into Bourdeaux and beeing possest of all without blowe stroken tooke from the Citizens by vertue of his commission all there tittles recordes and documents of their rightes and priuiledges depriued them of all their honours burnt all their priueleges caused the Court Parliament to cease disarmed all the Inhabitantes tooke downe their Belles depriued them of all their Immunities and Freedomes constrayning the principalls of the Towne to the number of a hundred and fortie to goe seeke the Bodie of the Lord of Monneins at the Carmelites and to remooue it with mourning to Saint Andrewes where it is Interred hauing first with a wax Candle lighted in their handes asked mercie of almightie GOD the King and Iustice before the lodging of the Constable L'ESTONNAC the two Brothers of SAVLX and others had their heads cut off The Marshalles Prouost with a stronge troupe ranne through the Country of Burdelois BAZADOIS and AGENOIS executing them that had caused the larum Bell to bee rung In the ende the two Colonells of the commons called TAILEMAIGNE and GALAFFRE were taken who were broken vpon the wheele beeing first crowned with a Crowne of burning Iron as a punnishment of the souerainty they had vsurpt Certaine monethes after Burdeaux was established in her former estate and after the leauying some summes of money the exactiōs that were cause of these troubles were abolished History and Annales of France vnder HENRY the second Diuers remarkable commotions happened with in this hundred yeares in diuers parts of the world you shall read GOD willing in the following volumes for this time wee present you with the precedent History as an essay of the rest Prodigious spirits IT is not long since there died one CONSTANTIA who counterfeited most sorts of voices some-times hee would singe like an Nightingale who cold not chant diuision better then hee some-time brey like an Asse some-times grumble and barke like three or foure Dogges fighting togither counterfecting him that beeing bitten by the other went crying away with a Combe in his mouth hee would counterfeit the winding of a Cornet all these things hee did so excellent well as neither the Asse nor the Dogges nor the Man that winded the Cornet had any aduantage of him I haue seene and spoken with such a one oftentimes at my owne house but aboue all that which is most admirable is that hee would speake somtimes with a voice as it were inclosed in his stomacke without opening his lippes or very little at all in such manner as if hee were neere you and called you would haue thought the voice had come from a farre and so as diuers of my friends haue beene often deceiued by him Maister PASQVIER in the fift booke of his Recherches of France There is also there recited two other examples of prodigeous Spirits which I will adde to the other The first is of one MOVLINET an ancient French Poet who reports that hee hath seene a man that sunge both the note and ditty of a songe very readily at one time The other is of a young man that came to Paris in the yeare 1445. Not aboue twentie yeares olde who knewe these are the wordes of a Notary of that time all the seauen liberall Artes by the Testimonie of all the learned Clerkes of the Vniuersitie of Paris and could play on all kinde of Instrumentes singe and sett better then any other exceeding all in Paris and there abouts in painting and limming a very expert Souldiar playing with a two hand sworde so wonderfully as none might compare with him for when hee perceiued his enemie comming hee would leape twentie or foure and twentie footes vpon him Hee was also a Maister in Artes a Doctor in Phisick a Doctor of the Ciuill and Cannon Lawe a Doctor in Diuinity And for certaine hee hath disputed with vs of the Colledge of Nauar beeing fiftie in number of the best Schollers in Paris and with more then three thousand other Schollers to all which questions asked him hee hath answered so boldly as it is a wonder for them that haue not seene him to beleeue it Hee spake Latin Greeke Hebrewe Caldey Arabique and many other tongues Hee was a Knight at armes and verily if it were possible for a man to liue an hundreth yeares without eating drinking or sleeping and continually studying yet should he not attaine to that knowledge that he had done certainlie it was a great astonishment to vs for hee knew more then in humaine reason might be comprehended Hee vnderstood the foure Doctors of the Church and to conclude not to bee parareld in the world for wisedome Behold then this prodigious spirit with some others that we haue seene in our Time amongst whom was IOHN PICVS and IOHN FRANCIS PICVS his Nephew Princes of Mirandola IVLIVS CAESAR SCALIGER and others for the most part dead some other yet liuing whom I will forbeare to name Sparkles of Fire IT hath happened in my time to a Carmelite Friar that alwayes and as oft as hee put back his hood one might see certaine sparkles of fire come from the haire of his head which continued in him for the space of thirteene yeares together Madam of Caumont if she combed her haire in the darke seemed to cast forth certaine sparkles of fire from her head SCALIGER in his excersitations against CARDAN It happened vpon a time to a certaine Preacher in Spaine that from the crowne of his head downe to his shoulders one might see a flame of fire issue which was held for a great miracle HERMOLAVS BAREARVS in the fourth Booke of his Phisickes Chap. 5. Fantastiques THere are some Nations that when they are eating they couer themselues I know a Lady yea one of the greatest who is of opinion that to chew is an vnseemly thing which much impaireth their grace and beautie and therefore by her will she neuer comes abroad with an appetite And a man that cannot endure one should see him eate and shunneth all company more when he filleth then when he emptieth In the Turkish Empire there are many who to excell the rest will not be seene when they are a feeding and who make but one meale in a weeke who mangle their faces and cutt their limmes and who neuer speake to any body who thinke to honour their nature by disnaturing themselues O fanaticall people that prize them selues by their contempt mend by their empayring what monstrous beast is this that makes himselfe a horror to himselfe whom his delights displease who tyes himselfe vnto misfortune MONTAIGNE in his third booke of Essayes Chap. 5. I cannot keepe any Register of my actions Fortune hath set them so lowe I keepe them in my fantasie I haue seene a Gentleman that did not communicate his life but by the operation of his belly One might see by him at his rising a roe of close stooles to serue for seuen or eight dayes The same MONTAIGNE Women that haue become Men. IN a place called Esquirie nine leagues
prodigious fol. 504 I IElousie horrible fol. 292 Impiety punnished fol. 296 Imagination fol. 296 Impostures notable fol. 304 Imprecations prophane and blasphemous speeches fol. 319 Iudgement rashly deliuered fol. 333 Iudgement famous and remarkable fol. 339 Iudges no Iudges but most vniust and detestable fol. 345 Iustice. fol. 355 L LIght hurts prooued mortall fol. 89 Liberality fol. 358 M MAns body hardned and become a stone fol. 127 Man before Age. fol. 292 Magnanimity fol. 361 Mariages secret and vnequall vnfortunate fol. 362 Mariage lamentable and doulfull fol. 460 Melancolick madde frantike furious and enraged persons fol. 370 Memory and the excellency thereof fol. 406. Lost and recouered fol. 408 Mothers fertile in lignage issued from them fol. 411 Mothers vigorous and stronge fol. 412 Mother and Children preserued from death fol. 413 Murtherers discouered by strang means and punished fol. 415 Modesty singular in yeelding to a seuere censure fol. 444 Mocker mockt fol. 445 N NAture changed fol. 450 Nature wonderfull fol. 451 Nature recompensed diuers waies fol. 520 O Old Men. fol. 615 P PAine and the contempt thereof fol. 414 Persons that liued a long time without eating or drinking fol. 429. Passions of sorrow ioy iealousie feare and heauines fo 465 Periury punished fol. 503 Predictions fol. 509 Prisoners freed fol. 511 Processe ended by extraordinary means fol. 513 Progrostications dangerous ibid. R RAsh attempts punished fol. 77 Ransome wonderfull fol. 514 Rape miserable fol. 515 Rauishers punished by a valiant hand fol. 519 Resolutions generous and memorable fol. 526 Resemblance or likenesse of persons fol. 527 Ruines strang pittifull and wonderfull fol. 531. 532 Rashnesse miserable fol. 556 S SWallowers wherein is contained meruailous Histories of some that haue swallowed diuers strange things into the stomack and what hath insued fol. 78 Swallowers that haue beene in danger by things sticking in their throates and what pittifull accidents haue followed fo 82 Strang horrible and very pittifull Accidents fol. 113 Sleepers merueilous and wonderfull fol. 199 Sathan and his strange efficacy and power fol. 205 Spirits prodigious fol. 271 Sparkles of fire fol. 273 Sorceries Impostures strang illusions of sathan discouered fol. 542 Sweate bloudy fol. 555 T THeeues and murtherers fol. 101 Tooth of gold in the mouth of a Child of Silesia fol. 183 Thunder and lightning fol. 280 Theeues cunning and notable fol. 356 Turkish pillgrime strang and wonderfull fol. 501 Treasors found spoyled lost sought for againe vainely dangerously fol. 557 Traitors punished fol. 564 V VAlour fol. 574 Vanity fol. 587 Vanity of the world represented in state ibid. Vanity furions fol. 590 Visions strang fearefull and horrible fol. 620 Visions in the aire strang and wonderfull fol. 640 W WOman in child bed that abounded with milke fol. 19 Wounds cured fol. 90 Women that haue become Men. fol. 275 Wormes in mans body fol. 593 FINIS ADMIRABLE AND MEMORABLE Histories of our Time A strange accident of a yong Maide CORNELIVS GEMMA a Physick reader at Louvain in the ende of the fourth Chapter of his second booke of a worke intitled de diuinis Naâ—…urae Caracterismis settes downe an admirable History at large the which I will relate as briefly as I may A yong Maiden remaining saith he neere vnto mee whose Father was a Cooper beeing fifteene yeares old of a good constitution of Body fayre and of a good spirit of a melancholy complexion mixt with sanguin her Name was KATHERINE GAVLTHIER fell sicke and weake through diuers accidents About the month of Ianuary in the yeare 1571. her monethly termes aduanced twise or thrise but being staid presently through the vyolence of her infirmity they caused a great wearinesse ouer all her body It was suspected she had beene poysoned by a certaine Woman of an ill fame who had giuen her a peece of a Cake Eating it shee felt it painfull to swallow After the which she began to feele strange paines at her stomacke shee grew leane vomited sometimes her stomacke fayled her and she felt a dysinesse in her Head with other accidents which torment Women with Child especially in the 4. and 7. month For about mid Iune she was subiect to Feauers some kind of Convulsions Her paines did in like sort increase so as like a mad Woman shee tormented her selfe growing bigge pale short-winded and in the end she was so opprest with paine as she grewe blacke in the Face like one that had beene strangled She was so tormented as foure men could scarse hold her for casting her selfe from her bed to the ground there was no kind of Convulsion but did afflict her These panges hauing continued by fits vnto the 9. month her Parents began to flie vnto the Phisitians I was first called because I dwelt neerest But being from home they repayred to Maister BEAVSARD who considering of this disease thought she had beene troubled with VVormes It happened after many grieuous pangues that Nature working by her force made her to voyde a quicke Eele at her seege the which was presently brought vnto mee It was a very Eele great as a mans thombe and a foote and a halfe long with a good proportion and all parts perfect Three dayes before it came forth both the Mayde and those that were about her heard a great noyse and as it were a hissing in her belly And beeing come forth the Maide sayd That she had felt the Eele put forth her head before and drawe it backe againe and then to thrust forth sodainly and with violence This Eele remayning among the excrements seemed for a great space dead but beeing put into a pot of water it did stirre very strongly After the voyding thereof the extreme pangues which had so much tormented her began to ceasse But the Eele which they had ript and clensed being hanged vp whereas neither Cat not any other beast could reach it vanished in an instant Soone after the Maide began to cast vp great abundance of water the which I came to see beeing like vnto vrine and of a strange taste as the Patient sayde This vomiting continued 15. dayes in euery one of the which she voyded about 24. pounds waight of water at the mouth I report not these things by heare-say but for that I did see and toucht them with my hands I was no lesse amazed to see that besides this great abundance of water which she voyded at her mouth she made water in great abundance twise or thrise a daie without any swelling of her bellie or any other part of her bodie neither did shee drinke aboue one cup of VVine Beere or other liquor in a daie I asked her if she felt no payne in one of the Miseraicall veines She answered me that her left side had alwayes troubled her much since the voyding of the Eele and that before she had felt some heauinesse in that place but since she was troubled with great gnawing and pricking which made her to crie out when I did but
and Chapter The following Histories report the dangers many haue beene in that vnwittingly or otherwise haue swallowed things that haue stuck in the throate or els where by the which there haue followed diuers troublesome and pittifull accidents A Country-woman in Holland of the age of fifty yeares and more feeding one day with a good stomack she put into her mouth a great peece of flesh dryed and hardened in the smoake and hauing swallowed it without chawing it stuck in her throate and there continued three dayes without any helpe She could receiue no nourishment whatsoeuer the passage for meate and drinke being quite stopt In the end calling me I found that the morcell was gone farre applying diuers remedies but shee expected nothing but death At the end of the fourth day as she was sipping of Whey this morcell fell violently into the stomacke by meanes whereof shee recouered her health A Mans Daughter of Delft being three and twenty yeares old hauing eaten a Cowes tripe greedily being hard and gluie some morcels stopt her throate so as for three dayes space shee could not possibly swallow any thing I caused a strong suppositarie to bee giuen her and after that I had caused her necke to bee anointed with Oyle of Lillies and sweete Almonds and then bound it about with a Cataplasme fitte for the griefe when as all that were about her attended nothing but death she was cured An other maide eight and twentie yeares old hauing in September in the yeare 1582. swallowed a peece of flesh that was hard and sinewie was in the like danger for the space of 24 houres and in the end eased the peece falling into her stomack A certaine man hauing eaten a Peach would also swallow the stone the which stuck in his throate where hauing stayed a little the party drunke a great draft which thrust it into the stomacke and passing from thence into the guttes it stayed at the great gutte neere the fundement so as for three dayes together hee could not goe to the stoole in the end it past forth with the excrements with such a noyse as if a Pistoll had beene discharged But after that time he was alwayes tormented with the Emeroydes by reason of the excoriation of that part caused by the roughnesse of the stone A young maide hauing eaten much of a sheepes lights and finding her stomack charged had a desire to cast but the morcell stayed in the vpper part of her throate so as they were forced to