mouings and mutations of times without great appearance as in the Sea when that without winde the waues doe rise and rage And in the Skie when that there is a long stripe or line and when that the well waters are troubled Two mountaines haue bene séene naturally hit and touch one another as if they had foughten the waters méeting together to striue and marueilously to encrease and beastes to dye In Asia twelue Cities were subuerted by the Earthquakes without perceiuing thereof at Rome Neare vnto Rome there are two hundreth acres of ground the which doeth shake when there are horses running thereon In the I le of Paphos there is a place where there did neuer fall rayne And in the same Ile Nea in the Citie of Troados the sacrifices do neuer putrifie nor rot Nere to Harpasa a towne in Asia there is a great Moūtaine that one may shake with their finger but if you put your whole strength to it it remaineth vnmoueable There are two Mountaines neare to the flood of Nyle the nature of them are diuers for the one retaineth yron the other casteth it off in such sort that if any of their shooes be clouted with nailes that goe vpon the said hill they can neither go nor stande but are cast off and on the other hil their shoes will sticke fast In the Citie of Charagena there is a certaine grounde that healeth all kinde of sores and diseases the Sea doeth purge in the full Moone and the fluctuations of the Seas commeth by the Sunne and Moone the which causeth it In the hie Sea there neuer falleth snowe the Sea is most hottest in Winter and saltest in Sommer Of fresh waters there are diuers sortes In Dodone is the Frountaine called Iupiters Spring which doeth kindle firebrandes it diminisheth at Noone and encreaseth at midnight and then afterwards decreaseth and faileth at midday There are many hote waters because of the smoke closenesse of the hilles from whence these hote waters spring There are Springs that will make blacke Shéepe become white and other waters that maketh white shéepe become blacke by continuance of drinking and others that the ewes that drinke in thē their milke will become black At Lincestis there is a Fountaine of water that will make them that drinke thereof drunken Also in Paphlagonia and in the field Calenus in the I le of Andro there is a Fountaine or Spring that rendreth wine euery yéere in the Nonas of Ianuarie In a fielde called Carrimensis in Spaine there is a Riuer that will make the fishes that are therin to séeme of the colour of golde and if they are put into any other water they will séeme as other fishes Among the meruailes of fire the Mountaine called Ethna in Silicia burneth continually the flames whereof are séene aboue the hill toppe An other hill that is called Chimera burneth in like maner the fire of which hill is sooner quenched with earth or with hay then with water In the third fourth fifth and sixth bookes Plinie describeth the earth the waters and the Ilandes and deuideth the worlde into Asia Affrica and Europa Asia conteineth the halfe of the world in the which is Armenia Capadocia Albania Suauia where as there is no mettall but gold Seithies where as is the swéete Sea and there are trees that bring forth silke ready to spinne India where there are people very riche they labour with Elephantes and go to warre with them Their king hath ordinarily sixe hundreth thousand footemen thirtie thousand horsemen nine thousand Camels to his gages and to his daily cost and when they be so olde that they can scarse see nor can liue no longer they cast them selues into a great fire Beyonde the Indians is the I le called Taprobane where as is the gréene Sea and there is planted precious stones with mettalls of gold and siluer The men of that Countrey are more greater then others they sell their marchandise by making of signes the Moone neuer shineth with thē aboue sixe houres they haue small edifices or buildings their vitailes neuer waxeth deare for their God they haue Hercules They doe elect and choose an olde man to their King which hath no children and if he chaunce to haue any whilest he is king they doe kill them to that ende that the kingdome be not inherited by their elected king they doe constitute xxx gouernours without whose assent none can bee condemned to death If their king doeth misdoe they doe punish him or depose him from the crowne This nation taketh great delite in the chase of Tigres and Clephantes and doeth abounde in corne and fruites they doe delight to fishe for shell fishes which are there very great in so much that one may hide themselues in their shelles Alexandria the great was founded by the great king Alexander and neare vnto that is the redde Sea by the repercussion of the Sunne that doeth so colour it or els for that the mood and the grauell is such or for that it is the nature of the water Also Siria and Arabia whose people are tāned and heary all saue the head and they are apparelled with the skinnes of fish There is also Mesopotanie Babylon Assiria Arabia the flood of Tyger hath his originall in a fountaine of Armenia In the I le of Sagaros there can no Dogge liue for as soone as he entereth into the I le he turneth round till hée fall downe dead The Sabiens are riche with the fertilitie of their Forrests with mettals Hony and Waxe The Candeans liue with Serpentes and in the I le of Gagaudes was first founde Popeniayes Idumea Iuda Hierusalem Galile Sirie Palestin which was the first founder of letters and at the first in stéede of letters vsed certaine figures of beastes Also there is a Nation called Hesseneans liuing without wyues and without lecherie When they are dead they are cast into the Sea they liue without money and growe of the dead Of the Ethiopians there are diuers formes and kindes of men Some there are towards the East that haue neither nose nor nostrelles but the face all full Others that haue no vpper lippe they are without tongues and they speake by signes and they haue but a little hole to take their breath at by the which they drinke with an Oten strawe There are some called Syrbote that are eight foote high they liue with the chase of Elephantes In a part of Affricke by people called Ptoemphane for their king they haue a Dogge at whose fansie they are gouerned to whome they doe pronosticate their doings and their conduct in warre Towards the West there is a people called Arimaspi that hath but one eye in their forehead they are in the desert and wilde Countrey The people called Agriphagi liue with the flesh of Pāthers and Lyons and the people called Antropomphagi which we call Canibals liue with humaine flesh The Cinamolgi their heades are almoste like to the heads of Dogges Affrica
