some Muscouits running vp and downe through the smoake who talked of muring vp the portes to keepe out the Tartares who staied vntil the fire were al quencht I and my Interpreter going out of the warehouse found the ashes so hot as we durst scarse goe but necessitie forcing vs wee did runne to the cheefe port where wee found fiue and twenty or thirtie men that had escaped the fire with whome in a short time wee did mure vp that port and the rest and kept watch all night with some hargubuzes that were preserued in the fire In the morning seeing that the Cittie was not to be held by so fewe men as we were wee sought some meanes to enter into the Castell the entrie whereof was then in a manner inaccessible Hee that commanded there was very glad to heare our Intentiō called vnto vs that we should be very welcome But there was great difficulty to enter by reason of the Bridges that were burnt so as wee were forced to climbe ouer Walles hauing heigh Sappin Trees for Ladders which they had cast out vnto vs in the which they had cut notches to keepe vs from slyding Wee did climbe vp with great difficultie for besides the apparent danger of those vneasie Ladders wee carried about vs the summe of 4000. Dallers and some pretious stones the which did trouble vs much to climbe vp theese trees and that which did increase our feare was that before our eyes wee did see some of our companions hauing nothing but their bodies to preserue rowle downe from the top of these trees into the ditch full of bodies that were burnt and wee could not goe but vpon dead bodies the heapes whereof were so thick in euery place as we were forced to go ouer them as if they had beene hills to mount vpon and that which did much trouble vs going vpon them armes and legges did breake the members of these poore Creatures beeing calcined and dried vp through the heate of fire Sinking thus into these miserable carcases the bloud and filth did bound vpon vs. The which caused such a stench through out the whole Cittie as it was impossible to remaine there The 25. of May at night as wee did attend in great perplexity what the Tartares would attempt against vs who were 400. or there abouts within the Castell the Tartares whom we had saluted with our shot and ouerthrowne some of them that had approched to neere one of the Castell gates beganne to turne head the way by the which they came with such speede as the next morning all this storme was past for the which hauing praised GOD and giuen order for our affaires as the present calamity would permit wee departed from this desolate Countrie A wonderfull drawing of bloud I Was called to the suburbes of Saint Germaine to the house of IOHN MATIAV dwelling at the signe of Saint Michell to visit and dresse a young man about 28. yeares olde of a sanguin complexion beeing seruant to one of the Admirall Birons Stewardes Hee had fal◅e forward with his head vpon a stone and had hurt himselfe on the left side in the boane towardes the fore head by meanes of which blowe it had made a contused or bruzed wounde without any fracture of the boane so the seauenth daie he fell into a continuall feuer with a rauing and a great inflamation for that the hairy scalpe was hurt and with all he had a great swelling ouer all his head and necke hauing his face wonderfully disfigured beeing vnable to see or speake neither yet to swallowe any thing but that which was verie Liquide Seeing these accidents although the daie beefore which was the eight after his hurt hee had beene let bloud by GERMAIN AGACE a Maister Barber who had drawne from him foure pallettes of bloud and seeing the Accidents so great and the patient stronge I let him bloud againe and drewe from him foureteene pallets of bloud at that one time then the next daie seeing that neither his feuer nor anie of the other Accidents were anie whit asswaged but rather increased I did let him bloude againe and drewe from him foure pallets more The next daie following these strange Accidents beeing nothing decreased I was of an opinion to let him bloud againe yet I durst not doeit alone considering the great quantitie had beene drawne from him I therefore intreated Monsier VIOLAINE a Doctor of Phisick a learned Man and of a good iudgement to visit the patient Hauing felt his pulce and finding it very strong seeing also the great swelling and the vehemencie of the inflamation hee was of opinion that he should be speedily let bloud and being told that they had drawne 22. pallets from him hee sayd vnto mee although they had drawne more yet must they let him bloud againe seeing that the two cheefe reasons that induce vs to let him bloud are apparent that is the greatnesse of the disease and the strength of the patient Being glad to heare his opinion I drew from him three pallets more in his presence and would haue drawne more but he put it off vntill the after-noone and then I drew two pallets more which in all made seuen and twenty pallets euery pallet of Paris conteining three ounces and more the which were drawne from the patient in foure dayes The night following he rested very well and the next day I found him with out any feauer the swelling was greatly fallen and his inflamation almost gone except his vpper eye-lids and the soft grisle of his eares which places did impostume and cast forth great abondance of filthe So hee was fully cured with the helpe of GOD by those remedies the which with-out his blessing had beene invaine Maister AMBROSE PARE lib. 9. Chap. 14. BABTISTA FVLGOSE in the 1. Booke of his Examples Chap. 6. reports that an Italian Priest called GERMAIN hauing beene let bloud lost all remembrance of Letters and not of ordinary and common things so as he could neither reade nor write no more then if hee had neuer learned it and continued a whole yeare in that estate At the ende of the yeare at the same time and in the same place being let bloud hee recouered his knowledge of reading and writing which he had before TH. ZVINGER in the 1. volume of his Theater Booke 1. I haue added this History although it were of an age before ours because it shewes of a strange letting of bloud A desired Graue IN the time of a great plague afflicting that part of the Countrie where I dwell I did obserue a wonderfull resolution in all the simple people and for that all of one house died in one moneth Infants young and olde they were no more amazed they wept no more I did see some that were afraied to remaine behinde as in a horrible sollitarines neither did I note anie other care in them but of their graues They greeued to see dead carcases lying in the fields exposed to the mercie of wilde
of Malta caused to be published in the yeare 1532. Throughout al Europe a strange apparition which happened in Assiria that yeare which was this About the seuenth of March a Woman named RACHIENNE was brought in bed of a goodly Sonne which had the Eyes sparkling and the Teeth shining At the same instant that he was borne Heauen and Earth were strangely moued the Sunne did shine as bright at midnight as at noone-daye and in the day time it was so darke as from morning vntill night they could not see any thing in all that country Then afterwards he shewed himselfe but of an vnaccustomed forme with diuers newe starres wandring vp and downe Ouer the house where this infant was borne besides other prodigies fier fell from heauen which slue some persones After the eclipse of the Sunne there happened a horrible tempest in the Aire then there fell pearles from heauen The next day they might see a fiery dragon flie throughout all that Clymat Moreouer there appeared a newe Moūtaine higher then any other the which did presētly diuide it selfe into two parts and in the midest of them appeared a colomne or piller where there was a certaine writing in Greeke shewing that the end of the world approched then was there a voice herd in the aire exhorting euery one to prepare himselfe The Child hauing liued two moneths began to speake like one of yeares by diuers delusions growes into such credit as hee was adored worshiped as a GOD discouering it selfe to be an euill spirit the which had a great force of error in al those Countries Neere vnto Iuban a Towne of Lusatia was seene in calme cleere skie the day after Whitsōday in the yeare 1535. about two of the clocke in the afternoone troupes of armed mē aduācing frō the North to the part opposite there were cries heard in the aier like to men that were in battaile Ouer the towne of Vanaire in Saxony were seene three Cheurons of fire in the aire And the day before the taking of Munster there appeered ouer the towne in a cleere skie a Crosse a naked sword About the end of Iuly the same yeare in the Confins of Zurich in Suisserland there fell a furious and neuer herd of torment in the aire being all on fier with most horrible thunders There fell out of the aire great flames of fire the which did quite consume 5. houses nere vnto Adelsinge The same moneth as the Inhabitants of Smelwi◅ were in the Church at their mornings deuotiō there sodenly appeered a wonderful light in the aire then fell lightning which slue two men with the force of his exhalation ouerthrew thirty others to the ground halfe dead hauing burnt all their clothes but their bodies were preserued being more affrayed then hurt The 7. of February 1536 about two of the clocke after mid-night there was seene in the Element ouer one quarter of Spaine two armed men running one at an other with their swords drawne the one carried on his left arme a target on the which was painted an Eagle with this Motto about it Regnabo that is to say I will raigne The other had a great target with a starre a Cressant and this inscriptiō Regnaui I haue raigned He that Carried the Eagle ouerthrew the other The like Combate was seene in Hongary 20. yeares after the which we will note in order In the yeare 1537. the first of February there was seene in Italy an Eagle flying in the aire carrying in the right foote a bottle in the left a serpent wrethed vp being followed by an infinit number of others At the same time also there was a Bourguignon crosse of diuers collours seene in the aire 15. daies before there was seene in Franconia betwixt Bamberg the forest of Turinge a star of huge greatnesse the which declyning by degrees turned into a great white circle out of the which soone after proceeded great gusts of winde flasshes of fire which falling to the ground did melt the heads of pikes and the bitts of horses without hurting of man or house In the yeare 1538. there were seene in the aire ouer diuers parts of Germany armed men fighting and as it were killing one an other Towardes the East there did shine a Starre of an vnaccustomed bignesse hauing beames as red as bloud and neere vnto it a bloudie crosse and a flying Standard Two yeares after was seene an other starre in the clouds very bright as at the breake of day it appeared the 25. of December The next day there came out of the Moone two twinckling Starres shyning very bright There was seene in the yeare 1541. three Sunnes cōpassed in with a Rainbowe The yeare following there were seene in Saxony Rodds and Torches of fire In the yeare 1544. the 7. of April at eight of the clocke at night the skie being very cleere there were seene ouer a little Towne in Suissarland called Wilen Turgau in the face of the Moone a white crosse shyning very bright the foure ends whereof especially the nethermost did farre passe beyond the face of the moone Two daies after there was seene ouer Golaries in Suissarland an houre before Noone the skie beeing very cleere a great white circle shyning wherof the Center from the right part vnto the left was enuironed with a Rainbowe as it doth vsually appeere This circle turned at foure of the clocke right before the midest of the rondell of the Sunne The 29. of March 1545. about eight of the clock in the morning there fell about Cracouia a flash of lightning after a horrible thunder so as al Poland was troubled thereat Presently after there appeared three red crosses in the Element betwixt the which there was a man armed at all parts who with a burning sword did fight with an army the which he defeated and therevpon came a horrible draggō which swallowed vp this victorious man presētly the heauens did open as they had beene all on fire so continued for an houres space Then there appeered three Rain-bowes in their accustomed collours vpon the highest of which there was the forme of an Angell as they do represent them in the shape of a yong man that hath wings at his shoulders holding a Sunne in one of his hands and a Moone in the other This second spectacle hauing continued halfe an houre in the viewe of all those that would behold it certaine cloudes did rise which did couer these apparitions In base Hongary there was seene in the yeare 1546. for the space of a whole houre the heauens open from the which did fall great aboundance of fire vpon this fier there appeered a blacke Oxe the which seemed to pisse fire Aboue Belgeen a Towne in Misnia and the Country about was seene an other opening of Heauen the which continued two houres in the night the 10. of February and cast forth beames euen vnto the earth At the same time were seene three burning Cheurons and
well in regard of his sinnes as of Gods mercies in the apprehension whereof hee did quietly yeeld vp his soule in a Towne where hee had long continued and remayned Drawn out off my Memorialls IOHN CRAVEQVIN an Aduocate in the Presidiall Court at Bourges a man of a good spirit and a great practitioner but very ignorant of the written Lawe and of all good learning hauing in the yeare 1533. beene imployed in the pursute of some causes to please the appetite of a most wicked man which abused him hee fell sicke of a Melancholike humour and a wonderfull strange Frenzie imagining all that was brought vnto him to bee crawling Serpents so as after they had tryed all remedies in vaine and brought Witches and Sorcerers vnto him in the ende hee became starke madde and dyed in that estate Histories of our Time vnder FRANCIS the 1. An other learned man making profession of the Ciuill Lawe hauing done some acte vnworthy of his learning and iudgement was so possest with a Melancholike humour and with a frenzie that beeing falne sicke with-out any great affliction in his bodye for his nourishment hee did eate his owne excrements and hauing languished in this misery some time hee died without any repentance Histories of our Times A Gentleman very aged and temperate fell into a continuall feuer in the month of Iuly 1574. thē into a frēzy casting himselfe ou◅ of a window of the second Story of his house and fel vpon the necke of Mons. VATERRE ordinary phisition to the Duke of Alen◅on then to the ground where he hurt his ◅ibs made a great con◅usion vpon the bone Ischion Being carried backe vnto his bed he recouered his right wits by a transport of the matter which caused the frenzie Euen so of late a Gascon beesicke of a burning Feauer fell into a frenzie beeing lodged in the street called Pauee at Paris in the night hee cast himselfe out at a windoe into the street and was hurt in many places of his body to whome I was called to dresse him soddenly being laid in his bed he began to talke sensibly and to loose his mad fits so as within a while after he was quite cured Mons. d'Ortoman a Doctor and the Kings professor in the vniuersitie of Mont pellier did assuer me that a Miller remaining of Broquiers in Albigeois grown franticke threw himselfe out at a windo into the water from whence being drawne he presently lost his frenzie Maister AMB. PARE the last Chapter of his introduction to Surgerie ANNE Nurse to PETER Son to Maister FRANCIS BIORD Lieutenaxnt to the Prouost of Air a young woeman of a whot and drie constitution being toucht in the sharpest time of winter with a frenzie on the left side and a sharpe feuer her breath being short hauing stiches in her side and spitting nothing almost but bloud fell into a madnesse the seuenth day where-vpon she riseth out of her bed opens her cofer where by mischance there was summe Mercury and swaloes downe a bout halfe a dramme and then she giues her selfe many wounds with a knife in the belly and the thighes The same day about mid-night she runs all naked vnto a windoe and cast her selfe downe into a Court paued with very hard stone and there remaines with out any feeling with out speech and with out Pulce stiffe with cold for it was in the winter time vntill that the seruants of the house desirous to knowe what she did came vnto her bed where finding her not they cryed out In the end they found her in that miserable estate the carrie her into her chamber and call for me for that I then dwelt neere I ranne thether with her mistresse a vertuous gentlewoman who intreats me to doe what possibly I could Although I had little hope yet more to make a tryall then otherwise I vsed all diligence and applyed diuers remedies so as she came againe to her selfe and by little and little I got heate in her I prouided both outwardly and inwardly for the Sublymate the which had vlcered both her mouth and her throat and to staie a fluxe which this poisone had caused finally at the end of 6. weekes she was wholy cured of al her griefe by the speciall fauour of GOD and was after wardes more helthfull then euer shee had bene before FR. VALLERIOLA in the eight obseruation of the first booke A Romaine woman growne melancolike for that she had bene married against her will to one whom shee loued not and smothering her furie with a sad silence M. ANTHONIE BRASAVOLE a Ferrarois an excellent Phisition of our time tryed to diuert this humor by many remedies which preuailed nothing And therefore he aduised himselfe of a phisicall pollicie whereof he gaue notice vnto the husband who yeelded vnto it her parents and kinsfolks comming to visit her on a festiuall daie BRVSAVOLE enters into the Chamber salutes her louingly as if shee had beene his wife and approcheth to kisse her she being young and strong thrusts him backe hee contynues it with vehemencie and shee pulls of his Cappe and all that BRASAVOLE carried on his head fitting for his age and the fashion of that time and casts it to the ground All the company breaks out into a great Laughter at this spectacle The yong woman thinking that this Phisition being an old man had bene dronke began also to laugh with open throate After which time her melancholy began to leaue her THOMAS ZVINGER in the seuenth volume of his theater li. 2. A man of some worth about forty yeares old haunted with a spirit felt it comming the blood be ginning to boyle in his breast his sight grew dimme and presently a dizines tooke him then would he begine to crie out and to beat and torment himselfe so as they had great trouble to hold him Although they had let him bloud on the right arme and drawne much blood from him yet this frenzie decreased not He repeated many verses by harte song cryed out amaine danced and sought to cast him-selfe downe head long so as they were constrained to tye him fast and to keepe a good gard ouer him Hauing giuen him fit and conuenient phisicke in the ende he recouered his health But after some weekes he fell into the same disease finally for that the thicke fumes of blood did not ascend any more in quantitie to the head the frenzie ceased but he fell to spitt blood with a vehement ◅oughe and then to spit out his lungs so as his first disease ended with a consumption whereof he died M. RREM◅ERT DO◅ONEVS in his Phisicall obseruations obser 10. I was called to visit a young man a Iewe called RAPHAEL about the euening He was couered with swellings or kinds of Anthracs in diuers parts of his bodie amonge others he had a great one in his necke the which grew presently little againe and then RAPHAEL begane to laugh and would open a veyne to them of the Company with