vse Yrons to get this morcell which was swolne and had stopt the passage of the which shee had like to haue dyed Maister I. HOVLIER The like did happen to an other who had eaten the Lights of an Oxe hee had continually a Hickotte and could not swallowe any thing Shee was â—…ased without the application of Yâ—…ons but by the meanes of Ventoses and other meanes in the end shee cast vp the morcell which from the stomack was mounted into her throate The Scheliographes vpon the 1. Booke of M. I. HOVLER of inward diseases A yong boy of eight yeares of age hauing swallowed one of his fathers Counters which hee vsed to cast his accoumpt withall felt nothing for the present of this excesse onely hee began by little and little to loose his flesh and to growe thinne After a yeare he voided this Counter with the excrements but so consumed by the naturall heate as euery man did wonder at it Aneat Port. cent 2 cur 69. An honest mother of a familie at Dusseldrop being about to dresse a young child in March 1564. hauing two pinnes the one great the other lesser in her mouth it chanced that her child was in danger to fall into the fire This feare made the mother forget her pinnes the which shee did swallow vpon this apprehension hauing no other care but to saue her little one The pinnes remained some houres in her throate with great paine Being called to succour her I commanded they should forbeare to giue her any meate or drinke before I had tryed with an engin to draw out the pinnes Being returned I vnderstood they had made her drinke some broth which did force the pins downeward a little aboue the orifice of the stomack this caused a new pricking paine to remedy it I caused her to drinke a great draft of Beere with Butter and some big peeces of Rie bread mingled with it hoping that the waight of the bread with the drinke would driue downe the pins into the stomacke seeing it was not possible to get them out aboue The which tooke effect some few houres after the next day I made her to bee fed with good brothes and Buttered Beere then to rest on her right side without any waight vpon her belly hauing Cushions vnder her armes and vnder her thighes to giue more scope for the pinnes to descend into the guttes After noone they tooke her vp but I did forbid them that they should not shake her in turning her from one side to the other but without bending her forward or backward she should walke vp and downe easily that the pinnes might passe into the guttes the which they did and then she voided them the greatest was some-what bowed Shee was exceeding sicke vpon this accident but soone after shee was cured A Venetian maide lying with a Needle in her mouth that was foure fingers long fell a sleepe and swallowed it at the end of ten moneths hauing beene grieuously tormented she voided it in her Vrine but in a meruailous forme for a stone of the bignesse of a Hens Egge was growne about this needle Alex. Benoist lib. 2. of his Anatomie Chap. 9. A certaine Gentlewoman of the Duchesse of Iuillers Chamber coâ—…fing her selfe and holding her pinnes in her mouth was struck behinde by a certaine Gentleman where with she did start and with feare swallowed the said pinnes the which she voyded with her Vrine two dayes after without any harme At Nieumeghâ—…n a certaine dissolute man meaning at one of the feasts of Easter to shew some sport to others offered to swallow a Hens Egge whole but the Egge being too big it staied in his throate and so stopt the passage as this dissolute man was presently choakt In the yeare 1588. an other dissolute fellow in the Cittie of Rouan saying that there was no boane in a Cowes foote laâ—…de a wager that hee would swallow one at a morcell They bring him one he takes it and thrusts it into his mouth but hauing it in his throate there it stuck Notwithstanding all the care and applications of Phisitions he continued in this sort nine dayes and in the end dyed without speaking hauing his face monstrously swelled Euery man went to see him seruing as a spectacle of Gods iudgement Histories of our time BERNARD de NOIRS a Mantuan Gentleman of the age of three score and seuen yeares a spare man but lustie hauing in his mouth a peece of flesh that was full of sinewes the which he
she was sick she made no account neither of children kinsfolkes friends nor of any other thing in the world And when her husband many times brought their children vnto her she sayd nothing but God blesse you God be your Father and Mother and to the yongest of them Hah little Souldiar She neuer commended them but once vnto her husband And after that shee beheld them with a regardlesse eye A quarter of an houre before her departure she called for her Petti-coate to rise and as she was about to go out of her bed she desired to be made vnready and being laid downe againe she sent for her husband and vsed these words vnto him Behold the end of my desire and the beginning of my felicitie IESVS CHRIST is my hope Good husband I desire but one thing of you Pray vnto GOD for me Her husband and children being prostrated on their knees after an earnest praier vnto GOD she closed her eyes as if she had been going to sleepe died with a sweeter countenance then euer she had had in al her life before Extracted out of my Memorials Demoniacks Examples of diuers illusions of Sathan ALthough there be many times some naturall causes of phrensie or madnesse yet is it without question that the Diuill entreth into certaine persons and in them causeth furies torments either with naturall causes or without them seeing such as are so diseased be often cured by remedies which are not naturall Many times also such spectacles are so many prodigies and predictions of things to come Some do◅en yeares since a woman in the country of Saxony which could neither write nor read being tormented of the Diuill and her fit being past she talked both in Greeke and Latin of the warre of Saxony that happened afterward and pronounced words in Greeke and Latin the sence whereof was that there would be great trouble vpon earth and sedition among the people PH. MELANCHTHON in one of his Epistles Foure yeares before that there was a Maide in the Marquisate of Brandebourg who pulling away the haires from the Furre of any ones garment that came before her those hayres were presently turned into peeces of the country money which this maid gnawed on with an horrible grating of her teeth There were diuerse that hauing snatched some of those peeces out of her hand found them to be very money indeed and do keepe them still This maide was very much tormented at times but within a while after she was thoroughly cured and euer since liued in good health She was often-times prayed for and neuer any other ceremonie was vsed The same I haue heard that in Italy there was a woman a very idiot possessed of the Diuell who being demanded of LAZARVS BONAMI a very learned personage accompanied with his Schollers which was the best verse in VIRGIL suddenly answered Discite institiam moniti non temnere Diuos This sayd shee is the best and worthiest verse that euer VIRGIL made get thee gone and come no more to tempt me PH. MELANCHTHON in his epistles G. PRVCER in the 1. booke of his Comentary of Diuinations Chap. 9. P. BOVISTAV in 26. Chap. of his Prodigious Histories ANTHONY BENIVENIVS in the 8. Chap. of his booke of the hidden causes of diseases writeth that hee sawe a young woman of the age of 1◅ yeares whose hands bowed very strangely backwards assoone as a certaine paine tooke her in the bottom of her belly At her fearefull cryes her belly swelled so big that one would haue thought shee had beene gone 8. moneths with child finally she lost her breath and not able to continue in a place shetumbled from one side of the bed to the other putting her head many times betweene her legges as if she would haue plaid some tumbling trick Then being questioned concerning that which had be falne her she neuer remembred any such matter But searching saith he the causes of this disease we were of opinion that it proceeded from a suffocation of the Matrix and from malignant vapours fuming vpward to the detriment of the heart and braine Whervpon we endeuoured to ease her with medicines but that seruing to no purpose she became more outragious then before and at last began to vomit long crooked Yron nailes tagges of points filled within with waxe and wound all about with hayres and so great a portion of her breakfast that it was not possible for any man whatsoeuer to swallowe it whole Hauing sundry times began such manner of vomitings in my presence I mistrusted that shee was possessed of an euill spirit which charmed the eyes of the assistants whilst he cast those things abroad As presently therevpon it was verified by more apparent signes proofes for afterward we heard her making predictions doing other things which surpassed all vehemencie of sicknesse yea all humaine vnderstanding I WIER in the 4. Booke of diabolical impostures Chap. 6. MEINOR CLATH a Gentleman dwelling at Boutenbrouck a Castle in the Duchie of Iuilliers had a seruant named WILLIAM who 14. yeares together was tormented of the Diuill One day swelling mightily about the throate and looking very pale so that they were affraid he would haue falne downe IVDITH his Mistresse a very honest Gentlewoman gathering her folkes together began to call vpon GOD where-vpon there suddainly issued out of this WILLIAMS mouth amongst other trash all the fore-part of a Shepheards breeches Flint-stones some whole some broken little bottoms of thred a false head of haire needles a peece of a boyes silke doublet and a Peacocks feather Being demanded concerning the cause of his sicknesse hee answered that he met with a woman hard by Camphuse which blowed in his face from whence he thought it proceeded But afterward when he was well he confessed that this accusation was not true and that he was induced by the diuill to say so Furthermore he added that all those prodigious things came not out of his body but were throwne against his mouth by the Diuell whilst they saw him vomit One day being more carefully looked vnto by reasō they were afraid he would haue done himselfe some mischiefe his eyes remained so fast closed together that it was impossible to open thē At length GERTRVDE CLATHS eldest daughter of some 12. yeares of age comming vnto him exhorted him to pray to GOD that it would please him to restore his sight againe wherevpon WILLIAM desired her to pray which she did and her eies were immediatly opened to the great amazement of all that were present The Diuil often perswaded him not to giue eare eyther to his Mistresse or any other that troubled his head with talking to him of GOD who could not helpe him seeing hee was once dead as hee had heard it publickly preached Another time striuing to put his hand vnder the Kitchin-maides clothes and shee rating him for it by his name hee answered in a big voice My name is not WILLIAM but BEELZEEVB wherevnto his Mistresse
any into her mouthe she fell into most strange fits howling and making horrible cryes falling to the ground and beating her selfe most pittifully The which fittes continued halfe an houre and then she came to her selfe BRASAVOL in his Comment 34. vpon the 2. Booke of Hippocrates how to liue in sharpe diseases Wee haue knowne many that could not by any meanes eate any flesh Others that had rather haue tasted of poyson then to haue put any Cheese in their mouth I remember a Spaniard that had neuer eaten in all his life before any Fish what-so-euer Being one daye inuited to Supper by a friend of his they presented a Dishe of Egges in the which there was a little Fishe cunningly minced But hee felt it presentlye and had such a paine at his heart as hee presentlie fell to cast and to haue a Fluxe so vehementlie as all thought hee would haue dyed AMATVS a Portugall in his first Centurie Cure 36. I haue seene a Man in my time that could not abide neyther to eate see nor smell Ecles and if hee by chance came into any place where as any were hidden aliue hee could not possibly abide to bee there but was presently in exceeding great paine and greefe Maister WEINRICH in his Commentarie of Monsters Chapter 8. Maister AMBROSE PARE makes mention of a Noble-man in France which dâ—…d sound as hee was sitting at the Table seeing an Ecle brought in A Learned man a very friend of mine did assare mee that hee had seene in the Cittie of Andwerp a certaine man which did fall into extreame fittes if at any place where hee was inuited eyther to Dinner or Supper they had brought in a Pigge stufte if hee discouered it a farre off hee presently changed countenance and his heart beganne to faint IAMES HOSTVIS in his annotations vpon LEVINVS LEMNIVS A great Ladie beeing at dinner with an Earle hauing eaten a peece of a Cowes-vdder a meate which is verie delicate to many her lippes beganne presently to swell and to growe wonderfully great Shee confessed that she loued that meate but presently after shee had tasted it her lippes did swell in that manner whereof shee knewe no reason The same Author I haue obserued the Earle of Arnstad who did so much abhorre sallet oyle as they were forced to carry all meate out of the Chamber that was in any sort drest with it else he fell sodenly into very dangerous fits The same Author Many of our time haue not eaten any bread beeing loth-some vnto them I knowe a famâ—…lie wherof the Sonnes can eate no cheese and the Daughters will eate it with a good appetite Their Father did not eate any but hated it and their Mother did eate it P. FOREST in the annotations vpon 5. obseruation of the 4. bookes where hee treates of feauers A Peasant of a certaine village neere vnto Alâ—…mar in Holland neuer receiued any meate not drinke what-soeuer but onelie Cowes milke and yet was as lustie and helthfull as any man in those parts The same Author CONRAD HVOER a Country man in Suisserland of the village of Tornac in Turgou a good plaier of the fife as most in his time from his infancy vnto the age of three-score yeares that he died neuer tooke any other norrishment but porrige made with flower milke and Water And if to trie him they did mingle the least crumme of bread with it vnknowne to him or any other thing whatsoeuer hee did presently vomit vp all againe neither could hee swallowe any rawe milke As for other meates hee could not endure the smell of them yet hee could not possibly tast of them And for wine hee did some-times tast of it yet seldome and very little ZVINGER in the 6. booke of the 2. volume of his Theater There haue beene many that could not endure the smell of Roses Beeing at Rome I did see the Cardinall CARAFFA a famous man in his time who euery yeare in the time of Roses was forced to retier himselfe and to liue priuatly in a Pallace of his out of the way whereas he caused the gates to be shut and gards to keepe them to giue warning that his friends seruants and others that came to visit him and to receiue his commandements should not vnaduisedly carrie any Roses in their hands Among the Romaine Gentlemen there was one called PETER MELIN both learned and wise who was much impayred of his helth by the smell of Roses PIERIVS VALERIANVS liber 8. of Hierogliphiques treating of the Snayle I haue knowne a lacobine monke of a Noble house in the Citty of Venise who smelling a Rose or seeing one a farre of felt presently a fainting at his heart and would fall downe in a sowne where he remained as one dead And therefore the Physitions aduised him not to go out of his house in time of Roses for the preseruation of his helth AMATVS a Portugall Centurie 2. cure 36. Don HENRY de CARDONA Cardinall fell into a feuer when as any one presented Roses vnto him PHILIP INGRASSE a Pysition vpon the question of the diâ—…t And in our time there was a Princesse which could not by any meanes endure the smell of a Rose but did sound alwaie if any were brought into her Chamber MARTIN CROMER liber 8. of the History of Poland doth witnesse that a Bishop of Bresâ—…awe named LAVRENCE was smothered with the smell of Roses Doctor IOHN ECHT a Physition at the least smell of any sweete parfume felt a great alteration at the heart and as soone as euer he did smell a read Rose he did neeze wonderfully CRONENBOVRG lib. 10. of the method of Physick A certaine man hauing felt an alteration at his heart seeing the iuice drawne out of a sticke of Cassia beeing sicke he intreated his Phisition not to mingle the iuice in any Physick for him The Physition hauing forgotten this aduertisement prescribed him a potion in the which there was some of this Cassia The sicke man hauing taken it began to cry out I am a dead man the Cassia hath killed me ALEXANDER BENEDICT in the preface of his booke of pestilent feuers There is a whole famelie in the Towne where I dwel of the which neither Man nor Woman great nor small can endure any Diaphinicon in their Physick but all doe cast it vp againe as I haue seene by experience oftentimes MARCELLIVS DONATVS in his booke of Mechoacan BERNARD BONY of the Noble famelie of Ragouses a young gentleman of twenty yeares of age and of a collericke constitution comming vnto me to haue mee see his vrine and to be helpt by my a duice if I found any Indisposition in his bodie I found him to haue a paine in the reines of his backe a beginning of the french-poxe I therefore beganne to write and to prescribe him some Sirops to send for to the Apothecarie But hee willed me that I should make no hast for that hee did abhorre all sweete things as I did finde afterwardes as