glasse stone or bone for the braunche dieth to be cut with Iron and it is cutte to take away the superfluities then in the season the barke is onely cutte and then commeth out the sweate by small droppes This experience is true that if any of it be spilt vpon any apparell it will neuer staine There is daunger in Wormes for they will marre the trée Alexander the great in a Sommers day filled a little Viall of one trée Ginger groweth in the earth and is rootes The thirteenth Booke treateth of straunge trees THe swéete oyntments perfumes and smellings are made of these trées Some for the pleasure of others buye them deare for they that carry them haue not the smell pleasure but it is for the smell of others which is great vanitie Palmes are in diuers kindes and there are none fruitfull but toward the East for they make wines and as in trées and leaues there are Male and Female so there is also in these The Male buddeth within the roote and the Female outwarde They beare euery yéere Apples and when the trée is cut the roote casteth againe The Cedar groweth in Siria of which commeth the soueraigne roote That that flourisheth beareth no fruite that that fructifieth beareth no floore and the wood lasteth perpetually The Figge trées in Egypt are like to Mulbery trées the fruite commeth foure times a yéere against the woode and not against the braunches There are many vnknowen trées specially those that haue the good Gum. There are made Cordes or Ropes of this trée At Rome haue béene founde bookes of Philosophie in a Sepulchre betwéene two stones couered with Cedar wood that had laine there fiue hundreth thirtie fiue yéeres without harme for the Cedar neuer rotteth and there is no wood so good to make workes There are Cedar trées so hie that ye can not sée the toppes and so great that there was presented to Tiberius Caesar a table that was foure foote large sixty foote long Lotten or Celtis is a trée in Affrica the fruite of which is so swéete that it healeth all paines in the belly and out of that fruite being brused or prest commeth wine that will not continue aboue ten dayes Pomegranets there are of diuers kindes swéete sower and winish The pell of the sower ones are good and best to tanne skinnes and the floures are good for Dyars The Thorn that is called Royal groweth in one day and kepeth wyne from being naught Citisus is a singular trée the wood is good to all beastes as well Shéepe as others If â—â—e sodden in water it rendreth to Nources that drinke it plenty of milke and maketh the children more sure and more greater and maketh Hennes to lay egges Vpon the floure of this trée a flye will neuer sitte Many other straunge trées there are in the Sea that will breake like glasse others that are as hard as stones and many other trées that are in the Ilandes of the Sea which we haue not here and which vnto vs are also vnknowen The foureteenth Booke treateth of Trees and fruitfull Plantes IN times past men were wonte to haue many pleasant trées of the which nowe there is no mention for euery one studieth couetousnesse The Wine groweth of wilde plantes and among all other plantes it is the principallest fruite and there are many kindes and euery yéere it must be cut or else otherwise it would compasse a whole Towne Wine is the blood of the Earth it being taken within a mans body is hote and without it is colde it is bothe comfortable and profitable to a man if it be taken measurably otherwise it is very hurtfull Alexander the great did vanquishe the whole worlde and yet could not so well kéepe him selfe but was ouercome with the force of Wine Wines is not permitted to the wiues of Rome We reade that King Romulus did pardon and forgiue a Senatour of Rome called Ignatius Mecenius which had killed his wife with a Clubbe for that she was founde drinking wine out of a tunne And therefore Cato did ordaine that women and maydens should be kissed of their parents and kinsfolke to the ende they should knowe whether they did smell of Wine or no. Marcus Varo writeth of a Consull which neuer made banquet nor had at his table more at one time then at an other for feare of to much drinking In times past at Rome the price was set on wine to the ende that little should be drunke but since Caesar made great banquettes which gaue occasion to make prouision at Rome for all kinde of wines Wine alone serueth to make medicines There is wine made of Peares Apples and of other trées which they vse toward the East Some make Wine of hearbes of water and hony sodden which in Wales is called Metheglyn that will laste fiue yéeres or with Hony and Vineger which is called Oximell The small wines ought to touch the ground for to bee the better kept but not the good The flower of white wine is good and that of red is naught By drunkennesse men reueale their secrets and make debates The fifteenth Booke treateth of Trees bearing fruite THe Oliue trée groweth not neare the Sea nor in places to hote nor to colde they must bée cut like Vines The Oliue oyle is of a better sauour when the Oliues beginne to ripe but there is not so much when they beginne to be black but that is the time to take them and of their ripenesse There is more paine to make Oyle then wine The Oliue hath stone oyle and flesh the gréene are bitter by drying they become lesse though that the heate is cause of oyle The liquor of the Oliue is the oyle but it lasteth not as doth wine for it is best the first yéere Some there are that tary til the Oliues fall from trées for it hurteth the trées againe the yéere following to bée cut broken or smitten Oliues before they are rype will be kept with salte after that they haue bene in hote water If the Oliue be not cleane it is washed and dried thrée or foure dayes and seasoned with salt There is Oyle made of many things of Nuttes of Acornes of small graines of swéete smelling trées of Gumme that serueth for medecines of Almonds Chesnuttes and diuers other things according to the Countreies Apples and Peares ought to be kept in a drie and colde place and for them the North winde is good and no other wyndes when the weather is faire they should be put on hay seperated one from another for to take the ayre and they ought to be gathered before the full Moone Nuttes make a sound or ratling in falling when they are rype and among other fruites they are parted in foure within with a little skinne betwéene both They will kéepe gréene being put in earthen pottes in the earth and with them is made good Oyles Chestnuttes are a kinde of maste and it is meruaile that nature hath so
