wherin the Emperor Mauritius although he were a Christian followed in this the lawes of the Auncients who forthwith vpon the sighte of any monstrous childe caused it not onely to be killed but kissed the knife wherwith he committed the butchery All whiche I haue preferred to memorie in this place for the respect of these .ij. maide twynnes whose portraict is here to be séene for if they had bene brought forth into the worlde ▪ in the tyme of the aūcient Indians Brachmans Spartins Lacedemonians or in the time of the Romains or in the raign of the Emperor Mauritius their history and figure had bē buryed with their bodies and had not bē sene in déede of so many thousands of people In the yere of grace .1475 these two maides that you sée so knyt together by the raines euen from theyr shoulders to theyr haunches were engendred in Italy in the famous Citie of Verona And for that their parents were poore they were caried through diuers Cities of Italy to get money of the people being very desirous to see that newe spectacle and wonder of Nature Wherfore some write that that monster whom you maye here see was a shewe and prognostication foretelling sundry maruellous mutations which happened after in those prouinces for in the same yeare that they were engendred Charles Duke of Burgoyne occupied and gouerned the coūtrey of Loraine Ferdinande the great king of Spayne diuided the realme wyth Alphonsus king of Portingale Mathias and Vladislaus kings made peace with the Hungarians and Bohemians Edwarde king of England was procured by the Duke of Burgoine to come into Fraunce where was a peace concluded betwixt◠him and king Lewys And in the yeare of grace .1453 an other monster like vnto this was brought forth at Rome wyth greate maruell to all the people in the time of Pope Alexander the sixte who as Polidorus writeth prognosticated the euils hurts and miseries whiche shoulde happen and come to passe in the tyme of that Bishoppe ¶ A wonderfull Historie of Crueltie CHAP. xxxvj MAny be astonished to see the great nūber of maruellous examples of Crueltie which haue raigned not only amongest the Ethniques but also the more to be lamented amongest vs Christians which be all issued out of one vine formed of like elements incorporate in one church hauing one head Lord Iesus Christ being the children of one father celestiall of one spirite raunsomed by one bloud regenerate of one baptisme norished of like Sacraments participating of one Chalice and fightyng vnder the crosse and banner of Iesus Christ hauing one common enimie Sathan being called a like to one heritage and yet notwithstanding we be not ashamed to dismember and teare in pieces one an other with suche horrour and confusion that it séemeth we would fighte against nature and drenche the earth of humain bloud leauyng it besides as a deserte or place inhabitable But bycause you shall not maruell of that y t the Historians write of the great effusion of bloud which was shed in the batail which Edwarde the .iiij. king of England made against the Scots where he killed murdred thrée score thousand men I will shew you a more horrible spectacle in nature wherof also Sabellicus writeth of Charles Martell king of France and Abidaran where in one conflict was killed and murdred thrée hundreth and fiftie thousande But what a butcherie and slaughter had the poore flocke of Iesus Christ in the battaile which Ladislaus king of Pauonie had against Amurath Emperor of the Turkes seing that of the partie of the same Turkes being victorers was founde .iiij. hundred thousand dead carkasses as Sabellicus witnesseth There is scarsly to be founde such a wonder or horror in nature as that wherof Iosephus writeth in y e warres of the Iewes by that great butcher Alexander in the bloudy battail which he had against Darius where was slaine a million of men In like maner Cyrus king of Perses was so vnfortunate in the battail which he had against the Scythians that of two hundred thousand men which he had in his armie was not found one man to report the newes of the ouerthrow Albeit reading nowe amongest the Historians of those that Sylla killed of the Mariens those that Pompey slew of the souldiors of Mytridates those that Ptolomeus ouerthrewe of Demetrius of those that Cesar cut in pieces in ten yeres when he sent to fight agaynste the Gaules those that Lucullus slewe in the warre whiche he had agaynst the Armenians those that Attilla killed those that Miltiades slew those that Marcus Claudius Cornelius killed with an infinite numbre of like slaughters whiche be founde by the Historians Greekes and Latins you shall fynde that if you coulde see them all put in accompt there must néedes be inuēted a new Arithmetike to numbre them and I beleue that if they had made a roll of al the bieues muttons veales goates and other fourefooted beastes which haue bene killed in a thousande yeares within all the butcheries of Europe their number would not excéede the dead carkases of men slaine murdered yet it is not sufficient so to kyll men in battaile by sworde but that they must search new meanes and inuentions to murder them as Eusebius doth shewe in hys Ecclesiastical Historie of that infamous butcher Dioclesian the Emperour who seing that the Christians whiche raigned in hys tyme woulde not renounce the name of God and worshyp hys ydoles was not contente to cut of theyr noses and their eares causing spelles of woode to be put vnder theyr nayles pouryng hote leade vpon theyr priuie partes but in like maner he caused to be bowed by great force foure trees to the which he made to be tyed their féete and handes who being left in this sort were by the violence and force of those trées dismembred pluckt in peces as may be séen by the portraict and figure here before the which torments haue also bene practised put in vre in our time in Piemont against a certain souldier which would haue betrayed a citie as le seigneur de Launge writeth in his art of warfare Astiages that great king of the Medes hath not only surpassed that president in crueltie but hath also executed that which you wil not only haue in horror to reade but also in as great detestation to conceiue in your heart At what time the greate Patriarch of tirāny hapning to dreame one night of a certain thing touching one of his litle childrē which he could hardly digest withal fering y t it shold one day take effect determined to preuent his misfortune and the better to execute his entent he made to be called Arpalus one whō he most fauoured and the best of his realme to whome he gaue secretly in charge forthwith to kill one of hys owne sonnes without making any mā priuie therunto for certain causes which he would make hym to vnderstād more at leisure Arpalus vnderstanding the sorowful commaūdement of