calles a Page of his a Polonian borne commands him expresly to carrie them to Marquis ALBERT and not to deliuer them to any other then to him-selfe The Page desirous to execute his Princes commande prouides for his departure But as hee would haue gone to horse-backe an other page playing with him and handling his Pistoll shot it of vnaduisedly and slue the Polonian Page He was sercht and the letters which hee had about him carried backe by the which the Princes intention was descouered to his Councellers they let him vnderstand what had happened and the stay which it seemed GOD had sent Wherevpon he changed his opynion and followed other expedients pardoning the ill aduised Page who had killed the other vnawares This happened in the yeare 1541. CAMERARIVS Chap. 92. of his Historicall meditations Wormes in mans body THE sonne of a Butcher called LAVVRENCE seuen yeares olde being sicke of Wormes which tormented him continued three dayes as one dead receiuing no sustenance but drinke made with Grasse Water with Vinegar and Sugar The fourth day they made him to take a potion of Aloes Mirrhe and Saffron which made him to voide by the siege an hundred fortye and eight Wormes which done hee recouered his health BENIVENIVS Chap. 85. Of hidden causes I haue knowne a woman aboue forty yeares old who who was oft troubled with great paine in her stomacke with-all shee had no appetite but had a great desire to cast hauing vsed the confection called Hierapigra shee voided about forty great Wormes DODONEVS in his Obseruations vpon the 85. Chap. I had a sick olde man in cure being about 82. yeares old and not knowing at the first sight his infirmitie comming neere vnto him I found his breath to bee very vnsauorie like vnto young Children that are troubled with Wormes I resolued therefore to Phisicke him as one that was full of such filthe Then hee seemed as one dead and the Duke of Ferrarares Steward had commanded that they should prepare all that was necessary for the funerals of that man I caused him to take a drinke fitte for that disease in the which there was Scordium and Sea Mosse by meanes whereof hee discharged him-selfe of aboue fiue hundred Wormes and was cured This was a casuall cure for I should neuer haue thought that a decrepit olde man should haue beene toucht with that disease BRASAVOLE in his Coment vpon the 26. Aphorisme of the 3. Booke of HIPPOCRATES A young Maide a Candiot continued eight dayes without speaking and her eyes open who hauing voided two and forty wormes with out any excrements was cured ALEXANDER BENEDICTVS In the yeare 1545. I did see a certaine Gentlewoman who in few dayes put forth a thousand wormes and in the space of foure houres foure hundred some dead some aliue after the which she was well P. PAVL PEREDA in the 1. Booke of the cure of diseases Chap. 5. I haue seene a sicke body which at one time did voyde by the siege a hundred seuentie and seuen Wormes GABVCIN Chap. 13. in his Commentarie of the Lungs Doctor MANVEL BETVLEIVS had a little boye foure yeares old called SIXTVS the which was troubled with a great and extraordinary â—…euer with a paine in his head a cough a great alteration a shaking in his sleepe and a crying out which made me say that he was full of Wormes So as hauing made him drinke a Decoction of Tanecete three mornings together hee cast aboue a hundred Wormes a foote long a peece and was sodenly cured of his feuer and all other accidents WECKER in his Obseruations A young Maiden hauing cast a great round Worme her Father ript it and found it full of other Wormes The Maide being full of this Vermine dyed within few dayes AMATVS a Portugall in the 5. Centurie Cure 46. A young Boye foure yeares olde much tormented with wormes after many remedies voyded by the seege a round bladder like a Ball. The Mother opening it in the presence of others found inclosed in it many thousands of little wormes The Childe being carefully lookt vnto was soone after recouered In the 2. Centurie Cure 40. I haue seene a Ball full of Wormes tyed one vnto another so as at the first sight you would haue thought they had beene but one The same It is wonderfull what ERASMVS reports in a certaine Oration of his made in the praise of Phisicke Hee saith that hee had seene an Italian who had neuer beene in Germanie nor seene any Booke or man of that Nation or any one that vnderstood it and yet hee spake the Germaine tongue well so as they thought hee had a spirit Hauing beene Phisicked by a learned Phisition and by the meanes of a drinke discharged of a great number of Wormes hee was cured of his infirmitie but hee neyther spake nor vnderstood any more the Germaine tongue CARDAN liber 8. Chap. 43. Of the Diuersitie of Things I haue seene Children so tormented with Wormes as they suffered strange convulsions and so violent as they held them almost from the heele to the head TRINCAVEL lib. 9. Chap. 11. Of the reason of curing the affected parts of mans body IHON BAPTISTA CAVALAIRE a learned Physition hath protested vnto me that hee had seene Wormes come out of the Nauell of a Childe of three yeare olde OMNIBONVS liber 4. Chap. 13. In the Treatise of the cure of children Maister PETER BARQVE a Surgion of the French bands and CLAVDE le GRANDE a Surgion remaining at Verdun haue assured me that they had a woman in cure called GRAS BONNET dwelling in the same place who had an Impostume in her belly out of the which there came with the matter a great number of Wormes as biggeas a mans finger with sharpe heads the which had eate her intrailes so as for many dayes shee voyded fâ—…cale matter by the vlcer and in the end was cured Maister AMB. PARH lib. 19. Cap. 3. A Woman of Delft forty yeares olde being gone seuen moneths with childe fell into a Feuer with other troublesome accidents so as in the end she had an ouerture in her belly out of the which there came namely by her Nauill a yealow and stinking matter like to the ordinarie excrementes In the ende the 19 of September 1579. a Worme being a foote and a halfe long came forth at her Nauill Two dayes after shee cast forth another that was greater Her Feuer encreased the first of October so as I feared shee would bee deliuered before her time The third of the same moneth came forth a third Worme by the Nauill the which was lesse then the former The 15. of October shee was brought in bedde of a Sonne and seuen dayes after shee voyded a fourth Worme at her Nauill and the 24 of October a fiâ—…t as great as the first And for that shee was not carefully lookâ—… vnto by reason of her pouerty and base condition shee languished some moneths before she could recouer her health PETER FOREST liber 7.
girle of foure yeares of age voide wormes aliue that were twenty ells long G. HAMBERGER professor in Physicke at Tubinge in certaine questions that were disputed of in the yeare 1574. A young Countrie-Maide foureteene yeares olde being in good helth voided a worme 14. foote long WECKERVS in his Oberseruations An other Country-woman of the age of 35. yeares being greatly troubled with wormes voided one eighteene foote long The same Author A certaine poore Coūtry-maide voided a worme at twice long and large the which was neere fiue ells long GASPAR WOLF in his Obseruations I haue some-times seene sicke persons voide of these large wormes that were forty foote long with such violence as one would haue thought they would cast vp their gutts These wormes haue no hollownes but are compounded of a kinde of white skinne thicke and slymie markt with blacke spotts and without motion They are like vnto points or bands and are ingendred in the Bowells of a rotten Iuice FELIX PLATER in his Obseruations A Padouan Barber remayning at Mantoua about Automne in the yeare 1556 after some fitts of an Ague did cast off these wormes a finger broad and seuen cubits long such as Doctor PLATER hath described MAR. DONATVS Booke 4. of his Admirable Histories Chap. 26. Doctor SCHENCK and QVENTS in their obseruations note two Histories of the like wormes of six seauen and eight Cubits long FERNELIVS Booke 6. Chap 10. of his Pathologia speakes of an other kinde of wormes called ASCARIDES which he sa◅es come out of the fundement then fasten themselues to the buttocks and thighes And Docter IOHN de IESSEN in his obseruations affirmes the same reporting that a little child of one of the chiese Councellors to the Emperor RODOIPHVS the 2. being troubled with the falling sicknesse many Phisitions being assembled togither to consult of the causes of this violent ordinary Infirmity they were much troubled to resolue IRSSEN caused it to be vnswadled visited the fundemēt where he found Ascarides Then with one common consent they applied a Corsey the cause of the disease being taken away by little and little the Child grewe to perfect helth But we must yet propound other Histories of monstrous wormes quite different from the common forme that the reader may see more and more vnto what miseries wee are all subiect through sinne and by these relations learne to humble our selues before our GOD and soueraigne Iudge A Chanoin tormented with the chollicke tooke of the confection called HIERA PIGRA and cast forth a worme like vnto a Lizard but greater hairy hauing foure feete the which was kept aliue in a violl of glasse MONTVVS Booke 4. Chap 19. In the memory of our Fathers a woman with-child at Craco◅ia in Poland was deliuered of one still borne the which had vpon the backe of it a great worme of the forme of a serpent the which did g◅awe this little creature LICOSTHENES in his Histories of Prodigies A young maiden of Louvain in Brabant 15. years old after that shee had endured much shee did voide both from aboue and beneath strange things amongst others by the seege with the excrements a worme a foote and a halfe long greater then a mans Thombe very like vnto an eele the difference was that the taile was verie hairy C. GEMMA Booke 2. Chap. 2. A. BENIVENIVS 2 Physition of Florence writes that a Carpenter called IOHN 40. yeares of age was continually troubled with a paine at his heart without any ease BENIVENIVS hauing giuen him some potion with a great quantity of matter which hee voided he cast vp a good long worme hauing a redde head round and of the bignesse of a great pease hauing the bodie all couered with soft haire a forked taile like a halfe Moone and foure feete as a Lizard AMB. PARE Booke 19. Chap. 3. A Spanish Gentlewoman returning from Peru did assure that she had beene sick many years there and could finde no helpe In the end an Indian held for a great herbalist came to see her made her drink the iuice of Veruein well purified by means wherof soone after she cast vp a worme which shee called a snake all hairy a foote long besides the taile which done shee recouered her helth MONARDVS Booke 3. of the simples of the newe found world in the Chap. of Verueine ANTHONY CAPTAINE a Phisition of Mantoua hath often told mee that a gentleman of that place called LAVRENCE ZAFFARD hauing bin trobled with a melancholike ague a loathing of meate with a paine at his heart which made him to shrike out he did vomit vp a worme the which liued seauen houres it was a foote-long hauing hornes on the head and a 100. feete on either side with the which he crept strangly it was of a reddish collour and flat MACEL DONATVS Booke 4. Chap. 26. of his Histories BONIFACE COCK of Padoua had a little Sonne which remained in a trance as one dead for the space of sixe houres FALLOPIVS a learned Physition prescribed som-thing vnto him with the helpe whereof hee recouered his spirrits and one houre after voided aboute fortie wormes amongst the which there was one blacke hairy with two heads a Cubit long which liued three daies SCHENCH Booke 3. Obseruation 21. A young girle about some nine yeares olde hauing taken the powlder of wormes did cast vp little Caterpillers a liue DODONEVS in his annotation vpon the 58. Chapter of BENIVENIVS Hauing an old woman that was sick of a Pluresie in cure shee cast forth a black Snaile hauing blacke feete long and soft hornes markt being full of filthie matter and two fingers long GESNER lib. 3. of his Epistles pag. 94. I haue seene a Worme which was no longer then the bredth of foure fingers but hauing the backe couered with a reddish haire This Worme had tormented a certaine young man so as there was no hope of life in him but in the end by meanes of a fit drinke hee did vomit vp the Worme and so escaped GABVCIN in his Comentarie of the Lungs Chap. 13. A Tayler in Languedoc not farre from Montpellier being cured of a strange Feuer in the end hee did cast vp a Worme three quarters long the which was round thick and aliue and with it much melancholike and black matter GASP. WOLFIN in his obseruations A Suisse of the Canton of zug a strong man feeling commonly some thing that did pricke him at the orifice of the stomacke being eased by some potions he did cast vp a great number of Wormes of two and three foote long The same A Maide of Briele in Holland did vomit vp a great number of Wormes and which is more a yeare after she voyded Snailes which her Mother did shew mee assuring me that shee had kept one which had liued two dayes P. FOREST lib. 18. Obseruat 19. In the yeare 1578. THIENETE CARTIER dwelling at Saint Maur a widow-woman fortie yeares olde did cast in the beginning of her fitt great abundance of
