had murthered his wife and children he also murthered himselfe falling downe headlong from the top of a high Tower hauing first written in a paper which he pinned about him the fact he had committed and the reasons which had induced him therevnto and that knowing he should die for the said fact hee chose rather to execute himselfe then to suffer a shamfull death In the same treatise A Millanois about the yeare 1560 vnderstanding in France that his wife plaid false with him and as it is to be supposed being thereof thorowly informed tooke post horse and rode home to Milan where alighting he went not in but sent for his wife to the dore who comming to him and seeming to be very ioyfull of his returne he shot her thorow with his Pistoll which done he suddenly mounted againe on his horse and saued himselfe In the same treatise About the same time or a little after a woman of Switzerland hauing receiued another into her bed in steed of her husband perceiuing afterward that she had beene deceiued and that it was not her husband that had line with her was so ouercome with anger and griefe that she went and drowned her selfe In the same IOVIAN PONTANVS recounts that an Italian Lord hauing killed one whom he suspected with his wife was so straightly besieged by his brother that out of all hope to escape he killed her first his children after and then threw himselfe downe headlong from the highest towre of his Castle Wherevpon the brother of him that was killed most cruelly murthered all such as he could meet withall and knew to be any way of kinne to that Italian Lord. In the same Treatise A yong Spanish Maide hauing abandoned her selfe to a Gentleman vpon promise of marriage which he had made her though she were but meanly descended vnderstanding that he was married to another conceiued such hatred against him that she conspired his death by all the meanes possible she could deuise And at last vsed this same shee perswaded him by her flattering letters to come againe and see her The time appointed she attended him hauing made all things ready with the ayde of an old woman confederat with her for to intreate him as her wicked minde prouoked with an extreame desire of reuenge counselled her vnto Wherfore the better to accomplish her designe although at first she had receiued him with teares complaints yet seeming at length to be satisfied with reasons that he alledged and to bee som-what appeased she permitted him to vse the same priuitie with her as before Wherevpon the Gentleman got him to bed and she with him staying but till he was a sleepe for to execute her furious enterprise which she performed not contented with many mortall wounds that she had giuen him for awaking at the first he found himselfe so pestered with a corde which the old woman drew ouer him that he was not able to stirre either hand or foote she vsed diuerse cruelties against the dead bodie before the furie of her rage could be extinguished And for this strange murther she was beheaded hauing voluntarily accused her selfe In the same Treatise The Wife of GEORGE WEDERING of Halberstad of the age of 24. yeares modest and vertuous beeing brought in bed the 15. of Nouember 1557. of a Daughter baptised the next day was not found in her bed The seruant hearing the Childe crie came to the bed thinking to finde her Misters and to awake her Being amazed at her absence shee runnes to her Master who being wonderfully perplexed takes the Childe in his armes and seekes the Mother in euery corner of the house The streetes were couered with snowe so as there was no shewe that she had past out of the house In the end the husband and the seruant with others went into the seller but they here some trampling in the wel which was neere vnto it The husband much perplexed calls to his neighbours and tells them his misery wherevpon they heard one in a gardine which knocked at the doore and hauing opened it they see the poore woman almost dead with colde complayning that she had beene long in the well as her apparell did witnesse Being demanded howe shee came into this well beeing closse and which had but a verie little entrance shee could giue no reason neither was there any one that could conceiue howe it came Beeing afterwards very sicke for some daies shee beganne to recouer her helth so as the 24. of December shee did rise swadled her Child and set her downe to dinner The maide going into the Celler to drawe beere she goes to bed and falls a sleepe The seruant being returned findes her mistresse a sleepe and the Cradle emptie Being amazed shee runnes to the well comming vnto her minde and sees the Infant vpon the water the which was taken out by two of the Senators of the Towne in the presence of CONRADE de la PERCH Minister of the Church The Mother slept soundly After they had praied at her beds feete shee opened her eyes and began to say vnto the assistants why haue you awaked me I did enioye an vnspeakable content I haue seene my the Sauiour and I haue heard the Angells falling a sleepe againe after foure houres she did awake remembers her child and calls for it and finding it not she afflicts and torments her selfe after a pittifull manner A certaine man named IOHN GVY Sonne to EME GVY a Capper in the towe of Chastillon vpon Lion had bin very disordred all his life caused for the most part by the indulgence of his parents It happened one Sater day in September 1565. that the Sonne was debauched according to this custome and returned home very late wherat the Father was much displeased saying that seeing he continued this wicked course he should be in the end constrayned to chase him out of his companie To whome the Sonne beeing full of pride answered presomptuously that he was ready to depart euen presētly so as they would giue him his clothes vpon this dispute the Father went to bed beeing forced to threaten his Sonne if he would not be silent In the ende seeing that hee preuailed not and not able any longer to beare the proude replies of his Sonne hee rise out of his bedde in chollor to punnish his vndutifullnesse who seeing his Father approche in choller to beate him hee sodenly layed his hand vpon his sword and rebelling against his Father thrust him through the Bodie wherevpon hee fell sodenly to the ground crying out with a loude voice that hee was dead The neighbours amazed at this crie came in presently and soone after the Iustice who found the olde man layed all along readie to giue vp the Ghost dying presently after The bloudie sword was also found by his Sonne who warmed himselfe to whome the Father mooued with compassion and forgetting the crueltie hee had vsed against him had often saied Sonne saue thy selfe I pardon thee my death
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
a notable engastrinyth he affirmed in one of his publick lectures where my 2. Sons THEODOR the Lawier and HENRY Doctor of Physick were present that once in Paris he had seene such another impostor as EVRYCLES who was called PETER the BRABANÇON This fellow when he listed spake out of his belly holding his mouth open but neuer wagged his lippes by such dexterity or the working of the Diuil he connicatched diuers folkes He fel in loue with a faire yong Parisian whose Father was dead and not able to induce the Mother to let him haue her As they were in talke togither about it hee began to send forth a voice out of his body as if the deceased husband cōplained that he was tomented in Purgatory because his widow did not giue her Daughter to Brabanson who had so often demanded her was so honest a man The woman terrified with such complaynts and hauing compassion of her husband consented to this Connicatchers desire who togither with the maide sought also for a certaine great summe of money that was left her by her Fathers will as it appeared shortly after For within halfe a yeare after he was married to her that hee had spēt all her portion he left her with his Mother in law ranne away to Lions There hee learnt that a rich Banker died not long before who in his life time had had a very bad name by reason of his vsurie and extortions Wherevpon he went and found out this Bankers onely Son and heire that was walking in a gallery fast by the Church-yard and told him he was sent vnto him to acquaint him with a matter of great importance which very much cōcerned him There-withall as he was exhorting him to haue more regard to his late Fathers credit and soule then to his death suddainly was heard a voice coūterfetting the Father which BRABANÇON sent out of his belly and in the meane time with a singular dexterity made as though he were wonderfully amazed at it By this voice the Sonne was admonyshed of the estate wherevnto the Father was reduced by his wickednesse and with what paine hee was tormented in the fire of purgatory aswell for himselfe as for his Sonne whom hee had left heire of all his goods gotten with an euill conscience declaring that hee could not bee deliuered vnles his Sonne made dewe satisfaction bestowing almes on those that were then in most neede of them which were the Christians prisoners with the Turke and that therefore he should rely on him that talked with him who was sent to Constantinople by diuers other good folkes and was also very opportunely directed by GOD vnto him for the same effect The Sonne who was none of the wisest in the world although hee suspected no deceite yet not very well digesting this word of furnishing money answered he would thinke vpon it and appointed BRABANÇON to meete him againe the next day in the same place In the meane while he was in a meruailous perplexity mistrusting the place where hee had heard the voice because it was close fit for knauery Wherfore the next day hee carried BRABANĈON into an open place where was neither bush nor any other Couert Notwithstanding talking togither the Son heard the old song with this new addission that without any delay he should giue BRABANĈON 6000. franks should cause 3. Masses to be sung euery day for the saluation of his Fathers soule who otherwise was damned for euer The Son being conscionable astonished without any more deliberation il-gotten goods hauing wings deliuered the Impostor the sum of 200. pound neuer taking any receipt or wittnesse of matters how they past the father came no more to importune his Son but remained quiet As for the Son after he had bid BRABANĈON adiew got him out of Lyons with his prey shewing himselfe some what merier then he had vsed to be the other Bankers wondring at it he told them the occasiō whervpō they laughed him to skorn for that he had so foolishly suffered himself to be Connicatched discouered the imposture vnto him which so strock him to the heart that within a little after he died with griefe went to his Father for to know the truth of the matter I. WIER in his 2. booke of Witches Chap. 14. In the raigne of King CHARLES the 9. a certaine fellow got him to Geneua naming himself IOHN ALLARD beeing but little knowne because he liued by the trade of a gardiner Hauing endured much by reason of the small profit and great labor of so poore a vocation he went after a while into Almaigne finally into Sweath-land where heevsed such means that he came to bee the Kings gardiner By his deuises he aduanced himself by little little so farre forth that he cūningly obtained to be agent for the King to the Seignory of Venice where remayning hee made a voiage to Milan visited the Duke of Sessa who commanded there for the King of Spaine played his part so wel that the Duke lent him sum eight thousand Crownes Not content with this purchase hee labored to make another and returning to Venice he propounded a certaine sale of artillery vnto the Lords and sung so sweete a note that he drewe from them in way of a lone the summe of foureteene thousand Crownes Herevpon he dislodged for to returne sayd hee vnto some of his friends into Sweath-land And passing by Milan he went to do his dutie to the Duke and payd him his 8000. Crownes Being at table in his lodging and his head some-what intoxicated he spake so rudely of the Pope and his Ceremonies that he was arrested prisoner frō Milan cōueied to Naples Pope GREGORY the 13. vnderstanding that a prisoner qualifing himselfe Embassador for the King of Sweath-land was in the hands of the Inquisition cōmanded him to be brought frō Naples to Rome Where being arriued he wold needes see heare him whence sprung at length so great a familiarity betweene them that the Pope promised him a certaine kins-womā of his to wife Thē he set him at liberty appointing him lodging gaue him leaue to visit his Mistres who like-wise went often to see him where-vpon ensued such priuitie betweene them that her belly beganne to swell which was couered with a report of indisposition that required the Signora should change the aire ALLARD fore-seeing that he should be called in question for this pranke of his practised in such sorte with an Englishman seruant to a certaine French Cardinall soiouring for that time at Rome that by his meanes he was carryed along the riuer of Tyber and so escaped away then he got him with all speede into Prouence where beeing arriued at the Port of Antibo hee went to the Baron of Alemagne and there continued a certaine time with his Englishman The Baron dispatched his hands of them and sent them with two or three seruants of their retiniew to the Lords of Dediguieres
This extraordinarie pompe of NINACHETVEN caused all men to open their eyes and eares being ignorant what this preparation meant Then began NINACHETVEN to make a pittifull speech and first of all hee remembred the seruices which he had done to the Portugals before the taking of Malaca what he had done since in fauour of their King and how constant and faithfull hee had shewed him-selfe in his dutie with what resolution hee had hazarded his life in many places for proofe of his loyaltie That for recompence of so many good seruices the Portugals would defame his old age in that sort as it was impossible to finde a man that had his honor in any recommendation that could disgest such a disgrace for they dispoyled him of the cha◅ge which they themselues had giuen him they degraded him of his honors making so small an account of him as to haue him end his dayes ignominiously and to be a fable and scorne to all the world That for his part hee had euer valued his life lesse then his honor and had resolued to dye to preserue his reputation and therefore at that instant he did willingly change his life with death rather then to endure the aff◅ont which they meant to doe him Ending his speech he cast himselfe into the fire where he ended his life Eu◅ry one lamented and wept for this man thus dead considering what hee had done for the Portugals his fidelity in all Accidents and the pittifull ende of his age so as manie were much amazed at this spectacle OSORIVS lib. 9. of his History of Portugal Chap. 27. A rich merchant falling in loue with a certaine maide yeelded so much vnto his passion as hee was transported beyond the bounds of reason so as hee became madde and seized with a strange melancho like humor so as hee was tormented with horrible visions both by daie and night some times crying out and storming some-times laughing with open throate He sware that his best beeloued was continually before his eyes hee flattred and made much of her as if she had beene present then sodenly he would blame her and outrage her in euery sort for that she refused to loue him Hee spake not but of her all the day he did nothing but sigth and complaine the night hee had his eyes still open with sorrowing and had often killed himselfe if his kins-folkes and friendes had not kept him Hauing continued seauen monethes in this estate I was called to helpe him and with great difficulties by the grace of GOD I did Physicke him so happely as hee recouered his former wittes againe FR. VALERIOLA in his Pysicall obseruations booke 2. Obserua 7. A Councellor of the Parliament at Grenoble beeing taken with the loue of a Gentlewoman was so wonderfully passioned as hee left his place and all honestie to followe her where-soeuershee went Being contemned by her hee grewe so carelesse of his owne person as hee was full of Lice which got such an habit in him as hee could neuer be freed of them for they grewe vpon him and came out of all partes of his bodie as wee see wormes come out of rotten Carion Fynally some daies before his death seeing himselfe toucht with the hand of GOD he began to despaier of his mercies and to shorten his daies hee resolued to star◅e himselfe besides the Lice had taken such hould vpon his throate as if they would choake him They that saw this pittifull spectacle were much amazed and for pitty concluded to force him to eate and to make him take some coulisses and for that he resisted