the néedle beholde alwayes the north and the other the south He that firste founde oute the vse of this stone was named Flauius but the first that wrote of his vertue was Albertus Magnus Aristotle knewe well that it was of a nature attractiue and coulde drawe yron vnto it but yet he was ignoraunt to vse it in the Arte of Nauigation for if he had vnderstoode so farre of it he had preuented a numbre of miserable shipwracks and daungers of sea which ouerwhelmed his countreymeÌ„ for want of direction by vertue of this stone Neither was it without cause that Plinie giuing singular estimation to this stone did forme his cruell complaints against nature in that she was not onely contente to gyue a voyce vnto rocks to send or returne certain cries and calles in maner of an Eccho but also to giue feelyng motion and hands to stones as to the Adamant wherwith he smelleth and holdeth yron and séemeth to be iealous when any offereth to take it from him he not only allureth yron and holdeth it when he hath it but also is contented to imparte and transferre hys vertue to any thyng that toucheth it which hath not bene onely an experience among the prophane but Saint Augustine hym selfe confesseth to haue seene the Adamant drawe vnto it a ryng of yron whiche being rubbed or touched with the Adamant drew another ring and so the thirde drew the fourth and so consequently in suche number as he made a large coller of rings in the forme of a chaine by the only ayde and touche of thys stone such is his propretie and such his wonderful vertue whiche also hath bene verified by many familiar experiences and chiefly by a late triall whiche I sawe in Fraunce in this sorte There was a knife layd vpon a square thick table and vnderneath the bourde was helde in a mans hande a piece of an excellent good Adamant whose vertue piercing thorough the table that was betwene it and the mettall made the knife moue turne alone to the great wonder of the assistantes These propreties of the Adamant be common therefore we will syft out of it a more secrete wonder whyche wyth the profite may also bring pleasure to the Reader There is nowe a dayes a kinde of Adamant which draweth vnto it fleshe and the same so strongly that it hath power to knit and tie together two mouthes of contrary persons and drawe the hearte of a man out of hys body withoute offendyng any parte of hym wyth thys further propretie that yf the poynte of a néedle be touched or tempered wyth it it pierceth thorowe all the partes of the bodye wythoute doyng any harme whyche woulde not séeme credible were it not that Experience dyd warraunt it wyth greate wonder Hieronymus Cardanus writeth that a Physition of Tours called Laurentius Crascus had of this stone promised by the meane of the same to penetrate any fleshe wythoute griefe or sorrowe whiche Cardanus did eyther doubte or lightly beléeue tyll the experience assured the effect for he rubbed a néedle with this Adamant then put it thorough his arme where he let it remaine without any sorow many days after but that which maketh this experience and vertue of the Adamant more famous is that he respected neither veins nor sinews but thrust in his néedles or yroÌ„s indifferently without sparyng any place This Adamant which he had excéeded not the bignesse of a beane and was of colour like yron distinct of veynes and peysing aboute the weight of .xij. graines of corne By this Admant many people were deceyued like as also it was the occasion to entertain an errour amongst many persons which myne author confesseth to haue séene by experience about .xv or xvj yeres past being in the vniuersitie of Poyctiers whether came in great pomp a stranger naming him self to be a Greeke borne who in the presence of the people gaue him self many and great blowes with a dagger both vpon his thighes armes almost euery part of his body which being rubbed with a certain oyle which he called the oyle of Balsamyn it did so refresh consolidate his hurts as if the yron had neuer touched theÌ„ Ther is also at this day in Italy one Alexander of Verona who practised the like artificial experience with his seruaÌ„ts who pinched them in the presence of the people with pinsers tongs daggers and other tormenting instruments and that with such horrour that it greued the eyes of the assistants and then rubbing theyr woundes with a certaine oyle he made them hole agayne presently which so abused the simplicitie of the assistants that they bought of his oyle which he assured to be as profitable to all kinde of diseases what soeuer whiche was suche a gaine to him that there scaped no daye wherein he gat not tenne or twelue crownes aboue his hire for the cure of those that were sicke The mysterie whereof dyd driue Cardanus into such a wonder that he was very curious to searche the cause and falling for that matter into an intricate Labyrinth of Philosophie he coulde not fynde nor giue any other reason of it than that the people were enchaunted touching the oyle whiche he solde and wherwith he fained to heale his seruant being hurt he confessed it was a fiction and a thing nothing worth for that those that bought it of him coulde do no cure on themselues or any other And now to drawe to ende and resolution of al these things it is moste like that this Greeke and Alexander of Verona and all the rest that haue bene seene to cutte and teare their flesh in peces in sundry parts of the world dyd not heale them by eyther theyr oyles or balmes as they fayne but it is more likely they rubbe their daggers pinsers and instrumentes wherewith they hurte them wyth this seconde kynde of Adamant the same hauyng a certayne secrete and hydden vertue to consolidate that part that is hurt and to resist all sorow and griefe in the wounde wherein for a more credite I commende you to the authoritie of Plaudanus in his seconde Booke De Secretis orbâ—â— rerum miraculis ¶ Wonders of certaine Princesses being committed to the flames vniustly accused who were deliuered by vertue of their innocencie CHAP. xvij IT is no newe thyng neither chauÌ„ceth it often that the innocent creatures coulde not be endomaged by the flames of fire as it is verified in many noble persons found and spoken of in the holy Scriptures But it is a straunge thing at these days wherin sinne so aboundeth and we seldome sée suche miracles that such lyke shoulde happen amongst vs. For as Polydorus Vergilius witnesseth in the eyght boke of his histories of England and as others write before his time makyng mention of one Goodwyn prince of Englande who accused vniustly of many vices Emnia mother to Edward the seconde King of England and wrought therin so much by his false suggestions accusations that the Kyng hir
1. ¶ In the second the woÌ„ders and aduertisements of God sent vpon the Citie of Ierusalem to prouoke them to repentaunce 4. ¶ In the thirde mention is made of the deathe of sundry Kings Bishoppes Emperours and Monarques with the wonderfull death of a king of Poloigne and an Archebishop of Maience 5. ¶ In the fourth is described the history of Nabuchodonozer wherin is sheed in what perill they be which coÌ„maunde and haue the gouernement of publike weales 10 ¶ In the fifthe is declared the causes of the bringing forth of monsters and other histories to that purpose 12. ¶ In the sixth is recouÌ„ted a notable history of two maidens engendred in our time the which were knit togither by the forheads 14 ¶ In the seuenth a wonderful and horrible monster of our time vpon the discourse of whom the question is asked whether Diuels can engender and vse the workes of nature 16. ¶ In the eight sundry sortes of Lightnings with wonderful thunders and teÌ„pests happening in our time with the peril harmes proceding of the same and certaine defensible meanes against their furie 19. ¶ In the ninth a wonderful history of a man in our time which washed his hands face in scalding lead 24. ¶ In the tenth wonderfull and straunge histories of the Iewes 26. ¶ In theleuenth Flouds and wonderful inundations of waters which 〈◊〉 happened in our time 29. ¶ In the twelfth the wonderfull deathe of Plinie with a briefe description of the causes of fire which come of certaine openings of the earth 30 ¶ In the thirtenth wonders of certaine horrible Earthquakes chauncing in diuers prouinces with a deceit of Sathan who by his crafte and subteltie made a Romaine knight to throwe himself headlong into a gulffe 33 ¶ In the fourtenth wonders of two bodies knit togethers like two graffes in the trunke of a tree 35 ¶ In the fiftenth a history of a monster who appeared to S. Anthonye in the desert 37 ¶ In the sixtenth a wonderful discourse of precious stones their nature and propertie which reasoneth of their procreation and other strange things breding in the bowels of the erth 38 ¶ In the seuententh a wonderful history of two Princesses being committed to the flames vniustly accused who were deliuered by the vertue of their innocencie 45 ¶ In the eightenth a wonderful history of sundry straunge fishes Monsterâ— Mermaids and other huge creatures found and bred in the Sea 47 ¶ In the ninetenth wonders of Dogges which did eate Christians 54 ¶ In the twentith a wonderfull history of diuers figures Comets Dragones and flames which appeared in heauen to the terrour of the people and whereunto the causes and reasons of them be assigned 56. ¶ In the .21 Flames of fire which haue spronge out of the heades of diuers 〈◊〉 61. 