cholerick humor with the which shee voyded three Wormes the which were wolley and like in forme colour length and greatnesse to Catter-pillers but that they were blacke the which afterwards laye eight dayes and more with-out any norrishment They were brought by the Barber of Saint Maur to Mounsier MILOT Doctor and reader in the Physick schooles who then had the sayd CHARTIER in cure and shewed them to me to many others AMB. PARE Booke 24. Chap. 16. Let vs adde some Histories of wormes comming forth in diuers partes of mans bodie to shewevs more plainly our miserable vanity Hauing a soldiar in cure in Piedmont who had beene foote-man to Mounsier de Goulaines deceased and had beene hurt with a sword vpon the parietall boane after some weekes dressing him I did see a number of wormes come from vnder this rotten boane by certaine hoales in the rottenes which made me vse the more speede to drawe out and raise the sayd boane the which did shake long before and vpon the Duramater I found where nature had ingendred 3. hollowe places in the flesh to put in ones Thombe full of moouing and crawling wormes euery one of the which was about the bignesse of a points tagge hauing blacke heads â—…MB PARE Booke 9. Chap. 22. Manie learned Physitions of our time and amongest the rest I. HOVLIER in the first booke of inward diseases Chap. 1. L. IOVBERT Cap. 9 in his treatise of wounds in the head MONTVVS and VEGA hold that many times wormes are seene in the braine of diuers men as also in other partes of the bodie BALTHAZAR CONRADIN Chap. 10. Of his booke of the Pestylent feuer in Hungary writes that hee had seene wormes comming out of diuers partes of bodies toucht with the sayd feuer and some of a good length which tooke their issue by the eares the which of necessity bred in the Ventricles of the braine And therefore the Hungarians in diuers places did tearme this feuer the worme of the braine COR. GEMMA in the Apendix of his Cosmocritia makes mention of a woman in the Lowe Countries who being dead of a pestilent Ague they opened her head where there was found a great quantity of stinking matter about the substance of the braine with an incredible number of little wormes and punaises I. HOVLIER writes in his practise that hee had giuen Physicke to an Italian that was tormented with an extreame paine in his head whereof hee died And hauing caused him to be opened there was found in the substance of the braine a beast like vnto a Scorpion the which as HOVLIER thinkes was ingendred for that this Italian had continually carried and smelt of the herbe called Baselisk A young girle about eight yeares of age beeing fallen into a very great trance remained seauen daies without speaking feeling or with any moouing breathing stronglie and taking no norrishment but some broth or decoction of pourpie The Mother seeing her Daughter so violently toucht in the head gaue her a suppositarie which drewe from her by the seege two and fortie wormes wrethed togither like to a bowle whereby the Childe was cured ALEX BENEDICT Booke 1. Chap. 26. of the cure of diseases A little Sonne of mine three yeares olde called IOHN CONRARD beeing fallen into a verie troublesome trance and presently helpt with Treacle and Vinager applyed to his mouth and nostrills being a sleepe and afterwards awake wee found in the sheete wherein hee was wrapt a worme which had a sharpe mussell markt with redde hairie and crawling in the clothes I. SCHENCK in his Obseruation Booke 1. section 242. It happened to a young Childe of three yeares olde which was very well this wonderfull and memorable alteration which followes As she was playing by certaine women there beganne sodenly to appeere in the great corner of the eye within it the head of a worme whose bodie almost couered the eye The woman being amazed drewe neere and one of them did gently drawe out this worme which was aliue and long as an ordynarie point and some-what bigge without any hurt to the string or that the comming of it forth had any way offended the eye AMATVS a Portugall Centur. 5. Cure 63. I haue seene come forth at a young mans eares that was tormented with a violent feuer three wormes like to the kirnells of Pyne-aples and some-what bigger VELASQVE Booke 4. Chap. 30. FERNELIVS Booke 5. Chap. 7. of his Pathologia writes of a soldiar who was so flat nozed as hee could not blowe it so as of the excrement which was retained and putrefied there ingendred two wormes which were wolley and had hornes of the bignesse of halfe a finger the which were the cause of his death after that hee had beene madde for the space of twentie daies AMB. PARE Booke 19. Chap. 3. In the yeare 1561. the fifth of Maie a young woman giuing suck to her boye but sixe monthes olde stooping to tie her shoe shee voided belowe a little beast as bigge as a Caterpiller and hideous to behold It liued three daies beeing fedde with milke Beeing dead it was found full of cholericke matter greene and venimous especially about the head The young woman felt no discommodity after this voyding The Sonne of one named IOHN MICHELLACH dwelling at Metz did voide at his fundement very haire I did see one of thirtie and three yeares of age Sonne to N. ROCKELFINGER who in pissing voyded little wormes which did crawle like vnto those that breede in rotten cheese but they had blacke heads I haue seene others that had wormes comming out at their eares A certaine Gentleman named CAPELLE hauing beene so wretched and wicked as to beate his Father fell sicke and had wormes come out at his eyes A woman of Dusseldorp hauing beene very sicke for a long time in the ende a certaine Impostume growing vpon her bellie aboue her flanke it brake by wormes which were ingendred therein out of the which there came a great number black and reddish R. SOLENANDER in the 5. section of his Physicall Councells in the 15. Councell art 2. 3. 4. 24. In burning feuers especially in those that be contagious and pestilent we see that diseases cast forth wormes by the taile and other beasts of horrible and strange shapes Of late a poore woman a widowe of Reinspourg hauing beene long tormented with a cough a shortnesse of breath and a paine at her heart and head in the ende after diuers remedies shee tooke the quintessence of Turbithe which I gaue her by meanes whereof after that she had beene discharged of certaine vicious excrements she voided by the seege a liue Lizard and then shee was cured I doe not speake of a number of frogges which PAVL FISCHER studying in the Colledge of the Abbaye of Saint Esmeran did voide hauing beene long tormented with strange paine at his stomake But after this discharge hee was very well MARTIN RVLAND a Physition in his opinion touching the golden tooth of the Childin
ADMIRABLE AND MEMORABLE HISTORIES CONTAIning the wonders of our time Collected into FRENCH out of the best Authors By I. GOVLART And out of French into English By ED. GRIMESTON The Contents of this booke followe the Authors aduertisement to the reader Imprinted at London by GEORGE ELD 1607. To the Honorable Knight Sir Walter Cope Sir IT may bee held indiscretion that hauing lately escaped Shipwrack I should so sodenly thrust out againe from a safe Port into a tempestuous Sea of mens humors and subiect my selfe to a new Censure I must confesse that silence had beene more secure yet I may freely say that neither conceipt of mine owne abilitie nor any vaine affectation of applause did make me runne into this danger but onely a desire to spend such idle houres as I could steale from my daylye attendance in Court in such sort as others might reape some content thereby At the request of my friend I vndertooke the translation of this worke the title wherof shewes the subiect to be extraordinarie and if many of these Histories shall seeme very strange miraculous and it may be fabulous for that they exceede our common sence apprehension I must with Mounsier GOVIART referre them to the Authors out of whose writings they are collected who being learned and iudicious it is to bee presumed would not incurre so foule an imputation as to bee reputed Liars There is nothing mine but a bare tanslation the which I haue faithfully performed Such as it is beeing this last Lents exercise I haue presumed to offer vnto you as a pledge of thankefullnesse for many kinde fauors If it be not answerable to your worth Impute it to my defects and not vnto my will whose desire is to giue you better satisfaction that the old saying may not be verified in mee Tritum est perire quod facis ingrato If it shall like you I knowe it will please many and my selfe shall reape a desired content with which hope I will rest Yours euer to be commanded EDW. GRIMESTON The Authors aduertisment to the courteous Reader I Haue noted for some yeares many thousands of Histories collected out of sundrie Authors to whose consciences I referre you ingaging my selfe for nothing of their writings but a faithful collection which I haue made yet thinking that they would offer nothing that were false or foolish to bee published without good consideration I call them Admirable for that the reasons of many of them are farre beyond my apprehension and that to my iudgement they are miraculous They are also Memorable for the contentment instruction and consolation which good and quiet soules may gather thereby I haue very seldome exceeded the age that went last before vs and will forbeare it more in those bookes that shall followe If GOD will giue mee leaue The History of our times is an abridgement of all the wonders of fore-passed ages Do not blame me if I were desirous to offer vnto you some patternes to reuiue your thoughts When you shall haue seene the continuance if you shall remember any thing worthy to bee left to our posteritie you may surmount our example It shal be easie for you I do inuite and coniure you GOD cannot bee better knowne and reuerenced of vs in his iudgements and mercies Those which can performe it in a heigher stile will not disdaine my weake affection As for others which cannot or will not do any thing but censure and inueighe I wish them true vnderstanding and a good conscience In my opinion GOD in this newe age doth raise vp men who in diuers places are carefull to note in Iournals and Annales all that we see worthie to bee reserued for instruction of our successors I would not set out in collours these plaine Histories which I represent vnto you As good stomaks haue no neede of saulces so strong spirits are content with a simple reading the which they studie to conuert into quickning substance The ende of this collection and of the following shal be Feare GOD and keepe his Commandements this is the dutie of man For GOD will call euery worke into iudgement bee it good or euill GOVLART The Printer to the Reader IF any thinke these Histories strange he may see the very title sayes as much And it is good for an author to bee as good as his title And this being a translation it must be strange If any thinke that by the name of Histories all should be true he may knowe Historiographers confesse they may write as they list And Lucian entitles his most fabulous narrations a true Historie And if these be but tales yet either hee is Maister or he cites you his tales-maister more then most men will do And very tales are heard or read by most of vs with good delight These from good authors to good purpose are in good sort set downe Then sit thee downe and make thy good of them for haue thou a good memory and they will prooue memorable that nor thou repent reading nor he writing nor we translating and Imprinting This is all and of this make thy best A Table of the Chapters of this Booke A Strange accident of a yong Maide fol. 1. Accusation false seuerely punnished fol. 7. Aduertisements merueilous fol. 20. Adulteries punnished fol 22. Agillity and force fol. 36. Ambition ridiculous and vaine fol. 44. Apparitions merueilous fol. 45. Apparitions Satanicall fol. 49. Apparitions in the Aire fol. 51 Appetite of eating and drinking lost fol. 71. Appetites strange fol. 72. Age growne yong againe fol. 616. B BArbarous people made milde and gentle through wisdome fol. 87. Bodily strenght fol. 277. Bloud letting wonderfull fol. 539 C COmmets fol 129 Compassion violent fol. 133 Conceptions deliueries before they were of age fol. 134 Continency notable fol. 135 Consciences guilty fol. 138 Cruelty punnished fol. 143 Children many memorable Accidents before and after their birthes fol. 214. And many borne at one birth ibid. Deliuered at diuers times of one bignesse by superfetation fol. 224. Dead in their Mothers wombes and put forth by strange meanes fol. 228. Miraculously preserued fol. 240. Ingratefull and peruerse fol. 246. Broght vp amongst Wolues fol. 292. Supposed or practised fol. 255. Of stone fol. 256. Caesarian section or cutting out of the Mothers belly fol. 256 Commotions caused by exactions fol. 268 Cure extraordinary fol. 289 Cursinges detestable fol. 368 D Deliuerances notable and by extraordinary means fol. 148 Demoniackes with examples of diuers illusions of Sathan fol. 161. Desperate persons fol. 185 Death worthy of obseruation fol. 447 E Earth-quakes fol. 565 F FIers great and extraordinary fol. 209 Fantastiques fol. 274 Fury horrible fol. 248 Fasting wonderfull fol. 352 Father fertile in his ofspring fol. 411 Flouds and ouerflowings wonderfull fol. 525 G GYants fol. 244 Gout and one lame of it preserued fol. 290 Gould and siluer contemned fol. 530 Graue desired fol. 541 H HEart of man diuers histories thereof fol. 123 Hayle and raine
cardes and seeming also to bee verie desirous to haue still newe Companie and to shewe him selfe stately hee made himselfe to bee visited by them that were newely arriued in the Cittie And as soone as they were entred after that hee had performed the vsuall complements of the place hee would set him downe to plaie with them commanding in the meane time that they should make readie dinner supper or a banket according to the hower of the daie But in steede of preparing it FRANCISQVINO had a theefe or murtherer who stood hidden behinde and prepared to beate him downe that drempt not of it when as FRANCISQVINO should giue him a signe Hee continued this traine so long as they say when they were taken and had confessed all there were found in Priuies foureteene or fifteene bodies of such as had bin thus slaine by FRANCISQVINO and his murtherer In the end this was their punishment After they had beene pincht with hot burning pincers their brests were opened and their hearts sodenly pulled out the which were shewed vnto them Conformitie of ancient merueills with Moderne lib. 1. An other theefe in our time called VILLEVINEVF of the Coūty of Tonerre had with him a seruant which serued him for a murtherer a Laquay Al three were taken in the end and punished at Paris the Laquay was whipt the murtherer burnt aliue and the maister broken vpon the wheele In the same booke A certaine Hermit lyuing in a mountaine of Suisserland where for certaine yeares he had liued austerly and with reputation of holinesse among them of the Countrie came one day to Lucerne and lodged with a certaine widow whom he approched nere vnto either to depriue her of her honour or to take her purse shee crying out a seruant of hers came whom the Hermit slue presently with a Dagger The widow running speedily out of the house cryed out for helpe A countryman comes in to succour her and is slaine as her seruant was then a Bourges of the Towne and after him his seruant Some others running thether but better aduised by the example of the former surprised this theefe who falling to the ground spake no other words but Ictz hav ichs offder teaschen that is to say Now I haue past the game A Weauer borne at Basil giuen to ryot and gourmandise and not able by reason of his small meanes to continue this wicked course of life hee practised a notable villanie Remaining in the territories of Soleure he resolued to go visit a Kinsman of his at Basil called ANDREW AGER a Binder of bookes a very honestman who had beene Tutor and as it were a Father to this lewd young man called PAVL who determined to kill his Kinsman and Tutor and to spoile his house The 15. of Februarie 1563. he came early in the morning and knockt at his Kinsmans doore the maide who knew him well and suspected no harme opened him the doore Hee enters into ANDREVVS Chamber who was yet in bed being an aged and a sickly man After the manner of the country ANDREVV asked him courteously the cause of his voyage and how his wife and children did For answer this Theefe takes vp a Binders Hammer and kils the good old man The seruant which had opened the doore being an honest young maide called SARA FALCKISE allyed to ANDREVV and which gouerned his house who the day before had beene promised in Carriage and made sure to IOHN HOSPINIAN a professor in Philosophie at Basill Shee running vp at the noyse was beaten downe by the theefe with the same hammers and then he cut her throate with a knife which booke-binders doe commonly vse Then