had expressâ—…e put into the fire so as it was red whotte hee put it into his mouth and turned it vp and downe the Spittle hissing as water doth when as a Smith quencheth a fierâ—…e hotte Yron in it This Yron was reasonablie long and great and square at the end the which entred so whotte into his mouth as it was like vnto a burning coale This done hee puts the Yron againe into the fire then hauing made an obeysance vnto mee and receiued a reward hee departed My seruants beeing amazed at this sight one of them thinking him-selfe more sufficient then his companions began to saye vnto them Poore fooles why doe you wonder doe you thinke that this counterfet hath put the fire in his mouth indeed They bee Impostures and iugling trickes And in saying so hee layde holde of the Yron by the verye ende which was out of the fire to shew that it might be handled without any hurt or burning But hee had no sooner gript it in his hand but hee shakt it off as speedily but not with such ease for the space of many dayes hee had the palme of his hand and fingers so pittifully burnt with the fire as hee had much paine to heale it His companions could not conteine them-selues from laughing asking him if hee did not beleeue that a flaming fire was whotte adding That hee might if hee pleased make a second tryall to confound them whome hee had so mocked But hee would no more meddle with it At dinner this Turke who sayde he was a Monke reported vnto mee that his Abbot a holy and famous man for his miracles was accustomed to cast his cloake vpon a Lake neere vnto the Couent and then did sit vpon it and did sport himselfe as easily vpon the water in this sort as if hee had beene rowing in a faire and calme day in a Boate. That when as they did flea a Sheepe the manner was to sowe vp this Abbot in the skinne so as the fore-feete were fitted to his armes and the hinder to his thighes and in this equipage they did cast him into a burning Ouen where hee remained vntill the Sheepe was roasted then they drew him out of the Furnaise whole and sound to eate his part of the Mutton merely with his Monkes If you will say vnto mee that such miracles of Sathan are Impostures where-vnto you giue no credit no more doe I. I tell you but what the Monke reported but as for the burning Yron I did see it with mine owne eyes the which is not so admirable as you would thinke at the first for I doubt not but this counterfet worker of miracles going to seeke a stone in the Court-yard to beate his brest withall might annoint his mouth with some-thing that was fitte to resist the violence of the fire as you know there is I remember to haue seene in Saint Markes at Venice a Montebancke which did willingly handle molten Lead and washt his hands there-with with-out any burning The Seignior of Busbeque Ambassador to FERDINAND and MAXIMILIAN Emperors in his discourse of his voyage into Turkie Epist. 4. Periurie punished IN the Towne of Rutlinquen a certaine passenger came into an Inne and gaue a Budget to keepe vnto his Hoste in the which there was a great summe of money Asking it againe at his departure the hoste denies it giues him iniurious words and mockes him The passenger calles him in question before the Iudge and for that all was done with-out witnesses hee was ready to offer his Hoste an othe who desired nothing more giuing himselfe vnto the Diuell if hee had receiued or concealed the Bouget of money that was in question The Plaintiue demanded respight to consider if he should offer him this oth going out of of the pleading place hee meetes with two men who inquire the cause of his comming thether He reportes the whole fact vnto them Well say they wilt thou that we shall helpe thee in this cause Hee yeelded not knowing what they were Therevpon they returne all three before the Iudge where the two last come beginne to iustefie vnto the host who was not yet gone that the bouget had beene deliuered him that hee had receiued it and hidden it in such a place This periured wretch knewe not what to answer And as the Iudge resolued to send him to prison the two witnesses beganne to say you shall not neede Wee are sent to punnish his wickednesse Saying so they tooke and lift him vp in the aier where he vanished with them and was neuer after found I. le GAST de BRISAC in the 2. volume of his table talke GILLYBERT COVSIâ—… in his narrations Prodigious raine and haile IN the yeare 1502. the 22. of Iune all the Countrie about Berne Soleurre and Biennie of a great compasse was beaten with a thicke hayle the stones beeing as bigge as Hens eggs Seauen daies after an other greater storme of hayle spoiled all the Countrie of zurich slue manie peasants and others that went into the fields with much Cattell foule and wilde Beastes Eight yeares after in the yeare 1510. in Lombardie there fell from Heauen aboue twelue hundred stones among the which as CARDAN reports in his Booke Dererum Varietate was found one of sixe-score pounds waight and an other of three-score many were brought to diuers French Noblemen commanding then in those places for the King These stones were of a rustie collour very hard and smelt of sulphur Two houres before this shower the Heauens seemed all on fire what the miserable estate of Milan and the Neighbour Countries were afterwards GVICHARDIN doth shewe in his Historie of the warres of Italie The 19. of Iuly 1528. the Countrie lying about Ausbourg was wonderfully spoiled with hayle stones greater then a bigge mans fiste falling from Heauen for the space of some houres Three yeares after there fell such a violent hayle about Basil as all the vignes were spoyled At Lisbonne in Portugall it rayned bloud in great aboundance In the yeare 1542. it rayned bloud in the Diocesse of Munster aboute Sassenbourg not farre from Warendorfe In the yeare 1544. there fell great store of haile about Silesia the stones whereof were as bigge as Estriges egges and in them there appeered plainely the figures of long partie colloured breeches after the Lansquenet fashion And in manie of them beeing broken there were found stones made like vnto Turkish Turbans In the vpper Alsacia about Colmar an Imperiall Towne there fel from heauen a great shower of Froggs and Toades in the yeare 1549. The peasants were troubled for some daies to kill this Vermine with staues and then least the aire should bee infected the Magistrate caused them to bee gathered togither vpon heapes and then filled great ditches with them In the yeare 1550. some dates before Easter in the moneth of March two houres together there fâ—…ll from Heauen about Clagenfurt and Villaâ—… Townes of Carinthia good wheate in great aboundance which the Inhabitantes of
those places did gather togither made good bread a long time of it A yeare after which was 1551. it rayned bloud ouer Lisbonne in Portugall the same yeare a little before Whitsontide the cloudes opening there fell such streames of Water about Kittengen in Franconia as the flouds vpon the Land drowned manie men and much Cattell almost in an instant A great farme consisting of manie houses was ouerthrowne and almost all that dwelt in it drowned The Bridge at Kittengen was beaten downe and carried awaie and if they had not sodenly giuen passage to the Waters percing the Towne walles all had beene lost There were fiue houses quite ouerthrowne fiue others in a village called Rotolsee and fiue in an other place fiueteene men were drowned at Speckfurt and manie houses beaten quite downe to the grownd as also at Pabemberg whereas the vignes and corne-ground was spoyled after a very strange manner At the same-time betwixt Gethe and Iseâ—…ac in Turinge the continuall raine did make the Riuers to rise and swell in such sort as in the village of Theutlebe fiue houses were carried away with a Farmer and his fiue Children In an other village the Waters did drowne the Cattell that were in the field and the young boyes that kept them Towardes SchlakenVuals where the mines are these deluges did inestymable harme The Riuer of Elbe beeing rissen with the raine Water did much harme in the Countrie and so did other Riuers at the same-time The foureteene of August 1552. a great tempest rysing in the aire ouer Holland there fell aboundance of hayle euerie stone waying aboue one pound beeing all of diuers formes Some were verie like the Sonne others were like vnto a Crowne of thorne some resembled Wheeles and other things The Sonne hauing caused them to melt there came forth a stinking smoke the which infected the aire whereof followed a great mortality of Cattell Some monethes before the Riuers of Sal and Mein famous in Germanie did ouerflowe and ruined manie buildings and drowne manie Men and much Cattell It rayned bloud in France And neere vnto Marpurg there was a poole seene manie times bloudie Budissine a Towne seated at the foote of the mountaines which PTOLOMEâ—… calles Suderes at the entrie of the vpper Lusatia a League from the spring of the Riuer Sueuue did feele the thirteeneth of August in the same yeare 1552. the misery which followeth At night a thicke cloud breaking and falling violently in the vallees where there are manie pooles the same beeing full and the causies broken the Water finding a passage it beganne to runne towardes this Riuer which was neere and made it swell heigher then euer had beene seene hauing of it selfe a swift and sodaine course falling from the mountaines Beeing then accompanied with these violent Waters it did breake ouerthrow and pull vp all the foundations of bridges gardines and buildings that were a mile about so as there were no signes of them to be seene This violent floud did drowne two and thirtie persons which could not recouer the Towne in time Many without saued them-selues in the neere Mountaines It was thought that in this deluge there were aboue a hundred persons drowned In the yeare 1553. the extraordinary raine made the riuer of Rhine to swell and ouer-flowe the which was the spoile of a great Countrie neere vnto the bankes The Towne of Ruffach among others was in danger to be drowned by this floud the which was runne out in a short time leauing in recompence of the spoile it had made great abundance of Fishe vpon the land in the Medowes and Marishes yea euen in the Towne vautes At Erford it rained bloud the fift of Iune the same yeare and at Lipsic the 8. of Iuly In the same moneth some dayes before the Batraile betweene MAVRICE Elector of Saxonie and ALBERT Marquis of Brandebourg towards Heldâ—…sheim there were many Trees and Herbes seene couered with bloud which had fallen from Heauen In the yeare 1554. the 26. of May it rained bloud neere to Dunke a Towne in Germanie The yeare following it did also raine bloud at Fribourg in Misnia And on the sixt of Iune there was seene in the Castell Diâ—…che of Vinaire in Saxonie a Fountaine of bloud There was an other betwixt Erford and Vinaire and a third at Erford which before was cleere and faire water In the yeare 1556. about the twelfe and thirteenth of Maye there fell a dewe from Heauen about Bresle and neere to Don in the Canton of Bearne the which had a taste sweeter then Honie Two dayes after it raigned bloud neere to Schafouze The second of September the raine fell in such aboundance at Locarne as the towne was almost spoiled and in daunger to be ruined These Histories are gathered out of the Collection of Prodigies made by L. LYCOSTHENES In Iune in the yeare 1586. there did rise ouer the Cittie of Constantinople a darke cloude the which being dispersed there followed a shower of Grasse-hoppers which did nippe the fruits and the Leaues of Trees The yeare following in December there happened a thing no lesse strange on the frontiers of Croatia neere to Vithitz a Castell belonging vnto CHARLES Arch-duke of Austria They did see â—… cloud of Ducks and Geese by thousands which falling into a lake neere by the night following they made so furious a fight as all the neighbour Countries heard it In the morning the Soldiars and Country-men ranâ—…e thether where they found a great number of Ducks and Geese that had killed one an other whereof they gathered great numbers some a hundred some two hundred they drest them after their manner and liued thereof a long time Those which remayned of this great armie of Combatants being seene in a medowe they tooke their flight and went else where I. LEONCLAVIVS in the supplement of the Annales of Turkiâ—… Prediction THE tenth of September in the yeare 1513. IAMES the 4. King of Scotland hauing imbraced the partie of France tooke armes against England and grewe so vehement in the quarell as there was a battaile giuen whereas King IAMES and all the flower of the Sâ—…cotish Nobilitie were slaine in the field At that time there was a Scottish Gentleman verie straightly imprisoned at London who sayd openly in the hearing of manie some houres before the Battaile If the two armies English and Scotâ—…ish fight this daie I knowe for certaine that the King my Maister wil be to weake for I doe obserue in this conflict of windes in the ayre that the windes are verie opposite vnto Scotland This speech was neither without reason nor without euent for it is most certaine that the Angells bee the preseruers of publike States and of the holy order appointed by the almightie GOD fight constantly against wicked and euill spirits which take pleasure in murthers and the ouerthrowe of all good order which the Lorde allowes as wee reade in the Historie of Persia whereas the Angell tells the Prophit DANIEL that
make her complaintes to almightie GOD the world she would force him to the execution of his promise seeing that hee would not willingly performe it The Knight grewe more amazed then before and made her answere that hee vnderstood nothing of her Language and that she mistooke herself for that hee had neuer had any secret conference with her had promised her nothing neither could shee demande any thing at his hands The Gentlewoman mad with this answere in replying sayd Do you not remember that you did this and this with mee repeating euery thing that had happened vnto her with the Imposter in the Knights shape adding withall you cannot auoide it to bee my husband and I your wife The Knight beeing much amazed beganne to protest that shee was much deceiued to thinke it to be true and contending thereon the Gentlewoman did note vnto him the day of the promise which was vpon a sollemne feast daie Then the Knight sware vnto her that vpon that daie nor three weekes before nor three weekes after he had not beene in the Towne neither in his house nor in hers the which I will prooue vnto you so plainely as you shall rest satisfied and if any one hath deceiued you in my name I am not to bee blamed But to the ende you should not doubt of the truth of my saying I will presently verefie it Then not departing from her hee caused seauen or eight of his house-hold seruants and others to come who vnacquainted with the cause did sweare that the Knight had spoken the truth and that all that time hee had beene aboue fiftie Leagues from thence The Gentlewoman much troubled with this deposition beganne to remember some particularities and to apprehend that no mortall man could haue done them but that they were Imposturs of Satan so as soone after the retreate of the true Knight shee beganne to finde the cause of this abuse and detesting her foolish concupiscence humbling her-selfe shee resolued not to thinke anie more of marriage but ended the remainder of her daies in a Monasterie In the same Booke A bloudie sweat THE Plague beeing in the Towne of Misnia in Saxony there died a great nuÌ„ber of people in the yeare 1542. in the moneth of Iuly It happened that an honest woman 〈◊〉 AGATHE ATERMAN fell sicke and for the space of foure daies swete great droppes of bloud at her for-head so as as soone as euer they had wipt her others came presently shee died aboute the twenteth of September GEORGE le FEVRE in the Annales of Misnia Booke 3. A Miserable Rashnesse CLAVDE Bastard Daughter to SINEBALD FIESQVE Earle of Lauagne being married to a Gentleman of Chiauari neere vnto Genoa called RAVASCHIER was much courted to her dishonour by a Gentleman of the same place named IHON de la TOVR who abusing the loue RAVASCHIER did beare him did seeke to robbe him of his Wife But this vertuous Gentle-woman hauing often-times reiected him hee was so blinde as to imagine that her denials were but allurements and setling this vnworthy conceit in his braine finding his friend to be one day absent hee went and lay vnder the Gentle-womans bed hoping that night being come and she lying alone he might easily inioy her Being retyred and layd to her rest before her Chamber-maide went away into a neere Closet shee commanded her to looke about if there were not any thing that might disquiet her rest in the night The 〈◊〉 auing searcht euery where in the end she cast downe her eyes and spyed vnder her Mistresse bed a black thing She cryed out and both fled out of that Chamber into another ouer it where-as the Gentle-womans Father in lawe was LA TOVR seeing him-selfe discouered opens the Chamber windowes speedily and casts himselfe into the streete where hee was pittifully broken and bruized and by the helpe of a friend of his that came by chance hee was carryed home to his owne house Some houres after this Tragedie is knowne for that Chiauary is but a small place The Father in lawe sends letters to RAVASCHIER and to LEVVIS of Fiesque Brother to the Gentlewoman who sent CORNELIVS their Brother with RAVASCHIER and some Soldiars who come secretly in boates being strong and well garded by the Geneuois they presently force IOHN de la TOVRS house and finding him very lame in his bedde of his fall they cut his throate hewe him in peeces and then flie Such was the ende of his rashnesse History of Italie Treasors found spoiled lost sought for againe vainely and dangerously ABout the yeare 1550. neere vnto Deue a Towne in Transiluania the raine and ruines of water hauing beene very great and the weâ—…her growne faire some peasants going forth to worke descouer by the reuerberation of the Sun a great Treasor which did shine vnder a rotten tree which lookt red through age There was first of a la serpent all of gold the which after the death of a Monke called GEORGE who had seized thereon and was slaine came to the hands of the Emperor FERDINAND There was also found a great number of Medailles of gold of the waight of three Crownes a peece hauing the figure of LYSIMACHVS King of Thrace of the one side and on the other side a victory The peasants had the value of twenty thousand Crownes for their shares The rest was sent to FERDINAND then King of Bohemia by IOHN BAPTISTA CASTALDE his Lieutenant with two Medailles of gold of NINVS and SEMIRAMIS giuen to the Emperor CHARLES the 5. This treasor was valued at aboue a hundred thousand Crownes ACS. CENTORIVS Booke 4. of the war of Transiluania A poore fisherman remayning at Bresse called BARTLEMEVVE Grandfather to ANTHONY CODRE VRCE a learned Gramarien in our time digging in the ground found a great vessell full of siluer with the which he purchased lande sufficient to entertaine his family which was great honestly and moreouer he did set vp a goodly shoppe of spices and became one of the richest men in the Country BARTHE LMEVVE of Bologne in the life of ANTHONY CODRE VRCE The Marquis of Pescara hauing taken Tunis from BAREAROVSSE and being brought into the Cittadel by the ChristiaÌ„â—… that were prisoners there one of theÌ„ being a Geneuois borne descouered vnto him a treasor that was put into sackes and cast into a Cisterne where they found aboue thirty thousand ducats in gold the which the Emperor CHARLES the 5. gaue vnto the Marquis P. IOVIVS Booke 34. of his Histories of our time The treasor of CHARLES Duke of Bourgondy wonne by the Suisses in the battailes which they gaue him neere to Gransoa Morest amounted to great sums of gold and siluer both coined and vncoyned the true value whereof was not iustly known for that at that time the Suisses did more esteeme the heads of their pikes halberds and their swords then the gold or siluer of forren Princes About the yeare 1520. a yong man simple in all his behauior called
