prouinces and places of the erth with sundry subtilties and sophisticall sleights to draw vnto him an honour of the people vnder a forme of diuers beastes other creatures yet it is affirmed both by sacred prophane authority that the soueraigne and omnipotent God hath giuen him more scoape and libertie of rage against his people in two places than in all the worlde besides wherof the first was in the Oracle of Apollo a place very famous by report of hystories where he kept his schole open shop of villanous crueltie for the space of 1000. or 1200. yeares drawing the people not only to fall downe worship him but also according to his bloudy disposition he toke vpon him to giue answer to their demaūds with constraint for y e most part that afore he performed resolution of their questions they should honour perfume his house with incense and quick sacrifice of men maydes sometimes the fathers became murderers of their simple and innocent children such was the blindnesse of the people and such the sleight of this subtile serpent to enchaunt and charme their vnderstanding wherwith notwithstanding not satisfied he kept a cōmon storehouse of filthy gaine rauenous couetousnesse that vnder the pretence of religion in such sorte that the most parte of Kings Monarches of the earth came to worship him in that place enriching his temple with infinite treasures and giftes of precious value besides a number of stately Images formed of massiue Golde the same so enlarging his territorie that of a little caue or hollow vault wherin he kept residence at the beginning within a small time he raised it vp to a huge proud Citie wherein he so traffiqued and practised his abhominable trade with Pilgrimes and straungers that came from farre setting such price of the pelfe wherwith he abused the simplicitie of the people that as Diodorus writeth there was found at that time of his treasure aboue ten thousand talentes amounting according to the order of our accompt to six Millions of golde And now touching the description of the scite or situation of the place where this monstrous enimie to the life of man performed his oracles it was a desert and traggie mountaine planted in Grecia vpon the breache or tip of a high and hard Rocke out of the which issued a sulphur or strong breath wherupon was hong on high a colde spirite or figure wauering as the winde and the mouth of this infernal cell did bestride certaine graund paunches or big belied priests cowring one close by an other as though they would hatch yong frie like them selues who receyuing the aire or breath of the wind and participating with the spirite and power of the diuell became as men enraged and without sense braying out answere to the people vpon their demaundes Thys also gaue further cause of wonder touching the place that he was so carefully garded by diuels that no mortal man durst assaile eyther him or his treasure amassed from so many partes of the world the same mouing cause of feare to Princes of the greatest power and also to the mightie conquerour Xerxes who notwithstanding being vpon his conquest of Greece following his couetous inclination to enrich himselfe with the spoile of Sathan attempted to pill his Temple which as he was striuing to bring to passe that parte of the Rocke where Sathan sate in his throne vpon a sodaine ouerwhelmed and fell downe vpon his souldiers the Elamente began to open and cast forth flames of fire with such terrible threates of thunder and lightning that those which were vpon the mountayne fel downe some schortched to death by the vehemencie of the fire and some torne in pieces by other violence that as Trogus affirmeth that assault was the bane of .iiij. thousand of his souldiers which hapned not only to him for that the Frenchmen vndertaking the like enterprise vnder the conducte of Brenus who vowing to skale the mountaine and sacke the temple of Delphos ▪ was resisted with a horrible quaking of the earth which so shaked and disordered the hil that the greatest parte fel vpon his armie and smotheryng who so euer was founde either vpon or vnder it whervpon folowed such terrible motiōs in the Elament with storms tempests wind haile mixed with sulphure and fume of fatal fire that the most part of the armie was consumed Brenus himself so sore woūded that what with the anguish of his hurt impacience of his repulse he sacrifised himselfe vpon the point of his sword The other special place where Sathan kepes hys maiestie vsurping vpon the people with a reuerence as to a God is yet in being in Calycut one of the most riche and famous cities of the Indyans but after a more strange and hydeous fashion than in the Oracle of Apollo for that there he was rather masqued than séene openly where now ielous belike of the honor of his creator he is séene and worshipped vnder the most terrible and mōstrous forme that euer we sée him drawne and painted in any place And here he hath so surely seeled the eies of this miserable people of Calycut that although they acknowledge God yet do they worship and reuerence the Diuel with Sacrifice incense perfume and erection of Images as if he were one of the Deitie in déede And albeit all that Prouince which is of great circuite together with their Kings Rulers of the same are resolued of the vnitie of one God maker of heauen erth with other Elamentes and the whole World besides yet Sathan the father and first founder of all vntruthes hath so preuayled amongst them with such suttle and sinister persuasions that they beleue that God being weary to debate the causes and controuersies happening among men hath committed vnto him the charge of iudgement vpon earth the same inducing this pore and ignoraunt people to think that God hath sent downe that spirit of torment with power to do iustice and reason to euery cause and question amongst them they cal him by the name of Deumo whose portraite the King kepes with gret deuotion in his Chappel as a sanctuarie or holy relike placed in a stately chaire with a Crowne vpon his head after the forme of a Méetre with a garnish of foure hornes foure huge téeth growing out of a monstrous mouth a nose and eyes of the like proportion his handes like to the pawes of an Ape and feete fashioned like a Cock whose forme as you sée is both fearfull and monstrous so it agréeth with the furniture of the chapel wherin it is inclosed being garnished with no other tables or pictures than figures of litle diuels of the like regarde And yet is not this all for their priests which they call Bramynes haue expresse charge to wash this Idol with swéete water and odoriferous balmes and then vpon the sounde of a bell to fall prostrate and doe sacrifice neither doth the King eate any meate which