thē with all his force they bound his armes and kept his mouth open with a staffe whilest they put in the meate Beeing thus vsed hee died like a madde beast through the aboudance of Lice which entred into his throat This happened in the yeare 1559. The second History of France Pope LEO the 10. beeing aduertised of the taking of Milan which he had extreamely desired fell into such an excesse of ioye as a feuer tooke him and he died MONTAIGNE liher 1. of his Essaies Chap. 2. PAVL IOVIVS in the life of LEO the tenth lib. 4. SINAN generall of the Turkes Galleies hauing recouered his onelie Sonne whom hee held to bee lost died sodenly for ioye of IOVIVS in his Histories Some woman haue died for ioye sorrowe and other violent passions But we will speake thereof in an other Booke At the battaile of D' ANGVIEN offred once or twise to kill himselfe despayring of the daie for that it was not succesfull whereas hee did fight thinking by his rashnesse to depriue him-selfe of the Glorie of so goodly a victory The Isle of Gaza beeing forced by the Turkes some yeares since a Sicilian that had two faire Daughters readie to marrie slue them with his owne hand and their Mother who came running to their death This done hee went into the streete with a Cros-bowe and a Harguebuze and with two shot slue two of the first Turkes that approched neere his doore and taking his sword in his hand hee went furiously among them where hee was sodenly cut in peeces and so hee freede him-selfe from bondage after that hee had deliuered his Children MONTAIGNE Booke 2. of his Essaies Chap. 3. It was told me that a prisoner of qualetie being in the Concergerie at Paris his friends beeing aduertised that hee should bee vndoubtedly condemned to auoyde the infamie of such a death they suborned a Preest to tell him that the Souueraigne meanes for his deliuerie was to recommend himselfe to a certaine Saint with such a vowe and that hee should remaine eight daies without taking of anie norrishment notwithstanding anie weakenesse or faynting that hee should feele Hee beleeued him and by this meanes was the cause of his owne death without thinking of it The same Author Some yeares since two Leagues from my house there was a Country man who liued long since hauing his head long troubled with iealousie of his Wife comming one daie from his worke and shee welcomming him home with her accustomed cryes hee entred into such furie as presently with his hooke which hee held in his hand hee cut off those peeces which put him into this great feuer and threwe them sodenly at her face And it is sayd that a young Gentleman of our owne Nation hauing by his importunitie seduced a Gentlewoman growing desperate that beeing readie to enioye her hee could not performe any thing hee presently cut of his owne priuie partes in his Lodging and sent this cruell and bloudie sacrifice for a purgation of his offence MONTAIGNE liber 2. of his Essaies Chap. 29. ANDREVV CONTAREN a Venetian Gentleman being sickly and by reason of his Indisposition some-what weake of braine made sute to haue some charge of importance Beeing refused in open Councell and comming soone after into the companie of diuers young Gentlemen Who thinking to iest with him said that FRANCIS FOSCARIN Duke of Venise had beene the cause
the Spaniards who afterwards slue one another spoiled the Land to enrich the Sea as their owne Histories do confesse When as the Emperor made warre against the Princes of Germaine a rich Gentleman turned the chanell of a Riuer which past by his Castle and in a deepe ditch in the sayd chanell hid all that he had of any value and then brought the Riuer to his accustomed course yet the Spaniards discouered this Treasure of them-selues they turned the water and found out all then digging farther they found other goods but almost all was consumed in processe of time PHILIP CAMERARIVS Chap. 63. of his Meditations King PHILIP the last deceased being after a peace made with HENRY the 2. King of France imbarked in the lowe Countries with a great number of ships to be the sooner in Spaine and with him all the riche Iewels that the Emperor CHARLES the 5. his Father had gathered together in Italy and Germany during his prosperous victories with the rich hangings and other stately things made with great charge in Flanders euen as hee arriued in the Port of Saint Iames in Galicia there did â—…ise so great a storme that of all that stately furniture gathered together with so great toyle and time nothing came to a safe port but the Sea was heire to all this riche Treasure in sight of the Spaniards who were in great heauinesse And as for King Philip this torment spared him as little for he had scarse put his foote into an other barke when as the ship in which he went sunke into the Sea so great was the furie of the windes Historie of FRANCIS the 2. The Treasures brought from the Indies in golde siluer Pearles Precious stones and riche Marchandise with-in these hundred yeares are almost innumerable What the fruites haue beene I referre my selfe vnto the Reader It is a subiect for a whole Booke where-of the conclusion shall be All is made vanitie and pernicious in many kindes Traitors punished AMong other strong places which the Turkes haue taken in Hungary from the Christians we may name Alba Iulia the which was yeelded vp by that Traitor LADISLAVS LEREZIN who commanded there in the name of MAXIMILIAN the Emperour in the beginning of Iune in the yeare 1566. although he had beene aduertised that within two dayes he should bee releeued The place beeing yeelded by composition first the Turkes cut all the Soldiers throates except some few which saued them-selues pollitikely As for LADISLAVS he was carryed bound hand and foote to SELIM and accused that hee had cruelly slaine some Turkish prisoners for the which hee was condemned by SELIM and deliuered to his accusers to vse as they pleased They therefore put him into a great Pipe stickt full of long Nailes and then rowled him downe from a high Mountaine so as the Nailes ranne through him and hee dyed in horrible Torments His Sonne partaker of his Treason dyed miserably without meanes and abandoned of all men hauing sold all his lands and his goods and wickedly consumed what he had I. LEONCLAIVS in the supply of the Annales of Turky SOLYMAN father to SELIM did cruelly put to death the soldiers of the garrison of Buda who had forced their Captaine to yeeld that impregnable Fort vnto the Turkes As for the Captaine he was preserued honored A traytor in the Towne of Rhodes did many seruices vnto SOLIMAN vpon a promise to haue one of SOLIMANS daughters in mariage The Iland Towne being wone he presented him selfe to SOLIMAN who caused him to be fleid aliue saying that he was a Christian and that he pretended to marry a Turkish wife they must therefore take off his old skinne Being thus flayed they laide him vpon a bed all couered with Salt where he dyed in vnspeakable torments CAMERARIVS in his Historicall Meditations Chap. 7. Earthquakes THE yeare one thousand fiue hundreth and eight at two of the clock on a wednesday morning the earth began to quake in such manner at Constantinople that diuers Steeples fell downe the Chimneys tumbled to the ground the walles crackt in sunder and many stately buildings were ouer-throwne with the ruines whereof a great number of persons were slaine No Man knew where to saue him-selfe The people running out of their houses gotte into large voide places and Gardens so to escape all danger For the Earth-quake lasted all that morning without intermission and continued forty dayes after in such sort that one might easily feele and discerne it euery houre Annales of Turkie published by I. LEONCLAIVS Doctor GARCEVS in his Meteorologie briefly describes 163. Earth-quakes mentioned in Histories before after the comming of our Sauiour vnto the yeare 1564. We will present that which he speaketh of those of our time following the scope of this our collection of Histories Vpon the 14. day of September 1509. an horrible Earth-quake so shooke the Cittie of Constantinople for the space of eighteene dayes that all the walles towards the Sea and all the houses adioyning were quite ouerthrowne Ditches filled vp with the ruines The Castle was throwne downe where the Turke layes his treasure together with his fiue Towers and the Palace where-as the Lyons are kept In like manner all the conduits that conuey water from Danubius to Constantinople were shaken and spoiled The straight of the Sea betweene the Cittie and the Towne of Pera moued in such manner that the water flashed ouer the walles on eyther side The Custome-house was cleane ouer-turned into the Water Thirteene thousand persons were slaine with ruines in Earthquake The yeare following almost all Italy was shaken with diuerse reiterated Earth-quakes The yeare 1517. an Earth-quake in Germanie ouer-threwe two thousand houses and Granges at Nordlingen and there-about All Portugall was shaken the yeare 1531. Fifteene hundreth fayre great Houses were ouer-throwne in the Cittie of Lisbon and almost all the Churches fell downe This Earth-quake endured eight dayes and seauen or eyght times a day shooke the Cittie exceedingly Also the ground opened in many places whence issued a contagious ayre that engendred a Plague which carryed awaye an exceeding multitude of people Two yeares after there was an Earth-quake at Tergow in Zwitzerland which turned a pritty bigge Riuer from his course where-into it entred not againe till it had vnder-mined and ouer throwne a little Hill that hemmed it in Presently there-vpon the Towne of Basill was shaken very sore with three seuerall Earth quakes in lesse then a moneth In the yeare 1537. the Country of Pouzol was so forely shaken with Earth-quakes for the space of twenty moneths and aboue that not an edifice remained whole and entire But toward the end of September in the yeare following this Earth-quake began againe with such vehemencie and with-out discontinuing eyther night or day that the Sea reculed two hundreth paces backe where-vpon ensued the taking of a huge quantity of Fish The 30. day of the same moneth a great continent of land betweene the foote of
depriued of vnderstanding as hee laies the dagger vpon the table The husband beeing freed regards not this forced promise but seazeth sodenly vpon his dagger and then with a new fury with the helpe of his wife laies hold vpon his enemy binds him fast and presently gelds him and so sends him home bleeding to his lodging where hauing continued long sicke in the end hee was cured but he left running after women A Germains wife of Voitland was so vnchast and impudent as of many that did entertaine her to call three to a banket which shee had prepared for them But the husband who had not beene sommoned came to make it a bloudie feast for hauing a Pertuisan in his hand hee entred into the Stoue kills him that was set neerest vnto his wife runnes after the two other who being seized on with feare leape out at the windoes and so kill themselues He returnes to his wife and perceth her through A Germaine Gentleman hauing dishonestly allured the Wife of a certaine Cittizen the husband desirous to bee reuenged of this insupportable affront hid himselfe in a secret corner of his house and sees his enemy come who continues his insolencies Night beeing come these two wretches retier themselues into a chamber where they sup and lie The husband comes out of his hole goes into the kitchin and being desirous to drinke he made a noise in setting the water pot in his place The wife would haue called vp her seruants but hearing no more noise she returned to her Adulterer In the meane time the husband was entred into the Stoue to take a Caske and his Curirasse The wife awakes at this noise she riseth comes into the Stoue and demands who is there The husband saieth nothing but followes her so neere as he enters sodenly into the Chamber and at the first kills the Gentleman notwithstanding any resistance he could make with a Pertuisan which stood neere vnto his bed His wife had cast her selfe on the other side of the bed to whom the husband discerning her through the light of a candle cryed come out you strumpet else I will thrust thee through Shee hauing often cryed him mercy comes forth and not able to pacifie him she beseecheth him to suffer her to bee confest and to communicate before she died Why then saith he dost thou repent thee withal thy heart for thy offence Alas I answered she At that word he thrust her through with his sword then laying the one by the other hee shuts the chamber The next day all was published and the husband charged for this execution by the aduise of his friends absented himselfe least hee should fall into the hands of the Gentlemans friends A Gentleman of Hungary hauing taken one in his chamber that came to commit Adultery with his wife cast him into a prison resoluing there to famish him And to torment him the more hee caused a rosted Hen to be somtimes presented vnto him that the smell therof might sharpen his appetit make his hunger the more violent to the end this punishment might hasten his miserable death Hauing continued sixe dayes in this torment the seuenth he was visited where they found that he had eaten the brawnes of both his armes We read the like historie of a Germaine Nobleman in Thuringe who vsed a Gentleman that had cōmitted adultery in the like sort who liued 11. daies with the smel of delicate meats that were presented vnto him his foule offence being punished by this cruell torment The like is reported by three famous writers of a man who vnder colour of deuotion did corrupt many women who were before reputed honest as in old times TYRANNVS SATVRNS Priest did in Alexandria Beeing discouered and conuicted he was put to death An other learned man and of great reputation being taken in Adultery was stab'd and left dead in the Chāber Among other guifts which he did wickedly abuse he spake French Italian Spanish Germaine Polonian and Latine perfectly was much fauoured by the Emperor and the Princes it was about 80. yeares since About the same time an other famous man seeking to rauish the honour of a Woman in steed of a Bedde he fell into a Caue where hee brake his neck A Surgion disdayning his honest wife had abandoned himselfe to a strumpet Going on a time to horse-backe and asked by his wife whether he went hee answered skornefully To the Stewes Going presently to his Adulteresse after a while hee returnes to Horse and offring to manage his round the Horse leapes and bounds and casts this wretched Man out off the saddle in such sort as one of his feete hung in the Bridle The Horse being hot beganne to runne so furiously vpon the stones as hee beat out his braines and neuer stayed vntill he came before the Stewes where this miserable man remained dead vpon the place In the yeare 1533. a certaine man in the towne of Clauenne in the Grisons Country hauing lookt vpon a faire yong Maide with an vnchast eye he tryed often to corrupt her Hauing no meanes to obtaine his desire vnder the colour of apparitions and reuelations abusing the sacred name of GOD and of the blessed Virgin after an execrable manner the which I will forbeare to report for that I will not offend the eye nor eare of any honest and deuout Reader he seduced this poore maide who hauing too late descouered the Imposture the wretch was committed to prison notwithstanding the allegation of his order immunities and freedome and beheaded publikely and his body burnt to Ashes Stumpfius in his 10. Booke of historie of Suisse Agilitie and force IT is put in the number of the wonders of Nature the flying and ballancing of those which runne and guide themselues vpon a rope Some few yeares since there was one well knowne throughout all Italy called the little Venetian as well for that he was borne at Venice as for his small stature but so nimble and expert to runne vpon a rope without any difficulty as some-times hee tyed himselfe vp in a Sack hauing nothing but his hands free to manage his counterpeize Some times he put a round Basin vnder eyther foote or Balls vnder his heeles and so did runne with an incredible swiftnesse vpon a long rope tyde to the top of a house Moreouer he was so strong as with his knee he would b◅eake the thigh bone of an Oxe how bigge soeuer With his hands hee would wrest in sunder three great Nayles as big as a mans little finger as if they had beene soft and plyable Hee would take vpon his shoulders a beame of aboue twenty foote long and a foote thick supporting it long without any helpe of hands and then would hee remoue it from one shoulder to an other THEODORE a Doctor of the Lawe who had seene these feates of agilitie and force with many other witnesses haue reported it vnto mee A Physition of our time makes mention of the same or