THE Secrets and wonders of the world A BOOKE RIGHT rare and straunge containing many excellent properties giuen to Man Beastes Foules Fishes and Serpents Trees Plants c. Abstracted out of that excellent naturall Historiographer Plinie Translated out of French into English At London ⧠Printed for Thomas Hacket and are to be solde at his shop in Lumberd streete vnder the Popes head 1585. To the vvorshipful and his very good friend Maister Richard Candler as one that wisheth the fauour of God long happy life encrease of worship with continuall health and felicitie SO it is worshipfull Syr I haue deuised with my selfe many times howe to gratifie you with some token of my good will towardes you but welth and abilitie lacking to accomplish my desired pretence yet nowe at the last I haue presumed knowing your wonted curtesies towardes all men to dedicate this Abstract of Plinies desiring you to take it with as good a will as I haue ment it till hereafter that some seriusser matter come to my hande and thus I bid you most hartely farewell in the Lord who keepe you and all yours prosper and preserue you in all your good and godly enterprises Amen Yours to vse T. H. To the Reader HEre hast thou gentle Reader set forth vnto thee this Booke named The Secrets and wonders of the Worlde abstracted out of the sixteene first Bookes of that excellent naturall Historiographer Plinie for the straungenesse and worthinesse thereof I referre thee to thine owne iudgement requesting thee to take this in good part shortly shal be by Gods grace set forth vnto thee three worthy and learned bookes the first is of the Cituation of the world writte by Pomponius Mela The second is a perfite Peregrination and true discouerie of Graecie Turkey Arabia and Siria with the maner of their Cities and their Antiquities The third is Iulius Sollinus Pollihistorie the which bookes thou shalt finde both to be pleasant and profitable And thus I bid thee farewel in Christ who keep vs. AmeÌ„ ⧠The Secretes and wonders of the World abstracted out of the principall of the naturall Historiographers PLINIE the naturall Historiographer was borne vnder the Emperour Tyberian and died vnder Titus the Emperour that destroyed Hierusalem after the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ in which time he did attribute his woorkes In the first booke which is briefe he maketh his preambles In the second he treateth of the worlde and of other matters He describeth that the worlde is alone and round naturally vnmoueable although that there are certaine places moueable and that may moue by the concauites of the earth being full of winde There are foure Elementes the Earth the Water and the Fyre aboue the Ayre néere to the first firmament Which is fire natural and therefore there néedeth no wood to continue the same Vnder the Earth are the Planetes which are called Strayers and yet they moue lesse then the others but it is of the mutation of their influences of the Firmament among the which is the Sunne rector and the guider of the other Planets principall gouernour of nature The other Starres are not attributed as some doe thinke as the greatest and clearest to the rich and the least to the poore and the obscure and darke starres to those that of nature are infected For we haue no such societie with the Starres that they shoulde die with vs and therefore they are equally deuided seruing to eche one The Moone hath her Planet comming before her as the Sunne hath the day Starre she doeth encrease and diminish and sometimes is at the full aâ—d sometimes shée hath hornes euen as the Sunne doeth giue and take away her clearenesse The earth is betwéene them both the Moone is in the first heauen the Sunne in the fourth and when the one is highe the other is lowe and the other Starres are more higher in the Skie and therefore they séeme lesse then the Moone The obscuritie and darckenesse of the Moone coÌ„meth by the humours of the earth that is drawen or sucked vp from the earth By the Geometrie of this worlde the Stade which is fourtie roddes doeth containe 125. paces the whiche are 525. foote Sometimes there hath bene séene in the appearance thrée Sunnes and thrée Moones In the Aire it raineth sometimes naturally Stones suckt vp by the vapours of the earth sometimes Frogges and some time blood in diuers figures The Heliotropium in his floure doeth turne euery day and followe the Sunne The Ant doeth neuer beginne to hourde vp but in the full Moone The nature of the windes are diuers according to the diuersitie of Countreies and they procéed of the earth and of the vapours of the same which causeth sometimes in many places Earthquakes The Thunders and Lightnings doe neuer fall in the winter for the coldnesse of the ayre doth kéepe them in and choakes them and therefore they fall in the Sommer and many times they marre the Wine without touching the vessell There was a woman at Rome whose childe was slaine within her wombe by thunder and lightning and the woman had no hurt at all Thrée things there are that neuer féele any harme by thunders and lightnings the Laurel trée on the Earth the Eagle in the Skie and the Seacalse in the Sea for they neuer fall vpon their skinnes therefore best assured are they that are so clad Naturally there are signes and tokens in the earth the Sea and the Aire and therefore it hath rained sometimes Blood Stones Wooll yea great stones accumulated in the ayre by the coldnesse thereof The Rainebowe is not séene in a close and rainy day but the Sunne beames entring into the concauites of the Earth doe reflexe the Sunne and make varietie of colours by the mixture of the cloudes in the aire and is séene most commonly in the Sommer Also there are neuer lightly séene aboue two Rainbowes The earth is the mother of all liuing creatures In the aire is séene many times darkenesse clowdes the Hailes are deriued of the waters but the earth is lowly seruing to all creatures she bringeth forth Corne Wine Fruites and all kinde of things pertaining to man Shée bringeth foorth Iron Lead Golde Siluer precious Stones and Herbes seruing vnto mans health yea if that a Serpent chaunce to bite any person the earth will not receiue that Serpent when it is dead The earth is compassed round about with waters the which is more knowen by experience then by arguments and some part thereof is not inhabited towards the North because of the great colde An other part is not inhabited because of the extreame heate towards the South The middle of the earth is the Centry to the which most waightiest things doe take holde In some places there is no shadowe of the Sunne specially in Alexandria the great where as there is a déepe well without shadowe Anaxemenes Milesius was the first founders of Dials There are many signes of