Phrygia and Halderich were in one moment so couered with water and the sea so peopled with men and beastes crying with pitifull vehemencie that it séemed by them that God had forgotten his vowe made to Noe wherein he promised neuer to destroy mankinde by water againe Albeit the rage was so cruell that men were forced to climbe trées like birdes others ramped vpon the mountaines the mothers caste their children vpon the grounde to the ende they myghte with more spéede flée and shunne the furie of the element And to be short the desolation was suche that there was not only an infinite multitude of men women children and beasts drowned but that whiche was more to be lamented the corruption which sprang of the putrified bodies after the waters were retired to their olde chanel so infected the aire with a sodain plague that the rest which were saued from drownyng were destroyed by the miserable infection therof in suche sort that the Prouince remayned almoste deserte and inhabitable Wherein who list to beholde Flouds more freshe in memorie wherwith other Cities haue bene tormented let hym reade Carion in the Abridgement of his Chronicles and all those of Gasparde Contarenus in his learned boke of Philosophie whiche he made of the foure Elements ¶ The wonderful death of Plinie with a briefe description of the causes of fire whiche come of certaine openyngs of the earth LIke as it is straunge that the fyre falling from heauen should burne those places which it toucheth Euen so it is more monstrous to see the same issue from the earth without knowing where it firste tooke hir nouriture beginning and birth as this whereof Titus Liuius and Orseus make mention which sprang of the intrailes of the earth in the territorie of Calene which ceassed not burning by the space of thrée dayes thrée nights vntill it had committed to cinders about fyue acres of groūd drying so muche the moisture and humour of the grounde that not only the Corne and other frutes but also the trees with all their rootes were burnte and consumed Diuers Historians write that in the olde time the moste parte of the Realme of Scotland was by the like violente irruption of fire springing from an vnknowen opening and caue of the earth quite consumed and burned The cause whereof the Philosophers haue searched with great diligence and in the ende founde that Sulphur Allom Pitche and Water be the cause of the entertaining of that fire together with the very fatnesse of the ground and that fire after it hath founde a vente can not long continue without issuing with a wonderfull violent force And for the most part these flames haue bene diuers times séene of the people with great wonder terrour to them cōmonly about the Sepulchers and Churchyardes and other fat moyste places which was engendred of the fertilitie and moistnesse of the deade bodies who were there buried for men amongest all other creatures be of a very subtile and fat substance as is plainly shewed by that which is discouered in our time of the Sepulcher of Alexander Duke of Florence which although it were made of white Marble both massie heauie yet notwithstanding the fatnesse of y e bodie pierced distilled through the said Sepulcher piercing the bottome of the pillours thereof In like maner the moisture of the bodie of Alphonsus Aualus albeit the Phisitions had dried the same with salte and sande and inwrapped his bodie in leāde yet the fatnesse thereof spotted and spoiled not onely the stones aboue the Tombe but dropped through euery parte of the leade And there is also a mountaine called Hecla in the Isle of Islande whereof one George Agricola a man amongest others of our time worthie of memorie hath made mention reporting the same to caste such flames and making so great a a noise that it séemes to be made the same casting and darting greate stones withall vomitteth Sulphur smothering as in a gulphe all those which approch to beholde the nature of that fire whereby the common people of that cuntrie be brought in such an errour that they beleue that place to be y e prison of the damned Besides also manie Historiās write that there appeared in that place visions which shewe themselues visible and make their seruice to men they appeare for the moste part in the shape and figure of those which by some violent aduenture haue bene either killed or drowned and when those which they know makes their returne to their houses they aunswere them with maruellous complaint wéepingins willing them to returne to the mounte Hecla so sodainly passe vanishe awaye But for my part I haue alwaies thought that they be certaine disciples of the diuell which haue vowed them obedience in that place to deceiue the people being by nature of a Barbarous grosse capacitie whereof as we haue declared before y t the cause of these hideous and pepetuall flames is naturall so it also commeth of the fertilitie of the grounde together with the plentie of Sulphur wherewith the marchants loade so many shippes carying them into strange countreyes And moreouer the fatnesse of the groūde of this Islande as the Auncients and Historians at these dayes write is such and especially in the lowe countrey that they are constrained to féede their cattel but a smal time leaste they shoulde surfeit of the swéetnesse thereof so die as is dayly proued Neither let vs muse or be to curious in searching the cause of these flames of the mountaines so farre from vs for we haue the mounte Vesuue neare to Naples whereof Martial Strabo and Xiphilnius in the life of Seuerus the Emperour haue verye often in their writing made mention to be in times pastmost fertil is now by the continual embracements of the fire vtterlye ruinous and consumed and in the time of Titus Caesar it caste forth such plentie of fire that it burned twoo Cities and the smoke thereof rose so thick and high that it had welnigh darkened the Sunne making the dayes like to the night and all the fields thereabouts were so full of cinders that they seemed in heighte equall with the trées Wherein Plinie who raigned in the time of Vespasian the Emperour desiring to knowe the cause of the continual burning of this mountaine wente to sée it and approching too neare the same was at the sight thereof so astonished that he was immediatly surprised with the flame and his bodye thereby committed to ashes as you maye beholde in the pourtraite before that which is yet fresh in memorie in the yeare 1538. where it began againe to make so great an irruption that it feared al the people bordering vpō it We can in like maner bring in amongst these wonderful mountayns the mount Aetna otherwise called the mount Gibell in Sicile whereof S. Augustine hath made so often mention in hys workes and whiche Strabo witnesseth as one that hath not feared to mounte to the
¶ Certaine Secrete wonders of Nature containing a descriptioÌ„ of sundry strange things seming monstrous in our eyes and iudgement bicause we are not priuie to the reasons of them Gathered out of diuers learned authors as well Greeke as Latine sacred as prophane By E. Fenton Apres fortune espoir ¶ Seene and allowed according to the order appointed ¶ Imprinted at London by Henry Bynneman dwelling in Knightrider streat at the signe of the Mermaid ANNO. 1569. CVM PRIVILEGIO AD IMPRIMENDVM SOLVM ¶ To the right Honorable and his singular good Lord the Lord Lumley Edward Fenton wisheth a happy life with much encrease of honor and continuaunce of the same THe most ancient and famous Philosophers right honourable albeit they neuer had any certain knowledge of God yet nature by hir instinct of reason delt so beneficially with them that beholding the wonderful power of God in all his creatures they douted not to coÌ„fesse that there was one who hadde made these things and with all had a speciall care ouer them Besides this after the dissolution of this life they aimed very neare at the immortalitie of the soule who in the ende being ouercome with the depth of so diuine a Mysterie as a matter not to be measured by mannes reason were constrained to leaue of to be curious in the enquirie after suche questions and fell to the studie of such things as they thought would serue best to stay their appetite from the attempting of any vncomelinesse and stirre their minds to the attaining of most commendable vertues Wherin as they haue left behinde them so great store of necessary precepts as we can not so long as we direct our doings by their good discipline but of necessitie we must tread the path