〈…〉 22. A history very notable of 〈…〉 loues with a description of the dissolute life of three renoumed Curtisanes 62 ¶ In the .23 A wonderfull history of a monster out of whose belly issued an other man all whole reseruing the head 69. ¶ In the .24 Notable histories of many plants with their properties and vertues together with a wonderful rote of Baata written of by Iosephus the Hebrew author 70. ¶ In the .25 Wonderfull and excessiue Bankets 76. ¶ In the .26 Certaine wonderfull discourses worthy of memory touching Visions Figures and Illusions appearing as wel in the day as in the night and sleeping as waking 82. ¶ In the .27 A wonderfull history of a monster seene by Celius Rhodigenus 98 ¶ In the .28 A monster on liue whose intrailes and interiour parts were to be sene naked and vncouered 100 ¶ In the .29 Of a prodigeous Dogge which engendred of a Beare and a mastiffe bitche in England seene by the Author at London with the discourses of the nature of this beaste 101. ¶ In the .29 A wonderfull historye of certain women which haue brought forthe a greate number of children and an other which bare hir fruite v. yeares dead within hir belly 108 ¶ In the .31 A wonderfull history of a moÌ„ster hauing the shape of the face of a man who was taken in the Forest of Haueberg in the yeare .1531 whose purtraicte Georgius Fabritius sent to Gesnerus naturally drawne 110 ¶ In the .32 Of wonderfull and strange famines 112 ¶ In the .33 Of a Bird which hath no fete and liues continually in the air being neuer founde vpon the earthe or in the sea but dead 114 ¶ In the .34 Of a certaine monstrous Serpent hauing .vij. heads bought by the Venetians and sent into Fraunce embalmed 117. ¶ In the .35 A straunge and wonderfull historie of two maids knit and conioyned backe to backe sene in diuers places the one at Rome the other at Verona 123 ¶ In the .36 Of wonderfull crueltie in the which is a discourse of Asâ—iages who caused Arpalus to eate the flesh of his owne sonne 125 ¶ In the .37 Of a moÌ„ster brought forth into the worlde aliue hauyng the shape of a man from the nauell vpward and the rest like a dogge 128 ¶ In the .38 A notable complaint made by a monstrous man to the Senate of Rome against the tyrannies of a CeÌ„sour which oppressed the pore people of the riuer of Danubie with rigorous exactions 130 ¶ In the .39 Of a monstrous childe hauing .iiij. fete and .iiij. armes brought into the world the same day that the Geneuois and Venetians were recoÌ„ciled 136 ¶ In the .40 A wonderful discourse of couetousnesse with many examples touching that matter worthy of memory 137 ¶ In the .41 A monster hauing the. wings fete of a bird brought forth at Rauenna in the time of Pope Iuly the seconde and king Lewes the twelfth 139 ¶ Of a straunge monster takeÌ„ vp in the riuer of Tybre in the yeare .1496 Fol. 140 ¶ Of a straunge child borne in Almain in the yeare .1548 hauing but one legge and no armes with a creuise or chinke where his mouth should be 140 ¶ Of a childe borne in Englande in the yere 155â— which had two bodies two heads four hands and thre legs and but one belly 141. ¶ Of a wonderfull and strange monster borne in the yere .1554 eod ¶ Of two woÌ„derfull monsters brought forthe into the worlde in the yeare 1555. the one in Germanie the other in Sauoye 142 ¶ Of a monstrous Calfe brought forthe in Germanie in the yeare .1556 143 ¶ A monstrous child borne in Germanie in the yere .1556 144 ¶ Of a moÌ„strous calfe hauing the head beard and brest of a man eod ¶ Of thre Sunnes sene at one time 145 ¶ Of a shining Crosse with a starre at the toppe and a Mone at the lower ende seene in the yere .1567 eod ¶ Of two monsters 146 ¶ A wonderfull Daunce 147 ¶ The ende of the Table SVNDRY ABVSES and wonders of Sathan CHAPITER j. ALbeit Sathan since the creation of the world hath performed his tirannous raigne in most
.vij. Emperour proued during his life such an impediment to the state of his health as the cruell and subtill disposition of an abhominable Monk who gaue ende to his dayes by the impoisoning of an hoste he ministred to him Iohn the .xj. Pope ended not his days by the painful reading of the holy scripture or preaching Gods worde to his flock and charge but he finished his terme in a cruell prison smoothered with a pillow Pope Benet the sixte died not in pāpering himself with sundry delicious and daintie banquets as the moste part of those Romishe prelates do at this day but he ended his dayes in prison by the pinching and gnawing pain of extreme famine Pope Victor the thirde deceased not from this vaine and transitorie life as sommoned by the messanger of olde age but celebrating the Masse was cōpelled to yelde vp his vitall breath by an infectious poyson giuen him in the Chalice Then if so many Monarchs and renoumed princes haue ended their liues by so sundry and straunge kindes of death it is nedeful for those which folow exactly to consider of the warnings iudgements of God and especially such by whose vile and detestable order of liuing may be sene as in a glasse the due reward appointed for the same for as y e noble Marcus Aurelius sayth that after euery euil fortune foloweth a good hap and after euery ignominie ensueth great glory euen so I assure you sayth he that for my self I had rather my lyfe were lesse glorious and my death more honorable for as by an vnfortunate death groweth greate suspition of a good life so a good death often times excuseth an euill life Wherein if so many kindes of deathes bothe of Kings and Emperours by vs written séeme strange and feareful vnto you then those folowing wil deserue more admiratiō the same agreeing with our intent for they be wonders by y ◠which we are instructed that when the Iustice of God is inflamed against vs and that hée shootes his arowes as a sharpe punishment for our offences he maketh his ministers and executers of his iust anger the litle and insensible worms of the earth neither doth his wrathe fall altogether vpon the vulgar or people of meane condition but hath also like force vpon Princes and degrées of greate callings whereof appeares a familiar experience in the monstrous death of a King Bishop recorded alreadie vnder the seale and authoritie of 40. or 50. Historians of no lesse credite than vndoubted truthe all whiche agrée in one that King Popeil raigning in Poloniae 246. yeres after Christ was wont amongst his particular curssyngs to vse this blasphemous othe If this be not true I would the Ratts might gnaw me wherin he receiued the iust hier of