Millan another in Hungary 16. In Sept. 14. 1509 there happened a terrible Earthquake at Constantinople and in the County thereabouts Bajazet the second being Emperour by the Violence whereof a great part of that Imperial City with many stately Buildings both publick and private were overthrown and 13000 People overwhelm'd and slain the Terror whereof was so great that the People generally forsook their Houses and lay abroad in the Fields yea Bajazet himself thô very aged and sore troubled with the Gout lay abroad in the Fields in his Tent. The Earthquake continued as the Turks relate for a Month with little intermission In the year 1531 in the City of Lisbon in Portugal about 1400 Houses were overthrown by an Earthquake and 600 more so sorely shaken that they were ready to fall and many Churches cast to the Ground 17. In 1538. Mr. George Sandy's gives a Relation of a Remarkable Earthquake and Burning which happened near the City of Puteoli with the New formed Mountain for September 29 1538. the Country thereabouts having for several days before been Tormented with perpetual Earthquakes that no one House was left intire but all expected an immediate ruine after the Sea had retired 200 paces from the Shoar leaving abundance of Fish and Springs of fresh Water arising in the bottom this Mountain visible ascended about the second Hour of the Night with an hideous roaring Noise horribly vomitting Stones and such store of Cinders as overwhelm'd all the Buildings thereabouts 18. In 1571 February 17 a Prodigious Earthquake happened in the Eastern parts of Herefordshire near a little Town called Kinaston about 6 in the Evening the Earth began to open and a Hill called Marckly Hill with a Rock under it made a mighty bellowing Noise heard a-far off and then lifted up it self a great height and began to Travel bearing along with it the Trees that grew upon it the Sheep-folds and Flocks of Sheep abiding thereon at the same time having thus walked from Sunday Evening to Monday Noon it left a gaping distance 40 Foot wide and 80 Ells long the whole Field about 20 Acres the same Prodigy happened about the same time in Blackmore in that County A great Earthquake at Constantinople an Earthquake and Inundation in Holland very great Thunder and Earthquake in Spain an Earthquake and Bowls of Fire in Corinthia the Sun seem'd to cleave in sunder 19. In 1580 April 6 being Easter-Wednesday about 6 in the Afternoon happened a great Earthquake in England which shook all the Houses Castles and Churches every where as it went and put them in danger of utter Ruin at York it made the Bells in the Churches jangle In 1581 in Peru in America there happened an Earthquake which removed the City of Augnangum two Leagues from the place where it stood without demolishing it in regard the Scituation of the whole Country was changed
another Earthquake in the same Country that reached 300 Leagues along the Sea-shore and 70 Leagues in Land and Levelled the Mountains along as it went threw down Cities turn'd the Rivers out of their Channels and made an universal Havock and Confusion all this was done saith the Author in the space of seven or eight Minutes sometime before this above 40000 People perished in an Earthquake about Puel and Naples 20. In 1590 happened a terrible Earthquake which made Austris Bohemia and Moravia to Tremble in 1591. In St. Michael Island in the West-Indies there was an Earthquake which continued about 16 days to the extream Terror of the French which inhabit there especially when by force thereof they perceiv'd the Earth to move from place to place and Villa Franca their Principal Town overthrown the Ships that then rode at Anchor trembled and quaked insomuch that the People thought the day of Judgment was come In 1593 another terrible Earthquake happened in Persia which overturn'd 3000 Houses in the City of Lair crushing to Death above 3000 Persons in their Ruins In 1614 there was a great Earthquake in Vercer one of the largest of the Azor's Islands belonging to the King of Portugal overturning the City of Agra 11 Churches 9 Chappels besides many private Houses and in the City of Praga hardly an House was left standing not long after a dreadful Earthquake happened in St. Michael another Island of the Azores the Sea opened and thrust forth an Island above a League and a half in length at the place where there was above 150 Fathom Water 21. In 1622 was a great Earthquake in Italy the shape of an Elephant was seen in the Air and three Suns Armies Fighting Monstrous Births Waters turned into Blood unusual and impetuous Tempests which overthrew several Towers 22. In 1627 an Earthquake happened in England and a great Fiery Beam was seen in the Air in France Six Suns in Cornwall at once and five Moons in Normandy In the same year July 31 happened an Earthquake in Apulia in Italy whereby in the City of Severine 10000 Souls were taken out of the World and in the Horrour of such infinite