that leades to perfecte happinesse So besides this as men reputing it a shame to be ignorant in any thing that by trauaile they might attaine vnto they haue founde out to their great praise and our singular profite and pleasure the secrete and hidden reason of many things which nature hath kept vnknowne from vs as it should seeme of set purpose to the end we might the rather finde our selues occupied in the search and knowledge of the same And like as some of them by reason they are ordinary and coÌ„mon the cause thereof being also naturall together with the familiaritie and acquaintaunce we haue with them and that they happen as it were of custome doe moue vs the lesse or nothing at all to haue them in admiration when they chaunce or happen Euen so on the contrary part there are other effectes of nature which when we beholde they do the more amaze vs bicause we be not able to comprehend the causes and reasons thereof but imagine straight way that nature is abused or at least hath lost hir rule who in dede is alway one and vniforme and cannot be but one cause working diuersly according to the diuersitie of hir subiects Touching things supernaturall or aboue nature we are to think they are not so cald in respect of nature as though she had made ought by chaunce wherof she was not able to yeld a reason but rather hauing regard to vs whose weake vnderstaÌ„ding cannot conceiue hir secrete meanes in working And therefore we must thinke they haue their proceeding from God or some diuine inspiration either directly or indirectly immediatly or by a meane seing that God oftentimes both to warne vs of his iustice and to punish our offences layeth his hand and rod vpon vs in diuers sortes as when we feele the raging whirlewindes and tempests by sea the terrible earthquakes by land â–ª the fearfull flames of lightning and crackes of thunder in the aire and all these things without vs. But to come nigher vnto our selues when we feele any distemperature in our bodies wherupon doe grow some greuous diseases All which albeit they haue their being and motion by naturall meanes yet seeme they the rather prodigious bicause they be rare and happen but seldome But those things which are called supernaturall bicause the reason is hidden from vs they come by the permission or speciall appointment of God as when we be troubled with wicked spirites offring to abuse our simplicitie with false miâ—acles fained visions and other such diuelish illusions Wherof as I shall not nede to speake either particularly or in general so seeing that besides the reasons and aucthorities which are gathered together in this slender volume the writers of Histories in bothe kindes haue giuen out sufficient matter touching an absolute resolution that way which as I hope may suffâ—â—â— to discharge me of a sâ—cond trauail with a particular dâ—scription of such things as the booke it self doth amplie and more at large containe So leauing to deale in the offences of some suche persones as vse and abuse their bodies through an inordinate lust against the prescripte of nature wherupon hapneth oftentimes both a superabundaÌ„ce and default in the creatures brought into the world As I hope also it is nedelesse for me to mention in this place the generation of precious stones with their sundrye properties the force and vertues which by experience we find to be in plants and herbes proceding out of the sappe and substaÌ„ce of the earth with sundry other qualities seruing against the incoÌ„ueniences that come by the aire by fire by scalding leadâ— or other mâ—ttals molten burning bicause the volume following discribes them sufficieÌ„tly in their seueral places The iudgement wherof with their seuerall reasons I humbly submit to the censure of your wisdome the which if it shall in any part be to your liking I haue the chiefest part of my desire and shall the lesse neede to regard the variable fantasies and opinions of the multitude For as much as my trauaile bestowed herein hath bene onely in respecte of your Lordship to whom as well for my selfe as diuers of my frendes I am very much bound Notwithstanding I would be glad that my priuate trauaile might vniuersally either profit or pleasure all For the boke it selfe I am of opinion that neyther the discription of many things therin 〈…〉 is so commonly knowne that the strangenesse therof is not able to delite a great many neither yet the matter 〈…〉 that â—t shall not yelde much fruit that may be applied to sundry purposes We see in daily experience with howe great earnestnesse and delight the vnlearned sorte runne ouer the fruitlesse Historie of king Arthur and his round table Knights and what pleasure they take in the trifeling tales of Gawin and Gargantua the which bisides that they passe all likelihode of truth are vtterly without either graue precept or good example Whereby I am in better hope that this booke containing suche varietie of matter bothe plesant to read and necessary to know being sprinkled throughout with great wisdome and moralitie shall be the rather embraced and allowed of all And in the meane time trusting that as I haue taken vpon me the
translation of this smal boke only vpon consideration bothe to acknowledge the duetie I owe youre Lordshippe and signifie the good meaning I beare towardes you so you will vouchesafe to vndertake the patronage thereof and when your waightier affaires shall giue you leaue to haue recourse thereunto and reade it for your recreation I leaue your good Lordship vntil such time as my better knowledge shall embolden me to present you with a greater matter and more worthy your reding wishing vnto you and the whole race of your noble house encrease and continuance of honor with the attainment of perfect felicitie Your Lordships most bounden Edward Fenton The Authors Preface MY Lord amongst all the thinges whiche maye be viewed vnder the coape of heauen there is nothyng to be séene which more stirreth the spirite of man whiche rauisheth more his senses whiche doth more amaze hym or ingendreth a greater terror or admiration in al creatures than the moÌ„sters wonders and abhominations wherein we see the workes of Nature not only turned arsiuersie misseshapen and deformed but which is more they do for the most part discouer vnto vs the secret iudgemeÌ„t and scourge of the ire of God by the things that they present which maketh vs to féele his maruellous iustice so sharpe that we be constrained to enter into oure selues to knocke with the hammer of our conscience to examin our offeÌ„ces and haue in horrour our misdéedes specially when we reade in Histories sacred and prophane that oftentimes the elementes haue bene harolds trumpetters ministers and executioners of the Iustice of God As when we see the waters ouerflowe their chanells and that the vaines of heauen open by suche outrage that they surpasse .xv. cubites the highest mountaines of the earth And the fire in like manner obeying the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of his Creator consumed fiue famous Cities committing them presently into cinders The ayre also hath bene founde so corrupt venomous and infectiue in diuers prouinces that piercing from one to an other it hath in effect smoothered and choked the most part of humain kind leauing the earth inhabitable The earth likewise opening hir throte hath swalowed vp an infinite nuÌ„ber of proude Cities with their citizens And albeit these woÌ„ders he but smal yet if we coÌ„sider y â— wheÌ„ the furor of God is enflamed against our sinnes he doth not so much respect vs as to chastise vs by his elemeÌ„ts But the better