a knife they haue tayles like to fishes Déere that are oppressed with Dogges if they can finde no water for their refuge then they retire to man the Female beare eight wéekes and oftentimes two and for to bring them foorth they séeke secret places not néere the hye wayes accustomed by men The Hinde teacheth her yong ones to runne to feare and to leape the Males that haue left the Females haue their mussell blacke when they knowe them selues heauy they séeke secret places they will stande still to heare the cry of the Dogs they runne with the winde to take away the smell of the trase they reioyce to heare whistling and to heare a noyse of singing Moreouer the Hart is simple and all things are to him marueilous if that he see a man with a bowe or a crosse bowe he looketh more on them then on the mā the Males haue hornes and in the spring time they cast their hornes that day that they léese their hornes they hide them selues as all astonied sorowfull as they that haue lost their armours It is sayde that the right horne can not bee founde for that they hide them in the ground At the burning of the hornes the Serpents flye away their hornes grow till they be thrée score yéeres old and the said time passed there commeth vp others like and thē they neuer fall after that there is no knowledge of their age but their age is knowē by their téeth they being without hornes féede in the night and when their hornes beginne to come they will butte and runne against the trées they liue a hundreth yéeres they neuer haue the Feuer or Ague and therefore some dames alwayes delight to breake their fast with Venison by the which meanes they haue liued a hundreth yéeres without hauing the Ague Camelion liueth not but by the ayre and chaungeth his colour according to the thing he toucheth sauing white and redde they ingender in Affrica and in India The Beares doe ioyne with the Females in the beginning of Winter not as other foure footed beastes doe for the Male and the Female lye downe embracing and after that they doe retire in sundry caues and the Female doeth bring forth her yong ones within thirty dayes and most cōmonly bringeth fiue which haue the skinne white deformed without haire and eyes and there appeareth but their clawes in licking of them they are figured There is nothing so little of man as to sée the Beare bring foorth her yong she hideth her foure monethes and the Male fourtie dayes they couche or lye vppon soft leaues and the first fourtéene dayes they sléepe so soūdly that you shall scarce waken them with strokes then they fatten much and their fatte or grease is conuenable to many medicines also to kéepe haire from sheading They being weakened for the most part stande vp and liue with the licking of their fore féete they warme their yong against their breasts they haue little blood about the heart and lesse in the body they haue little eyes and as feble or weake heads as the Lyon hath strong therefore they defend their heades with their fore féete when they fall and leape from the Rockes or when they are bayted with Dogges The Dogges among all other beastes that vnto vs are common are most faithfull We haue true histories of men that haue bene defended from théeues by their Dogges others haue fought to reuenge their maisters death and constrained the murtherer to confesse the déede Two hundreth Dogs did rescue by force the king Garamantus being taken by the hands of his enemies Many people haue assembled Dogges together for the warre We reade of Dogges that haue cast them selues into the fire when in times past their maisters body haue bene burned We reade also of a Dog of Nicomedes the king of Bythinia to haue almost torne the Quéene in pieces for that she played familiarly with the king the Dog thinking it had bene for harme A Senatour of Rome was defended by his Dogge on a night retourning to his house from the handes of those that would haue put him to death At Rome a prisoners Dogge would neuer depart from the prison doore and when his maister was dead he would eate nothing and when bread was giuen him he brought it to his maisters mouth The same Dog was séene openly to holde vp his maisters body being cast into the Riuer of Tyber They know their maister and vnderstand his voyce aboue all other beastes they doe best knowe a mans voyce and their names they doe remember the wayes and iourneyes be they neuer so farre off and there is noue of so long a memorie except man In their chase they haue great diligence specially houndes In India they tie proude Bitches to trées and the Tygres do couer them by the which meanes commeth fierce and cruell Dogges The king of Albania did giue to Alexander the great a Dogge of marueilous highnesse which would take Lyons and Elephants The Females haue whelpes thrée times a yéere lightly and they carrie them two monethes they are borne blinde they can not see till seuen dayes after they be whelped If she bring but one whelpe it séeth not till the ninth day the better whelpe is that that the Bitch bringeth out first or that that seeth last Horses are faithfull and full of great knowledge for they knowe their maisters and they that attende on them Many are singuler in their doings the Males liue till fifty yéeres and the females lesse at sixe yéeres the males grow no more and the females but fiue yéeres Among the beastes they haue least fertilitie The most egrest and fiercest Horses put their nose mussell déepest in the water to drinke and haue almost as many diseases as men Asses there hath bene bought for foure hundreth Crownes In Acaia they are much requested to haue Mules They feare colde the Males are very slowe in their worke they doe beare as doe Mares and in thirtie moneths the yong ones are ready to helpe them selues After they are horsed they must be constrained to runne or else they would reiect the séede by making water The females beare all their life which is thirty yéeres they be afrayde to wette their féete and they neuer drinke but in small and shallowe waters where they are accustomed to drinke drie footed the Females doe hide themselues when they bring foorth in darke places that they bee not séene of men they will not passe the bridges when the Sunne shineth in the water it is marueil that they runne not mad for thirst for he that dayly chaungeth their water or Riuer accustomed to drinke at must constraine them perforce to drinke The little Mule is ingendred of the Asse and of the Mare The Mules that commeth of a Horse and of a she Asse are beastes full of strength and labour The Asse that couereth the Mare bringeth forth afore her time if she before haue retained the horse but not else the seuenth day the