so execrable an oth for in the ende he was deuoured as you shall reade hereafter The father of King Popeill féeling himselfe to decline from the vanities of this miserable and vncertain pilgrimage lefte the gouernement and state of the Realme to the disposition of the two vncles of his sonne men no lesse honored of al the cuntrie for the noblenesse of their hearts than wel liked for their sinceritie of life towards God Popeill being come to his full age his father deceassed and the yong man hauing caught betwixte his téeth the bitte of the bridell beganne to gyue hym selfe vnto all wantonnesse and riottous lyuyng in suche sorte that in fewe dayes he became so shamelesse in euill and abhominable doinges that hée lefte no kynde of vice vnassayed in so much that in the ende he cruelly poisoned his two vncles which wicked and vnnaturall facte performed caused himself to be crouned with a cap of floures perfumed with precious ointments the more to solemnize the first entrie of his reigne he caused to be prepared a sūptuous delicate banquet wherunto all the Princes and nobles of his Realme were somoned And as they were banquetting beholde an infinite multitude of Ratts risyng from the dead and putrified corpses of his two vncles the which he with his wife had impoysoned began to assaile that cruell tyrāt amidst his delites the Archers of hys Garde offering to resist the same with maine hande trauailed in vaine for they encountred hym day and nyghte that the poore men cried alas being altogether vnable to defend their maister from the rage of these beastes by reason whereof it was thought good by the aduise of his counsell to enuiron the Prince with fire not knowing that the power of man is any way able to resist Gods appointment they performed their deuise which was no impediment or let to the ratts who passing the hotte flames of fire without any let to the admiration of al men ceassed not to gnaw deuoure this miserable murtherer of his vncles His counsel seing their first intent frustrate of none effecte caused him to be caried in a boate into the middst of a riuer But these beasts not fearyng the rage of the water assailed the boate on euery syde with such rage and impetuositie that the boate-men defending the same in vaine vnderstanding it to procede of some diuine furie were constrayned to thrust the boate to lande committing the king to the mercy of these beasts and he seing himself abandoned of al humaine succour not knowing what to do he and his wife fled into a tower where in the ende by the furie of these little creatures they receyued the iust guerdon of their vnnaturall malicious murder In like maner the Almain◠in al their Chronicles and reportes make mention of the like hystorie of one Hato the .xxxij. Archbishop of Magence at what time there was a cruell famine in the land this Bishop or rauening Woulfe seing the poore people surpressed wyth the gnawing rage of famine and especially those of hys prouince determined I can not tell by what instincte of the diuel to gather together a great number of them into a graunge where in stede of reliefe in this their great and miserable dearth and hunger he committed them to the mercie of the furious and raging flames of fyre whervpon he being asked why he had shewed so vile and execrable tirannie on these miserable and innocent creatures he answered That he burned them for that they differed litle or nothing from Ratts which serued for no other vse than to consume corne Albeit God as witnesseth the Prophet hauing care of the litle sparow wold not suffer this great tyrannie vnpunished for immediately he stirred vp an infinite numbre of Ratts to the vtter destruction and ruine of this vile murderer who fléeing for his more safegarde into a towre builte in a water was by the expresse commaundement of God eaten by these ratts to the very bones which remaine at this day enterred in the monasterie of S. Albyn in Magence and the Towre where this abhominable pastor ended his dayes is yet in being and is called Ratts towre Wherof Munster amongst many others makes mention in
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
hym selfe lyghter to flée away the same being also done by hys Cardinalles and euery other assistant Zoroastes kyng of the Bractiens was kylled by the furie of a Tempest Capanus by lyke meanes dyed at the warre of Thebes the emperor Anastasius after he had reigned .27 yeares did ende his days by semblable stroke like as also Carius and diuers other Emperours were subiect and consumed by the lyke force Marcus Claudius Pretor was burned within his ship by the thunder that fell vpon it Iulius Obsequens reciteth a wonderful example as here vnder appeareth in the stocke of Pompeius Liuius a Romain knight who returning with his daughter from certaine playes which had ben performed at Rome sawe his doughter being on horsbacke sodainly smothered striken to death with thunder lightning making hir be tourned naked to the viewe of all men sawe hir tong come forth at hir secret partes as if the fire had entred in at hir mouth and forced a vent for it self belowe which shall suffice for this time both for examples and causes of these terrible motions of the Elamēt and let vs now make the ignoraunt sorte priuie to some principall meanes to deliuer and defende them selues from such furies The Auncients amongst their secret experiences haue made prouf of diuerse things resisting both thunder and lightnings as amongest the foule and flying Creatures certaine fethers of an Eagle but chiefly such as she beares in hir panche are readie defenses against the blast or bolte of thunder Plinie and other writers more familiar describing the dispositiō of diuerse great fishes affirme diuerse to haue bene saued from the violence of lightning and thunder by wearing a girdle made of the skin of a Seacalf The Laurell or bay leafe amongst trées hath his priuiledge of speciall defence against suche assaultes for which respect the auncients haue vsed to plante it as an assured porter of sauetie at the entrie or dore of their houses Augustus Caesar was alwayes crowned with it vsinge also to carry certain braunches in his hande for continuall feare he had of that furie Albeit certaine Latins write that since his time one wearing Laurell was striken with thunder at Rome whiche they put amongest their wonders or matters of admiration Tarcon Etruscus witnesseth that by a certaine secret propertie the white vyne defendes from the thunder affirming that for the same cause in diuerse countries subiect to such terrible effects men vse to enuirō their houses with the braunches and bowes of the same yet are not all these in déede of such vertue against suche furie of the heauens as the true Hiacinthe which according to the opinion of Serapio other olde phisitions is of force not onely to defende men from perill that waye but also giues assurance by diuerse proues that the Wax stamped or graued with the same withstandes the thunder which they agrée to haue bene proued in the countries where many perished by suche accident seing that no man hath euer bene touched which hath caried the true stone called Hiacynthe And nowe to put to the laste seale to our beadroll of these iniuries and angrie influences of the heauens I haue to preferre certaine monstrouse stones falling from the Element of the colour of yron singed and burned not much vnlike that which the Auncientes affirme to fall in Thracia being by estimation of the thicknesse of a chariot whereof the great Philosopher Anaxagoras prognosticated many yeares before