to bridle and correcte vs he maketh the most weake and aâ—iect creatures of the earth the executioners and punishers of our offences As that great Monarque Pharao proued at such time as the Frogges Flies and Grashoppers did assaile him euen in his bed Wherefore like as we haue shewed you before these fearfull and straunge chastisements euen so we could bring to memorie others no lesse maruellous thaÌ„ worthy to be noted of those specially which haue felt some apprehension of the iudgements of God as when we sâ—e liuing creatures borne amongst vs who haue had two heades knit and fastned togither in one only bodie like two bowes in the trunke of a trée Others so well conioyned and glued the one to the other that by no Art of maÌ„ they were to be seperated Others be so abhominable and deformed that they séeme to be brought into the world as wel in contempt of nature as to the perpetuall infamie and grief of their parents These things being very liuely apprehended by the Prophet Oseas in his .ix. Chapiter where he writes these be the déedes of their abhominable loues and when they haue norished their children I wil destroy them in such sort that they neuer shal become men I will giue them an ouer timely birth and their pappes shall be drie and their roote withered so that they shall be barren but if they fortune to engender I will then destroy the fruit of their body The like is confirmed by the Prophet Esdras the .v. Chapiter where amongst other cruell cursings wherewith Babylon was threatned by the Angell it is expresly said that women defiled with bloud shal bring forth monsters But for y t the misterie of these secretes is somewhat to hard and therefore requireth a further leisure I wil leaue the rest to the discourse that I haue made in my Histories which be enterlarded wyth no other things than these straunge accidents and woÌ„derfull chaunces wherwith all the prouinces of the world haue ben astonied sithens the natiuitie of Iesus Christ vnto this our time But now my Lord hauing fought wyth Labour and in myne opinion become therof victorious there resteth in me none other thing for the finall accomplishement of the same than to tender consecrate and giue the fruite sprong of my Muses and iuste tribute of my paines being drawne thervnto not onely by sundry particular bondes which I wyll kéepe secrete for this present but also for the merite of an infinite number of Heroicall vertues whyche maketh you so maruellous that you deserue to be celebrated of all those whiche haue written For besides the Noble bloud of the auncient house de Rieux where you toke your first beginning you are endued with such excelleÌ„t giftes of the mynde and of Nature a singular knowledge in diuers artes and disciplines bearyng an earnest frendshyp to such as maketh those their profession yet haue you besides these so noble a desire to martiall affaires such affection and deuotion to the seruice of your Prince as there hath bene no assemblie made or addressed in your tyme to any assaulte of towne or Citie skirmish or other Saile into Italy or else where where you haue not bene found the first in ranck wyth such assurance and little regarde of your life that those which knewe you expected no lesse in you than of that greate Marshall de Rieux your graundfather to whose fame the Chroniclers and writers haue sowned so many prayses Neither ought I in this place to passe ouer with silence the worthy exploites and valiant actes of Monsieur de Gue de Lisle your brother who hath accompanied you in all your perils and trauailes of Fortune and euen in this his yong age hath gyuen such sufficient witnesse of the same by so often sheadyng of hys bloud in the seruice of his prince that for his magnanimitie and vertue he meriteth neuer to be buried in the graue of obliuion Albeit hauyng reserued to make a more ample description therof in an other work which I haue prepared so this my Lorde may suffise for the present beséeching you not only to take this worke in good parte which I offer vnto you but also serue to the same as a defence and safe conduct To the ende that it being fortified by the shadowe and brightnesse of your noblenesse and vertue it may the rather passe assured thorough the perillous straightes of oure Countreye of Fraunce ¶ A Table of the principall matters contained in this Booke IN the first history are coÌ„tained sundry abuses and wonders of Sathan Fol.
his vniuersall Cosmographie to be the place where he was borne This néedes not séeme straunge to those which haue red histories for Lice which be much lesse than Ratts coulde not be preuented by no kynde of physike or medicins from deuouring and consuming the Emperor Arnoull leauing him nothing but synewes and bones In like sort the greate Monarche Antiochus willing to blot out of memorie the name of God forth of the â—inagoge and bring in the worshyppyng of Idols sawe issue out of himself a great number of worms and therby not only plunged in great dolour but also his whole armie infected with the stinke of that corruption which issued from him You may also reade in the second booke of the Machabees and the .xix. chapter of a King who being full of pride and ambition tooke vpon him not only to staye the waues of the Sea and peyse in balance great mountaines but also thoughte hym selfe able to touch the Starres of Heauen is nowe by the iuste iudgement of God so muche imbased that there is no man able to endure the stinke and corruption of his bodie ¶ A wonder of a monstrous King wherein is shewed in what perill they be which commaunde and others that haue the gouernement of the publike weale CHAP. iiij ARistotle Xenophon Plato and generally all those which haue treated or written of the policie of man affirme by their writinges that there is nothing more harde and difficulte than to gouerne well or commaund a publike weale for say they the aboundance of goodes and honours into the which most Princes be customably conuerted libertie to do euil without controlment together with the corrupt counsel of those which assist theÌ„ be the true matches to light them to al vices so that if we would but diligently search in order the discourses and histories of both kindes we shall finde the number of euyll Kings Emperours and Monarques giuen to sedition and wickednesse excéede farre the proportion of suche as haue gouerned and liued wel for being once inuested with the roabes of authoritie and supping the pleasant iuice distilling from the grape of Regal state they seldome or neuer bridle their affections but suffer themselues so to be ouerwhelmed and fall hedlong into the Laberynth of sundry vices For an experience wherof we may be bolde to prefer the example of S. Paule whose life and vertue remaines of great fame by the sacred recordes vntil the Lord made a tryal of him by calling him to the gouernment of his elected people of Israel when he fell froÌ„ the path of his ancient vertue and became an enimie to his maker and a contemner of his lawes Salomon in the beginning of his raigne how wonderful was he whose renoume remembraunce and wisedome is spred through al the partes of the world and being once stalled in the theatre of glorie gaue hymself ouer to the delites of women by which meanes he became depriued and voyd of the happy blessing and grace of God Calygula Mitredates and Neron gaue not they sufficient shewes at their first entry or beginning of muche noblenesse and bountie but the sequele and issue was such that al the earth was infected with their detestable tyrannies and abhominable cruelties and of .xxij. Kings of Iuda there were