of diuers collours flying in the Aire In the yeare 1547. there was seene aboue Halberstad in Saxony a blacke boule comming out of the midest of the Moone and running violently towards the North. The 15. day of December the same yeare the Mariners of Hambourg did see in the element at mid-night a burning globe and shyning as the Sunne rowling towards the South whose beames were so hot as the passengers could not abide vpon the hatches but were forced to hide themselues thinking the shippes would bee set on fier They did also see in Suisserland two armies in the Aire fighting togither And two ramping Lions fighting whereof the one pulled of the others head with his teeth Aboue them appeered a white Crosse stretched out in length hauing the lower end fashioned like a whippe The same yeare the twelfeth of Aprill and the two following presently after noone the Sunne was seene in his Spheare like vnto a globe of fire and at Noone-day the Starres appeered Ten daies after which was the 24. in Saxony Turin Suisserland France and England the Sunne appeared with a cloudie and bloudie Countenance for the space of foure houres to the great amazement of many It continued in this sort some other daies following The first daies of October following about seauen of the clocke in the morning there was seene in Saxony the forme of a dead mans Beere couered with a blacke cloth and a Crosse vpon it of a reddish collour accompanied both before and behinde with many figures of men in mourning weeds either of them carrying a Trumpet wherewith they began to sound so loude as the Inhabitants of the Country did easily vnderstand the noise In the meane time there appeared a man all armed and of a terrible aspect who drawing out his sword cut off part of the cloath and then with his hands he tare in peeces the rest which done both hee and all the rest vanished In December the same yeare about Rome there appeared in the aire three daies togither about three of clocke in the afternoone a beesome as it were dipt in bloud and a red Crosse ouer the which did houer an Eagle In the moneth of May precedent about Saxony and the Marquisate of Brandebourg were seene two Globes of fire leaping about the Sunne the greatest of them did so couer the Sunne as at Noone-day it seemed as it were rustie They did also see the same yeare a furious Combate of two armies in the aire ouer the Towne of Quendelbourg The yeare 1548. the 23. day of Iulie the Moone being at the full it appeared of the collour of bloud oueâ—… Rosensel a Towne of the Duchie of Wirtemberg and in this Moone was seene an arme of a blackish collour with a hand stretched out soone after the Moone hauing recouered her vsuall light it was againe seene with three Cheurons or large barres of the same collour that the arme was which did crosse it distinctly These barres being vanished there appeered a Bourguignon crosse black vnderneth the Moone at the two sides there appeered two other smal rondells The yeare following which was 1549. in the morning the Sunne being very bright in the moneth of May vpon a quarter of Germany there was seene in the aire the figure of a man attired like a Germaine Prince aboue the which there appeered on the other side a Lion and a Sheepe which seemed to imbrace one an other willingly before this Prince was a great garland of flowers the which he would haue taken in his hand but not being able he tooke vp a sword the which was vnder his feete from the beginning wherewith he florished twise or thrise about his head and then all vanished into the cloudes In the yeare 1550. were seene in the night ouer the Towne of Lipsick in Misnia three Globes of fire And in August the same yeare about Nuremberg the skie being very cleere the Sunne was seene of diuers collours and ouer it a vessell the which leaning on the one side there came forth bloud where-with the Sunne was made redde On the other side there appeered an Eagle with his wings spred abroad of diuers collours but without any feete A little beneath the Sunne and the Eagle was a Raine-bowe and directly vnderneth it was a Man holding a horse by the bridle with his left hand and with his right 〈◊〉 white hound The 19. of Iuly before neere vnto Wittenberg in Saxony there was seene in the element the forme of a goodly Hart and vnder it armies which did fight with great noise and feare-full cries During this conflict there fell a shower of bloud vpon the Earth the Sonne appeared verie hiddeous and as it were out of his course diuided in two and in shewe approching neere the Earth Some weekes before there was seene almost in the same place a bloudy sword in the Aire and a peece of Ordinance mounted vpon wheeles The 24. of Iune betwixt sixe and nine in the morning the time being very cleere there was seene in the Element a blacke Crosse with a Iauelin hauing a fish-hooke at one of the ends and at the other three small barres like vnto rests Ouer Lisbone in Portugall there appeered the 28. of Ianuary 1551. a great handfull of bloudie roddes with fearefull fiers it rayned bloud and there followed Earth-quakes so as two hundred houses were shaken and ouerthrowne whereby aboue a thousand persons were slaine The 21. day of March about 7. of the clocke in the morning there were seene at Magdebourg seauen Rain-bowes and three Sunnes and at night three Moones whereof that in the midest which was the right kept her ordinary collour the other two were of the collour of bloud These three Sunnes were also seene at Witenberg in Saxony with ten or twelue Circles that did inuiron them some round others but halfe and very spatious others lesse and some very smal almost all of the collour of the Rainbowe The last daie of February which was three weekes before those of Antwerp in Brabant had also seene three Sunnes inclosed in diuers Circles and Rainbowes In the yeare 1552. the 19. of February about three of the clock in the afternoone those of Maclin in Brabant did see the Sunne first of a blew coulour then red enuironed with a great circle and a Rain-bowe About eleuen moneths after the 23. of Ianuary 1553 about eight of the clock at night there was seene at Basil the Moone enuironed with a great cleere circle of the coulour of the Rainbow the which continued three whole houres In Iune following there were seene in the ayre being cleere and bright ouer the Towne of Cobourg betwixt fiue and sixe at night diuers sorts of men then armies which gaue battaile an Eagle houering with her wings abroad In Iuly were seene two Serpents ioyned together one eating of an other and betwixt them a fierie crosse The same yeare the Citty of Magdebourg was straightly besieged among other maruailes the day after Easter the Sunne
appeared very bright at the rising and enuironed with a great circle as white as milke the which were crost with foure Rain-bowes the goodliest that euer was seene Ten dayes before betwixt seauen and eight of the clock in the morning were seene ouer the same Towne three Sunnes the right had his ordinary brightnesse the other two had a bloudy colour Hauing continued almost the whole day at night there appeared 3. Moones whereat all the Inhabitants of the place were much amazed they were of diuers colours and after they had continued some houres the two apparant Moones or Paralies became red as bloud then dispersing themselues into long streames in the end they vanished the right Moone which was in the middest retained her accustomed brightnes The same yere died Duke GEORGE Prince of Anhalt an excellent Diuine The day of his death there appeared in the night ouer the Towne of Wittenberg a blew Crosse. A few dayes before the battaile giuen betwixt MAVRICE Duke of Saxonie and ALBERT Marquis of Brandebourg there appeared the image of a great man in a place of Saxonie from the body of this man which appeared naked first there began bloud to fall from him drop after drop then they did see sparkes of fire come from him and in the end he vanished by little and little In Ianuary 1554. there appeared three Sunnes twise in Saxony The 1. of February following about Chalons in Champagne was seene a great flame of fire which went from the East to West like to a burning Torche bending as a Cressent the fire did crack and â—…ast out sparkes of all sides like vnto a barre of Yron comming out of the Furnaise which the Smiths did worke with their Hammers Some adde that this Torche appeared about the Moone and shewed the point of a Lance at one end The 19. of February were seene at Nebre two Crosses of a blew coulour And the same day at Greisen in Turinge they did see in the Sunne which shined brightly a blew Crosse so great as it couered all the face of the Sunne on either side it had a great Cheuron of fire with diuers Circles The 9. day of Aprill aboue Sultzfield halfe a dayes iourney neere vnto Schuinfort an Imperiall Towne there appeared two Moones in the night In Marche before were seene Sunnes of diuers greatnesse with some Circles in Bauaria and the Countrie about First the 6. of Marche betwixt eyght and nine of the clock in the morning were seene two Sunnes with a Rainebowe The 23. of the same moneth about an houre after-noone those of Nuremberg did see as much and moreouer a Raine-bowe towards the West and the Sunnes enuironed with white Circles continued three houres together with a long burning Cheuron The eight day following there were three Sunnes seene at Reinsbourg Their beginning was about an houre after noone betwixt two and three they did shine brightly and ended at foure of the clocke They did cast out beames of the one side like vnto a Commet that in the middest towards the North and the other two towards the East and West In Marche the same yeare were seene ouer diuers Townes in Germanie betwixt foure and fiue of the clock at night diuers Bourguignon Crosses but most white and in a manner touching one another The 23. day of the same moneth a little before Sunne sett were seene two Parelies enuironed with the Sunne by a great Circle ouer the Village of Blech Not farre from Noremberg the eleuenth of Iune there appeared a Rodde of a bloudie colour through the Sunne with Starres or Boules of Azure Presently after there were seene two Squadrons of armed men the which had blew Cornets who for the space of two houres incountred together furiously to the great amazement of many which did see the beginning the continuance and end of this apparition The 13. of Iune about fiue of the clocke in the after-noone ouer the Towne of Iene the Sunne was seene of a bloudie colour to whom there approched presently from the South and West great and many boules of fire the which did darken the light of it And then appeared two Cheurons of a very red colour crossing through the Sunne The 24. day of Iuly about ten of the clock at night there appeared in the ayre in that quarter of the Country which is called the high Palatinat of Rhine Towards the forrest of Bohemia two men armed with all peeces the one being of a farre taller stature then the other hauing on his brest a bright shining starre and a flaming sword in his hand as also the lesser had They began a furious combate buâ—…in in the end the lesser was beaten downe and could not stirre whervpon a chaire was brought vnto the Victor in the which being set and remained some time still menacing with his sword in his hand him that lay at his feete as if he would strike him In the end they both vanished away The 5. of August following at 9. of the clock at night neere vnto Stolpen in the South part of Heauen there appeared troupes of warlike men who with great cryes and noise of armes charged one another furiously when the first charge was ended there came aboundance of fire out of the clouds which hindred the sight of these troupes This fire vanishing they returned to the second charge then the fire kindling againe you would haue said it had beene a kind of retreat to rally themselues againe together on either part which ended they returne againe to a third charge the which being done they all vanished The same yere at Fribourg in Misnia was seene in the open day the representation of our Lord IESVS CHRIST as many Painters are accustomed to represent him sitting in a Rain-bow the colours whereof were exceeding liuely And about another towne called Zopodee the Sun rising appeared as red as bloud hauing about it a stately Pallace the which was all on fire On either side of the Sunne was seene a high columne very artificiall fashioned and of the coulour that the Raine-bowe It seemed that their foundations did touch the ground and were very large The next day the Sunne did rise with a pale coulour and this Pallace was aboue it shining very brightly The columnes or pillers also appeared but not so faire and long as the day before The 10. of February 1555. there were three Sunnes seene at Vinaire in Saxonie And the 13. of March there appeared in the ayre about Turinge a flâ—…ming sword The eleuenth of Ianuary 1556. towards the Mountaines which compasse in the Citty of Ausbourg of the one side the element did open and seemed to riue whereat all were wonderfully amazed especially by reason of the pittifull accidents which followed for the same day the messenger of Ausbourg slue a Captaine at the Citty gates with a Pistoll The next day the wife of one that made sword blades thinking to get a great booty slue a Marchant in her house and presently after her seruant
killed her selfe with a Knife A day after a Butcher was slaine in a quarrell and two villages were quite burnt The 15. day of the same moneth the Keeper of S. Katherins forrest was found dead being shotte through with an Harguebuse The 17. a Gold-smiths man falling into dispaire drowned himselfe The night following many were wounded to the death in the streete I had forgot to note that the same eleuenth day of Ianuary when the Heauens did open about Ausbourg there happened such a change in the aire about Mickhuse in Bauicre and so great a light appeared in the night as it did obscure the light of Candles in their shops and houses so as for three houres space those which would worke had no need of any other light then that of Heauen Some moneths after the Heauens began to open in another part of Swau◅e out of the which there proceeded such aboundance of fire as many were striken dombe with feare there were some villages and small Townes burnt and quite ruined They did also see in the ayre certaine resemblances of Camels the which deuoured armed men In diuers dayes and moneths of the same yeare 1556. were obserued other apparitions as in February in the County of Bats there were seene in the ayre armies of foote and horse the which did incounter together furiously In September ouer a little Towne in the Marquisate of Branaebourg called Custerin about nine of the clocke at night they did see infinite flames of fire comming out of the ayre and in the middest two great burning Cheurons In the ende there was a voice heard crying Miserie Miserie vnto the Church Wee haue sayd before that in the yeare 1536. there had beene seene in the ayre in Spaine a Combate of two young men VVLFGANG STRANCH of Nuremberg writes that in the yeare 1556. ouer a Towne in Hungarie the which he calles Babatcha there was seene the 6. of October a little before Sunne rising the resemblance of two naked boyes fighting in the ayre with Cymiters in their hands and Targets vpon their armes Hee which carryed a spred Eagle vpon his shield did charge the other which carryed a Cressant so furiously as it seemed the body being wounded in many places did fall from the Heauen to the Earth At the same time and in the same place was seene a Raine-bow with his accustomed colours and at the end thereof two Sunnes Not farre from Ausbourg there was seene in the ayre a Combate betwixt a Beare and a Lion in December the same yeare And at Wittenberg in Saxony the 6. of the same moneth three Sunnes and a crooked clowd marked with blew and red stretcht forth like vnto a bowe the Sunne shewing pale and sad betwixt the Paralies or seeming Sunnes foure moneths before three Sunnes had beene seene betwixt Euschoin and Basill Touching the significations of all these apparitions I will not meddle with them Since that yeare many are obserued in diuerse climates of the world especially in Europe other wonders in the ayre euen vnto this present age whereof wee may make mention in other Bookes At this time we doe onely represent that which CONRADVS LICOSTHENE hath collected IOB FINCET MARC FRYTSCH and many others in his great volume De Prodigijs et Ostentis As for Comets showers of bloud prodigious hayle and other wonders of Heauen we will speake of them in their proper places Of some that haue lost all appetite of drinking and eating WE haue seene in some diseases the patients haue lost all appetite of eating and drinking in such sort as they tooke in a manner no sustenance Of this number was a Nunne in the couent of Saint Barbe at Delft who being falne sick of the Iaundise in the yeare 1562 continued in her bed six weekes together without eating or drinking All this time shee receiued no nourishment but some Kernells of Lymons the which she held in her mouth and did some-times suck The Father of this Couent led me thether not to minister Phisicke vnto her but to see her as a miracle by reason of her long abstinence but the next day after I had visited her she dyed That which I will adde is more worthy of admiration In the same Towne of Delft being accompanied by a Surgian I did visit a certaine sicke maide of seauen twenty yeares old a halfe it was in May 1556. after the age of sixteene yeares she had neuer come out of her bed hauing eaten euery day since that time but a little morcell of dried Cheese as her keeper had protested neither was it possible to make her swallow any liquor and yet she pist sufficiently she went not to the stoole but once in eight dayes More-ouer she was borne blind she fell to be full of the dropsie at the age of twenty yeares but this water vanished away and then shee had a sound in her belly like the noise of liue Frogges in great abondance accompanied with a strange rising and falling of her bellie so as do I what I could laying my hand vpon her belly it was heaued vp This motion did increase at the full Moone with great paines as also at the flowing of the Sea but at the wane of the Moone and the ebbing of the Sea shee found some ease This motion continued with her seauen yeares and euery tenth weeke shee had her Termes as her keeper did confesse vnto me Strange Appetites THere is no man almost liuing which knoweth not some particular Histories of the extraordinary appetites of certaine women with child for the which the learned Phisitions giue a reason We will report some Examples to incite the reader entring into the cōsideration of them and others that he shall call to minde to honor GOD in so many wonders without naming in particular the diuers sorts of these Appetites which are as variable as the countenances conditions of women that be with child I haue seene one who longing to bite a yong man by the nape of the necke and for that she had forborne a little to satisfie her furious desire she begā to feele gripings and exteame paine in her belly She therfore like a desperate woman leapes vpon this yong man gets hold of the nape of his necke and bites him so sore as he thought to haue died of it L. Viues in his Comment vpon the 7. Chap. de Cituit dei Chap. 25. My Mother bearing mee in her wombe an Appetit tooke her to eate Creueses She sent sodenly to seeke some and being impatient to haue them washt and made cleane she began to eate them rawe and aliue vntil that she had satisfied her desire Trincauelle lib. 7. Chap. 5. Of the meanes to cure diseases in mans body A Woman of Nisues beeing with Child and seeing a young man a Fuller of cloth bare legged shee came so neere him as with her teeth she laies hold of one of his Legges and carries away a peece of it He was content shee should vse