Besides within our age and memorie and also in a countrey sufficiently knowen to sundrie trauailers I meane in Sugolye confynyng vppon the borders of Hungarie the seauenth day of September in the yeare a Thousand fiue hundred and fourtene in a horrible clappe of Thunder and lightenyng there fell downe from Heauen a huge Stone of the weyght of two hundreth and fiftie poundes the whych the Citizens haue made faste wyth a greate chayne of yron wythin their Temple vsing to shewe it as a thing of greate wonder to straungers visityng theyr prouince in sorte of perigrination And to make an end Cardanus in his fourth booke De varietate rerum saith that he hath séene in a fielde in Italie a number of harde stones of the colour of yron castyng a smell of Sulphure fallen oute of the Ayre whereof some of them weighed a Hundred and twentye pounde the péece others thrée score the which being shewed to the Frenche Kyng as a thyng of greate wonder in hys Royall voyage to Naples putte hym into a great maruell how the Heauens coulde sustaine so greate a waighte the space of twoo houres séeing that the noise ceassed not nor the flames to flashe oute of the Skye from thrée of the clocke vntyll fyue when the fall of the stones appeased the brute and horrible Rumbling whiche was in the Ayre ¶ A wonderfull Historie of a man in our time which washed his face and handes in skalding Leade CHAP. ix HIeronymus Cardanus writeth a wōderful Historie in his sixt booke De subtilitate as I might saie repugnant to nature sauing that the same was done in the presence and sight of the whole companie of a Citie whiche makes it of more faith and credit When saith he I wrote my workes of subtil inuentions I sawe a certaine man at Millan which washte his face handes with skalding leade hauing washte them before with som other water wherfore Cardanus as he was accustomed w t great diligēce enforcing himselfe to searche trie out that secret in nature was of opiniō y ◠of necessitie it must be y t y e water wherewith he first washed was extreme colde withall had a certaine obscure hidden vertue the which did with stande the heate of the leade not suffering y e same to cleaue or sticke to his bodie some saith he affirme that the water wherein he washed was made of the sappe of Pourpie and Mercuriall for bicause of the sliminesse and lightnesse thereof which to me séemes not to be true for that he vsed the same water very often to wash his whole bodie putting but a litle on the place where he poured the hoate leade taking a crowne for the sighte thereof of all such as came to sée his doing therin And surely if y e water had bene made of these twoo herbes which be of small estimation in respect of such goodnesse and vertue he woulde haue cast a farre more quantitie on his bodie than he did But to cōclude it is thought that the water which he vsed was metical as that of Stybium Cōferring y e particularities therof with y e saying of Cardā other authours which I haue read I finde that in times passed these doings were not had in so great admiratiō as they be at this day seeing we see by common experience that there be diuers things which of nature haue not only power to resiste the force of fier but also will not be consumed thereof as the poulse of Pirrhus which when his bodie
by order those which onely haue appeared sithens the natiuitie of Iesus Christe together searching the causes of their beginning birthes the life of a man woulde not perfourme the same albeit the most notable worthie to be celebrated of al others is the starre which cōducted the .iij. sage Kings of Perse to the place where Christe was borne the which feared not only the common people but the sighte thereof rauished and brought into admiration the most learned of the worlde for that it againste the Nature of all other starres which drawe them selues from the Orient to the Occident addressed hir course into Palestine which is situated towards y e North causing S. Iohn Chrisostome to thinke that that starre was none of them which we sée in heauen but rather a vertue inuisible figured vnder the forme of a starre Notwithstāding let vs leaue of to discourse of this starre and come to other strange things whiche haue appeared frō heauen whereof Gaguin in his sixte booke of y e gestes of the Kings of Fraunce maketh mention of a very maruellous blasing starre which appeared in the Septentrion in the time of Charles the .vj. In the yeare .597 which was in the yere of the natiuitie of the false impostour Mahomet at Constantinople was séene a hearie Comet so hideous and fearefull that they thought the ende of the worlde approched An other like president was séene a little space before the death of the Emperour Constantin whereof Orseus in his .vij. booke and .ix. Chapter and Eutropeus in his second booke maketh mention that in the yeare that Mitrydates was borne and in the yeare wherein he receiued the Scepter Royall there appeared a Comet from heauen as Iustin and Vincentius write which for the space of xxiiij dayes occupied so well the fourth part of heauen casting such a cleare lighte that the brighnesse of the Sunne was thereby darkened And also in the yeare that Tamburlan the Tirant killed so many men and women in one ouerthrowe of the Turkes that of their heades onely he made a greate wall as Matheolus writeth there appeared a maruellous blasing starre in the Occident whereof Pontanus and Ioachinus Camerarius in his booke de ostentis learnedly writeth Herodian a Greeke authour in the life of the Emperours maketh mention that in the raigne of Commodeus the Emperour they sawe by the space of a whole daye a number of starres shyning as though it had bene night likewise in the yeare that Lewes the stutting Frenche King died they behelde frō heauen shining a great number of starres at nyne of the clocke in the morning wherein as Hieronimus Cardanus in his .xiiij. booke De veritate rerum assureth to haue seen in the yere 1532. the .xj. day of Aprill being at Venise thre sunnes together cleare bright shining Euen so in the yeare that Francis Sforce died after whose deceasse grew greate warres in Italie there was in like maner seen at Rome thrée sunnes which dydde so frighte the people that they fell immediately to prayer thinking the malice and ire of God were kyndled against them for their sinnes Also the Pope Pius second of that name who was called before he receiued that dignitie Aeneas Siluius who died in the yere 460. writeth in his description of Europe the .liiij. chap. that in the sixt yere after the Iubile there was séene amongest them of Sienne and Florence twentie cloudes in the ayre who being stirred of the wyndes fought one against another euery one in his ranke reculing and approching according to the order and maner of battaill and during the conflicte of these cloudes the winde was not vnoccupied in dispoiling battering brusing and breaking trées houses and rockes besides lifting of men and beastes into the ayre The antiquitie of time cannot reporte or make mention of a more wonder in the aire than of a horrible Comet of the colour of bloude which appeared in the West the eleuenth day of October in the yeare 1527. being so wonderfull and fearefull that it engendred so greate terrour to the common sorte that diuers not onely died with the sighte but others fell into strange and miserable maladies This strange Comet was séene of manie thousand continuing the space of an houre and a quarter and in the ende began to bring hir selfe to the side of the sunne after drawing towards the Midy the Occident and the