scarcely to be found aboue fiue or six which followed the true path of godly liuing and vertue wherein who so list carefully to read the liues of the Kings of Israel from Ieroboam the sonne of Naboth vntill the very laste which were in number but .xix. shall finde that they were euil ministers and husbandes of the publike weale In like sorte the Romaines whose common wealth hath bene accompted to flourish most of all the worlde with good gouernours haue found amongst them Augustus Vespasian Titus Antonius Pius Antonius Verus and Alexander Seuerus but as their liues make iust declaration of their noble and vertuous liuing and politike gouernment euen so the rest as farre surmounteth them for wicked and abhominable kindes of liuing And if you will beholde with due regarde and iudgemente the liues and renoumes of the Greekes Assirians Persians Medes and Egiptians you shal finde more euil spoken for their wickednesse than honour for their vertuous liuing All which matters be sufficiently proued and auouched by the gret king Antiochus who the first time he was presented with the Regal scepter and before he was therwith crowned as Valerius writeth he beheld it with good iudgement crying with a loud voice sayd O Diademe more noble than fortunate if the most part of the Princes of the earth which by sword and fire séeke to obtain thée were as willing to serch with good aduise due regard to shun y e miseries calamities which as coÌ„panions be annexed vnto thée they would theÌ„ scarce vouchsafe to lift thée from the erth not without cause for if any ambicious man wil measure according to right and waigh in iust ballance the delightes and honours with the daungers and perils which folow the crowne he wil finde for one pound of Honie ten poundes of Wormewood not compting the peril incident to the poore people wherewith he is charged for if it chance the Prince be dysordred and of wanton life the people most commonly frame themselues to imitate his doings who as Herodianus writeth be but the badges of Princes and do nothing but what they sée their Princes do before Wherfore seing that Princes Kings and Monarques be the coÌ„mon fountaines whervnto al men should resorte and drinke and they be theatres wherupon al the world ought to loke for purenesse of life and further serue as torches to giue light to all men walking in the darke caue of wicked doings if these sinne as Plato sayth the example is no lesse hurtfull to all their subiectes than to be abhorred in themselues Let them therefore vse such regard and moderation in their doings with such respect to an integritie of lyfe that they be founde perfect in the accoÌ„pt which they haue to yelde to the Lord least he set abroche the vessell of his anger and raine the shoure of reuenge as he did vpon the miserable King Nabuchodonosor the .iiij. King of the Babilonians who as Daniel witnesseth in his first chapter felte so sharply the heauie hande and iustice of God that he was exiled and banished from his kingdome the space of .vij. yeares wandring and liuing in the deserts with brute beastes and being naked remayned in that estate beaten not only with heate and cold but also with hayle and dewe vntil he was couered with haire like vnto the Eagle his nailes like to birdes Here all men may sée as in a glasse an example spectacle and wonder worthie to be noted that he hauing at commaundement a whole kingdome and serued as a King with al delicat viandes was taken into the deserts and there fedde and banqueted with wilde beastes Yea he which had ben inuested with purple and decked with precious Iewels was
nature hir wombe opened and yelded into the handes of the Midwife certaine yron nailes thicke tronchions or endes of knotted staues glasse bone lockes of haire hardes of flaxe hemp stones with other trumperie of lothsom hideous regard wherof the diuel by his coniuration and other hellish arte had made an assembly in that place to abuse the simplicitie of suche as are apte to repose certaintie in suche vaine and deceitfull charmes all which is aduouched by Licostenes Amberlachius Iacob Ruffus a notable phisition of Zurick in his booke de hominis generatione Neither nede it seme either straunge or incredible to such as haue noted the epistles and records of S. Paule where he did onely change his shape into the likenesse of an Angell of light to deceiue the people but also in diuerse places addressed himselfe to our sauior Christ with intente to seduce him But bicause wée haue better occasion to discourse at large of such villanies in an other part of this worke where we meane to moue question whether they haue bodies or no we will ende for this time with this resolution that albeit such wicked sprites may cōmunicat with the lusts and prouocations of the flesh yet are they both voyde of séede and without meane of generation for that as there is no difference nor diuision of kynd betwene them so they can not bée neither man nor woman ¶ Sundry sortes of lightnings with wonderfull thunders and tempestes happening in our time with the peril and harmes proceding of the same and certaine defensible meanes against their furie CHAP. viij WHo goeth about to make particular description of the desolation and destruction of diuers ancient and rich Cities Theatres Castles towres piles pillers churches of sumptuous and of stately regarde ouerthrowne and defaced by the violence of lightenyng thunder and other raging furie and tempests of the aire had néede of the assistance of long time and a large volume to pack vp such great and strange matters which maketh me leaue all antiquities records of ancient date to a long leisure and touch only in this treatise such things as hapnyng amongst our selues are also confirmed by our owne viewe and memorie the same being of familiar experiēce may also stirre vp in vs spéedie remorse of cōscience with a more dutiful regard feare of the maruellous effects of the infallible iustice of god At such time then as the french garison was within Milan which according to the chronicles was anno 1521. the said towne was so assailed with sūdry strange storms of lightning that y e citizens dispairing of longer life yelded to y e mercie of God with expectation to be presently consumed with the flame of that torment which amongst other places of the towne semed to thūder his most force vpon y e castle wherin was kept both y e treasure of the town munitiō other furniture of war with great store of Canon pouder cōmonly called Gunpouder which being of it self rather apt to yeld to y e least spark of fire that is thā able to cōtend with any thing that is hoat was immediatly al in a flame by force of suche flashes as came from the opening of the element so raged vpon the towre wherin it was layd that in one instāt it was razed and made flat with y e earth burning blowing vp sundry lodgings bulwarkes of the Castle in such sort that what with the strength of the pouder and furie of the fire there were forced vp into the aire stones of an vnresonable bignesse wherof certain of them fell redounded vpon the .ij. chief Prouosts whom they brused and burned to ashes other brake in pieces the armes legs and other parts of al such as vnhappily were within their power the same performing such effects of mortalitie vpon the garrison there that of two hundred souldiours were scarcely 〈◊〉 on liue a dosen being also of no lesse maruell to beholde the number of huge corner stones caste out into seuerall places of the citie and fields therabout the space of .v. or .vj. C. passes of such weight and greatnesse that the strength of .xx. Oxen were scarce able to