with the which he fell downe halfe dead vpon the place yet he was cured and afterwards slaine at Blois in the yeare 1588. History of HENRY the 3. The Seigneur of Saint Iean One of the stable to King HENRY 2. at a Turney before the house of Guise receiued a blow with the splinter of a Lance within his viser of the length and bignes of ones finger vnder the eye which ranne three fingers into his head I had him in cure being assisted by many Learned Physitions and Surgions and although the wound through the violence of the blow were very dangerous yet he was cured with the helpe of GOD. M. AMB. PARE lib. 9. Chap. 9. A seruant of the Seigneur of Champagnes a gentleman of Aniou was wounded in the throate with a sword so as one of the ingular vaines was cut with the Artier of the winde-pipe by meanes whereof hee had a great flux of bloud neither could hee speake at all vntill his wound were sowed vp and drest Whilest that the medicaments were liquid he drewe them through the stitches and put them out at his mouth So as considering the greatnesse of the wounde and the nature of the parties that were wounded especially of the Artier of the winde-pipe and of the ingular vaine the which are spermatike cold and drie and there hard to ioyne togither againe besides also that the Artier is subiect vnto motion which is made in the swalloing by reason of the inward filme the which holds to that of the asophage which is the passage for eating and drinking the one obeying the other by a reciprocall motion con◅idering also the vse of the sayd parties which is that the Artier serues for respiration the which is necessary for the symmetry and vital heat of the hart that the ingular veine is very necessary for the norrishment of the superior part Moreouer hauing regard vnto the great quantity of bloud which hee had lost by his wounde the bloud being the Treasure of nature the preseruer of naturall heate and of the vitall spirits and other accidents I did conclude that hee was but a dead man yet I can assure you that he escaped the which I beleeue happened rather through the grace of GOD then by any helpe of man or medicaments M. Amb. Pare lib. 9. c. 31. Being at Thurin in seruice with the deceased Lord of Montiean I was called to dresse a souldier called L'EVESQVE borne at Paris who being then vnder the command of Captaine Renouart had three great wounds giuen him with a sword whereof the one was on his right side vnder his pappe running into the emptinesse of his brest from whence there had falne great aboundance of bloud vpon the Mydriffe which stopt his respiration neither could he speake but with great difficultie hauing a very violent feauer and with a cough he cast bloud at the mouth saying that he felt an extreame paine on that side that was hurt The Surgion who had drest him first stitcht vp his wound in such sort as nothing could come forth the next day I was called to visit the patient where being come seeing the Accidents and death approching I was of opinion to vnsowe the wound in the Orifice whereof I found congealed bloud so as I caused the patient to be lift vp often by the legs his head downward leauing a part of his body vpon the bed leaning with one hand vpon a stoole that was lower then the bed Being planted thus I caused him to shutt his mouth and his nose that his lights might swell and the Mydriffe rise and the muscles betwixt the ribbes of the vpper part of the belly together should retyre themselues that the bloud fallen into the stomack might be cast out by the wound and the better to effect it I thrust my finger deepe into the wound to dissolue this congeled bloud so as there came forth nere seauen or eight ounces alreadie stinking and corrupted Then I caused him to be set in his bed making iniections into the wounde with barley water in the which I had caused Melrosarum sugarcandie to be boyled then I caused him to be turned from one side vnto an other and againe I made him to be lifted vp by the Legs as before Then they might see come forth with the said Iniection little gobbets of bloud This done the accidents decreased and by little little did cease The next day I made him an other Iniection to the which I added Centory worme-wood and Aloes to clense it the better but the patient hauing tould mee soone after that hee felt a great bitternes in his mouth had desire to cast I found that these bitter Iniections profiting one way did hurt an other so as I did not continue them but intreating the wound more mildly the patient was cured beyond my hope The same Author lib. 9. Chap. 32. M. PETER SOLERY a famous Physition of Aurillac being pursued during the first troubles by certaine horsmen which sought his life and ouer-taken a quarter of a league from Argentat in Limosin as hee thought to saue him selfe with others hee receiued many dangerous wounds and yet was myraculously cured as it was verefied by such as did visit dresse his wounds first he had a shot with a Harguebuse hitting him aboue the thigh boane and passing to the other side then he had an other shot vnder the left arme foure fingers from the shoulder which carried away a peece he had a pistoll shot vpon the same shoulder sloping downe-ward and an other in the face taking him vnder the eye and passing vnder his chappe He had foure wounds with a sword vpon the left arme from the elboe downe-ward he was stabd with a dagger vnder the left pappe the which meeting with a rib past no farther hee had an other shot with a pistoll almost in the same place running betwixt the skinne and the ribbes comming forth behind and a great wound with a sword aboue the eye and an other vpon the head Being thus wounded and left as it were for dead these murtherers hauing taken away his purse and three gold rings hauing cōtinued about two houres vpō the place in the end he did rise and as he labored to creepe he espied a soldiar cōming towards him with a naked sword of whom hauing demanded helpe in GODS name it mooued the soldiar to do him no harme but seeing him in this estate hee fled as if an enemy had beene behinde him Herevpon creeping forward a little as well as hee could hee meetes with a young Sonne of his owne beeing but eight yeares old who flying also had strayed in the fields who supporting him of the one side as well as hee could hee conducted him vnto a village where all the releefe that hee could get was that they did not make an ende to kill him although that hee were in this pittifull Estate and that this poore Infant with teares and lamentations did offer
of the Riuer Odera Maister ANDREVV HONDORFF in his Theater of Examples The yeare 1536. in a village of Silesia named Kukendorff another woman killed three of her Children in the absence of her husband and then killed her selfe In the same Theater The yeare 1540. in a Village by Anneberg a certaine Countrey-man killed and flayed a Calfe in the presence of some little Children hee had And being gone abroad not long after about businesse and his wife forth of doores the children which were left at home with a little one lying in the Cradle went committed an horrible Acte They tooke a Knife and cut the little ones throate singing Wee will kill the Calfe But seeing the bloud and the little one dead they began to be affrayde and went and hidde them in the Furnace of the Stoue The Mother suspecting nothing came home and before she went into the Stoue kindled a great armefull of Hempe shailes and threw them into the Furnaces then shee went into the Stoue and seeing her little one killed and lye bathing in his bloud shee ranne out into the streete crying for helpe The neighbours came to her and asked her what she ayled she carried them into the Stoue and shewed them the murther As they were b◅sie looking on the childe the mother asked for the rest They were called and sought for vp and downe at length with the noyse which the last made giuing vp the Ghost they were found smothered in the Furnace One of the neighbours had heard them sing Wee will kill the Calfe IOB FINCEL in the 2. Booke of the Meruailes of his time The twentith day of Nouember 1551. in a Village of Hesse named Weidenhausen a woman strangely desperate hauing shut all the doores of her house tooke a sharpe Axe and ran after her eldest Sonne being some eight yeares of age Hee perceiuing his Mothers bad minde ranne away into the Cellar and hid himselfe behinde a barrell She lighted a Candle and sought him vp and downe in euery corner of the Cellar The Boye seeing her come held vp both his hands and with teares be◅ought her to pardon him But shee neither regarding his teares nor prayers cloue his head in two and then cutte his armes in peeces That done shee went out of the Cellar and ranne after a Daughter shee had of fiue yeares olde whome shee cloue downe to the middle Behinde the doore stood a pritty ladde of three yeares olde whome this furie caught by the hayre of the head and dragged him into a little yarde where she cut his throate There lay an Infant of sixe moneths crying in the Cradle him shee drew from his rest and hurled him into the yarde and at the last chopped off his head Which done and no body left shee stabbed her-selfe with a Knife into the throate where-with not-with-standing she died not presently The neighbors that too late had heard the Children crye after they had knocked a good while at the doore in the end brake it open and finding that pitious spectacle ranne to the mother who come to her selfe and remaining a pritty while after aliue declared all that had past and with great acknowledgment of her sinnes and hope of GODS mercy yeelded vp the Ghost IOB FINCEL in the 2. booke Maister ANDREVV HONDORF in his Theater The yeare 1550. in a certaine village of the countrie of Alsace one ADAM STECKMAN a labouring man that gotte his liuing by dressing of Vines hauing receiued wages of a maister of his that had set him on worke went to the Tauerne and lost his money at Cardes Being exceedingly griued and therevpon taken with a paine in his head hee fell into desperation Easter come his wife constrained by necessity tooke her eldest sonne with her went to worke in the Vines desiring her husband to looke to the house children til she came againe Being alone he fell into such thoughts that ouercome with despaire by reason of his pouerty he determined to make himselfe away Wherevpon he tooke an Hammer and sought vp and downe for a place where he might knock in a nayle to fasten a corde on and hang himselfe But finding none to his minde a girle he had of seuen yeares old came vnto him asked him what he sought without answering her he went into the Stoue where a little boy som-what yonger followed him and asked him for bread bring me a knife said he and I will giue thee some The girle ran and fet him one wherwith he cut both their throates and another little ones in the cradle The mother at her returne seeing that pitious spectacle swouned and died with griefe The murtherer was apprehended executed as he deserued The same In the yeare 1555. a countryman hard by Aldendor◅ in Hesse asking his wife for his dinner she otherwaies busied not making such hast as he would haue had her the wretch went cut off one of the thighes of a little child he had lying in the Cradle and carried it to the Mother saying Hold thee take this giggot and go rost it GASPAR GOLET VVRM in the Treatise of Meruailes The same yeare a woman great with child in the Diocesse of the County of Isenberg gently intreated her husband to inuite certaine women to dinner whō she ment to haue at her labour Hee surprised with strange fury spurned and kicked her with his feet then stabbed her in diuers places with his dagger killed her togither with her fruite The same It is 40 yeares agoe or thereabout that a certaine Italian named BARTHOLMEVV being ouerthrowne in a certaine sute he had at Venice which concerned his whole estate so much forgot the power and mercy of GOD that hee concluded with himselfe that his three daughters when they came to age insteed of being honorably maried were of necessitie to be prostituted To preuent the which he found no other meane in his shop of whom he then tooke counsell that had put such a conclusiō in his head then to cut their throats while they were yong which he executed one night hauing to that end borrowed a Barbers Rasor the euening before The next day euery one ranne to see that pitious spectacle and found that one of his daughters had her hand almost halfe cut off wherewith it is to be presumed she had thought to haue resisted the fathers rage The report went afterward that this wretch had throwne himselfe downe headlong from the top of a certaine mountaine towards the County of Tirol whither he was fled In the treatise of the◅ conformity of ancient meruailes with moderne A Switzer hauing taken his wife in adultery pardoned her for the time a little while after bethought himselfe and reuoking that pardon killed her alledging he could not endure a woman that had plaied him such a pranke Afterward he dispatched his children likewise saying he would not haue children that should be called the children of a whore And it is said that when he
no cause discerned of such a death but only a liue worme which the A◅atomists found in the capsula or filme of the heart P. SPHARER Physition in his Obseruations A certaine woman hauing voyded for the space of many da◅es together a thick and purulent vrine at length died and beeing opened was found interressed in the heart with certaine impostumes and two stones I. HOVLIER Comment 1. on the 6. booke sect 2. aphoris 4. of HIPPOCRAT and the Comment on the 75. aph of the 4. booke The Emperour MAXIMILIAN the second had three little stones found in his heart of the bignes of a pease but not of equall quantity and weight In his life time hee was very much afflicted with a panting of the heart I. WIER in the 4. booke Chap. 16. of the impostures of euill spirits In the heart of IEROME SCHEIBER that died at Paris in the yeare 1547. was opened in the presence of SYLVIVS HOVLIER FERNEL professors in Physick there was foūd an hard blackish roūd stone as big as a nutmeg and weyghing Certaine drammes to the great wonder of all men AER MVRGEL Physition In diuers mens hearts there are found Cornes or hard things like vnto stoanes of the bignes of a nut in others fat in the ventricles or verie thicke Carnosities sometimes of two pounde weight or other substance like the marrowe of sodden beefe Also tumors impostumes of the bignes of an hens egge which in some haue caused co◅ruption of the membrane of the heart in others wasting of the heart it selfe in others mattory and long congealed vlcers The History of them are described by the Doctors of Physick BENIVENIVS IACOT VESALIVS ERASTVS COLVMBVS FERNELIVS HOVLIER IOVBERT and others in their obseruations Commentaries and disputations Which it shall suffise to haue touched in a worde Touching the hurts of the heart FERNELIVS in the fi◅t booke of his Panthologia Chap. 12. holds that if they bee not deepe and penetrated farre into the ventricles of the heart the person hurt dies not presently To which effect IOHN SCHENCK of Grafenberg Doctor of Phisick at Fribourg recounts in the 2. booke of his Physickall Obseruations Obserue 209. that hee had heard a learned Physition tell how a certaine scholler studying at Ingolstad beaing stabbed with a poygnard into the heart the two ventricles wherof were found pearced through and through ranne a good way bleeding and liued a full houre after speaking and cōmending himselfe to GOD. I protest I haue seene a gentleman at Thurin which fought with another that gaue him a thrust vnder the left pappe penetrating euen into the substance of the heart and yet for all that he struck diuers blowes at his enemy that ranne away from him pursuing him the length of two hundred pace and then fell downe dead to the ground After which I opened him and found a wound in the very substance of the heart so bigge that one might haue laid his finger in it and a great quantity of bloud falne vpon the Diaphragma AMER PARE in the 9. Booke Chap. 32. Of Comets IN this Section I will briefly represent the Comets seene in Europe for these hundred yeares or thereabouts adding that which GARCEVS in his Meteorologie LICHOSTENES and others haue obserued vpon this point In the yeare 1500. in the moneth of Aprill a Comet appeared in the North vnder the signe of Capricorne The same yeare Prince CHARLES was borne afterwards Emperor the 5. of that name and SOLYMAN Sultan of the Turkes Soone after folowed the spoile which the Tartares made in Polonia the famine in Swabe a plague throughout all Germanie the taking of Naples by the French A rising of the peasants in the Bishop rike of Spire against the Bishop and the Canons the taking of Modon and some other places in Morea by the Turkes ISMAEL Sophie expelled out of the kingdome of Persia by the Turkes whereof they ceazed The second yeare after the plague made