Ruins and Sepulchre of so many Mortals a great Bell thrown out of the Steeple by the Earthquake fell so fitly over a Child that it inclos'd him doing him no harm made a Bulwark for him against any other danger 23. In the year 1631 there happened a Terrible Earthquake in Naples and the Mountain of Soma after many terrible Bellowings Vomitted out burning streams of Fire which tumbled into the Adriatic Sea and cast out huge deal of Ashes the like happened the year following with great Damage and Loss to the Neighbouring places in Houses People and Cattle and in Apulia 17000 Persons were destroyed by the same 24. In the year 1631 there happened a Terrible Earthquake in the Island of St. Michael one of the Terceres in the Atlantick Ocean Westward upon June the 26th this Island began universally to shake which continued eight days so that the People leaving the cities Towns and Castles were forc'd to live in the open Fields which was attended with a dreadful breaking out of Fire that had not the Wind by Divine Providence blown from the Isle into the Sea and drove back this outragious Fire without doubt the whole Country had been burnt up and destroy'd 25. In 1560 about five a Clock about the County of Cumberland and Westmorland was a general Earthquake wherewith the People were so affrighted that many of them forsook their Houses and some Houses so shaken that their Chimneys fell down The same year the Island of Santorim at the bottom of the Streights in the Mediterranean Sea not far from Candia had formidable Earthquakes and Fires it was most remarkable upon September 24 1650 which shook the Isle till the 9th of October with such mighty and frequent Earthquakes that the People fearing their immediate Ruin was approaching were on their Knees Night and Day before the Altars it cannot be expressed what Horrour seized all Men especially when the Flames breaking through all Obstacles strove to make themselves away through the midst of the Waters of the Ocean about four Mites Eastward from Santorin for the Sea all on a suddain swelled thirty Cubits upward and extending it self wide through the Neighbouring Lands overturn'd all in its way 26. In 1657 the Spaniards felt a terrible blow in Peru which if it were not a Mark of the Wrath of Heaven saith the Author was at least a Sign that the Earth is weary of them especially in those Parts where they have stain'd it with so much Innocent Blood The City of Lima was swallowed up by an Earthquake and Calao another City not far from it was consumed by a Shower of Fire out of the Clouds 11000 Spaniards lost their Lives in this Calamity and the Earth devoured an 100 Millions of refin'd Silver which the Lucre of the Spaniards had forc'd out of her Bowels 27. In 1660 an Earthquake happened at Paris in France and at the same time we had News that part of the Pyrenean Mountains had been overthrown some days before they are certain Mountains that divide France and Spain it did great Mischief there overwhelm'd some Medicinal Baths many Houses and destroying much People one Church which sunk into the Caverns below was thrown up again and stands very firm but in another place this was look'd upon as a great Miracle especially by the French who have disputed with the Spaniard about a Church standing upon the Frontier-Line but now is removed near half a League within the acknowledged Limits of France 28. In 1665 there was a great Tempest accompanied with Thunder Lightning and an Earthquake in divers places in England at which time the stately Spire of Trinity Church in Coventry fell down and demolished a great part of the Church 29. In 1668 in Autumn a great part of Asia and some parts of Europe were infested with extraordinnry Earthquakes the Cities of Constantinople and Adrianople felt its effects but not with that Violence and continuance as in other places In some parts of Persia it continued for above fourscore days Torqueto and Bolio two considerable Cities were by its great Violence laid even to the Ground and all or most of their Inhabitants buryed in the Ruins above 6000 Persons Perished in the first of them and above 1800 in the latter and in all the Adjacent Cities it raged with extraordinary Fury destroying and ruining the Buildings killing many of the People and the rest were forced to quit the Towns and take up their Lodgings in the Fields 30. In 1687 October 20 the London Gazette gives a sad Relation of another Earthquake in the Kingdom of Peru in America whereby the City of Lima was totally overthrown and not an House left standing burying many of its inhabitants under its Ruins at the same time Callao Fenettei Pisco Chancay Los Florillos c. Most of the Sea-port
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