he opens the Chests findes some goblets of siluer with little coine the which he carries away To hide this horrible fact he setts fier of the Stoue hoping that the house being fired both these bodies should be consumed to ashes But the fier beeing soone quenched by the neighbors they found these two bodies thus miserably murthered This wicked wretch was so tormented with the reuenging furies and prickt with remorse of Conscience as hee could not flie away that day but was taken in a village nere vnto Basil and brought backe vnto the Cittie where by reason of his theft murther and burning the house hee was executed aliue by three punishments by the wheele the gibet and by fire the last day of the same moneth THOMAS RODOLPHE of Schafouse one of those who vnder the name of students giue themselues more liberty then they ought hauing descouered that IOHN SCHVANFELDER and his Wife in whose house hee had formerly frequented were gone to Francfort he went presently to Sprendeling a nere village whereas the aboue named remayned and giues them to vnderstand that they were returning and neere at hand with good companie with them and that hee was come before to make readie dinner He therefore sent the seruant to fetch some fish and then hee beganne to intreate the Daughter of the house called AMELIE to drawe him some wine Shee saying that they must stay for her Fathers comming hee growes into choller and demands a knife to pill an aple with this knife he kills a yong Child of foure yeares old grand-chid to IOHN SCHVANFELDER and then AMELY who would haue defended her Nephew Hee then flies away and the Peasants runne after him ouertake him bring him to the Castell of Ofenbach where hee confesseth the fact But one night following by an extraordinary meanes he vnchaines himselfe getts out of a Dongeon and enters cunningly into the Earles Chamber beeing then absent there he remaines hidden two daies pickes a Cofer and takes out a bag with fiue hundred florins of the Rhine and castes it vpon the banke of the Riuer of Min which runnes along that Castell then hee slides downe by a windowe that was grated with the helpe of the roape of a boate which hee found tied there and so flies to Francfort where being descouered by the Countrymen vnto the Magistrate the two and twenty of February 1570. hee was pincht and broken vpon the wheele Not long since there were two English men lodged together nere to Saint Marceaux gate at Paris whereof the one had good stoore of Crownes and a great Chaine of gold with some other rich Iewells which hee commonly carried about him His Companion intending to bee Master of these Iewells drewe him out to walke towards Bois de Vincennes and beeing in the vygnes hee fell vpon him and cut the wind-pipe the mouth of the stomack giuing him cer◅aine stabbes with his dagger and thinking that hee had slaine him he left him in a manner naked Hauing committed this trecherous Act he returned presently to the Cittie He that was wounded making shewe to haue beene dead rises vp afterward and creeps to peasants house who for pitty caused him to be drest He was carried to Paris where soone after one of his Companions sent for me to haue him in cure and I found that
the Mother had also giuen him the like councell to escape but GOD by his power did so staie him as hee had no power to flie Beeing carried to prison and examined at the first hee couered his parricyde accusing his Father that hee had slaine himselfe But his excuses beeing found friuolous hee was condemned to haue his right hand cut off then to bee pinched with hot pincers and in the ende hanged by the feete vpon a gibet and strangled with a stone of sixe score pound which should bee hanged at his necke A wicked counterfet beeing prisoner with him aduised him to appeale vnto Paris But hauing freely confessed the Parricide hee reuoked his appeale and was executed The History of our times Of the Heart of man Diuers Histories thereof in our time HAuing perced an Impostume grown of a long time vpon the seauenth turning ioynt where through the venom of his corruption it had made a great ouerture and gnawne the innermost membrane of the heart those which were present beheld one part of the heart which I did shewe them A. BENIVENIVS in his booke de abditis causis Chap. 42. Two Bretheren gentlemen falling out at tables the one of them gaue the other a wound with his knife iust on the seege of the heart the hurt gentleman bleeding exceedingly was carried and layed on a bed whereas all signes of death appeered Beeing sent for I applied that to the heart which I thought â—…it to strengthen it The patient hauing beene as it were at deathes doore vntil midnight beganne to come to himselfe and hauing vsed all the meanes possible I could deuise for his preseruation at length I sawe him cured whereby I knewe the heart had not beene perished as at the first I doubted but the filme or Capsula thereof called PERICALDION by the Greekes was lightly tainted The same Author Chap. 65. We haue seene ANTHONY ALâ—…IAT hurt and hauing his Pericordian vntoucht True it is that hee did sigh very much and lowd The internall parts beeing hurt bring death foure waies either through necessity of their function and office as the Lunges or by reason of the excellency of their nature as the Hart or through much losse of bloud as the Liuer the great arteries and veines or through the malignity of Symptomes and accidents as the neruie parts the ventricle and bladder Although some parts be incurable yet are they not mortall of absolute necessity otherwise death would ensue vpon the incurable hurts of boanes gristles and lygaments The Pericordion then is not mortall of it selfe but because it is impossible to attaine it without offending many other noble parts CARDAN in his Commentarie on the Aphorismes of Hipocrates booke 6. apb 18. Anatomizing a Scholler of mine dead in the Vniuersitie of Rome I found that this yong man had no Pericardion by meanes whereof in his life-time hee swounded very often and seemed as one dead through which defect at length hee died COLVMBVS booke 15. of his Anatomy A certaine Theefe being taken downe from the gallowes where he had bene hanged and not quite strangled was carefully looked vnto and recouered But like an vngratious wretch as he was returning to his old trade againe hee was apprehended and throughly hanged Wherevpon we would needes Anatomize him and wee found that his heart was all heary Which is likewise reported among the Grecians of Aristomenes of Hermogenes the Rhetorician of Leonydas of Lysander and others namely of a dog that ALEXANDER the great had This haire denotes not onely promptitude of Courage and peruerse obstinacy but many times valour contemning all danger BENIVENIVS in Chap. 83. de Abditis causis Vpon a certaine time making the Anatomy of a man at Ferrara wee found his heart cleane couered ouer with haire and indeede he had beene all his life time a desperate ruffian and a notable theefe AMATVS the Portingale in Centur. 6 Cur. 65. Being at Venice and present at the execution of a very notorious theefe the hangman that quartered his bodie found his heart meruailous hairye M. A. Muret booke 12. of his dyuers readings Chap. 10. I haue seeâ—…e the sepâ—…um that distinguisheth the ventrycles of the heart to be a gristle in some mens Bodies in others the left ventricle wanting or so little as it could hardly bee discerned Columb booke 15. of his Anatomy I found in two mens bodies that I opened a boane in the rootes of the great artery and of the arteryall vaine CORN GEMMA in the 2. booke of his Cyclognomia pag 75. In another I found a little boane betweene the gristly circles of the heart the chiefe artery and arteriall veine like to the boane which is commonly found in the heart of a stagge CORN GEMMA in the 1. booke Chap. 6. of his Cosmocritif Doctor MELANCHTHON in his first booke of the Soule testifies of CASIMIR Marquise of Brandebourg a Prince greatly afflicted in his life time with sundry griefes and consumed with long watchings that beeing opened after his decease the humor enclosed in the fylme of the heart was â—…ound quite dried vp and the heart so scorched that it was like a peare burnt in the fire TH. IORDAN in the 1. booke of signes of the plague Chap. 16. Not long since a Romaine gentleman died after hee had languished along time Being opened no heart appeared neither was there any part of it but the fylme left the vnmeasurable heate of his long sicknesse hauing wholy consumed it BERN. IELASIVS in the 28. Chap. of the 5. booke of the nature of things A young Prince being sickly and very much troubled with a payne at the heart assembled a great many Physitions togither for to consult of his dissease Among others there was a young practitioner who declared how he had read in certaine notes that the vse of garlick euerie morning expells a kinde of worme that feedes vpon the heart But both the remedy and the young man that propounded it were despised Not long after this Prince died and his body was opened by the commandement of his Father for to see the cause of his sicknesse death The dissection made they found a white worme hauing a sharpe bill of horne like a pâ—…llets gnawing the heart The Physitions tooke it aliue and layd it on a table in a circle made of the iuyce of garlick The worme began to writh and wriggle euery way still eschuing the iuyce that compassed it about Finally surmounted by the strength and sauor of the garlick it died within the circle to the astonishment of those that had despised so easie a remedie I. HEBANSTEIF in his treatise of the plague It is not long agoe that in the great Duke of Tuscans Court a certaine Florentine beeing assistant at the merry conceites of a pleasant iester was suddainly seized with vnexpected death whereat the company and his friends being much abashed for their better satisfaction after he was knowne to bee starke dead they had him opened and there was
that way they let downe a great bucket willing him to put his right foote in it and with his hands to hold fast by the chaine of the Well By which meanes he was drawne vp hauing beene as it were frozen in the Well they carried him to bedde where he lost his speech and opened his eyes very seldome and that with paine Being sent for to visit him I spent all that daie in fighting with the apoplexy At length hee began to stirre a little and to mutter forth some words but vomyting exceedingly The next daie I found him come to himselfe againe and talking hee tould mee howe that night that hee was so in the well hee dreamt that hee was walking and with stumbling had like to haue fallen and that him thought hee had beene ouer head and eares in water Finally after afewe daies hee was thoroughly recouered againe The same A Spanish gentleman surnamed TAPIA rose oftentimes in his sleepe and did many things about the house going from one place to another without awaking but to the end no mischance should come vnto him he had alwaies a basen of water set by his bedde side Nowe one night in the Sommer-time he arose in his shirt put a cloake about him got him forth a dores beeing all this while fast asleepe and met as him thought with another man who demanded of him whither hee went so late It is so hot answered TAPIA that I meane to go wash my selfe And so will I quoth the other come le ts go along togither Withal my heart sayth TAPIA Thervpon they got them to the riuer where TAPIA putting of his cloake and shirte was going into the water but the other ieasting beeganne to say you cannot swimme I am sure marrie but I can replyed the gentleman and it may bee better then you Well quoth the other then followe mee And saying so hee gotte him vp on a bridge that was thereby and leaping downe into one of the deepest places of the Riuer swamme vppe and downe and called to the Gentleman since you bragge so much doe as I haue donne TAPIA followes him and leapes into the Riuer as all this was donne in his sleepe so assoone as his feete touched the water hee awaked and laboring all that possiblie hee could hee beganne to call that other who was not to bee seene Wherevpon fearing it was some euill Spirit that had drawne him into that danger after hee had recommended himselfe vnto GOD hee swamme ouer the Riuer tooke vp his cloake and shirte and returned home recounting that which had happened vnto him and afterwardes vsed meanes not to fall into the like perrill againe A de TORQVEMADOE in the ende of the third date of his Hexameron There haue bin many found who rysing thus sleeping and going vp into windowes that haue beene open haue falne downe to the ground breaking their Armes and legges others haue beene found starke dead and some so grieuously wounded as they haue soone after giuen vp the ghost But it sufficeth vs to propound such as haue escaped the which are set downe in Bookes that wee haue seene vntill that time may discouer the rest by some man more diligent then my selfe who may note all if it please him I haue heard of a young Maiden at Paris which did vsually euery night goe to bathe her selfe in the Riuer being a sleepe The which shee continued long vntill that her Father being aduertised thereof watched her in the Streete and whipt her well to make her leaue this custome whereat the Maide awaked and was much ashamed to see her selfe naked in the streete Maister L. IOVBERT lib. 3. chap. 10. It is also reported that a Scholler hauing had a quarrell the night before with one of his companions rise vp in his sleepe and went and slue his enemie lying in his bed in another Chamber and then hee returned to his owne bed without waking as it was supposed for the next day the Iustice being called by the Host found him a sleepe and his Dagger bloudie confessing that hee had dreampt that he had slâ—…ine him who they sayd was murthered In the same Author There are said he vpon this report many such examples by the which we may conclude that besides the naturall and vitall faculties of the soule the which he affirmes to be very powerfull in sleepers these also that are dedicated and subiect to our willes do labour caused by the meanes of the Muscles as to go to imbrace to speake Strange efficacie and power of Satan MAster THEODORE Sonne to CORNELIVS some-times Consull of Goude in Holland reported this History vnto mee that followeth auouching it to bee verie true In a village called Ostbrouch neere vnto Vtrech there dwelt a widowe who had a seruant whome shee imployed about necessary affaires of the house He hauing obserued as seruants are often curious that this widowe went late in the night when all were at rest into one certaine place in the stable stretching forth her hands vpon the racke whereas they vsually put haie for their Cattell Hee wondring what it ment resolued to do as much without the priuity of his Mistresse and to trie the effect of this ceremonie Soone after following his Mistresse who was gone into the stable hee goes and takes hold of the racke Sodenly hee feeles himselfe to be lifted vp into the aire and to be carried into a Caue vnder grownd in a little Towne called Vuich whereas hee found a Synagoge of Sorcerers deuising togither of their witch-crafts His Mistresse amazed at this vnexpected presence asked him howe hee came into that companie to whome hee reported what had happened She beganne to bee in a great rage against him fearing least those mighty assemblies should be descouered by that meanes yet shee consulted with her companions what was to be done in that difficultie In the ende they concluded to entertaine this new guest friendly forcing a promise from him to keepe silence and to sweare not to descouer the secrets which then had beene made knowne vnto him beyond his hope or merit This poore man promiseth wonders and flatters euery one and least hee should bee more toughly handled he makes a shew to bee admitted of that Sinagogue if it pleased them In these Consultations the time was spent and the houre of departure approched Then they make an other consultation at the instance of the Mistresse whether for the preseruation of many it were not expedient to cut the seruants throte or to carrie him backe By a common consent they inclyned to the milder course to carry him backe againe seeing hee had taken his oath not to reueale any thing The Mistresse vndertakes this charge who after protestations made takes him vpon her backe promising to carrie him backe vnto her house But hauing made part of the way they discouered a Lake full of reedes The Mistresse meeting with this occasion and fearing still that this young man repenting himselfe that hee had beene admitted