a horrible spoile almost throughout all the whole world the which had for fore-runners figures of crosses falling out of the ayre vpon mens clothes A warre followed in Bauaria two yeares after this plague after the which many great men both spirituall temporal died The Emperor MAXIMILIAN the 1. vanquished the Guelders and then the Hongariens whom he reduced vnder his obedience In the yeare 1506. a Comet appeared in August towards the North couering the signes of Leo and Virgo hauing neere vnto the Chariot a thick and shining taile stretched out betwixt the wheeles of this Chariot for which cause some Astronomers called it the Peacocks taile In September after died PHILIP the 1. king of Spaine father to CHARLES and FERDINAND Emperors The same yeare the Turkes were defeated in battaile by the Persians and on the other side they tooke Modon in Morea from the Christians and defeated their fleete Then followed a ciuill warre betwixt BAIAZET and his sonne SELIM and FRANCIS SPORCE Duke of Milan was taken in Italy by the French As for that which happened in the following yeares the History of our time doth shew it as well in respect of warres Inundations death of famous men and merueilous alterations in Europe the causes whereof we will attribute to the iust iudgements of GOD punishing the sinnes of the world we say only that Comets seeme oftentimes to be fore-runners and Trumpets of the wonderfull iudgements of the Lord as a French Poet speaking of a Comet seene in the yeare 1577. said in the 2. day of his weeke O frantick France why doost not thou make vse Of the strange signes whereby the Heauens induce Thee to repentance canst thou teare-lesse gaze Euen night by night on that prodigious blaze That hairy Comet that long streaming Starre Which threatens Earth with Famine Plague and Warre The Almighties Trident and three forked fire Wherewith he strikes vs in his greatest ire But let vs consider the other Comets according to the order of the yeares In Nouember 1523. there was seene a Comet and soone after the heauens seemed all on fire casting forth infinite flames of lightning vpon the earth the which did tremble afterwards there hapned strange Inundations of water in the realme of Naples Soone after followed the taking captiuity of Francis 1. King of France Germanie was troubled with horrible seditions LEVVIS King of Hungary was slaine in battaile against the Turkes There were wonderfull stirres throughout all Europe and Rome was taken and spoiled by the imperiall Armie In the same yeare of the taking and sack of Rome which was 1527. there was seene another more fearefull Comet then the precedent there followed after it the great spoiles which the Turkes made in Hungary a famine in Swabe Lombardie and at Venice warre in Zuitzerland the siege of Vienna in Austria the Sweat in England the ouer-flowing of the Sea in Holland and Zeland where it drowned a great Country and an Earthquake in Portugall which continued eight dayes In the yeare 1531. from
Algadefie was wholie ruined the houses and buildings beeing layd flat with the ground The fiue and twenty of May 1566. about three a clocke in the afternoone a clap fell vpon the Castle of Misnia burnt a floore of a Chamber melted kettles and Pannes spoiling all the Chambers entring and going out at the windowes then downe into the cellars to the great amazement of all but hurt not any person Three yeares after the nineteeneth of Iulie the thunder hauing rored from eight a clocke in the morning till foure in the afternoone the boult about one a clock light vpon the Colledge Church of the Towne-house Much Cattell and some men were found dead in the ficildes amongest other memorable accidents the lightning ceized vpon a Country fellowe who burnt all his Bodie ouer three daies after and then died The Mother of IEROME FRACASTORIVS an excellent Philosopher admirable Poet and happy Physition of our time hauing him in her armes giuing him suck was strooke with a thunder-clap and kild without any touch or hutt to the little Childe which was a presage of the glory that this excellent personage who liued long after and then died of an Apoplexie should bee crowned with Horrible fury IN the memory of our Ancestors a Carpentar of Wilsmarse a famous towne in Saxony some-times possest with a Phrensie traueling one day with some of his owne condition with out saying a worde tooke his hatchet and went towards his house where being entred he cloue in two two of his Children his Wife being great with childe hearing the noise ran to saue the third which hee left falling vpon his Wife and cut her and the fruite she bare in peeces And so being couered with bloud he returned to his companions being askt how he came so he came to his senses And then remembring what he had done he went againe to his house snatcht a knife and gaue himselfe a blow on the brest and fell downe dead vpon the ground CRANTZIVS in his 10. booke of Vandalia Of Giants IN the yeare 1511. the Emperor Mâ—…XIMILIAN 1. being at Ausâ—…ourg at an Assembly of the States they presented a man vnto him of an vnreasonable height greatnesse who at a fewe month-fulls and without any stay did eate a whole Sheep or a Calfe not caring whether it were rost or raw saying that it did but sharpen his appetite SVRIVS in his Commentary of the memorable things of our time IOACHIM the 2. of that name Elector of Brandebourg had a peasant in his Court called Little MICHEL by ANTIPHRASIS for he was eight foot high which is a great stature of a man in our time but little and small in comparison of great men in old time namely of Goliath and others about Iudea MATHEVV HORST in his collection of the combate betwixt DAVID and GOLIATH I haue seene a young mayden of a Giant-like stature whom they did carry from Towne to Towne to shewe her as a prodigious thing for the sight of whome euery man gaue some thing wherewith her Mother that conducted her and she were entertained She was in a hired Chamber by her selfe and there suffred her selfe to be seene with admiration Going as others did I inquired carefully of euery point and did learne both from herselfe and her Mother who was a woman of a meane stature that the maidens Father was not tall that in all their stocke there was not any one that exceeded the height of other persones that her Daughter vntill shee was twelue yeares olde was very little but falling at the same time into a quarten ague which had held her some monethes comming to leaue her shee beganne then to growe all her members beeing proportionable to that height so as when I did see her shee was about fiue and twenty yeares olde neither could I note from the head vnto the sole of the foote any disproportion in any of her members but a fit measure in euery one of them At this age of 25. yeares shee had not yet had her monethly Termes nature seeming to haue required and restrayned this excrementall bloud for the norrishment and preseruation of so great a body Shee was helth-full ill faced black simple and grosse writted and heauy of all her Body for the vitall vertue infused at the beginning into this body according vnto the measure due to the greatnesse of an ordinary person dispersed afterwards into so great a Masse could not with equall power shew the efficacie of his worke as in a meane bodie and experience doth shewe that vertue restrained shewes it selfe more vigorous then when it is two much dispersed for the regard of naturall causes of this extraordinary greatnesse by the meanes of the quarten ague wee will leaue the decision vnto Physitions and will not dispute with them but in a word if a person that is about the age of twelue or twentie yeares comes to growe through a sicknesse so as in proportion of Bodie shee comes to bee twise as heigh as anie other wee must confesse that this force of nature is extraordinarie and admirable We haue drawne this Historie out of MARCELLVS DONATVS a learned Physition Lib. 3. Chap. 14. Whereas he treats amply of the causes of the Giant-like height as his profession did require After the victorie which King LEVVIS the twelfth obtained at the Battaile of Lode beeing gone to Milan I found a young man in the hospitall so great as hee could not stand right vp hauing not suffycient norrishment of nature for the thicknesse of his Bodie and the proportion of his forces Hee was therefore layd vpon two beddes the one ioyned long waies vnto the other the which hee did fill with his length The Samogitiens which inhabite betwixt Prusia and Liuonia are verie talle and yet some-times they ingender Children which come to age are of a verie small stature and some-times others which growe wonderfull great SCALIGER in the 63. exercitation against CARDAN There was in our time in Bourdelois a man of an vnmeasurable heigth and greatnesse by reason whereof he was called the Giant of Bourdeaux King FRANCIS amazed to see so long a body commanded hee should be one of his Guarde Hee was a peasant of a grose spirit so as not able to applye himselfe to a Courtiers life after some dayes hee gaue ouer his Halbard and returned to his Village An honourable person who had seene him Archer of the Guarde did assure mee that hee was of such a heigth as any other man of an ordinarie stature might goe right vp betwixt his legges when hee did stride I. CHASSAGNON in his Treatise of Giants Chap. 6. In the yeare 1571 there was a Gyant seene at Paris whome euery man did runne to see Hee kept himselfe very close in an Inne and no man could haue the sight of him but in paying to see him Entring into the Chamber where hee was kept they did see with admiration a man of a strange height sitting in a Chaire but their wondring
increased when as they did see him rising from his Chaire for then he toucht the plancher of the Chamber with his head the which was very high after the manner of the French floores They sayd hee was a Polonian or a Transiluanian This Gyant had a Wife of a wonderfull large body and verye fatte with-all but verye lowe in comparison of him of whom they had a young Sonne borne who was in shew to proue one daie almost as tall as his Father At the West-Indies descouered some hundred yeares since manie Giants haue beene seene as they witnesse that haue written their Histories Neere vnto the Antartike Pole there are some found of ten or twelue foote of height as also in the Iland of Sumatra or Taprobane which is toward the East-Indies The same Author MELCHIOR NVNEZ in his letters where hee discourseth of the affaires of CHINA reports that in the chiefe Cittie called Paguin the Porters are fiueteene foote heigh In other letters written in the yeare 1555. hee doth auerre that the King of CHINA entertaines and feedes fiue hundred such men for Archers of his gard SIMON MAIOLVS in his Canicular daies Col. 2. LODOVICVS VIVES a learned Spaniard in his Annotations vpon the 15. booke of S. AVGVSTIN de Ciuitate DEI. Chap. 9. Saith that he had seene in the great Temple at Valencia a mans eye-tooth bigger then his fist IOSEPH ACOSTA in his Historie of the Indies sayth that hee had seene one bigger and the rest answerable vnto it But for that it is to be presumed that such teeth were of Men that had beene dead many ages before we will not insist any more vpon them In our time we haue seene among the Archers of the deceased King of Nauarre a Biarnois of so tall a stature as hee did equall his Maister being mounted vpon a great horse so as he did exceede the tallest men in all the Country by the head the shoulders Hee was a goodly man actiue and pleasant And contrarie-wise there was seene at Paris one called the great Smithe a man of an ill fashion but exceeding tal in comparison of many of meane stature ANTONIE PIGAFET a great traueller in his time affirmes that he had seene towards the Antarticke pole so tall a gyant as other tall men did not reach with their heads aboue his nauill and others beyond the straight of Magellan which had their necks a cubit long and the rest of their bodies answerable An extraordinarie Cure A Certaine Italian hauing had a quarrell with another fell so grieuously sicke as they did not hope for life of him His enemie hearing thereof came to his lodging and inquires of his seruant where his master was The seruant answered him hee is at the point of death and will not escape this day The other grumbling to himselfe replied he shall die by my hands whereupon he enters into the sicke mans chamber giues him certaine stabbes with his dagger and then flies They binde vp this poore sicke mans wounds who by the meanes of so great a losse of blood recouered his health So hee recouered his health and life by his meanes who sought his death R. SOLENANDER lib. 5. of his Counsels 15. Cons. 9. sect Hee makes mention in the same place of a woman which did commonly purge her selfe of her termes by the nose for thirteene moneths together during the which beeing let blood in the Saphena vaine and purged shee was cured And of a man who in the space of twentie and foure howres voyded at the mouth twentie and sixe pounds of blood congealed and very blacke and was cured by diet rest and glisters without any inward medicines A peasant falling into a burning feauer was carryed to the hospitall and being carefully tended fell into extremitie The Physition being a learned man sayd vnto him what wilt thou haue my friend how diddest thou gouerne thy selfe here to-fore I was not accustâ—…med answered the sicke man to eate and drinke as I doe now heere I knew not what sirrops drugges nor Phisicke meant I cannot sleepe vpon feathers It is almost twentie yeares since I did lye in a bed my feeding is Onions hard Cheese and such like delicates my bed was vpon Strawe at the signe of the Starre and couered with my clothes that is to say lying in them The Physition suffred him to lye one night vpon the Strawe and gaue him Onions Salt and colde water holding it good to please him in this extremitie But the next day he found his sicke man halfe cured warming himselfe against the fire We haue obserued saith the same SOLINANDER some sick men who hauing ease in their torments haue chewed and swallowed the receits written by their Physitions and haue beene cared by that meanes A certaine man hauing the Dropsie and little looked vnto by the benefit of nature had an ouerture in his body vnder the pappe betwixt the Peritoyne and the Muscles of the belly by the which we drue aboue 200. bladders like vnto Hens Egges the which were soft and full of stinking water In the 15. Councell of the 5. booke A man lame of the Gout preserued IN the yeare 1589. WILLIAM de MICHES an ancient man being crooked and lame of the Goute had a desire to go and visit an Abbay of Monkes aboue Lions called L' Isle Barbe where there was company that day In the morning he takes a boate with his Daughter his sonne in lawe and some neighbours Hauing visited the Abbay done his deuotion and made good cheere hee and his companie imbarke againe The woman that guided the Boate hauing drunke more wine then water when they should passe vnder the bridge of Sarne insteed of gouerning her boate vnder the Arche the which was great and large she ranne against a pyle so as the Boate was ouer-whelmed and all within it drowned except the poore man that was lame of the Gowt who not able to stirre was carryed by the streame vnto the shore where he was taken vp and carryed to his house and after liued some yeares Memoires of Lion A Man before Age. I Haue knowne a man in Spaine who after some yeares became a Friar of the order of Saint FRANCIS and remained in the Couent of our Lady of Val then in that of Soto and afterwards in the Citty zamore he is so little of stature as without wronging him one may call him Dwarffe though otherwise hee bee of a good fashion and hath a well proportioned body Euery man knowes it and many Monkes of his order haue assured mee for certaine that hee was borne in a Village called Saint Tiso and that comming into the worlde hee had all his Teeth which hee had at the age of fiue and twentie yeares and hath had euer since without changing them or any falling out and hee suckt a very little while Comming out of his Mothers wombe hee had his priuie partes as hairie as a man that is come to his perfect age at seauen yeares olde his
dead men This was the meanes to purge him of his Melancholie LEVINVS LEMNINVS cap. 6. lib. 2. of the complexions of mans body The like Historye is read in IOVIANVS PONTANVS lib. 4. cap. 2. Of Wisdome Another supposing that he had a nose not onely a foot but many feete yea many fadome long and that hee carried an Elephants trounke the which was very heauy and hindered him much as hee saide beleeuing constantly that his nose toucht the Sauce and Dishes that came to the Table a Wise-man beeing called to assist him and fitting himselfe vnto his humour hee cunningly held a gut of bloud to the Patients nose and laying hold of his nose with-all hee cut this guâ—…te with a rasor then sodainely giuing a sleeping drinke vnto the sicke man when he awaked he made him beleeue that this great increase of his nose had bin cut off and hauing prescribed him a good rule for his dyet hee cured him of his melancholie LEVIN LEM in the same booke and chapter An other troubled with an Hypocondriacke Melancholy perswaded thimselfe that Toades and Frogges did eate his belly and there was no meanes to take from him this opinion In the ende his Physition saide vnto him that hee did verily beleeue that there was some such vermine in his body There-vpon hee giues him a purgation and causeth some Frogges and to ades to bee cunningly conueyed into his close stoole The Physicke hauing wrought they presently shew the Patient his excrements and these little beasts swimming aboue it the which purged the Melancholie that did possesse him LEVINVS LEMNIVS in the aboue named Treatise An other supposing that his buttocks were of Glasse could not bee perswaded to sitte downe for any businesse whatsoeuer fearing that if hee did sitte downe vppon any Chayre or stoole his buttockes would breake and that the peeces would flye here and there In the same Treatise I haue seene a Melancholike Man which did imagine that all the superficies of the world was very fine glasse that the part vnder it was all full of Serpents and that his bed was as it were in an Iland from whence if hee did stirre hee should breake the glasse and fall among the serpents and therefore it was not possible to drawe him from thence IOHN BAPTISTA MONTANVS in his Councells of Phisicke A Bourguignon beeing sicke of a burning feauer at Paris did affirme that he was dead and then his fantasie comming to change he intreated the Physitions not to hinder his soule which was in Purgatory from flying into paradise Sometimes he did counterfet one that was dying and giuing vp the ghost then he would say looke howe I die then afterwards he was surprized with dispaire and with a wonderfull strange feare They caused him to haue the Emoroydes and with other fit remedies they recouered him his health Comment vpon the 17. chap. of the 2. booke of M. I. HOVLIER of inward diseases It is an ordinary thing in melancholike men and such as are troubled in the braine not to sleepe and to continue in that estate many dayes and nights as it happened to one