flesh swéeter thē theirs The Kite is alwayes a reuenging foule it séemeth by the remouing of their taile that they that haue learned to guide or gouerne the ships by the Helme haue learned by her Crowes will breake or cracke nuttes with often letting them fall in flying The Rauens ingender by the mouth as some suppose as doe Doues it is an euill token or signe when that they cry as though they were choked The night Owles doe defend them selues from other foules with their bill and clawes because they are hated they flye in the night in winter they sléepe two monethes and they haue nine maner of voyces Among the flying beasts some haue fingers and nailes and other flatte brode féete as Géese Duckes Swannes and others liuing for the most part in the waters The proud Pecocke spreadeth abrode his feathers specially against the Sunne to make them shine then putteth them down together his taile shedeth as the leaues on trées and commeth againe with the spring when he hath no taile he doeth hyde him selfe as ashamed at thrée yéeres his tayle beginneth to colour and liueth xxv yéeres his féete are fowle and his voyce fearefull The Cocke knoweth the starres when the day dawneth he riseth and goeth to rest when the Sunne is sette by his crowing hée giueth warning of the houres in the night and waketh those that goe to their labour he is king of beasts that are in the house of his bignesse fighteth with his spurres if he haue the masterie he will sing or crow if hée be vanquished hée hydeth him selfe hée is stoute in his going and maketh the Lyon afrayde hée beholdeth the Sunne more then any other birde if he be kerued or gelded he will not crowe being kerued he will soone waxe fatte The Goose kepeth the Romains Capitol it hath bene recited of a Goose that hath followed his maister from Swecia to Rome their feathers are pluckt twice a yéere with Goose grease is made many good oyntments Cranes they flie hie they doe elect one whome they followe there are among them Sergeantes which make thē kéepe order in their assemblies in the night they sléepe the head vnder their wing and one legge vnder their feathers and sustaine them selues with the other Those that are appointed to make watche holde a stone in one of their clawes for to waken those that sléepe when he letteth the stone fall into the water The Storkes goe their wayes in the Sommer and none knoweth whether nor from whence they come aswel as Cranes the one commeth in Sommer and the other in winter they assemble for to take their flight but no man euer sawe their congregatiōs for that is done in the night without noyse They assemble in Asia at a certaine day he that is last come is killed and torne in pieces and then they take their flight The Swannes eate Serpents and therefore there is as great paine to kill them as to kill a man the yong ones doe nourish the olde The Quailes come by night and in daunger of mariners when they aproche the lande because of their great multitude In time of raine or of a great winde they neuer passe the Seas in winter they cast their feathers so doeth the Turtle Swalowes liue with flesh they are so swift and turne so suddainly that no other foules can get them for to féede on and they will féede in flying Swallowes tarie but halfe a yéere some chaunge their voyces and their feathers mount euery yéere The Iay loueth to steale Gold and Siluer In some places there are no Partriges In Rhodes there are no Eagles At Rome in the house of Hercules there entreth neither Dogge nor flyes And so it is that in many places there is great diuersitie of birdes Along the Sea coastes in some places there are birdes that liue with fish and euery one of them maketh seuen Nestes and in euery Nest yong ones but their Nestes are so harde that they can scarce be broken and there is no way into the Nestes but one little hole for the Dame to come in and out and their Nestes are of Thornes that are ranged one against another with earth and feathers and they are seldome séene There are Swallowes of diuers kindes there are some called Marlions the make their nests six foote in the ground Birdes haue marueilous great industrie and knowledge in making their Nestes with feathers earth and chaffe haire wooll mosse and such like Also they carry water to temper it and to fortifie it by the which meanes their yong ones are sure and safe against the raine the dames doe clense and make cleane the nestes from ordure when their little ones are yong and when they become great they force them to come foorth of their nestes for to be cleane And in India some foules seeke Hares skinnes to make their nestes The Partridge so maketh her nest that the wilde beastes can not finde them and where she layeth her Egs she hatcheth not her yong fearing that her oft frequentation should be knowen The Female for the intemperancie of lust of the Male séeketh to deceiue him because if she be vpon the nest hée will breake her Egges The Males doe fight for the Females At the cry or singing of the Female the Male runneth so blinded that he will sometimes strike against the foulers head he is so much subiect to imbicilitie more then any other birde The Female when she heareth any approch her yong ones she faineth to haue her winges broken that shée can not flye and cryeth that she may be heard for to retire the people and Dogges to the ende they finde not their nestes and she flyeth a farre of from her little ones and they liue by common estimation till sixtene yéeres The Doues are chaste and leaue not their dwelling or remaining place if they are not without makes they doe suspect adulterie by this meanes they quarrell with their throte and fight with their bill thē they flatter with their féete The Male is as carefull toward the yong ones as the Female at the first they bring their yong of the salt of the earth for to temper their appetite and they conceiue by the bill The Pigeons and Turtles drinke as doe horses without often pulling their bill out of the water when they drinke they liue about eight yéeres but the wilde Doues liue thirtie yéeres The Sparrow liueth not aboue a yéere and the Female liueth somewhat more because of the frequentation that they haue together Birdes flie in diuers kindes some go some leape some runne and some cast their féete forewarde before they flye as Cranes and Sorkes and there are none but Drakes that flye bolt vpward at the first leape others aduance thē before they flye Some haue no féete and haue no rest but in their nest Hennes haue vnderstanding and when they haue laide an Egge they cackle and make a noyse The Cardnelis doth those things that shée is