appeared very bright at the rising and enuironed with a great circle as white as milke the which were crost with foure Rain-bowes the goodliest that euer was seene Ten dayes before betwixt seauen and eight of the clock in the morning were seene ouer the same Towne three Sunnes the right had his ordinary brightnesse the other two had a bloudy colour Hauing continued almost the whole day at night there appeared 3. Moones whereat all the Inhabitants of the place were much amazed they were of diuers colours and after they had continued some houres the two apparant Moones or Paralies became red as bloud then dispersing themselues into long streames in the end they vanished the right Moone which was in the middest retained her accustomed brightnes The same yere died Duke GEORGE Prince of Anhalt an excellent Diuine The day of his death there appeared in the night ouer the Towne of Wittenberg a blew Crosse. A few dayes before the battaile giuen betwixt MAVRICE Duke of Saxonie and ALBERT Marquis of Brandebourg there appeared the image of a great man in a place of Saxonie from the body of this man which appeared naked first there began bloud to fall from him drop after drop then they did see sparkes of fire come from him and in the end he vanished by little and little In Ianuary 1554. there appeared three Sunnes twise in Saxony The 1. of February following about Chalons in Champagne was seene a great flame of fire which went from the East to West like to a burning Torche bending as a Cressent the fire did crack and â—…ast out sparkes of all sides like vnto a barre of Yron comming out of the Furnaise which the Smiths did worke with their Hammers Some adde that this Torche appeared about the Moone and shewed the point of a Lance at one end The 19. of February were seene at Nebre two Crosses of a blew coulour And the same day at Greisen in Turinge they did see in the Sunne which shined brightly a blew Crosse so great as it couered all the face of the Sunne on either side it had a great Cheuron of fire with diuers Circles The 9. day of Aprill aboue Sultzfield halfe a dayes iourney neere vnto Schuinfort an Imperiall Towne there appeared two Moones in the night In Marche before were seene Sunnes of diuers greatnesse with some Circles in Bauaria and the Countrie about First the 6. of Marche betwixt eyght and nine of the clock in the morning were seene two Sunnes with a Rainebowe The 23. of the same moneth about an houre after-noone those of Nuremberg did see as much and moreouer a Raine-bowe towards the West and the Sunnes enuironed with white Circles continued three houres together with a long burning Cheuron The eight day following there were three Sunnes seene at Reinsbourg Their beginning was about an houre after noone betwixt two and three they did shine brightly and ended at foure of the clocke They did cast out beames of the one side like vnto a Commet that in the middest towards the North and the other two towards the East and West In Marche the same yeare were seene ouer diuers Townes in Germanie betwixt foure and fiue of the clock at night diuers Bourguignon Crosses but most white and in a manner touching one another The 23. day of the same moneth a little before Sunne sett were seene two Parelies enuironed with the Sunne by a great Circle ouer the Village of Blech Not farre from Noremberg the eleuenth of Iune there appeared a Rodde of a bloudie colour through the Sunne with Starres or Boules of Azure Presently after there were seene two Squadrons of armed men the which had blew Cornets who for the space of two houres incountred together furiously to the great amazement of many which did see the beginning the continuance and end of this apparition The 13. of Iune about fiue of the clocke in the after-noone ouer the Towne of Iene the Sunne was seene of a bloudie colour to whom there approched presently from the South and West great and many boules of fire the which did darken the light of it And then appeared two Cheurons of a very red colour crossing through the Sunne The 24. day of Iuly about ten of the clock at night there appeared in the ayre in that quarter of the Country which is called the high Palatinat of Rhine Towards the forrest of Bohemia two men armed with all peeces the one being of a farre taller stature then the other hauing on his brest a bright shining starre and a flaming sword in his hand as also the lesser had They began a furious combate buâ—…in in the end the lesser was beaten downe and could not stirre whervpon a chaire was brought vnto the Victor in the which being set and remained some time still menacing with his sword in his hand him that lay at his feete as if he would strike him In the end they both vanished away The 5. of August following at 9. of the clock at night neere vnto Stolpen in the South part of Heauen there appeared troupes of warlike men who with great cryes and noise of armes charged one another furiously when the first charge was ended there came aboundance of fire out of the clouds which hindred the sight of these troupes This fire vanishing they returned to the second charge then the fire kindling againe you would haue said it had beene a kind of retreat to rally themselues againe together on either part which ended they returne againe to a third charge the which being done they all vanished The same yere at Fribourg in Misnia was seene in the open day the representation of our Lord IESVS CHRIST as many Painters are accustomed to represent him sitting in a Rain-bow the colours whereof were exceeding liuely And about another towne called Zopodee the Sun rising appeared as red as bloud hauing about it a stately Pallace the which was all on fire On either side of the Sunne was seene a high columne very artificiall fashioned and of the coulour that the Raine-bowe It seemed that their foundations did touch the ground and were very large The next day the Sunne did rise with a pale coulour and this Pallace was aboue it shining very brightly The columnes or pillers also appeared but not so faire and long as the day before The 10. of February 1555. there were three Sunnes seene at Vinaire in Saxonie And the 13. of March there appeared in the ayre about Turinge a flâ—…ming sword The eleuenth of Ianuary 1556. towards the Mountaines which compasse in the Citty of Ausbourg of the one side the element did open and seemed to riue whereat all were wonderfully amazed especially by reason of the pittifull accidents which followed for the same day the messenger of Ausbourg slue a Captaine at the Citty gates with a Pistoll The next day the wife of one that made sword blades thinking to get a great booty slue a Marchant in her house and presently after her seruant
had not chewed well he swallowed it This morcell sticking to the orifice of the throate did so stop the passage as it was not possible for him to swallow any thing no not cleere water Hee could scarce breath the slimie flesh did stick so fast as the Surgions could not possibly drawe it vp nor thrust it downe After seuen dayes being rotten and dissolued it fell into the stomack so as the patient was freed from suffocation But for all this hee escaped not for his throate being inflamed with paine and the application of yrons besides his weakenesse growing through the want of nourishment by the space of seauen dayes had subdued all the forces and faculties of his life so as the foureteenth day he dyed MARCEL DONAT lib 2. of his Admirable Historics Chap. 8. An other learned Phisition doth iustifie that hee had seene one who being tormented with a pointed bone which stucke in his throate after two moneths it came forth through the skinne A Barber being to Tent a woman in the bottome of her mouth hee vnaduisedly let it slippe so as it went by her throate into her stomacke which caused such an indisposition in the poore woman as being wasted and dryed vp after shee had languished many yeares shee dyed I remember that a young man of Harlem who had swallowed Guernettes aliue they be little Fishes of the Sea which some call Squilles or Primotheres hee felt so great paine in his stomack as in the end he dyed of a consumption An other hauing swallowed three Gogions aliue was choaked with the third and dyed A certaine woman hauing vnaduisedly swallowed a needle could not be cured but in despight of all remedics hauing languished sometime in the end shee dyed all wasted and consumed CHARLES SODERIN was some-times troubled with an ague without any apparent cause whereof in the end he dyed being 35. yeares old Being opened they found a steele Needle sticking in his liuer BAZANCE a Surgion drew it forth all eaten and wasted with age and shewed it me CHARLES being but three yeares old had swallowed it by chance NERVEE a Phisition of Florence in his obseruations Barbarous People made milde and gentle through wisedome ROBERT of Saint Seuerin a very valiant Captaine in his time making a voyage into Syria and going towards Mont Sina to accomplish a certaine vowe made by him according to the deuotion of those times hauing descouered certaine troupes of horse which came towards him he demanded of them which did conduct him from the Sultā what people they were Whē they had answered him trembling that they were Arrabians the most dāgerous theeues in the world with out any shewe of amazement but incorraging his companie hee said vnto them that they must vnlade their carriages to the ende that those which came might finde dinner readie as soone as they were arriued whereof they had great neede considering that they had beene much tormented with heat and dust And whilest his people did what he had commanded he went to meete them and saluted them after a gratious manner being by nature a goodly personage both for his stature and countenance making much of them and seeming to haue no distrust of them but with a smiling countenance he tould them by his truch-man that they were wel-come Which words beeing pleasing to these Arrahian theeues they did willingly accept the offer which he made them so as they dined cheerefully with him and after they had receiued some small presents they went their way hauing forgotten all their barbarous crueltie and giuing him many thankes for his good cheere In this report wee see of the one part an act of great Iudgement hee falling sodenly and vnawares into the hands of men without mercie and on the other side an act of great humanity of men which seemed to haue nothing humaine but the face and in crueltie receyuing the nature of Lions Tigers and other sauage Beastes So as in my iudgement the Poets would not haue giuen much lesse commendations to this Captaine then they gaue to ORPHEVS for that with the sweete sound of his harpe hee had mollefied the hearts of cruell and sauage Beastes Conformitie of ancient wonders with moderne Light Hurts proued mortall A Brother of mine called Captaine Saint Martin being three and twenty yeares old who had made sufficient proofe of his valour playing at Tenis hee receiued a blowe with a ball which did hit him a little aboue the right eare without any shewe of contusion or hurt He did neyther set downe nor tooke any rest for it but fiue or sixe houres after he died of an Apoplexie which this blowe did cause A quarrell beeing betwixt two young men the one gaue the other a boxe vnder the eare wherevpon hee fell into an Apoplexie and died within fewe houres after He that strooke him was presently put in prison and the Physitions were called for to knowe their opinions vpon the cause of this yong mans death Some did attribute it to the blowe it selfe saying that the matter had beene mooued there-with others imputed it to repletion and superfluity of humors caused through excesse of eating and drinking others to the humidity of the place whereas death had before long slept This diuersity of opinions stayed the Iudge from pronouncing of a definitiue sentence We haue also knowne a fuller of cloth called PETER who slue a young man with his fist hitting him on the stomacke ANT. BENIVENIVS in the 110. Chap. of his Physicall examples ARDOVIN du FERRIER a yong youth of 13. yeares age was lightly hurt with a ◅allowe staffe on the head being cast by chance out at a garret windoe There was no fracture nor breach to bee seene at all but the sixt day there grewe an inflamation in the wound the next day a Convulsion and a palsey in the right thigh and left arme with a feuer and a fenzie and the eleuenth day hee died FR. VALLERIOLA in the. 1. obseruation of his 3. booke Wounds cured FRANCIS of Lorraine Earle of Aumale and after-wards Duke of Guise s◅aine before Orleance was sore wounded before Boulleyne with a Lance the which entred vnder the right eye declyning towards the nose past throgh betwixt the nape of the necke the eare with such violēce as the head with a peece of the Lance was broken and stucke in his head so fast as they could by no meanes drawe it out but with a Smithes pincers Notwithstanding all this great violence which was not without some fracture of bones sinewes Veines Artieres other parts yet he was cured and liued many yeares after hee was afterwards slaine at the seege of Orleance in the end of the first ciuill warres in our time in France The Historie of our time HENRY of Lorraine his Sonne in an incounter nere vnto Dormans in the yeare 1575. hauing had the better and pursuing some that fled receiued a shot with a pistoll in the cheeke some sayd it was with a harguebuse
them his clothes and would haue stript himselfe before them to the end they should succor his poore Father Passing on farther sometimes standing sometimes lying downe GOD presented vnto him an other of his Sonnes about ten yeares olde and beeing supported by him on the other side GOD gaue him strength ynough to come vnto an other village where with some difficulty he recouered two eggs with some hurds the which were applyed to his greatest wounds then giuing him a little wine and setting him as well as they could vpon a Mare they conducted him to an other village where his Wife who remayned with a gentleman that was neighbour to that place came presently vnto him and was assisted by the singular and extraordinary grace of GOD so as hee recouered his life and helth History of France vnder CHARLES the 9. During the sayd first troubles among other battaâ—…les that were giuen that of Saint Gilles in Prouence is noted beeing the 27. of September 1562. In the which certaine Spanish Captaines with their companies who striuing to make it good vpon the dis-route got nothing but blowes and were in a manner all cut in peeces and slaine vpon the place Those which suruiued laie still and did counterfet themselues dead Of this number there were two Captaines the one called ALPHONSO the other MANRIC both were Castillians ALPHONSO had seauen wounds with a Courtelas vpon the head his caske hauing beene beaten of and hee ouerthrown foure of them had entred into his head the other three had but cut the flesh vnto the boane on either arme hee had foure great cutts two about one of his Elbowes and his wrist besides hee had sixe thrustes in his thighes Hee and MANRIC with 260. others that were wounded did saue themselues as they could and were carried to Arles a neere Towne where they were drest MANRIC had manie wounds in the head armes brest sides and face contynuing two daies without speech or pulce In flying hee had cast himselfe into the Riuer of Rohan where hee had remayned in the Water vppe to the chyne for the space of 4. houres sometimes lifting vp his head sometimes playing the Diue-dopper vntill the night was come and the victors being retyred he swamme ouer the riuer Aboue a hundred others that were wonded did striue to passe the riuer desyring rather to hazard themselues in that sort then to fall into the hands of the French who were iustly incensed against them But many of them were drowned their strength fayling them in the midest of the waues Those which escaped halfe dead died in a manner all in the Hospitall at Arles The two aboue named Captaines after they had endured newe deathes in the hands of Surgions and Physitions were after some weekes set on foote againe but well marked in diuers places to serue for a remembrance and an example to their Countrymen who notwithstanding haue not well considered of it MANRIC had receiued two thrusts with a Halbard betwixt the ribbes but there came not much matter out of his wounds but at the ende of three weekes hee voided aboundance of rotten filthe by his fondement to the great amazement of the Physitions for that from the brest vnto the gutts there is no common passage for any corrupt matter that is in the sayd brest In the same Battayle a foote-man had a shot with a Harguebuse the which peerst the lest Temple and came out on the other side a little vnder the