afterwards discouered and proued against him hee was first of all laied starke naked on a bare planke so drawne through the chiefest streetes of the towne then hee had his flesh plucked away in foure principall places of his body with hot burning pincers lastly hee had his bones broken and was left so a liue on a cart wheele where hauing languished in grieuous torments the space of nine houres with great acknowledgement and detestation of his damnable fact he gaue vp the ghost GASPAR HEDIO in the 4. part of his Chronicles On Sattarday the last sauing one of September 1565. it happened that IOHN GVY the Sonne of EME GVY an Haberdasher of hattes and cappes in the Towne of Chastillon vpon Loire being a very lewd vnruly youth stayed forth according to his custome and came not home till it was very late in the night Whereat his Father being much offended told him that if he continued in those fashions he should be constrained to turne him out of dores Wherevnto the Sonne answered very sawcily that it should not neede for hee would goe of himselfe and that forth-with if hee might haue his clothes Therevpon the Father went to his Chamber and being a bedde was faine to threaten his Sonne for to make him hold his peace he was so lusty with his tongue At length seeing hee but lost his labour and not able any longer to endure his proud and sawcy answeres hee rose in an anger out of his bedde for to go and Chastice the arrogancie and disobedience of this vnruly youth who seeing his Father comming to beate him caught a sworde which hunge in his Chamber and rebelling against his Father ranne him quite through the bodie Wherewithall he fell presently downe crying out he was slaine The neighbors flighted with his crie came running in and found the poore Father lying all along on the floore ready to giue vp the Ghost as within a little while after he did and his Sonne standing by him with the sword all bloudie in his hands who notwithstanding that his Father mooued with compassion and forgetting his vnnaturall cruelty towards him had willed him to saue himselfe and that his Mother had also perswaded him therevnto yet had not the power to stirre a foote So that apprehended and examined at first he excused himselfe saying that his Father ranne vpon the sword himselfe But his excuses found friuolous hee was condemned to haue his right hand cut of then to haue his flesh plucked away in foure places of his body with burning pincers and finally to bee hanged by the feete on a gibbet and there strangled with a stone of a hundreth and twentie pounds weight which should be tyed about his neck All which hauing confessed his fault hee patiently endured calling vpon GOD for mercy euen to the verie last gasp In the Historie of our time A friend of mine a man of a great spirit and worthie of credit beeing one night at Naples with a kins-man of his heard the voice of a man crying out for helpe in the streete Whereat he arose lighted a candle and ranne out to see what it was and comming into the streete hee sawe an horrible fantosme of a dreadfull and furious aspect which would haue carried away a young youth that cried out and struggled with him aswell as he could but seeing him comming hee ranne suddainely vnto him and caught him fast about the middle and after his feare was some-what past hee beganne to call vpon GOD whereat the fantosme vanished presently away My friend carried this young man to his lodging and after hee had comforted him hee would haue sent him home but hee could not get him to go by any meanes for the youth was so frighted that hee shaked euery ioynt of him through the apprehension of so hideous an encounter At last being some-what come to himselfe hee confessed that till then hee had lead a very wicked life that hee had beene a contemner of GOD and disobedient to his Father and Mother whom he had so intollerably misused that they had cursed him Wherevpon hee went forth of dores and was presently encountred by that fiend ALEXANDER of Alexandria in the 4. booke of his geniall daies Chap. 19. A young man borne at Gabies not farre from Rome being of a wilde and vnruely nature and verie lewdly giuen hauing abused his Father diuers and sundry waies got him in a rage out of dores and went towardes Rome entending to plot some newe villany there against his sayd Father Vpon the way hee met the Diuell in the likenesse of a desperate ruffian with long haire and ragged apparel who comming to him demanded the cause of his discontent The young man answered that hee had beene at some wordes with his Father and determined to be meete with him some way or other Whervnto the Diuell replyed that such an inconuenient had befallen him and therefore desired him they might keepe company togither for to deuise some meanes to bee reuenged of the wrongs they had sustained Night approching they went into an Inne and lay togither in one bedde But the wicked fiend when the young man was a sleepe caught him by the throate and had strangled him if hee had not awaked and called to GOD for helpe Wherevpon the Diuell vanished away and in his departure so shaked the Chamber that both the roofe and walles crackt in sunder Whereat this young man was greeuiously terrified with such a soddaine spectacle and almost dead with feare repented him of his wicked life and guided from thence forward by a better spirit became an enemy to vice past the rest of his life farre from the rumors of people and serued for a good example to his neighbors In the same booke and Chapter Children brought vp among Wolues GOD repented that he had made man saith MOYSES Gen. 6. And Philosophers Bookes are full of complaints touching the malice of mans heart PLATO in the 7. Booke of his lawes saith That a child is the wildest beast the vnruliest and hardest to bee tamed of all other and that it cannot be too neerely looked vnto ARISTOTLE also in the first Bookes of his Politickes confirmes the same Lyons Beares and other sauage beasts are vntractable but yet not so much as children left to themselues and destitute of good direction It is reported that a childe of a village in the Landgrauiat of Hesse was lost through the rechlesnesse of his Father and Mother who sought him a long time after but could not finde him This Village was full of Trees and Gardens hard by a Forrests side wherein were a great number of Wolues Certaine yeares after there was perceiued among the Wolues which came into the Gardens to seeke their prey a creature not altogether like a Wolfe nor nothing so nimble as they which seene many and sundry times with great meruaile by the Country-folkes and thinking it was a beast of some other kinde they went and reported it to the
answere in euill parte accused the young man for killing their kins-man Pre sently the Iudge committed the innocent Sonne to prison where the intollerable torment of the torture made him confesse that hee had killed the seruant and throwne his body into a riuer thereby Where-vpon he was condemned to loose his head Being lead to the place of execution he was admonished to tell the truth he answered I am innocent but will it auaile me to tell the truth I haue killed him To conclude he was executed yeelded vp the ghost in the inuocation of the name of GOD. Shortly after the seruant and the widow were found out where they were and being apprehended suffered such punishment as they rightly merited I GEORGE GODELMAN in the Treatise of Witches witchcrafts Book 3. Ch. 10. Two young Artificers dwelling in a towne of Germanie went out together for to trauell the Country shortly after one of them returned againe in his companions apparell with whom he had changed clothes The others friends coniecturing by this change of apparell that hee had made away their kinsman accused him of murther to the Iudge of the place who immediatly committed him to prison where denying the fact and put to torture by force of torment he confessed that he had murthered his companion and got on his apparell hauing eaten out his owne in an Ale-house Where-vpon hee was condemned to death executed dying like a good Christian. Not long after his companion returned safe and well In perpetuall remembrance of this proceeding and vniust sentence pronounced against this innocent in the Church of the place is the figure of a man laid vpon a wheele cut out in stone For indeed one ought not proceede vnto torture if the party accused bee not charged with many likely signes and as Vâ—…PIAN saith li. 1. § 2. l. 18. sect 1. l. 20. l. fin D. de quaestio almost conuinced by euident testimonies for in criminall processes it is requisite that proofes should bee apparant and cleerer then the day L. Sciant cuncti 25. C. de proba The same LADISLAVS King of Hungary hauing established IOHN CAPISTRAN Lord Marshall of his house it happened that a certaine Count was accused of treason and being laid on the Rack confessed that where-withall he was charged insomuch that CAPISTRAN condemned the Count to be beheaded together with his sonne but vnder a secret reseruatioÌ„ that the father only should be executed first and the sonne spared if it were neuer so so little perceiued that hee were innocent but yet commanded that he should be lead to the place of â—…xecution The sonne seeing his father loose his head being fully perswaded that his should be chopped off too strucken with a vehement feare hee fell downe starke dead where he stood CAPISTRAN very much troubled with such an accident gaue ouer his estate and became a Friar ANDREVV HONSDORFF in his Theater of examples BAPTIST FVLGOSA reports that HERMOLAVS DONAT one of the ten Lords at Venice a personage of great authority hauing in charge to examine a certaine young man accused of an infamous crime caused him diuers times to be tortured for to draw out the truth of him which not able to do a coÌ„federate of the prisoners desiring to bee reuenged on him for it and to procure some ease to the other watched him one night as he was returning homeward very late from the Pallace accompanied but with one man carrying a Torche which suddainly put out HERMOLAVS receiued a stab with a Poinard and fell downe dead in the place The Lords of Venice meruailouslie incensed and offended with the haynousnesse of the fact and not able to discouer the murtherer purposed to search out diligently all circumstances that might serue there-vnto They called to minde how before-times there had beene great variance betweene HERMOLAVS and IACQVES sonne to FRANCISCO FOSCATI Duke of Venice Imagining there-vpon that IACQVES relying on the dignitie of his father might well haue enterprised this murther they committed him to prison and tortured him extreamly But he would neuer confesse that where-of hee was guiltlesse not-with-standing they confined him into Candy where hee dyed The murtherer vrged by his conscience became a Monke and certaine yeares after in his death-bed opened this murther to his Confessor which after his decease was signified to the Seignorie In the 8. Booke of his Examples Chap. 4. Famous and remarkable Iudgements AN Italian Gentleman very rich well fauored of ALEXANDER de MEDICIS the first Duke of Florence falling in loue with a very honest faire yong maide but very poore and of base parentage being a Milners daughter who liued in the Country not farre from Florence tryed many meanes to corrupt her but all in vaine the Virgin hauing her honor in great recommendation In the end transported with this violent passion and followed by men which did second him in his humour hee goes in the night towards this Mill takes the Maide violently from her father and carries her to a house of his in the Country where shee was rauished This poore father goes to Florence and attends the Duke at his returne from Masse makes his complaint vnto him and demands Iustice. The Duke concealing his thoughts sends him backe to his house promising to take order for it Presently after dinner hee goes to horse making a shew hee would goe Hunte and goes towards this Gentlemans house staying thereby in a place of pleasure The Gentleman aduertised that the Duke was so neere and drunke with his passion thinking the Milner would not haue presumed to complaine of him and trusting in his owne credit he shuts the Maide vp in a secret place of his house out of the way and then goes to doe his dutie vnto the Duke offering him his Pallace for his lodging the which the Duke doth accept and seemes to take great delight in the building of this house of pleasure hee doth visit and view euery part member and corner thereof very curiously with their ornaments and causeth all the chambers and Cabynes to be opened finally he enters into a faire and long gallerie at the end where-of was a close doore but painted and inriched with rare deuises The Duke seemes to haue more delight in that then in all the rest and smiling hee sayde That hee thought that it was the Store-house of all his Euidences Treasure and most precious Iewels It was the prison of this honest Mayden that had beene rauished And for that the Gentleman made some delaye to open it the Duke did presently doubt that what he sought was there and therefore hee commands them to open it but the Gentleman pretended that a seruant of his was gone to Florence and had carryed the Keye with him But finding the Duke at these wordes to bee the more earnest to enter hee came to him and after a great reuerence he tolde him softly in his eare that there was a wench within the which he was loath to