Septentrion appearing to be of an excessiue length and of the colour of bloud there was séene in y e height of the Comet the Character and figure of the stumpe of an arme holding a greate sworde in his hande as he woulde haue striken about the pointe of the said sword were thrée starres but that which was right vpon the pointe was more cleare and brighte than the others on the other twoo sides of the beames of this Comet they sawe a greate number of hatchettes kniues swordes of the colour of bloud about the whiche were a great number of humaine faces very hideous with their beardes and haire stirring as may bee seene before figured Shortely after y e viewe of this hideous wonderful Planet all the parties of Europe were welnigh bathed in humaine bloude ▪ so muche preuailed the inuasion of the Turckes besides other hurtes which Italie receiued by the Lord of Bourbon when he committed Rome to sacke dying at the same instant like as Petrus Creuserus Iohn Litchber excellent Astrologians interpret by writing the signification of this wonderfull Planet Euen so for that we haue promised in the induction of our worke to shewe the causes beginnings of these wonders it is therfore now requisite to serch more narrowly the matter and to decide the question so often debated amongest the Auncients and learned Philosophers These fantasticall figures as dragons flames Comets other like of diuers formes which are séene so often in the Element according to the opiniōs of many wise men do giue to vnderstande foretel or shew many things that shal and do happen as Albumazar Dorotheus Paulus Alexādrinus Ephestion Maternus ▪ Aomar Thebith Alkindus Paulus Manlius Alberanger and generally the most part of the anciēt Greekes Hebrues Caldees Arabec and Egiptians who haue written and attributed so muche to the starres and their influence that they haue assured the moste parte of the humaine actions to depende of the celestiall constellations Whereof Cicero in his first booke De fato◠seemes to fauour them muche when he affirmeth darckely ▪ that those whiche are borne vnder the Planet De Canis shall not be drowned In like maner Faber Stapulensis in his Paraphrase of Metheores maketh mention that the Commettes whiche appeared from heauen signified scarsitie of goodes aboundance of greate windes warres effusion of bloud and the death of Princes Hieronimus Cardanus a late Philosopher writeth in his fourth booke De subtilitate and .xiiij. booke De veritate rerum that the hearie and bearded Comets and other like monstrous figures whiche appeare from
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
kepte in the mouth represseth hunger and thirst for ten or .xij. dayes Aelyan a Greeke Historian maketh mention of an hearbe whiche discouereth treasures that be hydden And Plinie of an other whiche openeth the conduictes that be closed And nowe as we haue largely dilated vpon the vertues and propreties of many wonderfull herbes and plantes so it is not necessary to omitte the noble and wonderfull dignitie of the roote of Baara so muche celebrated by Iosephus the Hebrue who bycause hée is of more faith than the moste of the rest and of lesse suspition than they all being a recorder of the Ecclesiasticall histories I thynkâ— hym as worthie of this place as any other In tymes past sayth Iosephus there grewe a Roote in Iuda called Baara hauyng a colour and bryghtenesse of a flame â–ª of fyre and gaue lyght in the nyght lyke a Lampe and that in suche a wonderfull and straunge order that who so went about to touche or gather it before that it were sprinkled with either the bloud or vrine of a woman dyed presently and yet was not that a sufficient defence or suretie Wherevpon after suche experience of the poyson of this Hearbe they were constrayned for their owne safetie to tye a Dogge to some parte of the Plante who offeryng to followe hys Mayster plucked it vp by the rootes Suche agayne was the wonderfull propretie of thys Plante that beyng once plucked vp a man myghte handle it wythout peryll And beyng hanged at the necke of suche as were infected wyth the Fallyng syckenesse or possessed wyth an euyll spirite it dyd delyuer them presentely Hieronymus Cardanus a Physition of Millane fyndeth it not straunge that it kylled such as dydde gather it enforcyng hys opinion by reasons of Philosophie but in thys sorte Baaran whereof thys roote of Baara hath taken hys name is a Ualey in Iudea a countrey very hote and haboundyng wyth Pytche of whyche the portion or liquour being very subtile and too muche boyled dyd distill from the Mountaine whereof as it is moste lyke thys Roote was engendred and bycause that it did growe in continuall shadowe and darkenesse the poyson was the more violent beyng of a substaunce exceedyng the fyre in heate the whyche beyng styrred in the pluckyng vp and fumyng vp wyth an ardente and corrupte vapour to the brayne of hym that gathered it smoothered hym presentely But touchyng hys reasons for the vryne and Mylke of a Woman the whyche séemed to haue some power ouer the furie of thys Plante althoughe they bée strong and carrie wyth them a greate lykelyhode of credite and truthe yet I thynke that it is neyther in hym nor in all the Philosophers of the Worlde yf all theyr learnyngs were sette in iudgement of the matter to gyue other reason than wyth the Prophete saying The Lorde is maruellous in all hys woorkes who hathe knowne hys secretes or who hathe bene hys Counseller The portraict of this Plante is in the begynnyng of thys Chapiter where the Dogge is tyed to the Herbe ¶ Wonderfull Banketteâ— CHAP. xxv IF I haue not sufficiently treated in my first booke of the Theatre of the worlde of the infirmities and maledictioÌ„s thundred vpon vs wretches by that wicked and infortunate vice of glutonie I haue nowe a larger fielde to walke in and a matter more ample to dilate vpon to the fulnesse of my pen but without singing so often one soÌ„g it shal suffise me for the present to describe in this place not onely the prodigalities but also the wondrous monstrous féeding of the throte wherof the Auncients and gluttons of late time haue vsed in their feasts and bankets The Persians and Greekes as Herodotus witnesseth haue ben so dissolute in their feasts that they caused them to be proclaimed in publike by the crie of an Harolde and reserued a speciall price to such as could inuent newe delites or drinke or eate with moste excesse bisides they forbad one an other by the way of mockerie and brauerie that they should not depart at any tyme from theyr feastes hungrie And their reason was for that that they should so well stuffe their bodies of all kindes of meates and drinkes that they were constrained to render accoÌ„pt to nature and make an inuentorie of that which they had receiued afore they parted from the table and so hauyng discharged their stomacks became hungrie againe Atheneus makyng mention of the excessiue prodigalitie of Xerxes kyng of the Persians assureth that after he had remained one day in a Citie and that he had dined and supped the common poore people smelte therof a yeare or two after As if that they had had a certain famine or barennesse of goodes in their prouinces And after continuing his purpose he made mention of the superfluitie and sumptuous expences of Darius king of the Persians who sayth he had many times to accompanie him at supper fiftene thousand men of whome if you will make diuision you shall fynde euery one of those guests spent at his supper .xvj. crounes Wherin that great cormorant Alexander was nothing at all inferiour to Darius or