right Temple hauing shattered his head in two yet he was miraculously cured He had beene drest at Nismes but finding himselfe not well cured he came to mee and I did succor him with my best skill Yet he contynued blinde and deafe of this wounde Neither the braine nor the filme of it had not beene toucht but the boullet hauing broken the head had past close by it vnto the other side Moreouer by reason of the blowe and the contusion some little bloud dispersing it selfe into the sinnews of the sight and hearing it caused an obstruction whereof followed a blindnesse and deafnesse An other borne at Marseilles being Ancient to a company had a Harquebuse shot in the brest so as the Bullet came forth at his back and yet he was cured Another of Arles had his head halfe cut off with a Courtelas so as it had neede to be propt vp the blowe being giuen betwixt the first and second Vertebre a ioint in the body where the ioynts so meete that they may turne as in the hucle-bone so deepe and so large as they might lay their hand in it yet hee was cured and liued foure yeares after this wonderfull wound Another called CLAVDE of Sauoy hauing his head almost cleft in two with a Courtelas he neuer had feuer nor any other accident the which are vsuall in such like wounds but the broken bones being taken out according vnto Arte in two moneths he was cured Two others the one hauing his thigh all broken in peeces with a Faucon shott the bullet whereof was drawne out of it and the other wounded in the Ancle after they had suffered much were cured without cutting of thigh or leg FR. VALLERIOLA in the 4. Booke of his Phisicall obseruations sets downe these Histories at large and the remedies that were applyed and the meanes that were vsed to cure these hurt men the which we describe not it belonging to learned Phisitions and Surgions who besides the medicaments haue respect to many necessary circumstances which are to be considered of in such accidents In an incounter neere vnto Cisteron a Gentleman called the Cadet of Monstier was shot with a Harguebuse betwixt the fift and sixt rib the Bullet crost his brest and came forth within two fingers of the back bone There were drawne forth with the Bullet twelue ringles of a shirt of Mayle which this Gentleman did weare manie others ringles of the same side remained among the Muscles betwixt the ribbes and the backe and some others driuen into the body came forth with the corruption of the wound whereof hee was cured within a yeare But hee had a difficultie in breathing the which continued the remainder of his dayes by reason of this wound A seruant belonging to the Seigneur of Meianes a Gentleman of Arles being shot in the right arme in the same incounter betwixt the elbow and the shoulder and ill handled by the Surgions that were in the Armie he came to Arles hauing his Arme putrified and stinking so strongly as no man could endure him it was all black soft and extreamly colde the patient falling somtimes into a swound The Surgions being assembled with me wee resolued to cut off his Arme speedily to saue the rest of the body Hauing therefore with a Raisor cut his Arme aboue the dead flesh they cut the bone in sunder with a Sawe and stopt the Flux of bloud with Canters fitte for it so as within one moneth the man was cured VALLERIOLA in the same Obseruation At
to these hellish feastes would descouer what hee had seene shakes him violently from her shoulders hoping as it was likely that hee should loose his life as well through the violence of his high fall as that hee should bee buried in the mudde of the Lake But as GOD is infynitly mercifull desiring not the death of a sinner but that hee should conuert and liue hee did limmit the furious desseins of this Sorceresse and would not suffer this young man to bee drowned so as his fall was not mortall for tumbling downe hee met with a thicke tufte of reedes which did abate the violence of his fall yet he was verie sore hurt hauing no meanes to helpe himselfe but with â—…is tongue beeing all the rest of the night in extreame paine in this muddie couch Daie being come in lamenting and crying out it was the will of GOD that some passengers beeing amazed at this extraordinary Clamor after they had sought dilligently found this poore Bodie halfe dead hauing both his knees out of ioynt They inquire whence hee was and how hee came in that case and hearing the whole discourse after they had drawne him out of that miserable place they caused him to bee transported in a Cart to Vtrecht The Bourgemaster called IOHN of Colombourg a vertuous Gentleman rauished with admiration for so strange an accident made a dilligent inquirie of the matter and caused the Sorceresse to bee apprehended and committed to prison where shee confessed all that had past voluntarilie and without torture beseeching him to take some pittie of her But by a generall consent this woman was condemned and publickly burnt The seruant laie long beefore hee was cured of his hurtes especially of his thighes beeing punnished for his detestable curiositie Maister BAVDOVIN de ROVSEY in his medicinall Epistles Epist. 50. ERASMVS in his Epistles vpon the report of HENRY of GLARIS a learned man in our time writes that the 10. of Aprill 1533. in an Inne at Sciltac a Towne in Suisserland distant some eight good Leagues from Fribourg as night approched they heard a certaine hissing which seemed to come out of one of the Chambers The master of the house suspecting there were some theeues did runne to that place Whereas hee found not any man but hee still herd the same voice in the garret and from thence on the toppe of the Chimney Then presuming it should bee some euill spirit hee sent for two Preestes to coniure it who hauing begunne their exorcismes the spirit answered them that hee cared not for theÌ„ for the one was a whore-hunter and both were theeues so as in despight of all they could doe hee would burne the Towne as he had vndertaken Some thought it was for Ielousie which hee had conceiued against the hostes Sonne and the maide of the house of whome hee had had carnall knowledge by the space of foureteene years as she confessed afterwards at her death Hauing therfore raised this creature in an instant to the toppe of the Chimney he deliuered fire into her hand commanding her to fire the Towne the which shee did so as in lesse then an houre all was consumed to ashes neither could water or vineger quench this fire This was a reall thing and the fire also which the Diuell brought was reall and materiall but of an other nature then the common fire or any artificiall that can bee made And yet it came not from aboue as the fire of lightning the which burneth little if it fall not by chance among gonpowlder as in the yeare 1500. it happened at Paris in the Tower of Billy and sence at Macklin in Brabant and at Venise Blaise Viginere in his treaty of Comets I will adde vnto this history what PHILIP CAMERARIVS reports who sayth that the fire fell here and there vpon houses like vnto fiery boullets and when that anie one did runne to helpe to quench his neighbours house being on fire they called him backe presently to saue his owne They had great difficultie to saue a Castell of free stone seated a good waie from the Towne I haue heard the particularities of this terrible visitation from the mouth of the Curate of the place and other Inhabitants of good credit who had beene spectators of all The Curate told mee that this euill and cruell spirit did counterfeit the singing and melodious tunes of diuerse birds and many that were in my company did wonder with mee to see the Curate haue as it were a Crowne about his long haire which hee carried after the ancient manner all of diuers colours saying that it had beene done by this spirit which had cast the hoope of a Hogshead at his head Hee added moreouer that the same spirit did aske him one day with some others if they had neuer heard a Rauen croake That therevpon this enemie made so horrible a noyse as all that were present were so amazed as if it had continued any longer they would haue dyed for feare Moreouer this olde man did affirme but not without blushing that oftentimes this enemie of mans saluation laide open to himselfe and to others that did accompany him the secret sinnes they had committed so exactly as all were foreced to leaue the place and retire themselues to their houses ashamed In his Historicall meditations Cha. 75. Great Fiers I Doe not enter at this present into the consideration of fiers growing through the furie of the Warre hauing reserued the description thereof among the incredible miseries caused by the warres in our 〈◊〉 In this Section we will onely treate of fires proceeding from other meanes The last of Iune about a hundred yeares since towardes night Cracouia the capitall Cittie of Poland was sett on fire the which was in a manner all burnt It was a wonderfull ruine by reason of many thousands of houses that were consumed to Ashes Maister Cromer lib. 30. of the Historie of Poland In the yeare 1514. the 11. of Ianuary at night fire tooke the Realte at Venice and first consumed the riche shoppes which were very many A Northerly winde blowing very vehemently carryed this fire to the next houses in an instant all was on fire so as infinite buildings were ruined Saint IOHNS Temple the Meale Market and al the buildings about it The shoppes of Gold-smiths and changers were consumed This fire continued all night and could not bee quenched but in making place by the ruine of houses and whole streetes Most part of the Cittie was defaced by this accident Since it hath beene so reedefied beautified and inlarged as this losse hath not beene seene these many yeares P. IOVIVS lib. 12. of his Histories The yeare 1518. in Iune after a horrible Ecclipse of the Sunne there followed at the same houre a terrible fire at Vienna in Austria the which burnt a quarter of the Cittie The Emperour MAXIMILIAN the first being with his Court at Inspruch fell sicke hearing of this newes and dyed of a continuall feauer CVSPINIAN in the
by CORNAX confirmes them by another very admirable of ALBVCASIS a Physition and Chirurgion the which I will discribe here although it bee ancient hoping that this digression shall not be vnpleasing I haue seene sayd hee in the second booke of his Surgerie a woman in whose wombe a Childe being dead conceiued of another the which also dyed there long after there did rise a swelling at her Nauell the which was opened and yeelded corrupt matter I was called and did looke to her long yet could I not strengthen it although I did apply strong attractiues and manie bones came forth one after another the which did amaze me knowing that there are no bones in the bellie Making therefore a search of all I found they were the little bones of a dead Child so as after I had drawne forth many I cured her yet the Vlcer did alwayes sweat forth some-thing ALEXANDER BENOIST a Physition of our time in his practise in the Treatie of the difficultie of Child-bearing reportes the like History to that of ALEVCASIS In the Suburbes of Sully vpon Loire MARGVERITE PREVOST wife to PETER DORET a Milner being apparantly with Childe and come to her time not able to be deliuered not-with-standing any helpe of her women she grew by little and little so extreamely sicke and so great by reason of the Childe and other things that were putrefied that besides the generall swelling of all the bellie about the eight or ninth moneth shee had a particular swelling about her Nauell seeming to be a soft Impostume red and readie to breake the which Maister ITIER GALLEMENT a Surgion did open with an actuall Corosiue on New-yeares daie in the yeare 1550. The next day at her second dressing beeing desirous to knowe the reason of certaine haires which shewed them selues at the Orifice I found that it was the head of a Childe rotting which hee drew out at the opening with the rest of the bodie which was knowne to bee a female Shee was soone cured and after the death of the sayd DORET shee married againe and liued helth-fully 27. yeares after and then died of a flux in the yeare 1577. Shee had no Children neither before nor after FR ROVSSET in his Treatie of the Caesarien section M. I. HOVLIER in the ende of the first Tome of his Booke intitled Of inward diseases sayeth that a woman at Paris had a Child who for fifteene daies before that it was borne had an arme sticking out at her Nauell and yet she remained aliue and so did the Child she did not set downe howe shee was deliuered nor by what part neither whether shee had any Childe afterwards the which would haue deserued a relation as well for the theorike as the practise Without doubt it could not be without some great vlcer in the matrix although the Childe were not afterwards drawne forth belowe On the otherside it is a verie strange thing that a Childe could be so liuely in that estate hauing made such worke in the matrix and in that which wrapt him in the which hee had past through aboue with his arme for otherwise it could not be In the same treatie I haue learned of Mounsieur BVNOT a learned Physition to the most famous Princes ANTOINETTE of Bourbon Douager of Guise that shee had often told him that some time before her marriage beeing twentie yeares of age and yet bred vp vnder her Mother she did see beeing in a Church at la Fere in Picardie that they presented vnto her Mother a young sick creature pale weake swelled and so strangely tormented with paine as they knew not what to say to it nor what to hope of it The Princesse hauing caused her to bee visited by certaine Midwiues descouered what it was that this greeuious sicke creature whome they held to bee a very pure Virgin had a Childe conceiued in her and shee beeing great it had beene long dead and rotten in her bodie whereof not withstanding shee was soone cured and liued very long after in good and perfect helth In the same Treatie BARBARA FHIRER remayning at Zupfring in the Bayle-wike of Bremgarten in Suisserland beeing conceiued of her third Childe and readie to bee deliuered was in labour eight daies together with great greefe and paine and not deliuered In the ende not able to endure anie more shee remayned altogither in her bedde then there appeered vnto her vpon her bellie aboue the Nauell a bladder of the bignesse of a hazell nut the which had put her to exceeding great paine for three daies together and in the ende at her instant request it was peerced and opened by a certaine neighbour of hers vsing an aule to that ende The bladder being opened and growne large by reason of the swelling of the bellie presently that which inclosed the Childe appeered They called IOHN BOVRGOIS a Surgion who hauing consulted with the Midwiues with their common consents made such an incision with his rasor as one of the Childes elboes came forth and shewed it selfe the Surgion takes hold of it with pincers for the nonce and drawes the Childe out whole by this breach but dead and halfe rotten The Mother hauing suffred no greater harme then some light fayntings during the operation The wound beeing cured according to the precepts of Surgerie so that within three-weekes shee was set on foote not without great discommodity for that shee was forced to vse a great rowle continually and not able to stand vp but with meruelious great paine so as after two yeares shee died GASPAR BAVHIN in the addition to the History of the Caesarien deliuery A Country woman being with Childe and come to the 8. moneth beeing vpon the waie to goe to the market at Sancerre was cast by her horse and fell against a stone of this fall she continued 24. houres without speaking or moouing The next day she had a sharpe feuer accōpanied with very violent accidents as ordynary faynting vomyting and idlenesse of the braine They did purge her let her bloud and applyed what they could to temper the heate of this great feauer After a moneth shee had a swelling neeere vnto the Nauell as bigge as ones fist That beeing opened there came forth a great quantitie of corruption and then prittie bigge peeces of rotten flesh and in the ende the bones of the Infant which shee bare Hauing had this wound ten monethes in the end shee was cured but yet shee continued barren Some thinke that if shee had beene helpt by a dissection in the bellie the Child might haue beene saued N. NAVRICE in the comment vpon the 1. booke of Hippocrates of womens diseases Text. 3. A fleming hauing her Childe dead in her bodie could not be deliuered so as it did rotte within her notwithstanding any remedies that were applied to make her voide the peeces In the ende she her selfe borrowed a Surgions instrument called a Cranes Bill with the which shee her selfe pulled out the bones of this Child being rotten