who was 14. whole months without sleepe FERNELIVS lib. 5. of his Panthologia cap. 2. Two Italian Gentlemen tormented with a melancholike humour and sometimes with a falling sicknesse so as they could not rest the one for some dayes the other for sixe months together alwayes crying and without any feauer were soone cured by mee in eight dayes by sleeping lotions distilled vpon the head and drinke made of Crisolite beaten to powder and infused in wine that afterwards they were neuer troubled with these infirmities CARDAN in his booke of admirable Cures Cure the 3. A melancholike man running in the night through the streets was by chance hurt in the thigh and hauing lost much of his bloud was eased and cured by that meanes HOVLIER in his Commentary vpon the 6. booke of HIPOCRATES Aphorismes Apho. 21. A Gold-smiths widow at Lions opprest with extreame melancholie by reason of sundry griefes after her husbands death did trouble them much to keepe her in her sicknesse And yet they could not watch her so narrowly but one day in the turning of a hand she cast her selfe out of a high Chamber windowe vpon the pauement in the street Rasin where shee was sore hurt in the head so as shee lost great aboundance of bloud and by this meanes recouered her right wits and within fewe dayes was cured of this fall The which happened within these fiue and twenty or thirty yeares Extracted out of my memorialls A Germaine remayning at Paris in the streete of Noyers seized with a melancholike humour and transported with madnesse in the night hee cut his owne throat with a knife and stab'd himselfe in manye places of the brest and belly whereof some entred and the other were but superficiall The next day some of his companions going to see him in the house of a Banker called PEROT where he was in pension they found him thus drest with a great aboundance of bloud lying about him Seeing this spectacle they thought his seruant had thus hurt him for that he laye in his Chamber Hee is taken and carried prisoner to the Chastelet charging him to haue thus murthered his Maister I was sent for to visit to dresse him and seing the winde-pipe and the mouth of the stomacke cut with many other wounds I had no hope of his life And therfore I aduised them to send for STEPHEN RIVIERE the Kings ordinary Surgion and GERMAIN CHEVAL a sworne Surgion at Paris where we concluded amongest vs to sowe vp the wound of his throat the which being done and bound vp the Germaine began presently to speake confessing that he himselfe had committed that excesse and discharging his poore seruant of the fact in our presence and of many others especially of twoe Notaries and a Comissarie of the Chastelet by this meanes the seruant was set at liberty and freely discharged by his maisters confession who liued foure daies but could neuer swalloe any sustenance being some-what norrished by nutritiue glisters and oderiferous things that did norrish as the cromes of a whot loafe steept in wine and others like M. AMâ—… PARE lib. 9. Cap. 31. A maker of Serges called STEPHEN a quiet man and a good workeman in his trade hauing suffered a melancholike humor to ceaze vpon him breeding feare and distrust in him in the daie time he gaue himselfe certen thursts in the belly with a knife going to that end to a garden of his Being thus hurt he returned to his chamber causinge him-selfe to be layde in his bed and thinking of his conscience he humbles him-selfe before God craues pardon for all his sinnes but especially for that preseuers in his repentance and confession in the presence of many which did visit him for some daies that he did Languishe I was one of them and did see him wonder-fully mooued with the words that were vsed vnto him as
by this burning poyson Secondly the ventricles of the heart were drie and without bloud Thirdly they did obserue that a peece of the mouth of the stomack was almost burnt and reduced to poulder IEROSME CAPIVACCIVS lib. 7. of his practise Chap. 12. I haue seene a young Child which neuer felt the hurt nor complayned till eight monethes after the biting but as soone as it descouered it selfe the Child died FRACASTOR lib. 2. of contagious diseases Chap. 10. Sometimes the biting is so sharpe and violent togither with the apprehension of the parties offended as death followes soone after as I haue seene in many namely in a Mint-man called MARTIN BVTIN and a scholemaster named ROBERT On a winter day about ten yeares since going early in the morning from their houses the one to worke at the Minte the other to teach certaine schollers they were one after an other bitten by a madde Dogge and had much adoe to free them-selues from him The same day they went to their bedds and died within a while after in good sence hauing had many trouble-some and pittifull fitts The one was my Neighbour and I did often visit him hee tooke delight to heare talke of his Saluation and died most Christian-like and so did the other But my Neighbour at my comming in vnto him cryed out that I should not come neere him if I would not haue him bite mee Once not thinking of it for the compassion I had of his torment for some-times hee did houle like vnto a Dogge approching neerer vnto him then I was accustomed he sodenly reacht out to get holde of mine arme with his teeth whereof he fayled for that his motion was not so quicke as mine Hepresently acknowledged his error and asked me forgiuenesse imputing it to the vehemencie of his paine As often as I thinke of that which I did see in the sicknesse of these two good men so often doth my Soule tremble crying out Lord thou hast beene our refuge from one generation to another c. And that which followes in the 91. Psalme not meaning notwithstanding to condemne those whome the wisdome of GOD who is iust and mercifull will visite thus in this world for with what rods soeuer he meanes to chastise those that belong vnto his Sonne his eternall grace fayles them not but they enter by all gates howe hideous soeuer they seeme to humaine sence into the Pallace of happie life and assured glory Extracted out of my Memorials I was called early in a morning in the yeare 1543. to goe see a Gentleman called ALEXANDER BRASQVE with some other Phisitions Hee would by no meanes drinke and as wee did enquire of the cause of his sicknesse those which did tend him did confesse that hee had kist a certaine Dogge of his which hee loued verye well before hee sent him to be drowned for that hee was madde Hee dyed the next day as I had fore-told CARDAN in the first Treatise lib. 2. contradict 9. A Peasant become madde and hearing that hee had not long to liue in the world made great instance to them that kept him and held him straightly bound for hee had some quiet seasons during the which hee spake sencibly that hee might bee suffered once to kisse his children for his last farewell This beeing granted him he kissed his children and so dyed but the seuenth day following his children became madde and after sundry torments they dyed as their Father had done Maister PAVMIER in his Treatise of contagious diseases pag. 266. I haue seene yet more Horses Oxen Sheepe and other Cattle haue become madde and dyed so hauing eaten a little Strawe whereon madde Swine had line In the same Treatise 267. ADAM SCHVEIDTLIN a Surgion did assure mee for certaine that about thirtie yeare since at Hassuelsel in Bauaria a Knight going to Horse-backe was bitten by the foote by a madde Dogge whereof hee made no accoumpt but a yeare and a halfe after hee began to growe madde so as hee bitte the flesh of his owne armes and was not apparantly sicke but two dayes â—…OHN BAVHIN Doctor of Phisicke at Basill in his learned Historie of madde Wolues running about Montbeliard in the yeare 1590. In the yeare 1535. a certaine Hoste in the Duchie of Wirtemberg serued his guests at the Table with Swines flesh the which a mad Dogge had bitten after they had eaten of this flesh they all fell mad Historie of Germanie Certaine Hunts-men hauing slaine a Wolfe made sundrie dishes of meate of the flesh but all that did eate of it became mad and dyed miserably FERNEL lib. 2. Of the hidden causes of things Chap. 14. I haue obserued that the biting of mad Wolues causeth Beasts to die presentlie that are toucht with their teeth Maister PAVMIER in his Treatise of Contagious Diseases Many haue noted that Wolues although they bee not madde yet by reason of their furie and ordynarie vyolence which appeares by their sparkling eyes and their insatiable deuouring they make the flesh of Beasts which they bite or kill to be very dangerous if it bee kept any time A famous Prince did sweare vnto mee that one of his Pages hauing found at a certaine Gentlemans house a Rapier hidden vnder a bed where-with some yeares before they had slaine a madde Dogge hee intreated him to giue it him which done going about to make it cleane and to scowre it beeing rustie in diuers places by mischance hee hurte himselfe a little in one of his fingers where-of hee fell madde and dyed before they could fore-see and preuent the danger ESAYE MEICHNER Physition in his Obseruations There was seene in Portugall a Man bitten with a mad Dogge the which lay hidden three yeares at the end whereof it appeared and hee dyed thereof AMATVS A Portugall Physition in his seuenth Centurie Cure 41. BALDVS a famous Lawyer playing with a little Dogge of his that was madde not knowing it was sleightly bitten on the lippe the which hee regarded not But after foure moneths hee dyed furious and madde and there was no meanes to helpe him for that he dyed not seeking to preuent it in time Maister AMBROSE PARE lib. 20. Chap. 21. In the same place hee propounds diuerse remedies against the biting of a mad Dogge the which he thinks auaileable if any one of them be vsed presently and hee saith that hee hath cured many that haue beene so bitten Among others he specifieth this example following One of the Daughters of Mistresse GRONBORNE at Paris was bitten with a madde Dogge in the middest of her right legge where the Dogge set his teeth very deepe into the flesh the which was cured Among all remedies Treacle saith he is singular causing it to be dissolued in Aqua-vite or in Wine and then rubbing the place therewith hard vntill it bleed then you must leaue within it Linte dipte in the sayd mixture and vpon the wound apply Garlike or Onions stampt or beaten with ordinarie Honie and Turpentine This remedie is excellent
is newe or strange vnto them I knowe one whom I doe not name for great considerations who besides the admirable knowledge hee hath of diuers Languages and sciences remembers the meanest things that hee hath seene in diuers Countries euen the names of Men Citties Townes Villages and Hamlets marking the circumstances of infinit things so as if anie one did put him into discourse of any Towne where hee had not beene these fiue and twentie or thirtie yeares hee will speake of all the particularities thereof more exactlie then hee that had continued there for the space of fiftie yeares togither and neuer come forth I will not speake of many great and excellent memories in France Italie and else where contenting my selfe with this for the present whereof some other time will shew other admirable obseruations Memorie lost and recouered againe A Siennois named ANTHONY being recouered of a great sicknesse found his memorie to faile him in such sort as he could not remēber any thing Being at Florence hee thought himselfe to be at Sienna neither could he discerne his friendes from his enemies Beeing abandoned of the Physitions as a madde-man after three weekes he had a great fl◅x whereby hee purged himselfe of strange humors the infectious vapors whereof had toucht the faculties of the spirit By meanes of which euacuation he recouered his vnderstanding and memorie so as hee remembred not what had chanced vnto him nor what hee had done during those three weekes A. BENIVENIVS Chapter 47. I haue seene a Friar who cured of a violent ague which had tormented him lost his memorie so as hee who before was a great Diuine did not now knowe A nor B. Hauing continued foure monthes in this estate he went to the Childrens Schole learning to knowe his letters This began to applie diuers remedies vnto him by the helpe whereof hee sodenly recouered his memorie so as hee shewed himselfe as learned as before his sicknesse CHRISTOPHER de VEGA Booke 3. of the arte of Physick Chap. 10. FRANCISQVO BARBARO a learned Venetian did in his old age forget the Greeke tongue in the which hee was very learned yet notwithstanding his Iudgement was good and his spirit perfect to write or dictate BASSIAN LANDVS lib. 1. of the History of man The same man beeing to make an oration before the Duke of Milan was at a non-plus hauing for-gotten what he intended to say RAPHAEL VOLATERRANVS Book 21. of his Anthropologia GEORGE TRAPEZONCE a very learned Greeke beeing growne olde hee forgot all that hee had knowne before The same Author Monsieur RONDELET a learned Physition in our time did report that a young man studying at Montpellier going throught the streetes in the night met with disordred fellowes which liued by spoile who thrust with a rapier at his bodie and hurt him very sore in the eye By the care of the Physitions and Surgions he was cured but hee fell into so great a forgetfullnesse of artes and sciences and especially of the facultie of Physicke in the which hee was well aduanced as hee remembred not any thing whatsoeuer so as they were faine to vse him like a Child of seauen yeares old setting him againe to his A B C. THOMAS IOVRDAN Chap. 2. of the 2. treatise of Signes of the plague I haue knowne an ancient man in France which spake good French and Latin plaied excellently well of the Lute and that was verie actiue at all exercises of the bodie and handled his weapon well through a sicknesse he was so depriued of all these things as hee did not remember the names of them neither yet had any habilitie in him no more then a yong Child and so were they faine to vse him and to set him to Schole againe as one that knewe nothing T. DAMIAN Chap. 13. of his Theorie of Physick GONSALVE GILLES of Bourgos a learned Diuine a Spaniard had in his time one of the happiest memories in the world the which notwithstanding hee lost wholie by a greeuious sicknesse into the which hee fell at his returne from Paris into Spaine ALVAR GOMECIO Booke 4. of the Historie of Cardinall XIMINES A certaine man beeing sore hurt in the head and with some difficultie cured at the ende of three monethes lost the remembrance of all that had happened vnto him FERNELIVS Booke 2. of his Panthologia Chap. 5. Father fertill in his ofspring IN the memory of our Fathers there was seene a village in Spaine of about a hundred houses whereof all the Inhabitants were issued from one certaine olde man which then did liue when as that village was so peopled so as the name of consanguinitie ascending and descending as well in the direct as the collaterall line fayled to shewe and distinguish howe the little Children should call him L. VIVES in his comentarie vpon the 8. Chap. of the 15. Booke of the Citty of GOD. Mothers fertill in Lignage issued from them IN Saint Innocents Church-yard in the Cittie of Paris is to bee seene the Epitaph of YOLAND BALLY widdowe to M. DENIS CAPEL a Proctor at the Chastelet which doth shewe that shee had liued foure score and eight yeares and might haue seene 288. of her Children and Childrens Children shee dyed the 17. of Aprill 1514. Imagine howe much she had beene troubled to call them by a proper denomynation that were distant from her in the fourth and fift degree E. PASQVIER Booke 6. of his Recerches of France Chap. 46. In our time there was a Lady of the noble family of the DALBOVRGS who saw of her race euen to the 6. degree The Germains haue made a Latin Distichon of it thus 1. Mater ait 2. Natae Dic. 3. Nata filia 4. Natam Vt moneat 5. Natae plangere 6. ◅iliolam That is to say The Mother said to her Daughter Daughter bid thy Daughter tell her Daughter that her Daughters Daughter cryes This is recited and written by Maister THEODORE ZVINGGER a Physition at Basil in the 3. volume of his Theater of Mans life lib. 11. Vigorous Mothers A Woman hauing had a continuall vomiting of bloud for the space of seauen whole moneths conceiued not-with-standing and was deliuered of a goodly Boye and a lustie A certaine other woman beeing with Childe had her Termes orderly and in greater aboundance then before her conception they continued vntill her lying in and yet they were no hinderance to her happye deliuerie More-ouer I haue seene one neere vnto GREVENBROVCH who beeing neere to her deliuerie had her Termes extraordinarilye voyding congealed bloud in great cloddes yet shee escaped well with her fruite R. SOLENANDER lib. 5. of his Councells Chap. 15. art 36. 38. 39. Mother and Children preserued from death IN the yeare 1564. about tenne or twelue daies after Easter diuers persons of the Towne of Ast did crosse the Riuer which passeth along the Towne in a boate the Water beeing very deepe and broade the boate being in the middest of the Riuer it beganne to leane on the