Ibid. 14. The Appian Causey built by Appius Claudins Censor reach'd from Rome to Capua at first afterwards to Brundusium was 350 Miles long 25 Foot broad of Flints hewn and laid close and at every Miles end there were high Stones to tell the number of the Miles together with Monuments and pretty Inscriptions Ibid. 15. Vienna seated on the Banks of Danubius is very large in Circuit if you take in the Suburbs but the wall'd part not above three miles in circumference fairly built of Stone and well paved many Houses six stories high and some Cellars four Stories deep but with an Adit or Tube from the lowest to the top to let the Air in Famous for many fair Churches and rich Convents but especially for the Cathedral Church of St. Stephen which contains divers Monuments of Princes and great Persons dark with the thickness of the painted Glass the Steeple and Spire remarkably high about 465 Foot the Spire having very large Crockets above a â—ard long and adorned with Folcage-work In the Steeple there is a Clock whose Case being of Wood was in part burnt down by Lightning and therefore Water is always kept in this place to extinguish the Fire and a Man continually watches in the place where the Bells hang. Dr. Edw. Brown's Trav. Pag. 136. I desire my Reader to stop here a little and consider whither when these pompous Structers and Towering Spires are so often check'd by Divine Providence as deep Searches into mines and the Bowels of the Earth by strange Damps there be not a serious Remark and Consideration due upon the Matter 16. Venice the wonder of Cities is built upon 4000 Islands chained together by 4000 Bridges upon this occasion the Goths Vandals Huns and Longobards overflowing all Italy the People flying to these Isles for Refuge and finding the Air gentle associated themselves by conjoyning Bridges The nearest part of the Continent is 5 Miles distant she is above 8 Miles in circuit 20000 Boats or Gondolaes belong to her Her Motto is Nec Fluctu nec Flatu movetur A Man may walk in the Streets in the Winter in Silk Stockins and Sattin Pantofloes without being dirted An Arm of the Seu runs thro' almost every street the Structures are magnificent and ravishing She hath 150 Churches and Monasteries But most remarkable are 1 st St. Mark's-Church of rare Mosaic Work very rich in Furniture the Walls inlaid in many places with precious Stones of divers colours the inside from the middle to the highest part glisters with Gold the Vaults enrich'd with curious Pictures The lower part from the Gilding to the Pavement joyn'd together with Tables of Marble the Pavement of Marble of divers Figures and Colours the Seats of red Porphyrie the gilded Arches are sustained without at the entrance of the Church by more than 300 Exquisite Pillars on the top of this Entrance foar great Brazen Horses all gilded over in a posture of running and neighing The Church hath six Steeples each of which being sharp pointed hath a naked Man in white Marble upon it Every thing within or without is adorned hath a naked Man in white Marble upon it Every thing within or without is adorned either with Marble Gold or Precious Stones 2dly The Arsenal is three Miles in compass hath above 300 Artificers perpetually at work Arms for 200000 Men Gallies in the Dock 200 besides the Galeasles and Galeons c. 1000 Coats of Plate garnished with Gold and cover'd with Velvet fit for any Prince in Christendom 3dly The Treasury of St. Mark which hath enough in it to pay fix King's Ransome Jewels of all sorts and sizes and Armour all of Massie-Gold beset with Pearls and Precious Stones c. a great Iron Chest with this Inscription when this Chest shall open the whole Earth shall tremble c. Ibid. 17. Grand Cairo in Egypt one of the greatest Cities in the World is scituate on a most beautiful Plain near a Mountain call'd Mucatun two Miles from the River Nile environ'd with stately Walls and fortified with Iron Gates having most admirable Palaces Colleges Temples Bath-Stoves and a famous Exchange call'd Canan Halila where the Merchants dwell together with a stately Hospital whose yearly Revenue amounts to 200000 Pieces of Gold called Caraffi It hath 18000 Streets in one of which are 60 Cooks Shops next stand Shops where delicate Waters and Drinks are sold next Shops where are divers Confections of Honey and Sugar next Fruits as Quinces Pomegranats c. then Eggs Cheese Pancakes c. afterwards Artificers Drapers Mercers c. It hath Many Suburbs as Bed-Zuaila a Mile and half in length of about 12000 Families Genseli-Talon adorn'd with a most admirable Palace and sumptuous Temple c. Bell-Eloch of near 3000 Families a Palace and stately College Stage-players and such as teach Camels Asses and Dogs to dance c. Bulach upon the Bank of Nile of 4000 Families Corn-Merchauts c. under which you may see about a thousand Barques upon the River c. Caresa of about 2000 Families with many Sepulchres and stately Vaults c. Ibid. 18. Quinsay once the Regal City of China in the Heart of the Country and not far from the Sea formerly an hundred Miles in compass of large Streets Channels and Market-Place 12000 Bridges some so high that Ships might