Gouernor of the place who there-with acquainted the Landgraue He hauing commanded that it should be hunted and by some way or other taken aliue the Country-men vsed such meanes that they caught it and lead it to the Landgraues Court going on foure feete like a beast and of a grim and terrible looke Beeing in the Princes hall it went and hidde it vnder a bench where it beganne to houle and crie like a Wolfe But some lyniaments though disfigured of a humane face beeing discouered in it the Prince commanded it to bee brought vp among men vntill such time as it might bee more exactly knowne what it was Those which had it in charge so diligently imployed themselues that the creature beganne to growe tame to stand vpright and to goe like other men finally to speake distinctly and then as farre forth as euer his memory would permit him hee declared that hee had liued in a Caue among Wolues which vsed him verie gently and alwaies gaue him the better parte of their prey M. DRESSERVS in his booke of newe and ancient discipline Diuers French Gentlemen can testifie that they haue seene a man which was taken in the forrest of Compiegne and brought to the late King CHARLES the 9. Who went vpon foure feete like a beast and ranne swifter then anie horse Hee could not stand vpright had a verie hard skinne was heary almost all ouer and in stead of speech vsed a feare-full crie accompanied with so hiddeous a looke and countenance that there is no beast so ill-fauored to see-to as that poore creature was which had liued amongest the rauenous Wolues and learned of them to howle Moreouer with his teeth he strangled Dogges dealt no better with men whensoeuer hee met them I could neuer knowe what become of him afterward EXTRACTED out of the Memorialls of our time Touching the first History extracted out of DRESSERVS I knowe not whither it bee the same which is presented by the D. PHILIP CAMERARIVS in his excellent Historicall meditations Chap. 75. The repeticion being but short wil not be offensiue I hope It is a meruaylous thing sayth he if true which is read in the additions to the History of LAMBERT of SCHAFNABOVRG as followeth The yeare 1544. a Child was taken in the Country of Hesse who as hee himselfe hath since declared and was so verified being but three yeares olde was carried away brought vp by Wolues When they got any prey they alwaies brought the better parte of it to the Child which fed vpon it In winter when it was cold they scraped a hole which they trimmed with grasse and leaues of trees whereon they layed the Childe and compassing him about defended him from the iniury of the time afterwards they made him goe vpon his handes and feete and runne along with them whither soeuer they went so that at length and through vse hee could leape and runne aswell as they Being taken he was taught by little and little to go onely vpon his feete He oftentimes sayd that if it had beene in his choice hee would rather haue liued among Wolues then men Hee was brought to the Court of HENRY LANDGRAVE of Hesse for to be seene In the same yeare befell the like case in the farme of Echtzel for a Childe of twelue yeares olde running amongest the Wolues in the Forrest adioyning was taken in the winter time by certaine Gentlemen that hunted the Wolues Children supposed or practised THis Inuention hath beene found out by some barren women some drawne therevnto of their owne motion to please their husbands and to bring an heire into the house vnder their charge to the preiudice of the right heire others consenting to the Impostures of their owne husbands pretending to aduance their estates by such Diuelish practises haue stuft vp their bellies with cloth little cushions but in such sort as they swelling should growe by degrees counterfetting themselues to bee distasted way-ward melancholie and heauie and at the end of 9. monethes to suppose some Child brought secretly from the house of some poore neighbour or for want of one from the hospitall Som-times bought for money or supposed by the husbād hauing had it of some Concubine This is not all for as some that haue beene barren haue vsed the meanes of such suppositions so others haue made vse of it when as they had a great desire to haue a Sonne for the greater contentment of their husbands they see that GOD had sent them a Daughter It is well knowne that about fiftie yeares since a Ladie of Daulphine seeing her selfe in disgrace with her husband for that shee had brought him none but Daughters forged such a tricke to giue him satisfaction shee corrupted a woman of base condition in the beginning of this womans conception and drewe a promise from her to giue her her Childe presently vpon her deliuerie After which practise the Ladie hauing counterfetted all the signes of a woman with Childe in the ende to plaie the last and chiefe part as soone as euer shee herd that the poore woman was in labour and that shee was deliuered of a Sonne shee goes to her bedde feyning to bee in the same paine expecting the little Boy that was promised her The which was done and brought her so secretly by certaine Midwiues as it was receiued of the husband as issued from his Wiues wombe and so generally reputed Wherein I will not ommit a notable example of the almightie GODS iust iudgement for this Ladie who could not bee induced by nature to beare any loue nor to giue any countenance in the house to this Childe although that by meanes of the sayd supposition hee had beene left heire by him who thought himselfe to bee his Father disdayning him daylie more and more in the ende shee forced him to bandie himselfe against her and to haue recourse vnto Iustice challenging his rights as Sonne and heire and offring to force her to an account Ths which did so incense the sayd Ladie as shee conspired his death at the least it was supposed that the murther committed vpon him was by her solliciting Booke first of the conference of ancient wonders with moderne A Childe of Stone A Woman of the Towne of Sens in Bourgondie called COLOMBE CHATRY married to LEVVIS CHARITE a Taylor hauing liued long with him without any children in the end shee conceiued and during the time of her being great she had all the accidents of a womā with child But the time of lying in being come all the endeuours of poore COLOMBE and the helpe of Midwiues were in vaine so as her fruit died and she laye three whole yeares languishing in her bed In the end being some-what eased shee liued in paine 25. yeares more carrying this dead fruite in her body whereof in the end she dyed hauing carryed it 28. whole yeares in her belly Her Husband caused her to be opened and the childe was found conuerted into a hard stone then
chinne was couered with a beard and at ten yeares he begot a sonne hauing at that age all the naturall and vitall faculties as perfect as a man at thirtie yeares TORQVEMADO in the first iourney of his Hexameron I haue seene in a towne in Italie called Prato about two leagues and a halfe from Florence a child new borne which had the face couered with thicke haire halfe a foote long very white soft and fine as flaxe beeing two moneths olde this beard fell off as if the face had pield by some disease The same A certaine man went throughout all Spaine shewing a sonne of his for money The childe being ten or eleuen years old had so much haire of his face which was long thicke and curled as they could not see any thing but his eies and mouth The same A young boy beeing but nine yeares olde got a nurce with child So saith IOHN FOXIVS L. DANEVS lib. 2. of his morrall Philosophy Chap. 14. A horrible Iealousie ABout the yeare 1517. a yong Cittizen of Modena very rich and not married called FRANCIS TOTTE abandoning himselfe to the pleasures of the world began to frequent the house of a Gentlewoman that was married who was named CALORE she kept open house through her husbands suffrance for dancing playing at cardes dise other entertaynments for all commers from whome she still drew some commoditie being of her selfe alluring and stately in apparrell stuffe feasts and all that belongs thereto This young Modenois who had good meanes began to frequent this entrie to hell and within a while was so drunke with the intising baites of this Curtizan as he did not cease to pursue her in that sort as from that time they concluded a mutuall and cordiall loue betwixt them They liued in this estate about three yeares that the Modenois did enioy and was enioyed of this CALORE to whom hee gaue his person and his goods more freely then hee would haue done to a lawfull wife Shee did handle him cunningly but one day as shee plaied at Chesse with a certaine gentleman it chanced that smiling shee tooke this gamester by the hand and griped it like vnto a woman of her trade FRANCISCO growes iealous at this countenance and from that time seemed discontented CALORE a licentious woman and not accustomed to be restrained began to contest and to braue him In the end disdaine growes thorough words so as shee hauing told him that shee cared not for his humors nor choller this wretched man did shut himselfe into a chamber where hauing made some notes containing a disposition of his goods and that hee would not haue any one accused for his death but himselfe hee did put them in his shooes in such sort as they must presently see them then with his girdle and his garters he made a kind of halter and leaping from a great coffer he strangled himselfe presently It was in the very house of CALORE who afterwards liued more retired At that time FRANCIS GVICHARDINE an excellent Historian of our age was Gouernor of Modena for the Pope The Historie of Italie About the yeare 1528. there chanced at Rimini a towne in Romagnia a notable Historie A certaine yong gentle-woman married to an old gentle-man forgetting her honour did prostitute her selfe villanously to a yong gentle-man of the place caled PANDOLPHO continuing their infamous course by the means of a chamber-maid that was their bawde for the space of two yeares There was in the chamber of this wretched woman a great coffer where shee did put some part of her iewels and money in the which her adulterer did hide himselfe if at any time hee were in danger to bee surprised and could not escape This coffer had a vent for aire in a secret place so as PANDOLFO continued sometimes long there It happened at the ende of this time that GODS diuine iustice began to call this Adulteresse to an account by a grieuous and incurable sickenes who finding her selfe abandoned of the Physitions was yet more in regard of her soule Her husband comming about midnight vnlooked for PANDOLFO casts himselfe into the coffer shutting it easily of himselfe Then this woman transported with some horrible spirit began after some speech to make an humble request vnto her husband making him to promise with an oath that he should not refuse her Which was that he should put into her tomb in the caue neere vnto her coffin that coffer which shee shewed him without looking himselfe or suffering any one to looke into it hauing certaine stuffe in it which shee would not haue any one to vse after her The which request the husband did graunt her Miserable PANDOLFO vnderstood these terrible words which made him to curse his owne wickednesse a thousand times and his adulteresse withall who within two houres after died without repentance or confession of her wicked sinnes beeing desirous to drawe him with her vnto death that had beene the companion of her wicked life After her death as they gaue order for her Interment some seruants and kinsfolkes would haue him leaue this coffer in the house or at the least that they should open and visit it But the husband holding the solemne promise made by him hindered the opening thereof and caused it to bee carried out shut the which after the Obsequies were made was let downe with the coffin into the Caue and a great Tombe-stone laied vpon it without morter for that it was now night and that they meant to finish all the next day Miserable PANDOLFO hearing them sing in Saint Cataldes Church made his account then to die in the coffer and in tumbling vp and downe he felt certaine bagges full of iewels but hauing no minde of golde nor siluer hee disposed himselfe to other thoughts when as GOD would giue him newe respight to haue a better care of his conscience and life than hee had formerly had A young man of the house who knewe that the deceassed had good stuffe in the Coffer and beeing couetous of such a booty found meanes to enter about ten or eleuen a clocke at night into Saint Cataldes Temple whereas the Caue and Sepulcher of the deceassed was With the help of two of his companions he lifts vp the stone and beginnes to get open the Coffer pretending to carry away a good prey PANDOLFO taking a sodaine resolution in so strange an accident doth rise and gets out of the coffer with such a noise as the rest thinking it had beene some Diuell fled away speedily PANDOLFO being come to himselfe lights a Torche and visiting the Cofer lodes himselfe with Iewels and money which hee found there and going out of the Church past by the Couent gardens vnto his owne house I leaue it to the Reader to iudge if hee had not reason to thinke of GODS helpe and to amend his life Hist of Italie Impiety punnished IN the yeare 1505. a certaine Curat of one of the Parishes of Misnia in
BELLAY attribute to the diuine vengeance because hee kept not the promise which hee made with such an imprecation to the Millanois His death â—…ell on the 6. of May 1527. To this purpose I will adde another Historie though it be ancient reported by ALBERT CRANT in his 6. Booke of the affaires of Saxony Chap. 45. where hee writes that the Emperor FREDERICK the first being in Saint PETERS Monastery at Erford the floore whereon hee went suddenly sanke vnder him and if he had not caught hold on an Yron barre of a window hee had fallen into the Iakes of the Monasterie wherein certaine Gentlemen fell and were drowned amongst the which was HENRY Earle of Schuartzbourg who carried the presage of his death in an vsuall imprecation If I do this or that I would said he I might be drowned in the Iakes But omitting other ancient Histories it being no part of our purpose to touch them in these collections but reseruing them for some other hand and worke I will present the examples of our time concerning imprecations and despightfull speaches eyther against GOD or our neighbours A Soldiar trauelling through the Marquisate of Brandebourg feeling him-selfe not well staied in an Inne gaue his 〈◊〉 his money to keepe Not long after being recouered he asked it againe of the woman who had agreed before with her husband to detaine it Wherefore she denyed that she had any of him and rayled at him as if he had done her wrong to aske it whereat the traueller was so enraged that he accused her of disloyaltie and theft which the Host hearing he tooke his wiues part and thrust the other out of dores who iustly incensed with such dealing drew his sworde and ranne against the gate The Host began to crie out that hee went about to breake into his house and robbe him For which cause the Souldier was apprehended carryed to prison and arraigned before the Magistrate ready to be condemned to death The day came wherein sentence was to bee giuen and executed the Diuill entred into the prison and tolde the prisoner that hee should bee condemned to dye neuerthelesse he promised him if so bee hee would giue himselfe vnto him to keepe him from all harme The prisoner answered that he would rather dye innocent as he was then be deliuered by such means The Diuil hauing shewed him againe the danger wherein hee stood and receiuing the repulse promised not-withstanding to helpe him for nothing and worke in such sort that he should be reuenged on his enemies Hee councelled him then when he should be brought to his tryall to maintaine that hee was innocent and to desire the Iudge to let him haue him for his aduocate whom he should see standing there in a blew Cap which should plead for him The prisoner accepted the offer and the next day being brought to the Barre hearing his aduersaries accusation and the Iudges opinion required according to the custome of the place that he might haue an Aduocate to plead his cause which was granted him This craftye Lawyer stood forth and very subtilly began to defend his client alledging that hee was falselie accused and by consequence wrongfully condemned for the Hoste kept away his money and had misused him besides Therevpon hee vp and tolde how the whole matter had past and declared the place where the money was locked vp The Host on the other side defended himselfe and the more impudently denyed it giuing himselfe to the Diuill both body and soule if so be he had it Where-vpon this Lawyer in the blew Cappe leauing his cause layde hold on the Host