a keye which hee held in his hand but this folly turned sodenly into fury for hee would haue beaten vs all running vp and downe and tearing all that came in his hands being so strong in this fit as sixe able and lusty men could hardly hold him hauing applied some remedies I retyred my selfe and came the next daye to visite him beeing the last of Aprill 1538. I found him reasonable quyet but after dinner hee had so great a desire to sleepe that such as did assist him could by no meanes keepe him from it First the whot matter caused the frenzie and then the cold had his turne Beeing freed from this sound sleepe hee hegan by fits to beate his sides and continued foure houres in an extasie running like one that were possest with an euill spirit During this time he counterfetted the voyces of birds and of foure-footed beasts hee spake betwixt his teeth and had extraordinary motions so as it rather seemed a miracle then any thing proceeding of a naturall cause Hee was thus tormented twise a daye and the entry of this motion came from the flanks his greefe â—…aking him at the fayling of the body which past you would haue sayde that the young man had suffered no paine Hee would not vse any more Physicke his seruants saying that hee had beene bewitched and causing him to vse preseruatiues against witch craft the which did him no good Then they changed their opinions giuing it out that he had the Diuell in his body causing him to bee exercised but in vayne for it was a disease which is expelled by good remedies or through continuance of time As it happened that after eyght months hee recouered his health and so hath continued since BRASAVOLE in his coment vpon the 65. Aphorisme of the 5. booke of HIPPOCRATES I did lately see a man who might serue for a patterne to any one that would paint Melancholie it selfe Hauing marryed about the beginning of Iuly a lusty young Woman hee abandoned himselfe with such vehemency to the acte of Venerie as after some dayes hee fell mad I caused him to bee chayned vsing many lotions for his head to refresh his braine and to prouoke him to sleepe and with the helpe of a good dyet I restored him but not in such sort as I would haue trusted him much for his heauy eyes presaged nothing but furye IACCHIN in his Coment vppon the ninth Booke of Rasis cap. 15. There are three kindes of sharpe rauings the one is when as in the extremity of a Feauer the sicke person doth raue and speake strange things The other called frenzie is alwayes accompanied with folly for although the sicke body hath respites lesse troublesome at one time then at any other yet hee hath alwayes his vnderstanding carried away by fantasies The third is more dangerous when as the folly hath no respittes but doth all things furiously and with violence A young Gentle-woman beeing fallen into this third kinde of rauing I was called about mid-night to visite her and found her in that same fury so as shee leaped violently sometimes of one side sometimes of another and all that shee could lay holde of shee pulled in peeces or tare it with her teeth were it the hayre the armes or hands of her selfe or of any other or what-soeuer she laid hold on shee carried awaye the peece so as they were faine to chayne her that she might doe no more harme to her selfe nor to any other After some houres this tempest being some-what appeased shee fell into a sound sleepe In the ende through diuerse remedies the which shee did take with great difficultie she recouered her former health But after the manner of women especially of Gentlewomen not caring to follow those directions that were prescribed her for the preseruation of her health but liuing at pleasure a moneth after shee fell into the same disease and within 24. houres after dyed not-with-standing any meanes that could be vsed BENIVENIVS chap. 99. of his booke Intituled The hidden causes of things A man being some-what aboue thirty yeares old in the day time was very well hauing his vnderstanding good and his Iudgement perfect but night being come if hee went to bed and slept presently hee entred into a frenzie some-times he cryed out with all the force he could he flourished with his armes and his legges sometimes hee did rise leape and runne vp and downe the house if he were not stayed Being awake and day come he returned to his perfect sence managed his affaires discreetly of a setled spirit hating solitarinesse and louing to discourse with his friends and familiers DODONEVS in his obseruations DANIEL FREDERICK a maker of Kettles dwelling at Fribourg in Brisgaw of the age of 27. yeares was dangerously possest being carried ouer tops of houses where hee did clime vp and runne without any apprehension of the hazard of his life They were forced to tye him with chaines After some moneths GOD did ease him mercifully by the helpe of the great veynes which did appeare in his thighes the which being wonderfully swelled and in the end opened he was eased And since euery yeare vnto the 50. of his age which was in the yeare 1581. vsing a fit incision in the said veines he hath peuented a relapse without the which remedy he could not haue conâ—…inued in health SCHENâ—…IVS in the 240. obseruation of the first booke of his learned and diligent Annotations To the former Histories we will ioyne some touching the Licanthropes and mad-men the which wee will consider of two sorts For there be Licanthropes in whom the melancholike humor doth so rule as they imagine themselues to be transformed into Wolues This disease as AETIVS doth witnesse lib. 6. Chap. 11. and PAVLVS lib. 3. Chap. 16 with other late writers is a kinde of melancholic but very black and vehement for such as are toucht there-with goe out of their houses in Februarie counterfet Wolues in a manner in all things and all night doe nothing but runne into Church-yardes and about graues so as you shall presently discouer in them a wonderfull alteration of the braine especially in the imagination and thought which is miserably corrupted in such sort as the memorie hath some force as I haue obserued in one of these melancholike Licanthropes whom we call Wolues for he that knew mee well being one day troubled with his disease and meeting me I râ—…tired my selfe a part fearing that he should hurt me Hauing eyed me a little hee passed on being followed by a troupe of people Hee carried then vpon his shoulders the whole thigh and the legge of a dead man Beeing carefully looked vnto hee was cured of this disease Meeting mee another time hee asked mee if I had not beene afeard when as hee incountred mee in such a place which makes mee to thinke that his memorie was not hurt nor impayred in the vehemencie of his disease although his imagination were much DONAT de HAVTEMER
aboue all those that I haue seene by experience and I vsed it in the curâ—… of the aboue named Maide ANDREVV BACCIVS in his Preface to the Booke of Poisons and Counter-poysons describes the Epitaphe of a Romaine which dyed madde for that shee was not presently and speedily helpt beeing bitten in the finger by a Catte which shee puld by the tayle FRANCIS VALLERIOLA in his Commentarie vpon the Booke of HYPPOCRATES of the substance of the Arte of Physicke Chapter 20. makes mention of a Moyle of his that was madde And MATHIOLVS vpon the 36. Chapter of the sixt Booke of Discordes saith That hee had seene a madde Horse the which hauing broken all that held him hee did runne violently a certaine way where finding an old woman he tooke her vp with his teeth by her head-geare and carryed her aboue tenne paces hanging in the ayre without making of any wound In the same Chapter hee recites the Historie of BALDVS the Lawyer aboue mentioned A Portugall Marchant and foure of his houshold were hurt in one day with the Teeth and clawes of a Catte that was madde Whereof there followed terrible and pittifull accidents and in the end death AMATVS a Portugal Centur. 7. â—…ur 65. These yeares past an Italian Gardiner was at vnawares sette vpon by an olde Cocke of his hauing a sharpe Bill and his Fethers reddish the which did strike him so hard vpon the left hand as there came forth certaine droppes of bloud The same day I was called to see him and comming to him I found him writhing of his mouth there was not any helpe by Scarrifications Incisions Corseys or Applications within or without that could serue All the neighbours about him were amazed to see this poore man in his bedde hauing his face redde and his eyes sparkling and inflamed like vnto a Cocke that is hotte in fight so as the third day of his hurte the patient dyed This made mee to thinke that the Basiliscke so famous among the Ancient is our Cocke the which gaue mee occasion and manie others to make diuerse Epigrammes the sence whereof is comprehended in these two verses Another Basiliske is not this angry Cocke That biting kild his Maister with that stroke ANDREVV BACIVS in the Preface of the Booke of Poisons and Counter-poisons A young man an Italian happened to be bitten with a mad Dogge whereof hee made no account but after foure moneths hee began to growe amazed and to bee wonderfully afraide of all meate and drinke though otherwise hee had his wittes perfect so as after some dayes he dyed of hunger and thirst VIDIVS in the 2. part of his Phisicke Sect. 2. Chap. 6. There are many witnesses worthy of credit which do test fie that they haue seene in the Vrine of men that haue beene bitten with madde Dogges representations of Dogges and as it were gobbets of Dogges-flesh THOMAS 〈◊〉 VIEGA in his Commentarie vpon the 84. Chap. of the Arte of Phisicke MATHIOLVS vpon the sixt booke of DIOSCORIDES Chap. 36. writes these words AVICENNE saith that it happens some-times that those which are bitten by mad Dogs voyde with their Vrine gobbits of flesh not without great paine the which are like vnto little Dogges the which I haue also heard of some of late yea of them that said they pist of these little Dogges the which is not likely c. yet hee that will vnderstand the reasons and the witnesses that do affirme it let him read GENTILIS coment vpon AVICENNE and PETER d' APONE in the 179. Difference There shall he vnderstand how that some-times such things doe happen against the course of nature The same Author saith that hee had seene a neighbor of his a Cloth-worker who hauing bin preserued from the biting of a mad Dog for that he had beaten his woll with rods of a Tree called a Ceruice tree he grew madde and died This Tree hath some sympathiâ—… in his wood with madnesse by the report of many Physitions There remaines yet many Histories of men afflicted with this strange scourge and of the wonderfull accidents of their infirmities the which wee will reserue for another volume this pittifull Chapter of the miseries of man beeing but too long and by consequence troublesome to the reader Excellencie of Memorie MAister THEODORE ZVINGER theâ—… â—… booke of the â—… volume of his great Theater of mans life-hath gathered together the names of many both of ancient times and of ours which haue had excellent memories Among others wee must not forget a yong Scholler borne in the Isle of Corsica who repeated readily thirtie sixe thousand words of diuers sorts of diuers languages of diuers affaires strangely intermixt and confounded presently or a while after hee had heard them pronounced and did say them as easily backward or by the middest as by the beginning without stopping or studdying with a cheerefull countenance and as little moued as if hee had read in a Booke Hee sayd that hee had learned it of a Frenchman his Schoole-maister and in fewe dayes hee made FRANCIS de MOVLIN a Venetian Gentleman to learne his skill who before had the weakest memorie that might bee found The Author of the life of CHRISTOPHER LONGVEIL an eloquent man in our time reports that he had so firme and ample a memory that no time could deface that which hee had read or heard When hee was demanded by many of diuerse things whereof he had not read any thing many yeares before yet hee answered directly to euery thing as if at that instant hee had read the words and sentences in a Booke If at any time they spake vnto him of the same thing but handled by diuers Authors he spake plainely but in such sort as hee did propound distinctly and worde by worde all that the Greeke and Latin Authors Philosophers Orators Poets and Historians doe say with-out equiuocating coating the Bookes passages Chapters and Sections of euery one to the great amazement of all them that heard him SABELLICVS lib. 10. of his Examples Chap. 9. makes mention of one ANTHONIE of Rauenna who approched neere vnto the aboue named Corscican CVSPINIAN saith that the Emperour MAXIMILIAN the first had â—…o excellent a memory as if a man had once talkt vnto him seeing him againe after many yeares hee would know him and remember what hee had sayd vnto him IHON FRANCISCO reportes of his Vncle IHON PICVS Prince of Mirandola that if he heard a great number of Verses pronounced with-out any more repetition hee would say them forward and backward as they pleased There are at this day many learned men Diuines Physitions Lawyers Philosophers Mathematicians Professors in Eloquence and in the Liberall and Humaine Sciences whom I could name in great numbers which are not wanting or ignorant of any thing that is in light who discourse so redelie of ancient Authors as you would say they haue an infinite number of bookes lying open before them to whome wee cannot say nor cite any thing that
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
of his hope sends the Merchant to prison in expectation of more ample proofe But hauing had conference with other prisoners who are craft masters in such affaires he appeales from his imprisonment s◅es both the Sargiant the Iustice. I leaue you to thinke whether the cause were without apparance of reason Forgery is obiected against the obligatiō there needs no proofe for it is confessed And indeed the Iustice went directly to the Parliament where he discoursed at large how all things had beene carried The Court being well assured of the honesty of the Iustice suspended the course of this sute for a time In the meane space Monsieur BIGOT had incharge to make enquirie all the way betweene Rouan and Paris to see if he could come by any notice of the matter which hee executed with all diligence At length passing by Argentueil the Bayliffe tolde him how not long before they had found a dead carcasse in the Vines halfe eaten with Dogs and Crowes Ther-withall came the blind man a begging to the Inne where BIGOT lay and vnderstanding the perplexitie they were in told them all that hee had heard about the same time on the Mountaine BIGOT asked him whither he could know the voyce againe The other answered him that hee thought he should Whervpon he set him vp on an horse behind another rode away with him to Rouan where being alighted and hauing giuen an accompt of his cōmission the Court determined to heare what the blinde man could say and after to confront him with the prisoner Hee hauing then discoursed at full all that past in his hearing on the Mountaine the answer that was returned him being demanded whether hee could know the voyce againe he replied that he did not thinke but hee could Therwith they shewed him a far of to the prisoner asked him when the blind man was gone whither he could take any exception against him GOD knows what a case he was in then For he said that there had neuer bin such deuises practised to impeach the innocency of an honest man as there had bin against him First the Iustice by vertue of a false obligation to lay him in prison then to make him beleeue how hee had confessed that which neuer did and last of all to bring in a blind man for a witnes against him why it was pastal rules of cōmon sence Notwithstanding that the Court seeing he had nothing els to say against him caused 20. men aboue to speake one after another still as they spake the blind man was asked whither he knew their voices whervnto he replied that it was none of them At last when the prisoner had spoken the blind man said that that was he which answered him on the Mountaine The same confusion of voyces hauing been two or three times reiterated the blind man hit alwaies on the right and neuer missed Take all the accidents of this processe seuerally and you shall find many that make for the prisoner But when you haue thoroughly considered the contrary there are a number of circumstances which make against him a new Cittizē which had set vp a new shop a little after the Lucquois disapearing the honesty of the Lieutenant knowne to all men the deposition by him and the Sergeant made but especially the miraculous encounter of the blind man who was both at the murther as afterward in the Inne where BIGOT lay finally that without any fraud he had discerned the murtherers voyce from many others All these things duely weighed were cause of the wretched mans condemnation who before he was executed confessed all to the discharge of the Iudges consciences E. PASQVIER in 5. booke des Recerches of France Chap. 20. On Christmas eue 1551. a certaine fellow brained a yong woman with an Hammer hard by Saint Oportunes Church in Paris as she was going to mid-night Masse tooke away her rings The Hammer was stolne the same euening from a poore Smith there-by who therefore suspected of the murther was very cruelly handled and put to an extraordinary kinde of torture by reason of the violent presumptions that made against him In such sort that he was quite lamed depriued of the meanes to get his liuing where-by reduced into extreame pouerty hee made a miserable end The murtherer remained almost 20. yeares vnknowne and the memory of the murther seemed to be buried with the poore woman in her graue Now marke how it came out at length though it were long first IOHN FLAMENG Sergeant of the subsidies at Paris that was afterward chiefe Vsher in the Court of Aydes being one day in the Summer at Saint Leups a village by Montmorency whether he was sent to sit vpon a Cōmission chanced among other talke at supper to say before certaine of the place how hee had left his wife at home sick and no body with her but a little boye There was an old mā then present named MOVSTIER a sonne in-law of his who immediately vpon this speach went away that night with each of them a basket of Cherries and a greene Goose and came about ten of the clock the next morning to FLAMENGS house where knocking the woman looked out at the window and asked who it was They answered that her husband had sent her a greene Goose and a basket or two of Cherries wherevpon the dore being opened to them by the boye they clapped it too againe and cut his throat The poore childe strugling with them the woman heard the noyse and stept out into a gallery ioyning to her Chamber to see what it was where perceiuing a streame of bloud in the yarde one of them told her that it was the bloud of the Goose In the meane time the other ranne vp the stayres thinking to surprise her She mistrusting the truth of the matter got back againe into her Chamber bolted the doore within and cryed out of the windoe for helpe saying there were theeues in her house The two wretches seeing they had fayled of there purpose would haue got away but going to vnclocke the gate they brake the key in the locke So that hauing no meanes to scape they went to hide them selues The youngest climbed vp into the funnell of a chimney the old man cōueied himselfe into the bottom of a celler There-with the neighbors came running to the house breaking open the dore found the boy lying dead in the yard where-vpon they sought vp and downe euery corner for the murtherers he in the chimney was taken first and the other after long search was found in the well of the cellar with nothing but his nose aboue water They were straight way caried to prison and shortly after arraigned and condemned to death Being on the scaffold at the place of execution the old man desired to speake with the Smiths widdowe of whom mention was made at the beginning When she came he asked her forgiuenes and told her it was he that