pass under them on one side a clear Lake of fresh Water one the other a great River 10 chief Market-places encompassed with high and fair Houses and under them Shops of Artificers Merchants c. at which Markets many Streets meet and at the end of which was a Guild-Hall 12 principal Trades belong to it to every Trade 1000 Shops to every Shop one Master and 10 20 30 or 40 Workmen In the Lake are two Islands upon each of them a Palace richly funished with Provisions for Weddings and other Feasts c. The City contains 1600000 Housholds and with the Country adjoyning yeilds to the King 16000000 and 800 Ducats of Gold yearly besides 6000000 of Ducats for Custom of Salt Ibid. p. 41. It is said to have been 3 or 400 Years ago 10 Leagues in length and 5 in breadth compassed with a Wall of 30 Leagues so broad at the top that 12 Men might ride a-breast upon it Bohun's Geogr. Dict. 19. In Holland the Hague is remarkable for its curious Buildings and for being one of the noblest Villages in the World the Stat-house in Amsterdam is a vast and curious Building and the City of Leiden is no less famous for its fine Buildings and Physick-Garden 20. Paris in France is 12 Miles in circuit situate on the River Saine having about 500000 People in it 55 Colleges the famous Church of Nostre Dame which is 65 Fathom long 24 broad 15 high the Steeples 34 Fathom more The King's Palace called the Louvre a place saith Dr. Heylin of more Fame than Beauty of no Elegance or Uniformity nor otherwise Remarkable but for the vast Gallery begun by
to the honest Farmer moved with our Relation sent us out Bread and Water and Olives and seeing us thankful Beggars he enlarged his Civility to us called us into his House and gave us good warm Bean-pottage which seem'd to me the most pleasant Food I ever did eat in my Life Thence we advanced to the City of Mayork about ten Miles from that place that Night we lay by a VVell-side and in the Morning we entred the Suburbs the Viceroy was informed of us and we were commanded to appear before him who after he had examined us and heard our Story order'd we should be maintain'd at his own Cost till we could have passage to our own Country but our English Ships seldom trading thither we petitioned the Viceroy for a passage in the King of Spain's Gallies which were in the Road bound for Alicant which he graciously granted us After some other Troubles we met with contrary winds and it was five VVeeks e're we could reach the Downs where we arriv'd in September 1644. The Commander of the Ship was Capt. Smith of Redriff Mr. Thomas Sanders my Wife's Brother being in Mayork not long after we came thence saw our Boat hung up for a Monument upon the side of the great Church there Mr. Robert Hales was there 1671. and assures me that he saw the naked Ribs and Skelliton of it then hanging in the same place Okely his Ebenezer Sect. 8. Pag. 43 44. c. Wanley's Wonders of the Little World Pag. 642. Anno Dom. 1630. May the First the Muscovy Merchants of London sent a Ship called the Salutation for Greenland which arrived there in safety June 11. following together with two other Ships all which were commanded by Captain William Goodler The Captain 's Ship stayed at Bell-sound that of the Salutation at the Foreland the Captain having killed store of Whales sent away for the Salutation which in the way meeting with cross Winds the Master set Eight of his Men ashoar to kill some Venison These Men taking with them a Brace of Dogs a Fire-lock two Lances and a Tinber-box went on Shoar kill'd fourteen Night coming on and they weary they went to rest intending next day to end their Hunting and so to return to their Ship But the next day prov'd foggy and much Ice being betwixt the Shoar and the Ship the Ship was fain to stand so far off into the Sea that they lost Sight of her they hunted on Green-Harbour and there they found that the Ship was departed they made all speed possible with their Shallop to Bellsound to their Captain and for fear of Delay heaved their Venison overboard but having no Compass they wandred up and down so long till the Ships were departed This filled them with Fear and Astonishment knowing that neither Christian nor Heathen had ever inhabited those desolate Climates that none could be hired for any Reward soever by the Merchants to winter there and that nine able Men left behind formerly as they now were died all miserably upon the place became the Prey of Bears and Foxes all which made them amazed to stand looking upon one another That which increased their Horror was their want of all necessary Provision no Cloaths for Shift or Warmth no Food no House for Shelter After a space knowing the danger of Delay and Extremity they advised upon the most likely course for their Preservation that they resolved to go to Green-Harbour to hunt for Venison where in their going stay and return they kill'd nineteen Deers and four Bears with which they laded their Shallop and