carried him out of the hall and hoysted him vp so high in the ayre that it was neuer knowne what became of him afterward I. WIER in his 4. booke of Diuelish deuises Chap. 20. PAVL EITZEN in the 6. Booke of his Morales Chap. 18. saith that this happened in the yeare 1541. and that this Souldier came out of Hungarie In the Towne of Rutlingen a certaine traueller comming into an Inne gaue his Hoste a budget to keepe wherein there was a great summe of money At his departure asking it againe the Hoste denyed hee had any and rayled at him for charging him with it The traueller sued him in the lawe and because there was no witnesse of the matter hee was going to put the Host to his oath who was ready and most desirous to take it and gaue himselfe to the diuill if euer he receiued or kept away the Budget that was in question The plaintiffe required some respite to take aduise whether hee should put the defender to his oth or no and going out of the Court he met two men that asked him the occaston of his comming thither He vp and told them the matter Well sayde they wilt thou bee contented that we shall helpe thee in the cause He answred them I not knowing what they were Ther-vpon they returned all three into the Court where the two that came last began to maintaine against the Hoste that the Budget was deliuered vnto him and that he receiued it and locked it vp in such a place which they named The periured wretch could not tell what to reply and as the Iudge was about to send him to prison the two witnesses began to say it shall not need for wee are sent to punish his wickednesse Saying so they caught him vp into the ayre where he vanished away with theÌ„ and was neuer seene more IOHN le GAST of Brisae in the 2. volume of his Table-talke pag. 131. GILBERT COVSIN of Nosereth in his Narrations PETER ALVARADO a Spanish Captaine making warre on the Indians of Peru receiued a grieuous hurt in a skirmish whereof he dyed two dayes after Lying in his death-bed being asked where he felt his paine In my soule said he it torments me when the newes of his death came to his wife BEATRICE a very proud woman then resident at Guattimall she began to rage to make imprecations and to fall out with GOD euen to say That hee could not deale worse with her then to take away her husband There-vpon shee hung all her house with black and began to mourne in such sort that shee could not be drawne to receiue any sustenance or comfort She did nothing but weepe lye along on the ground teare her hayre and demeane her-selfe like a madde woman Amidst her husbands pompous obsequies of whom GOMARA writes that he maried two sisters and was a long time polluted with foule incest and all this despightfull mourning shee forgot not to assemble the chiefest of the towne together and there to make them declare her for Gouernesse of the Country and to sweare fealtie and obedience vnto her But now let vs heere what came to passe vpon these imprecations and despightfull speeches The 8. of September 1541. it rained so mightely for 24. houres together that the next day about nine or ten of the clock at night two Indians came and
vsuall answere was that GOD did chastice him and that his mercy knew what issue his afflictions should haue which nothing hindered the assurance that he had of his eternal saluation through IESVS CHRIST At 7. yeares end he died peaceably full of the spirit of repentance faith and hope in the grace of his Sauiour on the eleuenth day of September in the yeare a thousand fiue hundreth fifty and two Not long ago sayth M. ANDREVVE HONDSDORFE we sawe an Almaigne very poore and sickly and as wretched and miserable as might be by reason of the imprecations which his Father had made against him a little before his death wyshing that all kinde of misfortune might accompany him as long as he liued A Mother hauing a very disobedient Sonne fell downe on her knees and prayed GOD that her wicked Childe might bee burnt with a secret fire This imprecation fell not to the ground for the Sonne beeing suddainly seized with that fire ouer all his body beganne to cry Mother Mother your praiers are heard and languished three dayes in vnspeakeable torments hee was consumed therewith A disobedient Sonne in the Cittie of Milan mocked his mother and made mouthes at her The Mother iustly ince◅sed with so vyllanous a pranke sayd would thou mightst make such mouthes at the gallowes It fell out not long after that this rogue beeing apprehended for theeuing was condemned to bee hanged and being on the ladder at the place of execution ready to be turned of by the hangman euery one sawe him make such mouthes as hee had made before to his Mother These Histories and infinite others such like warne Parents to shun such speeches and to reclaime their Children with good admonitions or conuenient corrections They likewise exhort Children to shew themselues humble tractable and obedient to the end they bee not confounded by the iust iudgement of GOD maintayning the rights of those which are his liuely images vpō earth In Silesia happened two memorable Histories which shew the dangerous fruite of imprecations the fauour of GOD assisting vs by the ministery of his Holy Angells against the fury of euil spirits A gentleman hauing inuyted certa◅ne of his friends prepared a sumptuous feast seeing his expectation frustrated by their excuses entred into some cholor sayd since none of them will vouchsafe to come would al the Diuills in hell were here Thervpon hee got him forth of dores and went to Church where the minister was preaching vnto whō he gaue very dilligent eare and continuing so behold certaine men came riding into his yard of tall stature and all in black which willed the gentlemans man to go and tell his maister that his guests were come They fellow exceedingly affraied ran to Church aduertised his Mr of it who very much dismayd asked Coūsell of the minister what he shold do He hauing finished his sermon willed that euery body shold voide the house It was no sooner cōmanded then performed but with hast that they made to get out they left a little Child behinde them sleeping in the Cradle Those guesse that is to say the Diuils beganne to fling the tables other things about the house to roare to looke out at the windowes in the likenes of Beares Wolues Cats terrible men holding glasses of wine dishes of meate in their pawes As the gentleman to gither with the minister and neighbors were in great feare beholding such a sight the poore Father began to cry alas where is my Child Scarce was the word out of his mouth when one of those black guests brought the Child to the windowe in his armes and shewed it to all that were in the streete The gentleman almost beside himselfe sayd to one of his men whom he made most account of alack what shal I do Sir answered his seruant I wil cōmend my life vnto GOD in whose name I wil enter the house through his fauor assistance bring you your Child Wilt thou sayd his Mr GOD be with thee strengthen thee The fellow hauing receiued the Ministers blessing went into the house cōming to the Stoue where those dreadfull guests were he fell downe on his knees commended himselfe to GOD then opened the dore sawe the Diuills in horrible formes some sitting some standing others walking some ramping against the walles but al of thē assoone as they beheld him ran vnto him crying Hoh Hoh what makest thou here The seruant sweating with feare and yet strengthned by GOD went to the fiend that held the Child and sayd vnto him Come giue me this Child No marry wil I not answered the other he is mine Go bid thy Maister come and fetch him The fellow insisting sayd I will execute the charge which GOD hath cōmitted vnto me for I know that all that I doe according there-vnto is acceptable vnto him Therfore in regard of mine office and in the name assistance vertue of IESVS CHRIST I will take this Child from thee and carry it to the father Saying so he caught hold on the Child and held it fast in his armes The black guests returned no answere but roared and cryed out Hoh sirra let alone the Child or we will teare thee all to peeces But he not respecting their menaces went safely away and presently restored the Child to the gentleman his Maister Certaine daies after all those guests vanished away and the gentleman become wiser and a better Christian returned to his house IOHN GEORGE GODELMAN Doctor of Lawe at Rostoch in his treatise of Witches and Witchcraft booke 1. Chap. 1. Another gentleman vsing to giue himselfe vnto the Diuell trauelling by night but with one man was set vpon by a companie of fiendes which would haue carryed him away The seruant beeing desirous to saue his Maister held him fast about the middle The Diuills beganne to crie Sirra let goe your hold but the fellowe persisting in his determination his Maister escaped The same In Saxony a young maid that was very riche promised mariage to a proper young man but poore He foreseeing that wealth and inconstancie of sexe might easily alter this maidens resolution freely opened his minde vnto her about it Wherevpon she made a thou◅and imprecations to the contrary and amongst others this which ensueth If euer I marry any other let the Diuill take me and carry me away on the wedding day What followed there-vpon A certaine time after the fickle wenche was betrothed to another hauing vtterly forgot the former who gently admonished her more then once of her promise and horrible imprecation She nothing regarding him made her ready to be marryed to the second but the wedding day come when euery body else was merry the bride being wakened by her conscience seemed sadder then shee vsed to bee Where-vpon two men on Horse back came and lighted at the house where the feast was kept who were presently caried vp and after dinner when they fell to dancing one of them as
whom they did falsly accuse to haue caused the Duke of Arscot to escape beeing prisoner at Bois de Vincennes as hee suborned many witnesses against her vsing in this practise a Comissary called Bouvot but eyther of them escaped good cheape being condemned of false-hood committed in the instruction of the processe against the Countesse they did open penance thē standing on the pillory at the Haules they were banished In the history of France vnder HENRY the 2. GVY of Seruilles terming himselfe Lieutenant to the Prouost of Marshalls in the Seneshalcie of Xaintonge hauing apprehended two young men he caused them to bee hanged vpon a Sonday without finishing of their processe by the which they were found in a manner innocent He is made a partie as they are accustomed to do against Iudges which proceed Ex officio without any partie playntiue that doth accuse for in that case they hold the place of an accuser After viewe of the processe he is committed to prison by a decree of the Court and carried to the Concergery or prison at Bourdeaux there he was examined and by his answeres mayntaines that the sayd yong-men had deserued death for many causes which hee obiects where-vpon the Court at Bourdeaux were in some doubt whether they should admit him to make his proofes Some great Lawiers holding that a Iudge after execution may at neede iustifie his Iudgement by proofes and productions especially against vagabondes and picking rouges of whome the Prouost Marshalls doe iudge definitiuely Besides a Iudge may interpret declare and maintayne his sentence The Negatiue is more common for all that is aboue spoken hath place where imminent daunger is and in time of Warre else no man ought without reason to striue so much from Lawe and Iustice and a Iudge is not to bee admitted to the iustification of his Iudgement by other meanes then these which are in the processe and which are written before him for he that is condemned might haue defended and iustified himselfe or els haue reproched the witnesses so as al might haue prooued his innocency But the means of al this was taken from him with his life which ought not to be Yet notwithstanding by a decree made at Bourdeaux Seruille was allowed to make his proofes by acts or witnesses of these crimes wherewith he charged the deceased And for that afterwards he did nothing and the two yong men were found innocent by an other sentence giuen the 14. of August 1528. he was condemned and executed I. PAPON ltb 4. of his collection of sentences giuen in Soueraigne arrest 5. One terming him falsely Prouost of Marshalls in the Seneshalsie of Landes hauing caused seauen women to be executed being falsely accused and without proofe of witchcraft was beheadded by a sentence giuen at Bourdeaux the 3. of Ianuary 1525. He had cōmitted three offences The one of Iurisdiction the fact being not to betried before the Prouost The second that they were not found guilty the third that falsely hee termed himselfe a Prouost and vnder collour of a publike charge had cōmitted so many murthers The same PAPON in the same booke arrest 7. The Consull of a Towne in Suisserland I will spare his name for the present a rich man caused a stately house to bee built in the yeare 1559. Among other excellent workemen which he sought for he caused a rare cutter and Architect called IOHN to come from Trente who for some iust reasons refused to come In the end hauing receiued a promise of all safety and good vsage he came and wrought long for the other About the end of the worke the Architect comming to demand his wages they fell to some words Whereof the ende was that by the Consulls cōmandement IOHN was put in prison and by the same Consull against his faith and promise accused to haue spoken against some Ceremonies The Consull beeing Iudge and party pursued his purpose so furiously as IOHN was condemned to loose his head As they led him to execution he marched with a cheerefull countenance and died very constantly Ad ding therevnto after a long speech testyfiyng his constancy and sincere affection that the Consull who was the Author of his death should die also within 3. daies and appeere before the Iudicial seate of GOD to giue an Account of his sentence It happened as this man had fore-told for the Consull although he were in the flower of his age and very helthfull began the same day to bee tormented sometimes with a violent heat sometimes with a vehement cold to conclude he was stroken with a new disease so as the third day hee went to answere to the Innocent against whom hee had beene a most vniust partie and accuser and a Iudge beeing cast out of the Land of the liuing by a t◅rriblle Iudgement of GOD. M. IOSIAS SIMLERVS of zurich in the life of HENRY BVLLING◅R Wonderfull Fasting HENRY of Hasfeld being gone out of the Lowe Countries to Berg in Norwaie where he did traffick liued there vnmarried without blame he was very charitable vnto the poore whome hee did clothe liberally imploying some of his clothes to that vse One day hauing heard a certaine Preacher speaking indiscreetly of myraculous fastes as if it were no more in the power of GOD to maintayne any one lyuing without the helpe of meate and drinke and displeased that this preacher was a dissolute man which poluted holie things hee tryed to fast and to abstaine altogither from eating and drinking Hauing absteyned three daies he began to be very hungry He therefore tooke a bitte of bread meaning to swallowe it with a glasse of beere But all that stucke so in his throate as hee remayned forty daies and forty nights without eating or drinking At the end of this time he cast out at his mouth the bread and drinke which had remayned in his throate This long abstinence made him so weake as they were faine to restore him with milke The Gouernor of the Country hearing of this wonder calles for HENRY and enquiers the truth of him who giuing no credit to HENRYES confession would see a newe tryall thereof He therefore caused him to be shut vp and carefully watcht and kept in a Chamber for the space of fortie daies and forty nights without any thing to norrish him The which he did endure without any noyse and with lesse difficulty then the first attributing nothing vnto himselfe but all to the power and honor of GOD. By reason of so rare and supernaturall an Abstinence and for that his life was without reproche hee was surnamed of many the Saint of Norway A while after being come about his businesse to Bruxelles in Brabant a debtor of his hauing neither good money to pay him nor any good conscience accused him of heresie so as he was imprisoned where he remained manie dayes without eating or drinking in the end hee was condemned to be burned aliue without making the people acquainted with his processe who did see