conceiue nor make egges nor yet haue yong Mans sense is perfect but in séeing the Eagle doth surmount him The Vulture to smell and the Mole to heare what soeuer is on the earth Fishes doeth both smell and sée and yet haue neither eare nor hole in the head Some fishes get their pray with their téeth others with their féete and others with sucking and licking according to their nature Some liue by sucking of venime as Serpentes and Spiders that haue neither blood nor heate nor sweate and to them néedeth no meates Wolues doe often times liue with earth Beastes doe fatten with drinking and therefore salt for them is necessary Those beastes that haue their téeth close doe lappe as Dogges in their drinking and they that holde their téeth together doe sowpe hume as doe Oxen and Horses The Beare in drinking séemeth to bite the water In Affrica wilde beastes drinke not in the Sommer for default of water and there are certaine beastes that neuer drinke and yet they haue alwayes thirst within the body There is that haue a bladder full of liquor in drinking thereof one shall endure long without thirst Birdes haue both amitie and warre amōg them selues as well as beastes on the earth One robbeth from the other their nestes yong ones Egges and meate All beastes hauing hart will sléepe boeth on the earth and in the water A childe newe borne to let him sléepe long is to him nourishment as he growes to age he sléepeth lesse and yong children dreame in their sléeping The eleuenth Booke treateth of little Beastes NAture hath made more meruailes and hath giuen more sense and vnderstanding to little beasts worthy of more greather memorie then the great They haue no blood but in stéede of blood haue humiditie and moisture in the body which maketh them giue both sound and voyce to aspire and respire they haue neither heart nor liuer but only certaine bowels and haue eyes other sentemēts and féelings their head moueth not without the body vnlesse it be pulled off Among the which the good flies or hony Bées haue sense and labour for the publike profite they haue among them Princes and conductours of their counsell and maner how to behaue them selues in their frequentations In the winter they are hiddē for that they can not resist the Snowes windes and frostes they make hony and waxe when they goe to their worke they neuer léese no time First they wype or rubbe their Hiue with things that are bitter as the Gumme of trées and other things for to take the taste from other beastes of the swéetnesse of their hony after ward they make their chambers or dwellings then they make their yong ones without corruption and after that they make their hony and waxe of floures and prouide foode for winter otherwise bitter meate full of humor seperated from hony On nights in their voyage when they are from their wonted place to rest they lye their belly vpward to kéepe their wings from the dewe The maner of their workes is to remaine some of them at the gate or doore of their Hyue there to kéepe watch as the custome is of a Castle in the night they rest till the morning except those that are appointed to watch of the which one of them in the morning goeth about making a sound or noyse as it were a Trūpet and then euery one departeth and flieth away if the day be faire otherwise they continue in their house they knowe the disposition of times the yong ones goe or flie abroade into the fieldes the old ones remaine to make the worke or to deuide the roomes within Some bring the flowers to the entrie of their place others doe discharge it carieth it in others bring water in their throte for to temper or giue moisture to their workes and they deuide their offices Some do garnish some pollishe some sucke and others make ready soode of that which is brought in for they liue together and doe not seperate to the end that equally their foode be deuided they make double alleyes or pathes some to come in at and some to goe foorth by the most hony is in the highest roome If there chaunce to rise a great winde whylest they are in the fieldes then they flie close to the grounde along the hedges and they take a little stone or earth to bée more waightier to the ende the winde beare them not away and lode their floures in their fore féete against their breastes Those that are appointed maisters or ouerséers of their house will chastice those that are negligent and slow They neuer file nor make filth in their Hiue they are so cleane In the night their watch being set they retire into their lodging and make a murmuring or noyse still diminishing till that one maketh the last sound or Trūpet flying in the midst of them and then they ceasse off all till the morning First they make their common houses and then the house of their king or Captaine whome they doe elect and choose Among these good flyes there are others more greater without sting which serue at the workes and to chafe or warme the yong ones betwéene their féete and they are straightly corrected and if they faile without any remissiō These make their king a faire house pinacled like a Castle seperated from other houses The lodgings of the cōmon sort haue six rowmes or corners for the worke of their sixe féete and they make them in close darke or raynie dayes and at such times they fill the vpper Celles with hony and in a faire and cléere day they goe to the fieldes The maner how the yong ones are borne there is great difficultie for they neuer couer one another There was a Romaine that made a hiue of cléere lanterne hornes for to sée their works it séemeth that they make little wormes that become flyes and before that they haue feathers there is nothing that the dame desireth more to eate when their heads are pulled of Their king is chosen in euery swarme or company and they choose him that is greatest he is knowen for he hath a spot in the forehead If he goe or flye to the fieldes the others followe him as his garde and he goeth not out of the Hiue vnlesse that all the rest doe followe If he haue a wing broken or perished hée goeth not out of the Hiue he onely taketh no paines but admonisheth them of their worke If by aduise of counsell he commeth forth euery one putteth their paine to serue him and will carry him if he be wearie If he haue a sting yet he vseth it not When they intend to depart and leaue the hiue certaine dayes before they murmure and make a noyse and flye their way by tempests Oftentimes they be at strife for their bondes floures or if one Hiue haue no foode they will spoyle another and their king doth defende them If there wante vittailes they kill