dayly happens wee see that many sick folkes haue no appetite by reason their ventricle is stuft with euill humors and they receiue lesse meate in a weeke then they did in a day when they were well But when a man of a sound bodie can but passe one or two daies without meate and not bee an hungred that exceedes the rules of nature and is a Diuine miracle Howe much more admirable is it that such a man should fast fortie daies togither in such manner that hee feeles no hunger hath no neede to resist the desire of eating nor hath any more appetite to meate or drinke then an Angell Wee beleeue that IESVS CHRIST had a bodie exceeding temperate and pure though hee were subiect to our infirmities according to the condition of his humaine natu◅e sinne excepted Wee acknowledge like-wise that MOYSES and ELIAS when they abstayned fortie da◅e togither from meate and drinke were in perfect health at that time and by a certaine prerogatiue exempted from the common life of men Wherevpon it ensueth that they are iustly esteemed for excellent miracles whereby the authority of those Prophets and of IESVS CHRIST were established Nowe it is no nouelty that the like effects should happen by the order of things which our most good and mighty GOD hath prescribed to nature and by an euident miracle against the lawes of the same nature For feauers and diuers other disseases which the Saints haue healed the Physitions doe also cure But the meanes which they vse make great difference in the case For the Saints by their worde or touch alone through the grace of GOD tooke away the causes of such effects with the necessity imposed vpon nature The Physitions do nothing but oppose vnto naturall things other like wise naturall whereby if the vertue of the remedies giuen by the Creator bee of greatest strength and that it be his will it should not bee in vaine at that time the cause which doth offend is defaced IESVS CHRIST throughly healed the inueterate course of menstruall bloud with the onely touch of the hem◅e of his garment and sayd hee felt that vertue was gone out of him for that effect but the womā touched that in faith which presented it selfe to her hand embracing the power of our Sauiour in her thought Wee by the art of Physick whereof he himselfe a mercyfull Father hauing pittie on mans condition is the true author institutor helpe our s◅lues in the like disseasses with certaine medicines So no question may an abundant phlegmatique humor naturally induce fasting as appeared in those before named which felt themselues well through the good pleasure of GOD. But besides these there are infi◅ite miracles that exceede our vnderstanding which neither humane Art nor Nature it selfe can any waie immitate Such is the curing of naturall blindnesse expelling of vncleane spirits out of humaine bodies raysing of the dead halfe rotten and such like which confirme the authority of the Almightie GOD. By this I thinke it appeares that things which are sayd to happen by a certaine Lawe of nature although but seldome reproue not true miracles nor dimynish their credit and that hee no way contradicteth the Chistian fai◅h which diligently examineth the causes of such euentes But rather is not the verity of vnfained miracles thereby confirmed the better in taking away the occasion of impostures therewithall to the ende they should not easily abuse the vnexperienced people For if any of those which liue without eating by reason of their cold intemperature and abundance of flegme should counterfeit the Prophet inspired of the euer lyuing GOD howe many thousands might hee drawe head-long into error and distruction Verily hee is impio◅s and ignorant of true nay dyuine Phylosophy which thinking of these things and considering them shall affirme it to bee wicked and irreligious to go aboute to distinguish with vnpainted reasons betweene the workes and as wee vse to say the miracles of nature and the miracles of GOD Which all good and Godly persons will freely confesse do belong to an honest religious charitable man These are Doctor IOVBERTS owne wordes whose booke was Printed at Paris the yeare 1579. It hath beene told me of a certaintie that there was a Chanon at Salamanca which went to Toledo and backe againe hauing remained there fifteene or twenty dayes without drinking any drop of Wine or Water from the time of his setting forth till his returne But that which puts me into a greater meruaile is that written by PONTANVS in his Booke of Meteors Of a man that in all his life neuer drunke a drop of any thing which LADISLAVS King of Naples vnderstanding made him drinke a little Water that greatly pained him at his stomack I haue also heard of diuers credible persons that in the Towne of Mansill not farre from the Cittie of Leon was a man liuing that vsed to be two or three moneths without drinking and neuer felt any harme or displeasure by it A. de TORQVEMADO in the first day of his Hexameron Imprinted the yeare 1582. Singular Modestie yeelding to a seuere Censure THere are few men to be found especially among them that are called learned which doe not highly esteeme their owne workes and endure reprehensions impatiently If there be any such found they deserue to be admired and imitated MARCILLIVS FICINVS a most learned Philosopher and renowmed Desciple of PLATO in our time hauing vndertaken PLATOES workes to Translate them out of Greeke into Latin cartyed his Translation vnto a very learned Man called MARCVS MVSVRVS CANDIOT to haue hi◅ aduise MVSVRVS seeing that this translation was done hastely and that it would not satesfie the expectation of many which did greatly affect it Beeing loth to haue his friend derided and to discharge himselfe of his promise hee takes a sponge and puts it into an Inck pot and so blots out all the first page of FICINVS translatiō then turning towards him hee sayd thou seest howe I haue corrected the first page if thou wilt I will do as much to the rest FICINVS without any choller answered him It is no reason that PLATO should be disgraced through my fault then he retired himselfe and hauing his second conceptions better refined he made a newe translation worthie both of the maister and the disciple ZVINGER in the 1. tome of his Theater A Mocker mockt A Certaine man remayning at Onzain neere to Amboisse being perswaded by an hostesse who committed the infamous crime of Adulterie with him to make shewe for the freeing of her husband of all future Iealousie that hee would be gelt by one called M. PETER des SERPENS Surgion at Villantrois in Berry he sent for his kins-folks and after that hee had tould them that hee neuer durst discouer his griefe vnto them hee was in the ende brought to that extremity as he was forced to take that course wherevpon he made his will And to make the better shewe of it after that he had
vnto Forly where as hee past all that day in terrible discourses and agitations of the minde as euery one may coniecture Returning late and finding the doores shut he lay vpon a dunghill vntill daie-light In the morning hee enters goes and hides him-selfe in a Carpenters house where he continued sixe whole monethes Without any bookes or conference with any man He liued a good while after quite changed from what he was carelesse of the true or false religion and died miserably BARTHELM◅VVE of Bolognia in his life In the yeare 1552. ALDANA a Spaniard Lieutenant to King FERDINAND in the warre of Hongarie going to the seege of Segedin he committed FIGVEROA a Spanish Captaine to the gards of boates at the passage of a Riuer named Tisse who hauing newes of ALDANAS shamefull flight vpon a vaine feare did as his Commander and hauing left the passage he studied howe to make his retreat Soone afterwardes beeing in rage against himselfe for his error hee resolued to kill him-selfe the which his rider did hinder all hee could but FIGVEROA beeing determined to doe the deede hee intreated his ryder to staie for him vnder a tree whilest that hee went to vntrusse a pointe His man who had taken his armes from him obeyed him in the rest But beeing at his ease vnder the tree hee fell a sleepe attending his Maister FIGVEROA approching softly vnto him stoole awaie a pistoll where-with hee slue him-selfe vpon the place ASCANIVS CENTVRIVS Booke 4. of his Hi◅torie of the warre of Transiluania The Venetians hauing beene defeated at Guiaraddade by King LEVVIS the twelfth the foureteene daie of May 1509 and then spoyled of most of that which they held vpon the maine land being amazed at their Losses and fearing least the King should proceede with his victories their affaires in their owne opinions beeing reduced to the extremity the feare which they had conceiued was so violent as without any good consideration of them-selues or aduice their companies being retired to a place called Mestre lyuing at discretion without anie military discipline they resolued to quit the Seigneurie of the firme Lande that they might haue no more the Emperor King nor Pope for their enemies as before they had as also to take all occasion from the King of approching to Venise They feared some tumult also in the Cittie by the people or by the great multitude of Strangers that did inhabit there these for the desire of spoile and those because they would not endure seeing they were borne in the same C◅ttie and many of the same bloud and famely to see themselues depriued of honors and publicke charges and to be in a manner subiect to the Gentlemen in all things To increase their despaier and want of courrage this reason was yet alledged in the Senat that if they did willingly abandon and quit the Seigneury to flie the present dangers good fortune returning they should recouer it the more easily for that the people which had bin voluntarily seperated from them would make no so great resistance not to returne vnder the obedience of their ancient Lords as if they had beene deuided by a manifest rebellion By these reasons the Venetian generositie was layed vnder foote with the greatnesse of that glorious Common-weale beeing content to retaine onelie the salt Waters they sent Commissions to their Magistrates and officers that were in Padoua Verona and other Townes appointed by the atticles of the League to the Emperour MAXIMILIAN commanding them to depart presently and to leaue them in the peoples power Moreouer to the ende they might obtaine a peace of MAXIMILIAN at what price and with what conditions soeuer they sent vnto him with great speede ANTHONY IVSTINIAN for Ambassador who hauing a publicke audience hee made a pittifull oration and with great submission but it was in vaine for the Emperor refused to make any accord without the King with whome the Venetians would not by anie meanes treate This Oration you may reade at large in GVICIHARDIN the which doth shewe as appeeres by the Annotations in the margent the basenesse of man-kinde which aduersitie doth laie open and shewe what it is that is to say wretched in euery sort and that when as mans eloquence is amazed his discouses are Childish and full of importunate and insupportable fllaterie To conclude in all the Venetians submissions who yeelded themselues as it were with halters about their neckes to one that could not greatly releeue them wee see daiely the fruites of feare which subiects all polliticke States as well as priuate persons to base actions and the soueraig◅e Iudge abating the power of their seates and confounding the greatest and wisest wittes of this worlde FR. GVICHIARDIN Booke 8. Sect. 7. 8. 9. In that famous Battaile of Pauia in the yeare 1524. IOHN DIESPACH Colonell of the Suisses seeing his Battay lion charged and put to route by the Marquis of Guast generall of the Imperiall foote hauing made no fight and that neither with words nor with his sword he could make their enseignes turne againe hee was so opprest with greefe as hee resolued to haue no share in this infamous retreate Where-vpon hee runnes desperatlie among the enemies and their fighting valiantly dyed like a worthie Commaunder in the Warre P. IOVIVS in the life of the Marquis of Pescara liber 16. POMPERANT a French Gentleman seeing Auerse taken by the troupes of the Emperor CHARLES the 5. being amazed at this inconuenience lifting vp his eyes to Heauen and oppressed with extreame sorrowe he fell downe to the Earth and so died with his eyes open notwithstanding any remedies that could bee applied vnto him P. IOVIVS lib 26. of his Histories ZEANGER Sonne to SVLTAN SOLYMAN seeing vpon the ground the body of his Brother MVSTAPHA who had beene strangled with a bowe-string by the Fathers commandement in the presence of this Parricide ◅ee pulled out his poynard and after some reproches slue himselfe ASCANIVS CENTORIVS Booke 6. of the warres of Transiluania ALPHONSO ALBVGVERGVE Lieutenant for the King of Portugal at the East-Indies hauing about the yeare 1514. setled Gouernors in Malaca to administer Iustice to merchants being two noblemen of the Country the one called NINACHETVEN the other VTERIMVTA◅AIA a while after he changed his opinion and intreated NINACHETVEN to resigne his dignity to giue it to an other Noble-man that was King of Campar which is a little kingdom in those Coūtries towards the South NINACHETVEN vnderstanding that they were gone tofetch this petty King to install him in his place resolued with himselfe not to endure to bee so degraded Hee therefore caused a high Scaffold to be built supported by certaine Pillers hung with Tapistry and beautified with Flowers and store of Persumes This done hee put on a roabe of cloth of gold all couered with precious Stones being thus appointed he came into the streete and went vp the staires vnto the Scaffold There was belowe a pile of sweete Wood orderly laide and kindled
happen to bee with child shee should presently be found guilty of Adultery Lib. 1. Of the conference of Antient wonders with moderne I haue seene with mine eyes a Gentle-man sitting by a Gentle-woman an honest Widdow whom hee sought to marrye as afterwards hee did Discoursing with her one day at Dinner a Veyne of the Temple neere vnto his Eare opened of it selfe from the which there issued and came very much blood the which he thought to stoppe with his Hand-kercher I was sitting at the table with them in a Castle whether I was called to cure a Gentleman that was sicke MAT. CORNAX lib. 1. Of his consultations of Physicke chap. 3. A yong mayden being kept from marriage grewe so sad as shee wept continually and would admit no comfort whereof followed an extreame paine in her head which bread a falling sicknes whereof soone after she died The same Author A certain Knight an Albanois hauing after great su◅e obtayned an honest Italian Widowe to his wife beeing one of the fairest women of her time after some months he grew iealous of her without any cause with a wonderfull strang passion For he had no opinion of her that shee eyther had or would wrong her honor but only he was trobled what should become of her after his death fearing least any other should enioye so rare a beauty Vpon this passion which did torment him continually he takes a furious resolution One night which was the last hauing shewed all the loue he could deuise vnto his wife who loued him sincerely in the ende he drew a naked Dagger from vnder his beds head and imbracing his wife with the one hand hee stabbed her with the other Which done he strikes himselfe to the heart and dies presently The wife not quite dead reports the whole history to such as came running ◅n at the crie of her chamber-maide and that the Knight had discouered his strange and cruell Iealousie a little before hee strooke her and then she died quietly Hist. of Italy A young Gentleman in the Emperor CHARLES the fift his Court beeing in loue with a Gentle-woman wrought so as partly by loue partly by force he had her maiden-head the which beeing knowne and hauing cōmitted this act in the Emperors Court he was committed to prison and condemned to loose his head and hauing notice giuen him ouer night that the next day should ende his life that night was so terrible vnto him and wrought such an impression as the next day comming out off prison to go before the seate of Iustice heare the sentence of death no man did know him no not the Emperor him-selfe For feare had so chaunged him that whereas the day before hee had a Vermillion hewe of a flaxen hayre and of a pleasing aspect hee was now like vnto a bodye taken out off the Graue hauing the hayre of his head and beard like to one of seuentye yeares olde and hee had the resemblance more of one that had beene hanged then of a lyuing man The Emperor thinking there had bin some fraud vsed and that some other offender had beene foysted into this Gentlemans place who was not yet 28. yeares old hee caused a search to bee made whence this wonderfull and sodaine change should come and then beholding wistly this poore offender thus terrefied the desire of iust vengeance was conuerted and turned into mercye and as it were reuiued out of a deepe amazement hee said vnto him I pardon thy offence commanding that they should let him goe adding withall that hee had beene punished sufficiently for his fault without the losse of his head LEVINVS LEMNIVS lib. 2. chap. 2. Of the complexion of mans body Where-vnto hee dooth adde certaine reasons of this strange alteration The which I heere set downe adding some words for the better explaning thereof Beeing demanded of a great personage the cause of this prodigious change I answered that wee must impute it to the deepe apprehension and attentiue thought of approching death peercing through the heart for the affection and passion of the minde beeing amazed was so violent and so bitter to the young Gentleman as the vitall spirits were almost quencht and suffocated in him all the parts of the bodye loosing their liuely and pleasing colour did wither and fade sodainely so as the rootes of the hayre nourished and watred by the fuming vapour that is betwivt the skinne and the flesh as the herbes in the ground that are toucht with a cold and drie quality they did wither and presently loose their naturall beautye for euen as the leaues of Trees and Vines in the heate of Sommer growe some times y◅alow and pale by any excesse of heate hayle rayne or a cold Northerly wind euen so the vigour of the bodye the colour the outwarde shewe the hayre which is no part but simply a dependance of the bodye takes the colour of gray or white because that which did maintayne them is quencht The which wee doe see happen to most men that haue beene in dangers in the Warres or in hazard at Sea or that haue beene toucht with dangerous diseases for then they thinke but of one thing which is that Death hath taken them by the throat if not perchance through long custome solide instruction and good resolution by the precepts of true Philosophie and by the assistance of more then a humane spirit they bee not accustomed nor vsed to feare so much The which wee see is ordinary and common in manye olde Souldiars and Martiners in regard of their long and continuall practise When as the horrour of Death surpriseth anye one or that the imagination thereof more bitter then death it selfe is framed in the thought they die sometimes before they are dying as it hath happened vnto many or else the Senses are dulled and mortefied so as the offenders feele not the stroakes as we haue seene in many that haue beene be-headed and broken vppon the Wheele resembling men that haue Apoplexies Lethargies falling-Sicknes Sowndings or like to others which open their eyes yet neither see nor knowe any man The dangers incident to Sea and Land whereas the Image of Death appeares before their eyes and doth fixe it selfe more strongely in the thought make them that are in them to tremble and looke pale the blood retires it selfe and flies from all parts towards the fortresse of the heart all the parts of the body in an instant want their norishment not any one doth discharge his due function but the feete stagger the sight growes dymme the force fayles the vnderstanding becomes blunt the spirit dull the cheekes leane and withered the tongue fumbling and the teeth shaking in the head To conclude there is no man how strong and confident so euer that is not amazed when any mortall danger surpriseth him sodainely True it is that a Christian fixing his hope in the grace of GOD recouers his spirits by little and little shakes of feare assures himselfe and becomes