by this burning poyson Secondly the ventricles of the heart were drie and without bloud Thirdly they did obserue that a peece of the mouth of the stomack was almost burnt and reduced to poulder IEROSME CAPIVACCIVS lib. 7. of his practise Chap. 12. I haue seene a young Child which neuer felt the hurt nor complayned till eight monethes after the biting but as soone as it descouered it selfe the Child died FRACASTOR lib. 2. of contagious diseases Chap. 10. Sometimes the biting is so sharpe and violent togither with the apprehension of the parties offended as death followes soone after as I haue seene in many namely in a Mint-man called MARTIN BVTIN and a scholemaster named ROBERT On a winter day about ten yeares since going early in the morning from their houses the one to worke at the Minte the other to teach certaine schollers they were one after an other bitten by a madde Dogge and had much adoe to free them-selues from him The same day they went to their bedds and died within a while after in good sence hauing had many trouble-some and pittifull fitts The one was my Neighbour and I did often visit him hee tooke delight to heare talke of his Saluation and died most Christian-like and so did the other But my Neighbour at my comming in vnto him cryed out that I should not come neere him if I would not haue him bite mee Once not thinking of it for the compassion I had of his torment for some-times hee did houle like vnto a Dogge approching neerer vnto him then I was accustomed he sodenly reacht out to get holde of mine arme with his teeth whereof he fayled for that his motion was not so quicke as mine Hepresently acknowledged his error and asked me forgiuenesse imputing it to the vehemencie of his paine As often as I thinke of that which I did see in the sicknesse of these two good men so often doth my Soule tremble crying out Lord thou hast beene our refuge from one generation to another c. And that which followes in the 91. Psalme not meaning notwithstanding to condemne those whome the wisdome of GOD who is iust and mercifull will visite thus in this world for with what rods soeuer he meanes to chastise those that belong vnto his Sonne his eternall grace fayles them not but they enter by all gates howe hideous soeuer they seeme to humaine sence into the Pallace of happie life and assured glory Extracted out of my Memorials I was called early in a morning in the yeare 1543. to goe see a Gentleman called ALEXANDER BRASQVE with some other Phisitions Hee would by no meanes drinke and as wee did enquire of the cause of his sicknesse those which did tend him did confesse that hee had kist a certaine Dogge of his which hee loued verye well before hee sent him to be drowned for that hee was madde Hee dyed the next day as I had fore-told CARDAN in the first Treatise lib. 2. contradict 9. A Peasant become madde and hearing that hee had not long to liue in the world made great instance to them that kept him and held him straightly bound for hee had some quiet seasons during the which hee spake sencibly that hee might bee suffered once to kisse his children for his last farewell This beeing granted him he kissed his children and so dyed but the seuenth day following his children became madde and after sundry torments they dyed as their Father had done Maister PAVMIER in his Treatise of contagious diseases pag. 266. I haue seene yet more Horses Oxen Sheepe and other Cattle haue become madde and dyed so hauing eaten a little Strawe whereon madde Swine had line In the same Treatise 267. ADAM SCHVEIDTLIN a Surgion did assure mee for certaine that about thirtie yeare since at Hassuelsel in Bauaria a Knight going to Horse-backe was bitten by the foote by a madde Dogge whereof hee made no accoumpt but a yeare and a halfe after hee began to growe madde so as hee bitte the flesh of his owne armes and was not apparantly sicke but two dayes â—…OHN BAVHIN Doctor of Phisicke at Basill in his learned Historie of madde Wolues running about Montbeliard in the yeare 1590. In the yeare 1535. a certaine Hoste in the Duchie of Wirtemberg serued his guests at the Table with Swines flesh the which a mad Dogge had bitten after they had eaten of this flesh they all fell mad Historie of Germanie Certaine Hunts-men hauing slaine a Wolfe made sundrie dishes of meate of the flesh but all that did eate of it became mad and dyed miserably FERNEL lib. 2. Of the hidden causes of things Chap. 14. I haue obserued that the biting of mad Wolues causeth Beasts to die presentlie that are toucht with their teeth Maister PAVMIER in his Treatise of Contagious Diseases Many haue noted that Wolues although they bee not madde yet by reason of their furie and ordynarie vyolence which appeares by their sparkling eyes and their insatiable deuouring they make the flesh of Beasts which they bite or kill to be very dangerous if it bee kept any time A famous Prince did sweare vnto mee that one of his Pages hauing found at a certaine Gentlemans house a Rapier hidden vnder a bed where-with some yeares before they had slaine a madde Dogge hee intreated him to giue it him which done going about to make it cleane and to scowre it beeing rustie in diuers places by mischance hee hurte himselfe a little in one of his fingers where-of hee fell madde and dyed before they could fore-see and preuent the danger ESAYE MEICHNER Physition in his Obseruations There was seene in Portugall a Man bitten with a mad Dogge the which lay hidden three yeares at the end whereof it appeared and hee dyed thereof AMATVS A Portugall Physition in his seuenth Centurie Cure 41. BALDVS a famous Lawyer playing with a little Dogge of his that was madde not knowing it was sleightly bitten on the lippe the which hee regarded not But after foure moneths hee dyed furious and madde and there was no meanes to helpe him for that he dyed not seeking to preuent it in time Maister AMBROSE PARE lib. 20. Chap. 21. In the same place hee propounds diuerse remedies against the biting of a mad Dogge the which he thinks auaileable if any one of them be vsed presently and hee saith that hee hath cured many that haue beene so bitten Among others he specifieth this example following One of the Daughters of Mistresse GRONBORNE at Paris was bitten with a madde Dogge in the middest of her right legge where the Dogge set his teeth very deepe into the flesh the which was cured Among all remedies Treacle saith he is singular causing it to be dissolued in Aqua-vite or in Wine and then rubbing the place therewith hard vntill it bleed then you must leaue within it Linte dipte in the sayd mixture and vpon the wound apply Garlike or Onions stampt or beaten with ordinarie Honie and Turpentine This remedie is excellent
sayd vnto M. PETER to whome he had giuen a watch-word that hee should but seeme to do it and to that ende had giuen him foure Crownes that he pardoned him his death if hee should chance to die hee put himselfe into his handes and suffred him selfe to be bounde and trimmed like vnto one that should bee cut indeede But you must knowe that as the Adulterer had giuen Mr. PETER a watch-word to make but a shewe of doing it so the husband after that he had notice of this â—…est had hired him to do it indeede promising to giue him the doble of that which hee had receiued of the Adulterer So as beeing perswaded by the husband and hauing the Adulterer in his power beeing well and surely bound hee did execute his Office really then hee paied him with this reason that hee was not accustomed to dallie with his trade Behold howe the Adulterer was drest through the Inuention of his vnchast Adulteresse and whereas with this pollecie hee sought to circumuent the husband more then before hee him-selfe was ouer reacht with a deceit much more preiudiciall to his owne person Conformitie of ancient wonders with the moderne A Wollen-draper in one of the chiefe frontier townes of France hauing forgotten GOD his honour and the respect of his honest and vertuous Wife seeking to corrupt a seruant of hers beeing fiâ—…nced and neece to his sayd Wife deuising of some meanes to couer his shame hee inuenâ—…ed one that was verie dishonest and infamous Hee had a young man to his seruant that was twentie yeares olde verie bashe-full who as yet knewe no follie The Maister hauing promised him recompence for his 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 perswaded him to goe and take his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his bedde when his wife should bee a sleepe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shee should beginne to slumber hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bidde her softly good-night laying his hand vpon her brest and then turning his backe to her hee should approch no more Hee in the meane time goes vnto his maide a little before her marriage The yong man much amazed at his Commission which was giuen him obeyd notwithstanding the dishonest wiâ—…l of his Maister and obserued dilligently what hee had commanded But the wife thinking it had beene her husband imbraced him and mooued him in such sort as that night hee knewe her often and yet shee knewe not him Earlie in the morning the Maister and the seruant retier themselues The VVife casting out some iest vnto her husband of his last nights sport thinking that hee and none other had come there hee descouered but too late his owne misfortune Where-with incensed against the young man hee inforced him through his ill vsage to flie and to descouer what had happened yea hee procured that sarre and neere his shame was knowne and hee disgraced The woman hearing the wicked part her husband had plaied her in the ende dies for greefe The miserable husband was a skorne to all the world yea to the basest hauing lost all reputation and respect with good men Memorialls of our time A death worthy obseruation WILLIAM NESENVS a man excellent in the knowledg feare of GOD going into a fisher-boate in the Summer-time for to Crosse the riuer of Elba which passeth from Witteberg to Saxony as it was many times his manner to rowe ouer himselfe for his pleasure ranne against the body of a tree lying vnder Water which ouer whelmed the boate and NESENVS in it who could not swimme and three was drowned This happened in the euening The same day a little after dinner being a sleepe him thought hee entred into a fisher-boate and fell ouer boorde into the Water Therevpon came PHILIP MELANCHTHON his very familiar friend vnto whome laughing he declared his dreame accounting it but as a toy A great personage seeing him lie dead on the shoare cryed out with teares in his eyes ONESENVS if I had the gift of miracles how willingly would I raise thee Hee was infinitely bewayled both of great and small MELANCHTHON and CAMERARIVs talking togither of this dreame and heauy accident called to minde that which had befallen them and NESENVS not many daies before They three ryding togither into Hesse and hauing lien all night at a little towne called Trese in the morning they past through a brooke for to Water their houses Beeing in the Water NESENVS espied three Crowes sit beating their wings and croaking on a little hill hard-by Wherevpon hee asked of MELANCHTHON what hee thought of it MELANCHTHON presently answered that it signified one of them three should die ere long CAMERARIVS confesseth that this answere touched him to the quick and verie much troubled him NESENVS did nothing but nodâ—…e his head and went merily on his way CAMERARIVS addeth that hee was about to aske MELANCHTHON the reason of his Coniecture and that within a while after MELANCHTHON told him that feeling himselfe weake and sickly hee was perswaded he should not liue very long I do not rehearse these things saith he as if I attributed any vertue to the flight and motion of Birds nor do I make any science of coniectures which would be grounded there-vpon no more did MELANCTHON I am sure But I haue declared them to shew that diuers times we see merueilous things happen which after the euents driue many thoughts into their heads that either behold them or heare them spoken of IOHN CAMERARIVS in the life of PHILIP MELANCTHON And ABRAHAM BVCOLCERVS in his Chronicall Index of the yeare 1524. This History shall make me step one step back for to propound another no lesse meruailous of the age before this in hope that this digression will bee no offence to the Readers AMBROSE GRIMANI a Genowaie lying in garrison in the I le and Cittie of Chio the yeare 1431. where he carried himselfe very faithfully and valiantly and being sound a sleepe one night had this vision following Hee thought that an exceeding huge and mightie Serpent with fiery eyes and open throate to deuoure him Being terrified with this spectacle he awaked sodenly and with great trouble of minde he examined his dreame whereof the next day he makes report to some who aduised him not to goe any more to any skirmishes and to giue ouer the warres thinking that that was the Monster which threatned him with a vyolent end Where-vpon hee resolued to bee ruled by them Not long after the Souldiers and Inhabitants of the place prouoked by the enemy made a sallie GRIMANI remembring his vision followed them faire and softly aloofe off onely to behold the fight and because hee would not be in any danger he hid himselfe behinde a thick wall But hearing the cryes of the combatants hee could not choose but lift vp his head and looke through a creuise of the wall At which very instant a Cannon shotte lighted iust on that place and tooke GRIMANIES head cleane from his shoulders the body sincking downe where hee stood P. BIZERRE in the History and Annales of
of his repulse and that during his life CONTAREN must neuer hope to be aduanced Being possest with a violent passion of choller and despight hee watcht a time when as the Duke came downe into the golden Chappell to heare Masse Hee staies vpon the staires makes shewe to haue some businesse of importance to impart vnto him Those did accompanie the Duke went aside that CONTAREN might haue the more libertie to speake vnto him Then hee drewe forth a poinard from vnder his cloake with the which hee had slaine the Duke if the Ambassador of Sienna had not staied CONTARENOS arme so as insteede of striking him into the bodie hee did hit him in the cheeke neere the nose Presently manie Senators runne thether they saue the Duke and seize vpon CONTAREN who sought by all meanes for to saue himselfe Afterwardes hee had his hand cut off vpon the same staiers and then was hanged in the accustomed place Such was the rewarde of his violent passion SABELLICVS Booke 1. of his 3. Decade The violence of despaire was strange in LAVRENCE LEVRENTINIAN a learned Physition at Florence Hauing bought a house and paied a third part of the price with a condition that if hee payd not the rest with in sixe months it should be lost The time beeing come hauing no money to satisfie he was so troubled as without any further aduice he cast himselfe head-long into a deepe Well at what time PETER SODERIN great Gonfalonier of Florence gouerned the Common-weale before the Rule of the Medicis P. IOVIVS in the Life of famous men I haue seene a man which grewe fearefull and amazed of him-selfe crying out some-times like a Child though otherwise he had as much Force and courage as any man could haue It is reported also of a Noble-man of Spaine that hee was so full of feare that if they did but shutte any doore of the house where-in hee was at a certaine howre in the night hee conceyued such a feare and was so troubled as often-times hee would cast himselfe out at the Windowes ANT. TORQVEMADO in the third iourney of his discourses I haue seene a woman my neere K◅ns-woman trobled with a certaine Melancholike humour which some terme Mirrachie the which doth some-times cause frenzie and madnesse in them that are toucht with it so to helpe her selfe with discretion and reason as it could neuer vanquish her It was strange to see the combate betwixt Reason and Melancholie in this Woman which cast her-selfe groueling vppon the ground in the extremity of her fitte tare her clothes cast stones at them that lookt on her fought with them that met her and committed many such other follies but through reason shee continued so constant as in the end this humour left her remayning as sound and perfect of iudgement as before In the same Author In the yeare 1558. the Curate of Curpre in Scotland seeing that his Parishoners to the contempt of the authoritie which hee thought to haue ouer them were in despight of him entred into his Parish Church and beaten downe all the Images hee fell into such a choller melanchollie and despayre by reason of this acte as hee slew him-selfe with his owne hands BVCHANAN liber 6. of his Historie of Scotland A certaine man did so abhorre all Phisicke as the verye smell of a potion did so mooue him as hee was forced to goe seuen times to the stoole instantly whereas hee that had taken the same po◅ion should goe but thrice Maister AMBROSE PARE in his Introduction to Surgerie