or driue away those flyes that haue no sting If their sting be once broken they are tamed or faint hearted as a gelded body and can profite no more such haue places a part for to retire them They hate shéepe for they can scarce get out of their wooll Also they hate Crabbs or Creuices and if there be any sodden néere to their place the smell of them will make them die They haue many diseases and if any of them die they bring him out of their rowmes and cast him out of their Hiue as making of funeralles If their King die they do more for then they make such dolor and sorowe that they doe nothing By this and by to much taking off of their hony they die often times They haue sense and vnderstanding to heare and doe reioyce and at the sound of a Basan they will assemble When their worke is finished they flie abroade then returne to their Hyue or house Their age is seuen yéeres they neuer touch any Carion as Crowes Kites and other flyes doe Their hony commeth as it were a sweate from heauen spittle from the starres or liquor from the ayre when in the spring time the saide moisture falleth on the leaues and the Dew and the Bées receiueth it and carieth it into their Hyue The hony at the first is as cleare as water it boyleth like newe wine and purgeth the twentie day it fatteneth then it hardneth and casteth a little skinne like a scumme there is wayes how to get the hony for want of foode causeth the Bées to disperse and flye their wayes or die and to great abundance maketh them vnprofitable for they labour no more then is necessary or néedefull therefore the twelfth part is their portion that they ought to leaue them Of hony is made many medicinable things seruing to eche one Some leaue the tenth part and if it be not full but almost emptie ye ought not to touch it That hony that cleaueth together or thréedeth is not good but when incontinently it breaketh in taking of it it is a good signe Also the good smelling hony that hath a colour like gold and swéete in the tast is a signe of goodnesse The wilde hony is not so good as the other Spiders or Spinners haue within them such fertilitie that they spinne beginning in the middest and they make thréedes very subtill They make their yong ones like wormes Scorpions towards the East are very venemous and they make little wormes like Egges of which commeth their yong ones but in Italy they doe little harme They byte or sting with their tayle Locustes or Grashoppers make egges they goe on the ground with their clawes The Parthians do eate them Also Ants make egges of the which growe their yong ones and as the good flyes doe congregate their workes so they hide their soode in that earth for to liue with in the winter They haue knowledge how to deuide that great graine Acorne and they drye them that are wet in the Sommer they worke by night in the full Moone one commeth to an other for their burthens and it séemeth that in them is mutuall loue in the diligence of their worke Among other beasts they burie one another when they are dead The Butterflie commeth of a little worme in thrée dayes she groweth also of wood wherein is humiditie There are beastes full of blood that die so soone as they are full for behinde they haue no issue they are ingendred vnder Oxen and some time on Doggess In Cypres there growe in the furnaces of flies great flying flies called Piralis or Piransta that die when they are out of the fire And some there are called Hemorobios that die that day that they take life Dead flies if they be hidden or buried in ashes will reuine All beastes haue their hornes hollow sauing at the very end except the Deere Asses in India haue one horne Mā alone hath his eares vnmoueable Hares sléepe with their eyes opē so do many men which the Greekes call Corybantia The eyes of yong Swallowes will come againe if they be pulled out The eyes of man principally doth shewe loue furor folly and wisedome Great eyes signifie small witte or discretion The heart liueth first and dieth last A man hath eight ribbes on a side the Hog ten the Serpent thirtie Among foules the Batte hath téeth and no other Man groweth till he be xxi yéeres olde Blood preserueth the life of euery person that being gone no remedy but death They that haue the thickest and fattest blood are the strongest They that haue it most fine and cleare are the wisest They that haue least are fearefull The blood of an Asse is most fattest The blood of a Bull will soone waxe hard The blood of Déere and Goates is not thicke nor hardneth not Man alone will chaunge his colour euen in a moment The man that is hairie is inclined to fleshly lust If a mās haire doth not grow nor his beard it is a signe that he is barrē so is the woman that hath no haire growing on her body The haire of a mans beard commeth not as the grasse in the field that is mowed but it proceedeth from the roote There is no Male that hath any appearance of breastes but man a woman hath two in her stomacke the Cowe hath foure in her belly Goates Shéepe two the Sowes ten and some twelue Euery Pigge knoweth the dugge that they haue bene nourished with Whales and Sea calues nourish their yong ones with milke of their breastes A womans milke is vnprofitable before the seuen moneths A Cowe hath no milke before shée hath had a calfe The Asse hath milke when she beginneth to beare And to let the yōg Asse take the dammes milke before two dayes is daungerous Certaine Dames of Rome did bathe thē-selues in Asses milke for it maketh their skinne smooth and white Milke of Goates is worse to make chéese thē the milke of Kyne The milke of beasts hauing aboue foure breasts is vnprofitable to make chéese and that of two breastes is better The chiefest and best chéeses are made in Italy Zoroastes liued twentie yéeres with chéese without féeling age Man hath two féete of one length and measure and two armes with two handes The thombe and the little finger are of one measure the other two also of a measure that in the middest is longer Euery finger hath thrée ioynts and they shut or bowe inward not outwarde the thombe hath but two that bowe in like maner The Ape is the beast that most approcheth the fashion of féete hands nose and eares to man for with the foreféete he fedeth and hath the bowels like to mans At thrée yéeres man hath taken halfe his growth of height He hath the knées and armes contrary in bowing the one forwarde the other backwarde Beastes that ingender their like bowe their knées backwarde and those that make egges forewarde Nailes growe vnto eche one