Xerxes in banketting or excessiue â—hargeâ— for after he had pierced the Indes â–ª he beganne to giue himselfe in praie to delites and proclaimed open battaile to good drinke with rewarde to hym that got the price or victorie of that combat the same amounting many times to the value of thirtie Mines being three hundreth crownes or of one talent the which is six hundreth crounes And although the danger of that bataile consisted moste in the blowes of cuppes or glasses â–ª yet he founde it in the ende so tragicall and bloudie that for that tyme there died to the number of thirtie sixe who ended their liues moste miserably by the excessiue drinking and gurling in of wine as Charles Mitileneus writeth in the gestes of Alexander Althoughe Esope was not equall to thesâ— before rehearsed neither in goodes nor in dignitie yet Plinie reciteth in the tenth of his bookes that amongeste the moste renoumed delicacies and prodigalitie the dishe of Esope hath bene in greatest admiration That dishe was of a straunge and wonderfull inuention for he searched with greate curiositie for the furnishing of one banquet whiche he made in Rome all the little birdes enclosed in cages whiche were to be founde in all the Citie as Linettes Larkes Estourneaux Merles Calendres and other like who were solde more dearer than golde bycause of their pleasaunt and armonious singing together with the pleasure whiche men receiued in the hearing of them who knowe very well how to imitate the voice of man whiche byrdes if we will beleue Plinie did coste sixe thousande Sesterces the piece which were prised acccording to Budee at fyftene thousandâ— crounes Whiche maye séeme straunge or not true to them whiche haue readde those authours that not onely that tragicall Esope was so riche but also after so greatâ— expences and charges he lefte his sonne so welthiâ— â–ª that he
physition of Vienne writ in a Latine worke which he sent for a wonder to Ferdinando Emperor at that day And although he haue dilated on this Historie sufficiently yet notwithstanding I will write thereof more at large in that I shal be able He writeth to the Emperour Ferdinando that in the yeare .1545 there was at Vienne in Austrice a certain woman named Margareta the wife of a Citizen of that towne called George Wolczer who being quicke with childe from S. Bartholomew day to S. Luce and then vpon point to be deliuered she began to féele y e sharpe and dolorous pangs which women accustomably tast and suffer in the bringyng forth of their children caused hir mother and certain other sage women to be called for hir better helpe therin But when they came to the great conflict of Nature and hoped to haue receiued the childe they perceiued such a brute noise as it had ben a thunder clap within the belly of that poore martir y t which made them to thinke that the child was dead with the great striuing and battaile that it had with Nature The noise being at last appaised they coulde not perceiue or iudge any mouing or life in the infant whiche was cause after they had imployed all their labour and arte in vaine thynking to draw the child out of the mothers belly they wer coÌ„strained in the ende to abandon and leaue hir for a time to the helpe and mercy of almightie God Albeit after certaine dayes hir dolor griefe renued that she was not only forced to vse for helpe herein the aduises of the most excelleÌ„t and best experimeÌ„ted physitions in that prouince but also all others elswhere whose fame was most renoumed and celebrated for their excellencie in that arte who with all their physike resolutiue attractiue suppuratiue were not able to deliuer hir from this misery or otherwise comfort hir than with that which the angel sayd to the Prophetâ— Dispone domus tuae quia morieris Whereupon she seing hir self voide of hope to receiue help at mans hands determined to take truce wich nature and perseuer constantly in this hir martirdom the which she continued with extreme dolor the space of foure yerâ—â— carying this dead caryon in hir belly which being exâ—â—ed she resolued in hir self that it was most expedient to expose some ready death rather than to suffer hir selfe continually to pine by the crueltie of that torment Wherfore resting vpon this deliberatioÌ„ she made to be called the Surgions Physitions at whose handes she requested to be opened And in the yeare .1550 the .xij. day of NoueÌ„ber they opened hir belly from which they drewe the childe half rotten which she had caried the space of fiue yeares And after purging and phisiking hir they restored hir by the ayde of God to suche perfect health that she remayneth at this day on liue and so whole that she may yet conceiue and bring forth children As it is more amply declared in the Latine worke sente vnto the Emperour Ferdinando ¶ A wonderfull historie of a Monster hauing the shape of the face of a man who was taken in the forrest of Haueberg in the yere .1531 whose portraict Georgius Fabritius sent to Gesnerus drawen naturally as he is here figured CHAP. xxxj LIke as those which admeasure the greatnesse of the workes of God according to the capacitie of their vnderstandings could scarsly be persuaded that this monster which is here figured shuld be naturall Euen so in my iudgement as I haue oftentimes protested that I wil not fil or pester my wrytings with any fabulous matter or history wherby I shal not be able to verifie the same by the authoritie either of some famous author Greeke or Latin sacred or prophane for as Gesnerus in his History de quadrupedibus viuiparis wryteth that in the Forest of Saxonie in the coast of Dace there was taken certain moÌ„strous beasts hauing y e shape of the face of a man wherof the female in chase by chauÌ„ce was killed of hunters and the male taken by them was brought aliue who afterwardes became domesticall and tame in such sorte as he began to talke a little albeit hys words were imperfect and hoost much like vnto a Goate and touching the rest of his actioÌ„s they were more brutall than humaine For at such time as he was moued by y e ardent heates and motions of nature the women were not in safety with him for he would endeuor himselfe by force to violaâ—e them openly And as an other like to this was taken in the yere .1531 in the Forest de la seigneurie de Salâ—ebourge in Almaine who wold neuer be made tame nor yet endure the loke of a man but liuing in such sorte certaine dayes in the ende died of hunger refusing to be fed of any liuing creature Euen so in the time that Iames the fourth king raigned in Scotland which was in the yere 1409. and y t he sent Iacobus Egilinus in embassage to the French king who by tempest of the seas was cast on land in a certaine Isle of Norway where he saw moÌ„sters like vnto these spoken of before as he witnessed at his return and enquiring of the people of that couÌ„trey what kinde of creatures they were they answered that they were certaine beastes hauing the shape of the face of men who accustomed very often to come by night to their houses which being not repulsed by dogges would deuoure as wel their men as children And I remember that S. Augustine in his boke of the Citye of God maketh mention of sundrye monsters of straungo formes who were found in deserts or elswhere whereupon grew a question whether they were descended of the first man Adam or that they had a reasonable soule or not or whether they should rise as others shall at the generall day of resurrection But for that this matter is a little to long to entreate vpon by reason of the shortnesse of this Chapiter I will therefore reserue it for a nother place more fit and apte for the dissolution therof ¶ A wonderfull History of sundry straunge famines CHAP. xxxij I Doe remember that I haue treated in my third booke of the Theatre of the world howe famine is one of the moste cruell ministers of the iustice of God as he hymselfe witnesseth very often by his Prophets and Apostels sometymes threatning to gyue them for their wickednesse a heauen of brasse and the earth of yroÌ„ that is to say that it shal bring forth nothing albeit I will not forget in this place to make mention of two notable famines noted in the boke of Ecclesiasticus to the ende that drawing our Histories out of the liuely springs of the scripture the same may moue vs y t rather and touche vs the more with remorse euen vpon the hammer of our conscience It is shewed in the .iiij. boke of the kings and .vj. chapter of a famine which happened in Samarie in