Silesia Sometimes there happens sharpe and dangerous paines in the head which cause a dimnesse of the sight a decay of vnderstanding a suppression of the voyce a vomiting and a want of naturall heate through-out all the body A friend of mine named PHILIP was troubled with all these infirmities so as all men expected his death the seuenth day no Phisicke helping him in the ende by the helpe of Nature which was strong in him hee cast forth a Worme at his right nostrill the length of foure or fiue fingers breadth where-by hee was cured BENIVENIVS Chap. 100. I did see one of the Seigneurs of Venice tormented with a feuer but much more in the night then in the day in the end he cast out at his nostrils a Grayish Worme about foure fingers long the which had feete proportioable to the body and being put into a Glasse full of water it did mooue swiftly It came out at the nose wrapt in the snot with thick and black bloud TRINCAVEL lib. 9. Chap. 11. A young Maiden being sick at the signe of the Lanterne at Saint Iames Port in Paris thrust forth at one of her nostrils a Worme that was bigge and large that was foure fingers long without any Coughe or Vomiting going before This was the 9. of Aprill 1553. Annotations vpon the first Booke of Maister HOVLIER of inward diseases Chap. 54. I haue knowne a certaine man hauing an Vlcer in his nostrils from whence did distill poysoned corruption By my aduice hee dropt in the Iuyce of Tobacco leaues At the second time there came forth of his nostrils a great number of Wormes and afterwards lesse in the end after some dayes the Vlcer was cured MONARDVS in his collection of Simples beyond the Sea MONTVVS in his worke of growing diseases Chap. 4. reports after VELASQVES that there are Wormes which breed vnder the tongue I. SCHENCK in his Obseruations liber 1. Sect. 387. Many other learned Phisitions agree and maintaine with AVICENNE and other Ancients that Wormes breed in the teeth the which they drawe forth with diuers perfumes ALEX. BENEDICTVS lib. 6. Chap. 13. Of the cure of diseases BENIVVENIVS Chap. 100. DO DONEVS in his Scholiast RONDELET in his Historie of Fishes in his Chapter of Creuises TH. de VEGA in his Comentar vpon the â—… Booke Chap. 5. Of affected places of GALLEN HOVLIER in his Annotations vpon the fift Booke of GALLEN Of compounded Medicines I haue made mention else-where of a young Prince after his death being opened there was found a white Worme fastened vnto the heart which had the beake pointed and hard like vnto that of a Chicken Others in their Annotations vppon Mounsieur HOVLIENS worke of inward diseases obserue vpon the 29. Chapter of the 1. Booke that some times it happens that wormes tickling not onely the orifice of the stomack but also the heart it selfe death doth presently ensue I haue also spoken of a Florentine who beeing dead of an Apoplexie was opened where there was a Worme found in the filme of the heart RONDELET speaking of the Riuer Creuisse in his History of Fishes saieth That hee had seene a Worme breeding in one of the brests of an Honorable Gentlewoman BALDVVIN ROVSETVS a Phisition of Holland in the 10. Chapter of his Miscellania reportes the like of another Woman H. MONTVVS a learned Physition doth maintaine that there are wormes breed in the Veines of mans body PLINIE doth also write it lib 26. Chap. 13. I. SCHENCK lib. 3. of his Obseruations Sect. 52. One demanded councell of a Spaniard by Letters and helpe for one that was troubled with grauell who hauing voyded some stones and much sand did also put forth at his yarde two little Wormes hauing pointed beakes two hornes vpon the head as a Snaile the backe and belly was as it were couered with scales black like a Tottoise but vnder the belly which was redde Annotations vpon the 50. Chapter of the 1. Booke of Maister HOVLIER Of inward diseases I haue wondred to see in mine owne Vrine a great great number of Wormes short and little like to small Lice CARDAN in his Coment vpon the 76. Aphorisme of the fourth Booke of HIPPOCRATES GILBERT GRIFEON an excellent Physition and some-times my Schoole-maister hath some-times shewed mee Wormes in Vrines as small as haires the which wee could not see but in looking very neere RONDELET in his History of Fishes in the Chapter of the Riuer Creuish I haue seene in an Vrine Wormes as large as Gourd seedes flatte and aline MONTVVS liber 4. Chap. 19. ARGENTERIVS a most learned Physition doth affirme that hee had seene the forme of a winged Dragon comming forth with the Vrine RONDELET in his Treatise of the Knowledge of Diseases Mounsieur DVRET a Physition hath assured mee that hee did voyde at his yarde after a long and greeuous sicknesse a little Beast aliue very strange and wonderfull to behold which was of a reddish coulour CHARLES Earle of Mansfield beeing very sore sicke of a continuall Feuer cast forth at his yarde a Worme of the very forme of a blacke Pye AMBROSE PARE lib. 19. Chap. 3. I haue seene in the Vrines of diuers that haue beene sicke of the great Poxe Wormes like vnto Antes LEMNIVS lib. 2. Chap. 40. Of the secret miracles of Nature One being troubled with difficultie of making water voyded by his yarde a little liue Scorpion I. SCHENCK lib. 3. of his Obseruations Sect. 312. In the Bladder of some persons Wormes doe breede and little Beasts like to Cockles of the Sea ALEX. BENEDICT lib. 2. Chap. 22. of his Anotomie I attribute much credit in Phisicke and Surgerie to experience applyed to reason An honorable Woman did voyde by the neck of the Matrix a great number of Wormes called Ascarides soone after recouered her health GARSIAS LOPES in his diuers Lessons of Phisick Chap. 13. Visiting one FREDERIC seruant to FRANCIS BOVRSAT a Lawyer beeing full of paine with an Impostume that was growne at the ende of his middle finger the which beeing ripe I caused to bee lansht out of the which there came presently a white Worme wolly hauing a black head as bigge as those Maggots that are found in Cheeses after the which FREDERIC was cured MARCELLVS DONATVS lib. 4. of his Historie Chap. 26. A certaine Man hauing a swelling or Wenne on his necke as bigge as an Egge by chance being in a quarrell hee was wounded very sore in the same place the which was found to bee full of quicke Lice and the patient was cured of his hurt of his Wenne and of his Vermie PETER FOREST in his Obseruations Maister CORNELIVS HEYDIVS a Physition at Delft hath told me that practising in the Franche Countie hee had a Maide in cure which had a crooke back who feeling a great itching on that part hee thought it was some Impostume applying things fit to make it ripe Being opened there came out of it matter as cleere as water with a
hauing no head The heires runne presently and seize vpon his succession that was dead but they did not long enioy it The widow being risen out of child-bed felt her selfe very heauy thinking it had beene the swelling of some humors gathered together in her body by reason of her heauinesse Some Physitians whose aduise shee did aske were of the same opinion not once dreaming of that which followed soone after And therefore they aduised her to goe to certaine bathes and minerall waters along the Rhine whether shee went accompanied with one maide where she arriued in Iuly At that time the Elector of Saxonie was there with his Wife and many other Princes and Princesses so as the poore widowe being destitute of a lodging was forced to repaire to the Prouost or Mayor of the place acquainting him with her condition In the end shee obtained with great intreatie to lodge in the Prouosts house for that night This night being ten weekes after her first birthe shee was brought in bedde of a goodly Sonne whereof the Princes being aduertised the next day and of the whole History did honour her for the Elector of Menzt made her a stately feast according to the custome of Germany Hee of Saxonie gaue her a thousand Dollers and they forced them that had seized vpon the inheritance to leaue it to the lawfull heire new borne who was left in the garde and keeping of his Mother The same Children dead in their Mothers wombes and put forth by strange meanes LOVYSE POVPARD wife to Maister NICHOLAS SEVIN called Champgaste of Orleans thinking that her termes were not stopt but by reason of a quarten ague for then they doe commonly cease was conceiued with Child but not beleeuing it shee vsed such Phisicke letting of bloud and other applications as they do vsually as well for the quarten ague as for the hardnesse of the splene the which they tooke then for the childe that was in her belly not conceiuing what it was but rather some masse gathered together by the pretended retention of the menstruall bloud In the end the child being dead and the parts growne more soft being rotten without any shew of deliuery in time the bones disioyned within her and did pierce the Matrix behinde towards the great gutte so as she then began to voide them by little and little by the seege and among others a whole bone of the legge Hauing languished thus a long time shee dyed and was opened the sixt day of February 1565. by FLORENT PHILIP and MICHEL PICHARD who found nothing within her but rotten bones and especially those of the head with admiration how shee could so long sub-sist This woman seemed to haue beene curable by the Gastrotomia or section of hir belly if her greefe had beene knowne in time and the remedy that is vsed in Caesarien birthes practised discreetly FR. ROVSSET in his Histerotomotie CATHERINE des FIEFS Lady of Oucy neere vnto Milly in her second marriage fell sicke and with Childe at one instant not imagining that shee was conceiued and was Phisicked at Paris being sicke as the other had beene at Orleans with many helpes yea entring into a sweating diet notwith-standing that one of the Queenes Mid-wiues did iudge her to be with Childe by all the accidents of a woman in that case orderly obserued by her from the staying of her termes vnto milke in her brests and so to the ninth moneth at which time all did cease with the free motion of the childe hauing then paines of child-bearing without effect and presently after there followed all the signes of a dead childe whereof they yet tooke no heed So returning from Paris to her house she euer after carried this child suffocated euen vnto her dying day which was fifteene moneths after the ninth precedent that it was aliue The soft parts rotting and falling away beneath were held with good reason by N. PONET a learned Phisition of Melun for filthe comming out of the Matricall vlcer and the bones remaining for a tumor of the spleene In the end being dead and opened the 3. of October 1570. by LVC CHAMPENAIS and IAMES DAZIER Barbers at Milly in the presence of the Seigneiors of Verran and la Gainiere with many others there was yet found in her much corruption no matrix and all the bones of a child some rotten others whole and among others one of the two that ioyne vnto the shoulder vpon the brest hauing already pierced the skin that couereth the bowels and the Muscles of the belly nothing remaining but the skin which did appeare without on the left side all blacke the which had long before beene taken for a tumor of the spleene If her griefe had beene well looked into by the concurrence and continuance of signes in her greatnesse the child being dead and other co-incidences wel obserued by order and knowne what it was there had beene hope when as she could not be deliuered to haue saued both her and her fruite by the Gastrotomia or Caesarien section or else the child being dead to haue preserued the Mother by the meanes of this section beeing then the onely and most necessarie remedie In the same Treatie The like mournfull effect followeth the like cause in the Wife of a Chirurgion at Montpellier called AVSME assisted as it is to be presaged by the most famous Phisitions of that reuerend Colledge who as Maister RONDELET reports in the 65 Chap. of his Method of Curing hauing a childe rotten in the Matrix cast out a part by morcels the great bone remaining behinde so as within a while after she dyed In the same Treatie Maister I. ALIBOVX a learned Physition at Sens in Bourgongne writes in a Letter of his to FR. ROVSSET these wordes Here neere vnto my lodging hath fallen out an accident as strangely as your Caesarien section A woman with childe being aged or otherwise could not be deliuered but by morcels shee had eyther side of the bottome of her belley very much swelled by reason of the violence of their Instruments with all signes of an Impostume the which did also communicate with the passages of Nature from that part of the belly beeing layde open by corosey came a great aboundance of filthe and as much more of the like substance and coulour by the neather parts shee would not suffer mee to sound it with the Instrument to descerne precisely and aduisedly the bottome of the Synuositie but without it it appeared plainely that the Impostume and the ouer-ture thereof did pierce into the Matrix by the common accidents obserued and kept according to the order of times and by the like excrements the one and the other beeing cured by the same meanes and at the same time In the same Treatie A dead Childe hauing beene violently drawne with 〈◊〉 from a bakers wife called COLETTE SIMON without hurting the skin that lapt the Child in the belly shee happened in 5. daies to haue a great swelling of either
side in the bottome of her belly with apparēt signes of an Impostume so as an opening was made by Corosiue on the one side from whence the Surgion did drawe with his hand a quantitie of congealed bloud rotten and stinking the other side abating nothing neyther could the Surgion bring away any of the skinne that lapt the Child being forced to make a new opening on the other side frō whence he did draw the skin that lapt the child not without extreame paine in this danger and despaire for shee remained as one halfe dead and kept her bedde three yeares two yeares after shee went with Cruches then with a Staffe and in the ende shee recouered her helth in such sort as shee had many Children and among others one named SEBASTIEN who liued long In the same treatie M. N. de VILLENEVFVE an ancient Physition in Prouence writs to the same FR. ROVSSET these words I confesse in this long time that I haue liued he was then sixtie yeares olde and liued aboue fiue and twentie yeares after in great vigour of bodie and minde I did neuer see this practise whereof you write vnto mee of a woman deliuered of her Childe by the side and yet to liue I do well remember that MADAME de PILES NONIES hauing the lower part of her belly much swelled I caused Maister MAVRACE a Surgion of this Towne of Vaureas to make an opening in the bellie by an actuall Corosiue peercing into the hollowes of the matrix from whence there issued as well by the neither partes as by the place so opened aboue seauen pounds of filthie matter the one like vnto the other and to bee the better assured of the place wee did open the nether part with an instrument where wee did see the greatnesse of the matricall vlcer the which wee cured in sixe monethes since which time shee had a Daughter this was in the yeare 1552. VILLENEVFVE seemes to desseine a conception and the fruite wholie putrefied and reduced into this merueilous quantity of corruption although that M. ROVSSET thinkes it was onely an Impostume in the matrixe The same VILLENEVFVE reports in an other letter to the sayd ROVSSET that he had caused the like cauterisation to be made vpon that which is vpon the belly of a woman married to BRISSET an Apothicary at Mont-limar in the yeare 1558. peercing it euen into the inward part of the matrix so as the corruption sprong out to the beddes feete and at the same instant a great quantitie of the like filth came forth by the lower partes Shee was cured in 3. monethes and soone after conceiued and since shee hath had three Sonnes and one Daughter In the same treatie M. MATHIAS CORNAX Phylosopher and Physition to the Emperour at Vienna in Austria reports in a Treatie written in Latin and often printed some admirable and memorable Histories like vnto the former I will ommit many circumstances of places yeares and daies personages and witnesses produced to auoyde tediousnesse the summe is this MARGV◅RITE wife to the host of the red Creuise at Vienna about 25. yeare old who before had had some Children shee was conceiued for the third or forth time in the yeare 1545. hauing felt as of custome the Childe to stirre and the time of her deliuerie come shee could bring forth nothing so as for the space of foure whole yeares shee carried her Childe dead the same beeing past as it appeered from the hollownes of the Matrix being rotten through the bodie vlcered there-with towardes the bowells and there causing a great swelling an opening was made by the aduise of CORNAX in the middest of that which is vpon the bellie to voide the corruption The Physitions and Surgions could not thinke there was anie Childe considering the lapse of time during the which the poore woman had beene afflicted with verie strange paines Yet a Childe was drawne from her which was not so rotten the which was admirable but it might well bee discerned for a male There happened an other wonderfull strange thing that this honest young woman which had liued with death for so manie yeares was in a manner miraculously drawne out of the graue and recouered her perfect helth Let vs adde a third meruaile at a yeares ende shee conceiued and bare an other Sonne his full time The time of her deliuerie beeing come beeing in some great difficultie and almost without any possible meanes to bee deliuered like vnto other women CORNAX was called the second time who aduised the Mother and other women there present that they should suffer her to bee opened as at the former time giuing verie manie reasons for his Counsell wherevnto the young woman yeelded But the Mother and the other women that were there opposed mightely against it saying that they must referre all to the almightie GOD and let nature worke in easing her by some other meanes lesse dangerous CORNAX beeing thus gaine sayed retired with the Surgion who had made the former section But presently after the young woman dyed and could not bee deliuered Soone after they cald them back and being dead there was drawne from her by section a goodly boy likely to haue liued if hee had beene helpt with his Mother as this learned Physition did pretend In the same worke there is a letter written to the same CORNAX by M. ACHILLES GASSAR a learned Physition of Ausbourg conteyning the like history in the same circūstances of a woman to whom a yeare being past that she could not bee deliuered of a Child at the due time the Child like vnto that of the woman of Vienna was gone frō the hollownes of the Matrix being vlcered towards the kidneis as it did appeere plainly for that it had made a shewe of an Impostume in the bellie and principally on the left side the Surgion drewe from her boane after boane who beeing cured had a Childe since Hee reportes in the same booke the Historie sent vnto him by Maister GILLES HERTOGE a famous Physition at Bruxelles of a woman who not able to bee deliuered of her Childe the flesh and softe partes of the Child being voided belowe in rotten corruption they did feele the bones to grate together and did marke them with the hand vnder that which couers the bellie and yet this accident which was so strangely troublesome and insupportable to a fine and delicate woman did not much hinder the actions of this courragious woman who carried this Crosse thirteene whole yeares This could not bee without peercing of the Matrix the which notwithstanding was cured as needes it must for that no filth nor corruption distilled downe by the lower parts ' as else it would haue done More-ouer she had her termes orderly and desired nothing so much as to finde Physitions and Chirurgions that would vnder-take to make a conuenient section to draw forth those cracking bones Maister FRANCIS ROVSSET representing in his Treatie of the Caesariens deliuery the third History aboue mentioned