Chap. 22. A Groome of the Lord of Lansacs Chamber reported that a French Gentleman beeing in Poland had a quarten Ague and walking along the Riuer of Vistula in the beginning of his fitte hee was thrust by a friend of his in iest into the Riuer where-with hee was so terrified that although hee could swimme very well and the other also that thrust him yet hee neuer after had any feuer The same Author Chap. 23. At the Campe at Amiens King HENRIE the second commanded mee to goe to Dourlan to dresse many Captaines and Souldiars which had beene hurt by the Spaniards at a sallie Captaine Saint AVEIN lying neere to Amiens as valiant a Gentleman as any was in his time in France although hee had when the Alarum was giuen a fitte of a quarten Ague risse out of his bed and went to Horse to command a parte of his company where hee was shot through the necke with a Harguebuze the which made him to apprehend death so much as hee presently lost his Ague and was afterwardes cured of his wound and liued long after The same Author FRANCIS VALLERIOLA a most famous Physition at Arles writes in the 4. obseruation of the 2. booke of his obseruations of an Inhabitant of the said Towne of Arles called IOHN BERLE who had lyne manye yeares bed-ridde by reason of a palsey It happened that the chamber whereas hee did lye was on fire burning the bordes and some stuffe neere vnto his Bedde Hee seeing him selfe in danger to bee burnt with much payne got vnto a Window out at the which hee cast him-selfe and beganne presently to walke and was cured of his palsey The same VALERIOLA writes in the same Obseruation a strange History of a Kins-man of his called IO◅N SOBIRAT who laye at Auignon lame of both his Legges hauing had his Hammes shronke vp with a Convulsion about sixe yeares One day he grewe into so great a choller against his seruant as reaching at him to strike him the Sinewes stretcht forth presently and grewe supple so as his Legges recouered their strength and he went right vp so cōtinued euer after The same Author The Arch-Bishop of Bourges a verye olde Man who had not gone of fowre yeares before hearing that a certaine troupe of horse which the Earle of Montgommery had brought from Orleans had surprized Bourges and knowing howe much hee had wronged and offended them that were then at that instant the strongest carried away with this apprehension he found his legges so well as he went on foote from his Chamber into the street and so to the great Towre causing all his money and plate to bee carryed with him The History of the first troubles of France vnder CHARLES the 9. lib. 7. At the same time neere to Issoudun in Berry the Seigneor of Condray whose Castle was beseeged by the Lord of Yuoys troupes hauing a little before taken certaine poore men and deliuered them to the Seigneor of Sarzay then commanding in Yssoudun who had commanded them to bee hanged hee fearing to bee taken saued himselfe in a farme house of his called Roueziers where he dyed of Feare In the same Historie and in the same booke In a Towne in Italy called Eugubio there was a Man much tormented with Iealousie who seeing that hee could not descouer if his Wife abandoned her selfe to any other hauing threatned to doe her a shrewd turne hee gelded himselfe that if afterwards shee should
him and had renewed all that which was the cause of age the which made him to seeme younger then hee was The Admirall was desirous to knowe the truth and found that the was as it old man had sayd The same Author That aboue written is not impossible addes TORQVEMADO seeing that in our time wee knowe a verie admirable thing of a man mentioned by FERNAND LOPES of Castagneda Historiographer to the King of Portugall in the eight booke of his Chronicle where he sayth that NONNIO de CVGNE being Viceroye at the Indies in the yeare 1536. there was a man brought vnto him as a thing worthie of admiration for that it was auerred by great proofes and sufficient testimony that hee was three hundred and fortie yeares old Hee remembred that hee had seene that Cittie wherein he dwelt vnpeopled being then when he spake one of the chiefe of all the East-Indies Hee had growne young againe fouretimes leauing his white haire and hauing newe teeth When the Viceroy did see him hee had his haire and his beard black although hee had not much And as by chance there was a Physition present the Viceroy would haue him feele this olde mans pulce the which he found as good and as strong as a young mans in the prime of his age This man was borne in the Realme of Bengala and did affirme that hee had at times neere seauen hundred wiâ—…es whereof some were dead and some hee had put away The King of Portugall aduertised of this wonder did often inquier and had yeerely newes by the fleete which came Hee liued aboue three hundred and seauentie yeares The same Castagnede addes that in the time of the same Viceroy there was also found in the Cittie of Bengala an other man a Moore or MAHVMETAN called XEQVEPIR borne in a Prouince named XEQVE who was three hundred yeares olde as hee sayd all those which did knowe him did also certefie it for that they had great presumptions and testimonies This Moore was reputed amongst them for a holie man by reason of his austernes and abstinence The Portugals did conuerse famyliarly with him and besides that the Histories of Portugall are faithfully collected and certefied by verie autenticall witnesses there were in my time both in Portugall and in Castille many witnesses which had seene these old men The same ALEX. BENEDICTVS reports in his practise that hee had seene a woman called VICTORIA who had lost all her teeth and beeing growne bald other teeth came againe at the age of eighteene yeares AMB. PARE Booke 24. Chap. 17. I haue heard Mistris DESBECK saie that shee had knowne a woman seauentie yeares olde the which in certaine monethes for some yeares had her monethly courses verie orderly In the ende comming downe into great abondance shee died Shee reported vnto mee an other memorable Historie that shee had seene and knowne an honorable woman being then a hundred and three yeares olde and soone after died who beeing a hundred and one had her monthly courses very orderly where-with shee felt her selfe wonderfully eased and as it were restored the which continued from the hundred and one yeare vntill her death which was at the age of a hundred and three The Marshalls wife of Pleatenbourck a gentlewoman of the noble famelie of Ketlercks in Wesphalia hauing past seauentie yeares returned to haue her monthly purgations very orderly and was as lustie as shee had beene long before These orderly courses continued foure yeares but in the ende they came in greater abundance then before and yet shee was helthfull vntill the age of eightie foure Shee liued yet sixe yeares and died in the ninetie yeare of her age R. SOLENANDER Booke 5. of his Physicall Obseruations Cons. 15. sect 41. 42. 43. Strange Fearefull and horrible Visions IN the liues of DION and BRVTVS in PLVTARKE wee read of horrible apparitions which appeared vnto them a little before their deaths and wee read in the Histories of Scotland in the life of King ALEXANDER the third a strange cause of a fantosme which appeared vnto him the day of his third marriage presaging his death the same yeare But omitting ancient Histories besides those that wee haue represented in the first Booke wee will adde some in this There is a Noble and ancient familie at Parma called TORTELLES hauing a Castell in the which there is a great Hall vnder the Chimney wher-of there doth sometimes appeare an ancient Woman seeming to be a 100. yeares old This signifieth that some one of the familie shall dye soone after I haue heard PAVLA BARBIANO a worthy Lady of that family report supping one night together at Belioyeuse that a young Maide of that house being sick the old Woman appeared which made all to thinke that the Maide should soone dye but the contrarie happened for the sicke Maide escaped but an other of the same family which before was in very good health dyed sodenly They say this old woman whose shadow appeares was some-times a riche Lady who for her money was slaine by her Nephews which cutte her body in peeces and cast it into the Priuies CARDAN liber 16. Chap. 93. of the diuersitie of things ANTHONY 〈◊〉 of whose despaier I haue spoken else-where the lastnight of his life being layed he imagined to see a very tall man whose head was shauen his beard hanging downe to the earth his eyes sparkling and two torches in his hands whome ANTHONY demanded what art thou who alone like a furie doest walke thus out of season when euery one doth rest Tell mee what seekest thou What doest thou pretend In saying so ANTHONY cast himselfe out of his bedde to hide him-selfe from this vision and died miserably the next day BARTLEMEVV of Bolonia in his life IAMES DONAT a rich gentleman of Venice beeing in bedde with his Wife hauing a waxe candle light in the Chamber two nurses sleeping by in a pallet with a little Childe hee did see one open the Chamber doore verie softly and an vnknowne man putting his head in at the dore DONAT riseth takes his sword causeth two great Lamps to be light goes with his Nurses into the hall where hee findes all shut where-vpon hee retiers backe to his Chamber much amazed The next daie this little Childe not full a yeare olde and who then was well died CARDAN in the same Booke and Chapter Two Italian Marchants being vpon the way to passe out of Piedmont into France did incounter a man of a far heigher stature then any other who calling them vnto him vsed this speech returne to my Brother LODOVVIK and giue him these letters which I send him They being much amazed aske what are you I am sayd he GALEAS SFORZA and so vanished sodenly They turned head towards Milan and from thence to Vigeneue where LODOVVIK was at that time They desire to speake with the Duke saying that they had letters to deliuer him from his Brother The Courtiers laugh at them and for that they
the knowledge of any was found shutte vp fast in the former Dungeon hauing the face and countenance of a man distracted who required them that they should lead him presently vnto their Lord to whome hee had some-things of great and waighty importance to impart Beeing brought before him hee tolde him that hee was come from Hell The occasion was that beeing no longer able to endure the rigour of the prison vanquished with despaire fearing death and voyde of good counsell hee had called the Diuell to his ayde that hee would drawe him out of that captiuitie That soone after the euill spirit had appeared vnto him in the Dungeon in a hideous and terrible forme where they had made an agreement according to the which hee had beene drawne and carryed from thence not without greeuous torments then cast head-long into places vnder-ground that were wonderfull hollow as in the bottome of the earth where hee had seene the prisons of the wicked their punishments darkenesse and horrible miseries seates that were stincking and fearefull Kings Princes and great men plunged in darkenesse where they burnt in flaming fire with vnspeakeable torments that he had seene Popes Cardinals and other Prelates attired in state and other sorts of men in diuers equipages afflicted with distinct punishments in very deepe gulphes where they were tormented incessantly Adding that hee had knowne there many of his acquaintance namely one of his greatest friends who knew him and inquired of his estate the prisoner hauing tolde him that their Country was in the hands of a cruell Lord hee then inioyned him that beeing returned he should command this rough Maister to leaue his tyranous vsage and to tell him that if hee continued his place was markt in a certaine seate thereby which he shewed vnto the prisoner And to the end sayd this spirit vnto the prisoner that the Lord of whome wee speake may giue credit vnto thy report bid him remember the secret counsell and the speech wee had together when as we carryed armes together in a certaine warre and vnder Commanders that hee named vnto him Then he told him in particular this secret their accord the wordes and mutuall promises the which the prisoner deliuered distinctly one after another in order vnto this Lord who was wonderfully amazed at this message wondering how it could bee that things committed by him alone the which hee had neuer discouered to any should bee decifred vnto him so boldly by a poore subiect of his who did represent them as if hee had read them in a Booke They adde that the prisoner hauing inquired of the other with whom hee deuised in Hell if it were possible and true that so many Men whom hee did see stately apparrelled should feele any torments the other answered that they were burnt with continuall fire and tortured with greeuous and vnspeakeable punishments and that all those ornaments of Golde and Scarlate were nothing else but burning fire so couloured That being desirous to feele if it were so hee went neere to touch this Scarlate which the other perswaded him to forbeare but the heate of the fire had scorcht all the palme of his hand the which hee shewed as it were roasted in the embers of a great fire The poore prisoner beeing set at libertie seemed to those that came vnto him at his returne to his house as a man distracted and growne dull which doth neither heare nor see alwayes pensiue speaking little and scarce answering the questions that were demanded him His face was become so hideous and his countenance so foule and wilde after this voyage as his Wife and Children did scarce know him and when they knew him there was nothing but crying and weeping seeing him so changed Hee liued but fewe dayes after his returne and could hardly settle his poore etate hee was so transported and changed AEEXANDER of Alexandria liber 6. Chap. 21. Neere vnto Torge in Saxonie a certaine Gentleman walking in the fieâ—…d mette wiâ—…h a Man which saluted him and offered him his seruice Hee made him his Horse-keeper The Maister was not very good but the seruant was wickednesse it selfe One daye the Maister beeing to goe forthe recommended his Horses vnto his seruant especially one aboue the rest which was of some price this seruant was so expert as hee drewe this horse vp into a very high Tower When the Maister returned his Horse which had his head at the window knew him and began to neigh. The Maister being amazed demanded who had placed his Horse in so high a Stable This good seruant answered that it was with an intent to keepe him safe that hee might not bee lost and that hee had carefully executed his Maisters commandement They had much a doe to shackle this poore beast and to let him downe with Ropes from the top of the Tower Soone after some whome this Gentleman had robd resoluing to pursue him in Iustice his Horse-keeper sayde vnto him Maister saue your selfe shewing him a Sack out of the which hee drew many horse-shoes puld by him from horse-feete to staye their course in the voyage which they vnder-tooke against his Maister who in the end being taken and put in prison inrreated his Horse-keeper to helpe him You are too fast bound there answered the seruant I cannot free you But the Maister making great instance in the end his seruant sayde I will drawe you out of captiuitie so as you make no signe with your hands thinking to saue your selfe Which agreed vppon hee takes him with his shackles and Bolttes and carryes him through the ayre This miserable Maister beeing amazed to see himselfe in such a strange field began to crye out Oh eternall GOD whether doe they carrye mee Sodenlye his seruant that is to say the Diuell let him fall in a Marish then comming home to the house lett es the Gentle-woman his Wife to vnderstand in what estate and where her Husband was that they might goe and deliuer him A riche man of Halberstad a famous Towne in Germanie did vsually keepe a good Table giuing vnto himselfe all the pleasures in this world hee could deuise so little carefull of his soules health as one day hee presumed to powre forth this blasphemie among his riotous companions that if hee might alwayes spend his dayes in delights hee would desire no other life But after some dayes and beyond his expectation hee must needs dye After his death there were dayly seene at night in his house which was stately built visions which appeared so as the seruants were forced to seeke an other aboade This riche man appeared with a troupe of other Banketmakers in a Hall which in his life-time serued onely to make seasts in Hee was compassed in by seruants which held Torches in their hands and serued at a Table that was couered with Cuppes and Goblets guilt carrying many Dishes and then taking them away More-ouer they heard the noyse of Flutes Luthes Virginals and other Instruments of Musicke