honie sugar or any thing that was compounded there-with all which was poyson vnto him and would soone kill him if he did but tast of it He could eate no grapes figges peares plummes quinces poungranets or apples saying that they were sweete but hee could well disgest nuts almonds and pignors Vineger was his sauce and hee tasted salt things well He could drinke no white wine nor malmsey His drinke was water This disposition considered I prescribed remedies fit for his disease where-with he was eased AMATVS a Portugal in the 6. Centur. cure 6. There are some bodies whome milde and gentle Phisicke doth as much offend as that which is violent the which the Physitions haue often obserued in a great Ladie in our time giuing her a little Manna to purge her gently for after that shee had taken it shee complayned of her bellie she had a desire to cast cried out and grewe weake shee sweat after an extraordynarie manner and was tormented with sundrie other Accidents and yet shee hath beene often purged with other stronger potions without any offences A Nephewe of hers a Nobleman that was war-like and learned in all sciences of a cholerick constitution could neuer bee purged by Manna so as this family seemed to haue that peculiar that Manna was contrary to their dispositions MARANTA Booke 3. of the methode to knowe simples Chap. 4. A dolefull Marriage ANTHONIE PERILLE a Neapolitaine a riche yong man but wanting councell hauing spent almost all his estate at Cardes and Dyce sodenly he fell in loue with the Daughter of a notable Marchant and hauing sounded her minde he demanded her in Marriage The Father called PETER MINIO refused him by reason of his ill husbandry so generally knowne PERILLVS stong with shame and loue began to reuiue himselfe and gathering together the remainder hee resolued to make a voyage to Alexandria in Egypt to begin some trafficke To this end he imbarkes with certaine Marchants but hauing past a good part of the way they are surprised with a great storme and after three dayes the ship which carried him was taken by a Pirate Being a Captiue and in great miserie MINIO a rich Marchant and charitable a custome which he had long vsed sent certaine factors of his vpon the Coast of Barbarie to redeeme tenne Neapolitain prisoners out of the hands of the Turkish Pirats of whome if they had any goods in their Countrie hee would seeke satisfaction in time And as for the poore he did gratefie them with their ransome PERILLVS was of the number of these ten and at his returne to Naples hauing conferred secretly with MINIOS Daughter who promised him marriage hee found meanes to paie his ransome and to make a newe voiage into the East where he made a happie trafficke so as in short time he found him-selfe in better estate thâ—…n his Father had left him carrying himselfe moreouer so vertuously as he purchased the loue of al men especially of MINIO of whome hauing the second time demanded his Daughter in marriage shee was graunted him to the great content of all his kins-folkes and friends The marriage was celebrated in Iune with great ioye as these two young copple were in bedde deuising of strange things that were past behold a violent storme ariseth with strange thunder and terrible lightning and in the ende there came a clappe which slue them both imbracing one an other ending the pleasure of their marriage sollemnized that day with the greefe and sigthes of their life They were very honorably interred both together being followed by all the Cittie with great pompe History of Italie Adulterers punnished WHen as LEVVIS the 12. made warre against the Venetians and that all Italie was sore shaken by the fury of this long warre a certaine gentleman of Milan being tired with so many miseries retired himselfe to a 〈◊〉 of his to liue there more priuately He was a Widower about threescore yeares olde hauing one Sonne of twentie yeares of age and an other much yonger His age the misery of the time and his qualitie should haue retayned him in the way of honour but forgetting the dutie of a gentleman hee fell in loue with a poore farmers Daughter of his whom hee bought for readie money of the execrable Father who sold her and deliuered her This strumpet being full of lust and desperatly impudent hauing serued for a time the Fathers villenie fell strangely in loue with the eldest Sonne whome hauing sought with diuers trickes and deuises in the ende on a certaine day taking a Cousin ofâ—…ers that was her Baâ—…de to helpe her shee comes vnto him and after the accustomed prefaces of such impudent Creatures shee discouers her brest and her heart vnto him seeking with teares and sigâ—…hes to drawe him to commit Incest The honest young man amazed at this speech is so fortefied by GOD as not content with a modest and simple repulse he did sharpely apprehend both her that tempted him and the other that did second her threatning them with big words The furious lust of this bitch was presently turned into horrible hatred which makes her to take the way of confusion As soone as the Father was returned this strumpet complaines vnto him saying that his Sonne had sought three or foure times to corrupt her and in the ende would haue forced her if her seruant had not come to helpe her He giuing credit to this wicked report confirmed by the Baude beganne to murmure to him-selfe wher-vpon his Son comes in against whome without speaking any other words but ha wicked Traitor it is against mee that thou darest presume to plaie these partes hee goes with his sword drawne The young Gentleman turning away to auoide the blowe and not remembring that hee was vpon a straite not supported which answered vnto two lodgings hee fell backward downe to the grounde and was all bruzed so as hauing fallen vpon a stone in the botome of the ditch hee died presently The Parricide thinking that hee had leapt downe of his owne accord did runne after him vsing newe threates But beeing come downe and seeing his Sonne in that estate after cries of â—…urie and despaire with a detestation of his former life and of the wickednesse of his strumpet hee thrust himselfe through with his sword falling vpon the bodie of his Sonne which was yet hot and trembling and wallowing in their common bloud went the same way As for the strumpet hearing by the fearefull cries of the seruantes what had happened thrust on by the reuenging furies or rather pursued by the fearefull iudgement of almighty GOD the reuenger of innocent bloud shee flies towards a well in the house and leapes into it where shee was drowned The Iustice of Milan beeing called to see this accident apprehends the seruant and makes her confesse al vpon the racke where-vpon she was hanged Her bodie with the strumpets and the olde mans were cast vpon the dunghill as a preie for Birds and Wolues But
Monke a Suisse called BVRCARD who had made a voyage into France with the Emperours consent to bring in this armie going forth on Horse-backe as it were to triumph for this defeate of his Countriemen and marching with his Caske on but his beuer was vp and his face was vncouered that hee might with more ease behold the dead bodies among the which he marched he began to cry out O pleasant spectacle what a goodly thing it is to marche in this medow bedeckt with Roses at those words a Suisse lying vpon the place and breathing more for the libertie of his country then for his owne life being so neere his death hee awakes and rising as well as hee could vpon his knees with an extraordinary vigour and taking vp a stone hee threwe it with such dexterity and force at BVRCARD as hee hit him in the midest of the fore-head and ouerthrewe him from his horse where hee died receiuing the reward of his cruell ingratitude and treason STVMPHIVS in the History of Suisserland In the yeare 1514. the Suisses going to succor MAXIMILIAN SFORZA Duke of Milan had the gard of Nouare the which they defended with such resolution as notwithstanding that the French made a furious battery against the walles yet the Suisses shewed to haue so little feare of them as they would neuer suffer the Towne gate which lookt into the campe to be shut A breach being made they endured an assault courragiously and repulst the Assaylants And which is more the night following beeing led by Captaine MOTIN they went without attending the succors that came vnto them to charge the French armie marching directly to the Artillery the which they wonne valiantly beeing two and twentie peeces and carryed them the next daie in tryumph to Nouare hauing slaine a great part of the French armie and put the rest in rout the which we will describe more amply in the following discourse where wee will write of great battailes giuen in diuers partes of the worlde since a hundred and fiftie yeares FR. GVICHARDIN Booke 2. Chap. 14. of his Historie of the warres of Italie The valour of the same Suisses appeered in the yeare 1515. at Saint Dona in the Duchie of Milan of whome GVICHARDIN yeeldes this testymonie Although the Suisses did fight still with great courrage and resolution yet seeing them-selues charged in front and in flanke and that the Venetian armie approched to assault them behinde they despayred of victory which they held for certaine the daie before so as it growing late they did sound a retreate and taking their Artillery vpon their shoulders they turned their squadrons and holding still their accustomed discipline they marched softly towards Milan with such amazement to the French as not any one of foote or horse-backe durst followe them There were onelie two Companies of theirs which being fled into a farme house were burnt by the Venetian light horse men The rest of the armie returned to Milan without disorder shewing the same countenance and resolution and some say they buried in the ground fiueteene peeces of great ordinance which they had gotten at the first Incounter for that they had no meanes to carrie them away All men say that for a long time there had not beene seene a more furious and fearefull battaile in Italie TRIVVLCE an ancient Captaine which had seene much sayd that this battaile had beene performed by Giants not by men and that eighteene battailes in which hee had beene were but combats of little children in respect of that and some hold that without the Canon the Suisses had gotten the victory who being entred at the first charge into the fortifications of the French and hauing taken from them the most of their peeces had alwaies wonne ground GVICHARDIN Booke 12. Chap. 13. About the yeare 1514. the French being beseeged in a fort called the lanterne of Genoa beseeched King LEVVIS the twelfth to succor them with vittells A Sclauonian Captaine entertained by the King carried him-selfe so well as in despight of all the Galleis which stopt the passage hee entred with his galleis laden with victuells and releeued the place in sight of all the Geneuois Therevpon EMANVEL CAVAL a Captaine at seâ—… very expert among those of his time hauing commande of a galley with 300 yong men vnder ANDREVV DORIA and going from the place where hee was set in gard hee beganne to go into the open sea to haue the more winde that he might vse both his owers and sayles and then he sayles directly against the Sclauonians galley not fearing the Cannon which did shoote at him continually from the Lanterne he graples with the sayd galley and leapes first into it him-selfe then hauing cut the cables wherewith the galley was tied vnto the fort commanding the Citty of Genoa in an instant hee drawes this galley after him turning the prowe of his owne and conducting it with such dexterity betwixt the shelfes and the conquered galley as mauger all letts hee arriued safe and was receiued with applause of all the people and honored with fiue hundred Crownes for a testymonie of his valour the spoyle of the conquered galley was diuided amongst the soldiars As for the Selauonian Captaine he cast himselfe into the sea meaning to swimme vnto the shelfes neere vnto the fort where hee pretended to saue himselfe But a young gentleman called IVSTINIAN casting himselfe into the sea followed him so swiftly as he ouertooke him and laying hold of his haire drewe him to the shore The Geneuois beeing Masters of the Lanterne which kept them in great awe and subiection did ruine it P. IOVIVS Booke 12. of his History Vanity I Did see a man some yeares since whose name I haue in singular recommendation in the midest of our greatest miseries when as neither Lawe Iustice nor Magistrate did Office no more then at this instant went and published certaine idle reformations vpon Apparell Diet and Lawe practise These are baits to deceiue an ill gouerned people with to saie that they are not wholie forgotten They are of the same sort which busie themselues to for-bidde with all vehemency talke dancing and plaâ—…es to a people abandoned to all kindes of execrable vices MONTAIGNE Booke 3. Chap 9. of his Essaies Vanity of the World represented in state PHILIP called the good Duke of Bourgondy in the memory of our ancestors being at Bruxâ—…lls with his Court and walking one night after supper throgh the streets accompanied with some of his fauorits he found lying vpon the stones a certaine Artisan that was very dronke and that slept soundly It pleased the Prince in this Artisan to make triall of the vanity of our life wherof he had before discoursed with his familiar friends Hee therfore caused this sleeper to be taken vp and carried into his Pallace hee commands him to bee layed in one of the richest beds a riche Night-cap to bee giuen him his foule shirt to bee taken off and to haue an other put
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