yea vnto dead men as well as their beardes Birdes that haue clawes and one at the héele stretche their féete toward their tayle in flying All beastes haue féete in number equall Flyes haue sire and so haue Locustes or Grashoppers that leape because that their hinder féete are long The genitors of Wolues Fores and Rammes are of bone Bores haue them ioyning and Shepe haue them hanging The tale of fishes serueth to conduct them so it doeth to other beastes and all haue tayles except man and the Ape Those beastes haue voyce that haue lunges and artiers Others make but a sounde or noyse and murmure inwarde A Childe neuer rendreth voyce till he be wholly out of the mothers wombe They that sonest speake latest goe The voyces of men are diuers as well as their similitudes and likenesse and we vnderstand them before we sée them The voyce of men is more grauer then the voyce of women Members that growe out of time are vnprofitable as the sixt finger There was one that had two eyes behind the head but he sawe nothing It is a vaine thing saieth Aristotle to iudge any person by signes Often-times commeth iudgements of short life that is to wit few téeth very long fingers colour like to lead and other things The contrary signes of long life is to crooke the shoulders on one hand two strikes alōg to haue more then xxxij téeth great eares Great fore heads signifieth a stoute and manly courage little forehead lightnesse a round forehead wrath If the browes be straight it signifieth imbecilitie If they bende towards the nose hastinesse If they bende towards the chéekes signifieth a mocking person If they bende wholy toward the eyes malice and enuy Long eyes signifie malice The greatnesse of the eares signifieth a foolish babler The breath of a Beare is naught and worse a Lions The Serpent flieth the breath of the Elephant and the burning of Hartes horne The hony Bées oyle being cast on them dye The Scithians in their warres temper their Dartes heads in humaine blood and in Vipers poyson and if they strike any therewith there is no remedy but death The best foode for man is to eate but of one meate at one time or meale the accumulating of sauours is pestiferous and Wine maketh a smelling or stinking breath if it bée not tempered With great difficultie shall a man digest that which is taken gréedely excessiuely or hastily There is more paine in the stomacke to digest in Sommer then in Winter and in age more then in youth The vomitings that are made after excesse maketh the body colde are hurtfull to the eyes and téeth A mans body groweth and wareth grosse to vse swéete things fatte meates and good drinkes A man may easely liue seuen dayes without drinke Butter asswageth hunger and thirst neuerthelesse things excessiuely taken are hurtfull therefore it is good to deminish that away which hurteth The twelfth Booke treateth of sweete smelling Trees TRées haue life which they take of the earth There are many straunge trées in diuers countreies which vnto some are vnknowen In some places they water fine trées at the foote with wine the which profiteth much the rootes The Parthians which haue trées bearing wooll of the which is made fine Cottō cloth as it is said haue a trée bearing Apples but the fruit is not to bée eaten but they haue a meruailous smell so haue the barkes the which being in your Chest among your apparell casteth a swéete sauour or smell and this trée hath alwayes fruite some growing some dying and some ready to gather and the graftes of this trée will take in no other countrey In India there is both wood trées that will not burne in the fire There hath also béene séene a Figge trée of a great height the braunches of the same trée to spreade sixty paces and it hath leaues so brode that the Sunne beames can not by any meanes enter betwéene and therefore the fruite of this trée can not dye but the shadowe of the same is very delectable There is also in the Indias Apple trées which haue the leaues thrée cubites long and two brode bearing such great fruit that foure men can scarce eate one Apple The trées name is Pala the Apples name Aripa Pepper groweth on little trées as doeth Ienuper In the Indias it is sometimes mingled with Ienuper berries of that Countrey which haue some strength but no such taste it groweth almost white but for to last it is dryed in the smoke which causeth it to be blacke and with the shrubbes of the same trée dryed in the Sunne is made long Pepper There are other trées which in the morning after the dewe rendereth a certaine kinde of hony In Arabia there are trées which neuer cast their leaues Others that haue their floures that beginneth in the morning at the Sunne rising to open and at hye noone they are opened after noone they beginne to close and so remaine all night till the morning and the Paysauntes of that countrey say that the trée sleepeth There is the trée of Nardas the which casteth a meruailous sweete smell or odour And in Arabia of Trées growe Frankencense and Myrre Frankensence groweth in a Forrest of Arabia in a fruitfull grounde full of Fountaines pertaining to diuers persons It is a hanging matter among them to steale any thing The men do purifie them-selues and abstaine from women for a certaine space to take or gather the Frankensence otherwise they can not profite On this side the Sea it is mingled with a kinde of Rosen which is like but the difference is knowen by the colour by the breaking and by the fire for Frankensence will sooner burne and is sooner broken with your téeth Also there is in those woodes of Arabia trees bearing Myrre and the Masticke The Sabians burne no other wood wherefore they are weary of their smell In the Sea of Arabia groweth the Margets and other precious stones Synamon is the barke of a little trée which groweth in great quantitie in base Ethiopia in ful places among the bushes the best is that of the highest branches the worst is that that is nearest to the roote When there is any dewe in the Sommer it is gathered by great difficultie The trée hath no smell whē it is gréene it is gathered from the Sunne rising to the Sunne setting The shippes remaine sixe monethes for their fraught That that is caried into this countrey of Ethiopia to sell them is Glasses vessels of Copper and Brasse Wollen cloth and Linnen The worst barke or pelle is that that is soft and white Baulme groweth onely in the prouince of Iuda in two Gardens of the Kings the one cōtaining about ten Akers the other lesse and it commeth of little trees not foure foote long growing after the maner of a Vine it resembleth and is neare to the taste of Wine red in colour and fatte the fruite is cutte with a knife of