remoue them from the earth and yet is there not such cause of wonder in these terrible messangers and tokens of Gods wrath as we reade fel vpon the late miserable and desolate citie of Malynes ▪ parcell of the dominion of the Spanish King within his Duchie of Brabant the .vij. of August .1521 about .xj. of the clock in the night which was afflicted with such horrible calamitie that way for the tyme that the like hath not ben remembred by any report nor seene in any age afore For the thūder made tremble and shake in such sort this miserable citie that the townsmen looked when the earth should open and swalow them into hir intrailes After which fearful brute and horrible noise in the cloudes began to appere in the bottome of the Element a flame resembling a burning torche casting a stinke or lothesome smell like vnto sulphur and brimstone driuing the people into such indifferent feare amaze that they were neither able to take counsel of the case and much lesse iudge the cause of so tragicall a view vntil at last the crie was thorow the whole town that the fyre of heauen was fallen vpon the strong towre and gate of brasse wherin dyd lie .viij. or .ix. barrels of gunpouder which immediatly grewe to such a mortall confusion of all degrées of people within the walles that the very remembraunce of so monstrous a slaughter may moue terror to any heart with what mettall of hardnesse soeuer it be stamped for y e noise was no sooner begoon but the towre was cōuerted into ashes the gate diuided into 10000. peces with like fury vpon y e walls next adioining who were so thorowly defaced turned vp y t the very fūdation was disclosed their greatest stones conueyed furthest frō the Citie their diches and pondes full of water drained and made dry by the extreme heate of the fire the day after wer foūd according to the authoritie of y e chronicle about the sayd towre gate aboue .400 dead bodies besides .140 mortally wounded and almost torne in peces amongst whiche was founde a bigge bellied woman stricken dead whose wombe being ripped did yelde a childe on liue and after baptised whose picture or figure appeareth in the portraicte Some had their heades taken from their bodies as cuningly as it had ben carued with a sworde or sharpe axe for the nonce other some as they were playing at cardes in a Tauerne or tippling house were all destroyed with the lightning and conuerted into cynders except the hostesse or hir maid that was gone into the cellar for wine Amongst suche as were reserued on liue in this horrible slaughter was one man who hiding himselfe in a stonie vault during the extremitie of the storme durst not come out for any persuasion
refuge to demaunde councell therin of their diuines and soothsaiers who after they had done to them their accustomed ceremonies they answered that it was not possible by any artificiall meanes to close it vp vnlesse the moste precious Iewell in all the Citie were caste into it wherefore after that the Ladies and other Romain Citizens had liberallie caste into it the moste precious Iewels that they had in their closets without profiting or appeasing the furie of that gulphe Marcus Curtius an excellent and valiante Romain Knight armed at all pointes and mounted vpon the best horse in his stable cast himselfe headlong into that depth the which immediatly closed vp and so ceassed to rage So much is the deceit of the diuel in this world that men thinking to do sacrifice to their Gods to deliuer their countrie from captiuitie make their soules a willing sacrifice to the diuel Wherwith ending these earthquakes it resteth now to shew y ◠causes of their beginning Aristotle Plinie and generally all those who haue treated of the motion of the earth attribute the causes of that euil fortune to the vapours and exhalations which be inclosed in y e intrailles of y e earth by whose force searching to euente and to come forth the earth is moued and stirred which is of power in some places to dissunder strong walles and buyldyngs and make them fall into the earth and in some place it leaueth a hollowe hole or caue like to that in Rome whereof we made mention sometimes these fires issue before any assault or warning giuen where diuers tymes at the very same instant may bée hearde an horrible sounde and murmure like to the mutterings or clamors of men accordyng to the quantitie of the matter which is shaken or the forume of the caue by the which the vapour passeth leauyng sometimes a caue which sheweth the thyng swallowed and sometimes the earth is made so firme sodainly that they can finde no token therof and at other times deuoureth whole villages swallowyng somtimes the most part of a countrey And that which is to be noted these earthquakes happen for the most part rather in the Spring time and in Autumne than in any other season of the yeare ¶ Wonders of two bodies knitte togethers like two graftes in the tronke of a tree whereof S. Augustine in a boke of the Citie of God maketh mention CHAP. xiiij SUche nede not to be astonnied at all of the figure of this monster whiche haue read the eight Chapiter of S. Augustine in his .xvj. boke written of the Citie of God where a litle before his time was borne an infant in the east parties which was double aboue and single belowe hauing two heades two brestes foure handes and the rest of the bodie in the shape of one that is to say two thighes two féete one belly and the rest from the nauell downewarde had not but the figure of one mā as he witnesseth in a place before and lyuyng so many wente to sée it for the renoume and fame thereof And that wherof also I thought somwhat to speake for that thys whose portraict is presented is like vnto that whiche S. Augustine writeth of sauing that that had the figure of a man and thys the fourme of a woman who was engendred vpon the confines of Normandie and Englande at what time Henry the thirde there reigned Wherof if you wyll well consider you shall fynde the same to bée a straunge spectacle in Nature for beholde these two bodies were knit togither from the toppe of their heads to their nauell like .ij. graftes in the trunke of a trée hauing two heades two mouthes two noses with their faces faire well formed and made in euery point requisite in nature euen to the nauel and from the nauel downwardes it had but the figure and shape of one only that is to say two legs two thighes one nature and one onely conduict whereby the excrements were discharged And that whiche was more pitifull is that they differed in all the actions of nature for somtimes when the one wept the other laughed if the one talked the other helde hir peace as the one eate the other dranke Liuyng thus a long season till one of them died the other being constrained to traile the deade body after hir for certaine yeares after where by the stinke and corruption of hir who was deade in the ende she was infected and died also The Authours of this be Cuylerinus Mattheus Palmerius Vincentius in hys .xxvj. booke and xxxviij Chapiter Hieronymus Cardan an excellente Millanois Physition searching greately the secretes of Nature which at this day is liuing affirmeth in his .xiiij. boke of his bokes of diuerse histories that in the yeare .1544 in the moneth of Ianuary the like monster was engēdred in Italie which he describes in pointes like vnto this and the mother brought it forth in the ende of the .ix. moneth very well formed in all respects and withall corpulente notwithstanding it died immediatly after the mother was brought to bedde by meanes that the sage women had vsed to much force and violēce in taking the same from the