their sighte to reade their teethe to pronounce their iawes to eate their eares to heare nor their memorie vnoccupied who wante no toungs at any time to require for them selues or theirs at the princes handes either one good benefite or other In suche sorte that these miserable creatures are so muche drowned in couetousnesse that they neither knowe nor perceiue at all that euen as their greedy desire to heape riches groweth dayly in augmentation so in like manner their life shortneth and slippeth away Whiche is in deede in effect my friends the iust cause of the abusing of princes and weales publike And the better to make you vnderstand the difference of the auncient libertie of speking to kings and of the couetous seruitude and weakenesse which raigneth at this day amōgst those which assist them I will recompt vnto you one historie whiche I learned of no man neither read in the bokes of the auncients but I saw the effect in my presence In the first yeare wherein they did me honour in creating me Consule there came to Rome a poore villaine of the riuer of Danube demaunding iustice in the Senate against a Censor who tormented the people with tirannous subsidies exactions who was so hardy and barbarous to frame his complaint that neyther most assured captain nor eloquent Oratour in the worlde knew better how to speake This villain had a little face great lips hollow eyes a dusky colour his haire staring his head vncouered his shoes of the skin of a porpentine his cote of goates haire his girdle of bulrushes his bearde long and thick his eyebries couering or drawne ouer hys eyes his stomacke and neck ouergrowne with haire and a staffe in his hand who being in this attire when we saw him enter into the Senate we iudged him to be some beast hauing the shape of a man but after we vnderstode y e maiestie of his talke and the grauenesse of his sentences we thought him to participate with god For as his shape was monstrous so his talke was wonderful That villain hauing paused a little and turning here and there his gastly lookes sayd vnto vs Most noble fathers and people most happy I a rusticall and vnfortunate wretch dwellyng in the cities which be nigh Danube and you other Senators of Rome which be here assembled God saue you and I pray to the Gods immortall not only to gyue you grace to gouerne well the cōmon weal to the which you are now appointed but also that they wil so guide my tong at this present as I may say that which is necessary for my country my sorowful desteny permitting the same and our angrie gods not forsaking me Oure countrey of Germanie was subdued by you Romains wherin as your glorie is now the greater therby euen so shal your infamie be a◠extreme in the worlde to come for the cruelties and tirannies wherwith you haue plagued vs. And if you see not what you know neither would know it before this houre that whē we vnhappy wretches were brought before the chariots of your triumph and cried Viue Rome bisides an other part of poore and miserable captiues sheading drops of bloud in their hearts crying to the Gods Iustice Iustice Romains Romains your couetousnesse is so great to rauine and take awaye the goodes of your neighboures and your pride so vnmeasurable in commaundyng the landes of strangers that neither the seas with their deapths nor the land with hir largenesse be able to containe the same but be ye assured that like as you without reason cast out others from their houses landes and possessions and some do sel them Euen with the same reason in the ende shal you be chased from Rome Italy for it is a law infallible y t a man which taketh by force y e goodes of an other shal lose by right that which is his owne and bisides all that the wicked haue heaped togyther by theyr tyrannie in many dayes the iust goddes shall take it away in one day and contrarywise all that the good lose in dyuerse yeres the goddes will restore to them in one houre Wherfore if you thinke to enriche your children by euill gotten goodes and leaue the same to theyr vse you are muche deceyued For the Auncient prouerbe hath bene alwayes true that by the vniuste dealyng and gayne of fathers dothe come afterward iust to losse theyr children Heape then what ye can heape and lette euery man obey youre commaundementes and knowe for a certaine that where you thinke to make them lordes of straunge prouinces you in the ende shall finde them but slaues of youre owne proper riches and theues of the sweate and labor of other mens trauail Notwithstanding I would demaund Romains what action hath moued you being borne nigh the Riuer of Tiber to haue desire to plante and enlarge your borders to the riuer of Donnue Haue we shewed any fauour to your enimies Haue we conquered your landes Or haue you found any auncient law which affirmeth that the Noble coūtrey of Germanie ought of necessitie to be subiect to the proud Citie of Rome Are we not your neighbors And if there hath bene any thing amōgst your selues which hath stird vp this quarrel truely you are not therof indifferent iudges Nor thinke not Romains though you be made Lords of Germanie that it is by any industrie of warre for you are no better souldiers neither more couragious hardy or valiant than we but as we haue offended our gods so haue they ordained in their secrete iudgements you to be scourges vnto vs for our disordred liuings And seeing then we be ouercomed not in respect we be cowards fearful or weake persons but only for our wickednesse that we trusted not in our Gods what hope may you haue you Romains being as we are vicious and hauing as you haue the Gods angrie with you And if I be not beguiled we haue endured sufficient misery for the apeasing of y e gods but your cruelties be so great and terrible that the liues of you and your children can not suffice to make recompence for your offences Suffiseth it not Romains to take from vs our auncient libertie to load vs with insupportable impositions subsedies heaping vpon vs from time to time all kinde of miseries but you must also send vnto vs iudges that be so bestiall and ignorant that I sweare vnto you by the Gods immortal that they neither know nor can declare your lawes vnto vs and much lesse they vnderstand oures And that which worse is they take all presented vnto them in publike and refuse nothing giuen in secrete and vnder colour they be Romains they fear not to robbe all the land What meaneth this Romains shall your pride in commaunding haue neuer end nor your couetousnesse he withdrawne from your neighbour If we be disobedient and our seruices not content you cōmaund to take away our liues for to be plain with you crueltie to cut our throtes can