finding another old Shallop left there they laded it with the Graves or Fritters of Whales that had been boiled there that Year and took their way to Bellsound to their Tent where they intended to winter in the way of their Passage they had like to have lost all their Provision but saved it by a desperate Remedy running into the high wrought Sea and by force drawing their Shallops to the Shoar This done they arriv'd at Bellsound where they took out their Provision considered their Tent and with part of the Materials of a lesser Tent there by pieces of old Casks and old Shallops left there as it is usual they made up their House and Cabbins where they lodged two and two and with marvellous Industry provided themselves with Fire-wood and Shelter against the Extremity of the Cold their Beds were the Deer-Sltins dry'd Having thus fitted every thing in the best manner they could on the 12th of September looking out into the Sound they espy'd two Sea-Horses lying asleep on a piece of Ice whereupon hastning to them with an old Harping-Iron they slew first the old one and then the young flead roasted and eat them not long after they kill'd another But Nights and Cold increasing upon them and they viewing their Provision found it too small by half whereupon they agreed to one reasonable Meal a day and to fast Wednesdays and Fridays except from the Greaves of the Whale a loathsome Meal at which Diet they continued three Months To repair their Cloaths and Shooes they made Thread of Rope-yarn and Needles of Whale-bone Octob. 10. the Nights being grown very long all the Sea was frozen over and then Grief and Fear began to work upon them but they pray'd to God for Strength and Patience in their Miseries and by his Assistance cheer'd up themselves to use the best Means for their Preservation then for the Preservation of their Venison and lengthning of their Firing they thought best to roast every day half a Deer and to stow it in Hogsheads which accordingly they did leaving so much raw as would serve to roast every Sabbath-day a quarter Here another tryal of their Patience befell them their Whale-Fritters that had been drenched with Sea-water and lay close together was grown mouldy and spoiled and again surveying their Bear and Venison they found it would not afford them five Meals a Week so that they were fain to cut off one Meal more and for three Months after they fed four Days upon the mouldy Whale-Fritters each Week and the other three on Bear and Venison Besides the want of Meat they began to want Light no Sun appearing from the 14th of October to the 3d of February but the Moon shined as here in England against this having found a Sheet of Lead in the Coopers Tent with Rope-yarn and Oyl they made a Lamp which they kept continually burning to their great Comfort In the beginning of January as the Days began to lengthen the Cold began to strengthen to that extreamity that it raised Blisters on their Flesh and if at any time they touched Iron it would stick to their Fingers like Birdlime if they went out to fetch Water it would so pincb them that they were sore as if they had been beaten for Drink from the 10th of January to the 20th of May they had none but snow-Snow-water which they melted with hot Irons The
last of January they found their Food would last but six Weeks longer but they had recourse to God for a Supply and looking out one bright day they saw a great She-Bear with her Cub coming towards the Tent her they slew with their Lances the Cub escaping they drew her into the Tent and this Bears served them 20 Days In March the Days so lengthned that the Fowl and Foxes came abroad of which Foxes by Traps they catched fifty and sixty Fowl as big as Pidgeons and they had killed seven more Bears so that with two or three Meals a Day their Strength was much increased In May the First the Weather grew warm so that they went out to seek Provision In this Month there came two Ships of Hull into the Sound who knowing some Men had been left there the Year before and being desirous to know whether they were dead or alive the Master manned a Shallop to go as near the Shoar as they could and so over the Ice to the Tent. When these Men came near the Tent they haled them with the usual word of the Sea crying Hey to which one of them in the Tent answered again Ho which sudden Answer almost amazed them all but perceiving them to be the very Men to their Ship where they stay'd till the London Fleet came which was three Days after They went aboard the Admiral where Captain William Goodler was who made them very welcome gave them Apparel to the Value of Twenty Pounds and after fourteen Days Refreshment they grew all perfectly well Thus they continued in the Fleet till the 20th of August when they set sail and at last came safe into the River of Thames and the Muscovy Merchants dealt very well by them The Names of these eight Persons were VVilliam Fakely Gunner Edward Pelham Gunner's-Mate that wrote this Story John VVise and Robert Goodfellow Seamen Thomas Ayres Whale-cutter Henry Beer Cooper John Dawes and Richard Kellet Land-men Clark's Mirr C. 105. P. 512 513. c. Stow's Annals P. 1017. 