body of the mother And further he describes afterwards a thing worthie to be noted whiche is that there was a surgion named Gabriel Cuneus a man very expert in hys arte who heretofore had ben his disciple made an Anatomie of this monstrous maide committing hir into pieces and after he had opened the interiour partes he found a double wombe all the intestines double sauing that which they cal rectū bisides he found two liuers and so almost all the other partes reseruing the heart which was single the which moueth vs to thinke sayth Cardan that Nature wold haue created two sauing that by some defecte she imperfected the whole ¶ A Historie of a Monster wherof S. Hierome maketh mention who appeared to S. Anthonie in the deserte CHAP. xv SAint Hierom Licostenes and Isidorus make mention of a monster who vpon a sodaine appeared to S. Anthonie whilest he did penance in the desert hauing as it is written the forme of a man his nose hideous hauked two hornes on his head and his feete like to a goate according to his figure appearing in this portraict wherof that holy man being afrayd to behold so wonderful a creature in the desert he coniured him in the name of God to tell him what he was who answered him I am a mortall man as thou art appointed to dwell in this wildernesse which the cōmon people deceiued are persuaded to be one of these hurtfull Satyres wandring by the desertes or else some enchaunting deuill wherof also the holy man S. Augustine in his first boke and thirde question of Genesis maketh mention in that he reportes so diuersly of certain diuels hurtful specially to women that it is neither easy nor seeming to pronounce a resolution albeit in the .xxv. chapiter and .xv. boke of the citie of God he speaketh
the whiche meanes we iudge to sée diuers sunnes We maye also sée the lyke in a table wel painted and polished which when we behold there appeareth to vs the shape of two or .iij. being but one in dede and as much we may say of y e Moone Thus haue we declared the very true causes wherfore appere so often .ij. or .iij Sunnes Moones let vs therfore now from henceforth search in nature the cause and beings of these things and stay no more at these fripperies deceiptes and dreames of the Astrologians iudicials who therby haue so oftentimes deceiued begiled vs that they oughte and deserue to be banished exiled from all cōmon wealths well gouerned for what trouble perplexitie and terrour haue they engendred in the consciences of a numbre of poore people As for example in the yere 1514. when they feared not with obstination to publishe openly in all places that there shoulde be in the moneth of February well nigh an vniuersall floud for that the coniunction of all the planets were in the signe of Pisces and notwithstandyng the day which should haue brought forth these waters was one of the moste faire and temperate days of the yere albeit many great personages fearefull of their prophecies made prouision of bisket flower ships and other like things propre to sayle withall fearyng to be surprised and drowned wyth the greate abundance of water whiche they before had tolde of Lette vs further from henceforth learne with Henry the .vij. king of Englande who reigned in oure tyme makyng no accompt of theyr deceytes but chastised their dreame who vpon the sodaine beyng made to vnderstande that one of the moste famous Astrologians of Englande had published in all places that he had found amongst the most hidden secretes of Astrologie that the King shoulde die before the next feast of Christmas commaunded that he should be brought before hym who after he had asked hym whether this talke were true and that the prognosticator had answered him that it was certaine and that he had founde this infallible in his constellation and natiuitie I pray thée then sayde the King tell me where the starres tell thée thou shalte kéepe thy Christmas this yeare To whom he answered he shoulde be in hys owne house with hys familie but I knowe very wel sayd the King that thy starres be lyers for thou shalt neither sée Moone Sunne Starres heauen nor thy familie this Christmasse putting hym presentely in the moste straight darke prison in the great tower of London where he continued till the feast was past Here you may sée how this true Astrologian was vsed remayning prisoner in extreme misery vntil after the feast kept of the natiuitie of Iesus Christe ¶ A wonderfull Historie of Flames of fyre which haue sprong out of the heades of diuers men CHAP. xxj IF there were but one onely Authour which had made mention of the Historie followyng although the truthe therof be sufficiently proued for whiche cause I haue the rather at this time placed it in these my wōders as a chiefe argument or coniecture in nature whereupon may be founded the cause notwithstanding seing so many learned men haue busied themselues to write therof together with so greate a number of faithfull authors witnessing the same in their works we ought the rather vpon their credite to beleue that whiche they haue sayd therin Titus Liuius in his thirde booke and thirde Decade Cicero in his seconde boke De diuinatione Valerius the great in his first boke and .vj. chapiter Frontinus in his secōd boke and .x. chapiter write that after the Scipions were surprised by their enimies and ouerthrowē and killed by the Spanyards and that Lucius Martius a Romaine knight making an oration to his souldiers exhorting to reuēgement they became astonished to see a great flame of fire issuing from his heade without doing to him any hurt which caused the armed men being moued with the sight of thys wonderfull flame to take heart and run so furiously vpon their enimies that they not onely killed xxvij thousande but also had a praie of a great number of captiues besides an inestimable riches they toke from the Carthaginiens Neither haue such fantasticall fyres sprong from the bodies of certaine men or appeared in one only but in many Wherof the same author Titus Liuius writeth in his first boke of things worthy of memory sithens the foundation of Rome the like to happen to Seruius Tullius who succéeded in the imperial seate Tarquinius Priscus from whose heade being yet but yong and as he slepte they sawe issue a flame of fyre whervpon the Quéene Tanaquil wife to the foresayd Priscus affirmed to hir husbād that this flame promised to hym greate good honour and prosperitie whiche afterwards chaunced for he maried not onely hir daughter but after the death of hir husband hée was Kyng of the Romaines And Plutarche and others haue written the lyke of Alexander when he foughte against the Barbariens being in the moste heate of the skirmish they sawe him all on fyre whiche caused a maruellous feare and terrour to his ennimies Euen so I knowe a certaine Physition at this day who writeth of the lyke in diuers of his histories chauncing in our time to a nere friende of his in Italy not onely at one time but at many Whereof as Plinius not onely in an other place maketh mention of the ryuer Trasimenus whyche was seene all on fyre but also maketh a certain discourse of these wonderfull flames whyche be seene aboute the bodies of men Also Aristotle in hys fyrst boke of Metheores treateth in lyke maner But to tell you myne opinion therein I can not any wayes gather the cause or foundation eyther of the one or other althoughe I haue promised to shewe the causes and reasons whervpon these wonders procede and take their beginnyng For if we wyll saye they be made by Arte As we haue séene very often in oure tyme certaine Ruffians vomite and caste forth of theyr mouthes certayne flames of burnyng Fyre whiche Atheneus in the fyrst boke of the Dipnosophistes and fouretenth Chapiter doth witnesse whiche coulde not happen as I thinke to the Histories before mentioned for that it hath chanced to greate lordes vpon whome these wonders haue bene moste proued by which meanes they being attended vpon wyth a greate numbre and multitude of persones the fraude thereof was easlyer discouered Wherefore it is moste expediente then to beléeue that they be wonders and deceytes of Sathan who was so familiar in the worlde passed that he inuented dayly newe wonders as is wytnessed in Exodus of the Magitiens of Pharao whiche conuerted Maydes into Serpentes and floudes of water into bloud whyche be matters as difficulte as to make flames of fyre issue or come from the bodies of men ¶ A Historie very notable of Prodigeous Loues CHAP. xxij I Am ashamed and almoste confused in my self that I must declare the wonderfull loue
of thrée of the most renoumed Philosophers that euer were at any tyme in the world Wherof the one of them so wel studied in the perfectnesse of the soule and of the nature diuine with a wonderfull diligence in giuing wholsome lawes for a common welth that S. Augustin dare write affirme of him sauing in some respectes to be a perfect Christian. The second so well seene in the Element treating also very learnedly of the secretes of Nature and other sensible things that he shone amongest the reste of the Philosophers as the sunne amongest the starres The thirde as he was nothing inferiour in learning to the other twoo so had he besides such a kinde of holinesse and other ornaments of Ciuilitie that he was nuÌ„bred amongst the seuen fages of Grece which notwithstanding although they had curiously searched the secrets of the heauens of Nature the being and resorte of all things coÌ„tained within the compasse of the earth yet were they not so finely studied nor so well armed in the secretes of their sciences as eyther they vnderstand the Nature of so faire and delicate a creature as a woman is or other wayes be able to defende them selues from their cruell assaultes All the greate Masse of Philosophie wherin Aristotle was so déeply plunged and greatly studied from his birth to his sepulture was not of sufficient force to subdue in him the motions of the fleshe for he became in loue with a coÌ„mon woman named Hermie the loue of whome had so muche enflamed hym that he not onely consumed in the sight of all men but that which more was he became not only a straÌ„ger for hir sake to Philosophie which deserues to be noted amongest these wonders but also worshipped hir made to hir sacrifices as Origene writeth whereof being accusâ—d by Demophilus he was coÌ„strained to abandon Athens where he had remained and written xxx yeares and saued him selfe by flighte Plato who onely amongest the Philosophers merited the name of diuine was not so supersticious but he would aswel knowe what was humanitie as he had bene diligent to searche the secretes of the heauens that he would often times behold and remaine with humaine bodies as is wel notified of him by kéeping coÌ„panie with Aâ—chenasse who although she had gyuen hir selfe ouer to a number in hir youth notwithstanding when she was abaÌ„doned of others Plato receyued hir being so much assotted in hir that he not only loued hir but made certain verses in hir praise lamenting that he should so muche in the sight of al men embrace the loue of so many olde wrinkels as Atheneus y e Greeke authour writeth in his .xiij. booke de ses Dipnosophistes Socrates whose maiestie and grauitie was so much renoumed celebrated by y e AuncieÌ„ts y t they write this wonder of him that he was alwayes one man in sorte that for any Eclips of fortune prosperitie or aduersitie they neuer at any time founde mutation in hym notwithstanding he was not so sterne or seuere in his actions but the loue of his Aspasie did at all times mollifie the same as Clearchus maketh report vnto vs by writing in the firste booke of his Amours And like as I haue broughte these thrée to lighte so could I rehearse a greate number of others as Demosthenes Isocrates Pericles many others whose amorous and lasciuious loues the Greeke Historians haue sufficiently discouered that in reading of them I haue muche maruell that the greatnesse of their studie science wisedome could not moderate suche motions flames but that the smoke of their wantoÌ„ dealings remaineth to their posteritie Wherefore Lays so muche renowmed amongest the loste women was one daye in a greate coller against diuers which praised very earnestly the life maners of all the learned wise Philosophers of Athenes saide vnto some of them I knowe not saith she what is their knowledge neither what is their science neither what bookes your Philosophers studie whome you so much coÌ„mende but I knowe this very well y t I being but a womaÌ„ besides y t I neuer red in y e schooles at Athenes yet haue I séene very often the wise men come here to my schoole where of graue Philosophers they became folishe louers Let vs therefore leaue these Philosophers at reste and search out others for whosoeuer would make a Callender of al those who haue made them selues subiecte to loue should rather make a whole booke thereof than a chapter Menetor as Atheneus reciteth maketh mention of an amorous historie worthie to be noted in our wonders for that there is nothing more rare in Nature than to sée hir which loueth well willing to make partition to an other of that which was so deare vnto hir the whiche some times chaunced in a notable historie that we haue to write of Atheneus maketh mention of a coÌ„mon woman greatly renoumed for hir beautie whose name was Plangon Milesienne as she was beautiful so was she desired of many great Lordes But amongest others she had a yong man called Colophomen a man exquisite in beautie whome she coÌ„monly plaid withall who aboue all others enioyed the best part in hir NotwithstaÌ„ding as these lasciuious loues be for the most part grounded on tickle vncertaine foundatioÌ„s y t all the building coÌ„meth in y e ende to vtter decaye ruine euen so there hapned such a Ielousie betwixte PlaÌ„gon hir friend for y t she vnderstoode he loued an other called Bachide Samienne one nothing inferiour to hir for beautie other douries of Nature Wherin being assailed w t this new Ielousie she determined to make truce w t hir loue to giue y e farewel to this yoÌ„g geÌ„tlemaÌ„ WhervpoÌ„ this yong maÌ„ who wished rather to die thaÌ„ to become a straÌ„ger to hir in whom coÌ„sisted y e coÌ„fort solace of his life began to embrace cherish hir as he was wonte to do but she as cold as y e yse of y e mountaigne made no accoÌ„pte of al his plaints sighes lameÌ„tatioÌ„s requesting y t he wold shun al places of hir repaire without making him further to vnderstaÌ„de the cause of hir displeasure y e yong man touched more neare y e quicke with hir new refusal prostrated him selfe at hir féete all bedewed with teares exclaming that if she deferred to giue him remedie or otherwise relieue him by the influence of some gracious beame of pitie he should presentely perishe Plangon moued with rage pitie and loue sayde vnto hym lette me not fynde thee duryng thy life in my presence vnlesse thou present me with the chain of golde so muche celebrated of Bacchide Samienne wherfore the yong man without other replie went to Bacchide to whome hauyng made vnderstande from point to poynt the furie of the flames and ardent amitie which he bare to Plangon vaÌ„quished of pitie loue gaue vnto him hir chain with charge that he should forthwith present it