3. Horrible was that Tragedy which the Western Indies beheld in the Persons of seven Englishmen the Relation of it take as followeth The fore-mention'd seven being in St. Christopher's-Istand had prepared themselves for a Voyage of one Night and had taken with Provisions for no longer a time but a Tempest intercepted their Return and carried them so far off into the Sea that they could not find Land in less than seven Days in which they were so sparing of their one Nights Provision that they made it serve them to the fifth day that past they must wrestle with meer Famine which was so much the more grievous to them in regard the Sun was extream hot that dried up their parched Throats exhaled the Saltness from the troubled Sea They had now little Hope of retrieving themselves from their intricate Error and were therefore forced O cruel Necessity to cast Lots among themselves to see whose Flesh and Blood should satisfie the Hunger and Thirst of the rest The Lot fell upon him who first gave the Counsel who was not only unaffrighted at his hard Fortune but encouraged the rest who had a kind of Horror as to what they went about he told them that Fortune was a Favourer of the Bold that there was no possibility of Escape unless they immediately staid their slying Life by humane Flesh that for his part he was well content and that he thought himself happy if he could serve his Friends when he was dead With such Words as these he so perswaded them that one drawn out by Lot also cut his Throat of whose Carcass I tremble to relate it each of them was so desirous of a piece that it could scarce be divided so quickly They fell to the Flesh wirh eager Teeth and sucked out the Blood into their thirsty Stomachs One only was found amongst them who being nearly related to the dead Person resolved to endure all things rather than to pollute himself with the Blood of his Friend but the next day his Famine drove him into such a Madness that he threw himself over-board into the Sea His Associates would not suffer so delicate a repast as his Carcass to be so unseasonably snatched from them But this Madness had already so vitiated his Blood and the Flesh all about the Veins that in the whole Body there was scarce any thing found fit to eat save only his Bowels At last it pleased God to shew them Mercy in their wandering and distress and brought their small Ship to the Isle of St. Martin in which they were kindly receiv'd by the Dutch Garrison and sent back to the rest of their Friends where scarce had they set Foot on the Shoar but they were accused of Murder but inevitable Necessity pleading in their Behalf they were set free by the Magistrate Nich. Tulpii Observ Med. L. 1. C. 43. P. 81. Wanley's Wonders of the Little World P. 638. 4. Richard Clark of Weymouth in Dorsetshire was a known Pilot and Master of the Ship called the Delight which Anno Dom. 1583. went with Sir Humphrey Gilbert for the discovery of Norembege It happened that without any Neglect or Default of his the Ship struck on Ground and was cast away on Thursday August 29. in the same Year Of them that escaped Shipwrack sixteen got into a small Boat of a Tun and a half which had but one Oar to work withal they were seventy Leagues from Land and the weather so foul that it was not possible for a Ship to brook half a Course of Sail. The Boat being over-burden'd one of them Mr. Hedley made a Motion to cast Lots that those four which drew the shortest should be cast over-board provided if one Lot fell on the Master he notwithstanding should be preserved in whom all their Safety was concerned The Master disavowed the Acceptance of any such Priviledge replying They would live or die together On the fifth day Mr. Hedly who first mention'd Lot-drawing and another died whereby their Boat was somewhat alighted Five Days and Nights they saw the Sun and Stars but once so that they only kept up their Boat with their single Oar as the Sea did drive it They continued four Days without sustenance save what the Weeds which swam into the Sea and salt Water did afford On the Seyenth Day about Eleven of the Clock they had sight of and about Three they came on the South part of New-found-land All the time of their being at Sea the Wind kept continually South if it had shifted to any other Point they had never come to Land but it turn'd North within half an Hour of their Arrival Being all come to Shoar they kneel'd down and gave God praise for their miraculous Deliverance There they remained three Days and Nights having their plentiful Repast upon Berries and wild Pease After five Days rowing along the Shoar they happened on a Spanish Ship of Sir John de Luz which courteously
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